The GP Clinic specializes in DNS (Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization). Dr. Gallagher's extensive training and background in DNS therapy allows him to provide a level of care that is unique to the Pittsburgh area.

The Olympic lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) and their variations are often used in the training and preparation of athletes that require explosive strength and power. Although Olympic lifts may be useful for teaching an athlete of low preparation how to rapidly generate force, overall they are not ideal for developing explosive strength for a number of reasons. Of primary importance is the increased risk of orthopedic injury associated with Olympic lifts, namely the overhead portions. So how does one efficiently develop power and explosive strength without undue risk of injury?

If the end goal is to improve explosive strength of the leg and hip musculature, as measured through vertical jump and standing long jump, coaches must select the most efficient and safest means. Charlie Francis placed sprints, jumps, and throws just as high as the Olympic lifts on his motor unit recruitment chart. Sprints, med ball throws, weighted/unweighted jumps all become wiser alternatives for power development as they require far less time to learn and impose less risk of injury.

This is not to say Olympic lifts serve no purpose. They certainly can be useful, but their positive effects are greatly misinterpreted by most coaches. For instance, some coaches utilize various volume and intensity schemes with the Olympic lifts to develop bioenergetic pathways used in acceleration phase of sprinting. Others will use it to develop tremendous starting strength. Keep in mind, there have been Olympic-level weightlifters with remarkable vertical jumps. Some have the ability to keep pace with or beat Olympic-level sprinters in the first 30m out of the blocks.

This sounds like pretty amazing stuff, right? Simply hit some cleans and snatches to get powerful and fast?

However, there's a big problem.

You aren’t as good at the lifts as an Olympic-level weightlifter. Remember, weightlifting is a sport. It is a skill and unless you have a lot of years under your belt, perfecting the lifts, you aren’t even remotely close to having the lifts make a significant impact on your athletic performance.

If you are going to get the most out of training the Olympic lifts, it absolutely matters that you are skilled from a technical viewpoint.

For example, outside of elite status Olympic weightlifters, very few lifters actually achieve full hip extension during the lifts. Meaning, they aren't fully developing powerful hip extension. Full, powerful hip extension is essential to developing explosive athletic qualities seen in sprinting, jumping, and throwing.

So, as an athlete, why would you perform a series of exercises that are ultimately going to take years of practice to learn while reaping little benefit from that effort? Sure, plenty of people think they have "learned" the lifts, but reality is they are far off the mark.

It takes time, a lot of time, to learn how to do the lifts properly. Achieving rapid, full hip extension is not an easy task and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Nobody ever mastered the lifts in a matter of weeks.

So when it comes down to appropriately addressing power-speed development in athletes, it should become clear that there is potentially wasted time and energy in truly learning the Olympic lifts. Similar training results can be achieved with more basic exercises without the high technical demands.

Looking for ways to develop powerful hip extensions? Variations of sprints, jumps, and med ball throws get the job done faster with greater dynamic correspondence. Unless you are competing in weightlifting, the Olympic lifts don't offer much in dynamic correspondence to many athletes. Consider movements specific to your sport. Whether it is skating or shooting in hockey, throwing a baseball, covering a wide receiver, or kicking a soccer ball, there are very few specific connections with the Olympics lifts when you look at the movement patterns.

For an athlete, the Olympic lifts become very general in their ability to train resisted hip extension and reactivity.

As an athlete, your goal is to get better at your sport. Specificity in training matters. You could be wasting valuable time and energy resources on learning lifts that have little impact on your abilities to perform in competition.

Concluding Thoughts
I’m not here to bash on the Olympic lifts. They can serve a purpose in developing explosive hip extension and reactive/plyometric qualities. However, there are problems that exist with their use and implementation in the training programs of athletes. As mentioned previously, outside of competitive weightlifters, the Olympic lifts lack specificity. Specificity and dynamic correspondence are critical for any athlete. The Olympics lifts also impose greater structural risk and this could be considered unnecessary when developing athletes. The goal of athletic development is to maximize training results while minimizing structural risk. Consider variations of sprints, jumps, and throws. These alternatives are easier to implement and progress, thus providing both athletes and coaches the ability to master power-speed qualities specific to the athlete's sport form.

Back injuries are not rare. Unfortunately, back pain will affect most people and interfere with their daily routine at some point in their life. To combat this issue, many people feel it is necessary to maintain a 'flexible' back.

According to research performed by Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of spine bio-mechanics at the University of Waterloo, statistics show that individuals with more 'flexible' backs are more likely to get injured. The joints and muscles of the hips and shoulders are designed for movement. The muscles of the torso and back are designed to prevent or stop movement, maintaining a stable back and preventing excessive range of motion. A stable back provides the platform to generate movement and transfer force/power.

This information demonstrates the importance of teaching athletes and clients how to maintain the control of a stable torso/back during movement. Any area of the body that lacks proper stability/control will compromise movement and increase the risk of injury.

Early specialization in sport is becoming increasingly more common among children. The rationale behind such a decision typically being if a child plays one sport, year round, they will be more advanced than their peers, more likely to be the 'star', get recruited, and/or possibly go on to make millions. Is this all fact or just wishful thinking?

Recent research from UCLA reveals that early specialization in sport has very poor connection with young athletes achieving elite status. A survey of almost 300 NCAA Division I athletes found that 88% played two or three sports as children and 70% did not specialize in one sport until after the age of 12. These findings were already understood in former East Germany and USSR within their youth development programs.

Studies in East Germany and the USSR found that children who went through an early specialization program did have more immediate improvement in their performances. But these children also had their best performances between the ages of 15-16, had greater inconsistencies, many quit or 'burnt out' by the age 18, and they had greater rate of injuries because of forced adaptation compared to children who played multiple sports and specialized later in life.

At GP, we take an educated and unique approach to proper youth development in sports, focusing on the development of a wide variety of motor and coordination skills. Athletic development is a process and certainly not one that should be rushed.

What you need to know:

• Neural efficiency is the key to becoming a better athlete, this is known as athletic mastery.
• Mastery requires time, intelligent programming, hard work, and dedication to consistency. 

Congratulations to Andrew Stimmel (Murrysville, PA) for a successful camp over the weekend with the Ohio Machine of the MLL. Andrew was recently drafted by the Machine in this year's MLL Supplemental Draft. Andrew finished his collegiate lacrosse career at the Ohio State University, after transferring from Penn State his freshman year. During his time at Ohio State, he was named a team co-captain and Defensive MVP in 2010, being regarded as one of the top defensive midfielders in the ECAC.

Andrew is also currently the head coach for the men's lacrosse team at Grove City College and serves as staff/coach at Low and Away Lacrosse, one of the premier lacrosse skill development systems on the east coast.

Many coaches and so called 'strength & conditioning' coaches typically lack an understanding of bio-mechanics and physiology as it relates to sport. The athletes are the one that pay the price for this, as their preparation and performance can be negatively affected.

The program design must carefully monitor all aspects of training. Charlie Francis used a glass of water analogy to describe the delicate nature of balancing sprint/conditioning training with additional CNS intensive loading (lifting, jumping, throwing, etc) in athletic development. Fill up the glass with an abundance of one and you leave little room left for another because CNS resources are finite. What happens if you overflow the glass? The athlete ends up over-trained, performance suffers, and injury becomes more likely.

Athletic development is not a 'quick fix', rather a long-term process. GP applies expert understanding of bio-mechanics and physiology, tailoring these concepts to each client and athlete's program. We want them to understand what it takes to raise their game to the next level.

Seen by doctor after doctor with no relief of your joint pain?
Dealing with a previous injury that still holds you back in your daily activities or sports? Frustrated with lack of results in your training or dieting?

Be it joint pain or just stubborn body fat, it seems all too common that people deal with frustration when they are seeking results and it seems there are no answers as to why they are not getting better or improving. Unfortunately, some people are eventually told to "Live with it" or "Take this pill". While others decided for themselves, "Maybe this is the way I'll always be".

Just like a good real estate agents say, "Location, location, location'. A good doctor/therapist says, "History, history, history'. The history holds the clues, often more than patients expect.

At GP, we understand the importance of taking a detailed history and utilizing comprehensive assessments to provide our patients/clients with quality information and service. Experience the difference GP has to offer and let us help you get the results you want.