February Fastpitch Interview
Dr. Donald A. Chu
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dr. Donald A. Chu, he received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1974. His degree in Physical Therapy is also from Stanford. He has a Masters in Kinesiology & Physical Education from CSU, Hayward. Dr. Chu is considered by many to be a leading authority on sports medicine and plyometrics. Here is Dr. Chu's interview.
Where you an athlete? If so what sport(s) did you participate in?
As a youngster in high school, I played football, basketball and ran track & field as a middle sprinter (200-400m). Recreationally, I played softball during the summers. In college I played freshman basketball, football and ran track (100-200m). Recreationally, I played softball, tennis and skied. Today, I recreationally hike, cross-country ski and lift weights.!
Can plyometrics exercises benefit softball players? If so, how do plyometrics exercises improve softball performance?
Plyometrics can definitely help softball players when utilized properly. Plyometrics contribute to increased reactivity and speed of movement. Athletes can improve start speed, running speed and overall athleticism when combining plyometrics and strength training.!
If a softball player is looking to increase speed, is there something they can do at home or on their own time that can help? (something that wouldn't require a lot of space)
There are many plyometric exercises that can be done in a very small space or area that can help with speed of movement. I particularly like box drills, quick foot drills incorporating movement in small areas can be utilized with great effectiveness. Also, they do not require a lot of equipment as well. Most plyometric exercises can be carried out with body weight or at a more advanced stage, a weighted vest.!
There seems to be some dispute on the safety of children/adolescents. At what age can young athletes safely begin using plyometrics exercises?
I just published a new book with Dr.s Avery Faigenbaum and Jeff Falkel, both of whom are experts in youth fitness entitled "Progressive Plyometrics for Kids". Obviously I feel and they do also that plyometrics can be incorporated in training regimens for kids of all ages. There are factors that need to be attended to like age, maturity and experience but plyometrics can definitely be a part of youth programs. The book is available from www.healthylearning.com or www.coacheschoice.com . It comes with a DVD that demonstrates all the exercises in the three-level program. As an appendix in this book is a position statement on Plyometric Training that Dr. Faigenbaum and I wrote for the American College of Sports Medicine a couple of years ago. So you can see we have been advocates for some time.!
What are some precautions that should be taken when beginning or utilizing plyometrics training?
Precautions? First and foremost, "consider the athlete". What is their emotional maturity level, including attention span? Immature kids won't be able to absorb complicated instructions and will lose interest quickly. What is their physical maturity? Are they advanced for their age as compared to their peers? Are they males or females, gender becomes crucial in the adolescent stage. Females tend to be much more capable of physical performance at this age than males. What is their experience level? If they have never been in an official program before, they will need more individualized instruction.
Probably the most underrated aspect of beginning a plyometric program is the need to concurrently do strength training. The human body responds best to programs that utilize both of these components in their fitness training. Strength training for youngsters can be as simple as doing exercises with body weight or adding external forces like weighted vests, etc.
What kind of warm-up is recommended before performing plyometric drills?
I always advocate a "dynamic warm-up" prior to initiating any sort of exercise program. I personally like to incorporate much of the "core" or trunk musculature strengthening in my warm-up activities. I will also incorporate many coordination drills for running and multi-directional movements as well.
When you talk about dynamic warm-up, does that involve "dynamic stretching" vs. just static stretching for warm-up?
When I talk about dynamic warm-up I am referring to active movements specific to the sport. These may include running, shuffling or other movements related to the sport. These also include core work or trunk strengthening that relates to the sport as well. I do not advocate static stretching on my time. If an athlete feels they need to do static stretching they need to take care of that before practice or training starts. There is literally no scientific evidence to support static stretching as "warm-up". You can only elevate core temperature through movement.!
When you do a sports enhancement workshop, what kinds of topics do you cover?
If I do a complete seminar in Sports Enhancement I am going to include topics on resistance training, plyometric basics for the Upper Extremities and Lower Extremities, Complex and Contrast training and effective training time utilization. Dynamic warm-up and cool-down techniques are also reviewed. This is largely covered within our book.!
Out of all the services you provide, which one do you enjoy the most (one-on-one vs. keynote presentations vs workshops, etc)?
I enjoy all aspects of what I do. They all require a slightly different approach to my delivery of the material and usually go from a broad to a more narrowed focus when you go from entertaining and educating a large audience to the challenge of working with the individual athlete's personality and learning style. It is all good!
Thanks to Dr. Chu for taking the time to answer these questions for us. To learn more about Dr. Chu and the services he provides, visit his website at www.DonChu.com.
P.S. ~ If you haven't done so already, visit our Drills Page for more information on Plyometrics and Dynamic Stretching.
P.S.S. ~ Also check out The "Truth" About Stretching article.
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