Many clients and athletes come out of physiotherapy/chiropractic care with the idea that they will be able to return back to their "normal" training programs without the need for modifications. In some cases this may be true, but in the majority of cases this statement is probably false. How can you be sure that you are 100% safe to return back to your activity or training program following an injury? One of the best ways to ensure that you are ready to enter back into your training program is to have a baseline measure which you can go back to in order to determine whether you are back to your "pre-injury baseline values".
The sporting world has been following this protocol for concussions for quite sometime with their SCAT-2 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 2) which is used by Athletic Therapists at the start of the season. This tool is beneficial as it allows the therapist to see if the athlete is able to replicate a similar score prior to allowing the athlete to enter back into the game. But how can we apply this to the way our body moves following a musculoskeletal injury. The simple answer is to have a baseline score which we can compare the athlete to prior to allowing them to return back to their activity or training session. Seems too easy to be true but is this possible....
An excellent tool which has been developed by Physiotherapists Grey Cook and Lee Burton (as well as several other colleagues) is the Functional Movement System (FMS). This screening system allows you to address the "quality of movement in the client by providing them with a numerical score on seven different functional movements". One of the great features of this screening process is that it allows the therapist/trainer/coach an opportunity to quantify each movement and therefore create a baseline numerical score for each client. From this baseline score, the trainer can develop a customizable training program to "address the weakest link in the client’s movement" but also re-screen the client throughout the program, following a break in training or after an injury in order to determine where the client is at from a movement perspective. For example, if the client is compensating around the injured body part, the FMS will highlight this compensation and likely result in a lower score than what was achieved pre-injury. As a result, there are likely modifications which the client should be doing in their program in order to eliminate this compensatory movement pattern and therefore bring them back to the quality of movement which was present prior to the injury If you have not had the opportunity to have an FMS, please contact us to learn more about the service and locations where you can have the FMS completed.
Brian Shackel, MSc
The concept of an "integrated support team" has been used in many professions in the past including both the healthcare and sports systems. However, now more than ever, this term has brought the healthcare and sports systems even closer together. An "integrated support team" is a group of experts in their respective professional fields who are brought together to work with an athlete or group of athletes and their coaches. More specifically, this could include a Sports Physician, Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Biomechanist, Dietician, Sport Psychologist, Exercise Physiologist, etc. Working as a collaborative group, this team of experts helps to develop this athlete by providing input on their individual area of expertise. So why has this approach become so popular over the last 3-4 years...
The main reason is probably due to the sporting industry becoming far more competitive than it ever has been in the past and the increased attention to detail by both coaches and athletes. As a result, service providers in the sporting industry have become more prevalent and play a more important role in the development of successful athletes. What approach was taken prior to the forming of the integrated support team....
Previously, coaches were required to be the experts in all facets of the athletes training program which in turn may have decreased the coach’s ability to simply coach the athlete. However, with this new approach, the coach has many resources which he can draw on to determine what is best for the athlete and as a group, these "experts" can help move athletes further down the developmental continuum.
If you have any questions regarding integrated support teams or are looking for any members to join your team, please contact us to learn more about our services and extensive list of resources which we can share with you.
Brian Shackel, MSc
In this article put out by the NSCA it discusses the Biomechanics of the Squat. One of the more common questions which clients and athletes have regarding their squatting technique is how low is too low. This article helps to address some of these concerns, but with most exercises it is more important to focus on the quality of the whole movement then it is to worry about one specific aspect. Please read the article for more information:
http://www.nsca-lift.org/HotTopic/download/Squat%20Depth.pdf
Each individual athlete or client might have a different end range of motion during their squat, but permitting they have adequate hip functioning, are able to control their hips, knee and ankles in the sagittal plane and can keep their chest upright during the squat, then the athlete should strive for a full range of motion with their squat getting to parallel and even deeper if the movement quality is still present. If you train through a complete range of motion, this will help you to build and develop strength throughout the full range.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Happy New Years to everyone from Making Stridz Athlete Development. If you have set a New Year’s Resolution which involves getting into better shape and starting a new exercise program then you are not alone. According to the webMD article below about 1 in every 3 people choose weight loss as their New Year’s Resolution.
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/new-years-resolution-get-fit
Well if your goal is to start into a new exercise program it is extremely important to start into the program knowing where you currently stand and start by setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time Orientated). One of the best ways to begin a new exercise program is to have a Functional Movement Screen performed by a certified professional in order to identify areas of weakness, tightness and other compensations. If you start into a program with underlying issues, the likelihood of injury increases significantly and so does the likelihood of dropping out of the program. It is possible to have a New Year’s Resolution that lasts past February 1st!! Contact us to learn more about booking a Functional Movement Screen and best of luck with your fitness (and sports) goals for 2012.
Regards,
Brian Shackel, MSc
Looking for christmas gift ideas for the sports enthusiast in your family. Contact us to learn about our christmas specials!
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Check out this video of Phil Kessell taking a snap shot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1HUUJxZtJU&feature=related
By using a stick which has the proper stiffness for your strength and skill level, you can increase the flex in the stick. This increased flex will allow for more stored energy in the shaft of the stick which will then translate into an increase in force being applied to the puck. With more force being applied to the puck, the puck will experience a greater change in acceleration and therefore the player will have a harder shot. This is what I call making a hockey stick work for you! To find out if you are using the right hockey stick for your strength and skill level, contact us to have a shooting analysis done using our high speed video camera.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc
I had the opportunity to attend a demonstration with Bauer Hockey today at the Greater St. Albert Sports Academy. For those of you in the market for new equipment, Bauer Hockey is leading the way with technology and innovation. Here is a link to their new APX composite hockey stick which I had the opportunity to shoot with today.
http://www.bauer.com/blog/index.cfm/2011/10/5/VAPOR-APX-Stick
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
This past week I had the opportunity to visit the guys at Base Hockey as they were in Edmonton with their mobile analysis. For those of you who have not heard about this company it is definetly worth checking out.
http://www.basehockey.ca/
The guys at Base Hockey will put you through a custom fitting using high speed video to adjust the stiffness of the shaft as well as the lie, rocker and curve of the blade in order to create a custom stick for you. On top of that, you will receive the fully customizable one piece composite stick at factory direct pricing which easily offsets the cost of the initial fitting process. Shooting with a stick built for your individual shooting technique can make a huge difference on your velocity and accuracy.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc
Over the last 6-8 months, I have come across a wide variety of athletes from a wide variety of sports but have noticed a common trend amongst their movement. If you watch your athletes closely during their movement, note the position of their knee relative to their hip and ankle when they land from a jump, lunge to reach a ball or simply get into an athletic ready position. One of the key features you need to be looking at is whether or not the athlete is able to stabilize their knee during these motions. The most common motion which occurs at the knee during these movements is medial rotation of the knee or a collapse of the knee towards the inside. This movement increases the athlete's risk of injury significantly as it adds additional strain to the structures within the knee joint. But what is the exact cause of this collapse? There are two schools of thought on what exactly is causing this motion at the knee and in most cases it is possible that both of these factors are playing a role. The first school of thought is that the athlete has weak hip stabilizers (specifically glute med) which causes a collapse of the opposite hip and subsequently the stabilizing knee. The second school of thought is that this motion occurs due to pronation (or collapse) of the foot which causes the stabilizing knee to collapse. So whose fault is it anyways? The answer to this question depends significantly on who you talk to and what their personal philosophy is. Post on our facebook wall or tweet @MakingStridz if you have any thoughts on this topic...
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Are you a runner dealing with shin splints. Here is a brief Q and A session with the fitness experts at Core Performance on ways to deal with recurring shin splits.
http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/recovery/q-a-prevent-shin-splints.html
If you have questions regarding these exercises or are not sure what the cause of the injury is, contact us and we can set up an initial assessment to address these concerns.
Brian Shackel, MSc
In honour of the last week of MLB for the 2010-11 season, I have decided to post a clip to one of my favorite episodes of Sports Science. If you have ever tried to play fastball and baseball at the same time in your career you will know exactly what this clip is talking about, but if you have never played fastball you might be in for a surprise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_de3HJvO-N8
Brian Shackel, MSc
Making Stridz Athlete Development was recently involved in a story which aired on CBC News Edmonton. The story discusses the new skating treadmill which has been installed at Blair Oko's Golf Academy in Edmonton. Making Stridz Athlete Development will be providing video analysis sessions for the Academy in order to improve skating technique and help teach developing athletes about the strengths and weaknesses of their skating stride. The use of video analysis is vital in the development of proper technique, please contact us to learn more about the importance of visual feedback and Biomechanics on athletic development for your sport.
http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Canada/Edmonton/1305516385/ID=2153277388
Regards,
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Click on the link below to read an interesting post from "The Science of Sport" regarding foot strike patterns in runners. Ross Tucker, PhD brings out some interesting points on the Biomechanics of Running and provides some insight into foot strike patterns as the "forefoot running phenomenon" continues to take over the world of running.
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-footstrike.html
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Click on the link below to check out a new high speed video posted by Making Stridz Athlete Development. The video will highlight some functional deficets which are commonly seen in runners. Note the high degree of pronation at the ankle, medial rotation at the hip, as well as the lateral pull which occurs at the knee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NzNJ76nLHg
Contact us if you have any questions regarding the video or are intersted in having a Biomechanics Assessment!
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Today's post is in honour of one of the most exciting days in Major League Baseball history. Here are a few of the highlights from last night’s MLB action in case you missed it. Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon gives up 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth for his first loss of the season in a must win game for the Red Sox after they blew a 9 game lead in the Wild Card. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay comes back from a 7-0 deficit after 7 innings to force their must win game into extra innings and immediately after the Red Sox loss is announced in Tampa Bay, Rays slugger Evan Longoria hits a line drive walk off home run to send them into the post season. On the other side of the league, the St. Louis Cardinals took care of business with an 8-0 shutout loss to complete their comeback from 8.5 games back in the Wild Card. Their post season berth rests on the hands of the Atlanta Braves who are leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth and their closer gives up one run, forcing extra innings. In the bottom of the thirteenth inning, the Atlanta Braves surrender a run to lose the game and complete the epic collapse. Two teams poised for post season at the start of September both lose on the final day in heart breaking fashion to write an unbelievable story for future generations. In light of the walk off home run by Longaria, here is a sports science clip on hitting home runs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9CEuJ5e2cM
Sincerley,
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Join Making Stridz Athlete Development in the land of Social Media. You can now follow us on Twitter, lke us on Facebook and watch us on Youtube. Just click on the button on the bottom right side of the homepage to join us.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Click on the link below to check out a new video posted on the Making Stridz Athlete Development Youtube page. This is a sample high speed video of a skilled forward performing a 90 degree change of direction in hockey using a classic stop with a crossover start.
http://www.youtube.com/user/MakingStridz
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
With the end of summer nearing and many runners thinking of what to do as the "off season" rolls around. Making Stridz Athlete Development is now offering Biomechanical Gait Analysis Sessions. The sessions can be custom fit to work around your busy lifestyle and are beneficial as we will help to identify faulty running mechanics, underlying areas of tightness or weakness and compensation patterns which might increase the runners risk of injury. The goal of all Biomechanics Analysis is to decrease the risk of injury while improving an athletes overall performance. If you are training as an individual or with a large group, please contact us about what we can do for you this fall!
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
The Titleist Performance Institute explains the correct hip action during the golf swing in this video. Note the emphasis on hip rotation during the takeaway, through the transition, and during the downswing.
http://youtu.be/cKnqad8S7Wk
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to Welcome the Students, Parents and Teachers from the Greater St. Albert Sports Academy. Making Stridz Athlete Development will be providing on site video analysis services to the soccer and hockey academies. We look forwards to working with you throughout the entire school year and wish the best of luck to all of the athletes who are trying out for their respective teams this fall.
Here is a link to their website. Contact them for more information on what their academy has to offer to prospective students looking to get involved with a sports academy.
http://sportsacademy.gsacrd.ab.ca
Sincerely,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
A second date for the skating mechanics assessment has been added for Wednesday August 3rd at 10:00 AM at the Argyll Arena. Please contact us to register for this session or the Saturday August 6th session. Limited spots are available for both sessions.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development is now scheduling on ice skating mechanics assessments for both forwards and defenseman. The sessions are being scheduled for August 2011 and will take place at the Argyll Arena. The assessments will include the following skills:
Forwards Skating Assessment:
-Forwards Skating Stride
-90 Degree Direction Change
-Tight Turns
-Pro Agility Test
Defenseman Skating Assessment:
-Backwards Skating Stride
-90 Degree Direction Change
-Backwards to Forwards Transition
-Pro Agility Test
The pro agility assessment is the same assessment used by Hockey Canada, where an athlete is required to do multiple forwards to backwards (and backwards to forwards) transitions while maintaining puck control during a timed event.
The athlete will be provided a CD with the full skating mechanics assessment including body positions, joint angles, and time to complete the skills. The assessment will highlight strengths and weaknesses in the athletes skating stride as well as help to provide cues for technique correction. The athlete will also be scheduled to come in for a one on one meeting to go through the assessment with our skating mechanics expert.
Benefits:
•Improved skating mechanics and efficiency
•Improved body awareness
•Improved method of measuring and tracking progress
•Improved method for athlete comparison (to other athletes or themselves at a later date)
The full assessment cost is $175.00 plus tax which includes the on ice filming session, CD, and player meeting. Sessions are limited to 8 athletes per group with the first session scheduled for Saturday August 6th at 10:00 AM. Small group or individual sessions are available by request at a rate to be determined based on ice availability and cost. The deadline to register for the skating mechanics assessment is Saturday July 30th. If you have any questions or are interested in registering for the Skating Mechanics Assessment, please contact as at 780-932-2903 or shackel.brian@gmail.com
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder – Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to thank Hockey Canada for the invitation to speak at the Hockey Canada Skills Academy Conference this past week in Calgary. Hopefully all of the delegates were able to take home something from the session which they can incoorperate into their programs. If you were unable to attend but would like to see a sample of what was discussed at the session, please feel free to view the sample video analysis project located at the top of the homepage. If you have any video from your own program which you would like to have analyzed, please feel free to contact us about our web-based video analysis program.
Regards,
Brian Shackel, MSc, BSc, FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Congratulations to Niki Oudenaarden on being named to the Canadian team heading to the World Youth Track and Field Championship from July 6 - 10 in Lille, France. Niki will be competing in the Heptathlon which she currently holds the 7th best point total in the World and the top point total within Canada. Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to wish Niki (and all of the other Canadian Athletes) the best of luck at their upcoming competition.
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs goes tonight with the Boston Bruins heading back to Vancouver to face the Canucks. At this point in the season, every cliche in the book has been used by both teams including some of my favorites:
"It's the last game of the season. Can't hold anything back now."
"We just have to take it one shift at a time"
and finally.....
"We just have to put more pucks in the back of their net then they put in the back of ours"
I am willing to bet there is a lot more than a few old fashioned hockey cliches that is going to determine the winner of the game tonight. Here are a few additional things that great athlete's are able to do to help them perform better in Game 7:
1. Sports Psychology - A good athlete will be able to incoorperate the skills they have learned off the ice in order to perform better on the ice (ie. goal setting, confidence, concentration, visualization, etc.) Here is a link for information on Sport Psychology:
http://www.rivervalleycounselling.ca/Site/Welcome.html
2. Strength and Conditioning - At this point in the season Vancouver will be playing in their 105th game and Boston will be playing in their 107th game. The work that the players have put into their off season strength and conditioning programs as well as their ability to maintain muscle mass in season will play a crucial role in determining what is left in the tank. Here is a link for more information on Strength and Conditioning:
http://www.premierstrength.com/
3. Recovery and Nutrition - Rest and recovery is one of the most important aspects of any athlete whether they are in the peak of their competitive season or in the off season. Our bodies need time to repair damaged muscle tissues and need the proper nutrients to do so in an appropriate time frame. Here is a link for more information in Nutrition:
http://www.balancenutrition.ca
4. Biomechanics - It is important that athlete's perform at the most effecient level possible at this point in the season. Athlete's who expend too much energy during the small, less signficant plays of the game often times will not have the extra gear when it matters the most. Athlete's need to know that they are skating in a powerful, efficient position which enables them to get that extra gear when they need it. It is also important that athlete's have trained the appropriate motor patterns in order to make these movement reactive and not anticipatory.
Reactive movements are movements which will occur automatically when the athlete needs them to (ie. planting the support skate with 90 degrees of knee flexion) whereas anticipatory movements are those which the athlete has to think about prior to the movement occuring. At this stage of the year, the athlete must have all technical aspects occuring reactively in order to focus on the tactical aspect of the game (ie. defensive positioning, finding soft areas on the ice, etc.). With all this being said, each athlete will rely on a combination of skills in order to get them through the game and those athletes who are able to combine all of these skills are more likely to be succesful.
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development is now offering Functional Movement Screening to athletes and teams in the Edmonton area. For more information on what is included with a Functional Movement Screen, how it can be incoorperated into your current training program, and prices please contact Making Stridz Athlete Development.
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Congratulations to Marc McCoy a former Featured Athlete at www.makingstridz.com for being recalled to the Red Deer Rebels as they move forwards into the WHL playoffs. We worked quite aggressively on Marc's forwards skating stride using both technical corrections and rehabilitation in order to gain proper hip functioning. Marc has been tagged one of the top prospects in the Red Deer Rebels organization with his strength, power and skating being his greatest assets. For more information on Marc and other Red Deer Rebels prospects please click on the following link.
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/sports/Prospecting_with_...
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Under Armour attempts to take performance analysis to the next level with their new performance clothing to be trialed at the NFL combine this spring. Read the article below to find out more information.
http://www.wired.com/playbook/2011/02/nfl-combine-chest-sensors/
Sincerley,
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
I recently wrote the Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) certification exam through the American Academy of Health, Fitness and Rehab Professionals. The MES certification provides a great understanding of the rehabilitation protocols, risk factors and guidelines for dealing with clients or athletes who are returning to work or play following an injury. The MES is certified to deal with the rehabilitation of clients and/or athletes who have been cleared by their physiotherapist or chiropractor to begin an exercise program. Combining the MES certification with the Functional Movement Screen has provided me with a great understanding of how to correct movement impairments, rehab injuries and create a well-balanced athlete. It is essential that any athlete returning from an injury has an equal amount of mobility and stability in order to minimize the risk of future injuries.
Brian Shackel, MSc, B.E.S.S., FMS, MES
Founder, Making Stridz Athlete Development
If you had a chance to watch this past weekends NHL Skills Competition and specifically the fastest skater event, you might have noticed a variety of different skating styles. However, if you look closely at the two fastest skaters in the competition Michael Grabner of the New York Islanders and Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers they were able to do utilize a couple of different strategies during the race which put them in the final. Both skaters were able to demonstrate a very effective quick start with a high stride turnover and up onto their toes as they initiated the start. The skaters both showed an excellent ability to keep the feet moving going into the first turn and get into long, powerful strides during the back strightaway. Both athletes showed incredible knee flexion in their support skate and emphasized a wide, sideways directed push off. As they entered the second corner, the skaters were able to keep their feet moving and not lose any speed as the came out of the corner. Finally, as they came down the final straightway there was an emphasis on skating in a low, flexed position and getting every ounce of power out of each push off. These characteristics allow both Grabner and Hall to be two of the fastest skaters in the league, not only at the NHL Skills Competition but in the NHl every single night.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Founder, Making Stridz Athlete Development
This past weekend I had the oppertunity to attend the World Cup of Freestyle Skiing event in Calgary, Alberta. For those of you who have never experienced Moguls or Arials live I suggest you consider doing this in the near future. The athlete's are incredibly skilled and show charactersitics of the most talented athletes in the world; strength, speed, agility and exceptional biomechanics. Canada had an exceptional showing winning Gold (Mikael Kingsbury) and Silver (Alex Bilodeau) in men's moguls, Gold (Warren Shouldice) in men's arials, and Silver (Audrey Robichaud) in women's moguls. I also had the oppertunity to meet Jennifer Heil and her incredible family who were all down in Calgary to support her following her recent retirement announcement. I would like to wish the Canadian Freestyle Ski team all the best at next weeks World Championships in Salt Lake City Utah.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Founder - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development is pleased to announce that as of January 1st, 2011 athletes will now have the oppertunity to upload their personal videos to www.makingstridz.com for a comprehensize analysis. For more information on the protocal, fees and how the service will be conducted please contact us directly at shackel.brian@gmail.com, 780-932-2903 or find out more information under the Biomechanics tab on the website.
Regards,
Brian Shackel, Msc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to congratulate Warren Kean of the Saskatchewan Roughriders for making his first appearance in the Grey Cup. Warren went 1/1 on field goals (27 yards) and 2/2 on extra points in a 21-18 loss to the Montreal Alouettes.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner, Making Stridz Athlete Development
It's that time of year again with the hockey season getting into full swing. With that being said, every game becomes critical in the success or failure of a teams season. To take your teams execution to the next level contact Making Stridz Athlete Development regarding their Game Analysis Package. The Game Analysis Package includes the filming of the game, a full DVD of the game, a DVD of the game broken down into the key aspects (ie. PP, PK, Goals For, Goals Against, etc.) and a list of important clips. Book Making Stridz Athlete Development for your next game and receive the Season Starter Package for $199.99 plus tax. Book five games or more and receive 10% off of your total order. Book before October 31st to recieve this special offer.
Regards,
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development is now certified to administer the Grey Cook Functional Movement Screen for all of your Athletic Development needs. The screen is utilized as an assessment tool in order to develop a well balanced and functionally strong athlete. The majority of athletes become "overpowered" during their training which presents a very dangerous situation in which the athlete is too powerful or explosive to control their body. As a result, it is important that athletes get back to basics and re-learn their fundamental movement patterns in order to regain better mobility, stability and eliminate any muscle imbalances. The role of the Functional Movement Screen is to address the "weakest link" in the athlete and provide "corrective movement" exercises in order to eliminate any restrictions or imbalances which might be identified during the screen.
For more information on Functional Movement Screening please contact Brian at shackel.brian@gmail.com or 780-932-2903.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
I had the oppertunity this past weekend to attend the Functional Movement Screening (FMS) Course in Calgary Alberta. The role of the FMS course is to provide the personal trainer with the oppertunity to make a more in depth assessment of an athlete or clients mobility, stability and functional movement. Once the assesment is complete, the trainer will begin to provide exercises to address the "weakest link" with the goal of correcting all of the limitations which showed up in the assessment. This is important as it eliminates any muscle imbalances while improving the stability and mobility of the athlete or client which in turn will result in a more "functional athlete".
For more information on Functional Movement Screening or to schedule an assessment please contact Brian Shackel at shackel.brian@gmail.com or 780-932-2903.
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to thank the players and parents from the Subar Power Skating Bantam Bootcamp. The one week bootcamp provided athletes with an oppertunity to experience Nutrition Seminars, Sports Psychology Sessions, Biomechanics Sessions (both on and off ice video sessions), Strength and Conditioning, Power Skating Instruction and Skill Development Sessions. The camp was a great success and I look forwards to being involved with the Subar Power Skating team in the future!
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to welcome parents and players from Hockey Impact Training in Leduc and I look forwards to working with you in the future. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns regarding the services which will be provided at the Hockey Impact Training Center.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development would like to Welcome all participants of the Paragon Hockey Academy to the website. Making Stridz has been assisting the Paragon team with both on ice and off ice training in order to aid in the correction of movement patterns. Improving mechanics off ice plays a crucial role in athletic development and will allow an athlete to develop the proper strength, stability and mobility to perform their on ice skills at the most effecient level possible.
Thanks,
Brian Shackel, MSc
Owner - Making Stridz Athlete Development
Making Stridz Athlete Development has worked quite closely with the athlete below in regards to his forwards skating mechanics. During the initial skating assessment it was evident that the athlete showed a 10 degree asymmetry between his left and right sides during the push off. Specifically, the athlete showed 36 degrees of hip abduction on the left side and only 26 degrees of hip abduction on the right side. This asymmetry resulted in a hitch in the athletes skating stride as the left leg was performing a long powerful push off while the right push off was very short and choppy in nature. The image below shows the athlete’s initial filming session at the top with limited hip abduction and the improved hip abduction present during the second filming session.
This athlete was able to make significant changes in his skating stride by working on a specific movement correction program which focused on the quality of movement over the quantity of movement. This program was facilitated by a strength and conditioning specialist who focused heavily on improving the athlete’s hip mobility and stability as well as improving the athlete’s core stability. This program was important for improving the athlete’s range of motion which was then translated onto the ice during the athletes skating stride. The image below shows the similar discrepancy in the athletes skating stride with the top image being the initial assessment and the bottom image the post treatment filming session.
It is also important to note the improvement in the athletes knee flexion as he was able to increase the range of motion or the length of his skating stride. The athlete still has room for improvement in his skating stride as there continues to be a 10 degree asymmetry between the left and right sides. This discrepency will continue to be monitered with a greater emphasis placed on improving the funtion of the athletes right hip. For more information on the exercise program and how you could experience a significant change in your sports performance please contact us at shackel.brian@gmail.com or 780-932-2903.
What is Biomechanics?
Biomechanics is the science concerned with the internal and external forces acting on the human body and the effects produced by these forces. More specifically, Biomechanics is the study of human movement and describes the forces which cause this movement.
What is the role of Biomechanics?
Biomechanics can play a crucial role in both injury prevention as well as performance enhancement. It is important for athletes of all ages and skill levels to understand the importance of education to develop proper mechanics. Education can come in multiple forms, but with the emphasis on the visual learner in today’s society, visual feedback is one of the most effective ways to modify an athlete’s technique and allow them to perform at the most efficient level possible. An athlete’s ability to perform efficiently and injury free are two key features in performance outcome and can both be improved with Biomechanical analysis.
Who can benefit from Biomechanical Analysis?
Biomechanical analysis can benefit athletes of all ages and skill levels. Whether you are a weekend runner or a high performance sprinter, biomechanical analysis can be beneficial to you as it will allow you the opportunity to develop more efficient movement patterns. This can benefit the weekend runner by allowing them to increase their distance and run pain free, while the high performance sprinter can benefit from a more efficient running stride and allow them to shave milliseconds of off their personal best time.
How to get the most out of your biomechanics sessions?
Biomechanics and video analysis specifically works best when the athlete makes use of multiple video analysis sessions. The theory behind multiple video analysis sessions comes from scientific research using pre testing, intervention and post testing. During a Biomechanics session, our Biomechanist will break down the video and make recommendations on how to improve your performance. This will be the pre-test portion of the experiment. Following the initial filming session, you will have the opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to your mechanics and work closely with our team of exercise therapists in order to correct your movement pattern. This will be the intervention portion of the experiment. Lastly, the athlete will undergo post testing where another video analysis session will be performed in order to determine the outcome of the intervention. During the second filming session, our Biomechanist will perform a pre and post test comparison in order to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. This cycle is important in creating good results as it will allow the athlete to not only see, but feel how the correct movement pattern should be performed.
Making Stridz Athlete Development was honoured to be a guest speaker at the 2010 Women's Wellness Conference in Sherwood Park, Alberta on March 20,2010. The conference was put on by Strathcona County and featured speakers from across Alberta on a variety of wellness topics including yoga, gardenening, laughter and relaxation techniques. Making Stridz presented on the "Mechanics of the Golf Swing and Golf Fitness for Women"
We had a great turnout and thanks to all the ladies for their participation.
Making Stridz Athlete Development is pleased to announce their partnership with Louis St. Laurent Hockey Academy for the 2010 school year. The Louis St. Laurent Hockey Academy has put togethor an excellent staff for this upcoming season including strength and conditioning coach Barry Butt from Premier Strength, goaltending consultants Dave Rathjen and Jamie McCaig from Above the Crease Goaltending, sports psychologist Nicolas Allan from River Valley Counselling as well as coaches Rick Swan, Larry Draper and Jaret Peel. If anyone is looking for a senior high hockey academy for next season please check out their website at www.baronshockeyacademy.com.
 Click here to view a Promo Video done by Making Stridz Athlete Development
As the director of Making Stridz Athlete Development I would like to thank everyone for visiting the site as well as for your support throughout the entire process. I would also like to thank Permaven Software and their team of designers and programmers for working on the site.
Click here to download Dartviewer. This will allow you to access the Dartfish project which has been produced for you by Making Stridz Athlete Development.
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