Amir Kasra
Fitness
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Increase speed, power, and endurance in your sport
Whenever you swing the golf club or throw the baseball, you are applying the Strength Curve; there is an eccentric contraction and pre-stretching of the muscles and tendons involved as you reach back, a very brief moment of transition which is called the Amortization Phase where the movement backward comes to a stop, and an explosive concentric contraction as you throw the ball or swing the club. Concepts such as Starting Strength, Explosive Strength, Anaerobic Strength, and Force/Time come into play as the arm moves back and the stretch reflex and viscoelastic components in the muscles and tendons contribute in the transition to the concentric contraction and throwing of the ball. Imagine putting a car in reverse and without coming to a stop, shifting it in first gear as you accelerate forward with maximal speed; you could leave your transmission on the road-it’s that intense!
The human body, like a performance automobile, can handle the intensity but it has to be managed properly. With the performance automobile you would install a performance drivetrain on top of a reinforced chassis, and then you could push the envelope. It is similar with the human body; you start by gradually building Limit Strength with heavier weights and over time strengthen the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and supporting joint structures. Before you can do this, you need to warm up, stretch the muscles, and increase range of motion (if needed). You should build up to this over time with proper Periodized Training, rest, nutrition, supplements, and employment of recuperative modalities such as Leg Elevation, Cryokinetics, and Contrast Showers to help speed up recovery. Training is broken down into Mesocycles to allow for these transformations to occur. There is a Foundational Training cycle as well as Functional (Sport-Specific), pre-season, in-season, and followed by a post-season Active Rest period. Training transitions from a foundation-building phase and moves through sport-specific training, utilizing principals such as the SAID Principal (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand) and Specificity Principal; training “specifically” for the target sport. Exercise load is increased as you employ the Overload Principle and your muscles and tendons adapt by getting stronger as you progress towards game day. There is a progression from stabilization to strength to power (in that order).
Sports are ballistic in nature and highly demanding of the body’s recuperative and adaptive capabilities. Some popular exercise programs, for example, may have you perform highly ballistic plyometric jump-training exercises prematurely, and before a proper foundation is built, which may lead to injury. Similarly, if you have not played golf before or have had a long period of inactivity, you may not want to push the limit on the golf course until you have stabilized and strengthened your body. However, with proper application of foundational and sport-specific training, you can increase speed and power in your swing while reducing the chance of injury; you can increase Force, Acceleration, and Limit Strength, thereby increasing Speed Strength (power).
Do not attempt the following without proper professional training. This is a demonstration of martial arts Speed Strength:
Aerobic strength and fitness are equally important components of sport-fitness. Methods of assessing exercise intensity include Target Heart Rate (THR), Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE), and Metabolic Equivalent Units (METs). Aerobic exercise utilizes slow-twitch type I red muscle fibers as opposed to fast-twitch type II white fibers utilized in heavy lifting. To train for the marathon you would train differently than if you were training for a powerlifting competition-remember the SAID Principal (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand). The body adapts specifically in response to the type of training.
For proper exercise recovery to occur, you need rest and the right proportion of macronutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates as well as micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Supplements such as high-BV (Biological Value) whey protein and creatine have been shown to increase lean muscle mass when combined with proper diet and exercise. It is also important to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Daily Caloric Expenditure so you can map out a nutritional plan to supply the body with necessary nutrients for exercise-recovery and adaptation. Body Composition testing will let you know approximately what percent of your body weight is fat or lean body mass. Maintaining an ideal bodyweight and increasing lean muscle mass will increase your body’s ability to burn calories and goes a long way to help build the foundation for strength and power needed for sports. It is important to note that when you reduce calories, your Basal Metabolic Rate also drops. To avoid this, you may “Zig-Zag” your daily caloric intake; the recommended mode of weight loss by ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association).
Sport-training utilizes ATP/CP, Glycolytic, or Oxidative energy pathways. The golf swing would use the ATP/CP anaerobic pathway because of the short duration and explosive nature of the movement while a marathon run would utilize the oxidative aerobic pathway. Therefore knowing what, how much, and when to eat is paramount. Eating smaller well-balanced meals, spread out throughout the day, may be better than eating three square meals a day; better for metabolism and better for regulating blood glucose levels.
No two people are the same. We all have different genetics, limitations, and recuperative powers. We have different goals in fitness or sport, and therefore we must train differently. “Principal of Individual Difference” guides us on that path. There is science in fitness and in order to achieve your goals, you need to follow the guiding principles which have been cultivated over many years in the arena of sports fitness.
If you are interested in improving speed, power, and endurance in your sport, whether it be your golf swing, fastball, martial arts strikes, or 5k run, we can help you get there. All it takes is the willingness to apply the science, work hard, and be patient. Please contact us for more information.
Amir Kasra
CEO I AKF360
ISSA CFT, 3rd degree black belt Tang Soo Do

Always consult with your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program.
