Let’s explore three key markers I use to identify potential injury risks in real-time during training sessions. 

First: Postural Integrity and Muscle Recruitment

During a workout, I closely observe each athlete's postural integrity. If there are noticeable changes in posture or if they begin to sub-recruit muscles inappropriately, I stop the workout. For example, a common issue I see during upright sprinting is gait control - so the athlete's control over the foot's path from the backside to the front-side of their body.

When athletes start to heavily fatigue, they tend to over-push horizontally, then as a consequence, they reach out ahead of their center of mass. The result is the path of the movement of the foot becomes more like an elongated ellipse, as opposed to a more circular shape. This is a red-flag. I’ve noticed this to be common when athletes are under pressure at top speed, so they try to press or push harder, and the ratio of flight time to contact time gets 'out of whack'.

The risk of a hamstring injury increases once the lower leg casts out beyond 30 degrees to the vertical. While a young, elastic athlete may exceed those 30 degrees and come away unscathed, an older, more muscular sprinter is less likely to do so.

So, if during maximum velocity runs, you notice increased lower leg casting out after knee block I would suggest it’s a good point to call time on the session.

Second: Joint Reflexivity and Movement Fluidity

The second warning signal is a change in joint reflexivity and overall motion fluidity. A loss in fluidity, resulting in what looks more like 'mechanical' movements - as opposed to the athlete's normal movement signature - is a clear sign to halt the exercise.

Third: Deteriorating Body Language & Communication

My third red flat relates to body language and communication. Both of these are vital indicators of an athlete's training readiness, often revealing more about their condition than words alone. Athletes, driven by a commitment to their sport and a desire to excel, sometimes adopt a 'tough it out' mentality. This mindset, while admirable for its display of determination, can lead athletes to push beyond safe limits, masking pain and discomfort that signal the onset of potential injuries. It's crucial, therefore, to develop a keen eye for non-verbal cues. Watch for changes in facial expressions or any signs of grimacing that suggest exaggerated discomfort. An athlete's body language, such as slumped shoulders, a lack of fluidity in movements, or hesitancy in executing techniques that were previously performed with confidence, can all be telltale signs of fatigue or underlying issues. Additionally, changes in an athlete's usual communication patterns, like becoming unusually quiet, expressing frustration more readily, or showing signs of disengagement, can indicate that they are struggling.

Your Take-Home

Cultivating open, honest communication channels with athletes is essential, encouraging them to report feelings of discomfort or fatigue before they escalate into injuries.

This approach requires mutual trust, ensuring athletes understand the value of listening to their bodies and communicating their physical and emotional states.

In our pursuit of performance, it's imperative to remember that the health and safety of our athletes are paramount. By keeping an eye out for these markers, we can preemptively address injury risks, optimizing athletes' training continuity and career longevity.

Thanks for reading, 

Dan Pfaff

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The last 10 weeks we’ve had our sights set on one event.

The NFL Combine is here.

There are always a ton of feelings heading into this week. Most importantly, I can’t wait to see our guys show out after seeing all the work they’ve put in leading up to this. (quick review of our tapering process). Every year, I love the relationships I’m able to form with these athletes. Going through something this meticulous, with this much focus always makes us feel like family by the end of it. It got me thinking. I’ve been blessed to train some of the world’s elite athletes, and I wanted to think if there was anything in common that I’ve seen from them throughout my career. I was able to narrow it down to 3 things nearly all of the elite athletes I’ve been able to train have in common:

3 Traits of an Elite Athlete 

1. Effective Communicators 

 As a coach, you already know that communication is huge. The elite athletes I’ve worked with are all effective communicators. They’re able to communicate how they feel, what they need, if they like something or don’t, what their goals are, etc. This one is big for combine training. Each day I’m asking the athletes for a wellness questionnaire. I need their honest answers because it can affect their training loads for the upcoming session. For an event like the combine where we only have 8 weeks to prepare, the margin for error is small. Athletes who can effectively communicate to me how they’re feeling and what they need set themselves up for success. It’s very very clear how they communicate with me. 

2. Timely  

The successful ones are great time managers. They always show up on time. They understand work-to-rest ratios. (taking time for recovery is also important to them). They are very critical of their time, and they have a good balance in their schedules. They make time to put in the work but also leave time for fun/family, etc. Elite athletes know how to have great balance.

3. Work Ethic

Finally, it’s the work ethic that shouldn’t come as a shock. It’s like they have this weird thing where they always feel like they're being outworked by someone. They always feel like “I gotta do a little bit more because of the next guy”. There’s a constant chip on their shoulder. For some guys, this comes from going to a small school and ending up in the NFL. They carry the chip with them the whole time. For other guys that are at the top - they’ll hear people talking at the bottom (which happens all the time just check Twitter). This will fuel them. Wherever it comes from, they have a chip on their shoulder and they want to work a little bit harder than the rest, prepare a little better, and ultimately they want to be the best. It’s crazy how consistent these traits show up for the athletes at the elite level. When I look at the youth setting, the reality is that there’s a small percentage of them that can do all three of those things well. That’s why I emphasize starting to build these qualities when I’m training younger athletes. An athlete could have all of the sport-specific skills and athletic abilities in the world, but sometimes it’s the little qualities that will ultimately propel them to the next level. 

Closing the Combine and a Behind-the-Scenes Look

I’ll wrap up today’s email with a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at the combine for those who haven’t experienced it. Before I do, I got a question from a coach last week on whether or not learning this stuff is important for someone who doesn’t train any athletes for an event like the combine. I probably sound like a broken record here, but it’s a word I’ve mentioned a lot in the past few weeks. 

Systems.

Whether you are training athletes for the combine or not, your athletes ARE preparing for something. Making the team. Getting moved up to varsity. Getting recruited to play in college. We use the same system we use for combine training with our pro guys in the offseason down to the local youth teams we work with. There are plenty of takeaways on learning how to implement an effective system, learning how to prepare your athletes for competition, and learning how to organize a training program. 

Finally, here’s a video showcasing our time in Indy last year that shows behind the scenes what it looks and feels like to be there: [Behind the Scenes] 2023 NFL Combine

 LET’S BUILD. 

Thanks,

Les Spellman