AE Articles
Young Female Athletes & ACL Recovery By Monica Walker
Student Athlete Profile: Patti H.
Patti was one of our first scholastic athletes at the ripe old age of fourteen years old. She trained with us in early 2002, prior to her competitive season. She participated in basketball, softball, and volleyball.
She came to us to help improve her speed but found out quickly that she needed to strengthen her right knee, which had a partial tear in the anterior crushier ligament. During her first four and half weeks of training Patti showed significant improvement in her overall strength, flexibility, and mobility. Unfortunately, early that spring Patti completely tore the ACL and went through her surgery and physical therapy for the next six months.
Once she received clearance from her physician, Patti came back and started her training in hopes to be ready for her spring sport. Everyone agreed that the first priority was to improve her strength levels significantly and then make a plan to re-introduce proper running/sprinting.
She had great improvement over a six week period improving her front squat from bodyweight to bodyweight plus 125 lbs and single leg curls from 10 lbs to 55 lbs. She had less than 50% lower abdominal function and improved to over 90% function. In addition, her hamstring flexibility improved from 55% to almost 100%.
Her favorite part of training was boxing and least favorite was any running! The staff admits, she remqains one of their sentimental favorites and an outstanding student to coach.
Structural Balance and Performance By James Walker
Profile: Jace Summers
Jace came to AE December 18th of 2002 with a desire to run and play semi pro football. He had been inactive the past 24 months due to a motorcycle racing accident that severely injured his foot and ankle. At the time of his accident doctors did not think he would walk without a limp let alone run.
We did a very comprehensive assessment to determine his strengths, weaknesses’, scar tissue, nerve inhibitions, and muscle-flexibility imbalances.
Over the next 33 workouts we reduced his weight from 221 lbs to 202 lbs, his body-fat from 21.8% to 11.5%, and increased his lean body mass from 172 lbs to 179 lbs.
On the strength side we had to correct muscle imbalances in the torso, hips, thighs, and mid-back so that he could squat correctly. We restored his lower core function from 60 to 100%, increased upper body pressing by 40%, upper body pulling by 150%, lower body pulling by 40%, and lower body pressing by over 300%.
Finally and equally important Jace could now run, tackle, change direction, play at a high competitive level, and became a explosive-devastating hitter, considering he wasn’t suppose to walk very well. Over those 5 months he improved his 40-yard from 5.49 to 4.76 seconds. I think that says it best!
Tags: Football, Injury, Muscle Inbalances
Preparation from Journeyman to NFL Veteran By James Walker
Profile: Lemar Marshall
Lemar came to AE in July 2003 with only two and a half weeks before pre-season football camp with the Redskins. His assessment revealed that his post surgery knee was unstable, lower core dysfunctional, and overall strength and composition not near the ideal range. We could see a whole lot of untapped athletic potential.
From this time through pre-season camp we reduced his body-fat from 18.1% to 9.9% and increased his lean muscle mass from 185.9 lbs to 201 lbs. In addition, we reduced the scar tissue in the IT band, legs, and shoulders. In season we continued to provide him with workouts and protocols that would help his performance and manage his injuries.
The following year we started working with Lemar early, correcting skeletal- muscle imbalances, corrective strengthening, scar tissue management, power-explosive strength training, mobility, weight management, and correct sprinting mechanics.
Since Lemar has gone from special teams and special downs standout to starter with the Redskins and the Browns. Through numerous injuries and a few surgeries he has improved and maintained his speed gains. His 10-meter start speed has improved by 16-17% and his maximum acceleration speed by 23-25%.
Tags: Football, Professionals
Hamstring: Injury to Regeneration By James Walker
Profile: Ed Thomas
I first received a call from Ed Thomas on May 8th of 2003 after being released by the Jaguars due to a severe hamstring injury. He had found me thru the web site of world-renown strength guru Charles Poliquin as an associate. Ed was looking for specific type of training, having been familiar with cutting edge training methods and scientific principles introduce to him while with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL under associates Ives Ethier and Paul Cagne.
We spoke twice at length and he decided to drive up from Atlanta to Northern VA with his wife Kirsten for his two-part assessment. During the assessment it was obvious that Ed would need to regenerate and strengthen his hamstring. There was still a significant space were the tear had occurred and scar tissue in the adjacent muscles. Also he would need to correct muscle imbalances involving the thighs, hips, ankles, and shoulders. In addition he would need to reduce his body-fat , increase lean muscle mass, and overall strength and explosiveness.
Over the next ten weeks we improved his body-fat from 13.1% to 6.7%, and his lean muscle mass from 197.3 to 208.1 lbs. His strength values increased as well, upper body pressing 26%, upper body pulling 53%, lower body pressing 22%, and lower body pulling 60 %. His 10-meter starts improved by almost .15 and his 10-meter maximum acceleration speed by .15.
The following April Ed attended a NFL combine for veterans. He not only posted the best scores as a linebacker but they were better than the corner backs as well. Shortly there after signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tags: Football, Hamstring, Injury, Professionals, Speed, Therapy
Internship: Frank Lutz, The Biokinetic Group, LLC
“Thank you for my Athletic Excellence internship. It was a wonderful experience. I learned more in three days than in the previous three years. You guys are on the cutting edge of training technology and it shows, by not only the look of your training facility but more importantly, the results from your clients.”
Frank Lutes, CSCS The Biokinetic Group, LLC 2006
Tags: Internship, Training
Letter from Frank Lutz
Thank you for my Athletic Excellence internship. It was a wonderful experience. I learned more in three days than in the previous three years. You guys are on the cutting edge of training technology and it shows, by not only the look of your training facility but more importantly, the results from your clients. Continue reading Letter from Frank Lutz