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Under Evan Marcus, the Vikings suffered a string of pectoral injuries that left them wondering whether the injuries were coincidences or if the team had an issue with its training methods.


http://www.startribune.com/vikings-part ... 366198811/

Starting guard Brandon Fusco and offensive tackle Phil Loadholt suffered season-ending pectoral tears during the 2014 season. Defensive end Brian Robison was sidelined with a strained pectoral last spring. And cornerback Josh Robinson partially tore one of his pectoral muscles and missed half of the 2015 season. Only Robison’s injury occurred in the weight room.

I thought Sullivan had suffered an injury in the weight room as well ? maybe it was a set back??

This thread viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27357 has a lot of good discussion on the Vikings training program as well as Stanfords who's more or less revolutionized their workout programs to maximize avoiding injuries.

In that thread I voiced my concerns and predicted that this old school training method we were employing might lead to increased injury risk and sure enough we lost a number of guys to Pectoral injuries as well as other injuries that I believe could have been prevented. Frosted and I get into it pretty good and if you're interested in learning more on the subject that thread is loaded with information. Keep in mind those posts are from may 12, 2014 so well before any of the injuries actually occurred.

The basic jist of it is this, when you train like a body builder purely to gain strength and mass you lose functionality, flexibility, and the minor muscles that get neglected can't support the over developed major muscle groups. When you're knocking out reps on a bench press for example you can stay very smooth and controlled and that's what keeps it safe but it doesn't adequately engage the supporting minor muscle groups, the ones that stabilize and provide flexibility.

On a football field it's very chaotic, guys are getting hit, pulled on, knocked off balance, and so on and that's when the minor muscle groups can't keep up and the major pectoral's tear.

Anyway, I'm glad we fired that dude, injuries are a major factor for nearly every single NFL season and I don't want our training routine to be a cause of them. It's hard enough to get through a season healthy anyway. Hopefully the next guy puts more emphasis on full body development, functional strength, and takes on some of the new age approach stanford uses instead of just a body building bulk strength plan.

New guy is all about the glutes:

Glute activation’

The Vikings hired strength and conditioning coach Brent Salazar in February, and players were just introduced to the team’s new programs last week as they arrived for the offseason’s first voluntary workouts.

Early reviews included claims the new program is quicker, but tougher. “Uptempo,” defensive end Brian Robison described. Though none were as amusing as Everson Griffen’s summary.

“We run before we lift. We work on our explosion. We work on using our hips. We work on mobility,” Griffen said. “We work on glute activation, you know. All the key, necessary pieces you need to have a structured football player. Because it all comes from the glutes. How you move, how you jump.

“Everything comes from your glutes — your trunk.”

So, what constitutes ‘glute activation?’

“You squeeze tight. You hold, you count for a second. But you squeeze real tight,” Griffen said, turning to show media how its done. “It’s a lot of stuff [Salazar] does to help get the glute activation going. I’m telling you, glute activation. All the good guys that can run, hit and drop their hips, they have good leverage and they can explode. They can play good on one foot, off-balance. That’s the key, having good glutes and a good back.”

A teammate confirmed the new focus.

“It’s crazy, but it’s actually true,” cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said. “I think I’m doing pretty good with it.”

http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2016/ ... ainst-who/

I know its the biggest muscle in the body and probably does have a lot to do with
movement and control.

I have always been a fan of non traditional training such as martial arts, (Judo or Aikdo(sp)
Yoga would be interesting for skill guys because of all the core strength involved.

I am surprised it took this long.
There may also be a component of juicing here too. Muscle/tendon rupture from acceleration beyond normal strength/muscle mass development is pretty common with PEDS, esp in the achilles tendon, quad....

jackal wrote:I know its the biggest muscle in the body and probably does have a lot to do with
movement and control.

I have always been a fan of non traditional training such as martial arts, (Judo or Aikdo(sp)
Yoga would be interesting for skill guys because of all the core strength involved.

I read that Diggs is doing yoga this offseason. Not sure if he's doing it with a group, though. Probably not. Would be fun(ny?) to get the same huge donut club to all do group yoga.

chicagopurple wrote: There may also be a component of juicing here too. Muscle/tendon rupture from acceleration beyond normal strength/muscle mass development is pretty common with PEDS, esp in the achilles tendon, quad....

What are you referencing?

the increased frequency of such tears and ruptures......Loadholts injury, the pectoral tears, biceps tears.....it is all more likely with PEDS.

Tracing injuries to the root cause seems like an incredibly difficult task that can never truly be verified completely. I think in the business world an actual person always ends up needing to take the fall. I have a hard time believing at the pro level that a trainer would have some regiment so pitiful that it directly causes injuries. I guess anything is possible.

Some one always takes the fall!

It really is amazing how insanely huge players are today versus in the 70'-80's. Either there is a lot more insanely intense conditioning going on or lots of PEDs.

I guess the guys in the past were just lazy slouches who didnt excercise much, ate nothing but carbs, and didnt understand that frequent weightlifting results in big muscles........

Hopefully we don't hear about all the torn glutes in three years. Remember the fluff piece about the last guy and his free weight program?

Demi wrote:Hopefully we don't hear about all the torn glutes in three years. Remember the fluff piece about the last guy and his free weight program?

Yes, I do.

Keep those butt muscles healthy, Vikes!

I dont think I have ever read of, or seen in clinical practice, a single torn Gluteus. It is anchored all across the posterior aspect of the pelvis. It would take immense force to avulse it, ie surviving a plane crash......or a REALLY insane Strength and Conditioning Coach (Hans and Franz.....we will PUMP you UP!)