Strength and Conditioning in Youth and Junior Triathlon

Stephen Breisner

© English Institute of Sport 2011

Strength and Conditioning

The role of a strength and conditioning is to use exercise prescription specifically to improve performance in athletic competition. They also help athletes with injury prevention and proper mechanics within their sports performances.

S&C Coaches Ian Pyper –

British Triathlon

Stephen Breisner – British Triathlon

Ishan Rawlley-Singh– SIS

Matt Craythorne – WIS

Dane Mitchell – Leeds Beckett

Nick Manning – Leeds Uni

Helen Shipman – Loughborough Uni

Pete Gascoigne – Network Support

S&C in Triathlon

1. PERFORMANCE IMPACT

2. GLOBAL ATHLETISIM

3. INJURY PREVENTION

Long term athlete development of young triathletes

Performance Impact – Triathlon Talent

GLOBAL ATHLETISIM + INJURY PREVENTION

1. Reduced time lost to injury

2. Ability to withstand training volume

Conditioning Technique

Strength

Plyometric

S&C in Triathlon

Strength

Conditioning

Ability to produce and absorb forces near to maximal effort, strong enough to manage forces required in triathlon.

Technique

Plyometric

Ability to absorb repeated force through muscles and tendons over a period of time. Improve fatigue resistance.

Development of the plyometric capabilities of the muscles and tendons helps manage the rate of forces required in triathlon.

Technique and mechanics dictate the distribution of force in any action, ensuring proper form and technique allows for forces to be

applied to the correct places.

S&C in Triathlon

England Talent Squad Technical Weekend

What previous injuries have you had?

Where do you feel sore during/after training?

Injury Prevention

BONE – Stress response/fracture

Minimising Risk Conditioning through soft tissue

Manage fatigue for run sessions

Management of chronic load

Considerations to acute load

Conditioning

Technique

Strength

Plyometric

- Straight leg calf raise - Bent leg calf raise - Active walks Toes raises - Seated calf raises

- Stiff ankle walks - Skipping - Alternate skipping - Single leg skipping - A-Skips - B-Skips

- Hop and hold - Force absorption - Multi directional hops - Drop and hold

- Eccentric calf raise - Loaded multi-joint exercises - Loaded calf raise - Loaded bent leg calf raise

BONE Minimising risk: Conditioning through soft tissue Manage fatigue for run sessions Management of chronic load Considerations to acute load

TENDON – Tear/Tendonitis

Minimising Risk Strong supporting musculature

Adequate recovery

Tendon’s ability to absorb force

Conditioning

Technique

Strength

Plyometric

- Muscular conditioning - Isolated single muscle exercises - E.g. hamstring bridge, calf raise, glute bridge

- Running drills - High speed running - Bounding - Hill running

- Squat - Hop and hold - Lunge - Drop and hold - Split Squat

- Load through the tendon - Isometrics - Eccentrics

TENDON Minimising risk: Strong supporting musculature Adequate recovery Tendon’s ability to absorb force

Summary

Strength and Conditioning in youth and junior triathlon should focus on long term athlete development:

– Technique – Move correctly

– Conditioning – Ability to absorb load

– Robustness – Injury prevention

Lyndsey Townsend England Talent Squad

Physiotherapist

Welbeck College 16/04/2016

Signs and Symptoms of an Injury

• Definition of injury

– Time loss

– severity

• Tendons

• Bone stress/fracture

Balancing Training Load / Volume

• Load

• Volume

• Mismatch

• Injury – Prevention (screening/S&C/recovery/activations)

– Rehabilitation

Concussion

Concussion

• Current best practice

• SCAT ‘sport concussion assessment tool’

– 7 days complete rest

– 14 days graduated return (48h intervals)

• http://bjsm.bmj.com/

Growth and flexibility - proprioception

• In junior and youth athletes a growth spurt is a known risk factor

• Skeletal growth happens first, then muscles lengthen in response

– Os good schlatters/severes disease

• Reduced proprioception

– Increased risk loading injuries

– Increased risk ligament sprains

New injury or illness

Communication Rest or Seek Assessment

Follow Advice

Action Plan