Evolving as a Strength Coach

Like any other occupation, you either evolve as a strength coach or you dissolve. People who trained with me in 2005 might be shocked to see the things that we are doing none of right now at Soar. I took today's blog to write about 5 training concepts I used to use frequently and don't use at all now.



1. Jumpsoles.

I actually decided to start training people back in 2001 because I bought a pair of Jumpsoles and saw immediate results. What I did not realize it that is was more due to the actual exercises and not the shoes. I don't think Jumpsoles are bad or dangerous, I just don't think they are necessary anymore. Plus, it took a ton of time for kids to take them on and off.

2. Crunches, Sit - ups or any kind of spinal twisting or flexing.

This is a widely debated topic in the world of strength and conditioning. The guys I follow and highly respect (Boyle, McGill and Weingroff to name a few) say that repeated flexing of the spine will eventually lead to back pain. I have not found any reason to go back to the traditional crunch and sit up.

Here is a good analogy. Stand up and put yourself into a position that you would be in if you were finishing a sit up or crunch. Is that good posture? Does and athlete look like that? Should anyone be performing any exercise that ends with that position?

3. Upright rows

The upright row with a straight bar is a staple in any commercial training center. Hell, I used to them every week when I was younger. Eric Cressey, a strength coach that I consider an expert on shoulder health, makes the point that upright rows lock the humeral head in to internal rotation thus increases impingement. If you want to hit the traps, dead lift, shrug and carry heavy stuff. If you want to eventually have some shoulder pain, keep pulling that bar under your chin.

4. Forced Reps

Slow grinding reps are basically like spinning your car tires in the mud and standing on your gas pedal. They kill your system and your workouts. Finish every rep of every set with good technique. If your spotter on bench press is pulling the bar off your chest, then you are making your spotter do and upright row......and I just said we don't do upright rows anymore! Respect your spotter and your body!

Get stronger with quality reps!

5. Mindless amounts of Agility Ladder Drills

There was a time when regardless of who you were, we started every session with agility ladder footwork. Then we did agility ladder hops. BLAH BLAH BLAH BORING! Ladder work is not necessarily a bad thing but there comes a point when you just simply can't get any better at the ladder. In reality, it is a secondary warm up. Great for footwork and great for coordination but worthless for learning how to put force into the ground. Currently, it is used 1 - 2x per week for warm - up purposes.