The following is a peer-reviewed article Nick Tumminello coauthored with Dr. Jason Silvernail, who holds one of highest Physical Therapist positions in the US Army. It was originally published in the NSCA Personal Training Quarterly Journal, Vol 4, Issue 2.

Strength and conditioning helps to improve a plethora of health and fitness parameters, including managing weight; lowering the risk of disease, death, and functional limitations; and reducing the risk of sports injury (4,10,13,21,23,41). The best ability in training is the availability to do it in the first place. The personal trainer should not only train clients towards their goals, but do so in a way that allows individuals to continue training. This article will examine ways that personal trainers can take steps in order to effectively reduce the risk of clients suffering a training-related injury. 

Injury risk factors and concerns often vary by sport (e.g., factors for swimmers are not the same as for soccer players) and body part (e.g., factors for anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] rupture are different than for low back pain). Strength and conditioning is a low-risk activity, but it is not a no-risk activity (17). The following strategies can help the personal trainer successfully use exercise to reduce the risk of injury in their clients.

INCONCLUSIVE INJURY PREVENTION STRATEGIES

First, it is important to review a couple of strategies that are commonly believed to be “well-established” methods of reducing injury risk. 

STRETCHING

A 2014 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at the effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries. The authors of this paper stated that, “our data do not support the use of stretching for injury prevention purposes, neither before nor after exercise,” (21). It is important to note that the effect estimate of stretching in this study corresponds to earlier reviews (12,42). These research findings do not say that nobody should use stretching in their strength and conditioning sessions. Stretching can be beneficial in several ways, such as increasing joint range of motion and improving one’s tolerance to stretching (33). However, stretching solely for injury prevention is likely misguided. 

MOVEMENT SCREENS

Several movement-based evaluation systems have been promoted to discover poor movement patterns that indicate increased risk of injury. While these approaches are well-intentioned, evidence continues to build that these scoring systems have limited ability to predict injury and that better scores do not necessarily mean better athletic performance (9,19,26,32,34). Proponents of movement screens argue that some evidence shows that using a cut-off score can identify those at higher risk of future injury (2,6). However, validity problems remain, for instance it is impossible to know if the score itself is helpful or if there are other explanations for the injury risk findings in some of those studies (2,6). One such explanation is that individuals with a current or recent injury—a known risk factor for future problems—will tend to score lower on such tests (48). This means that the lower score may just identify a known existing risk factor. These systems can certainly be useful in exercise prescription, but current evidence does not support using these systems as general injury prediction or prevention tools.

GENERAL PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING TRAINING-RELATED INJURY

When it comes to minimizing training-related injury, most people are already familiar with the saying “don’t overdo it.” Generally, it is commonly recommended to avoid exercises that tend to put the body into an awkward position (e.g., behind the neck pressing and behind the neck pull-downs) or loaded end-range spine movements. Although that advice is fine, there is far more practical advice that can be added. The following are a variety of general, practical strategies that a personal trainer can use immediately, along with the rationale for why they can help in reducing the risk of training-related injury. 

WORK AROUND PAIN, NOT THROUGH IT

If an exercise hurts the client—for any reason—the personal trainer should find a modification or an alternative that does not hurt the client. This recommendation does not apply to the sensation of muscle fatigue. Instead, it applies to any aches and pains that exist outside the training session or flare up when the client performs certain movements. Such problem areas may simply need time to rest and heal, or they may be injuries to body parts that can no longer tolerate the same level of load and do not improve without appropriate care. 

Either way, a personal trainer who has their client train through the pain is not helping the situation. Although this fact should be obvious, many athletes and personal trainers are stubborn and use exercises that cause pain—a practice that is more often rooted in habit and ego rather than evidence. Continuing to perform exercises that cause pain could very well make things worse and lead to further damage, changing a painful area from something a personal trainer can easily train around temporarily to an injury that is more debilitating. 

AVOID FORCING END-RANGES OF MOTION IN THE SPINE AND JOINTS WHEN LIFTING

As a general rule, avoiding forced end-range joint and spine actions are typically advised when lifting heavy loads or using medium loads for high repetitions. Research has shown that as the spine reaches full flexion, such as when performing deadlifts with an excessively-rounded back, support of the spine shifts from the muscles to the disks and ligaments (27). Weight shifts in the fully flexed posture can be quite dramatic and can easily cause excessive shear load (29). In full spinal flexion, not only is anterior shear loading higher, but the spinal ligaments are also at a heightened risk of injury (28). Additionally, repetitive compressive loading of the spine can exceed tissue tolerance and cause injury (11). Therefore, maintaining a relatively neutral spine posture when lifting heavy loads is sound training advice. 

When joints are moved to their end range of movement, the load shifts from the contracting muscle to the noncontractile connective tissue (e.g., ligaments, joint capsules). This is not ideal for two reasons: the exercise no longer provides as effective of a training load for the working muscles, and the client may injure the other connective tissues. Weight training helps build those connective tissues as well. Tissues respond positively to load by getting stronger over time. Personal trainers should not be afraid to load their clients; however, loading excessively at the end range of motion does not have a good risk-benefit ratio. 

Joints function very well in their mid-ranges of motion, but also need some full range-of-motion activity in order to stay healthy and maintain their current range of movement. Yoga or mobility drills can serve as a nice complement to comprehensive resistance training workouts. Due to their low-load and slow-paced nature, many yoga moves and mobility exercises require the joints and spine to move into their end-range of motion. Additionally, yoga and mobility drills get the client to move in a manner that they usually do not in weight training. This can provide more variety of activity and help the client to not just get stronger and leaner, but also to get more mobile. 

USE CARE WITH PREVIOUS INJURIES

Injury risk is usually increased in those with a previous injury (25,38,44,48). Clients should tell personal trainers about any previous injuries that they have sustained. Additionally, some other advice that may be useful for personal trainers include:

Progress load and volume carefully around injured areas.

Be especially careful with movements and positions that were part of the previous injury. For example, an athlete who injured his or her knee coming down from a jump in basketball should be careful on single-leg plyometric exercises.

Do not neglect injured areas; building strength around an injured joint is important. Specific training of injured areas helps prevent future injuries (22). 

INCORPORATE SINGLE-LEG STRENGTH EXERCISES

A study that compared unilateral versus bilateral squat training for strength, sprints, and agility in rugby players found that rear elevated split squats were just as effective as back squats in improving measures of lower-body strength, 40-m speed, and change of direction (40). Another study also found that single-leg and double-leg training increased strength and decreased fatigue, with no differences between single-leg and double-leg results (37). Interestingly, this study also found that single-leg training did not decrease fatigue during double-leg repeated maximal voluntary contractions, and double-leg training did not decrease fatigue during single-leg repeated maximal voluntary contractions (35). In other words, although these results demonstrate that improvements in strength are similar between bilateral and unilateral training, the results also suggest that unilateral training does not decrease bilateral fatigue and vice versa. 

Single-leg performance during sidestep cutting may be a better indicator of how an athlete will move in sport activities, and therefore, may be a better predictor of injury risk than bilateral drop jump testing (20). Although this example applies better to the sporting realm, the following studies can also be applied directly to the personal training realm. For example, a study suggested using single-leg performance to detect deficits in unilateral force development, while another study showed that a 15% or greater variance in closed-kinetic chain strength or movement control ability in single-limb performance between the right and left leg is a good indicator of increased injury risk (31,36). Additionally, because weakness and fatigue in single-leg landings have been shown to increase the risk of injury, it may be beneficial to regularly incorporate single-leg training exercise variations in a client’s program to improve single-leg control, strength, and strength endurance (3). 

DO NOT PERFORM COMPLEX MOTOR SKILLS AND MOVEMENTS IN A FATIGUED STATE

As clients move through their workout, muscular fatigue builds. Many studies have demonstrated that fatigued trainees lose efficiency of movement. For example, fatigue-related changes have been found in the muscles around the shoulder and knee (3,7,8,18). Muscular fatigue is associated with biomechanical changes in loading response and mechanics that may lead to injury. It is important to note that these biomechanical changes do not necessarily lead to injury in every case; however, avoiding complex skills and movements while fatigued is a reasonable precaution. The practical implication is that it is safer to avoid fatiguing clients until the end of the workout and after they have done complex or explosive exercises that involve more motor skill, such as agility and speed activities, plyometrics, and weightlifting movements. 

IMPROVE CONDITIONING LEVELS

Since fatigue is a risk factor in injuries, improving conditioning levels can help an individual become more resistant to fatigue, potentially lessening the risk of injury from fatigue. In several studies, those with low levels of conditioning have been found to be at a higher risk of sustaining an injury (5,14,24,46,48). Besides conditioning levels, total training load is emerging as a risk factor for injury (15). All training is an applied stress to the body. This stress causes the body to adapt by becoming stronger, bigger, or faster to account for the stress. Smart, individualized training is about applying enough stress to the body to make it adapt without applying too much stress and overloading the tissues to the point where they can become damaged. With this in mind, planned rest days throughout a training week, along with incorporating rest or active rest weeks (consisting of lower demand activities) between several weeks of hard training can help in avoiding too much overload or stress. 

LESSEN OR ELIMINATE QUICK STARTS FOR SPRINTS

One commonly found injury in sports or training sessions is hamstring strains. This can occur when individuals explode off the starting line doing a quick start when beginning a sprint. To reduce the potential injury risk from quick starts, one can jog to the starting point and begin sprinting upon reaching the starting line. Doing this will prevent the person from going from a static position straight into a sprint. If training for a specific test or event that demands a sprint starting from a static position, the client should train specifically using quick starts. In such cases, personal trainers should simply use what they believe to be the minimum effective dose of quick starts in their training program. Then the personal trainer could mix in several repetitions that include the jogging start. 

DO NOT SMOKE

It is commonly thought that smoking is generally bad for overall health; additionally, some studies have demonstrated that it can also be a risk factor for injury (5,16,45,48). Smoking is a consistent risk factor for poor recovery after injury and poor healing. Therefore, it is advised to avoid smoking, both to reduce injury risk and to improve recovery after an injury or surgery. 

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Sleep and its effect on health, illness, and athletic performance have become more prevalent in research lately. Are adolescent clients and athletes getting 9 – 10 hr of sleep per night? Are adult clients and athlete getting 7 – 8 hr of sleep per night? If not, they may be at an increased risk of sustaining an injury (30,39,43,47). Reviewing appropriate sleep guidelines with clients for enhancing performance and reducing injury is a solid evidence-based practice for personal trainers (1,39,47). 

CONCLUSION

To sum up, the following are some basic suggestions that a personal trainer can adhere to in the effort of reducing the risk of injury in their clients: 

1. Train around, not through, pain problems
2. Avoid extremes of motion under load in the spine and joints
3. Use caution with previous injuries, but still train the injured area to improve resilience
4. Program more single-leg strength exercises
5. Perform complex motor skill exercises and movements in a relatively rested state
6. Prioritize aerobic conditioning and manage training load with care
7. Lessen or eliminate quick starts for sprinting and agility work
8. Encourage smoking cessation in clients who smoke
9. Make sleep management and sleep hygiene part of the training program 

There are several potential risk factors for injury. It is important to remember that risk factors are not guarantees. Having one of these factors present does not doom a client to injury, while having none of them does not guarantee an injury-free future. These factors vary in predictive ability and relevance across different groups of people, and the recommendations here are considered a practical interpretation.

REFERENCES

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14. Jones, BH, and Hauschild, VD. Physical training, fitness, and injuries: Lessons learned from military studies. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 29(suppl 11): S57-S64, 2015.
15. Jones, CM, Griffiths, PC, and Mellalieu, SD. Training load and fatigue marker associations with injury and illness: A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Sports Medicine 47(5): 943-974, 2016.
16. Kaufman, KR, Brodine, S, and Shaffer, R. Military trainingrelated injuries: Surveillance, research, and prevention. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 18(suppl 3): 54-63, 2000.
17. Keogh, JW, and Winwood, PW. The epidemiology of injuries across the weight-training sports. Sports Medicine 47(3): 479-501, 2016.
18. Kernozek, TW, Torry, MR, and Iwasaki, M. Gender differences in lower extremity landing mechanics caused by neuromuscular fatigue. American Journal of Sports Medicine 36(3): 554-565, 2008.
19. Kraus, K, Schutz, E, Taylor, WR, and Doyscher, R. Efficacy of the functional movement screen: A review. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 28(12): 3571-3584, 2014.
20. Kristianslund, E, and Krosshaug, T. Comparison of drop jumps and sport-specific sidestep cutting: Implications for anterior cruciate ligament injury risk screening. American Journal of Sports Medicine41(3): 684-688, 2013.
21. Lauersen, JB, Bertelsen, DM, and Anderson, LB. The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine 48(11): 871-877, 2014.
22. Leppänen, M, Aaltonen, S, Parkkari, J, Heinonen, A, and Kujala, UM. Interventions to prevent sports related injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sports Medicine44(4): 473-486, 2014.
23. Malik, S, Wong, ND, Franklin, SS, Kamath, TV, L’Italien, GJ, Pio, JR, and Williams, GR. Impact of the metabolic syndrome on mortality from coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and all causes in United States adults. Circulation 110(10): 1245-1250, 2004.
24. Malone, S, Roe, M, Doran, DA, Gabbett, TJ, and Collins, KD. Aerobic fitness and playing experience protect against spikes in workload: The role of the acute:chronic workload ratio on injury risk in elite Gaelic football. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 24: 1-25, 2016.
25. McCall, A, Carling, C, Davison, M, Nedelec, M, Le Gall, F, Berthoin, S, and Dupont, G. Injury risk factors, screening tests and preventative strategies: A systematic review of the evidence that underpins the perceptions and practices of 44 football (soccer) teams from various premier leagues. British Journal of Sports Medicine 49(9): 583-589, 2015.
26. McCunn, R Aus der Fünten, K, Fullagar, HH, McKeown, I, and Meyer, T. Reliability and association with injury of movement screens: A critical review. Sports Medicine 46(6): 763-781, 2016.
27. McGill, SM, and Kippers, V. Transfer of loads between lumbar tissues during the flexion-relaxation phenomenon. Spine 19: 2190, 1994.
28. McGill, SM. Low back exercises: Evidence for improving exercise regimens. Physical Therapy 78(7): 754-765, 1998.
29. McGill, SM. The biomechanics of low back injury: Implications on current practice in industry and the clinic. Journal of Biomechanics 30: 465-475, 1997.
30. Milewski, MD, Skaggs, DL, Bishop, GA, Pace, JL, Ibrahim, DA, Wren, TA, and Barzdukas, A. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes. Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics 34(2): 129-133, 2014.
31. Myer, GD, Martin, L Jr., Ford, KR, Paterno, MV, Schmitt, LC, Heidt, RS Jr, Colosimo, A, and Hewett, TE. No association of time from surgery with functional deficits in athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Evidence for objective returnto-sport criteria. American Journal of Sports Medicine 40(10): 2256-2263, 2012.
32. Okada, T, Huxel, KC, and Nesser, TW. Relationship between core stability, functional movement, and performance. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(1): 252-261, 2011.
33. Page, P. Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 7(1): 109-119, 2012.
34. Parchmann, CJ, and McBride, JM. Relationship between functional movement screen and athletic performance. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(12): 3378-3384, 2011.
35. Ramsey, N. Single-leg and double-leg training implications for basketball. NSCA Coach 3(1): 10-12, 2016.
36. Rohman E, Steubs, JT, and Tompkins, M. Changes in involved and uninvolved limb function during rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Implications for Limb Symmetry Index measures. American Journal of Sports Medicine 43(6): 1391-1398, 2015.
37. Rube, N, and Secher, NH. Effect of training on central factors in fatigue follows two- and one-leg static exercise in man. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 141(1): 87-95, 1991.
38. Saragiotto, BT, Yamato, TP, Hespanhol, LC, rainbow, MJ, Davis, IS, and Lopes, AD. What are the main risk factors for runningrelated injuries? Sports Medicine 44(8): 1153-1163, 2014.
39. Simpson, NS, Gibbs, EL, and Matheson, GO. Optimizing sleep to maximize performance: Implications and recommendations for elite athletes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 27(3): 266-274, 2017.
40. Speirs, D, Bennett, MA, Finn, CV, and Turner, AP. Unilateral vs. bilateral squat training for strength, sprints, and agility in academy rugby players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(2): 386-392, 2016.
41. Tanasescu, M, Leitzmann, MF, Rimm, EB, Willett, WC, Stampfer, MJ, and Hu, FB. Exercise type and intensity in relation to coronary heart disease in men. Journal of the American Medical Association 288(16): 1994-2000, 2002.
42. Thacker, SB, Gilchrist, J, Stroup, DF, and Kimsey, CD Jr. The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 36(3): 371-378, 2004.
43. Uehli, K, Mehta, AJ, Miedinger, D, Hug, K, Schindler, C, Holsboer-Trachsler, E, et al. Sleep problems and work injuries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews 18(1): 61-73, 2014.
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45. Van Middelkoop, M. Risk factors for lower extremity injuries among male marathon runners. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 8(6): 691-697, 2008.
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Our article was originally published in the March 2017, Volume 4 – Issue 1 of the NSCA Personal Training Quarterly (PTQ) journal,

These results come as no surprise given that ankle plantar flexion is involved in actions like sprinting, jumping, cutting, etc. So, for athletes and those who want to perform well, calf training should be a no-brainer.

As I mentioned in my T-Nation article, “4 Calf Exercises You’ve Never Tried,” there’s 2 types of calf exercises: straight-knee and bent-knee. That said, there’s a reason to do both:

“Your calves are made of the gastrocnemius complex and the soleus. Research shows that doing calf raises (ankle plantar flexion) with a straight-knee creates superior gastrocnemius muscle activity, while doing these raises with a bent-knee creates superior soleus muscle activity. So, it makes sense to do at least one calf exercise in each knee position to maximize your training time and efficiency.“

While I believe that straight-knee exercises are the most beneficial for direct athletic carryover, I still think there is value in training bent-knee exercises for athletic or performance-based trainees since general calf and ankle strength is important for resilience and power production.

That said, here’s my top 5 calf exercises that you’ve likely never tried:

The Captain Morgan Calf Raise

1. Hold two dumbbells by your side and place your front foot on a plyo box or step about knee height.
2. Move your back foot behind your hips while keeping your front knee bent at 90 degrees. Make sure your toes are pointing straight.
3. Learn forward into the front foot and maintain that position throughout the exercise.
4. Push your back toes into the ground and lift your heel as high as you can, ending up on the ball of your foot.
5. Slowly lower your heel until it touches the floor to complete the rep. As always, no bouncing.

The Dumbbell One-Leg Leaning Calf Raise

1. Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
2. Place your right hand on the wall at roughly chest height and lean your body forward while keeping your torso, hips, and knees all in a straight line.
3. Bend your right knee and step your left leg backward, placing it as far behind you as possible with keeping your heel on the ground and your left foot pointed at the wall. Your left knee, hip, and torso should all form a straight line.
4. Lift your right foot off the floor while keeping your right knee bent at around a 90-degree angle.
5. While maintaining your body position, lift your left heel as high as you can off of the floor so that you end up on the ball of your foot. Slowly lower yourself until your heel touches the floor to complete the rep.
6. Don’t allow your left foot to rotate outwards at any point. Keep it straight and pointed at the wall throughout.
7. Don’t bounce. Control the lowering (eccentric) portion of each rep by allowing your heel to touch the floor gently – not to fully rest on the floor – until all reps have been completed. Do all the reps on the same side before switching sides.

Dumbbell Walking Calf Raise

1. Stand at one end of the room and hold two heavy dumbbells, palms facing your body by your hips.
2. Walk to the other end of the room. On each step, as soon as your foot hits the ground, quickly lift your heels as high as you can off the floor, ending up on the balls of your feet.
3. Lower yourself down after each step with control until your heel touches the floor to complete the rep. Do the heel raise in a smooth and coordinated action with each step.

Half-Kneeling Dumbbell Calf Raise

1. Using a mat or rolled towel for comfort. Get in a half-kneeling position with your torso straight and both knees bent 90 degrees.
2. Move your front foot backwards underneath your same-side thigh as far as you can while keeping your heel on the floor and your foot straight.
3. Place the side of a dumbbell, or the bottom of a kettlebell, on top of the knee (not on top of your mid-thigh) of the same foot you just moved toward you.
4. Push your toes into the ground and lift your heel as high as you can off the floor, ending up on the ball of your foot.
5. Slowly lower your heel until it touches the floor to complete the rep. Don’t bounce. Control the lowering portion by allowing your heel to touch the floor gently.
6. Do all the reps on the same side before switching sides.

Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise

1. Sit tall on a bench with your feet roughly hip-width apart.
2. Move one of your feet backward underneath your same-side thigh as far as you can while keeping your heel on the floor and your foot straight.
3. Place one side of the dumbbell, or the bottom of a kettlebell, on top of the knee.
4. Push your toes into the ground and lift your heel as high as you can, ending up on the ball of your foot.
5. Slowly lower your heel until it touches the floor to complete the rep. As always, no bouncing.

Personally, I’m ok with burpees, but there are coaches that feel like burpees are a bad exercise. However, I’m fine with everyone having their own opinion. What really caused an issue for me is that many of the people that say burpees are bad don’t have a good argument as to why.

Words matter and it’s important for us trainers to be responsible with how we share our opinion. If we make blanket statements without real consideration, then we are just creating more confusion and pitting coaches against other coaches.

These discussions aren’t really about squats or burpees, they’re about the fallout that comes from irresponsible statements. So, if you’re going to be an educator or participator in the fitness industry, then you need to practice logically consistent thinking.

I decided to make a video about this since I think it’s one of the most important issues that we are facing when trying to improve the industry and the perception of it to the general population.

In the video below you’ll learn:

• The most common errors coaches make when evaluating exercises
• Why what we say as professionals matters and how it affects the industry
• How to identify when others are using inconsistent logic

A great place to start being a better trainer is being able to easily spot good and bad reasons for using or avoiding certain training techniques or nutritional approaches by reading book titles like:

• Loserthink
• How We know What Isn’t So
• You’re Not So Smart
• Why We Make Mistakes
• Think: Why You Should Question Everything

What you’ll find in these books is humbling and very enlightening because you’ll see how just how common many of the things us trainers think are “great reasons” or “common sense” are basic errors in thinking even a 9th grade debate team member could spot.

In other words, you learn why there really is no such thing as “conflicting information.” There is just information that is based on good evidence and logic, and information that isn’t.

You don’t have to be an expert in everything to be able to separate the signal from the noise. You just have to understand the basic rules or logic and what constitutes good evidence, good reasons.

So, improving the fitness field, improving your programming and consumer protection is being able to spot sloppy thinking in yourself and in others.

Like the traditional Nick Tumminello Bands, the NT Loop Mini Band is made with our proprietary Dura-Stretch technology and comes in 3 different resistance levels so it can be used around the wrists, ankles, and knees. This makes it perfect for corrective exercises, sports drills, and strength training. I just know that you’re going to be as excited about the NT Loop Mini as I am and now is your chance to be one of the first to put this new tool in your training arsenal.

Grab Your NT Loop Minis HERE

In this video discussion with my good friend and colleague, Mike Israetel, we chatted about the benefits of personal trainer regulation and why the unintended consequences of personal trainer regulation will likely cause more problems than it solves.

In this video you’ll hear us do the following:

– Clarify the misconceptions about arguments against added personal trainer regulation.
– Identify which professions personal trainers are most and least like, and why looking at doctors and lawyers is a flawed comparison
– Provide a clear definition of what personal trainer regulation means and would involve
– Address the common arguments given for personal trainer regulation
– List the strongest reasons in favor of regulation
– Highlight the 6 main problems added personal trainer regulation will create
– Discuss what trainers can do to help create more informed consumers
– Discuss what trainers can do to elevate the field

In the world of training, knowledge and experience mean little if your personality is wrong for the job.

So, that begs to ask the million-dollar question: What personality traits are needed to be successful as a trainer?

Not what the job entails, but rather which personality traits will drive success within the fitness training world?

Score 6 Out of 8 on this Personal Trainer Personality Profile

If you’re thinking about becoming a trainer, or looking to hire trainers to represent your brand, I’m a firm believer in the “hire for personality, train for skill” philosophy. This is because, I can teach you the technical know-how to be a great trainer, but I can’t change someone’s natural personality traits and talents.

If someone has the right personality profile (with zero experience), I can make them a great trainer. However, if someone doesn’t have the right personality profile, they’re going to have a hard time being successful training people, no matter how much technical education they’ve got. Therefore, it’s key to be able to identify the specific personality traits that fit with being a personal trainer because our personality is what our customers will connect with.

The following is a list of 8 adjectives possessed by successful personal trainers, none having anything to do with experience. If you have at least 6 of these 8 personalities traits, you have the right stuff.

1 – Confident

Confidence (not cockiness) is not only an attractive quality, it gives others more confidence in buying in to what you’re telling them.

2 – Personable

Being personable is needed to be able to read people and adjust how you interact with them in a way they can relate to. Therefore, making them comfortable with you. And, people don’t listen to, much less keep coming back to, people or places they don’t feel comfortable with.

3 – Great Communicator

If you can’t communicate well, you can’t coach well. Your training knowledge is no good if you’re unable to communicate it in a clear and concise manner your clients can easily understand.

4 – Great Connector

Clients don’t just want information, they want connection.

These two awesome quotes from Coach Jeremy Boone highlight the difference between communication and connection:

“Communication is what I want from you. Connection is what I want for you.”

“Communication is what I can get. Connection is what I can give.”

Trust and understanding are the name of the game!

I highly recommend you watch this TED talk from Coach Boone, and also check out his Winning Leader Online Academy.

5 – Patient

Patience is a crucial personality trait to have as a trainer, not just because getting impatient with your clients will drive them away, but also because your own professional growth and success will come from delayed gratification. If you’re impatient, you’re not going to last long in this industry.

6 – Passionate

Just about everyone that enters the professional fitness training business shares a passion for helping people. However, that passion alone doesn’t set you up for being a highly skilled trainer.

The ones who do have the right stuff are those who are often happier engaging in continuing education ventures on a Friday or Saturday night than they are with going out to party. Some may want to call this being a training “nerd,” but it’s just being highly interested, invested and focused on one’s craft.

When you can’t help but get excited when working with your clients because you love talking shop, this love for what you do is obvious to your clients. And, it gives your clients supreme confidence that they’re in good hands because they know you’re driven to keep learning how to give them the best information.

7 – Energetic

We’re not talking about that fake energy, or what comedian Sebastian Maniscalco calls “fake positivity.”

Being high-energy is a necessary personality trait for the group training setting, but it’s too much in the private and semi-private setting.

That said, being low energy is also a turn-off in the personal and semi-private training setting because it drains everyone else’s energy.

Your clients go as you go. So, you need to be an energy-adder because clients feed off of your energy. Being energetic is inspiring to others, and that makes you a force-multiplier.

8 – Outgoing

Training is a social endeavor, hence the personal in personal training. So, being able to talk to strangers and enjoying doing things with people is key to growing your business.

Better Reactions = Better Revenue

To our clients, the product isn’t just the information us trainers provide them. It’s the reaction our clients have to the info and training experience they have with us.  

Every session and interaction must establish a positive emotional reaction. People run towards what makes them happy, and they run away from things that don’t.

If the trainer’s plan is mediocre, but that trainer is a superstar, clients are in! This is because it’s all about presentation and emotion – the perceived value.

Now, you still need to have a great training plan. That’s where I come in. In that, if someone has what they have to have personality-wise, I can teach them what they need to do on the programming and exercise prescription side of things to be a great trainer.

The ultimate formula is to be a superstar that also has a plan better than the rest. And, if you need help doing that, I’ve got two great resources that will shore up any shortcomings you have.

First, I’ve just created an open-access 3-part video course on How to Be A Great Trainer. It separates the facts from the fiction about what being a great trainer really means, and provides actionable steps to being more valuable to your clients.

Second, I’ve poured all my knowledge about creating engaging and effective training programs in my digital course, Practical Program Design Mastery. It features 10 learning modules that teach coaches and trainers how to program for everyday clients from beginners to advanced and it even includes over a year of done-for-you programming.

If you read my articles or watch any of my videos, you know I’m all about practicality. That means I believe in building workouts for clients that help them reach their goals while still addressing their preferences and keeping them engaged. Unfortunately, I realized that most programming resources available now don’t take these things into account and that kinda frustrated me.

Most courses designed to teach personal trainers how to build programs fall short because they’re usually designed for athletes, powerlifters, or body builders – not the general population clients that you’re working with 90 percent of the time.

That’s because many experts address programming from a general scientific perspective, not a client-specific one. While they cover basic physiology and discuss the standard scientific principles of exercise and periodization, they fail to offer clear, practical programming instructions you need to be successful with everyday clients.

That’s why I created the Practical Program Design Mastery course, which features 9 Comprehensive And Practical Learning Modules

Practical Program Design Mastery is the first resource that not only includes these real-world training situations in the creation process, but also expedites the learning process by reverse engineering tried-and-true workouts.

For starters, you’ll get all the following:

• Over a year’s worth of done-for you programming
• Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced workout templates
• Done-for-you warm ups and finishers
• Instructions on adapting programs to semi-private and small group training settings
• Tons of charts, articles, and templates to make program design easy

In addition to all that, you’re also going to learn everything you need to know to create and deliver high-quality training sessions.

This course is packed with 9 learning modules and bonus content that features over 10 hours of videos where I cover topics like:

• The 7 principles of Full Range Strength
• How to balance the variety that your clients want while still giving them the consistency they need
• The best way to select exercises for every client
• How to create ideal programs for beginners

And so much more!

These resistance bands are not only easy to pack when you’re traveling but allow you to group exercises requiring immobile equipment (e.g., squat rack or machine) with exercises using the more mobile bands. Band exercises can be incorporated in a paired set or tri-set while you remain at the immobile equipment, keeping you from having to walk all over the gym, saving you valuable time, and hopefully avoiding losing your equipment to another member mid-set.

As with any other fitness equipment, while there are many benefits, resistance bands can be hazardous when not used properly. Unfortunately, many exercisers, trainers and physiotherapists – many of whom are experienced – commonly use resistance bands in a reckless and dangerous way without realizing it.

In an effort to bring more awareness to the safe and effective use of resistance bands, I will first address the most common (and avoidable) resistance band injuries, followed by guidelines for resistance band usage. I’ll then highlight the riskiest resistance band exercises commonly used by experienced lifters and trainers alike, and offer safer, more effective alternatives.

The Most Common Resistance Bands Injuries

The two main dangers involved with using latex resistance bands (i.e., bands with handles and strength bands) are breaking of the band or accidentally letting go of an end while under tension (from inside the hand or underneath the feet), resulting in the band snapping back and striking the user. Resistance bands pose a unique hazard because they can strike you in the face, causing serious (possibly blinding) eye damage.

A Google search of the terms “resistance band” or “exercise band” and “eye injury,” results in hospital data providing a long list of eye injury incidents caused by resistance bands (1) along with numerous legal firms, safety commissions and eye surgeons talking about cases of resistance bands causing serious face and eye injuries. Despite the overwhelming number of documented incidents and convincing data, this reality is completely overlooked by the majority of experienced lifters, trainers and physiotherapists. Resistance band safety is not something often taught in fitness education, therefore is not considered by most when using resistance bands for exercise. I know I sure as heck didn’t consider the safety concerns of resistance bands for many of my years as a trainer and educator. Talk about a massive oversight!

Resistance Band Exercise Safety Guidelines

When using resistance bands, minimizing training-related injury risk isn’t just about good exercise technique and avoiding overdoing it; it’s also about being aware of these basic safety guidelines to ensure your band workout doesn’t result in a preventable, accidental injury.

Here is a list of safety guidelines when training with resistance bands:

• Do not pull the band toward your face.
• Inspect bands and handles before every use. Check for cuts, rips, nicks, scratches, cracks, punctures, discoloration, or anything that looks like the band may be weakened in that area. If you discover any of these defects, do not use the band. (There are spots in the strength band that experience more friction, like where they’ve been tied to a rack or machine, making them weaker in those areas. For bands with handles, the ends where the handles are connected to the band are commonly among the weakest areas and should be checked for damage and wear before every use.)
• Do not stretch the band beyond 2 to 2.5 times its original length.
• Never release a resistance band while under tension.
• Do not stretch the band with someone holding the other end unless the band is held securely around the wrist, arm, torso or legs of both individuals. (More on this below)
• If anchoring the band, ensure the anchor is stable and secure. (Injury incidents can occur if the band pulls the anchor object onto the user.)
• Do not lean on the band in such a way that it is supporting the user’s partial or entire bodyweight. (Injury incidents can occur if the user falls because the resistance band breaks while supporting their weight.)
• Do not anchor the band underneath your foot/feet unless you’re standing on the or the is secured between the bottom(s) of your foot/feet and the wall.
• When standing on the band to perform an exercise such as biceps curls, place the band underneath the center of the foot. If the band is positioned toward the front or back of the foot, it is more likely to slip out from underneath the feet and snap upwards at the user.

Resistance Band Storage and Maintenance Guidelines

Use the following guidelines for proper storage and care of resistance bands in order to improve safety by reducing the chance of the bands breaking (taken from Culture of Safety – an organization that provides safety resources for community organizations):

• Clean latex bands with handles and strength bands by wiping with a damp cloth. Do not use soap or any cleaning products to clean bands as these can deteriorate the strength of the band.
• Avoid storing bands near direct sunlight.
• Store bands away from heat sources.
• Bands should not be stored outside or in cold environments.

Additional guidelines:

• Tying knots in latex bands with handles and strength bands to shorten is not recommended as it can increase the risk of the band snapping.
• Tying latex bands with handles and strength bands around an anchor can significantly decrease the life of the band and can cause it to snap.

The Most Dangerous Resistance Band Exercises

Put simply, any resistance band exercise that violates the safety guidelines provided above would be considered a dangerous resistance band exercise.

A glaring example of a popular, but dangerous resistance band exercise is band face pulls. I did a detailed video post HERE on why band face pulls are dangerous, and also demonstrate the two band face pull variations that are even more dangerous.

In short, face pulls with a cable are a great exercise! However, face pulls with a band are a different story in that they violate the number one rule of band safety: never pull a band toward your face.

This is a glaring example of how education about using resistance bands properly and safely hasn’t kept up with the popularity of some resistance band exercises.

Band face pull proponents seem to only consider the potential training benefits the exercise has on the shoulder complex. But users must also understand the equipment being used. Band face pulls are a very dangerous exercise considering the massive risk of suffering a potentially blinding eye injury if the band snaps…and bands snap all the time.

The risk of a band ripping when doing face pulls is further increased when you consider that the way many exercisers and gyms store their bands violates the storage and maintenance guidelines provided above. In addition, many keep their bands for too long – even with obvious signs of damage – and store them in their car year-round, which exposes their bands to direct sunlight, heat sources (in the summer) and cold environments in the winter.

Many gyms are also negligent in proper resistance band storage and maintenance. In order to save on overhead costs, many gyms do not keep their heat on in the winter during non-business hours and/or they store bands directly under a heater or by the window, and as a result, weakening the bands. Without knowing better, the gym’s staff may be using soap or other cleaner on the bands. Compounded by improper storage and maintenance, consider the numerous members who repeatedly misuse the bands, furthering the risk of malfunction.

The Most Dangerous Partner Resistance Band Exercises

Another liability is common partner resistance band exercises where two people are each holding an end or a handle of a resistance band; for example, partner band rows, or any exercise where both people are facing each other while holding opposite ends of the band.

All it takes is one person to accidently let go of the band and the person on the other side can be seriously injured. The severity is increased when the band has a hard, plastic handle that becomes a projectile…a projectile that could hit someone in the face!

With this reality in mind, only perform this type of partner band exercise if each person has the band looped around their wrists (see image). It’s far more secure than giving it the old GI Joe-Kung Fu grip.

Lastly, it’s also common to place a band around someone’s waist and have them do resisted walking or running, forward or backward, while the trainer or training partner holds the other end of the band. There’s nothing wrong with these exercises. However, as stated above in the band safety guidelines, it’s important that when performing these exercises, to never lean on the band in such a way that it is supporting someone’s entire bodyweight. Injuries can occur where the user falls because the resistance band breaks while leaning their weight onto the band.

In this NT Loop promo video, notice how, in the partner exercise at the 14 second mark, I’m doing waist-resisted skipping while Romina does waist-resisted kettlebell RDLs; both of us are working against the band while keeping weight on our own two feet. Not only are the NT Loops more comfortable and stable around your body, they’re more durable, as they won’t break under normal exercise usage as traditional latex strength bands will.

Overcome Negligence and Ignorance for Smarter and Safer Use of Resistance Bands

The fact that so many mainstream fitness publications, as well as otherwise intelligent and experienced physios and trainers (myself included in the past) frequently direct their readers and clients to use exercises like band face pulls and risky partner exercises, shows that exercise band safety is not an issue that is taken into consideration nearly enough. This highlights the need for more awareness of safe exercise band usage that can limit many easily avoidable exercise injuries and accidents. We all need to think about this when using fitness equipment – not only about proper form and what training benefits an exercise may offer.

Regardless of what types of resistance bands you’re using – or any other fitness equipment for that matter – it’s important you have a great workout, but it’s just as important your workouts are performed using the equipment in a smart, safe manner.

References:

1. http://www.hospital-data.com/accidents/3277-exercise-equipment/2010/eyeball/index.html

2. https://cultureofsafety.thesilverlining.com/fitness/resistance-band-safety/

To accomplish this, I developed this list to emphasize the eight main functional movement patterns I generally use with all athletes as the basis for their weekly training. Field, court, and combat sports—as well as everyday activities—rely on specific movements for performance; all of these actions are derivatives of the following eight main functional movements:

1. Jumping and Landing
2. Throwing and Striking
3. Locomotion 
4. Rotation 
5. Pushing
6. Pulling
7. Knee bend
8. Hip Hinge

The first four categories on this list (1 to 4) are athletic movements, and the remaining four are lifting movements (5 to 8).

There are so many exercise options to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why I listed my top lifting variations and the top three exercises in each of the lifting categories in my article on The 4 Mandatory Lifting Movements.

Here, I’m doing the same for the 4 Mandatory Athletic Movements. This following list allows you to simplify the programming process and specify the main athletic movements to focus on each week to improve your overall athleticism.

Cover each of these athletic movement categories by picking from exercises detailed in each section below. While these are broad categories, all exercises are merely variations of these eight main functional movements. It is important that the exercises you select (and deselect) from each category be based on your individual ability. Fit exercises to you, don’t fit yourself to exercises.

1- Jumping and Landing

Notice, it’s jumping and landing, not just jumping. You not only want to be able to produce force quickly, you also want to have the ability to more effectively absorb and efficiently redirect it. 

A simple cue that I’ve used for years that works for jumping and landing drills is to, “takeoff like a cannon and land like a butterfly.”

The importance of regularly doing both some type of jumping and landing, as well as throwing and striking (covered in the next section), is explained in my book, Building Muscle and Performance:

“Movement-speed training focuses on improving your rate of force development—that is, how quickly you can use your strength. Remember: power = strength × speed. Therefore, the exercises used to improve your movement speed are the total-body power exercises. The heavier the load you’re working against, the slower your movement becomes. For this reason, the principle of specificity dictates that, in order to do all you can to improve your explosive power, you don’t just do exercises that involve moving against high loads (i.e., strength exercises). You also do exercises that require you to move at high speeds.

As you may recall from chapter 1, adaptations to training are specific to the demands that the training puts on the body. Therefore, regularly performing exercises that require you to move fast in certain directions makes your body more capable of moving fast in those or similar directions. With this principle in mind, the functional-spectrum training system includes exercises for each of the three pillars of power—vertical (or diagonal), horizontal, and rotational—in order to improve your functional capacity by enhancing your capability to move fast in multiple directions.”

For a great, practical example of jumping and landing exercises, I developed and use THIS 6-phase box jump and landing exercise progression. 

2 – Throwing and Striking

Checking this box means throwing medicine balls, hitting a heavy bag or doing mitt work. If you aren’t able to perform medicine ball throwing drills like those in the videos highlighted below, (throwing either against a wall or into open space [e.g., field or parking lot]), just do a few rounds on the heavy bag. Or, even better, take a boxing, kickboxing or MMA class a few times per week.

Throwing and striking exercises involve a coordinated effort by the entire body (the individual muscles added together) to summate force in an explosive manner. Athletic movements—throwing a punch; swinging a bat, club, or racket; or sprinting and jumping—are driven not by power generated in just one specific area of the body, but by the combination of individual muscles producing power in a smooth, coordinated sequence. 

The unique benefit these exercises offer your training is that they use as many muscles as possible in a sequential and explosive (i.e., fast) manner to obtain maximal force in multiple planes of motion, as compared to Olympic weightlifting that can be difficult to learn and trains only in the vertical plane.

These are some of my top medicine ball throwing exercises. In this video the exercises are done as a circuit for conditioning (power-endurance training) purposes. Of course, I often use only one or two of these exercises early in a workout, after a warm-up, for less reps as pure power training.

3 – Locomotion 

Locomotion is defined as the ability to move from one place to another. No one can claim that we didn’t evolve to be able to move from Point A to Point B. From stalking prey to evading predators, we developed various locomotive patterns to ensure our survival. Unfortunately, after we lost PE class, few of these patterns receive any regular attention during our daily workouts.

Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of exercise options to fulfill the locomotion category:

Running/sprinting
Skipping
Shuffling
Carioca
Agility ladder
Crawling
Carrying
Swimming

Note: Many trainers crap on the agility ladder, but it has its value when used properly as I demonstrate in my article on Fitness Gone Wrong: 7 Butchered Exercises and Training Concepts

The above list is only a starting point, as there are many other forms of locomotion that improve general athleticism such as the variety of track-based warm-ups you see performed by track and NFL athletes before competition.

Locomotion and Loaded Carries

Many trainers have loaded carries in their checklists as a must-do exercise. I think loaded carries are a good option to use to check the locomotion box, but they become overrated or overused when they’re viewed as a standalone must-do category. Here is an analogy – there are plow horses and there are thoroughbreds. Every thoroughbred can perform loaded carries because they require zero athleticism, but not every plow horse can do things like skip, shuffle, or carioca with efficiency and fluidity.

That said, there’s no reason you can’t do both in the same workout. In fact, one of my favorite ways to begin a warm-up and to raise body temperature before doing mobility drills, is to perform the following circuit that includes both locomotion and loaded carries. Perform the following drills back-to-back, each for a total of about 40-50 yards. If you only have 20-25 yards of length to work with, doing one lap is 40-50 yards.

Sample Locomotion Warm-Up Circuit:

1a. Walking calf raise x ½ lap
1b. Backward jog x ½ lap
1c. Jog x ½ lap
1d. Long-stride backward jog x ½ lap
1e. Skip x ½ lap
1f. Backward run
1g. Side shuffle x 1 lap (½ lap left and ½ lap right)
1h. Carioca x 1 lap (½ lap left and ½ lap right)
1i. Dumbbell hip carry x 1-2 laps

Sample In-Place Locomotion Conditioning Circuit

You can also incorporate the locomotion component into your training in the form of conditioning. 

Waist-resisted locomotion drills simulate the demands of moving forward more than simply running in-place without added resistance because you have to work to keep your hips forward (hence creating more glute activation) and to prevent the band from pulling you backward.

Here is a sample locomotion circuit that is ideal when space is limited:

Place an NT Loop Band above your hips and anchor the band between your knee and waist-level (I designed the NT Loop Band to be a far more comfortable and stable band to place around your limbs, waist, or hips than a traditional latex band). Walk away from the band to create tension against your hips, and remain the same distance from the band while performing the following three exercises back-to-back:

1a. Dumbbell hip carry with high-knee march x 30 seconds
1b. Skip x 20 seconds
1c. Sprint x 10 seconds (as fast as you can go)

1 round = 1 minute. Repeat for 3 to 6 rounds without rest. 

• The dumbbell hip carry with high-knee march is your active-rest portion of each one-minute interval.

• Make sure to put the dumbbells down after doing the hip carry with high-knee march in a way that you won’t trip on them when doing the skips and sprints, but also placed so they’re easy to pick-up again to start the next round.

Locomotion is also a great way to get moving on your off days with activities like climbing, swimming, hiking or biking. Plus, it helps you improve your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis)!

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the scientific term for the energy you expend during your occupation, leisure activities, standing, walking, sitting while fidgeting or toe-tapping, shoveling snow, playing the guitar, cleaning, and any other movement outside of conventional exercise.

Research consistently shows that NEAT represents the most variable component of daily total energy expenditure (TEE) within and across subjects in populations worldwide. In fact, it’s responsible for 6-10% of TEE in individuals with a mainly sedentary lifestyle, and for 50% or more in highly active subjects (1).

That said, one of my favorite terms is “sedentary bodybuilder” or “sedentary lifter” because there are many iron-enthusiasts who don’t do much, if any, other physical activity outside of the gym. Many of them actually want to lose fat or at least practice fat-gain prevention (FGP), but have a difficult time getting leaner without feeling like they’ve got to eat like a bunny rabbit.

NEAT is a significant component of daily energy expenditure, so it makes sense to view (and use) it as an essential tool for fat loss and fat-gain prevention.

4 – Rotation 

The anatomical characteristics of the human body dictate that it commonly functions in a crisscross manner. More specifically, the arm-and-shoulder mechanism on one side links diagonally through the torso mechanism to the hip-and-leg mechanism on the opposite side. Consider, for example, the motions used in walking, running, punching, throwing, and batting. Such cross-body linkages are foundational to human functioning and thus are also a big part of athletic movement. For this reason, a variety of dynamic rotational exercises should be regularly incorporated into your training.

There are two basic forms of rotation to incorporate each week into your workouts:

• Horizontal rotation
• Diagonal (high-to-low or low-to-high) rotation

Many trainers exclusively do anti-rotation strength exercises, which are just isometrics. However, isometric exercises (planks, side planks, Pallof presses) are only half of the complete core-strengthening puzzle. Why? Because the torso musculature doesn’t just transfer force and reduce force by limiting movement (through isometric action), it also helps to produce and transfer force by creating motion (dynamic movement) (2).

Many papers on pitching, golf, tennis, etc. have demonstrated that there absolutely is spinal rotation involved in rotational sporting actions. It’s referred to as the “x-factor,” which is the relative pelvis and shoulder rotation; so, the more x-factor, the more stretch through your abdominals to create a whipping action. “Peak x-factor” is the point where there is the most spinal rotation, because it’s the most separation between the shoulders and pelvis.

Here are two diagrams from research papers. The first, from a paper on golf swing mechanics; the second, from a paper on pitching mechanics (3,4).

The area circled in red illustrates that not only do the pelvis and shoulders rotate at different degrees to generate force to create a powerful golf swing, but also rotate at different speeds.

Most research papers, like the two referenced above, show that x-factor ability is a key contributor to swing power. These papers also show that excessive x-factor may be a risk factor for issues like low back pain, which is why you use anti-rotation exercises to increase stiffness. However, not having a well-coordinated x-factor (through training and practice) may lead to using too much arm and that could also be an upper-extremity injury risk factor; this is why you also need to incorporate dynamic rotational exercises.

I’ve seen trainers show still pictures of a baseball player or golfer at the point where they’re making contact with the ball as a way for them to attempt to show that that hips and pelvis have little to no relative rotation in these actions. This is cherry-picking because the major force of the swing was generated at the time it started – not at ball contact. Further, when you start a baseball or golf swing, there absolutely is spinal rotation, as demonstrated by the research and by simply watching sports in action.

With striking and rotational medicine ball throwing, you get momentum, speed, and explosive power all in one movement. Unlike cable or band-based rotation exercises like chops, there is no direct force vector pulling you back to the origin. It’s important to perform dynamic rotational strength exercises like multi-point cable chops that I show in my Dynamic Training for Abs & Obliques article because they provide a rotational strength challenge different from striking and throwing.

References:

1 – Von Loeffelholz C, Birkenfeld A. The Role of Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Obesity. [Updated 2018 Apr 9]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.

2 – J Strength Cond Res. 2012 Feb;26(2):373-80. Effect of core strength on the measure of power in the extremities. Shinkle J, Nesser TW, Demchak TJ, McMannus DM.

3 – Yi-Ling Chiang and Wen-Tzu Tang. Rotation Characteristics Of The Shoulder, Torso, And Pelvis During Pitching For Taiwan Elite And Subelite Collegiate Baseball Pitchers. Graduate Institute of Coaching Science, National College of Physical Education and Sports, Taiwan. ISB XXth Congress – ASB 29th Annual Meeting July 31 – August 5, Cleveland, Ohio

4 – David W. Meister, Amy L. Ladd, Erin E. Butler, Betty Zhao, Andrew P. Rogers, Conrad J. Ray, and Jessica Rose. Rotational Biomechanics of the Elite Golf Swing: Benchmarks for Amateurs. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 2011, 27, 242-251 © 2011 Human Kinetics, Inc.