Ben Reuters Podcast on Endurance Sports, Essay Example

Allen Hendrick of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) interviews Doctor Ben Reuter, Certified Strength and Conditioning trainer. Dr. Reuter comments on developments in endurance sports, like marathons, or triathlons which are gaining in popularity worldwide. Reuter defines endurance sports as a sport that relies primarily on the aerobic energy system. He says a predominant portion of the training is to improve aerobic energy system efficiency. The challenge of endurance sports is that it puts a continuous strain on muscles, and in cases where individuals new to competing in the sport overcompensate by taking on major events like a triathlon or iron man tournament too early, they can risk major injury.

Dr. Ben Reuter talks about injuries in endurance type sports, noting that they are very common. He defines the injury as something that causes an athlete to lose one or more days of training time. Most injuries are overuse injuries caused by the repetitive aspect of the sport. The reason he notes injuries are so common in endurance sports is their repetitive nature, stating that a muscle contracting for a long period of time can strain easily especially when its been conditioned to only execute one particular function with no real diversification. He also recognizes that another reason why the injuries are so common has to do with the popularity of the sport and many individuals who are new to the sport starting with high intensity major events without the proper training to build up and prepare for the events. Reuter’s closing recommendation is the use of services like his, or those of a certified professional that can put a cross trainer or any individual involved in endurance training to incorporate a fitness regiment tailored specifically to the conditions of each athlete as most injuries in endurance training are muscular in nature and not respiratory.

Work Cited

Reuter, B.  (2009). [0]. NSCA. Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/pages/podcastepisodes.aspx?podcastid=1

NSCA. (2009). “Reuter_Ben_0109” Retrieved from http://www.proficientwriters.com/download/3e44cb22821454e7473440581b4a77d066181a9ce2dd69f24bf9bdd80eaeccd8