By Kay Quinn Healthbeat Reporter

St. Louis (KSDK) - College athletes go through intense strength and conditioning programs to get ready to play their sport.

But since 2000, 21 NCAA football players have died during conditioning workouts.

Right now, top athletic trainers across the country are joining forces to say working athletes longer and harder is not necessarily exercising smart.

Wednesday morning in St. Louis, they released new recommendations for preventing sudden death during college conditioning sessions.

The new recommendations were released at the National Athletic Trainer's Association 63rd Annual meeting underway at America's Center this week.

Ron Courson, Associate Athletic Director of Sports Medicine for the University of Georgia Athletic Association, and a task force member, joined NewsChannel 5 First @ 4 to talk about what it all means.

Click the video player above to hear what he had to say.

 

KSDK