From Athens - A few about Father Joe

Buc wrote:

yd1, keep on keeping on, good work.

Question . . . .
Love the fact that we are getting stronger, bigger and healthier. Are we doing the proper stretching? I assume we are, however have seen a pro team that shall remain nameless go through this same thing. This particular team released their coach after a couple of years and the groins and hammies disappeared. I am in no way suggesting that Coach JT is the cause, I just wonder. Your body can be too tightly wound with muscle and this sort of thing shows its ugly head.

Buc, just getting ready to suggest the same thing. If you are pushing more weight, training harder, building more muscle mass, you have to incorporate an INTENSE stretching routine. Also would help tremendously if they can provide these players with Neuromuscular Massage Therapy.....deep tissue massage that "releases" the bound up or very tight muscle fibers (painful massage actually).

My wife was a neuromuscular therapist (and taught it) that worked on me all the time and it works.....UNBELIEVABLY. Surely they have these neuromuscular therapists available for the players, if not, they should start and make it MANDATORY each player has sessions with them 2-3 times every week (even off season). Also increases flexibility.


Btw yd1.....always love your posts, very insightful and today's was no different. Very good point about the mental side of becoming a beast and the confidence it breeds.

Buc=thriller=wlayton- I argree with the stretching, have seen blown hammies in baseball for the same lack of stretching. I am sure CJT is caught up in all the swirl this spring however I have a feeling he is already digging into the upturn in hammies and groins. I am thinking it could be the players who are not use to doing enough stretching now with all the added muscle.

Learning curve to everything...better now that September. Go Dawgs

wlayton, have said before that my son was a very good swimmer (still is).

You are so on the mark.

Not trying to coach, just know that I have seen the difference in swimmers that stretched properly and those that skated a bit. Yoga was introduced to many swimmers and the results were to say the least mind boggling. As you said, flexability is very important. Warm to hot rooms with Yoga training definitely pays dividends both to the team and the individual.

kentdaddy and Limey probably know a lot about this subject.

Wonder if someone reading this board could find out if these young men stretch in the new facility under JT's eyes, or if that is handled by someone else. Just asking, not coaching.

Hydration is imperative as well.....but I'm sure they know all this.

I am actually not a traditional stretching fan. I see way too many stretching cold muscles before working out and that is pointless and leads to injury. I prefer some of the things the Olympic teams are doing with warm ups and specific exercises that engage all the ranges of motion for a particular sport.

In my old martial arts class we did some stretching, but after the work and not before.

kentdaddy wrote:

I am actually not a traditional stretching fan. I see way too many stretching cold muscles before working out and that is pointless and leads to injury. I prefer some of the things the Olympic teams are doing with warm ups and specific exercises that engage all the ranges of motion for a particular sport.

In my old martial arts class we did some stretching, but after the work and not before.

Think we are on the same page kentdaddy. The Yoga training that I have witnessed is not a part of the swimming team's mandatory training. The group of swimmers that participated went to a private area off campus and worked out in warm rooms under close supervision. Agree with you that there is a time a place for all things. Hell, I bend over to pick up something I have dropped and my back is out, knees hurt . . . . Understand that the players have x amount of time to spend on athletics, however time well spent might prevent some of the injuries, who knows.