Functional Path Training: childhood obesity or the epidemic of overuse and orthopaedic injuries

Functional Path Training

The Functional Path is a path that had been traveled many times before but had fallen out of use in favor of smoother paved roads that promised faster and easier results. Seeking to follow and better define the functional path is a continuing journey, fortunately it is a journey that many have traveled before. Functional Path training is getting back to the basics of movement. It is learning to tune into the body and it’s inherent wisdom to produce rhythmic flowing movement.

5/30/06

childhood obesity or the epidemic of overuse and orthopaedic injuries

This question was posted in response to yesterdays blog: In your professional opinions, which is worse - the current epidemic of childhood obesity or the epidemic of overuse and orthopaedic injuries in our JH athletes?

The there is no simple answer to this because the two are so interrelated. Movement and exercise should precede athletics. We all know and acknowledge that. So let’s do it. We need to get PE back in the schools. I mean really PE. Not this interactive crap where kids learn how to use machines and log on to see how to exercise. All professional in the allied fields should lobby for a national TV blackout for two weeks two weeks across the country from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Lets get those elementary school kids away from in front of the tube and out playing. School districts and/or recreation departments need to have the playgrounds open and supervised after school so kids can be encouraged to play. I know this is idealistic, but we must start somewhere. What not idealistic.

2 Comments:

At 5/30/06, 10:32 PM, Paul said...: Vern,

Thanks for the reply. It is a complicated question with no easy answer IMHO.

I think continued study and research is needed for both of these epedimics. We also need to greatly improve our youth sports programs through coaching education and possible certifications (soccer does this but soccer is one of the worse offenders of the overuse syndrome). We also need to improve our education of the parents.
At 5/31/06, 7:27 AM, Anonymous said...: If you are a health insurance company who would you rather insure for the next 60 (maybe) years of their life. The highly motivated overused teenager athlete or the Mt. Dew/potato chip loving couch potato teenager that gets tendinitis from too many video games?

Mark Day D.C., CSCS, DACBSP

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About Me

Name: Vern Gambetta

Location: Florida, United States

Vern is currently is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several teams in Major League Soccer as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men’s World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and Director of Athletic Development for the New York Mets. Vern is recognized internationally as an expert in training and conditioning for sport having worked with world class athletes and teams in a wide variety of sports. He is a popular speaker and writer on conditioning topics having lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe. Vern's coaching experience spans 36 years at all levels of competition. Vern has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He received his BA from Fresno State University and his teaching credential with a coaching minor from University of California Santa Barbara. Vern obtained his MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.

Functional Path Training

5/30/06

childhood obesity or the epidemic of overuse and orthopaedic injuries

2 Comments:

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