Track & Field

Are there any solutions for sore achilles other than rest?

Stretching and muscle flossing: Solutions for sore Achilles

So something that has helped me with my achilles is stretching the muscles that attach to it. So, the calf muscle rolling that out, especially with like a small massage ball rolling that out and get any knots out that are tight and any areas that are tight and also stretching my feet and Toes sometimes like doing stretches of like the big toe or like the smaller toes will help the Achilles to and just rolling out my feet. Anything that's tight. Disconnected. Achilles may be adding to that soreness. Another thing that has helped me is muscle flossing on the Achilles and also on the calf and I'll include a YouTube video of what that is. But it's pretty much like wrapping a band really tight around that area and doing some exercises with it. And I feel like it helps with blood flow, and gets things moving, and it's helped me a lot too. So those are the things that I was go to when my achilles are tight or sore.

To help with achilles pain, try stretching the calf muscle and feet, using a massage ball to release any knots, and muscle flossing with a band.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/p9bhilyk5cbi6bdomlrm.vtt

One solution for relieving sore Achilles is to stretch the muscles that attach to it. Rolling out the calf muscle with a small massage ball can help release any knots or tight areas. Additionally, stretching the feet and toes, including the big toe and smaller toes, can provide relief. Rolling out any tight or disconnected areas in the feet may also contribute to reducing Achilles soreness.

Another helpful technique is muscle flossing, which involves tightly wrapping a band around the Achilles and calf area and performing exercises with it. This method promotes blood flow and movement, offering relief for soreness. I will include a YouTube video demonstrating muscle flossing for reference.

These are the approaches I personally use when experiencing tight or sore Achilles.

What are the keys to a great triple jump approach?

Master the triple jump approach: Drive, transition, acceleration.

So I'm going to do my best to explain this with my words. And then I'll show a video and explain it while I'm actually executing it. So the three parts to an approach are the drive phase of transition phase and the acceleration phase the first point phase. The drive phase is really when you're pushing out hard, your head is down. You just trying to create as much power as you can and so you'll usually be running in an angle, more like this not up and down the second part that transition is when you're transitioning from running like this, so now being upright, you don't want Switch over from being a dry face, all of a sudden standing right up. You want it to be a slow transition slowly bring your head up last part. The acceleration phase is when you're at full speed running, as fast as you can. You're up tall. Good running mechanics, bringing your knees high. And so those are the three parts of the triple jump approach. And another important thing to remember is that you should only want as fast as you can control. So sometimes people assume if I run really fast, I'll jump further. But in the triple jump, It's really about how much you can control that speed. And so, if you have to run a little bit slower, Or to be able to control the jump. That's more important than just running really fast and being out of control during the jump. And so here's me, executing it. So right now, I am in the dry phase. My head is down. I'm transition. Now. My head is coming up and now I'm turning over and taking off.

In the triple jump approach there are three parts: the drive phase, transition phase, and acceleration phase. During the drive phase you want to be pushing out hard with your head down and at an angle. The transition phase is when you bring your head up from being low to upright. The acceleration phase is when you're running as fast as you can with good running mechanics and bringing your knees high. It's important to remember to only run as fast as you can control.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/qqkaknh5g5bryor1nxam.vtt

The keys to a great triple jump approach can be broken down into three parts: the drive phase, transition phase, and acceleration phase.

During the drive phase, focus on pushing out hard and generating maximum power. Keep your head down and aim to create as much force as possible. Your running angle should be more horizontal, rather than vertical.

In the transition phase, smoothly shift from the drive phase to an upright position. Avoid abruptly going from a drive phase to standing upright. Instead, make a gradual transition and slowly bring your head up.

The acceleration phase is when you reach full speed and run as fast as you can. Maintain good running mechanics, with an upright posture and high knee lift.

It's important to remember that you should only run as fast as you can control. In the triple jump, control is key. Running at an uncontrollable speed won't necessarily lead to a better jump. It's better to prioritize control over speed, even if it means running slightly slower.

To better understand these concepts, I will show a video where I demonstrate the triple jump approach. In the video, you'll see me executing the drive phase, transitioning, and then accelerating into the jump.

What causes someone to collapse during a phase in the triple jump and how is it best corrected?

Mastering the Triple Jump: Preventing Collapse and Achieving Perfect Form

So there are a couple things that could be leading to collapsing during a phase in the triple jump to start. I would say getting too much height. So sometimes if you go way too high in the Hop or another phases it's hard to come out of that. You're going to fall out of it or collapse on that phase because you went so high and come back down on the ground. Another thing is your chest being too far forward or backward. So if your chest is really far forward, it's hard to control it. You may collapse and I'm not able to finish the jump. Another thing is your hips being out of position. So if your hips are back, Or just not underneath your body correctly, then that could also lead to lead to collapsing and then your Landing, your foot Landing. So the way your foot is hitting the ground. If you're on your toe, if you're on your heels, you're not a flat foot that could also lead to collapsing. And also sometimes just too much speed if you're running with a lot of speed and then you try to triple jump sometimes it's just hard to control that and so you do one phase and then you just fall out of it because you can't even control yourself through the job. And how is it? Corrected I would say just practicing all those things. I just said in slow either first like with basic drills. So like if you just do like box jumps or things like that, make sure your chest is on top of your hips, to make sure your hips in the right position. Make sure you're tall. Make sure you're not going too high on any jumps and just start off doing that in basic drills. And then when you start triple jumping just do it from standing triple jump, do it from Two Steps, do it from four steps and don't add any speed to it until you can hit those positions without speed. Because once you have the speed you're not To be with all of a sudden hit positions that you weren't able to without the speed. So I would say just mastering things while you are at a slow pace and while you don't have much speed and while you're doing things standing and then as you progress and as it gets easier at in speed at in difficulty, and try to make sure you hold those positions, you start noticing, you're losing the positions again. Go back to what you're doing and continue to master it and just takes a lot of practice and patience.

To avoid collapsing during a triple jump, make sure you are not jumping too high, your chest is in the right position, your hips are underneath your body, and your feet land flat. To correct it, practice basic drills with no speed and increase difficulty and speed as you progress. It takes patience and practice.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/bjh5r87pcpcsk2o8tzba.vtt

Collapsing during a phase in the triple jump can be caused by a few factors. One possible cause is getting too much height in a phase, making it difficult to come out of it and leading to a collapse upon landing. Another factor could be the chest being too far forward or backward, which affects control and the ability to finish the jump. Improper hip positioning, such as having the hips back or not underneath the body correctly, can also contribute to collapsing. Additionally, the way the foot lands, whether on the toe, heels, or not flat, can impact stability. Lastly, excessive speed during the run-up can make it challenging to control the jump and result in a collapse.

To correct this issue, it is recommended to practice and focus on specific aspects. Start with basic drills, such as box jumps, and ensure that the chest is on top of the hips, the hips are in the correct position, and the body is tall. Begin with slow and controlled movements, gradually progressing to standing triple jumps, two-step jumps, and four-step jumps. It is essential to master the positions and techniques without speed before adding it in. If you notice a loss of proper positions, go back to the previous stage and continue practicing until it becomes easier. Patience and consistent practice are key to improvement.

What are your thoughts on Kinesio tape? Where have you applied it and saw results?

Kinesio tape: A personal testimony and its effectiveness

My thoughts and kinesio tape is that it's very specific to the individual. Personally. It's helped me a lot when I injured, my peroneus longus, which is the outside of my calf, my physical therapist would put it on after dry needling and after soft tissue massage, because the muscle would often tighten back up very quickly after he would loosen it up. So in between all of our appointments, who would placate the upon me and tell me to leave it on as long as it stays on and then I would see him again next week and he would loosen up the muscle again and put KT tape on. So Very effective for me. I have seen some research that shows it may not be make an actual difference, but despite that a lot of athletes still use it because it's very helpful for them. So I would say is very specific to you and it's worth a try because if it works, then it helps you. And if it doesn't there was no harm in it. So yeah, I would say I am Pro KT Tape.

Kinesio tape is very specific to the individual and has been personally helpful for me in my muscle injury recovery. Despite some research that suggests it may not make a difference, many athletes still use it because it works for them. Therefore, I would recommend giving it a try to see if it helps you.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/r9ohi620qq3abdrxzcw0.vtt

My thoughts on kinesio tape are that its effectiveness varies from person to person. Personally, I found it helpful when I injured my peroneus longus muscle. My physical therapist would apply it after dry needling and soft tissue massage to prevent the muscle from tightening back up too quickly. I would leave the tape on until my next appointment, where he would repeat the process. It was very effective for me.

While there is some research suggesting that kinesio tape may not make a significant difference, many athletes still use it because they find it helpful. I believe it's worth a try because if it works for you, it can provide relief. And if it doesn't, there's no harm in trying. So overall, I am in favor of using kinesio tape.

Do you have any pointers or advice on how to help an athlete that’s a better performer in practice than in competition settings?

Unlocking Peak Performance: From Practice to Competition - The Key Takeaway

So this is going to be a lot easier said than done, but you want to get to a place where two competitions feel like practice and not in the way of like intentionally trying to change things or improve things, but in a way that you are so relaxed and it's just another day. When you would have practice, you don't have anxiety or stress or super nervous. You don't have any of that because it just practice and you want to be able to get to that feeling almost that feeling when you're competing obviously the nerves, and the adrenaline really does help to bring you to your best performances. But Overall you would like to be more relaxed and chill and so you want to get to a place where you can feel that way. Even at competitions. Now mentally I would say you don't want to be as thoughtful about everything you're doing at a competition. You really just want to be in like machine mode where whatever happens happens. You're just letting your body do, whatever it's going to do because you've been practicing it so much. So I wouldn't say you should go to competitions, trying to think about what you did at practice and really trying really hard to competition in my Opinion everything that the work has been done. Everything you've worked on is already set in stone in your body. You just have to let it do it. You have to like move your mind out of the way and let your body do what it knows how to do. So yeah, try to think of it as a practice as in be, chill and relax at the competition but the same time don't be. So in your head about everything, you've practiced that you were trying to force things just let those things happen.

The best way to approach a competition is to try to think of it as practice and give your body the freedom to do what it knows how to do without forcing anything. Try to relax and be chill and let the adrenaline help you reach your best performance.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/d5kmy5qy4y7lxm4rzoar.vtt

To help an athlete who performs better in practice than in competition settings, it's important to strive for a mindset where competitions feel like practice. This doesn't mean intentionally trying to change or improve things, but rather being so relaxed that it feels like just another day.

In practice, you don't experience anxiety, stress, or excessive nervousness because it's familiar and comfortable. The goal is to reach a similar state during competitions. While nerves and adrenaline can enhance performance, the overall aim is to be more relaxed and composed.

Mentally, it's beneficial to be less thoughtful about every action during competitions. Instead, adopt a machine-like mode where you trust your body to execute what it has been trained to do. Avoid overthinking and trying too hard to replicate what you did in practice. The work has already been done, and your body knows how to perform. Allow your mind to step aside and let your body naturally execute the skills.

In summary, approach competitions with a relaxed and chill mindset, treating them like practice. However, avoid getting too caught up in your thoughts or trying to force things. Trust in the preparation you've done and let your body do what it knows how to do.

What was your most painful workout and how did you get through it?

Surviving grueling workouts: Relying on teammates for motivation.

I would say my hardest workout was probably from college. It's between two different workouts. One of them is 3 2, 1, 3, 2 1. And those numbers stand for the amount of Oxford, we would do around a 60-yard football field, a turf football turf field. So, 3 means 3 laps around it. Then a break, two laps around it or break one lap around it. That's one set. We do that twice. The other really hard workout was one 50s and stairs and we would run a 150, then do stadiums then Little break, walk back, 150, new stadiums, get a little break. I think we would do like, six of them, but those were pretty difficult to. And I would say, how did I get through it? Almost always, it is with my teammates. As long as I have someone in front of me, and behind me, pushing me, I'm always the person in the middle of the pack. I'm focused on who's ahead of me and not falling behind the person that's behind me. If I can just stay in the middle and focus on their feet, folks on there are movements and just continuing to move with them that helps me to get through it. He work out. And so that's why I think it's so important to have training Partners or people that will push you because it makes work out so much easier when you have them around, you doing the hardest workout with you to horses trying to do it alone.

My hardest workout was a 3-2-1-3-2-1 and 50s and stairs. I got through it with the help of my teammates who pushed me to stay in the middle of the pack and focus on their feet and movements. Having training partners helps make workouts easier.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/lwlkzbhwrsq1kfnkpg9d.vtt

One of the most challenging workouts I experienced was during my college years. It's hard to choose between two different workouts. The first one was called 3 2, 1, 3, 2, 1. This involved running laps around a 60-yard turf football field. We would do 3 laps, take a break, then 2 laps, another break, and finally 1 lap. We repeated this set twice. The other tough workout was a combination of running 150s and doing stadium stairs. We would run a 150, then tackle the stairs, take a short break, walk back, and repeat the process. We typically did around six sets of this.

To get through these grueling workouts, I relied heavily on my teammates. Having someone in front of me and someone behind me pushing me was crucial. I would position myself in the middle of the pack and focus on keeping up with the person ahead of me while also ensuring I didn't fall behind the person behind me. By staying in sync with their movements and using their energy as motivation, I was able to push through the workout.

This experience taught me the importance of having training partners or teammates who can push you during challenging workouts. Having them by your side makes the workout much more manageable and helps you stay motivated when the going gets tough.

Swimming

Strength

Triathlon

Photography

Nutrition

Physical Therapy

Running

Pets

Cycling

Podcasting

HealthCare

Musculoskeletal

Hockey

First Responders

Integrative Medicine

Chiropractic

Cross Country Skiing

Adaptive Sports

Climbing

Mental Health

Surfing

Tennis

Military

Mind Body

Scholars

Criminal Justice

Liquor

CrossFit

Golf

Soccer

Pickleball

Hunting

Public Speaking

Venture Capital

Self Reflection

Training

Mindset

Career Journey

Opinions & Insights

Keturah Orji, known as KO, is a two-time Olympian and one of the world's rising stars in track and field. She is credited with leading a new era of excellence in the American triple jump. KO has also worked to advance access to opportunities for women of color. She is the first American since 1974 to win more than six consecutive U.S. titles in the outdoor triple jump and was the first American woman to qualify for two consecutive Olympic finals in the triple jump. Her mission is to show people that they can accomplish great things regardless of their background or looks. To carry out her mission, she created Amara's Pride, a mentorship program for girls. The program aims to provide young girls with access to successful women they can look up to, helping them envision themselves succeeding in their own lives. KO is currently a professional triple jumper and long jumper and trains in Atlanta, GA.