Click over to my Youtube channel to see a very simple cue I now use to help kids with a couple lifts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RsHSqznPSI
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Football Specific Conditioning Workout
Its a little early for most of my football clients to start conditioning. However, my client and trainer Ricky Crawford has to get ready for the Ohio Senior Bowl this Saturday. Yesterday, we went through one of our versions of 4 Quarters of Conditioning.
1st Quarter
Box Blast x 3 each leg - rest 25 seconds (basically enough time to get hooked up to sled)
135 lb sled sprint x 10 yds
rest 30 - 45 seconds -repeat pair 4 more times for 5 total sets
Rest 3 minutes after last set
2nd Quarter
Lateral box blast x 3 each leg (rest 25 seconds)
115 lb Crossover sled run 10 yards each way
Rest 30 - 45 seconds - repeat pair 3 more times
Rest 3 minutes after last set
3rd Quarter
Bungee resisted Lateral skater bound and stick x 3 (rest 15 seconds)
Bungee resisted 8 yard shuffle (down and back 2x)
Alternate directions each set. 3 sets each leg. Rest 30 - 45 seconds between pairs.
4th Quarter
5 yds and back, 10 yds and back, 15 yds through shuttle
2 x each way 30 seconds between sets
Ricky ran with a 10 lb vest on to simulate pads.
1st Quarter
Box Blast x 3 each leg - rest 25 seconds (basically enough time to get hooked up to sled)
135 lb sled sprint x 10 yds
rest 30 - 45 seconds -repeat pair 4 more times for 5 total sets
Rest 3 minutes after last set
2nd Quarter
Lateral box blast x 3 each leg (rest 25 seconds)
115 lb Crossover sled run 10 yards each way
Rest 30 - 45 seconds - repeat pair 3 more times
Rest 3 minutes after last set
3rd Quarter
Bungee resisted Lateral skater bound and stick x 3 (rest 15 seconds)
Bungee resisted 8 yard shuffle (down and back 2x)
Alternate directions each set. 3 sets each leg. Rest 30 - 45 seconds between pairs.
4th Quarter
5 yds and back, 10 yds and back, 15 yds through shuttle
2 x each way 30 seconds between sets
Ricky ran with a 10 lb vest on to simulate pads.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Principles of a Solid Strength and Conditioning Program
If you search the internet, you will find all kinds of strength and conditioning blogs and programs to purchase. Walk in to any indoor sports complex and you will probably find some kind of speed and agility program that is offered. Since kids are playing more sports then ever and youth obesity has increased dramatically, I think it is great that many training options exist. But......How do you distinguish between a sound strength and conditioning program and a class that involves running around hurdles and cones just for the hell of it?
Obviously all strength coaches and trainers have had different learning experiences. Some might prefer squats while some coaches don't squat at all. Some swear by sled training while others live and die by high speed treadmills. Regardless of background and experience, the following principles are universally followed by the top strength coaches in the world.
1. Quality over Quantity..........I would rather see 6 really good push ups then 15 bad ones. I would rather see 5 good reps at 200 then 2 descent reps and 3 forced reps at 215.
2. Train fast to be fast...........Speed drills are 3 - 7 seconds in duration with at least a 5:1 rest to work ratio. I will not go into a long rant here as I have written about this many times before. Do not mistaken mindless amounts of running for speed training.
3. The body must be prepared for high intensity work with a proper dynamic warm up. Just sitting down and stretching then going for a jog will not get it done. See my past blogs for our SOAR warm up progression. The links below will show you some parts of our warm up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r9jc5pdxrU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQDeTQ5dvU
4. Balance in exercise selection. We must sprint AND work on deceleration and change of direction. We must do vertical plyometrics AND lateral plyometrics. We must push AND pull with the upper body. We must do knee dominant lower body exercises AND hip dominant exercises. Imbalance in training will lead to imbalance in the body which will lead to injury.
5. Rest is just as important as the training. If you want to get bigger, faster and stronger, then you can't train at a high intensity everyday. You will be sore, tired and your CNS will be fried. A great strength coach will design a program that will allow you to recover from high intensity workouts.
6. Always be coaching. The easiest thing for any trainer to do is to make you exhausted. But did the trainer make you better? The program and facility is only as good as the coaching that goes along with it.
Obviously all strength coaches and trainers have had different learning experiences. Some might prefer squats while some coaches don't squat at all. Some swear by sled training while others live and die by high speed treadmills. Regardless of background and experience, the following principles are universally followed by the top strength coaches in the world.
1. Quality over Quantity..........I would rather see 6 really good push ups then 15 bad ones. I would rather see 5 good reps at 200 then 2 descent reps and 3 forced reps at 215.
2. Train fast to be fast...........Speed drills are 3 - 7 seconds in duration with at least a 5:1 rest to work ratio. I will not go into a long rant here as I have written about this many times before. Do not mistaken mindless amounts of running for speed training.
3. The body must be prepared for high intensity work with a proper dynamic warm up. Just sitting down and stretching then going for a jog will not get it done. See my past blogs for our SOAR warm up progression. The links below will show you some parts of our warm up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r9jc5pdxrU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQDeTQ5dvU
4. Balance in exercise selection. We must sprint AND work on deceleration and change of direction. We must do vertical plyometrics AND lateral plyometrics. We must push AND pull with the upper body. We must do knee dominant lower body exercises AND hip dominant exercises. Imbalance in training will lead to imbalance in the body which will lead to injury.
5. Rest is just as important as the training. If you want to get bigger, faster and stronger, then you can't train at a high intensity everyday. You will be sore, tired and your CNS will be fried. A great strength coach will design a program that will allow you to recover from high intensity workouts.
6. Always be coaching. The easiest thing for any trainer to do is to make you exhausted. But did the trainer make you better? The program and facility is only as good as the coaching that goes along with it.
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