Great boxing workouts to get you in shape

One great way to lose those pesky flabs is having a workout that matches boxing-inspired cardio with strength routines. Below are three simplified boxing workouts to maximize calorie burn and increase your metabolism, even as you improve your cardiovascular fitness, courtesy of sports training enthusiast Ryan Shephard.

Jab Cross Power Drill
To do this, get into a standing position with your right foot forward, elbows bent in front of your ribs, and hands in fists. Do a jab punch with your right arm, your palm facing the floor, then quickly draw your elbow back into a guard position. Throw a cross punch with your left arm, palm toward the floor, rotating your right hip into the punch and lifting your left heel. Continue the alternating jabs for one minute, switch sides, and repeat.

Side Shuffle Cross
Go into a split stance, with your left leg forward and your arms on guard. Throw a cross punch with your left arm, extending your arm and turning your palm toward the floor while rotating your left hip into the punch and lifting your left heel. Bring arms back quickly to guard position and do a single-side shuffle sideways to the left before immediately cross-punching with your left arm. Alternate sides and do as many reps as possible for two minutes.

Rock and Roll Stand Up
Stand with feet hip-width apart and your arms on guard, then lower into a squat. Drop your hips to the floor, sitting down and rounding back while you roll backward, your knees tucked into your chest and your arms on guard. Get back to a standing position, rising up through a squat with your arms kept on guard, explains Ryan Shephard.

Ryan Shephard is a University of Michigan student studying to become a certified sports and rehabilitation specialist. His education allows him to get to work with the best therapists and trainers in the field. More on Ryan and his interests here.

Top drills for modern basketball training

It often takes basketball players much repetition to assimilate a perfect technique and make movements seemingly instinct-based. A lot happens in a typical ballgame, and players must bank on muscle memory to make that pull-up jumper or bring the ball down the court. Hereunder are drills for key facets of the game—shooting, ballhandling—according to sports training enthusiast Ryan Shephard.

The first drill involves using a tennis ball to develop one’s ball handling. Commence by using a basketball in one hand and a tennis ball in the other. Dribble the basketball as strong as you can, allowing it to reach your waist level. Then use the tennis ball on the other hand, underhand-tossing it toward your nose but not over your head. Catch the ball with your hand on top. Switch hands after doing these 15 times.

For shooting, attempt shots from five spots on the floor, namely one corner, the wing, the top of the key, other wing, and other corner. You’ve to make three shots in a row before you can move on to the next spot. As you cycle back, you’ve to make two shots in a row from each spot and make one shot from each spot in a row, allowing you to finish with five made shots per row. Most NBA players aim to do this within two minutes, but you can work your way from a beginning set time of five minutes.

Finally, a drill that combines shooting- and endurance-training is to take five shots from the midrange: one short corner, wing, free throw line, the other wing, and other short corner. You’ve to make five out of seven per spot before moving on, but if you fail, you’ve to run up and back the entire court and move back a spot. Once you’ve completed all five midrange shots, take the same shots from above the three-point line. If this is too difficult at first, begin with a lower shot-making percentage like three or four in seven tries, Ryan Shephard adds.

Ryan Shephard is a University of Michigan student who hopes to become an expert sports rehab and training professional someday. More an Ryan and his interests here.

Boxing 101: Things to remember other than the punches

Boxing 101: Things to remember other than the punches
I’m Ryan Shephard, a student of sports training and rehabilitation. For this blog, I want to take a moment to write about a sport that’s pretty close to my heart. You could even say this sport was my first love.

Image source: corporatefitnesscentre.com.au

I’ve been a fan of boxing ever since I was a kid and I was obsessed with the sweet science of it. I still box from time to time, and I’ve seen young individuals getting into the sport, which I find rather heartwarming.

However, many people who first enter boxing have this mistaken belief that it’s all about punching. While punching takes up a huge part of the sport, boxing is so much more than that. Enter a boxing gym and you’ll realize that on the first day.

One of the first things your trainer will teach you is footwork. Yes, there is a proper way to move in the boxing ring. You shouldn’t let your feet cross as much as possible, when moving forward or backward, or side-to-side.

As you progress, your trainer will teach you how to defend yourself past the “hands-up” routine. You’ll learn to block body shots as well as bob-and-weave. You’ll learn to slip punches and throw counters.

Finally, your trainer will build up your cardio like no one else has before. After which, you’ll be a happy puddle of sweat and soreness, and you’ll realize it’s all worth it.

Hey, there. I’m Ryan Shephard, a student at the University of Michigan taking up Athletic Training. Thankfully, my courses allow me to learn anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and pharmacology, as I hope to be a professional sports trainer someday. More on me and my interests here.

ACL injury: Faster recovery tips

While recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament or ACL injury will surely take time, there are ways to speed up the process. Often ACL injuries are treated via arthroscopic surgery in an outpatient setup. What’s great about the outpatient scenario is that scheduling is done in advance, allowing patients and their physicians to formulate both a sound pre-surgery and post-surgery treatment and recovery plan, explains sports rehab and training student Ryan Shephard.

Of course, certain injuries take longer to completely heal, depending on the severity. And some procedures will be more invasive than others. But the patient’s mindset plays a big part in speeding up the healing process. Remember that it takes time for the knee to get back to normal, and patience is key. Abide by what the doctor has instructed and never miss planned appointments to see if the knee is healing properly.

Keeping to post-operative visit schedules should be coupled with equally regular visits to the referred physical therapist. Both your physician and physical therapist would coordinate in making a sound rehab program. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if certain instructions are unclear. Also, never miss any follow-up appointments.

Aside from getting enough rest and sleep and making sure that you eat properly and maintain proper nutrition, make sure to never miss taking your pain medication, as prescribed. These medications are important and are usually coupled with supplements are other vitamins. Lastly and most importantly, the road to recovery is hastened with rehab exercises, adds Ryan Shephard. But make sure that these routines strictly follow the exercise program designed by your physical therapist, as what you are allowed to do depends on various factors like your current health, fitness level, and age.

Ryan Shephard is a University of Michigan student hoping to become an expert sports rehab and training professional someday. He is majoring in Athletic Training. More info on Ryan and his interests here.

Spotting injuries in the hands and wrists

A few weeks ago in one of our classes, we were discussing the possibility of injuries to tennis players, and since then, I did a bit of research on some of the most common injuries to the hands and wrists of an athlete.

Here are some of them.

Tennis elbow

Let’s start off with this since I already mentioned tennis injuries at the start of this blog. When the forearm tendon starts tearing away from the bone, the person feels some discomfort and maybe a bit of pain. This happens due to overuse of the arm.

Tendonitis

Just like tennis elbow, tendonitis is a result of overuse of a body part. Pushing yourself too far in training can cause your tendons to be inflamed and irritated. Most of the time, it’s enough to cause discomfort.

Jammed finger

In basketball and football, a jammed finger is quite common. This happens when the ball is pass to a player who has his fingers extended out. The finger then comes in contact with the ball head-on at high speed “jamming” the finger. It can be painful especially if it results in a sprain or dislocation.

Image source: Health.ClevelandClinic.org

Distal radius fracture

Also known as a broken wrist, this is probably the most serious of the injuries on this list. This happens when the radius bone (the long forearm one) is fractured on the wrist joint, near the area of the thumb.

Hello! My name is Ryan Shephardand I’m a student at the University of Michigan. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to work in the sports industry, particularly in the fields of athletic training and sports rehab. For more of my writings, click this link.

Tips when applying as a student athlete in college

Applying for college is tough enough as it is but the process can get more complicated if you are applying as a student athlete, given other course requirements and considerations. Below are some tips to better streamline the process and make it easier to get in.

First off, know the deadlines: each and every one of them, per school you’re applying for. Certain colleges have fixed deadlines while some have more flexible admissions. Prioritize those that have set deadlines or have special meetups of potential recruits with coaches. Keep in mind that most top-level schools would want would-be athletes to apply early. In other words, make sure your itinerary of meetups and applications is well-organized.

You’ve to make it a point to inform the schools’ respective coaches of your application. Alerting them early may aid in your admission, as they can flag your application with the admissions office and offer special considerations. It’s assumed that your GPA and test scores meet the school’s admission criteria, of course, but coaches who are keen on recruiting you will go out of their way to help with the paperwork and perhaps even get the school to waive your application fee. In any case, they can’t help you if they don’t even know you applied.

Finally, while applying early is key to get a variety of options, early action is always better than early decision. Early action simply means getting into a non-binding deal with the school that gives you the leeway not to attend, should you decide otherwise. Early decision forces you to commit to the school and give up any other applications. Unless, of course, if you have already made up your mind that you’re committing to that school.

Hello, there. I’m Ryan Shephard, a student at the University of Michigan hoping to become an expert sports rehab and training professional someday. For similar reads, visit this blog.

In it to win it: Why we should respect the varsity player

Because of TV shows and movies, the public sees varsity players as “jocks” who are both arrogant and spoiled. The stigma pop culture has placed on varsity players is one of entitlement, one that sends a very wrong message.

People who don’t know any better believe varsity athletes get to do what they want, when they want. However, for varsity athletes who are serious about the sport and what they have, this cannot be any farther from the truth.

Most varsity athletes sacrifice more than most students because they have goals in mind, goals that include holding the scholarship, staying on the team, and impressing scouts. Those three goals alone create a schedule of living for varsity athletes that is more hectic than anyone else’s.

Not only do varsity players need to excel in their sport to keep the scholarship and stay on the team, but they also need to hit a required grade point average. Because of this, the life of a varsity player revolves around training and studying. Friends and family take a back seat. Socializing can be done when training is finished, and school work is dusted.

And during athletic seasons, student-athletes have to rest their bodies, which means even less time to do the leisurely things that most students do.

What do you think of varsity athletes now?

Hi there! My name is Ryan Shephard, a student at the University of Michigan. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to work in the sports industry. While I can play sports like basketball, football, baseball, and soccer, I think I am better suited for athletic training. To know more about athletic trainers, visit this blog.

The importance of sport-specific training

One way of understanding “sport-specific” training is to see it as embracing a perfect-practice routine that is extremely focused on the sport or activity of your choice. In other words, you should be taking lessons from a qualified coach for your sport, while knowing that altering the routine by replacing it with, say, makeshift gear will not lead to the optimal set of movements you are aiming for.

A good example is golf. You cannot master the various swings and putts unless you keep practicing with the correct golf club. This distinction should be clear when we consider sport-specific training in its modern definition, given the many various programs that allow for mixtures of regimens and routines.

In the context of CrossFit, coaches should be able to implement safe and effective strength programs for the body, while being mindful of the sport the athlete is training for. The complementary conditioning workout could be optional when, say, strength or explosiveness is the focus of the sport. Athletes doing excessive conditioning training (and in a non-structured manner) often become more prone to burnout or even injuries.

Again, the most important thing in sport-specific training is the value of constant and proper practice. Never settle with compromised gear and reduced training durations and watch and emulate other athletes and professionals in the sport. Remember that before attaining mastery, the initial goal is become a true student of your chosen sport.

Hey, there. My name isRyan Shephardand I’m a student at the University of Michigan. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to work in the sports industry, particularly in the fields of athletic training and sports rehab. For more of my writings, click this website.

Why sports teams need good athletic trainers

Whether you’re training a newly formed high school basketball team or a professional NFL team, sports teams need good athletic trainers to help athletes with their training. Here are some reasons why the position is vital for any sports support roster.

athletictraining — Image source: vapantherpress.com

Athletic trainers are professional healthcare personnel who have studied sports science, which allows them to diagnose, treat, and in most cases, prevent sports-related injuries. They look at players’ health and see what’s best for them in the long term. If a player does get injured, they look for the best means of treatment possible that does not endanger the career of the player.

0225_Trainer_JH — Image source: dailyeasternnews.com

Athletic trainers work during training as well as during live games to monitor the player’s movements. For the untrained eye, it might be difficult to spot whether a player is struggling or not with a specific body part. Athletic trainers can easily inform the coaching staff if they see a problem before it gets worse.

Athletic trainers can also serve as confidants to players who want to seek medical advice. Players might experience certain pains or strains in their body and can seek professional help. Besides treatment, athletic trainers can also prescribe workouts and exercises that can strengthen a player’s troubled area.

Ryan Shephard is a student at the University of Michigan. Since he was young, he has always wanted to work in the sports industry. While he can play sports like basketball, football, baseball, and soccer, he thinks he is better suited for athletic training. It is his dream to become an expert in the field of sports rehab and training. For similar reads, visit this page.

Tips for sports injury rehabilitation that you can do at home

Sports injuries are a fact of life for athletes and hobbyists, and they can be painful and get in the way of one’s everyday routine. They can quickly sideline a good player no matter the sport and they can take days, weeks, or even months to heal. Here are some quick remedies and rehab techniques to consider doing at home.

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R.I.C.E.
This acronym stands for Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. Rest in order to effectively start the healing process, as the injured muscle is likely to be weak and vulnerable to further injury. Apply ice preferably within the first day or two after the injury occurs; use a bag of crushed ice, a bag of frozen vegetables, or an ice pack to the site of injury. Compress using an elastic bandage firmly wrapped around the injury, which can help reduce swelling. Elevate the injury above the level of one’s heart to help minimize the swelling.

Physiotherapy
Done at the comfort of one’s home, this is performed by a healthcare professional who has extensive training in the musculoskeletal system. A physiotherapist can address muscle imbalance, range of motion, and the functional requirement of a specific sport. A basketball payment, for instance, may need a speed and polymeric training program.

Sports-specific activities
One can work closely with a physio to successfully return to the sport after an injury. The program specifically relates to one’s sport, may it be football, baseball, or gymnastics. One benefit is stabilizing the knee joint when one performs any twisting, turning, or cutting movement. The integrated training also involves getting the athlete ready to start another season and get back to training.

Ryan Shephard is studying to become a certified sports and rehabilitation specialist. He is majoring in athletic training at the University of Michigan. Read more on this site.