WE ARE AWARE...

WE ARE AWARE THAT CONCUSSIONS DAMAGE THE BRAIN OF OUR ATHLETES.

OBTAIN THE SKILL SET TO PROPERLY PREPARE YOUR ATHLETES FOR THE CONTACT OF COMPETITION.

Strengthening the head, neck and surrounding cervical structures is the ONLY organic contingency within our control to prepare individuals to withstand potentially injurious forces.

PRIORITY ONE

The most important goal of the strength and conditioning professional is to PRUDENTLY PREPARE the individuals for the rigors of the task. As such, given the catastrophic consequences of a cervical spine and traumatic brain injury, the strengthening of the head, neck and surrounding muscular structures of the cervical spine MUST be considered PRIORITY ONE in the prescription and design of exercise routines.

2 Day Concussion Reduction Methodology Seminar - Learn the skills and knowledge to prepare and protect your athletes from concussive and sub concussive forces. Evidence based, proactive, hands-on instruction taught by experienced professionals and expert practitioners. NSCA Approved CEU's.

IF YOU DON'T PROTECT THEM, WHO WILL??

VISIT http://www.concussionpreventionprotocol.com

UPDATE- THE INDIANA CONCUSSION SUMMIT HAPPENS IN FEBUARY

UPDATE

Coaches you spoke and we listened

You were too busy in November and we understand.

Our JOB at The Head, Neck and Spine Institute is to disseminate the information and Skills YOU need to properly prepare and protect your athletes for competition.

THE PIT BARBELL CLUB  is graciously allowing US to use their Legendary Facility to Host The INDIANA CONCUSSION SUMMIT.  

We received the following reasons why November just won't work for the coaches, trainer, and strength staff:

                        1) WE are right in the middle of FOOTBALL.

                        2) AS trainers we have to attend the football practices and games.

                        3) We need TIME to get approval from our Athletic Directors.

WE WANT YOU TO ATTEND BECAUSE YOU NEED TO ATTEND.

THE NEW DATES ARE FEBRUARY FRIDAY the 26th and SATURDAY the 27th.

REGISTRATION begins at 11:00 am 

The Summit begins 12 noon on the 26th and continues the 27th from 9 am until examination completion.

go to concussionpreventionprotocol.com

Click on the Indiana Summit and proceed to Paypal.

MORE INFO TO FOLLOW

                         

The Blacksburg Recreation Center becomes the ONLY Not-for-Profit organization to Start A Concussion Mitigation Program in the USA.

The Blacksburg Recreation Center becomes the ONLY Not-for-Profit organization to Start A Concussion Mitigation Program in the USA.

  

Being Properly Prepared for Competitive Sports should not be dependent on the income level of the family of the athlete participating in Sports. Blacksburg Recreation has addressed that obstacle in a very proactive manner. Jack Leahy, supervisor of the recreation center, was instrumental in his efforts to bring The Only Standardized Resistance Program to Train the Head, Neck and upper back that has proven to mitigate concussions and spinal cord injuries, to the Blacksburg Recreation Center.

Strengthening the head, neck and surrounding cervical structures is the ONLY organic contingency within our control to prepare individuals to withstand potentially injurious forces.
PRIORITY ONE

The most important goal of the strength and conditioning professional is toPRUDENTLY PREPARE the individuals for the rigors of the task. As such, given the catastrophic consequences of a cervical spine and traumatic brain injury, the strengthening of the head, neck and surrounding muscular structures of the cervical spine MUST be considered PRIORITY ONE in the prescription and design of exercise.

Head and Neck Isolator

The Blacksburg Recreation Center will offer A Concussion Mitigation Program featuring cutting edge prototypical equipment and clients will be trained by A Certified Head and Neck Specialist. 

Myth Busters Musclebound Women

Myth Busters Musclebound Women

Myth Busters

Musclebound Women                                                                 

It was assumed in the early era of weight training that athletes would develop inelastic overdeveloped muscles.  The condition was deemed 'musclebound'.  Becoming musclebound dominated the early conversations of strength training.
The newly created position of Strength and Conditioning Coach in the 1970's was dubious.  Strength Coaches not only had to introduce players to the rigors of weight training, but also had to assure the team coaches and athletes that weights would not slow the participant nor reduce his or her athleticism.  Part of the strength and conditioning specialists job was to debunk the concept of becoming musclebound.
There are still many myths about weight training and they will persist as each generation seems to revisit the same issues.

Women in general fear becoming too big due to muscularity, especially in the head and neck region of their anatomy.  Conversely this is the very part of their musculature which will help them improve athletic performance and protect them against injury.

Ralph Cornweel Jr, a Doctoral candidate at Virginia Tech, gathered a group of courageous women from rugby, softball, dance, art majors and even a librarian to participate in a study to strength train the Head and Neck musculature and dispel the myth about women becoming musclebound.

Exercising the lower trap on the Pendulum 3 Way Row

His goal was to use the same protocol with women that he had previously used in a study with men that elicited the remarkable gains of up to 4 inches in neck girth in 8 weeks.
After 8 weeks of training all the women who participated in the study had noteworthy strength gains without an increase of muscle size.

1 Arm Shrug on the Pendulum 5 Way Neck
"We did have an increase in circumference with one of the girls, a ballerina dancer. Her neck increased 1mm or 1/32 of an inch, 0.039 decimal inches.  She was okay with it.  All the girls are very unhappy the study is ending."

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE HELMET (PART TWO)

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE HELMET

RESEARCH STUDIES PROJECT Neck I AND PROJECT NECK II spearheaded the efforts to establish the only Evidence-Based Methodology to SAFELY TRAIN the MUSCLES of the HUMAN HEAD and NECK. Training these muscles in the protocols prescribed manner Concussive and Subconcussive forces can be mitigated along with the reduction of Spinal Cord Injuries.

     

                                                                            THE PROTOCOLS DERIVED BY THE PROJECT NECK RESEARCH STUDIES ARE THE ONLY ORGANIC CONTINGENCY  TO LOWER CONCUSSIVE AND SUBCONCUSSIVE FORCES.

 There is NO science/evidence-based research that can claim Helmets PREVENT Concussion.

  IT's Not about the Helmet. It is about How to Best Mitigate injurious forces that occur during competition. 

PROPERLY AND PRUDENTLY PREPARE YOUR ATHLETES FOR THE RIGORS OF THEIR SPORT!

The Complex and Vital NECK

The Complex and Vital NECK

I was told by a Division 1 Strength Coach that training the neck was not important. So I decided to give him a short list of what the neck does for the human-athlete.

What is the function of the neck?

Attaches the Head to the truck.

Supports the Head and its Movements.

Protects the head.

The neck gives rise to:

Parts of the upper limbs

Parts of the cardiovascular system

Respiratory Diaphragm

The Neck is a Conduit to:

Respiratory System

Digestive System

Nervous System

Arteries, Veins

Lymph

The Neck Accommodates :

Larynx

Endocrine Glands

Parathyroids

Thymus

Also, females athletes neck to train their neck also.

It"s NOT about the HELMET! (Part One)

It's NOT About the HELMET! 

 Helmets do the job they were intended for: TO Reduce the Probability of having your skull fracture during collisions, falls and any type of accident involving an external insult to the cranium.

Helmets are not solving the problem. Helmets just don’t reduce concussions.  In fact, large helmets on Pop Warner football players just add to the weight of the player’s head which in turn is supported by small, under developed necks. 

Parents put their faith in the claims of helmet companies to protect their children.  However, according to Alison Brooks of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, parents should be wary of such claims. Dr. Brooks said, “We were getting questions from coaches and parents about helmet companies saying their helmets can prevent concussions. There's really no evidence to support that.” 

Much current research and existing theory look to helmet technology to protect athletes from concussion.  That research, however, is finding that helmets are unable to protect athletes against concussions at a truly effective level.

WE ARE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROTECTING OUR ATHLETES BIG AND SMALL.

Pro-activity must be paramount with regards to the concussion epidemic. Concussions are going to occur in sports, but as the kinetic energy is lowered by increasing the size (mass) of the cylinder (neck) through direct, full range motion resistance exercises and by increasing the stiffness or strength of the neck, the athlete will dissipate kinetic energy to the larger muscles of the lower body. If forces are lowered, then the athlete will concuss less, and debilitating sub-concussive forces will be less as well. The athlete can then play longer, with less residual damage to the brain.

                                                 http://www.concussionpreventionprotocol.com

Lets Spring Into Action And Protect Athletes

Lets Spring Into Action And Protect Athletes

 

Lets Spring Into Action And Protect Athletes                                                  
Dr. Ralph Cornwell is a PhD. in health promotion/human performance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to pursuing his Doctoral Degree he was a collegiate strength coach.

Research from the best minds in the automotive safety industry  all agree, the circumference of the neck changes the way it reacts to forces applied to that area.
The former Congressional appointed Chairman of the Head  and Neck Committee put together a study on concussions and found: " Stronger necks reduce head acceleration, deltaV, and displacement. Even relatively small reductions in deltaV have a large effect on head injury criterion that may reduce concussion risks because changes in deltaV change head injury criterion through the 4th power."
Test dummies are used to simulate a human in a collision whether it is by automobile or playing sports.


How do they simulate neck strength in humans?

They change the size of the spring on the test dummies. Small to replicate a child’s neck circumference.  Medium size for female adults and large for adult males.

To simulate an athlete’s neck you have to go one step further.  The athlete’s neck is simulated by the largest and most stiff spring on a crash dummy in order to replicate the kinematics of a collision accurately.


The replicated athletic neck is more resistant to change than the mock-up normal population neck.  It  deforms less then all the simulated necks.


This is true for crash test dummies; is it not true for athletes playing sports that include collisions?
By increasing the circumference of our athlete’s necks the same result should occur. Less deformation of the cervical spine.

If this is good for test dummies, it should be good for America’s athletes risking concussion during sports. It will certainly lowers the subconcussive forces.
 
Congress calls concussions an 'American Epidemic'. Let’s start inoculating our athletes with larger stronger necks.

                                                  The Head and Neck Isolator

What is a Certified Head and Neck Specialist?

What is a Certified Head and Neck Specialist

A professional that has a skill set that is as valuable as it is rare.

Once you have successfully passed the written and practical portion of the examination you will have added new tools to your skill set that allow you to safely and properly train the muscles of the Human Head and Neck. You will know neck anatomy, how to train the head and neck manually or with the Head and Neck Isolator. A professional that NOW has the KNOWLEDGE to Protect their Athletes/Clients from the concussive and subconcussive forces related to competition

                                          Head and Neck Isolator





Our next HNTS certification will be held at Minnetonka High School, not your ordinary High School as you will see.

We will begin the Summit/Certification in The Forum-located on the Minnetonka Campus.

Date: Friday, April 10th, 2015   Doors Open at 8am. Summit Begins 8:30am
Where: Minnetonka High School:
Presentations will be in the The Forum
Demonstrations will be in the Pagel Center Weight Room (on the Minnetonka High School Campus)

Go to : concussionpreventionprotocol.com  fill out the contact us page. The Text, DVD and study material will be available February 1, 2015. Registration fee covers cost of study material.

Online Registration: $80.00 for those not wishing to get certified
$175 for those wanting to get certified as a “Head & Neck Training Specialists”
AFTER April 3rd DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION:
At the Door: $100.00 for those not wishing to get certified
$225 for those wanting to get certified “Head & Neck Training Specialists”
Dress: Casual
Changing facilities available for demonstration sessions