Collegiate Football Injuries Increasing

According to an article in the LA Times (A World of Hurt, September 9, 2015) the winner after last week’s football games was the medical profession. It appears that most schools experienced injuries that will have a major effect on the remainder of this season.

From my experiences with football players and football teams, I believe the reason for many of these football injuries lies in the training that the players undergo. The main problem in the training appears to be the continued use of high-intensity training. It seems that as more injuries occur the intensity goes up a few more notches.

For some reason coaches have come to believe that high-intensity is the key to not only greater strength, but also the prevention of football injuries. But can this belief be substantiated? Sadly, the answer is no.

For greater strength, greater all-around joint strength and coordination you need moderate intensity. This has been well-substantiated in the literature as well as in research and practice. However, when a coach is convinced that high-intensity is the answer to prevention of injury, it is very difficult to change his mindset.

What I recommend in such instances is that the coach select a portion of the team to train with moderate intensity (as in the 1 X 20 RM strength training program) and the rest of the team continue with the usual high-intensity routine.

It usually takes one 8 week cycle before the coaches see significant differences. This in turn may help coaches become convinced that high-intensity is not the most effective method of training. Unless of course they disbelieve their findings which some are prone to do because of deeply embedded myths.

for more information see Build a Better Athlete and The Revolutionary 1 x 20 RM Strength Training Program

 

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