Phoenix Fitness and Training has developed a great new partnership. As of a few weeks ago we have become the official Strength and Conditioning Coaches for the Butler Women’s Soccer Team. We have had an exciting start and have been putting the ladies on the team through some fitness testing and have given each of them a FMS screen.

What we have noticed coming out of this data gathering phase is that even elite, scholarship athletes are human and have developed a lifetime of bad movement patterns. Even though they are masters at dribbling a soccer ball and can blast a ball into the goal at 20 meters, they have almost no awareness of how to support their core and put themselves into a connected and braced position. Along their journey, no one has taken the opportunity to truly coach them about healthy movement patterns.

As elite athletes, they see their share of injuries and many of them are similar as soccer brings a repetitive set of movements, but they are young and flexible with good mobility for the most part. They need FMS to help with their stability.

We, as athletes that are beyond our college years by a step or two, need to place the need for mobility and stability higher on our priority list as the years stack up. I just read an article recently that talked about the number one reason for the loss of speed in running was a decrease in stride length. Loosing speed had little to do with a loss cardiac output or diminished lung capacity, but just the plain and simple fact that athletes above the age of 40 loose mobility and have a harder and harder time keeping their stride length long. We need FMS to help with mobility and stability.

Every month of the year is a good time to stay focused on this, but the winter months are extra important. Our training volume is still low even though we have started the Spring Campaign, running the trails will challenge your supportive muscles and we have a bit more available time to dedicate to this area. Movement Conditioning, TRX, Strength for Athletes, Yoga and Pilates are all excellent ways to work on your mobility and stability. Work them into your routine as much as you can right now and you will start to see the benefits before your first race rolls around this spring.