Summary:
When it comes to sports performance and youth development, not much is understood in terms of tendon strength and health. Tendons are a complex structure and are responsible for transmitting force throughout our body. My lecture dives into the variation of stiffness within a tendon, how to make it stiffer or less stiff, why that happens, and what the changes lead to. We discuss research around isometrics, neurology, foot and ankle work, as well as psychology and apply that research into warmup drills. The goal of the presentation aims to make a complex topic simple to understand and implement. Developing an understanding of our tendons, roles and responsibilities allows coaches to program more effectively.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the variation in connective tissue in our tendons from the bone end to the muscle end
2. Understand implementing eccentric and isometric protocols for youth athletes that play year round
3. Understand how to prepare athletes and people for the collisions they will have in their sport, job, and life.

Speaker: Christopher Armel, MS CSCS PPSC*M Pn1 – Strength & Conditioning Manager & Parisi Program Director at Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center

In the past 10 years, Chris has focused on how to keep athletes on the field and in the best positions as possible. This focus has lead Chris to coach championship teams that have few injuries. Chris was also honored to be named the 2022 Parisi Coach of the Year. He continues to just serve the athletes and coaches that trust in his training modalities. Chris has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Athletic Coaching Education from West Virginia University.