Durban – by Dave Macleod. As they continue their challenge for the Currie Cup title in 2018 the Cell C Sharks players are working with lead biokineticist Jimmy Wright to harness technology to keep themselves prepared for the physical demands of the competition.
Keeping up with the latest trends in preparation, performance and recovery are things, that Wright says, the new generation of players are all embracing as part of their professional approach to managing their careers.
Wright is a passionate believer in using technology like the Power Plate vibration technology to optimise training and preparation, and says once the benefits become obvious, players make use of the equipment as a fixed part of their training routine.
“It is all about the one percenters,” says Wright. “At this level it is those one percenters that make all the difference.”
Wright cited an example of a player that battled to get full leg flexibility due to fascia tightness. A few minutes on the Power Plate released that tightness and for the first time the player was touching his toes.
“We want to make sure there is transfer from the gym to the rugby field,” explained Wright. “Every exercise has to be supportive to what happens on the rugby field and increase resilience to possible injury.
“When it comes to using technology like the Power Plate we achieve major gains by showing the players ways to improve their tissue quality, joint range of movement and how to activate muscles.
“When players buy into innovation and better ways of training, our jobs become easier. Instead of spoon-feeding a player by putting up a programme for them, we teach the players how their bodies work and why their bodies respond the way they do.
“Player longevity is all about not getting injured. The players naturally want to buy into that and Power Plate helps us with that,” he said.
Wright said that the vibration technology benefits start with improved mobility.
“What we are trying to achieve with any training programme is to bring stability to movement.
“Rugby challenges stability. We divide the body into three major pillars – the core, the hip and the shoulder – if we work at improving stability in those pillars, then we see movement happening more efficiently on the field and running happens faster and the risk of injury is reduced.
“But at the same time we want to make sure the joints remain flexible. Training can result in joints locking up because training muscles can shorten a joint’s movement capacity,” he said.
“We can identify the muscles that shorten and the Power Plate helps to maintain full range of movement in the joint.
“For example, locks often battle with tight muscles because they have long levers and tight hamstrings, and they find it difficult to achieve better hip range” he said.
“We use a two minute Power Plate routine at a low frequency that releases the fascial system top improve hip joint range of movement.
“When a player physically sees that, they immediately buy into it
Wright said the technology was rewriting the ways athletes warm up before training and competition.
“”The old ways of warming up have changed. These days we like to spend the first thirty minutes before a field session indoors,” he explained.
“We get the players’ shoes off to activate the fascial lines, starting at the bottom of the foot to the top of the head.
“Part of that is done on the Power Plate, together with specific additional movements, each with a particular pre-habilitative purpose.
“We don’t talk about rehab, rather we say a player is “in training in the presence of an injury”. It’s a totally different approach because there are more things that work in the body than those that don’t! Injured players still train. They train very hard, but a little differently to the guys that are playing on Saturday.”
Wright said that the new generation of professional rugby players coming through the ranks were harnessing the advantages of technology like the Power Plate vibration systems to enhance their abilities and prolong their careers.
“It is making our jobs easier and the benefits start to become obvious to the athletes,” he added.
For more information visit www.powerplate.co.za
March in South Africa is the month when many of the big endurance events occur nationally as well as many of the school sports festivals. There is the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Cape Epic and the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon and then of course, the Easter Rugby festivals.
One of my clients/athletes competed in the master’s category of the Cape Epic Cycle and much of his strength and mobility work was done incorporating the Power Plate. In terms of flexibility and strength imbalances, what he initially presented with was typical of cyclists: kyphosis; weak glutes and hamstrings. He lacked flexibility through his posterior kinetic chain and his balance and proprioception was not good at all. (This is problematic for a mountain biker in very technical terrain.)
I changed his program so that all of the workout preparation was done on the Power Plate- stretching, balance and potentiation of the exercises we were going to do that day. Once the specific strength work was done, I put him back on the PP to recover.
He finished the race yesterday and said that his off the bike conditioning played a massive role in his performance. (Loves the PP, by the way).
I also introduced some 13 year old boys to the recover component on the PP- hamstring flexibility at this age is shocking to say the least. Besides the ‘novelty’ of being on a ‘fancy’ piece of equipment, they were amazed at the rapid improvement in flexibility.
The cherry on top of this month’s events was the opportunity to attend the ‘RUN INJURY FREE’ workshop by Dr Emily Splichal. This incorporated PP and Naboso Barefoot Technology. To say that this workshop was impressive would be an understatement and all the delegates, myself included, rated this as one of the best they had attended.
The beauty of it was that it showed yet again how PP can be integrated into all aspects of training and that the technology is aligned with other systems, like Naboso. Keep watching the Power Plate media platforms to see when Dr Emily will be back.
Running is a stressful process. There’s no hiding from it. A strain on the mind, body and soul depending on how many miles you need to put in. Current figures show that up to 80% of runners experience injury when training and competing. These injuries are due to a range of factors from inappropriate footwear to overtraining. With so many runners experiencing problems, the team at Power Plate works closely with movement specialists such as Dr. Emily Splichal in order to help people reduce their risk of injury. Dr. Splichal is a huge proponent of vibration in her role as an educator and podiatrist. Thankfully, some of the vast knowledge brought to us by our contributing experts can be put into practice in the most simple and extremely practical ways.
Tip 1- Prepare Barefoot
The advantages of preparing to run using Power Plate while barefoot are huge. The foot is the data hub when we run. It absorbs the physical load but it also provides a massive amount of information to the rest of the body. As we land and push off, the receptors in our feet feed the rest of the body with input on pressure, load, temperature, texture, shape and stretch. The nervous system perceives that hit or pressure from the ground as vibration, which is why Power Plate is such an effective tool for replicating that force. Hiding your skin beneath a sock and the thick sole of a shoe dampens that feedback from the platform to the foot. Dr. Splichal sees the skin on the bottom of the feet as ‘the gateway into vibrations’.
Tip 2 – Perform Single Leg
Put simply, running is a single leg exercise. At no point during the action are both feet in contact with the ground. Hence, the need to perform movements that require a single leg action. Any type of strength, endurance, power, balance or stability based exercise in a runner’s program should predominantly involve one leg at a time. Applying that simple change to those squats, steps and jumps in your current routine will replicate the demands of running more closely.
Tip 3 – Understand The Demand
The demand on the body while running is 3 to 4 times our body weight. Read that again and let it sink in…3 to 4 times our body weight each time the foot hits the ground. That’s a lot of force. If our system isn’t prepared for that hit, then injury is a real possibility. For beginners, running can be a massive challenge so using whole body vibration in training exposes the body to that force in a safe and easily programmable way.
“As your body perceives vibrations, or impact forces, it begins to contract against them creating what’s called fascial tension. By training on Power Plate we will be introducing controlled vibrations to the body thereby creating an anticipatory tensioning response. This is one of the most effective ways not only prevent injury but also to activate or wake up the nervous system.” Dr. Emily Splichal, Run Injury Free, 2017.
A pre-run hit of vibration can have a big impact on the body’s ability to work with ground force. Be proactive by dedicating 10-15 minutes of barefoot work on Power Plate. Better your chances of running injury free and become part of that 20% who don’t suffer.
As South Africans approach the ultra-distance marathon season, starting with the Old Mutual Two Oceans next weekend, the Run Injury Free programme in conjunction with Power Plate gives runners the tools to prepare, compete and recover knowing that they are going to remain injury free.
New York-based Dr Emily Splichal is currently in South Africa heading around the country with the Run Injury Free Programme, educating biokineticists, trainers, coaches, and runners about how it works and how the Power Plate is such an integral part of the process.
“To date most running programs focus on biomechanics and technique, however very few are looking at these injuries as how they related to neuromuscular control,” Dr Splichal said. “The Run Injury Free Programme by Power Plate and Naboso Technology is the answer to preventing running injuries from a neuromuscular perspective.
“Naboso Technology has partnered with Power Plate to bring a new approach and perspective on running-related injuries.
“70 – 80% of runners will get injured at some point during their running career which means the prevention of injury is critical in this population.”
The Run Injury Free Programme is being launched around the country as runners gear up for the upcoming Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons. The most important element of the programme is that it is not specifically aimed at elite athletes.
“All runners regardless of fitness level or running distance will benefit from the Run Injury Free Programme,” Dr Splichal stressed. “All runners require the same stabilization and neuromuscular coordination to meet the repetitive impact of running.
“In fact, all movement, including walking and jumping have similar demands on the neuromuscular system which means this program would benefit not just runners.”
Power Plate hinges on three major components, prepare, perform, recover. The Run Injury Free Programme too follows the same principals.
“Run Injury Free is our way to help runners, number one, better understand the demands of running, number two, better prepare their body to meet these demands and, number three, more effectively recover to offset stress and injury risk.
“It includes our pre-run prepare section which is done before the runners put on their shoes and start running, the post-run recovery which is intended to more effectively reduce the stress associated with running.
“Then the two workouts that challenge the stabilization and muscle activation demands of running and finally, the recovery core flow to focus on increased core strength and total body flexibility needed for running,” she explained.
Durban – by Nick Tatham. Durban – A major attribute that the Power Plate equipment possesses is its ability to be diverse and to provide whoever uses it with a platform for training and recovery whether they are professional athletes or recreational sportsmen and women.
The equipment is used by many international sports people and teams throughout the world and the team at Prime Human Performance Institute in Durban is also making use of the Power Plate to get the best out of their elite athletes as well as regular clients.
2018 FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon hopeful Jenna Ward has been gradually worked onto the Power Plate and her trainer, and one of the head Biokineticists at Prime, Jaryd Rudolph enjoys the versatility of the Power Plate.
“You can use the Power Plate for so many different exercises and sports,” Rudolph said. “From mobility to release exercises and warming up for sessions, it provides the perfect platform for athletes to prepare and recover from their competitions.
“I use Power Plate with paddlers, golfers and also marathon runners, so it can help anyone.”
Recently, Prime HPI hosted a number of Power Plate Workshops that encouraged medical practitioners from around the country to attend and gain a better understanding on how the equipment works and how to maximise the effectiveness of it.
“I have known and used the Power Plate for quite a long time but the courses that were hosted at Prime helped us understand the capabilities of the machine and to help in us using it to get the best results for our athletes and clients.
Ward, women’s 2017 Two Oceans Marathon runner up Jenna Challenor, and a number of golfers have been using the Power Plate as part of their training sessions, it has become an integral part of training.
“I now use the Power Plate as part of every training session,” 2016 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championship K2 silver medallist Jenna Ward mentioned.
“Having been put on the machine by my trainer Jaryd, I am now seeing the positive impact that it is having on my training and races, as well as in my recovery.”
Durban – by Dave Macleod. As part of the Legacy programme that stemmed from the recent International Conference on Elite Sport held in Durban in August, global vibration technology leaders, Power Plate, donated state-of-the-art equipment to sport High Performance Centres in Mtubatuba and Newcastle, as identified by the KZN Department of Sport and Recreation.
Power Plate is an in-demand piece of equipment by international athletes at sporting events around the world, to help athletes prepare their bodies better for training and competition, reduce risk of injury, and speed up recovery.
The innovative Football For Life project in Mtubatuba took delivery of two Power Plate units to support the broad range sporting and lifestyle programme run by Swedish trainer Anna Nyman, who supports a large network of local youths with sweeping sport conditioning, lifestyle, empowerment, and wellness programmes.
From left: Football for Life Programme Manager Anna Nyman, Power Plate Representative Erica Minter, Competition Director at SAFA Nathi Mthethwa, Director of Prime HPI Brendon Goodenough, Councillor Bukhosini, Jay Mannikam, Technical Director in the region for SAFA Johnson Mpanza at the Power Plate Legacy handover at the Football for Life Academy in Mtubatuba on Thursday.
“I went to the Power Plate workshops that were hosted at the Prime Human Performance Institute during the recent International Forum on Elite Sport,” said Programme Manager Nyman.
“The Power Plate is quite new to me and we are using the machine for injury prevention for the players, through warm up and core stability exercises.
“The team are very excited to be using the machine and I am sure we will see the benefits of it in the not too distant future.”
A day later the Newcastle High School, that has been designated by the Department of Sport as a regional Sports Focus school, was the recipient of two Power Plate machines that will become integral to the High Performance Centre that is being established at the school.
The town’s mayor Councillor Musa Ngubane was delighted that the Newcastle sport node had been singled out as a recipient for the donation of equipment.
“Newcastle is a sport hotspot,” said Ngubane. “Newcastle and the Amajuba District has got talent. We are working hard at giving opportunities to local sportsmen and women, and trying to keep them here rather than lose them to Durban.”
School principal Manuel Govender said the long term plans for the school’s High Performance Centre was part of their holistic plan for their learners.
From left: Principal of Newcastle High School Manuel Govender, Power Plate Representative Erica Minter, Mayor of Newcastle Councillor Musa Ngubane at the Power Plate Legacy handover at the Newcastle High School on Friday
“Ever since this school was identified as Sport Focus School we decided to take it to a whole new level.
“We are identifying learners from rural areas that do not have the ability to go to a gym to refine their ability in their sport. We want to become that facility.”
He added that investment in their High Performance facility had shown immediate results.
“The impact has been huge,” said Govender. “We have seen marked improvement in our athletes’ conditioning and the results they are achieving, leading to their selections for the regional Amajuba District teams.
Power Plate representative Erica Minter said that the legacy programme was a key component of reaching into disadvantaged communities in territories where advanced technology for elite sport development was not affordable or easily accessible.
“Power Plate can do so much for so many people. It can be life-changing on so many different levels.
“In areas where youngsters might not necessarily be able to reach their full sporting potential, it is really rewarding to be able to facilitate this.
“We have a great partnership in place with the local government and the Prime Sport Development Trust to ensure that the machines get used optimally to help young athletes achieve their full potential,” she added.
technology to keep themselves prepared for the physical demands of the competition.
“When it comes to using technology like the Power Plate we achieve major gains by showing the players ways to improve their tissue quality, joint range of movement and how to activate muscles.
ply, running is a single leg exercise. At no point during the action are both feet in contact with the ground. Hence, the need to perform movements that require a single leg action. Any type of strength, endurance, power, balance or stability based exercise in a runner’s program should predominantly involve one leg at a time. Applying that simple change to those squats, steps and jumps in your current routine will replicate the demands of running more closely.
The equipment is used by many international sports people and teams throughout the world and the team at Prime Human Performance Institute in Durban is also making use of the Power Plate to get the best out of their elite athletes as well as regular clients.
