Objectives are the concrete statements that describe the things a project is trying to achieve. A project objective should be written so that it can be evaluated at the conclusion
of a project to see whether it was achieved. One technique for writing an objective is to make sure that it is SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable/Achievable,
Realistic, and Time-bound. (Note that an objective does not have to use the SMART technique to still be valid.)

An example of an objective statement might be to “upgrade the helpdesk telephone system by December 31 to achieve average client wait times of no more than two minutes”.

• The objective seems fairly specific in its statement about upgrading the phone system.
• The objective is measurable in terms of the average client wait times the new phone system is trying to achieve.
• You can assume that the objective is achievable and realistic by this project team.
• The objective is time-bound and should be completed by December 31.

Objectives are deliverable based

Objectives should make reference to the deliverables of the project. In the example above, the objective refers to the upgrade of the telephone system. If you can’t get a sense for the deliverables
that are needed to fulfill the objective, the objective may be written at too high a level. On the other hand, if an objective describes the characteristics of the deliverables, it’s probably written at too low a level.
If the statements describe the features and functions, for instance, they are requirements, not objectives.

Why objectives are important

Objectives are important for three major reasons.

1. They are in business terms. Once they are approved, they represent an agreement between the project manager and the project sponsor (and other major stakeholders) on the main purpose of the project. The specific deliverables of an IT project, for instance, may or may not make sense to the project sponsor. However, the objectives should be written in a way that they are understandable by all of the project stakeholders.
2. They help frame the project. If you know the project objectives, you can determine the deliverables needed to achieve the objectives. This in turn helps nail down the overall project scope, helps you identify risks and allows you to provide estimates on effort, duration and cost. Once the project starts, you can validate that all of the work that you are performing will ultimately help you achieve one or more project objectives.
3. They help you declare success. At the end of the project, you should be able to talk to your sponsor to determine whether everything expected in the project objectives has, in fact, been achieved. If all of the objectives were not fully met, you may still be able to declare partial success.

The project objectives should be defined and agreed upon before the project starts. The deliverables of the project are created based on the objectives – not the other way around.
That is, you don’t agree on the deliverables first and then establish objectives to match. You must understand the objectives of a project and then determine the deliverables that are
needed to achieve them. You would then structure the entire project to meet the project objectives.

Relaxation

Relaxation itself can be useful in a number of circumstances including:

• the promotion of rest, recovery and recuperation
• the removal of stress related reactions, e.g. increased muscular tension, etc.
• the establishing of a physical and mental state which has an increased receptivity to positive mental imagery
• the establishing of a set level of physical and mental arousal prior to warming up for competition

Mental Imagery

When combined with positive mental imagery it is useful in:

• developing self confidence
• developing pre-competition and competition strategies which teach athletes to cope with new situations before they actually encounter them
• helping the athlete to focus his/her attention or concentrate on a particular skill he/she is trying to learn or develop. This can take place both in or away from the training session
• the competition situation

How do I achieve relaxed muscles?

Progressive muscular relaxation involves the active contracting and relaxing of muscles. When a muscle is tightened for 4-6 seconds and then relaxed, the muscle returns to a more relaxed state. This process should be performed for the following parts of the body in turn – feet, legs, thighs, buttocks, stomach, back, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, jaw, face and eyes.

How will relaxed muscles feel?

J.H. Schultz in the 1930′s noticed that patients in a relaxed state experienced one of two sensations: the feeling of warmth or the feeling of heaviness in completely relaxed limbs. During the relaxation process, concentration should be focused on one of these sensations. For the first few sessions, the athlete should alternate the focus between sessions to determine which one they prefer.

Can Relaxation have a Negative Effect?

In a competition situation an athlete will either be:

• Under excited; low in arousal; find it hard to “get up” for the competition; disinterested; etc.
• Over excited; high in arousal; over the top; nervous-anxious; scared of the competition; sick with worry; etc.
• Optimally excited; nervous but in control; looking forward to the competition but apprehensive; thinking positively; feeling good; etc.

If we were to use relaxation procedures with an over excited athlete, we might be able to reduce his/her arousal level to that of the optimally excited athlete. This would have a positive effect on his/her performance. However if we asked an under-excited athlete to use relaxation procedures it would only make it harder for him/her to “get-up” for the competition. The coach therefore has to know his/her athletes and how they react in competitive situations.

Relaxation Training

There are a number of relaxation techniques that have the following characteristics:

• procedures for first recognising and then releasing tension in muscles
• concentration on breathing control and regulation
• concentration on sensations such as heaviness, warmth
• mental imagery

Regardless of which technique is used, the following two conditions need to exist if the technique is to be learned:

• the athlete must believe that relaxation will help
• a quiet, dimly lit and warm room which is free from interruption

Centering

The Centering technique was developed by the Tibetan Monks over 2000 years ago. Centering requires you to focus your attention on the centre of your body, the area just behind your naval button. The technique has a calming and controlling effect, providing an effective way to manage anxiety.

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms hanging loosely by your side
• Close your eyes and breath evenly – try to keep the tension in the upper body to a minimum as you breath
• Inhale deeply from your abdomen (your stomach will extend) and be aware of the tension in your face, neck, shoulders and chest. As you exhale let the tension fall away and focus on the feeling of heaviness in your stomach
• Continue to breath evenly and deeply and focus your attention on the centre of your body, the area just behind your naval button
• Maintain your attention on that spot and continue to breath evenly and deeply, feeling controlled, heavy and calm
• As you breath out think of a word that encapsulates the physical feeling and mental focus you want e.g. “relax”, “calm”

Self Hypnosis

This is one of the most popular self-hypnosis techniques employed by athletes. It aims to help you distance your mind from the here and now and place you in a setting that you associate with relaxation and inner calm. This script could be recorded as an MP3 file – where there are 3 full stops (…) leave a pause for a few seconds and remember to speak clearly and slowly. The following script is an adaptation of a script published by the London College of Clinical Hypnosis.

Firstly you need to relax, put on some very relaxing music or sounds of nature, sit or lie down in a position that you find comfortable in a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed.

Look up at your eyebrows and begin to concentrate on the sounds around you… maybe the distant sound of a car driving by or the hustle and bustle outside on the street… then concentrate on the sounds of the music, feel it flowing over you as if it were the tide going in and out, in and out… now begin to pay attention to the sound of your thoughts… concentrate on your breathing. Take deep breaths in and out… in and out… listen to your heart beat… become aware of your eyelids and feel them blinking quickly and notice that you have a strong desire to close your eyes… allow your eyes to close and feel a deep sensation of relaxation. In a few seconds, you will imagine your favourite place of relaxation… maybe somewhere you have been before, a beautiful garden, a deserted beach, a summer meadow or somewhere you can imagine you would feel relaxed… and now… just imagine that you are standing on a balcony… and there is a long set of stairs in front of you… leading down from this balcony… there are strong stairs… with wide steps… and a handrail on each side… the stairs are well lit… and you can see them clearly… In a few seconds’ time… you can count down from 10 to one… and with each descending number between 10 and one… you will take a single step down the stairs… and with each descending number you will become more and more calm, more and more relaxed… each step down from the balcony will take you deeper and deeper… into your wonderful state of relaxation… and as you slowly descend these stairs… you are going to experience a sense of ever-deepening relaxation… throughout your entire body… You will feel the stairs under your feet and when you eventually reach step one, you can pause and wonder where you might go next… again you feel very tranquil and this tranquility is accompanied by a sense of anticipation… you will then step off… and when you do so… you will find yourself in your favourite place of relaxation… and enjoy… this beautiful place… Provide yourself with only positive and beneficial suggestions. For example, relating to increasing your self-confidence, attaining peak performance in an upcoming competition, or mastering a specific sports skill that has perhaps proved elusive to you. If, at any time, for any reason, for example in case of emergency or any situation where full attention is required, by opening your eyes, you will be fully alert.

To take yourself out of your relaxing place in a gradual manner, simply count up slowly from one to ten, on reaching the number eight, open your eyes, and at the number 10 you will be fully awake and alert. As you stand up, have a stretch and notice how good you feel.

Meditation for Relaxation

A number of people involved in sports psychology believe that meditation can be useful in getting maximum performance from an athlete (Syer & Connolly, 1984). Engaging in meditation helps reduce stress before an event and with experience the athlete can learn to relax different muscle groups and appreciate subtle differences in muscle tension. The technique includes the following steps:

• Lie down quietly on your back in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
• Deeply relax all your muscles, beginning at your feet and progressing to your face.
• Breathe through your nose and become aware of your breathing. As you breathe out, say the word “one” silently to yourself. For example, breathe in . . . out, “one”; in . . . out, “one”; and so on. Continue for 20 minutes. You may open your eyes to check the time, but do not use an alarm. When you finish, lie quietly for several minutes at first with closed eyes and later with opened eyes.

Maintain a passive attitude, permit relaxation to occur at its own pace and expect other thoughts. When distracting thoughts occur, return your concentration to your breathing. Try to practice a relaxation technique once a day.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Development

Raphael Brandon explores the benefits of aerobic and anaerobic training for young athletes.

Cardio-respiratory function develops throughout childhood. Lung volume and peak- flow rates steadily increase until full growth. For example, maximum ventilation increases from 40 L/min at five years to more than 110 L/min as an adult (Wilmore & Costill, 1994). This means that children have higher respiratory rates than adults, 60 breaths/min compared to 40 breaths/min for the equivalent level of exercise (Sharp, 1995). The ventilatory equivalent for oxygen is also higher in children, VE/V02=40 for an eight-year-old compared to 28 for an 18 year-old. This means that children have inferior pulmonary functions to adults.

Cardiovascular function is also different for children. They have a smaller heart chamber and lower volume than adults. This results in a lower stroke volume than adults, both at rest and during exercise. Chamber size and blood volume gradually increase to adult values with growth. Children compensate for the smaller stroke volume by having higher maximal heart rates than adults have. For a mid-teenager, max heart rate could be more than 215 beats/min compared to a 20 year-old whose max heart rate will be around 195-200 bpm (Sharp, 1995). However, the higher heart rates cannot fully compensate for the lower stroke volume and so children’s cardiac output, measured in L/min, is lower than adults (Wilmore & Costill 1994). Children can compensate a little again, as their arterial venous oxygen difference is greater. This suggests that a greater percentage of the cardiac output goes to the working muscles than in adults (Wilmore & Costill, 1994).

Because of the fact that lung and heart capacity increase with age, one would expect aerobic capacity to increase accordingly. This is true in absolute terms. V02max, measured in L/min, increases from 6 to 18 years for boys and from 6 to 14 for girls. However, when V02max is normalised by bodyweight, little change is observed with age in boys, and in girls there is a slight decline after puberty. Therefore, relative to bodyweight, children have a Cardio-respiratory system for effective aerobic exercise. This is demonstrated by the fact that children can run quite well compared to adults. Indeed 10 year olds have completed marathons in very respectable times.

For the young athlete, an inferior V02max, expressed in L/kg/min does not limit running endurance performance. In fact, young pre-pubescent girls have an advantage before their relative body fat increases. Instead, endurance performance is limited by poor running economy. This means that for a given pace a child requires higher oxygen consumption than an adult. Children have shorter limbs and a smaller muscle mass, resulting in a lower mechanical power. They have disproportionately long legs, meaning that they are biomechanically out of balance and potentially less coordinated. In addition, they have a greater surface area to mass ratio. All these factors reduce biomechanical efficiency. Physiologically, children have inferior cooling mechanisms, due to low blood volume and high skin temperature. They also expend more energy per kilogram of body weight. Children have a higher VE/V02 ratio due to their inferior lung function and they rely more on fat metabolism because of a lack of muscle glycogen and glycolytic enzymes.

All these factors reduce physiological efficiency. Combined, these biomechanical and physiological limitations lead to a reduced running economy, though this seems to improve with age from 8 to 20 years (Wilmore & Costill, 1994). Although they are biomechanically and physiologically inefficient, children rely heavily on aerobic metabolism for exercise. Sharp (1995) describes them as aerobic animals. The anaerobic capacity for both boys and girls increases with age, but is not fully developed until around 20 years. The main reason for this is probably the lack of muscle mass. However, children also have less glycogen stored per gram of muscle along with less phosphofructokinase (PFK), an important glycolytic enzyme. They also have lower creatine phosphate stores per gram of muscle (Sharp, 1995). Children are thus unable to generate the low blood pH or high blood lactate values that are associated with anaerobic work (Malina, 1991). This means that the natural fatigue mechanisms from intense work that adults possess do not exist with children. This, along with the fact that they tend to overheat more than adults, are the major risk factors that coaches need to be aware of when training young athletes at high intensities. For instance, on sprint interval training, while they may appear to be able to keep going in that they have not developed high acidosis, their muscles will still be fatigued and they may be hot if it is warm weather or indoors.

Aerobic Training

As children are naturally more aerobic, it would be useful to know if aerobic capacity is trainable in them. Unfortunately, few studies have shown that aerobic capacity in children improves with aerobic training. However, Rowland (1992) argued that no study has been done that included all the following criteria: at least 12 weeks training, three times a week training, heart rate at least 160 bpm for at least 20 minutes, and using a large group plus matched controls. This would be the equivalent of an adult aerobic training programme in a well-controlled study. Rowland found in his study of children that, when adult-type training in terms of intensity was performed, V02max improved between 7 and 26%. This suggests that children can improve their aerobic fitness from a training programme of adult-like intensity.

The argument for doing this is probably valid. Sharp (1995) shows that, because of lower lactate production, the anaerobic threshold for children is normally at pulse rates around 165 to 170 bpm, similar to that of trained endurance adults. With sedentary adults, the anaerobic threshold will vary from 120 to 150 bpm. Thus the optimal heart-rate-training stimulus may be relatively higher for sedentary children than for sedentary adults. Other evidence supporting the high-intensity stimulus theory is the fact that activity levels in children are not related to V02max (Rowland, 1992). While children may not be as active now as they were in the past, they are still as aerobically fit (Armstrong & Welsman, 1994). This shows that general activity does not provide a training stimulus, and suggests that children have a natural fitness. Thus, to improve on their natural fitness, a reasonably tough training programme is required.

Conclusions

It’s useful for coaches to know that aerobic capacity is probably trainable in children with a sufficient training stimulus. This makes aerobic training worthwhile, since it will improve their performance. However, the training effect will not be as great as is possible with adults because the lower stroke volume in children prior to full growth will limit the potential cardiac output increases with training. In addition, until after puberty, a poor running economy limits running endurance.

Thus, as before, it is probably best to wait until the young athlete reaches adolescence before starting tough aerobic training, as this is the age when the athlete will truly benefit. Tough anaerobic training is of even more limited use for children since they possess little anaerobic capacity. In my opinion, the most important areas of training for children are strength, speed, co-ordination, sport-specific skills, and agility. These are areas where improvements can be made through enhanced neuromuscular recruitment, laying down the skills for adulthood. As the nervous system develops, it seems that the potential for improvement in skills is the greatest. Training for aerobic and anaerobic endurance can be improved from adolescence when the body has reached its natural capacity and responses from this kind of metabolic training are greatest.

One of the misconceptions in the sports world is that a sports person gets in shape by just playing or taking part in his/her chosen sport. If a stationary level of performance, consistent ability in executing a few limited skills is your goal, then engaging only in your sport will keep you there. However, if you want the utmost efficiency, consistent improvement, and balanced abilities sportsmen and women must participate in year round conditioning programs. The bottom line in sports conditioning and fitness training is stress, not mental stress, but adaptive body stress. Sportsmen and women must put their bodies under a certain amount of stress (overload) to increase physical capabilities.

The Components of Fitness

Health is a state of complete mental, physical and social well being where as fitness is the ability to meet the demands of a physical task. Basic fitness can be classified in four main components: strength, speed, stamina and flexibility. However, exercise scientists have identified nine components that comprise the definition of fitness:

• Strength – the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (e.g. holding or restraining an object or person)
• Power – the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements. The two components of power are strength and speed. (e.g. jumping or a sprint start)
• Agility – the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (e.g. ZigZag running or cutting movements)
• Balance – the ability to control the body’s position, either stationary (e.g. a handstand) or while moving (e.g. a gymnastics stunt)
• Flexibility – the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue, i.e. fat or muscle (e.g. executing a leg split)
• Local Muscle Endurance – a single muscle’s ability to perform sustained work (e.g. rowing or cycling)
• Cardiovascular Endurance – the heart’s ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it (e.g. running long distances)
• Strength Endurance – a muscle’s ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time (e.g. continuous explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)
• Co-ordination- the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved.

Of all the nine elements of fitness cardiac respiratory qualities are the most important to develop as they enhance all the other components of the conditioning equation.

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness refers to the capacity of an athlete to meet the varied physical demands of their sport without reducing the athlete to a fatigued state. The components of physical fitness are:

• Strength
• Endurance
• Speed
• Flexibility
• Body Composition

Motor Fitness

Motor Fitness refers to the ability of an athlete to perform successfully at their sport. The components of motor fitness are:

• Agility
• Balance
• Co-ordination
• Power
• Reaction Time

Improving your condition

Identify the most important fitness components for success in your sport or event and then design sport/event specific conditioning and training programs that will enhance these fitness components and energy systems.

Conditioning Exercises

The following are examples of general conditioning exercises:

• General core stability exercises
• General all round body conditioning exercises using dumbbells
• General conditioning exercises for the upper body
• General and specific leg conditioning exercises
• Specific exercises to develop lower leg strength and foot speed

by Karlene Sugarman, M.A.

Updated 01/04/07

There are many group dynamics that take place within a sporting team. One of the most important is cohesion. One is always hearing about how important it is for a team to “gel” or “bond” or “have good chemistry.” Cohesive teams can achieve dramatic and awesome things. The way players interact has a tremendous impact on the way a team performs. As Hall (1960) put it, “The fittest to survive and succeed are those able to find their strength in cooperation, able to build teams based upon mutual helpfulness, and responsibility for one’s fellow teammates.” (p. 202)

The more cohesive a team is, the more it encourages peak performance in its members. If cohesion is lacking it can often prevent the team from reaching its’ potential. Shouldn’t teams spend time and energy developing a cohesive environment? I think the problem is that many teams aren’t sure what cohesion is and how to go about developing and maintaining a cohesive environment. To often the unspoken attitude is, “If it happens, that’s great, but if not, well, we don’t have a close group this year and there’s not much that can be done.”

In the past, the concept of cohesion has been defined in many ways. In the sporting world, one definition is most widely used and accepted, and it is the one we will use. Cohesion is the total field of forces which act on members to remain in a particular group (Festinger, Schacter, & Back, 1950). People will usually refer to their team as cohesive if the members get along, are loyal and are united in the pursuit of its goals.

Merely being together at workouts and games doesn’t necessarily guarantee a team will be cohesive and successful, it simply means that they are occupying the same space at the same time. A cohesive team can be distinguished from a noncohesive team by many characteristics. A cohesive team has well-defined roles and group norms, common goals, a positive team identity, a good working relationship, shared responsibility, respect, positive energy, trust, a willingness to cooperate, unity, good communication, pride in membership, and synergy. Another indicator of the amount of cohesiveness in a team is the frequency of statements of we and our, in contrast to statements of I, me and mine. The we is just as important as the me. Developing cohesion is something that takes time and effort, but it is well worth the investment.

To establish cohesion, everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to team goals. If everyone is striving towards the same thing this will help cohesion develop. Productivity must be established by setting challenging and specific goals. Making sure the members know what the individual goals are, for themselves and their teammates, is very important. If you know what your teammates are striving for, many times you can aid them in their endeavor, which will lead to a more cohesive relationship. There can be no hidden agendas by any of the members, their goals must coincide with team goals. What’s good for the team has to be good for the individual and visa versa.

Having periodic team meetings is a good way to check in to make sure everything is going all right on the team. This provides an opportunity for the team members to spend some time together off the field where life is not so hectic. This way a coach can ask for input, and players can tell others what they see happening, or what they see isn’t happening. There is no chaos and no rushing; it is a meeting with the sole purpose of processing what is going on.

Direct assessment, as given by the players, is the most accurate way to determine the amount of cohesiveness on a team. There is not substitute for the player’s own perception of what is going on not only for him, but also for the team that he is playing on. How a player views the interworkings on the team is very valuable information when evaluating the level of team cohesion.

1. There should be mutual respect among members. You can’t have a cohesive group on the field if you don’t respect your teammates. You don’t have to necessarily love them off the field, but you better love them on the field and respect them both on and off the field. You are all fighting for a common goal and there is a special closeness that goes along with this. The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates demonstrated this with their We are family attitude both on and off the field. A sort of “esprit de corps” mentality. Also, when there is a strong level of respect it will also reinforce the merit of a teammate’s feedback.
2. There should be effective two-way communication that is clear and direct. Good communication skills result in an increase in self-esteem, respect, trust and decision making skills. Trust is an ongoing process; it will be tested time and time again.
3. There also needs to be a feeling of importance among the team. You should do your best to make each member feel like they are a part of the team and contribute something important. The phrase treat others as you would like to be treated applies here. Know the needs of your teammates and how you can help make them feel like they are a viable part of the team. “That’s what we call it, a big family, and everyone realizes that and that’s why we’re so cohesive” (San Francisco 49ers Vice President/ Director of the 49ers Foundation, Lisa DeBartolo).
4. Having continuity in practices, and in every part of the team, can contribute to the cohesiveness of the group. Familiarity breeds not only confidence but also a sense of comfort among the team. Also, by placing team members in situations where interaction is necessary, cohesion will increase.

We have taken a look at what cohesion is and how important it is to develop and nurture it on a team any team. Only good things can come from bonding with other members of your team good things for everyone, individually and collectively, as stated by Long Beach City College Head Softball Coach Shellie McCall, “Team cohesion is the glue that keeps a team focused and determined to reach its goals.”

Brian J Grasso reviews the type of flexibility training one should perform with young athletes

Flexibility remains a mysterious avenue within the sport industry, cluttered with myths, half truths and opinion. Questions purvey in many trainers’, coaches’, and parents’ minds as to the type of flexibility training one should perform, when they should perform it, and for how long. Of critical importance to this conundrum is the young athlete, and how flexibility training should be applied to this demographic. This article will not answer every question you may have, but it will shed some light on a few key points.

Assessment of flexibility

The scope of confusion regarding flexibility can be seen when considering the assessment tools most commonly used to test one’s suppleness. The standard ‘sit & reach’ test is most often incorporated into pre-training assessments as the ‘flexibility test’. In fairness, many coaches and trainers I have worked with cite the fact that the ‘sit & reach’ is an indirect assessment of flexibility at best, and does not give a truly accurate picture as to the ‘global’ suppleness an athlete may posses considering that flexibility is joint specific. Also, it does not allow us to assess any dynamic qualities, which is important because static flexibility is quite different than dynamic flexibility, and dynamic flexibility is critically more important in sport.

Strength training

The degree of flexibility a joint exhibits is not entirely determined by the tightness or pliancy of the muscles which act on that joint. While elasticity of the muscle is a key component to flexibility, so are the elasticity of the corresponding ligaments and even the emotional state of the individual. Additionally, the physical length of a muscle can play a very large role in determining the flexibility or range of movement (ROM) of a joint. Muscle length is largely determined by genetics, but can also be positively influenced through strength training. This certainly contradicts a common myth that strength or resistance training INHIBITS flexibility. Furthermore, as the elasticity of a muscle reduces with age (which we generally accept as true), strength training can also positively influence this concern. Yes… Strength training has a positive impact on flexibility and suppleness! In fact, when working with younger athletes, basic static stretching habits can increase the length of a ligament and lead to joint instability. This can lead to poor posture and increased dependence on muscles for joint stability. Strength and flexibility (through full ROM) must work hand-in-hand to ensure optimal development and decreased injury occurrence.

Flexibility training

In terms of young athletes, flexibility develops in correspondence with growth. In terms of training, type, frequency and duration also change with age.

Ages 6 to 10

Hip and shoulder mobility declines, resulting in the need for dynamic ROM exercises within these two joints (multidirectional raises and rotations). Maximum flexibility of the spine is reached by the age of 8 or 9 – increases beyond normal ROM can be made, but is unnecessary and considered potentially harmful. Within this age group, STATIC STRETCHING SHOULD BE AVOIDED. Excitement within the nervous system is much more pronounced than inhibition, which means that kids this age cannot truly execute a held stretch. They cannot gain the appropriate feedback from their body needed to ensure the safety and optimal effectiveness of the stretch. Additionally, Isometric stretches (as found in Yoga), should also be avoided completely in this age category. These kinds of stretches may increase the resting tone of a muscle which can negatively affect movement skill and coordination. Remember – Fitness fads come and go, but the critical science of athletic development and human physiology is what it is. Yoga has its place to be sure (although I know many skeptics who disagree with that), but coordination and movement MUST dominate this age bracket.

Ages 10 to 13

Children incur gains of body mass at a quicker rate than gains in height at this age, which leads to an increase in strength. Flexibility training should intensify in this age category. Increases in strength and changes in body mass can combine and lead to poor biomechanical habits – most critically in not using full ROM during exercise. Ensure that kids incorporate full ROM, dynamic exercises into their training.

Ages 13 to 15

Height can increase as much as one inch per month during the growth spurt. Muscles and supporting connective tissue do not grow as quickly as bone, which can result in general pain throughout the body. Flexibility training can and should target the areas most prone to pain – this would include quadriceps, hamstrings and muscles of the lower lumbar spine specifically. Poor posture, reduced movement skill and injury are all potential concerns of rapid growth, but can be limited with appropriate flexibility habits.

Ages 15+

Now is the time to start adding sport-specific means of flexibility training into an athlete’s routine. Flexibility, especially with young athletes, is not at all just a matter of ‘stretching out’ before or after practice. Hope this article shed some light on a few things for you!

About the Author

Brian Grasso is the President of Developing Athletics which is a company dedicated to educating coaches, parents and youth sporting officials throughout the world on the concepts of athletic development. Brian can be contacted through his website at www.DevelopingAthletics.com

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Blueskin Weather Barrier is a self-adhesive membrane consisting of a tough, high density, cross-laminated polyethylene blue surface film, high tack SBS rubberized asphalt compound and silicone treated release paper backing. Available in 4”, 6” or 9” widths by 50’ BlueskinÒ Weather Barrier is designed to easily fit many requirements.

Where is Blueskin Weather Barrier used?
BlueskinÒ Weather Barrier is used in non-exposed locations to protect buildings from moisture damage. Cracks in below grade foundation walls, sealing around windows, doors, roof skylights, joints in sheathing, concealed flashings, and other detail areas.

How far into a window opening should it be carried?
Ideally, take the membrane through the entire opening to completely seal the substrate.

Roxul

ROXUL products are mineral wool fibre insulations made from basalt rock and steel slag. This combination results in a non-combustible product with a melting point of approximately 1177°C (2150°F) which gives it excellent fire resistance properties.  ROXUL mineral wool is a water repellent yet vapour permeable material. It absorbs water only when water is pressed or forced into the material and once the pressure is relieved, the water will evaporate without any loss of integrity to the material’s shape or insulating properties.  ROXUL stone wool is, quite simply a better insulation material. The matrix of inter-connected ROXUL fibres trap air, prevent circulation and convection to deliver high insulation values. ROXUL insulation delivers permanent, cost effective performance. The fibres will not deteriorate even when exposed to extreme weather conditions or solar radiation.

Installation Details:

1) Begin with ventilation. You must ensure that you have good air flow from the soffit vents right up to the ridge vent at the peak of the roof. There are two ways of accomplishing
this. You can insert batt insulation leaving a space of 2” along the entire underside of the roof. The other way is to use baffles up against the roof deck before insulating to give a smooth 3/4” air channel all the way through. You can buy prefabricated baffles at any building supply dealer. This way, not only will the air flow better under the roof, but the cold air will not penetrate into the batts.
2) Put as much batt insulation between the rafters as possible, keeping a clear airflow and without compacting the
batts. If you are using baffles, and you have at least 4” deep rafters, you can easily fill the rafter cavity with R-12 insulation batts.
3) Eliminate thermal bridging by placing 1-1/2” of STYROFOAM Extruded Polystyrene Insulation over the entire inside rafter surface. This will reduce the potential for future
condensation and increase the ceiling’s overall insulation values.
4) You have two STYROFOAM product choices for this job; STYROFOAM SM and STYROFOAM WALLMATE. STYROFOAM SM comes in 2’x 8’ lengths with a shiplap
edge. This will give you the best insulation coverage but will require 3” drywall screws to penetrate 1” into the rafters when attaching the drywall through the STYROFOAM insulation.
Alternatively, you can also use STYROFOAM WALLMATE. This also comes in 2’x 8’ panels but the edges are slotted to accommodate 1”x 3” wood strapping, which fits flush into the
STYROFOAM WALLMATE board edges. These wood furring strips are screwed into the rafters and in turn provide a nailing base for drywall on 24” centres. Run the 8’ length of the STYROFOAM WALLMATE and the strapping perpendicular to the rafters.
5) When you are installing the boards that butt up against walls which meet sloped ceilings, be sure to cut a beveled edge down the side of the STYROFOAM insulation which butts against the wall. This will give a snug fit as well as cover the wall header. The header is another thermal bridge where heat and cold can travel right through the framing.
6) Cover the ceiling with a 6 mil poly vapour barrier or, if you prefer, seal all the joints between the STYROFOAM insulation with adhesive compatible with polystyrene insulation. Make sure that any electrical wiring and the plumbing stack are sealed airtight. It is critically important that as little moisture as possible be allowed to pass into the constrained roof space.

There are several types of insulation material, each designed to do the best possible job in a specific application. As it is important that you get the biggest energy savings possible at the lowest installed cost, check out these Owens Corning materials to see where they fit in your insulating plans. In this brochure, insulation thickness is given to help you work out the space needed to accommodate it. Remember, if it is packed too tightly, compressed to less than its designed thickness, if there are gaps, or if it gets wet, then the actual in-place
R-Value will be less than that shown.

FIBERGLAS PINK® Insulation is non-combustible (except for RSI 2.4 and RSI 3.87). It is inorganic, will not settle or rot and will not sustain vermin. Measuring insulation When you look at insulation, always go by its R-Value (or RSI number) and its thickness. These numbers indicate a material’s resistance to heat flow-with the larger number representing greater resistance.

Recommended R-Value                                           RSI     R Attics                                                            7.0     40
Cathedral ceilings                                             6.1     35
Exterior walls                                                   3.5     20
Basement walls more than 50% above ground        3.5     20
Basement walls more than 50% below ground        2.1     12
Floors over unheated spaces                              4.9     28
No basement: heated crawl space                       2.1     12
No basement: concrete slab on ground                 2.2     12.5
No basement: heated slab                                 2.6     15

Rafter to top plate connectors using H1 or H10 for manufactured trusses and H8 for I-beam trusses.

Spaced Bracing for Manufactured trusses

Pre-Construction Stage

1. Zoning and Environment Approvals
2. 911 Address
3. Site Plan, Working Drawings and Specifications
4. Building Permit
5. Plumbing Permit
6. Heating Permit
7. Electrical Permit
8. Utility Permit (Gas/Propane)
9. Health Unit Permit (Wells/Septic Systems)

Construction Stage

1. Excavation and Footings Inspection
2. Sewers, Drains, Water Service and Underground Plumbing Inspection
3. Electrical Service Inspection
4. Pre-Backfill Inspection
5. Plumbing, Heating and Electrical Rough-In Inspection
6. Framing Inspection
7. Insulation and Air/Vapour Barrier Inspection
8. Pre-Occupancy Inspection
9. Final Plumbing, Heating and Electrical Inspection

Post-Construction Inspection

1. Completion Inspection (Interior and Exterior)
2. Certificate of Occupancy