KWSC Football Excellence wrap up

This week we finish up with the Kawana Waters State College football program of excellence for the year. Our work within the program provided students education on modernised strength and conditioning methodologies, preventative injury management measures, as well as access to a high- performance environment.
Football athletes require programming which includes strength, power, speed, proprioceptive, plyometric and mobility work, not only for performance outcomes, but also preventative injury measures. Current research demonstrates that ACL injury rates are extremely high in Australia, even more so in female athletic populations, which is why education is key to combat this issue. 
Intune Sports & Physio Strength & Conditioning Coach Lachy taught students correct technique covering main lifts and their derivatives, and provided education on exercise selection. Many of these students have obtained opportunities with elite level clubs and academies across the globe, therefore it's important they are armed with sound technique to take with them as they progress through their career. We further educated the program on common injury sights of the field sport athlete such as the hamstrings, while focusing on upskilling knowledge on preventative injury measures. 
In terms of preventative injury protocols for the hamstrings, whilst strengthening the muscle group is important, exercise selection incorporating glute work is also necessary. Glutes are not only a powerhouse muscle, they also play a pivotal role in injury prevention of the hamstring and knee. Students covered (Romanian Deadlift) RDL technique loading the glute hamstring complex as well as Nordic’s which target hamstring strength. Furthermore, we recommend hitting peak velocity (sprinting) twice a week, exposing the hamstrings to several stimulus and taking a holistic approach is greatly beneficial in bullet proofing them.
Coach Lachy took students through lifting technique including correct squat mechanics. This included the Barbell Squat and education on the difference between high bar, low bar and front squat technique, these are effective whole-body exercises for the field sport athlete. In terms of technique, the traditional barbell squat loads the posterior chain such as the glutes. Alternately, the front squat weight is more anteriorly loaded (front) which loads the core, working in anti-flexion and the quads. This is just a small insight into the education provided on each of the lifts. 
If you are an athlete looking to take your performance to the next level, it's time to start taking a scientific approach to your training regime and the off-season & pre-season is the perfect time to begin. Start your season a bigger, stronger, faster athlete!  We are a multidisciplinary team with a proven track record working with the amateur to elite level athlete. Enquire today to let us help you reach your individual goals.