The Athletic Development Show

Podcast Stretching is a contentious topic, but much like last weeks episode on ice baths (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IjJtb9HqXY), the science can be a minefield of unrealistic studies and sensationalised media headlines.

The key to stretching before sport is in the details: - Dosage (25-30sec) of gently holding the position - The correct stretches (we love the crouching three for any running athletes, linked below) - And to follow the stretches up with a proper activation and dynamic warm-up series.

We also cover: - Where the science on stretching has gone wrong and how it under appreciates the nuance of stretching pre-exercise. - How thinking and the scientific method are both valuable but need to be understood fully to apply - How a short dose of the right stretches can have an incredible restorative effect on alignment, performance and long-term injury reduction and recovery - We discuss thinking and the scientific method in general and how challenging traditional or preconceived theories can be challenging

Some resources and extra reading/watching:

New Yorker Article on the topic of thinking: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds

Veritasium video on the flaws in the scientific method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42QuXLucH3Q A web page/article summarising the video: https://wakelet.com/wake/35a80e1c-0033-4db1-a5c1-28337f57d75b Some articles on the same topic: http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020124 https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/science-isnt-broken/#part1

The AIS stretching study (it was actually 2008): Negative effect of static stretching restored when combined with a sport specific warm-up component http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/40275084/Negative_effect_of_static_stretching_res20151122-9050-vuil4j.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1489645276&Signature=5WSeDFCIJuSoUYmT8NN2FwHweeU%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DNegative_effect_of_static_stretching_res.pdf

Two of our favourite exaggerated stretching protocol studies: http://anneclairepannier.free.fr/files/etirements/THE%20EFFECT%20OF%20DIFFERENT%20WARM-UP%20STRETCH.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Matthew_Portas/publication/6493099_The_effect_of_static_ballistic_and_proprioceptive_neuromuscular_facilitation_stretching_on_vertical_jump_performance/links/0c960515bf28e28029000000.pdf

The Crouching Three (our favourite stretches) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8-8n_EyhIw&t=6s Core Advantage's activation and dynamic warm-up series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeQPAP-VhpY&t=33s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LZU2H-eSxY&t=36s An old article on the topic of stretching and athletic performance: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2012/9/20/first-post?rq=stretching

The dynamic component of our warm up routine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LZU2H-eSxY&t=3s

To download our full warm up routine for free (PDF) head over to our website www.coreadvantage.com.au

Recently there was an article doing the rounds suggesting Ice baths are a waste of time, but when we dug a little deeper there was a little more to this story than first meets the ice...

The RadioNZ article: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201835699/ice-baths-a-'bone-chilling-waste-of-time'

The actual academic paper: http://pilarmartinescudero.es/Ene2017/Effects%20of%20cold%20water%20after%20resitance%20exercise.pdf

New Yorker Article on thinking: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds

Veritasium video on the scientific method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42QuXLucH3Q

Our first Random thoughts on the topic of Cryotherapy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS_p04jvQ0Y

PS: Ice baths for general recovery is a completely different topic to ice (RICE) for acute injury rehabilitation, we talk on that topic in the cryotherapy episode. You can also read more on RICE here: http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/why-ice-delays-recovery.html

PPS: This is Episode 52, which makes it one full year of Random Thoughts, thank you so much for watching, giving feedback and your continued involvement in some brilliant open discussion!

Over the last 12 months, Nordics have become a key criterion and point of progression for most of our athletes.

In today's episode, we go deep on why we love them, - why they are better than a deadlift and RDL for brute eccentric hamstring strength - the mistake we made regarding Corelfits - why the Nordic isn't quite perfect - why sport doesn't serve the hamstring well - how eccentrics affect the collagen and titan in your muscles - and how you can start adding them in without being sore for a week

Some resources: This video from David Opar should provide a great summary of all things hamstrings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48MAhno35Lg

David Opar and the hamstring injury research group have done a heap of work on the Nordic and its effect on injury risk (this link will take you to a heap of their academic papers which you can read for free) https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?q=david+opar+hamstring&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjXoPXP6rjSAhXDEpQKHefTBAkQgQMIFzAA

Also the Nordbord website: https://valdperformance.com/

Fascicle length: http://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(12)00580-4/abstract

More on Titin (not Titan): http://jeb.biologists.org/content/217/16/2825.long

And collagen content of muscles: http://jap.physiology.org/content/97/1/197.long (a small study but Jacob seems to be onto something)

We are often referred to as "The Roller Guys", but we do so much more than just rolling. In this episode, we explain why it is we do love the rolling and why there is a pretty good chance it is so super helpful for improving performance, reducing injury risk, accelerating recovery and helping you generally feel and move better.

To check out our rolling routine (the easiest 5 minutes of your day to being a better athlete): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh16uJpn9Kg&t=33s

For our article on foam rolling: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2013/2/22/the-magic-of-foam-rolling

For more on Trigger points: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7qvgeyhqhM&t=1s

And to see what other cool stuff we get up to in the gym check out Jacob's Vlog: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLGwYUBXVGQXHw4Ngen_8TwoHsY1glw3L

www.coreadvantage.com.au

In this week's episode, we have a special guest! Jacob and his mum discuss: - Why fat doesn't make you fat (and the dodgy science it is built upon) - How the food pyramid came to exist - Is brown bread better than white? - Why juice is bad for breakfast

WARNING: This is not dietary advice, and is meant entirely for entertainment purposes only (and maybe to provoke thought about nutrition in general!)

We did two videos on this topic around this time last year and it provoked some debate, this time we thought a longer explanation of why the law of diminishing returns is so important and why we believe that you can, in fact, be strong enough.

"As strong as you can get in the amount of training time you have allotted to strength that doesn't interfere with the main modality of training" - Raph Brandon

The two videos from last year: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV_Q6E9rH1I Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKIQQReZdaI

www.coreadvantage.com.au

We often get asked have you heard of the such and such program, or I'm about to start this 12-week shock program what have you heard about it?

Unfortunately, the internet isn't always truthful and not all that shines is gold…

Some further resources: The Foot speed random thoughts (by far our best): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZNbVLL9GI0 The stretching/vertical leap article: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2012/9/20/first-post Saturation vs deficiency blog: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2016/buckets?rq=saturation

The inventor of plyometrics was Yuri Verkhoshansky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyometrics#History

The EXOS Plyometric: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvn5AuhY1JM (Couldn't find the EXOS version, but these are also really nice well-executed plyometrics)

Sleep is such a big deal that it deserves a second discussion, Part 1 is worth checking out first... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J-sfHTtvvE&t=21s In this week's episode, we talk about why sleep is so important for your mental and physical output.

For our vlog on sleep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy6ib0XvfQw&t=10s Our blog: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2016/sleep-deprivation-athlete Oats for dinner: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2016/breakfast-for-dinner Dr. Timothy Sharp: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Sleep-Guide-Steps-Better/dp/1583940758

School kicks off soon and that means everyone is going to start sitting more this next week than they have the previous two months.

To prepare we have some tips and advice so you don't become a victim of the desk and can glide through term 1 without any back tightness or soreness.

Some resources we mention in this episode: The anti-desk playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhF8ht51Z-d69zz5wMhUZrmyJm8Rxu_XQ Multifidus, one of the most important muscles you have: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1vRHznQlRs&t=27s TFL, one of the least important muscles you own: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wV6TrorlY&t=34s Muscular creep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8okULTtxSfk&list=PLhF8ht51Z-d69zz5wMhUZrmyJm8Rxu_XQ&index=3 Sitting vs standing (RT EP.24) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls-W6RIphGk Tim Ferriss standing school: http://tim.blog/2015/06/16/standing-desks/

Another strategically timed announcement, with the Eltham Dandenong Junior Basketball Tournament​ and Bendigo Braves​ Junior Classic Australia Day Tournament's kicking off next week it's vital that you start your preparation now to have yourself ready to attack the 3 (or 4) biggest basketballing days of the year.

For our video's on Holiday loading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRBVD0V1hP0&t=24s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvSuKTIUImM (vlog)

And our articles on Tournament prep: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2013/5/28/how-to-maximise-tournament-performance?rq=tournament Hydration (and the gator-shake): http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2013/1/23/hydration-strategies-for-high-performance?rq=hydration Protein: http://www.coreadvantage.com.au/blog/2015/protein101?rq=gator