Interview With Mark Dilworth, Owner of Sports Fitness Hut.
This interview was posted on Buettner Baseball's site, May 2, 2008.
A few months back I came across A gentleman by the name of Mark Dilworth online, who has a passion about fitness as I do for baseball. Mark and I have been keeping in contact for awhile, and after we got to know each other, I asked him if I could interview for my website.
Mark worked as a Certified Public Accountant for 14 years before he decided to make a career change to personal training. He has been training for 4 years and his clients include middle school, high school and college athletes as well as women and men who want general or competitive fitness.
I was particularly interested on his training for baseball players, especially for high school players.
Mark gave me some very insightful information.
RTBjr73: First off, thank you for doing this interview for me. Let's get right down to it. Can you briefly explain your background in physical fitness and as a Certified Fitness Trainer?
Mark: I grew up in an athletic family. Because of that, I have been physically fit all of my life and I'm grateful for that. I played all sports year-round from age 6 to age 15. When I started high school, I concentrated on football and baseball. In college, I played only football.
RTBjr73: Being a former NCAA Division I athlete, I assume that you have a pretty good idea with what needs a high school player's body needs to stay or get into top physical shape. Does a player need to have a fitness program all year around?
Mark: Because I played sports year-round for so long, I over-trained my body (looking back). Kids are starting highly competitive select sports programs much too early (some as young as 5 years old)! I see many kids burned out by age 12 or 13.
The fun of sports has many times been taken out of it. The kids have pressure to win! This is wrong! As for high school athletes, they can stay fit year-round. But the program needs to be periodized so that the athlete peaks at the right time (during the season)!
Periodization varies the intensity and workloads so the athlete doesn't burn out during training. Periodization also protects the athlete against over-use injuries.
RTBjr73: When I play baseball as a catcher, I notice that I pay a little more attention to flexibility. Does that sometimes go by the wayside with teenagers, where not enough attention goes into a workout regimen, say such as strength and speed?
Mark: Flexibility is crucial for an athlete, particularly dynamic flexibility. The mistake I see many athletes make is strengthening the extremities(limbs) before adequately strengthening the core.
All movement begins with the core and it is essential to strengthen it first. Adequate core strength will maximize extremity strength, power and speed. Also, many athletes want to rush the process and begin with speed and power training.
Speed and power training is full speed and will subject the athlete to injuries if the body doesn't have an adequate strength/core foundation.
And a final note, I built my athletic body without the use of performance enhancing drugs such as HGH and anabolic steroids! As a result, I basically have the same body I had in college because I didn't take shortcuts!
RTBjr73: For the sake of this interview, let's assume we are talking about a ball player between the ages of 16 to 18, and their bodies have matured physically at a standard rate. What are they ready for, as far as training and diet.
Mark: Almost every high school athlete I begin to train doesn't eat as an athlete should eat. A diet with the macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) is critical for athletic success.
An athlete's diet should generally consist of 60%-70% carbs (fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc.), 20% fats (mainly unsaturated fats) and 15%-20% proteins such as lean meats, beans, nuts, etc. The athlete should not depend too much on supplements. They are called supplements for a reason. Get your nutrition mainly from food.
As far as training goes, a sports-specific program is best. THE ATHLETE SHOULD TRAIN MOVEMENTS, NOT JUST MUSCLES! A professional trainer can guide the athlete so that injuries are avoided. As I stated earlier, don't rush the process! I know from experience as a player and trainer that the athletic body building process works!
RTBjr73: Mark, I appreciate your time that you have given. Where can people go, to get more information about fitness programs and ideas?
Mark: Visit my sports training blog at http://www.sportsfitnesshut.blogspot.com/
RTBjr73: Thanks Mark!!
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Mark Dilworth, BA, PES
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