[News] Ravens Will Evaluate Offseason Training Methods After So Many Injuries

[Ugly Ball]

Something that jumps to mind for me is our ridiculous early schedule.

The NFL schedulers may smugly play it off as luck of the draw, but we really know it was an attempt to sink our season early, with all the road games and west coast travel.

(mission accomplished)

It may also have a lot to do with early season injuries !

[Jim Giampaoli]

Four meaningless preseason games will always cause major injuries. Teams should meet the first time in regular season. Preseason ticket sales come first. Greedy NFL and the betting houses won't allow it. So live with some season ending injuries before Sept.

[salamander]

Agreed, that is one of the major causes of hamstring pulls, that imbalance of upper leg and glutes to lower leg strength which causes stabilization issues from strain.

I would venture that forcing "bulking up" for strength can be the root of a lot of muscle issues. Muscle strength comes from increasing the thickness of muscle fibers you have, not the increase of the number of fibers themselves.

The 3 components of strength training are overload, specificity and progression.  When you try to progress the load that a muscle can handle too quickly is when muscle injuries occur especially if their is an imbalance relating to specific muscle groups.

 

I would think that more attention needs to be paid to what the players are doing in the offseason when they aren't around the Ravens facilities and trainers. Perhaps a more specifically outlined plan for workouts throughout the offseason like they have in regular season.  You can't pull your body into playing shape in the few weeks mandated by the CBA, especially if you haven't done the proper things throughout the offseason.

 

I agree with the comments earlier about flexibility too, I think it was Matt Birk that brought the flexibility specialists in, and it seemed to work well for him, especially in helping in recovery from game play.

Agree 100% Grapple. There have been fan posts throughout the season discussing what link these injuries could be having to training, even in the off season. There have been some very intelligent comments by posters today and throughout the season. I hope the FO is very serious about making some changes and find some experts who can provide guidelines which attain a possibly more balanced approach for strength and flexibility. This is very good news to read an article acknowledging that the FO is wondering the same things many posters have expressed for months. Hoping that some new things can be implemented to reduce the # of injuries.

Edited December 17, 2015 by salamander

[purpledown]

Should be one of the first things done this offseason.

[bmoraven]

I'm Curious, are the guys doing all the extra steps or just going though the motions? The Nutrition, The Rest, The Stretching (yoga), Massages, The Ice Tub, Approved Supplements for Recovery and Muscle repair? All these are just as important as the Weights...

[stampedehero]

Obviously, we have this dilemma for two seasons and it should be the number one priority from the desk of Biscotti.

[Ravensfansince03]

Besides Suggs, S. Smith, and Flacco. The injuries have been by either newly drafted or free agency acquired players. So the problem to me is either with the coaching, or just very poor player evaluations. Because we have been drafting a lot of weak players recently.

[Ravensfansince03]

Got Milk?

[Crusader]

Just add that to the long list.

[RaRaRavens]

Good to hear that, but I think we'd also like to hear about the results of that in depth evaluation and what changes are about to be made. Not sure if they'll release this sort of info for the public though.

[throwback2000]

Maybe over-training, especially with heavy weights, is the culprit. The body needs rest as well!

[HoldingCall]

Didn't the new mega-injuries list also coincide with the new cafeteria food list for healthier eating? If I am not mistaken, the change took place during the off season prior to the first year of a lot of injuries (two years ago). Check everything, workouts included.

[757RavensFan]

Besides Suggs, S. Smith, and Flacco. The injuries have been by either newly drafted or free agency acquired players. So the problem to me is either with the coaching, or just very poor player evaluations. Because we have been drafting a lot of weak players recently.

 

Yeah b/c evaluating a player on tape or during training camp, coaches and medical staff can tell when a player is going to suffer a season ending injury.  SMH!  

Where do you come up w/ this stuff?

[smiley4660]

I'm not convinced off-season training is the problem. It is a contributor but so is technique, rule infractions, and equipment. Especially, equipment. I'd fix equipment first, enforce the rules with immediate ejections and suspensions, and the teach proper techniques. I realize its a fast game, but reckless behaviour is encouraged. That needs to cease.

[757RavensFan]

I'm not convinced off-season training is the problem. It is a contributor but so is technique, rule infractions, and equipment. Especially, equipment. I'd fix equipment first, enforce the rules with immediate ejections and suspensions, and the teach proper techniques. I realize its a fast game, but reckless behaviour is encouraged. That needs to cease.

 

 

Curious on your response regarding equipment. Lets take for example the 5 biggest IR losses this season; Flacco, Suggs, SSS, Forsett, and Taliefferro how could better equipment prevented their injuries?