KEY 2 SPORTS AND FITNESS

2011-11-11T02:59:00.001-08:00

Client testimonial. John Golden. College basketball player.

In-Season Training, Football & Performance pt 1.

2011-09-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

KEEP PERFORMANCE HIGH and REDUCE INJURIES....IN-SEASON TRAINING PT 1

In-season training for football arguably plays as big a role in performance as any other aspect of the in-season schedule. Football players have such a unique sport in that there is generally only 1 competition per week after many hours of practice, skill work, film study and other forms of mental and physical conditioning. Football requires great power, strength, aerobic endurance, mental focus, athletic skill and attrition. The nature of the game is explosively aggressive and takes a simple yet well designed in-season plan if athletes are to continue meeting the various demands required to play at high levels.

During the off season the training begins with a focus on building general work capacity, strength, mobility and endurance. Athletes enter into lifting programs that help build what we call GPP or general physical preparedness. This general approach is essential for setting the ground work for the demands that will be placed on the athletes' later in the training year. Programs most likely start by focusing on building a good aerobic base, establishing sound joint mobility and tissue flexibility and good baseline strength. There is usually very little focus on sporting skill at this juncture. Most skill position football players (basically all non-lineman) do some form skill work whether it is throwing, catching or basic route running or footwork. But this work is at very low volumes and with little to no intensity. As the season approaches the element of speed ,explosive power comes to the forefront. Since the game is played in very short powerful spurts of time, the training begins to mimic those biomechanics and metabolic demands, perparing the athete for the game of the football itself. This transformation in training approaches is what we call SPP or special physical preparedness. The final piece to the off-season approach employs the all important aspect of conditioning. This element of training is the most over looked and most misused form of training done by most sport/physical preparation coaches. While this can be an entire article within itself, the goal approximately 2 months out is to build the athlete's specific work capacity to handle the specific demands of the sport itself. When the training is laid out properly, the athlete enters the season prepared to make an immediate impact.

Now that we're about 2 months into the season, athletes are starting to feel the effects of the rigorous life of a football player. Strength levels have probably dipped a bit and most of the players are dealing with little nagging aches and pains that they've got to deal with and play through. This is the portion of the season, unlike the off-season, where training (practice) is 100% specific. So in order to keep performance levels high and reduce the amount of damage done on a daily basis, athletes must focus on their strength, mobility and regeneration.

My recommendations for staying fresh, strong and performing at high levels has a lot more to do with how you handle your body as a whole during the season. Just doing any 1 or 2 things will not produce the results you desire. As the war of attrition commences, athletes need to understand the global affects of all the different demands on their bodies and their time. Today we lay the ground work for how to be at your absolute best for the stretch run.

We will start with talking about strength training:

Strength training is absolutely critical. Everyone understands the fact that a football players' body takes a pounding. So in an attempt to reduce the trauma from going toe to toe down after down, you must train regularly! The tempo of your workouts must be moderate to high. By this I mean, no slow body building type workouts. You want to train for 40-60min at a good enough tempo to get your CNS (central nervous system) kicking. This means a healthy up-tempo warm-up full of ballistic/dynamic movements and using both ground based and standing movements. Just keep in mind, the overall goal of strength training during the season is to maintain the highest level of performance for the longest period of time.

I believe that athletes need to maximize their time in the weight room by utilizing exercises that give you the most bang for your buck so that you don't over train and cause more damage. Squats, pull-ups, bench press, Deadlifts and other multi-joint compound movements will give you the greatest return on investment. I generally like to have my athletes work in the 60-85% range with these lifts with fairly high intensity and at low volumes. 3-4 sets of 3-5 "quality" reps. This means no half-stepping!

We generally keep assistance work to a minimum during the season. This basically means we dont load up kids with a ton of sets or reps in their secondary exercises. This will create a nice "pump" feeling, but can really be overkill if not performed correctly. Instead we do more "pre-hab" type work at high reps. This means we do pre-habilitation work like "band-pull apart's" or band TKE's (terminal knee extensions) to help stabilize joints in the hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders mainly. This also keeps the major muscles from taking the brunt of the blow down after down. What many people fail to realize is that muscles take 1-3 days to recover from trauma, but connective tissue like (ligaments, tendons & certain forms of cartilage) can take much longer. This means we have to be cognizant of the amount of blows a player is taking, and plan his training accordingly.

One of the Shore's Best players, offensive lineman Brad Henson has been a part of our system here at Key 2 Sports for 2 years now. Brad has done an excellent job at understanding the importance of off/in-season training and dedication to being the best. Brad drives over an hour both ways to train with us twice a week and still excels in class and in his community. There is no wonder he has offers from 5 major 1A schools with 10 or more schools planing to bring him is for visits. Brad is a specimen of an individual standing at over 6'5 and weighing almost 270lbs and the best part is he's only a junior! Here is a glimpse of what Brad does at Key 2 Sports 2 times a week:

(photo by Hallmarc photography)

Day 1 - Low Volume/Heavy Day
*dynamic warm-up/foam roll/lax ball soft tissue work/bands and other forms of pre-hab performed.

1. Log Clean and Press 4x3 moderately heavy
- we do these because of the neutral grip on the bar being less stress on the shoulders. this is also a great exercise that can be used as a full-body Olympic lift variant. We don't do much pressing for lineman during the season but this exercise certainly makes the cut for our athletes.

2A. Safety Bar Box Squat 4x5
-this is another great exercise that helps Brad stay explosive in the hips and glutes but doesn't leave him overly sore due to the box variation. The box makes this a more concentric lift lessening the eccentric load and decreasing stress. The Bar type reduces shoulder stress and requires a good deal of core strength.

2B. Band Pull-ups 4x3-7

3A. DB Bench press 3x5-8
3aa. Peck stretch on squat rack

4A.1arm DB Row (w/ fat grip bar attachment) 3x6-10
4B. Low Back extensions

5. Abdominal Roman Chair Knee Raise 3x10-15

Day - 2 Medium Volume/Light Day
*dynamic warm-up/foam roll/lax ball soft tissue work/bands and other forms of pre-hab performed.

1A. Barbell Front Squat 3x5-8
* we reduce the vertebral loading here and focus on great bend and abdominal/core strength

1B. Lat Pulldown 3x6-10

2A. DB Shrugs 4x25
2B. Band Pull-aparts 4x25
*both exercises are using a slow twitch muscle where higher reps should be performed.

3A. Seated Cable Row 3x12-15
3B. Swiss Ball reverse hyper extensions 3x15
*the lower back is trained every single session during the in-season. It's critical for lineman to have a strong posterior chain.

4 Bi's and Tri's - Pick any two you like. My personal favorites are Iso-hold DB curls and band tricep pushdowns. Both dont require much time and can get the desired affect after 2-3 sets. More importantly, because of the motion and the use of bands, tendinitis flare up and other muscle issues are eliminated. We do 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps each.

There you have a simple layout designed for one of the top lineman in the Shore. Before you rush off to begin training I want to remind you of a few things.

Your workouts should coincide with your work load. If you aren't playing much, you should still be training just as hard as you did in the off-season. No reason to de-train if you aren't playing.
If you are taking an innumerable amount of snaps, adjust your training to fit what you can handle. Your main objective is recovery, so don't go crazy in the weight room. Remember, performance is number 1.
If you are injured, you should train hard at what you can and rehab like a madman. Get back on the field and then go back to training as a regular participant. Focus on your re-hab/exercises and be smart with heavy weights and range of motion. There are a ton of ways to stay strong, don't just jump into something cause you saw it some where. Get the recommendation of your trainer 1st.
Your program should be somewhat specific to you. Do not just engage in any old program. Doing so can and will lead to injury. Heavy powerlifting, Olympic lifting workouts as well as cross-fit and other forms of high threshold training are not recommended for in-season football players. Train hard but also train smart.

Stay tuned for part 2 on the importance of regeneration and rest. Until next time:

GET STRONG BE EXPLOSIVE!!

For more information on Key 2 Sports Training and Cornell Key, please visit www.Key2sportstraining.com or email him @ key2sportsperformance@gmail.com

How Bad do you want to be successful??

2011-09-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Watch this Video and LISTEN to the message!

VIDEO HERE - How BAD do you want it!

5 REASONS YOU ARE NOT GETTING STRONGER!

2011-08-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

5 REASONS YOU ARE NOT GETTING STRONGER!

In today's world strength is a high priced commodity. People will go to great lengths and pay a big money to increase their strength and muscle size. Strength is being displayed all around us every day. We see it at gyms and through various media outlets. We also hear about it constantly. As a high school athlete it wasn't uncommon for 2 total strangers to share stories about their strength feats whether on the field on in the weight room. We'd ask about who benched what or who manhandled who on the field. In school you got respect for being strong. At work and in the gym and even at home strength always gives someone that little extra something,...... respect, attention or just flat out fear. So it's no wonder that of all the questions I get daily, 70% or more have to do strength.

In this article I'm not going to give you keys on 'how' to get stronger. There is so much content on this subject now-a-days that you would have a harder time NOT finding something than you would trying to find something about strength. I'm simply going to address some of the possible reasons on why you may not be seeing your strength increase. Because of all the content that is available, its easy to get information overload. I see people so often today going from one program to the next with completely conflicting styles and completely different requirements. People need to understand that information should be gained, but knowledge is for the purpose of improvement and correction. It shouldn't be used to produce a 'schizophrenic" mind set that has us jumping from program to program.

For the sake of this article, im going to assume that many of the readers are already on a strength program of some sort. Whether its a body building type program or a athlete based program, programs all have the same basic requirements when it comes to strength. PMT! Plan, method and timing. This topic itself is a separate article but the premise is that any program needs the proper plan, the method for which to execute the plan, and time to allow the method to work. If there is any breakdown in any 1 of these areas, you're going to have problems.

More specifically when I ask to see a persons program or inquire of what they are currently doing, I usually get an idea of where they are going wrong. With that said, here are some of the reason why many of you may not be seeing your strength increase:

1 - Lack of Heavy Weights in the program - Make no mistake, the number #1 way to get stronger is to lift heavy weights progressively loading over time. Heavy weight training stimulates the CNS to call upon the biggest most powerful muscles to achieve the task needed. When there is a lack of heavy training, this system cannot develop properly. High rep training and other forms muscle building should not be confused with building strength. Make sure you include an adequate amount of 'max effort' training and you'll be sure to see increases in strength.

2 - Too many assistance exercises - When I first began strength training for a living I was all about assistance exercises. 2-3 different assistance exercises for each body part 2-3 times a week. This was something I grew up doing because much of what I learned came from an old body building techniques and people who'd learned that same way. I'd notice a change in muscle size but not really as much in strength. The problem was NOT the assistance exercises, but rather the large quantity of assistance exercises. Too many assistance exercises in your programs will keep your strength levels at bay. This happens because strength is NOT about sets and reps. Again, strength is a nervous system response to external loads. Big multi-joint compound movements cause your CNS to activate more muscles to help achieve that specific task. When your CNS can call on a particular groups of muscles to work with proper activation, symmetry and timing....strength is achieved. Assistance exercises are usually more localized and can help improve local strength, cross section (size) and improve physique. However, too much focus on them and the overall goal will be diminished. If strength is the goal, cut back on large amounts of assistance work. 2-3 exercises will produce far more carryover than 2-3 per muscle group. On top of that you'll feel much better and have much more variety for your weekly training sessions.

3 - Too much volume - When I was in school we had a program that literally had 15lifts in one workout. Volume overload! We did an explosive lift, followed by a "core" lift like a squat, bench press or a dead lift. Then we did an assistance lift or 2. Then we did a ton of supplemental lifts which are lifts that are usually involving shoulder cuff stability and or ascetic work like arms and calf work. The workout was "supposed" to take our team 45 min but it usually took us closer to 90 min due to the sheer volume of exercises that had to be done. The training effect of the major lifts was almost gone because we had done so much else that it became one huge loss and waste of time. Too much volume in training is similar to using too much water on a plant. When a plant grows it requires water, sunlight and rest. If you sat there and watered it all day, the growth of that plant would be hindered. Well likewise, programs with too much volume (sets and reps) will not yield proper strength results. You would be better off doing less (volume) and eating/resting more than you would doing more. Its just too much stress to recover from and the effect that you are trying to gain from training would be lost. You wouldn't eat a main course and 10 sides with dinner, correct? Usually 2-3 sides (all with a planned purpose) will suffice. Likewise, strength gains will be negatively effected by too much volume in training.

3 - Too much cardio - I always find it funny when I see guys who claim they want to get big and strong but spend all day doing cardio. Cardiovascular training to some degree should be a part of every program, but if your goal is to gain strength, cardiovascular training would have to be monitored so that your gains would could be optimized.

Steady state cardio is great for recovery and building a good aerobic base. However, if you engage in too much volume, you are going to see strength levels go down. This is basically because maximal strength requires a high amount of fast twitch muscle activation & longer rest periods. Too much aerobic base cardio training will stimulate more slow twitch muscle fibers thus creating two separate adaptations that are in fact opposing one another. Bottom line is, if you want to get stronger...lift heavier weights and rest more. Use aerobic training for recovery and restoration and not make it the main focus in your training.

Anaerobic cardiovascular training can also produce negative effects if used improperly. Because of the high threshold motor units being activated, rest is extremely important if strength gains are going to go up. Using methods like plyometrics, sprints, barbell complexes etc will all have to be scheduled and programmed properly if you are going to maximize strength gains. If any fast twitch training is used, it must be done at its maximal intensity and with adequate amounts of rest. It also must be accompanied by max effort training. simply doing heavy barbell complexes alone will not get you stronger. It may help burn some glycogen and fat due to the alactic nature of the training. But strength will not go up from this type of training.

4 - Not enough rest between sets - I've already mentioned that rest is a vital necessity when it comes to building strength. But most people dont rest enough. Especially those of us who train people for a living and only have so much time to work with people. Rest to a 'restless soul' seems like a pure waste of time especially when you're in a bind with time. But if you're going to optimize your ability to build strength....you need to rest between sets. During heavy lifting your high threshold motor units are being recruited and all your fast twitch muscles are being used to complete the lift. It is highly important that in-between reps of heavy maximal effort lifting you allow the regeneration process of storing additional ATP and the removing of waste products to take place. If you rush back in for the next set, you may not have fully recovered from the previous bout and will not be at your maximal capacity for the next lift. This happens all too often in lifting because people feel as though they need to rush and build up an incredible sweat for the workout to be effective. If you're lifting for strength, its quite possible that you'll sweat very little at times. But if your goal is strength and your program layout is correct, then you'll see results. Rushing between sets should be reserved for another type of training, but not with building strength.

5 - Poor program layout - This should probably be listed 1st because it is probably the #1 factor why people cannot get stronger. Many program layouts are just not right. There is too much of the wrong things with too little of the right things all at the same time. Because of the length and depth of the volume of programs out there, its hard to discuss how each of them may be flawed. The important thing to remember it that strength requires major compound multi-joint movements that recruit the highest amount of muscle at 1 time.In addition your nervous system will recruit the most muscles possible which stimulates the highest level of hormonal production improving the biological adaptation of strength. If you need help with your program layout contact me at key2sportstraining@gmail.com and we can help you construct a program that works best for you.

Until next time -

Get Strong / Be Explosive!

Cornell Key
www.Key2SportsTraining.com
732-749-3093

UN(Cross) YOUR (Fit)ness Program......here's why!

2011-08-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Look at any book, magazine or website relating to fitness today and you will undoubtedly see the ever growing popularity of Cross-Fit training. Cross-Fit training has literally taken the country by storm over the last few years and seems to be running away from its competition (if it even has any). Cross-Fit training for those who live under a rock and don't know, is exactly what it says, a cross between many different forms of training all meshed together @ seemingly torturous intensities to create what they believe is better bodies and better fitness levels. Cross-fit also garners world wide attention for it's "all-inclusive" approach. A statement from the website HERE says The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs. This statement is the hallmark of their program and their culture. The idea that "we dont change programs" says it all. Before I continue I just want to mention that I personally have NOTHING against cross-fit style workouts in and of themselves. This is a free country and people are free to do as they wish. But, if you're an athlete or simply an individual who has a specific set of goals...we challenge you to think again. It's time to uncross your fitness and here's why:

Here at KEY 2 we train athletes and individuals who are serious about their goals. Goals and vision are the driving force behind what we do because they are what gives the purpose for why we train. Where there is no goal or vision, there is chaos. We believe strongly that training must have a purpose and a concise well planned approach before goals can be reached. Simply throwing a bunch of exercises at the proverbial wall will never have the same effect as a well planned training regimen.

Hey don't get me wrong, i'm all for super high intensity and challenging ourselves to the core of our being. I'm all about squats, bench press, olympic lifts, sprints, medium distance runs and body weight training. Rings and kettle-bells are a part of our program as well. I'm not against any of the methods, my issue is with the layout and its relevance to athletes/clients specific goals. The one size fits all mantra doesn't cut it when we're looking at improving athletes performance. In addition to the intensity, volume and sheer "tough as nails" mentality behind cross-fit, there has to be accountability for bio-energetic demands of training and its affect on performance. Your cardiovascular system, CNS, Metabolic system as well as your hormonal system all have to be considered before maximum fitness and results can be achieved. If your program or trainer doesn't have at least a working knowledge of how these systems are being affected, you will undoubtedly run into issues. So I will repeat, training grandma the same way you train 'Mr. Military Buff Guy' will not work. Here are some reasons why:

Training is specific and must have a plan. The general adaptation syndrome states that our bodies will develop an adaptation to the stressers we place on it. In short, if we do enough of any one thing, our bodies will respond by its own means to adapt to that same stimulus. A body builder is interested in muscle size and muscle symmetry. Therefore their program must have the proper amount of exercises within it to allow their bodies to grow in those two areas. It would be highly inaccurate and very niiave for a body builder to walk into a gym and simply start doing distance training, power training and high repetition resistance training all at the same time. Their goal is muscle size and symmetry, therefore they train for that purpose.

Now, that's an easy example and one many can understand. But it works the same way regardless of the goal. When we cross all forms of fitness together in one big ball, our bodies cannot develop the proper adaptation in any one specific area. That said general conditioning does have its place. General conditioning is great for beginners and even novice level individuals like teenagers looking to increase their fitness levels. However after the first few weeks or sometimes months of a beginners program you may see performance come to a halt or even begin to go down. This is when you need to hone in on the goal for your program whether it be muscle size, fat loss, better aerobic conditioning etc. Prolonged periods of unorganized training will not lead to optimal results. At best you will simply train yourself to handle "poor training". This leads me to my next point.

Over training/under training. The Jack of all trades is usually the master of none. When our bodies under go super intense stimulus over prolonged periods of time we are susceptible to over training. All training is interpreted as stress to our bodies. All these stressers have acute, short term, accumulation and sometimes even delayed effect on our bodies. When we fail to realize that what you lift, or how you lift/run today has an affect on what you "can" do tomorrow or even next week, we leave ourselves vulnerable to harms way. Not everything can or should be trained at the same time. Even at times when we are training different qualities simultaneously, there has to be a plan and order. This is where understanding our bodies systems and how each works comes into play.

the phrase over trained can mean many things... avoid all of them

In addition, when we involve too many un-related types of training all together we invariably leave out some of what we "should" have been doing. If you're goal is to simply get in the best shape possible while increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat then your program should resemble that. However, depending on the individual you may have two do different programs based on where you are physically when you start. A 40yr old male who's 50lbs over weight and never been an athlete should not begin (even with a modified load) with the same program as a 27yr old female who played collegiate soccer and has only been inactive for the last 3 years. Common sense would tell you that their programs, albeit have the same goal....will and should have different approaches. There are too many variables to consider, however the point is to see the individuality that should be somewhat present when we engage in training programs.

Many of the cross-fit disciples are severely over trained. They market marines and MMA fighters as trophy's to what they can accomplish by training cross-fit. But think about it, many marines and state/local police officers who are fresh out of boot camp or the police academy are also over trained. Only difference is that they (marines and officers) are trained that way on purpose! I don't know about you but, I want people serving and protecting me that have been sharpened and pushed to limits beyond the norm. I want to know they are mentally and physically trained to protect and serve. But to think that one should prepare for being purposely over trained by pre-over training is asinine! Not taking into account proper rest, joint and connective tissue regeneration, skeletal muscle regeneration and proper heart conditioning will lead to severe injury, period. If not right away, then definitely over time. Balance training and order of regimen are vital if achievement is going to be made. In order to have balance, you must have an approach that accounts for all the general and specific areas of your goals. Order is what will help take you there. This brings me to my next point......

selection process comes after the goal has been established

Exercise selection. Exercise selection should NOT be the primary governing factor behind exercise programs. I know I know.... I've done it too, cycled a bunch of exercises week to week in an attempt to develop a "well rounded" program. This is and always will be a mistake, and i've definitely made my share. Your training regimen should be indicative of your goals 1st. Then you must select the correct training type followed by the correct volume and intensity that will help produce that adaptation to meet that goal. Cross-fit is not interested in your goals primarily, it's more interested in its reputation. When the program is more important than the goal, you have yourself a faulty program. Exercise selection should be next to last on the list. Why? Because the same exercises can create different adaptations based on the volume and intensity with which they are done. You want to get strong?.... squat....you want to get faster?....squat......you want to improve endurance?.......squat......mobility? .......squat. The squat is not the goal. Its simply the vehicle used to produce the response you're seeking. So whether you squat heavy, or for reps or jump squat or super slow squat or whatever, understand that 1 single exercise can produce many different responses based on how its used. I simply used squats as an example to make my point, i'm not literally saying all one should do is squat. My point is the mere exercise isn't as important as the way one uses it. After selecting the appropriate training type, the volume and intensity is whats most important. Once that's established, the program can be sure that at least for the moment, its on the right path.

General and Specific gains. Because of the super high intensity used in X-fit and the relative ease at which one can be over trained, it very hard to see results.

Cross-fit and muscle - If you're looking for muscle size or strength you may see small resemblance in the beginning of what looks to be strength increase. You will soon realize that strength is not a matter of sets and reps. Muscle size doesn't come from doing 1000 dips in a 30 minute workout 3x's a week. Muscle building and strength building are much different but both require 1 vital thing. REST. When we strength train either by body weight or resistance, we need to give our bodies rest. Our bodies need energy to operate. The way we get energy is by the metabolizing of food in to a substance called ATP. ATP gets converted into energy we can you for whatever the task at hand is. When we fail to eat properly and rest we rob our bodies own ability to utilize this energy. In addition when we train at super intense paces without fully recovering, we fail to give our CNS and our skeletal muscle and its connective tissue to time necessary to prepare for the next bout of exercise. This leads to muscle breakdown. So while you think you're building muscle and strength, you're actually breaking it down much faster than it has time to recover and thus grow.

Cross-fit and fat loss. Fat loss can come in many different forms. For some its a mere matter of eating cleaner and drinking more water. For others, intense exercise is needed to assist in the process. Pretty much every one falls some where in-between the two. So the perfect combination is to eat better, train smart and rest. However we must remember that intensity is relative. We respond best when we use the LEAST AMOUNT OF INTENSITY TO STIMULATE RESPONSE AS POSSIBLE. This means that we should do only what is necessary to see change. By progressing whether by load or volume too early, we can set ourselves up for failure or injury. Many people have not developed the proper aerobic work capacity to handle bouts of kipping pull-ups, 400meter sprints and kettle bell swings repeatedly. They need more aerobic/oxidative muscle capacity to even be able to sustain any level of activity for long periods. I'm talking from a safety issue, 1st. So its possible that a more general program may be needed for some involving low grade aerobic work to build a base. For others who have stronger cardiac capacity, intensity should be minimized to meet them at their threshold and not exceed it. To go over and beyond and have someone throwing up just to say you gave them a good workout is not burning fat, its simply uneducated. My over all point is not to associate intense circuits with fat loss. Many times you could be burning more than fat if you're even burning fat at all.

BUT I LOOK GREAT HOW CAN YOU DENY THAT? There is something to be said about consistency and effort. Any person will see changes if they apply themselves to any one thing long enough. All programs will work even for a short period of time. They KEY is to constantly evaluate and educate. Evaluate your program constantly. Look over it and consider the long term effects. Many cross-fit enthusiast are sold on its 'quick fix' appeal. Workout crash course for 2 weeks and drop 30lbs and look great. Yeah ok, but what about after you've lost the weight? A healthy program should sustain you over time and always have a progression that keeps pushing you forward. Not pushing you to near death, but progression. There is a difference. Also, keep educating yourself about what it is you're doing. There is a reason why programs progress every few years. The same things always work, but education about how they work certainly can increase performance. Continually educate and evaluate and you'll at the very least know how to navigate through the myriad of marketing hype pushing you to the next fad workout.

Solution

For those of you who are willing to admit there is truth to what i'm saying, I challenge you to over look your program. Your program should incorporate all areas you are trying to improve. I prefer block style training programs because they have proven to be the best at developing all the general and specific qualities in the least amount of time while being completely 100% healthy. After a organized and well planned block, you will not be over trained or under trained. You will not have gaping holes in your program symmetry and you will feel 10x's better progressing into the next phase of training. Block training, unlike cross-fit or group (boot camp) training doesn't work as well for groups although it can be used in a group setting.

In short block training focuses on general & specific training means and pre-determined training periods over time. The focus of building work capacity and building optimal development of the aerobic system which fuels all of our energy systems happens early on. As the end date approaches or as work capacity improves, the blocks become more personalized to hone in on specific training designed to optimize that specific training block. Blocks may last anywhere from 1-4 weeks depending on the goals of the individual. The blocks, when outlined properly, will overlap at the proper times to fully optimize the effects of the previous block and allow the individual to train unaffected. Blocks can come in many types and depending on the individual, can take all different time frames to complete. The benefit of this style of training is that there is NO wasted effort and NO useless or detrimental training. All the stages compliment and are specified as you improve. This is a far superior way to train than picking random exercises out of a hat and doing them until you either throw up or can go any longer. The even better part is, once a training block ends, you'll have the next one waiting and you'll be able to track progressions and look at tangible increases over time. This is not possible with cross-fit style training.The one issue you may run into is actually having a block program developed. This may cost you a little bit more because a great deal of education is necessary before a program can be written. However, once you see the results of a proper training regimen, it'll pay for itself twice over. Besides the gym you have a membership at and never attend probably has 10x's more of your money for NO results, so if you're going to spend $$ the least you can do is spend wisely. If you want to learn more about having a specific block designed for you contact me @ key2sportsperformance@gmail.com.

My goal is to help stimulate thought and educate those willing to listen. Hope this sheds some light on the issue. Until next time....

GET STRONG BE EXPLOSIVE!!

-Cornell

What is your True Training Age?? Why you should Care

2011-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

What is your training age? How mature are you when it comes to training? Regardless of if you've been in the iron game or cardio training game, you need to know how old you are in proportion to when you began. Why? Because if you arent growing you arent progressing and if you arent progressing you are simply wasting your time!

I began training back at the ripe age of 15yrs old. I used to spend a bunch of time at the gym with a few high school buddies of mine. We frequently bumped into another guy who was always at the gym when we were there. He was obviously a body builder and looked the part. He would give us tips and pointers on how to workout and what kind of lifting to do on what days. It became a non-formal appointment that we'd meet him 3 days a week after school. There, under the watchful eye of this man who's name I cannot remember, we began our quest for strength and physical growth. After a few years I was well on my way with the basic knowledge I'd gained as well as other tings i'd learned from other male influences. I began training regularly because I wanted to be the best I could be at any sport I decided chose. Like any other dedicated person, I began seeing results and advancing in size strength and most importantly training age. At first it was the basics of what sets and reps were. Then it was the basics of what exercises did what. I moved on to even learning about heavier weights and less reps for strength and lighter weights and more reps for size. Then how to plan mini, meso & macro cycles. This all, believe it or not, took place over the course of a few years and the more I learned the more I understood what I was doing.

Fast forward to today, I pondered exactly what I was doing differently today as opposed to the over 15 years ago when I began training. That got me to thinking and watching. I learned that while exercise and fitness had grown leaps and bounds, the training age of many people certainly has not. If you've been training for years you should have a basic understanding of your training age. If you do not, ponder these simple questions:

How have I progressed since I began? Am I...

#1 - Smarter & more knowledgeable? As you progress in your training its important to grow in knowledge. 2 of the best things anyone can do in ANY walk of life is READ & APPLY. I can almost guarantee you that no matter what it is you are doing in life, if you read information pertaining to it and begin to apply that information you will GROW. Bottom line. If you are not reading and applying, you really have no basis for growth. Age, size and strength do NOT constitute all growth are is not synonymous with training age. I've known tons of guys who look huge, have tons of muscle and still train like this is the stone age. They may have been on the cutting edge at some point but haven't progressed and their programs are tired, boring and their training variety stinks. But, they look awesome in a tank top. They are not 15 years old in training but rather 1 years old 15 times. If you want true growth you are going to have to read and apply. In addition, growth forces you to put down your pride. Many people dont read anything because all the new stuff sheds light on their own weaknesses. So instead of addressing them and progressing, they shrink back and ban anything that doesn't line up with what they already do. Sad. Growth will force change and change will help you grow in training age.

*Advice - Begin to read more books on training and how to increase your individual performance. Then begin to apply that information. When selecting books DO NOT only select book that you agree with. True growth is learning what all angles are and deciphering all the information to come up with your own personal template.

#2 - Have I made tons of mistakes? - This one is HUGE. Anyone who's grown in life has made mistakes. No one can grow without them, NO ONE. If you aren't making mistakes you aren't growing, point blank. Mistakes are here to help us. Yes, said it. They are here to help. No one is perfect. If you were, you'd be God, and you aren't, so you're not (smile). Mistakes in your training help to shape and mold you for progress in the future. They come in all sizes and shapes. I'll just list some of my mistakes:

training too heavy too often
using too much volume, too many reps
not having a "plan". Just doing whatever whenever.
using advanced methods I saw "so and so" use.
using bands and chains too early
not warming up properly
taking too long to workout (2-3hours)
changing exercises too frequently
doing too much steady state cardio
not doing enough steady state cardio
etc...

Get the point?? This is a short list of mistakes. But s a result, I have learned and grown tremendously. So, I don't regret making these mistakes. In fact I embrace them. They have shaped me into the person I am today.

LETS KEEP MAKING MISTAKES IN PERSPECTIVE

TAKING STEROIDS AND CHEATING ARE NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

*Advice - Don't make any of the mistakes I made! Seriously. But.....make your own. Try and fail. They try again and succeed. Success is much sweeter when you've learned something along the way. So don't be a "fraidy cat"...get out there and give it you're best. Learn from your mistakes and grow.

#3 - Am I more fit today than when I first began? Seriously you may laugh but this is a real question. Are you more fit than when you began? I bet in 90% of most cases the answer is NO. Why? Because you're older. When most of us began training we were in high school and had the best bodies of our lives. We also were not finished growing. So we had super fast metabolism and lightening quick recovery. We could do and eat whatever the heck we wanted any day and still look great. At worst, it took us all of 2 weeks to get back in great shape. Well fast forward to today. We're more health conscious and much more knowledgeable. We have many years under our belts and have made tons of mistakes right? Well why aren't we in better shape than we were in high school? Well its a good chance we have families and or demanding jobs or both. Our metabolism certainly isn't as fast as it was and we definitely can recover like we used to. The key to the golden days is we have to understand the cycle of life. There is a good chance we will never get back to the way we used to look. BUT, we can look and feel and operate at our absolute BEST for the stage of life we're in right now! Thats the true goal. Are you at your best for today or are you striving for what used to be?? Instead of spinning your head in circles, try taking what you know and applying it to the max today. That way you can begin to see what you should see and feel what you should feel. I like old cars, but i'd never expect the same performance from an older car today that I would have expected when it first came out. Why? Times have changed. And while you and I may share older models, you dont have to live older. You can certainly get the most out of who you are today. So let that be the goal. For some, high school and today share the same characteristics. But for many, we must take what we are and make it our best for this time in this season of life.

*Advice - stop looking at old pics and talking about what you used to do. Lets get on top of things today and make now your best season of life. Get as fit as possible and go from there.

I BET THIS GUY UNDERSTANDS HE'LL NEVER LOOK LIKE HE DID IN HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP HIM FROM LOOKING GREAT TODAY!

#4 - Am I influencing others by what I've learned? - People who grow....teach! There is no reason for growth if its not going to be used to affect you and those around you. We are all in this thing together. For this reason I have studied many people, some of which I agree with and some I do not. I have read material from all different sides of the fitness spectrum with hopes of gaining as much information as I can. This all with the goal of learning so that I can apply and teach. This works in every area of life. I have a passion for training, I have a passion for sports, certain kinds of music and many other things. So I make it my business to learn those things and increase my knowledge for my ability to teach someone else. I love people who have a passion for history. People who can pull things from our human history for the purpose of understanding our lives today. Then I sit and listen and get a sometimes free education from them. I hope to do that for others (exclude the free part hee hee). In all honesty, our clients are better after they've trained with us because they have taken home not just a good workout, but education as to why its a good workout. After all, that's how i came into this game. That "old-head" guy from the gym I used to attend was simply sharing with my buddies and I his passion, knowledge and information. He was doing what all of us who've grown should do. We are hear to learn so that we can teach. Teach our kids, our circle of influence and our community.

With all this in mind I pose a question. Whats your training age? What have you learned through the years? How many mistakes have you made? Are you still fit or even more fit than you were when you began? Are you teaching and affecting others?? Are you doing things differently than you did 10 years ago? Are you applying everything you know?

There is no formula for determining age. You simply have to honestly answer the questions above. Be honest with yourself and make the changes you know you need to make.

* Advice - begin to learn so that you can teach. Study what your passions are so you can grow. More importantly, if your passion is training, learn all there is to know and give yourself the best chance to grow as possible.

I'm 32 and can say I have been training for 18years now. In all honesty I have room for growth. I'd give myself an honest grade of 16years old. There are some areas I could improve on. I've missed it in some areas, so I've began to grow in them. Whats your training age? Have you been training for say, 10 years? Are you 10 years old, or are you 2 years old 5 times? Think about it. Improve your training age today and make it a better tomorrow.

Until next time.....

Get Strong Be Explosive!

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How long should it take before I see Results? The common question and practical answer!

2011-06-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Everyday I get a ton of questions about building strength, increasing speed and programs for fat loss. However, there is probably no question I get more than, "How long should it take before I start seeing results?". Almost every time I get this question I cringe on the inside because the answer can depend on many different variables. The answer I usually give people is: "I don't know, it depends...". Clients don't usually like to hear that but it's the truth. I'm going to discuss a list of variables that all play a part in when you can see results in your training. Hopefully I can shed a little light on what factors play a part in most training programs. If you take a honest look at the list i'm going to share, and do a full self evaluation of your program, you'll then be able to reasonably predict when you can see results. But honesty with yourself is where it starts. Lets take a look at some of the actors who play vital roles in training and how we can use this information to our benefit.

I bet I don't get this question more than President Obama!

1. Genetics - Numero Uno! Genetics is the one area that NO ONE has control over. What God gave you at birth is what you have. I have no answer for why some people workout for 2 weeks and get "shredded" and why others simply cannot gain the physique they seek after years & years of training. Genetics can be sometimes an unfair advantage and even a slap in the face to those who have stuck with the plan and seen little result. I mean anyone who can eat McDonalds 4x's a week and still look like this, definitely has a 1 up genetically.

Now if you happen to be one of those people who don't have favorable genetics, you still can get a good general idea through some of the things i'll discuss in the paragraphs to come. It is simply listed as a variable that cannot be explained or reasonably accounted for when training.

Training by and large is about 2 things: Stress and Adaptation. Our bodies interpret everything we do as a "stress" and subsequently develops a response or an "adaptation" to that stress. Going further, the specific volume & intensity of the actual stress becomes of the utmost importance. If your training volume and or intensity (or stressors) aren't arranged properly, the adaptations will be all out of whack. So it's a good idea to make sure you have a professional look over your program to make sure it's right for you. The same stressors given to 2 different people can and most times do present two totally different responses. We see this many times in group training classes.

So if you and "the girl in the front" are doing the same fitness class and she's getting results and you're not, you may have to re-think your approach.

This leads me to my next variable for determining when you can potentially see results:

2. Poor planning - Poor planning or improper use of the proper planning are really one and the same. If you have a poor plan, like anything else in life, poor results will follow. You have to work from the ground up.

When planning your training you must look at a few factors: (This list is paraphrased from the book Ultimate MMA Conditioning by Joel Jamieson. A fantastic source of information for anyone looking to take their conditioning to new levels.)

The type of training you're actually looking to do.
The best training method to meet your needs. (where most people go wrong)
The volume and intensity of your training based on your CURRENT level of fitness
Your exercise selection best suited to the above three items.

Once your plan is solidified based on the previous factors, you'll have a better timeline on when you can see results.

3. Unrealistic goals - I am a big believer that anything is achievable to the person willing to put forth the effort. With that being said, unrealistic goals will never have a realistic timeline. Consider your level of focus, commitment and relative ability to achieve that goal. In addition, you must take a mathematical approach. Loosing 20lbs is a great goal for many, but taking it in bite sizes will give you a better understanding on when you can see results.

This little guy might have to re-adjust his plan

4. Total time training - There are 168 hours in a single week. If you consider the average person spends roughly 50hrs sleeping and another 40-50hrs working, you'll see there is a considerable amount of training time. If you train for 3 hours a week and spend the other 165 goofing off, you can expect your results to tarry. However, if you spend that same 3 hours training and use the other 165 for quality rest, good meals and a lifestyle devoted to your goals, you'll see them much quicker. (3 hours was an example. Please don't take that as me saying you should only train 3 hours a week.)

In general you may not be training enough or doing enough to to see the results you desire. For example: I had a kid and his dad ask me for advise about gaining weight. The kid had tried everything and couldn't gain a pound. When we began talking about his food intake they were both adamant that he was eating more than enough. Meanwhile this kid's idea of a big meals were: 2 eggs and a bagel for breakfast, 2 PBJ's for lunch and 2 chicken cutlets with rice and salad for dinner. After some friendly advice and a little reality check, I got them to see that their idea of "enough" was inaccurate. Without getting into specifics I basically told them that until you see the scale weight go up, you're eating enough. This hold true with so many of us. We have conditioned our acceptance of what we do as an accurate barometer for success when in actuality we may need to be doing more or less.

5. Discipline - Discipline or lack thereof will throw off the timeline for training results. You cant train hard for 1 week and then completely lose your discipline and off schedule for a week. Do the little things and keep doing them. I find it funny how the people with the shortest attention span for their goals ask when they can see results the most frequently. Training (regardless of what its for) takes discipline and not having the ability to stick to the script will show up when its results time.

6. Consistency - Once you've gotten your discipline in check, now its time to get in the groove and stay consistent. Similar to people who lack discipline are those who lack focus and lose their consistency. If you want to be faster, but you haven't consistently put in the work, it will simply take you longer to get faster.

Notice of everything mentioned here, 5 out of the 6 are controlled by YOU. We cannot help our genetics, that's a fact. But we can make sure our programming is right, we're spending the necessary time training as well as being disciplined and consistent. Many times people will look to others for why they cannot see results fast enough. They'll get program A.D.D. and lose focus or start another type of program or diet every few weeks. This is a recipe for disaster. Remember, training is about creating a specific type of stress to induce a specific adaptation. In order to get results, you have to do the right things to your body over time. No one can can give a sure fire time line on when results truly come. Just doing the right things and understanding your specific circumstances will enhance your ability to play the biggest part in your reaching that goal.

THE 5 FACEBOOKERS I HATE

2011-06-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

THE 5 FACE BOOK(ER)'S I HATE!

Makes me want to scream!

Facebook has become the most popular social network on the planet for sharing ideas and developing a ground base of followers. I love the freedom facebook has afforded me, being able to post information about my business and personal life absolutely free! However, as I look on facebook daily, I cant help but realize there are characteristics within the body if its users. There are people who use it for all different types of things from posting business information to event planning. On the flip side there are those who use facebook as platform to do share things most would believe to be private or just flat out irrelevant! While I have no personal problem with any of facebooks users, there are the few that seem to annoy me tremendously! Next up is a short list of those people. If you happen to fit any of these descriptions, don't be mad at me....its all for fun. However I must tell you, you are highly annoying and on the berge of being hidden or even.........un-friend-ed! :)

# 1 FACEBOOKER I HATE: THE "LIKE(ER)" - You know who im speaking about. The person who is on facebook ALL DAY and sits there and "likes" everything people say and do. Posts...."like".....videos....."like".......pictures...."like. Really?? Is it necessary to like" EVERYTHING someone does? Umm, get a life!

#2 FACEBOOKER I HATE: THE DO(ER) - This is the person who has the need to tell you EVERYTHING they are doing. Things like: Chilling with my family....or.......At the store with mom. Like seriously, get a Twitter account! Do I have to know or even care about everything you're doing? NO! Go about your day and try not to tell everyone you're at the restaurant eating sushi and having saki! I really don't care! Umm, get a life!

# 3 FACEBOOKER I HATE: THE REQUEST(ER) - I'll keep this one short! Listen and listen good! I DON'T PLAY FARMVILLE AND MAFIA WARS! STOP SENDING ME REQUESTS!! AND YEAH....GET A LIFE!
I have over 200 requests in my inbox. I wish it was a felony to send people useless game requests!
Im just playing.....but i'm saying!

#4 FACEBOOKER I HATE: THE DIRTY LAUNDRY ANGRY RANT(ER) - No one cares who your man is sleeping with! No one cares about chicks hitting you up on your inbox. Certainly no one cares about your personal relationships and sex life! If you want to air your dirty laundry.....call the person you're speaking about and address them directly. Better yet, don't accept their friend request! Stop putting all your business in the street! PLEASE!!!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!!

THE NUMBER #5 FACEBOOKER I HATE: THE PICTURE TAK(ER) - YO seriously, get out of the mirror. We already know what you look like. Its like you go to work or school every day just to take pictures! STOP! If you have 500 pictures of yourself on your page I think that's enough. I know its facebook but really................ enough is enough!

I hope you laughed just a little!
In actuality I love you all! You make the world go round'....
If you agree "like" this post! LOL!

4 WORKOUT OPTIONS FOR A STALE ROUTINE

2011-06-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Are your workouts getting dull and boring?? Are you stuck in a routine that lacks spice and enthusiasm? Well here are 4 workout options you can use to improve your workouts and give your workouts brand new life!

I believe every now and then its good to add a new workout style. Are you a traditionalist? The typical gym goer who does 20-40 mins of treadmill walking and then hits the same ole machines working the same body parts every session? Or maybe you're workouts are more well rounded than those I previously mentioned, but they're getting stale. Are you spending too much time doing one thing? Come out of the dark ages for starters. There is tons of information out there to help you shape and design a more well balanced approach. To save you a little time, consider these options:

Add Yoga!- Yoga can be a great addition to a traditional and somewhat stale workout routine. Yoga offers you the opportunity to learn a ton about yourself all while increasing mobility, flexibility, strength, and in some cases burning fat. Yoga is not for everyone, it requires a lot of patience and practice. But, once you have taken a few classes, you'll begin to notice subtle changes that may be a surprise to you. In addition to the benefits I already mentioned, yoga also helps speed up the muscle regeneration process, flush harmful toxins and increase blood flow. In short, Yoga can be a great addition or change to your program that can help you get a break from the norm and see an increase in health and vitality.

Pool workouts! Pool work can be a tone of fun but can also be grueling. The great thing about this style of training is there is so much room for variety. You can do traditional lap work choosing one of the various types of swimming. You can also use the exercises some use for recovery from injury. Exercises like water sprints, treading water, and the different arm and leg eercises that will certainly give you a run for your money. Pool work and also can act as a recovery tool and be a refreshing change from the norm.

MMA or kick boxing workouts! This may be my personal favorite. MMA training is the new craze and has been proven to produce dramatic results for the general population. MMA or Mixed Martial Arts is basically a general mix of many of the popular martial arts people have studied for years. A very short list of MMA styles include; Brazilian Jiu Juitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai, Wrestling, Boxing and Kick Boxing. These styles of fighting all present extreme challenges and can all be effective for increasing aerobic/anaerobic fitness and helping with strength and fat loss. If you're a stand up type of person, you may want to try boxing or cardio kick boxing classes for a challenge. If you want to get a little more frisky, Muay Thai and BJJ can give you the challenge of your life! Trust me, if you want a change and can handle the challenge, these classes are for you.

photo from Nick Catone's MMA Academy in Brick NJ

http://www.nickcatonefitness.com/

Its important to remember to seek professional help on how to program this type of training into your normal routine. Training incorrectly can cause problems and induce more fatigue than may be necessary. A great source for understanding the biodynamics of MMA and how it can help you whether you're a high level fighter or a average person looking to train to maximize your potential is Joel Jamiesons' Ultimate MMA Conditioning book. This book give a detailed and very down to earth approach on how to train and when to do what. More importantly Joel inspires thought and doesnt just outline a 1 size fits all program for the readers. He instead teaches you the steps so that you can learn your body and get better results!

Strongman training variants! Strong man training is another form of extreme training that can be loads of fun and extremely hard. This will test your true grit and force you to find out the limits of how hard you want to push yourself. There are many variants out there than can be effective for you. The best options for the general population looking for a little exercise variety are;

tire flipping - this is a full body exercise that forces you bend, grip, pull, extend and push all at maximal efforts. Be sure to pick a tire you can handle and give it a whirl. If you're worried about injury, dont be. The tire is safe as long as you bend adequately using a vertical spine and drive with the legs. Be sure to keep the momentum going as you lift the tire to hip level and keep pressing forward until the tire is completely flipped on its opposite site. 3 - 5 sets of 4-5 flips will definitely give you a challenge and help keep things fresh and fun.
Sled dragging and pulling. These are great for building good hypertrophy and general conditioning. Sleds can be as heavy or as light as you can handle. Just be sure you have a safe towing surface. This exercise is tuff on the legs and grip/forearms. Done correctly they can be a great additive and very challenging. Most commercial gyms don't have sleds, so other variations would be car pushing or prowler pushing. A Prowler is a very unique piece of equipment that allows you to load weights and either push it from behind or pull it from in front. Again both variations present a different challenge and can test your full limits. Try pulling/pushing for distances of close to 30yards. Rest for 1-3 minutes and repeat. You can also change up the difficulty and intensity by going lighter and moving faster (running) or going heavier and somewhat shorter distances. Either way, give it a go.

farmers walks

Farmers Walk. These are great for core conditioning and testing your true toughness. All you need is two relatively heavy dumbbells or farmers walk implements and walk a pretty significant distance. We usually go 30-40yds at a time and rest about 1-3minutes between sets.

Im sure there are many more styles you could add to your workouts to give you an added challenge or spice up the routine. The goal is to think outside the box and have fun. These workout styles are all completely different and present challenges within themselves. Please choose exercises wisely and make sure you seek professional help before embarking on any workout program.

Get Strong Be Explosive!

The Importance of Running Speed for Sports Performance!

2011-06-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

In most sports it’s pretty common to hear about the importance of speed. In specific, running speed (how fast someone can run) has garnered a wide range of respect among sports performance coaches because it’s pretty common to see faster athletes’ excelling in sports. Look at any major high school or collegiate sports program. What is the major difference between the top schools and the mid-level schools? It’s SPEED! When athletes can run and execute sport skill with more speed, they’ll outperform athletes who move slower, in most cases.

Here at Key 2 Sports, we train athletes for sports performance enhancement regardless of sport. We believe that sports performance enhancement & sprint speed go hand in hand. Improving sports performance involves but is not limited to; sport skill, mobility, strength, power, conditioning and a host of other things depending on the sport one is preparing for and their level of maturity in that particular sport. However, sport speed or run speed by itself will give athletes an edge over their opponents, and will most assuredly improve the athletes’ performance.

In short there are a few things one must to do to actually get faster. Running speed in and of itself is a byproduct of genetics, strength/power ratio & movement efficiency. What I mean by this is most of the fast athletes are fast genetically & will most likely always be fast. They have it “easier” than people like me who had to work tirelessly at developing speed. All things being equal, a genetically fast individual will always be faster than a non-genetically fast individual. Additionally, all athletes regardless of genetics need to develop a good base level of strength. Developing strength will assist them in their ability to run faster. Lastly, one needs to train him or herself to minimize useless movements and improve the ones that help you get the most out of your body. This is usually where you see run mechanic drills come into play like A-marching and various other drills. This list sounds easy to accomplish, but people have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on training speed. Others have worked for years on training the specifics of what I have mentioned here. So although a short list, its not an easy task to say the least.

In short, getting faster in running comes from 2 things:

#1 - Get stronger & more powerful. Strength happens when your central nervous system is trained to activate more muscles to achieve a specific task. Strong individuals essentially use more muscles to do work whereas weaker individuals use less muscle to do the same work. It’s that simple. Strength has NOTHING to do with muscle size and everything to do with muscle activation and timing. This is important because sprinting is a full body power exercise. If you plan to do it well, you’ll need all your muscles activated and synchronized to maximum capacity. Once strength is achieved, power can be executed! Without strength, your nervous system will not be able to call on the muscles needed to produce a faster movement. When athletes are weaker, this is usually the time where training to improve stride length and performing run mechanics is best. Once the proper motor patterns are established, horsepower (strength & explosiveness) can be put behind it to develop a more speed! Power on the other hand, is the ability to take that strength and apply it at the fastest speeds possible. A powerful athlete will generate more force into the ground thus covering more ground with each step. This along with developing optimal mobility improves an athletes’ stride frequency (how fast their legs move) and their stride length (how much ground they cover on each step). Those 2 qualities combined is what determines your speed. So in the end, you need to develop adequate strength by performing exercises like;

SQUATS
DEADLIFTS
PULL-UPS
ROWS
ETC.

If you’re young and not ready for a weight training regimen quite yet, you can benefit from body weight exercises like;

PUSH-UPS
PULL-UPS
LUNGES
PLANK
ETC.

In addition, if you’re somewhat over weight, you will need to get leaner. “Leaning out” as we call it, will decrease your overall body weight then thus increase your relative body strength. Doing this will allow you to develop more power which is needed to run faster. So develop a good level of aerobic conditioning and drop the excess body weight. This means cardiovascular training like distance running, biking or any activity done for 30 -60min or more at moderate HR (heart rate) zones (130-155) will help. Last, clean up your diet by dropping the low performance foods and increase the high performance foods and you will begin to see your health & speed increase.

#2 – Improve movement efficiency. This means to practice running fast with great form. Run mechanics & teaching run form seems to be a concept many coaches do not believe in. Teaching arm and leg drills like A-marching, high knee running, arm swings and various others, many coaches believe are a waste of time because athletes don’t run with this same form on the field or court. While this is true, it’s also true that only teaching running from the mindset of “just get stronger and sprint more” is seriously lacking. Athletes need to learn form. Why? Because anything done with poor form whether it’s strength training or just sprinting, will not benefit anyone. Just having athletes run fast and never-minding their form is no different than just having them lift heavy weights and never minding their form. Both will only take the athlete so far. Once adequate form is achieved, the practice of sprinting fast while maintaining that form will simply help in developing speed.

With that said, I’ll address how we see run form playing a role in speed development.

We realize that sprinting in a straight line and sprinting on a field or ball court are 2 totally different things. What most people see on a sprint track is true sprinting. There’s a start phase, an acceleration phase & a top speed phase. The track athlete is totally unhindered in their running lanes and don’t have to worry about fielding fly balls, defensemen attacking the ball or alluding tackles from 300lb men. So sprint form will always take track athletes further as it is 100% “sport specific” for them. Field sports like soccer, football, baseball and lacrosse for example are games played at angles. Sprint form is less important for them as it is for track athletes because these sports all have characteristics that require athletes to constantly change directions at various speeds. So, although sprint form is trained, it’s not the bulk of the training program. We ensure that our athletes execute form well enough to improve their on-field performance, but, we don’t go overboard with actual sprint form. It’s just not necessary.

Here is a sample from one of our speed sessions:

In all honesty, on the field “sport-specific” speed comes down to having the ability to accelerate decelerate & re-accelerate properly. This is more about quickness, agility and the ability to combine these qualities with acceleration & deceleration within your level of sport skill. Again, field sports are sports played at angles. By angles I mean the athletes is either running toward a stationary or non-stationary object. During this process the athlete must use good body leverage and be able to run, re-direct, stop, jump, cut, etc. Athletes who can extend their hips (accelerate) and or bend their hips (decelerate) with the smoothest transition will move better on the field. So essentially most field and court related sports should primarily focus on acceleration and deceleration at the hips.

Acceleration is what we spend a great deal of time training. Our athletes need to learn how to get to a specific (and sometime undetermined) spot faster than their opponents. The then must learn how to decelerate. Being able to stop, re-redirect and re-accelerate is the key to improving sports speed. Without this ability, many athletes would not be affective for their teams because the nature of sports played on fields is to be able to use that speed to improve your chances of winning. It’d be no different than trying to take a drag car on a NASCAR track. Drag cars are the fastest cars in the world, but they cannot turn. So all the speed built up between turns is useless if the ability to turn and re-direct that speed is lost.

An athletes’ running speed is only as good as their ability to adequately use it on the playing field. If the athlete lacks in any area; sport skill, strength, power, mobility, etc., speed will not be as helpful. Improving your sport skill, strength, mobility, conditioning and power can be very helpful for your speed. Just learning when, where and how to apply it will allow for better sport mastery and increase your performance. In the end, run speed will help you more than not having run speed will hurt you.

Case and point: Train athletes for speed! They’re development in field and court sports can be positively affected by proper speed development. If you want to take your game to its highest level, you’re going to have to get faster. There are no 2 ways about it.

HOW WE CAN HELP:

Are you slow and looking to take your game to a new level? Check out our speed calendar HERE for the Summer 2011 and or call Key 2 Sports @ 732-749-3093 to discuss other options we have available for you.

Get Strong Be Explosive!

No Time to Workout? Really?

2011-06-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

NO TIME TO WORKOUT? REALLY??

They still make you? You know, the old model? The one looking for sympathy. The one that says “there’s not enough time in the day”. The one who makes excuses. They one who blames it on others. I didn’t know you still existed…

Sound mean? It’s not meant to be mean. It’s just true. If you still feel like you don’t have enough time in the day to workout, read this!

1. We’re all given the same 24 hours a day and 168 hours a week.
2. We all have stressful lives. There isn’t a person alive who lives stress free. Stress free doesn’t exist.
3. We all have responsibilities and multiple things that require our attention. This is also part of life.
4. We all have to deal with the unexpected. Things happen. Kids get sick, tires wind up flat, emergencies pop-up and cause us to react on the fly. Deal & cope.
5. We are all tired. We’re all exhausted from long work days and short sleep nights. We all get asked to work over-time or are given some task that requires additional time (that we may not even be getting paid for). It happens.

I could go on and on. You get the point. The way you spend your time is a choice. YOUR CHOICE.

Here is a short “shot in the arm” list to tell it like it is. Then once the truth has set you free, you’ll be able to begin making changes for the better.

I’m going to go Matrix on you. If you want to face the truth so that you can get better, read this. If you want to continue to wallow in your pool of excuses, click off this page.

For those who “took the red pill”, let’s go!

1. You must decide what’s important to you and then go after it! Plain & simple. The most miserable people on earth are those who can’t make choices. They want this thing today and that thing tomorrow. They can’t decide where they want to live, eat, work, who they want as friends, enemies and on and on and on. Misery (ask me how I know, lol). The great thing about truth is that it draws a line. Once the facts are laid out, then you have no choice but to make a choice. That’s what this is about. Making a choice. The 1^st thing you must decide to do is make a choice. Without a choice you can’t have a clear vision or a specific thing to shoot for. People who don’t have a destination are called wanderers. Those are people who are on life’s treadmill. Running everywhere but going nowhere. Decide what you want. You want to get fit? Good, let’s go!

2. Have a vision. I want to lose 20lbs is a great goal. I want to lose 20lbs in the next 2 months is a better goal. I want to lose 3lbs a week for the next 8 weeks is even better. Get specific. The more specific you can get the better. It’s amazing, I get people asking me what they should eat to lose weight all the time. So I’ll say, “Well what are you eating now?” 9 times out of 10 the person has no clue. So they write down what they eat for 3 days and bring it to me. Most times before I even begin talking they can already see where they need help. Why? Because it’s not rocket science. Write down your goals. See them on paper. And then begin to move on to step 3.

3. Measure the costs of your goal. What’s this goal going to cost you? What’s it going to cost you in time? Effort? Loss of sleep? Loss of socializing or lazy time? Maybe even temporary loss of “me” time. Whatever your goals are, you have to figure out what it’s going to cost you to get there. Once you have the facts (truth) then you can make a decision on it. Ask yourself “am I willing to pay the cost”? Want to accomplish a certain look? Want to feel a certain way? Want to wear a certain outfit? Good. What’s it going to cost you? There’s an old saying, “what gets measured gets managed”. Almost any goal is achievable. The choice is yours whether you’re willing to do what it takes. If you have what it takes to accomplish the goal, pay the cost. If you realized that you genuinely do not. That’s ok too. Just go back to step one and re-adjust your goals to fit what you have the ability to afford.

Quick example: I find two things of the utmost value. What I have on my feet and what I sleep on. Why? Because you’ll spend over 1/3 of your life on your feet. You’ll also spend almost another 1/3 sleeping. That’s a lot of time. So for this reason, shoes and beds hold high value to me. I must be comfortable. That said, I love sneakers. I’ll buy a pair of good sneakers in a heartbeat regardless of price. Why? Because, I find the value of the sneaker to be of bigger importance than the cost of it. So paying the cost is easy. It’s worth it to me. When something has value, the price tag is not as important.

4. Action! Now it’s time to do. You’ve decided you want to get fit. You’ve decided how fit you want to be. You’ve measured the cost of what that goal is going to cost you. Now it’s time to act. This is where “not having enough time to work-out” comes into play. If you have done the 1^st three steps, then this part is about nothing more that your will. Many people are great planners, measurers, goal setters etc. They just have No will to do anything. If you can’t decide to work up the motivation to train alone, get a partner, hire a trainer or something. Do not just decide to do nothing. Knowledge with no action in simply information. Knowledge comes from knowing. When you know to do something and you actually do it, you have knowledge. If you’ve never lifted a weight, you have no knowledge of lifting, you simple have information. I don’t care how many books you’ve read. But if you have lifted weights, you can apply what you have read with what you have experienced and make the knowledge useful. Likewise are those who read about the negative effects of poor fitness and do nothing about it. Take action with what you’ve planned, measured and visualize. Then maybe someday you’ll be able to help someone else in the same situation.

Waking up earlier is a great start!!

5. Last, persevere. The great thing about these steps is that they must be done EVERYDAY! To do them once is not enough. They must be done every single day. Decide in your heart you will stick to the plan despite the stress, tiredness, responsibilities, emergencies etc. Review your goals every day and make the necessary adjustments along the way.

Notice I did not give you a plan. I did not give you a workout regimen. That’s a patch job. In my experience, I have spent time writing programs for people that they’ve spent 2 days looking at and never picked up again. Instead, I want to inspire thought. The problem is not that you don’t have time to work out. You just chose to do other things with the time you had. Wake up! The old model human doesn’t exist anymore. The one who makes excuses and blames others. The one who settles. The one who used to be a victim. You’ve taken the red pill. Now get to work!

Hope this helps someone!

Why your Cardio Fitness classes ARE NOT working for you....and what to do about it!

2011-05-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

The powerful engine behind most commercial chain gyms are their low monthly rates, high tech (unnecessary) equipment & their myriad of cardio fitness classes. Boot camps, body pump, cardio kick etc, are the many names and titles you may potentially see if you happen to be going through a manual or tour of the gym. The truth about these classes is that they CAN work. But you ask, why aren't they working for me?? Well the reason they aren't working for you will be explained very simply though out the next few paragraphs.

First, understand that marketing is the driving force behind almost 90% of the fitness we see in the media. Super human like fitness instructors making their obese clients do things that are not only unnecessary but down right dangerous. Everyone promoting fad diets and a workout that leaves the person doing it looking almost dead, dripping with blood, sweat and saliva. The plug is in. They have you! The marketing ploys have sunk their teeth into you and now you're ready to do the stuff you saw "so and so" do. So you drive to the nearest commercial gym, the gym that has the cash prize competition for who can drop the most weight. The gym with all the trainers who look like they have never eaten a carb in their lives. And you sign up. Realize that in all actuality, they are marketing and NOT at all concerned with your fitness. They are concerned with your MONEY. The stuff that really works and has and always will. The stuff that hasn't never will.

Secondly, understand that there is nothing wrong with promoting health. There is actually nothing wrong with fitness classes. Circuit style training is one of the hallmarks of today's industry and studies show that those who do it can receive great results. The problem is.....its not for everyone. Yes, I said it. Its not for everyone! If you are an average 10-20lbs over weight with a pretty active lifestyle, this type of training combined with a good nutrition plan will do wonders for you!. If you are 20lbs + over your target body weight and have a slow metabolism due to being inactive, you may need to readjust your approach. Here's why.

People who train in the fitness classes are primarily training in fast tempo, upbeat classes that really drive their heart beats up to super high levels. This is the "fat loss in America" approach. But whats happening in severely overweight individuals is they are experiencing exhaustion and the quality of their workouts suffers. This is because their hearts are not able to handle the fast paced dynamic movements because the heart itself isn't strong enough yet. These overweight individuals have absolutely zero aerobic conditioning and can actually do harm than good by training at such high levels.

Quick explanation, when we are de-conditioned or "out of shape" our hearts are actually weaker than they should be. Our lungs don't have the same capacity to exchange oxygen at the proper rates and our vascular network (veins, capillaries and so-forth) isn't functioning at its maximum capacities. So in essence, the constant pushing of the heart rate causes the heart to go to levels its not prepared to handle yet. This can lead to over training and fatigue. Understand that any type of work, whether it be slow or fast paced, if its not quality is bad for you. Our exercising has to be with good form and quality movements or its not going to help. Period! Also this fast paced training causes the lungs and skeletal muscles to expand and contract past their capable levels. It would be similar to not lifting a weight for 10 years and then trying to max effort squat your first time back in the gym. A person would never do this because they realize it takes some time to build up muscular strength and conditioning before your body can perform at its maximum capacity. Well likewise, our hearts are muscles as well, frankly the most important muscle we have. By being de-conditioned and trying to compete in an environment where people are maxing out their heart rates is dangerous, even if you are going slower than the dude in the front.

When you train at super high levels, your body cannot utilize oxygen as its main energy source. It has to use glycogen stores and other enzymes. The problem is that your body can only do this for so long (seconds) before those energy stores run out. This is where aerobic conditioning comes in. If you have a good ground base of aerobic conditioning, your body will replenish and refuel itself much faster allowing you to train higher and longer. However if you don't, your body will not be able to replenish itself and you can over train. When this happens you actually work against yourself because when theres nothing left to use for energy, they body will begin to use skeletal muscle and this works against your goals. The last thing you need is for your body to start eating away at itself for energy to sustain your fat loss workouts. Think about it.

The next problem is that these overweight individuals aren't strong enough muscularly yet . Our bodies are made up of both slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. In a de-conditioned person, their fast twitch muscles are not as capable as leaner individuals because they have too much fat and water surrounding those muscles. The bottom line is that the leaner you are, the better your fast twitch muscles will operate. The reason athletes like high jumpers and basketball players can jump so high is because the vast majority of them are super lean, and have great relative body strength. Relative body strength is when you are able to execute strength exercises using your body weight but at its best levels. Push-ups, sit-ups, jumping and so-forth. So when you see the instructor jumping high, throwing faster punches and doing a gazillion push-ups with blinking, its because they have a greater relative body strength.

What you need to do if you're severely over weight is take a different approach. Realize that your aerobic system is the fuel and the back bone of all your work. Your aerobic system has the ability to take you from a couch potato to a 5k or 10k runner or even more! Training this system will also help you develop your slow twitch muscle and shed excess body weight. Many people have been scared away from aerobic training because they think it will make them flabby and weak. The truth is it would take years of OVER running to have muscle atrophy and flab set in. So you need not be scared of aerobic training, in fact, this training will be the fuel for your higher level training when your heart and body are ready to handle that type of training.

Your next order of business is to simply weight train. Yes, develop a ground base of muscle. If you cannot do a push-up, you got no business training a cardio boot camp class. Slow it down and get stronger. No since sitting out of 3/4 of the class because you're too out of shape or weak to complete it. Squat, bench, lat pull-downs, lunges etc. Just get stronger and you'll then be able to handle the more dynamic demands of fast twitch work.

Your week should resemble this.

Cardio train 3x's a week 60-90minutes (run, bike, swim etc.) - Keep your heart rate from 130-150 for the entire duration of the workout.

Strength train 2-3 days a week. Full body exercises like Squats, bench press, step-ups, rows etc. Work all the major areas or your body and challenge yourself to keep good form. Increase weights slowly and push yourself.

Lastly clean up your diet. Stay away from the fatty foods and the late night eating. READ THIS!

This isn't to insult or demean anyone, its simply educational. I'm not against cardio fitness classes, just make sure if you're going to go, you get something out of it. Try to follow a more traditional approach for a few weeks and as you are ready move slowly into the faster paced work.

Hope this helps someone!

The UNLIKELY KEY to a faster 40!

2011-05-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

As you may already know, the 40yard dash is one of America's top dog exercises for finding out exactly how fast and explosive some one really is. Literally during locker room talk guys will ask one of two questions when it comes to athletic performance and so-called legitimacy. "Whats your bench?" probably reigns supreme. There's no question the bench press get the most attention even still to this day. Thats usually followed by "whats your 40 time?". People care about the 40 and will pay large sums of money to improve it.

This is where people like myself come in. I spend most of my week in my gym either making athletes stronger and more powerful or on a field helping them use that strength and power for raw SPEED. We teach everything from basic strength principals to run mechanic work helping improve posture, mobility and other areas that may be lacking. One area that has been inadvertently overlooked has been the focus on relaxation. You may be asking your self, relaxation? YES, teaching the athlete how to properly relax during explosive bouts of exercise. This simple practice can make huge changes in the amount of power displayed and actually recorded depending on the exercise you choose.

Here is an example:

Football players are told during practice and games that they should always be moving at 100% intensity and effort. "If you make a mistake, make it at 100% effort." was a common line I heard while I played football. There is absolutely NO problem with this statement. In fact as a former Division 1 football coach I wholeheartedly agree! The problem is the coach and players don't understand that those statements trigger a response of complete intense actions and thus CAN cause the athlete to become tense. This happens because the athlete is A) trying to do what the coaches are asking and B) doesn't want to be the one caught NOT "going hard", because that could cost him playing time and so-forth. So the general statement stimulates an almost nervous response where the athlete becomes tense and when this happens his performance surely suffers.

Later on in a different setting, these athletes will come to a performance coach such as myself where they are specifically looking for strength or speed training. As we begin to train, it becomes evident almost immediately that they are bringing this nervous tension into the weight room or onto the field/track. They clinch their hands when doing exercises, they're teeth grit and they exhibit tight or stiff shoulders and neck during their movements. Now, realize that this is not every athlete. But a large majority of them can learn from what i'm about to say.

So in addition to our standard training practices where we teach strength, run mechanics and proper form, mobility and how to apply explosive force to all these areas, we have gotten some of our biggest results from simply telling our athletes to relax. Scientifically it is referred to as contractility. Contractility of muscle tissue is the combination of how fast your muscles can contract AND relax during aerobic and anaerobic bouts of exercise. This is vitally important because maximizing contractility can mean the difference between a hundreth of a second and a full tenth of a second. If you know anything about 40yd dash times, these numbers could mean any thing from thousands to millions of dollars or even a scholarship offer. Contractility can be trained in many different ways, but the idea is to coach what your athletes will understand so that you can be effective for them.

So, when I say relax, I don't mean take it easy or take it down a notch. We want our athletes, at certain times, moving at the greatest possible speed with as much explosive force as possible. We simply mean to learn how to reduce their muscular tension (especially in their upper bodies) so that they can execute with more fluidity.

notice the calm demeanor of the fastest man on the planet!

In terms of our 40yard dash testing. We noticed a large portion of our athletes were "trying to hard" to run faster. We had spent weeks and weeks on mobility, strength, form and execution. Something seemed to be missing for a few of them. So one day after watching many fail to achieve faster times we took a look at their demeanor on film. Sure enough, each of them were too tense! So with no extra teaching at all, I simply told them to relax. I said, "You guys are athletes....so relax and let it come out. Stop trying so hard. Relax your face, neck and arms and let it flow!". Immediately with out any fancy teaching and without fail, all of them had taken a minimum of 1 tenth off their previous 40yd dash times. Immediately, smiles broke out and the atmosphere lightened up. Next thing I knew there were PR's being set left and right. They believed in themselves again and went on happy!

I know this is no new ground breaking scientific study. Its something many of us already do. I simply believe that as we prepare our athletes and clients in general, we need to keep in mind this concept. Contractility of our muscle tissue (not to be confused with contractility of our cardiac muscle & stroke volume) can be a huge player in how much explosive force we exhibit whether you're sprinting, jumping or competing! Learn how to be as we call it "aggressive under control" and watch your performance sky rocket!

Foot work skills sessions: Build better MOVEMENT

2010-12-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Regularly we conduct Movement Skill or Movement Facilitation sessions along with our strength and plyometric work to help our athletes get used to performing the basic movements they'll see on the field. These sessions are generally referred to as speed & agility sessions but truthfully they are not! Speed sessions, in the purest form of the word are sessions where we focus on speed. Linear running drills designed to get our bodies used to moving as fast as possible with great technique. Then we have agility sessions. These type of sessions are designed to help our athletes move in a lateral or multi-directional position, focusing on good body angles and transverse plane running. These Movement Skill sessions are NEITHER. These sessions are basically sessions where we take a plyometric drill and focus on the initial 1st to 3rd step in ANY direction. We are not concerned about their actual linear speed. We are not overly concerned with their lateral speed. We are simply concerned with how they initiate their first to third steps. Body angle, body position, and basic re-teaching of simple ability to move is our focus. I believe that these sessions (integrated with linear & lateral speed teaching) help produce fantastic results for our athletes on the field movements.

Basic rules:

We only use a 10 yard surface for all of our progressions. We believe that the 1st 10 yds is the most important part of the teaching. So we cut down the running space to prevent useless injury and to focus on the initiation of sprinting.
We are only concerned with giving athletes a healthy base teaching on how to initiate their movements. Some believe that athletes should just lift hard and practice their sport, believing that this type of training will suffice. Others believe that simply focusing on linear sprinting will be enough. We DO NOT agree. From our assessments, most athletes will not use their sprint form or even their agility form because sports move at such fast paces its hard to have perfect form. Athletes WILL however, have to learn how to initiate their acceleration runs from both stand still and moving positions. So because this is something ALL (non-track) athletes will face, we find it critical to spend time here.

Here is a few clips of one of our movement skill sessions. No top end speed work, no agility work and excessive lateral running. Just getting good and movement initiation. This along with a sound strength program focusing on strength, plyometrics, mobility & even conditioning should give your (non-track) athletes a great chance and not only better performance but a healthy season.

video:

Want to Lose Weight?? Here are 6 things you should think about!

2010-12-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

At my personal training business in Monmouth County NJ, I meet with people every day who are looking to lose weight. It's one of the most common things you'll find people interested in along with speed (which is always a catchy term) and "toning up" which might be the most popular term of the three. The unfortunate problem is that most people who are looking for weight loss aren't aware of what it really takes to get there. People by and large have been blinded by this micro-wave mind set that says everything can be achieved and in basically little to no time! Books and commercials that advertise weight loss in 4 weeks or even 2 weeks are really mis-leading and quite frankly an insult to the many who have labored tirelessly to achieve great results. Non-the-less the market is saturated with quick fix options that are not life changing or practical for long periods.

The other thing I have seen is that by & large, people don't really know what they're asking for. People say they want to lose weight and get fit but succumb to the pressures of hard work and consistency. I can't count how many people I've trained that workout for 2 weeks and then say "when am I going to see results?". I relay the message all the time that results come through hard work, persistence and consistency. One cannot be completely sedentary for 5 years and expect to drop 20lbs in 2 weeks. Is it possible? I suppose. But not practical and not likely whatsoever.

BUT for those of you who have made the serious decision to get serious about your fat loss, here are 6 things to strongly consider:

Before I get started realize this list is not an exhaustive list, just practical in that by adhering to these principals you can see and expect great results. Ultimately the work, or lack there of, is up to you. You will get out what you put in...

#1 - Self Discipline! - In order to embark on the precious journey of changing your life & body you must begin the process with determining to have self-discipline. If you don't have this all too important element, you're bound to waste time and money ending up in a return to the sedentary lifestyle you were accustomed to living previously.

Discipline is something that you either have or you don't. If you're one who doesn't have it (you know who you are) you need to hire a PERSONAL TRAINER or train with a group of like minded individuals. The reason being is accountability. Some one needs to hold you accountable for your actions & training with groups or professional trainers can provide the kind of supervision, accountability and motivation you need to get through hard times.

#2 - Set Goals - Goal setting seems like a "no brainer" but most people have not grasped this very simple concept. Set goals & specific goals. Everyone's favorite goal is losing 20lbs. I love that goal. For some its a great start. For others, its more than enough. There's only one problem I have when people tell me they want to lose 20lbs. WHEN? I am a firm believer in the fact that the when is just as important as the what and maybe even more important sometimes. Why? because 20lbs can be lost over a 1 year period or it can be lost over a 1 month period. But that simple question can make all the difference in how you approach losing the 20lbs. Your goals should always have a what & a when.

ex: I need to lose 20lbs by January 15th.

Your workout style is determined by the "what" while your determination & motivation is determined by the "when"! I know i'll get weary trying to lose 20 pounds. But when I have 4 weeks to do it. The calendar is set and mentally I'm prepared to bust my hump for a month. The other great thing about the when is, it breaks up the workouts into mini-cycles in that as each goal is achieved you have a chance for a new motivation for a bigger goal. On the flip side, you may not reach your goal by the target date. So like any thing else it gives you a chance to re-evaluate and adjust your plan. But either way then "when" is critical.

#3 - Information Diet! Many of the people I speak to are over saturated with information. 15 different doctors or coaches with 15 different "proven" systems. This causes what I call information A.D.D. There is so much good information that one can get attention deficit disorder like symptoms when looking to get into a program. Don't get me wrong, I encourage researching the proven systems that will fit your personality and lifestyle. People should do their due diligence, however, if the information is coming in faster than you can decipher, it may be time for a little information cut back. Bottom like, pick a program and get started. If you find out that adjustments need to be made along the way then make them. The point is not to get caught up watching infomercials all day and never getting to the actual point.

#4 - The 4 EATS -

Eat quality - choose quality calories over non-quality calories. By now you know what foods these are. Saturated fats, boxed foods, things high in sugar etc. Choose grilled or baked over fried and stay away from excessive drinking of highly carbonated soft drinks. Be wise here.
Eat frequently - it is recommended that one eats every 2-3 hours. This helps improve metabolism and improves caloric expenditure (along with regularly working out and being active). Keep in mind that quality foods may not satiate you as long as poor food choices. Your body will tend to use the quality foods and therefore is looking forward to the next quality meal. Foods high in sugar and 'bad' carbs, will fill you up longer thus throwing off your ability to eat on cycle.
Eat boring - This one does not mean NEVER eat an exciting meal, full of color and taste. I simply mean to stick to that same principles every day at every meal (SNORE). CONSISTENCY OF THE NORM! Foods should be relatively high in protein (fish, lean poultry or red meat & eggs), healthy carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes, healthy whole grains, oatmeal and quality fruits like bananas & strawberries), & healthy fats (fish oil pills, butter, almonds & mayonnaise to name a few).
Eat leftovers - This one might be a lifesaver for most. Left overs will help you more than you know!

pre-cooked meals will be more convenient
they can help you in times of "weakness", preventing you from eating fast food
you already know the portion size and or nutritional value of the meal, its not a mystery.
you save $$ and time.

there are many other reasons for left overs....bottom mine is eat them and enjoy success!

#5 - Drink Lots of Water! Wont go on a tangent here. In this day & age, we all know the benefits of drinking water. The problem is.....we still aren't doing it. Here is a great way to begin. Ask yourself; "how much water do I drink currently?". When you have that answer, just increase it by half. Example: If you drink 4 glasses now, try to being to add two additional glasses. Try that for a few weeks and then repeat.

#6 - Push Yourself! -Nothing worth while comes easy. I am amazed at the amount of people who still lack in this area. They have everything else but the ability to push themselves to higher levels. Some need to push themselves to even get to the workout. (If this is you, you're NOT who I'm talking about. You need to check yourself at #'s 1 and 2.) I'm talking about those who need help pushing themselves to that new level during their workouts. Some of you may be thinking, "thats what we pay the trainer for". While this is true, there still needs to be some level of determination and drive that allows you to push through everything the trainer gives you. People that give in to that feeling when they've gotten outside their comfort zones. People who cringe when they here the phrase "one more set" or "5 more reps". Your body can handle a lot more than your mind will allow you to believe. Push yourself and don't fall back for fear of being exhausted. What you gain in return is well worth the investment of temporary pain. Try it, and win!

MID-SEASON SLUMP? HERE ARE 5 GREAT TIPS ON HOW TO FINISH STRONG!

2010-10-18T14:44:00.000-07:00

Mid October is usually the half way point in the season for high school & college athletes who play Fall sports. Its usually the point in the season where the body begins to feel the effects of the constant stress being placed on it. At this point multiple games have been played, multiple practices have been logged and school work (Mid-Terms) seem to be at its peak. In the life of the student athlete, this can be the most challenging part of the year. The adrenalin rush from the anticipation of the season is over. The new teammates, new coaches and new schemes to learn are all common now. And quite frankly, the excitement of each competition can vary based on if you're still in a play-off hunt or not.

So how do we finish strong? How do we keep performance at its absolute best? How do we stay fresh for the later part of the school year?? Serious athletes have already been in a sound in-season lifting program thus far and should be seeing good results on the field. But know this, the actual training alone does NOT equal being fresh! This is especially true if you have a coach who likes to "run" you into the ground in-between games, practices and for silly mental errors. Maintaining your mental and physical health is of the utmost importance at this juncture. You will not get any faster, stronger or explosive between now and the end of the season. Sorry but you are what you are at this point. So the important thing is keep your body (your vehicle) running at its absolute best. Here is my short list of ways the get the most out of your body later in the year!

#1 - ICE - Ice is not only for those who have injuries. Ice is a very important tool that can be used for many different reasons. For the sake of this article it should be considered as a recovery tool. Ice baths, ice tubs or even just ice bags on the legs everyday after practice or competition can save the life span in your legs like you wouldn't imagine. Ice helps to constrict blood vessels & reduce blood flow helping to flush lactic acid or waste from the damaged muscle tissue. In addition, ice reduces swelling in the broken down muscle fiber & aids in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS will usually set in anywhere from 24-72hrs after any intense exercise where muscles experience micro-trauma (tiny tears in muscles). Simply put, ice can help the speed up the healing process allowing athletes to play at a more fresh state.

DO THIS: Fully submerge your lower body in an ice bath or tub for 1 minute on & 2 minutes off for up to 3 rounds after practice or game. If you can only use bags, put the bags on the quads and hamstrings for 10 -15 minutes after practice.

#2 - EAT - This one still amazes me. Many athletes are sorely under nourished and or incredibly ignorant of what they should be eating daily. Food is FUEL, period. The days of not eating breakfast because "I don't have time" or my personal favorite "I don't like (_____)" are OVER. If you want to make it through a season healthy and strong you have to eat! If you want to make it deep in the playoff's and be worth something to your teammates in the clutch you have to eat! If you want to do all of this while studying 2-3 hours a day and completing all of your other assignments in a timely fashion you have to.......you guessed it....EAT!

When I say eat I don't mean cheese doodles on the way to practice. I'm talking about quality foods with substance that will keep you energized and help you maintain a good mental state while you perform at practice or in games. This section of the article can be an article in and of itself. So here are some good tips.

Eat breakfast! Everyday have breakfast. If you cant now because you dont have time, MAKE TIME! My recommendation is that you have a protein source like eggs (unless you have an allergy to eggs or some other medical condition you should eat them), a slow release carbohydrate source like oatmeal (without the sugar and crap) and a quality fat source like a fish oil pill. Add orange juice and or water and you're all set!

Have something before your school lunch & or before practice. Here is where the term supplementation comes in. I personally dont think any high school aged athlete should be on supplements unless they have completely maximized the potential of natural food in their diet. You'd be surprised how many athletes want to use supplements an cant even map out a decent meal plan for the day. You should use a quality protein source as a supplement when you cannot get food.

Example: Lunch is at 12pm. Breakfast is at 7am. At 10am between classes have a protein shake on your way to the next class.

Rule of thumb: If you have a late lunch, have a shake before lunch. If you have a early lunch, have a shake closer to noon time.

The food/fuel helps improve your focus, energy and gives you a good mental balance for the day. Skipping meals is terrible for your body and can actually lead to greater breakdown of muscle tissue and can completely drain your energy. Bottom line is you must eat quality foods (McDonalds Salads are not quality foods) and get in the habit of feeding regularly. This will help sustain you as November approaches and the cold weather sets in.

#3 - Drink WATER - This one will be short and sweet. Drink water. Dont worry about how much you're "supposed" to drink daily. Start where you are. If you drink 1 bottle a day, go for 2. If you drink 4 go for 5. Muscle repair, growth, and recovery is all enhanced by water intake. Drink water and when you think you're drinking enough, drink more.

#4 - REST- Here are 3 simple words for all my high school athletes out there. YOU NEED REST! This means, NO staying up until 2am playing "Call of Duty" with your buddies. Sleep deprivation is deadly! It negatively effects your cortisol which is a stress hormone impairing recovery and increasing your blood sugar levels. This basically means your ability to recover from workouts will be hindered. Athletes like soccer players and football players store glucose in their muscles for energy. Having this process interrupted because of the lack of sleep will cause performance to slow down and can lead to injury. Sleep deprivation also negatively affects brain functioning & immune system function. Also, as growing athletes, missing out on sleep can decrease activity of HGH (human growth hormone) being that this hormone is actually released DURING sleep! Missing out on sleep is NO joke and should not be taken lightly.

Health professionals will tell you that 8 hours is what you need. My belief is that you should get as much as you need. If you're one of those who don't get enough sleep, you should get more. If you're already sleeping upwards of 10 hours them you have gotten plenty. The key is to be smart and rest when necessary.

# 5 - STRETCH! - Stretching can keep muscles healthy and mobile preventing stiffness and rigidity. Many athletes are tight. If you have an area of concern, you should spend time stretching that area anywhere from 2-3 times a day. Stretching can also prevent injury. Your ability to move safely on the field of play is critical, obviously. By taking the time to increase mobility you actually help increase your own athleticism.

Many athletes don't like stretching because its painful. I will tell you that stretching when you wake up and even before bed are great ways to increase your athletic ability and put you in the best position to be successful. Similar to my thoughts on eating, I don't care if you don't like stretching, you MUST do it! You will thank me later!

Here is a good routine:

POST WORKOUT STRETCH ROUTINE

So there you have it! Remember its not enough to just train during the season. These 5 areas are critical and will prove to be the biggest component of your in-season routine.

Until next time.....

GET STRONG BE EXPLOSIVE!!

My Top #3 Favorites Commercial Gym Cardio Equipment

2010-10-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you've probably heard that using machines (treadmill's, ellipticals, bikes etc) for cardiovascular training has it limits. True results based methods like:

Kettle Bell training,
Circuit training,
Tabata's,
Barbell Complexes

...and the like, are where the real bang for your buck are. This is accurate. These training methods mentioned above are FAR superior to machines and have a greater carry over to our daily lives whether you're a elite athlete or a house mom with children.

(side note: If you truly haven't seen or heard of any of these methods described above you are living in the dark ages and should have your pulse checked.)

But, recently I've joined a commercial gym for a few weeks because I needed a break from my gym. It also gives me a chance to freely workout without having to answer phones, greet walk-in's and other tempting work obligations that stare at me while I workout. So, being at this gym (who's name I will not mention) has allowed me to pick out pieces of cardio equipment that can give me a good challenge but are a break from the super intense kettle bell sessions we use at my gym. Not that there's anything wrong with that other stuff, I'm just finding joy in mixing it up and still getting a great workout in.

So here are my 3 favorite pieces of Commercial gym cardio equipment:

#3 - Airdyne Bike - This bike is a MONSTER! You will generally find it for use in rehab facilities or places where athletes are recovering from injury. But make no mistake, when used for cardio training it can be quite a challenge. The bike uses a unique system where a fan is used to generate motion. The user must also incorporate their arms & legs together, giving this bike the most unique characteristics of any workout bike available.

TRY THIS: 90sec sprints (RPM in the 80-90% of your max range) and rest for 1 minute. Do 5 rounds = just under15 minutes of work. This is no Prowler Sprint, but its certainly no walk in the park either!

#2 - The (VersaClimber) Mountain Climber. When you want a tail kicking workout, try climbing a few short hills with small rest intervals in between. You can add this to an existing circuit or do them alone. Mountain climbing is great working both the legs and the arms, but most importantly gives you a great variety from your average training day. Besides, if you haven't done it in a while will leave you quite sore for a few days. I love cardio pieces that force the user to work their arms and legs! Well this machine does just that. It also has settings that can make the climbing as intense as you are ready for!

TRY THIS: Climb 300ft or 3min or whatever comes 1st then rest for 90sec and repeat. Do 4-6 rounds. Less than 20 minutes and you'll feel like passing out...

TODAY I CLIMBED THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT (SETTING ON MY VERSA CLIMBER) NOT EASY BUT A GREAT WORKOUT IF YOU WANT TO TRY IT. TRY FOR 3MIN, IT'S 554 FEET HIGH!

OK READY FOR NUMBER 1??

OK DRUM ROLL PLEASE..........

NUMBER 1 IS....

The ROWER! - Or what I like to call the BEAST! This machine will kick your tail! Be sure you are adequately prepared for this machine because if not 'blaaaa' on the gym room floor! Not good. I always dread the rower because it kicks my butt no matter how good of shape i'm in.

TRY THIS: I do 500meters or 1:50 sec intervals with a full 90 sec rest. 4-6 rounds of this will leave you quite jello(ish) in the legs and little light headed. But, it's great for increasing your anaerobic threshold and burning FAT. For more intense circuits just increase the level on the fan or go for longer distances.

So there is my short list of favorites when it comes to commercial gym cardio equipment. If you ever get bored and just want a change up in routine try one of these variations. If your gym doesn't have these pieces, find a new gym! Bottom line is, get your butt OFF those treadmills, ellipticals and recumbent bikes! These alternative cardio machines will hold you over until you're either ready for more intense work or until you're ready to resume more intense work.

Hope this helps someone. Later...

2010-10-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

PILATES CLASSES

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Dani will take you through floor work exercises, using your own body, and props, to

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This class is for beginners and athletes alike.

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The TRX Fitness Program

2010-10-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

The TRX Fitness Program
FITNESS FOR ALL LEVELS

An Innovative Program for Enhancing Performance, Functional Fitness and Building Strength

By: Deborah Migneco ENERGIZE FOR LIFE PERSONAL TRAINING & TRX INSTRUCTOR @ KEY 2 SPORTS & FITNESS

TRX Suspension Training might sound daunting and overly challenging, but it’s actually more fun than any other exercise regimen experienced thus far and many folks are now requesting this specialized form of exercise. Why? Well, imagine having over 300 exercises using your own body weight, most of them enhancing your core strength and stability, in one piece of “equipment”, that can accommodate any fitness level AND, the degree of difficulty is controlled by YOU!

Now, in addition to developing core strength, what if you learned that it also increases functional stability, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, balance and joint stability and, reduced your risk of injury? Too good to be true, right?? It is true with the TRX, for the design allows you to work in all 3 planes of motion, using multi-joint exercises that rely on the coordinated effort of many different muscle groups, and at the same time, utilizing core activation through the entire motion. Sound intriguing? If you want to improve your functional performance as you move through life (and in the activities you enjoy), come and experience the TRX for yourself. It will be like nothing you have ever tried before…

OUR WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE:

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5 GREAT EXERCISES FOR BUILDING A DOMINANT DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

2010-09-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

When training, preparing & coaching defensive lineman it is important to remember that the American Football defensive lineman is one of the more unique athletes on the face of the earth. Its been long said that the average football lineman engages in the equivalent of approximately 50-65 car crashes every game. OUCH! Lets take this even 1 step further. The American Football defensive lineman INITIATES these collision type crashes from 1-2yards away! All while having the responsibilities of disengaging and pursuing the ball carrier. These dudes definitely earn their pay.

Well because of this unique responsibility/requirement, strength & conditioning coaches must consider programming that will equip the athlete for all of this. Here I have list of exercises we do to prepare our lineman for their season. But 1st lets look at the list of requirements placed on the defensive lineman for an average play.

1. initiate collision & absorb impact
2. drive against 1 or sometimes even 2 offenders at one time
3. disengage the blocker and pursue the ball
4. tackle the ball & or whoever has it

All of these items require power, raw strength, speed & agility, superb conditioning & overall mental toughness!

With this in mind here is my (I hate the term best) favorite 5 exercises for building a dominant defensive lineman:

1. Heavy Trap Bar Dead Lift - The reason is because of the initial burst of raw power needed to move the bar. This pre-coiled position teaches good bend and helps develop explosive hips as the athlete moves the bar vertically.

* No trap bar? No Problem! Use a medicine ball, hold it in front of your chest (like doing a chest pass). Assume the pre-coiled squat position and on command explode vertically pressing the ball as high as humanly possible while jumping as high as possible. Land with good posture and repeat.

2. Kneeling Medicine Ball Coil Press + Push-up - This exercise is great for using hips & upper body power. It teaches the similar mechanics as the defensive lineman use in horizontal pressing and best of all teaches how to absorb impact in the chest & shoulders. The emphasis to falling to the floor and exploding back to a upright kneeling position is key!

KNEELING MEDICINE BALL COIL PRESS + PUSH-UP

3. Up Hill Truck push - The up hill feature adds the element of the "fight back". All too often D-lineman practice pushing something that doesn't push back. Well, in every game I ever played in, the offensive lineman pushed back. If you use a slight (and I mean very slight) hill or slope, the truck will still budge but will most certainly push back if you don't use proper leverage. Push on flat service is no good as momentum takes over and the vehicle begins to roll on its own. So a 5-10 degree slope is best.

Disclaimer* This exercise should be done with a sound proven coach or instructor. Using a very steep hill, unsafe footing and or a over sized vehicle can and probably will cause injury. Please be wise in doing this drill. Its intended to help not hurt.

*If you feel this is too risky, use a Prowler! No need for a hill as a prowler will not roll, but it also will not push back. Prowlers can be purchased HERE! They are great tools for developing overall strength and power in the full body! We use them every week here. Either way you go be wise!

4. Push-up Sprints with pursuit! - This is simply having the athlete start on the ground in the push-up position. Then they push-up directly to their feet and begin a 5-10yard sprint. After that have them stop and re-direct and sprint to an area of choice (sort of like a pursuit drill seen at football practices all across the country).

PUSH-UP SPRINT WITH PURSUIT

You can add ball drops or partner chasing for increased intensity. another great tool is a drive portion where the athlete pushes off the floor, drives the prowler for 5 yard and then re-directs into a full scale pursuit sprint.

Come up with your own variation and have fun with it!

5. 1 Arm DB Row (4-6 second eccentric/ 1 second concentric action) - This exercise may be the simplest but hardest to perform. We are basically using an old school body building technique to help build mass and strength to the back & shoulders. Because of the high impact collisions that take place, our backs and shoulders MUST be able to withstand the test time after time after time. We perform this for 2-4 sets with heavy weights & low reps (usually 4-7reps). This exercise may not seem to fit, but performed over time with attention to detail, they can add tons of muscle to your back helping you sustain those high impact collisions every game.

*Don't have heavy dumbbells? Try slow eccentric pull-ups using a neutral grip. You can use the same rep & set scheme to help build a very strong back!

There you have it! Try these exercises in preparing your Defensive lineman, along with any other favorites you may have and watch them DOMINATE!!!!

GET STRONG BE EXPLOSIVE!!

IN THE TRENCHES: 5 Keys to DOMINATING the Line Of Scrimmage

2010-09-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

Defensive line play is about 1 thing, PENETRATION. Over the years I've been involved with American Football as a player 1st, a coach secondly & currently as a strength & condition specialist, 1 thing holds true. Penetration wins! No matter what scheme you run, or what kind of players you have, if your Defensive line gets penetration you're teams chances of winning are dramatically increased.

All off-season we train our players (here @ KEY 2 SPORTS) to be strong, powerful, explosive, better conditioned and mentally tougher, so that when they reach the grid iron they can dominate their opponent play after play for 60 minutes (and beyond if need be). Lifting heavy weights, running sprints, and brutally challenging conditioning circuits serve1 purpose and 1 purpose only........that is to DOMINATE.

This article is about the basic fundamentals of how to do what we call "create a new line of scrimmage". This phrase "creating a new line of scrimmage" simply means to take an entire offensive line and to a man move them all backwards. The job of the offensive line is to either move you (the defender) backwards to get to the second level (linebackers and or corners & safeties), or to position you as to give the ball carrier an open lane with which to execute an offensive play. By doing the opposite and creating penetration, defensive lineman alone can create blocking problems for offenses' and allow for penetration of defensive help players thus leading to a breakdown of an offensive play.

The 5 most important factors for establishing and re-creating this line of scrimmage are as follows:

SET A CHARGE! - It gets no simpler than this. In order to win the battle in the trenches, defensive lineman have to set a charge. This means to attack the LOS & or the offender in front of them with tenacity and urgency causing a collision. Plain and simple, defensive lineman MUST have an attitude and a mindset that is willing to destroy anything that stands in front of them. Its the only way to play the game.

You may ask how do we accomplish this? Glad you asked. The answer may be a bit simpler than you imagine. I'll discuss one simple thing here first. Then the rest of the article will explain how to accomplish this task of setting a explosive charge.

There are many ways to develop the power and drive it takes to move another human body hell bent on doing the same thing to you. But for the sake of this article we'll discuss a short list of options that will allow us to set a charge properly.

Proper stance. Believe it or not the best way to give yourself the edge in "getting off the ball" is a proper stance. Many times you will see professionals and high level collegiate athletes in a completely inappropriate or unsound stance. This is because their level of ability may be higher than the average individual and therefore allows them to "get away" with it. I'd suggest NOT watching professional athletes if you're looking to perform better, but rather a well coached High School team or even a lower level (albeit successful) college team. Reason being is that these institution are not driven by athletic egos and coaches salaries. They rather are sticklers for fundamental football and would be a great source of teaching for 90% of the population.
The stance I advocate is to simply placed the hand either directly under the shoulders, or slightly (5 degrees) behind the shoulders. Back and hips flat or slightly higher than the shoulders and feet tucked underneath the butt & hips. Off set arm should be elongated, NOT coiled or using any excessive movements (wiggling the fingers or anything like that). Our eyes & heads are to remain neutral. We don't want the head cocked way back. Likewise we don't want the head down either.We keep our neck and shoulders neutral and prepare to deliver a safe but sound blow! Our main point of emphasis here is that we don't want the athlete to be too comfortable in the stance, rather we want the stance to be uncomfortably comfortable. Catch my drift?? We want them to feel the necessity to explode out as soon as possible while feeling somewhat comfortable with the stance they are using.

1st STEP! - Its a race to see who can get their first step in the ground first. The 1st step is vital because it is that step that allows you to deliver the initial blow that will create the type of collision we are looking for. I believe more so than leverage, more so than hip drive and even more than hand placement, the lineman's 1st step is the most important piece of the equation. You can have great hand placement, great hip drive and great leverage. If you don't move your feet you have NOTHING.

PROPER PAD LEVEL - Any Defensive lineman worth his salt will know and agree that your leverage will be the thing that takes you the furthest in creating a new LOS. No matter how big & strong you are, if someone gets under you with good solid leverage you WILL LOSE. Period. A lineman's ability to not only assume a lower body position (relative to the lineman you're currently facing) but maintain that low pad level will win his battle almost every time. This is so important it cannot be over addressed. Coaches use sleds, chutes, bags, tunnels, etc to address the problem of maintaining leverage on your opponent. IN order to set the type of charge that will cause penetration and create a new LOS, you must have good leverage.

HIPS & HANDS! - This is the where the real battle is. We've talked about our primary goal which is to SET A CHARGE. We know that this must be accomplished 1st and foremost by an explosive first step. Secondly we know that our leverage will position us accordingly, giving us the best chance to succeed at creating a new LOS. Now we go to battle! HIPS & HANDS is where the fun is. Its where all the work from the off-season comes to fruition. Its mano y mano! Once you have your feet properly established and your leverage confidently set, now you have to have great hand placement and explosive hips.

Hands- hand placement will vary depending on the scheme being taught and or the position played. (Ex: Dwight Freeney's hand placement will be dramatically different as a "rush end" than say.....Richard Seymours', who happens to also play defensive end but in a totally different (3-4) scheme.)

Regardless of position your hands should be positioned approximately mid to upper chest/shoulder. Its should be high enough to actually grab & control the offender while not losing leverage. Likewise, it shouldn't be so low as to cause you to fall forward. We usually shoot for the upper half of the number and control of 1 shoulder (gap scheme).

From the side view our body should look similar to this picture here. The athlete here has a flat back, hands about the chest/sternum area and is full attack mode.

Our next area is hips. As we bring the hands its important to remember to bring your hips too! The drive of the legs along with the placement of our hands means little with out the follow through of the hips. The hands allow us control of the offender while the hips allow us to get him on his heels!

In our teaching progressions we actually teach hands and hips as ONE drill because the two go hand in hand.

DRIVE & GET SEPARATION! - Once you've established your feet and leverage & attacked with your hips and hands, then its time to drive your feet and get separation. This simply means to separate yourself from the offender by using that leverage, hip and hand placement aggressively! The reason we want separation is because we can't make plays unless there is space between us and the blocker. The offensive line want to stay in close to us and grab (hold) anything they can to prevent us from running free. The way we finish off creating this new LOS is to separate our bodies from theirs and run our feet with tenacity and urgency.

So there you have it! If you or your lineman will learn to perfect these 5 not-so-simple but very teachable things, you will enjoy the success of creating havoc play after play and week after week!

NOW GO MAKE PLAYS!!!!

Today's Encouragement: Slay Your Giant(s) TODAY!

2010-08-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Everyone has giants in their lives. Everyone has battled with some one or something that challenges you to the very core of your being. I dont know about you, but today I have chosen to SLAY MY GIANT. This blog is for those of us who live in the real world and who deal with real issues. This is just a little encouragement for the remainder of your week, slay your giant....and prepare to do it again tomorrow & every day forward for the rest of your life.

In our quest to build better athletes & people altogether, we realize that life happens. There are challenges that come in many different shapes and sizes. There are challenges, reminders, fears, disappointments, regrets etc that we all go through on a daily basis. Please be encouraged today to slay that giant that opposes you. The one who's telling you you'll never loose THAT much weight, you'll never be THAT fast, you'll never be THAT strong. Those are lies from your giant, your enemy. The only way to beat him is to take action. Keep pressing on when the going gets rough & it seems as if there's no more to gain. Keep pushing when you can't see it in the mirror or when you can't see it on the scale. Keep Pressing! Because the day you given is usually closer to the time of your personal breakthrough.

How do I know this you ask??

Well the giants usually get bigger the closer you get. Adversity comes faster, harder and more frequently when the goal is near completion. You have what it takes inside of you to get what you know is there for you, JUST DON'T GIVE UP!

In addition to being persistent, remember not to compare. Don't compare yourself to your friends, associates or even your enemies. We all know someone who can eat whatever they want and still lose the weight. Someone who hasn't touched a weight in years and add's 20lbs of muscle in a week. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to them. You have to make your own adjustments, set your own standards and accomplish your own goals.

Lastly, you must continue to live this way every day. Your giant never dies! Lucky us...He never dies. He always comes back the next day ready for full out war again. You have to prepare yourself to battle him everyday & win over him every day. He can't Kill you, but he can force you to concede.

Please be determined to never give up, never compare yourself to others and stay prepped for the fight, not just to fight but to WIN.

In the end you will see the results you desire and achieve goals far beyond what you ever imagined!

GOOD LUCK FRIENDS!

SLAY YOUR GIANTS!

Training Considerations for the High School Soccer Athlete

2010-08-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

This article is intended to address the training of the High School soccer athlete. We see soccer athletes in our facility probably more than any other sport with the exception of football. Soccer athletes share a unique but common theme when it comes to athletics. Soccer athletes have essentially all become full-year specialists at their sport discipline. Now usually I do not advocate athletes specializing in 1 sport. I believe athletes need to learn as many biomotor capabilities as possible. In my opinion, each sports brings a different element to the table and the more the young body is exposed to developmentally, the better its chances are at developing overall athletic ability. Because our bodies are constantly gathering information and adjusting to the demands placed on it, it becomes imperative that young athletes gather as much information as possible. Now soccer has evolved from a fall sport to a full year sport with mini off-seasons built in. There are club teams, leagues, tournaments, travel teams & of course personal positional training coaches. The reason for this is that many college coaches cannot see the athletes play during the fall because they are in-season themselves. So different avenues have been created to allow the coach/scout to see the athletes they are interested in without disrupting their focus from their own season. But, the very nature of all these added elements makes strength and conditioning a chore for the average high school strength coach (if that school even has one).

As a result of the increase in athletic responsibility for the high school soccer athlete I began to think of ways that I can effectively improve the strength, mobility, speed, explosiveness & overall body control without damaging their ability to perform weekly. I must add that I do advocate these athletes staying active in their sport all year round. Not to go against my earlier stance on the developing of many biomotor abilities, but soccer includes many of the elements an athlete would gain in playing another sport. In addition, H.S. soccer athletes I have trained are in some of the best physical condition of any other athlete due to the nature of the sport. With all this being said, I do believe the responsibility of the strength coach becomes a challenge because there is also the increased risk of injury due to the sheer lack of time to just develop optimal strength & power alone (as well as developing the ability to reduce force against the body). With most sports, especially football, there is a long off-season where coaches can spend time working on strength or power alone. With soccer this may not be so, so we try to set a strict schedule for training as to give them some stability amongst all the seeming instability in their daily routines.

Consider this:

1- We train our H.S. soccer athlete 3 times week. This is a happy medium for most players and gives them the best chance to train optimally and recover optimally. From what I have seen, forcing them to train 4 times a week will turn them off mentally. So, start with three days & if they can fit in a fourth day, so-be-it.

2- Use full-body training splits with these athletes. I have tried upper/lower splits with my athletes. Since we are only training three times a week around competitions and other intense field work, I feel it’s in our best interest to train the full body each time we train. This gives each muscle group a minimum of two training sessions a week as opposed to only 1.

3- The volume should be moderate. The intensity should range from moderate to high. I believe in monitoring the athlete on a week by week basis. Usually their body language will determine how they are able to train that day. I have seen that moderate intensities seem to work well. However we do have “gut check” days factored in. This simply means that we do require them to either go heavy or empty the tank depending on where they stand within their given cycle. I have taken them around 80-85% highest with the core lifts but if the day requires a change, then evaluate your athlete and make the necessary change. We have lately been following a hybrid of Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 (regarding the “core” lifts). We then mix in light DB’s, body weight circuits and rotational work.

4- Train 3-4 days apart. There may not really be a 'good' time in terms of a layout. Pick three days preferably 3-4 days apart and train. Try to avoid training on game days. However, doubling up on a practice day isn't such a bad idea. I'd rather the athlete double up 3x's a week on practice days and have 2 or 3 complete rest days than train on every off day and wear down. Remember we're dealing with a full year approach (or anywhere between 40-50 weeks).

5- Use compound movements, super sets & circuits! These 3 forms of training have been proven to help improve muscle mass and develop proper inter/intra-muscular coordination. The weights used should be heavy enough to give good results while not inducing too much stress on vertebrae joints. In addition, the circuits will give more of that ‘pump’ effect without localizing 1 group of muscles and creating too much acid build up.

6- Teach movement skills! Do not fall into the trap of believing that because the athlete is playing soccer 2-3 times a week that they don't need to be taught movement skills. I have seen hundreds of soccer practices. Most of them are foot-skills sessions where they are playing keep away on a reduced field or practicing some type of shooting. Then the practice evolves into full speed soccer games. No movement has been taught. By movement I simply mean instruct the athletes on how to assume some of the basic positions they will be in, on the field of play. Remember that only one player has the ball at a time. The other players need to learn how to accelerate, decelerate, bend, turn, jump, shuffle, etc. The act of playing soccer does not ensure the improvement of these facets of sport skill. Our mindset of programming the training is to improve and qualify all aspects of athletic improvement, not just muscular strength and cardiac-conditioning.

Movement Skills sessions for us usually are short 10-15 segments that we, well…teach movement. We teach the athletes how to bend (athletic base position) 1^st. We then introduce acceleration mechanics to them. This is taught from a basic approach and progresses to a more relevant approach as they improve. We teach them how to jump & how to land from a jump. We also, in certain circumstances, teach them how to move laterally either shuffling or using a crossover/shuffle step. The focus of this is not to wear out the athletes prior to lifting, but it’s simply to help them understand core movements. We believe that core movements should be taught in the weight room (bench, squat & dead lift) as well as on the field (or relevant playing surface). Every athlete needs to learn movements and by addressing this we believe we increase their chances of improving their performance & reducing their injury potential.

This section of the training is usually always done at a moderate tempo. This is so that we don’t condition the athlete and take away from the weight training portion. We keep the distances of any acceleration to less than 20yds. In addition this segment usually happens prior to lifting because it’s the best time to get optimal movement out of the athlete, but is in no way damaging to their weight room performance.

Side note- The weight room is a tool. The field is a tool. The trainer’s office is a tool. The classroom is a tool. Effectively manipulate each one for the betterment of the athlete and you will have a fully developed athlete. This is of course only my opinion.

7- Fix their nutritional habits. This is probably the most overlooked aspect due to the absence of good nutritional choices in our high schools. However, this is not an excuse. Make sure your athletes get enough protein to help maintain the muscle they are building and breaking down. Teach them the difference & importance of simple and complex carb consumption. Tell them the importance of healthy fats and vitamins. This will give them the heads up as they mature and move into more challenging situations. If they leave only following 30% of the advice you've given them, it could make a ton of difference in their energy level and performance level.

We all deal with H.S. aged athletes who A) either think they know better than us, or B) get lazy when it comes to eating good/clean, or C) don't have the finances to really make the necessary purchases to improve their nutrition the way we'd like them to. When it's all said and done, any small improvement is a step in the right direction. Only you (coaches/parents etc.) know your athletes, so deal with them accordingly. For those of us who have that top 1% who do everything we ask, our obligation to them is to keep giving them the best information available so that they can make the most of the time they have.

Sample training day:

Remember these athletes are not "strong". They don't need to be inundated with tons of fancy lifts and implements. We utilize full body exercises and mix in body weight & rotational work. We simply keep it basic. Here is a SAMPLE:

OVERALL OUTLINE:

FOAM ROLL/PRE-HAB 10 MIN

-This is a small portion where we like to jump start the body. Here is a sample session:

1. Foam – glutes, hamstrings, IT’s, quads & groin. Then hit some upper & lower back.

2. Pre-hab

a. Plank (front & side) :30-1:00

b. Mini-band Walking – Glutes

c. TKE's & Elevated Heel Touching - Hips A

d. Balancing Alphabet – Hips B

e. YTWL’s (on a Swiss Ball) – Rotators

*Hips A = Glute Med activation & structural support

*Hips B = Hip Mobility/Stability - may be omitted if athlete has hip flexor tightness

DYNAMIC WARM-UP 5 MIN

3. Sample:

a. Body Squat x 10

b. Leg Swing x 10ea

c. Sumo-Squat to Hamstring Stretch x 8

d. Groiner x 10ea

e. Thrust Frog x 10

f.Drop Lunges x 10ea

ELASTICITY/PLYOMETRICS 2-5MIN

4. Sample:

a. Squat Jump w/ static hold

i. This is a standard squat jump from the floor where the athlete assumes a squat position & then explodes upward on command. Then the athlete lands in the static hold (full squat) position for approx. 2-3 seconds until the next command is given. We usually do 2 sets of 4-6 total jumps.

b. Rapid Response jumping/hopping x:5sec x 2sets in place

c. Rapid response jumping with short sprint

MEDICINE BALL TRAINING

5. Our goal here is to improve the athletes’ power!

Squat press & Throw w/jump – 2 x4-8
Verticle/Backward Granny throw w/jump – 2x4-8
Overhead Soccer throw w/ step – 2-6-10

MOVEMENT SKILL 10MIN

6.Sample:

a. There are many ways to break down these mini-cycles of movement skill. We teach both linear speed & multi-directional speed. We believe that all speed and movement skill training comes back to linear speed, but the initiation of linear speed can many times be taught & refined from a multi-directional standpoint. We will always teach first step mechanics, however many times from a non-linear position. The reason is because in soccer and most field sports, athletes don’t start a sprint facing forward only. They must learn to initiate sprinting from all angles, body positions & speeds. i. (each segment is 2 weeks in length)

1. LINEAR & MULTI-DIRECTIONAL Acceleration – basic & pre-determined (verbal command)

2. LINEAR & MULTI-DIRECTIONAL Acceleration & deceleration – basic & pre-determined (verbal command)

3. LINEAR & MULTI-DIRECTIONAL Acceleration & deceleration – pre-determined multi-directional added (verbal + visual command)

*Simply means after the initial acceleration we may re-direct the athlete during the actual drill as opposed to having them run a straight sprint.

4. LINEAR & MULTI-DIRECTIONAL Acceleration & deceleration – non-determined multi-directional added (verbal + visual command)

*Example would be a simple game of “cat & mouse” , “mirror dodge drill” or a game of “tag”.

*Again this is a sample!

STRENGTH WORK 20-30MIN:

Day #1 Sample:

1a. Back Squat (5-3-1)

1b. A/R (active rest) sumo squat x 6 – we do these after each set during the core lift to help increase the mobility of the muscle tissue.

2a. DB 3 way lunge 3x4 revolutions each leg

2b. Low Bar push-up 3x8-12

Circuit

*3-5 sets with approx 1min rest between sets & 10 sec rest between stations.

3a. Pull-ups x: 15-25 sec (use band is necessary)

3b. KB Swing x: 15-25 sec

3c. Abdominal “Dead Bugs” x: 15-25sec

Day #2 Sample:

1a.Trap-bar dead lift (5-3-1)

1b. A/R Hamstring Stretch (lying on floor activate hamstring by squeezing the quad, hold for 3 sec release & repeat) x4

2a. DB curl to press 3x8-12

2b. Back extensions 3x15

Circuit

3a. DB Alternating Incline Press 2x15

3b. Blast Strap Inverted row 2x6-12

3c. Low Box Step-ups (heavy) 2x10ea

3d. Seated Medicine Ball Russian Twist 2x30ea

Day #3 Sample:

1. 1 Arm DB Snatch 5-7x1-3

2a. DB Front Squat 3x6-10

2b. TRX Standing BW Row 3x12-15

2c. Static Hip Flexor Stretch x20sec each leg

3a. Dips 3x6-10

3b. Pull-ups 3x4-10

4. Forward & Backward sled dragging 3-4 sets 30yds approx.

5. Low Back & Abs 2-3 sets

a. Hip Thrusts (from floor) x25

b. Back Extensions x25

c. Plate or Barbell Crunches x25

d. Reverse Hypers x25

CONDITIONING (IF NECESSARY) 10min

*Sample Video attached

soccer conditioning

STRETCH 5

· There are many ways to layout the training. We have chosen this format because it’s the most practical for the athletes we train and the amount of time we have with them. We do take into consideration that this is the private sector. We do not train whole soccer teams as a high school or college strength coach would. So consideration must be given for the necessary changes in either equipment or layout given the differences in situation.

PRACTICAL HEALTH TIPS....

2010-08-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Everybody is an expert now-a-days! Especially when it comes to nutrition. People have been inundated with the "how to's" of nutrition and other sorts of expert advise. For my readers, I'm sure most of you eat a somewhat clean diet full of protein and vegetables and healthy sources of essential fats and so on, right? Riiiight! The reason you keep hearing people like me say eat this and eat that is because...YOU AREN'T DOING IT YET! At least the ones who should be aren't. So, with that said, hear this again for the 1st time!

My coach once told me that if I wanted C's all I had to do was go to class. If I wanted B's I would have to listen in class. And, if I wanted A's I'd have to apply myself beyond just being there and listening. Now we know that good grades aren't just handed out but they have to be earned. So coach's point was basically this. A little effort will get you mediocrity, a little more than that will get you average. But, it would take a lot of effort if you wanted to be great. Well the same holds true for our nutrition. The problem is that people get so infatuated with the end result they forget all the little things that help them get there. People start out and say " I want to lose 20lbs by next month". They begin this impossible dieting and psych themselves up to do something they know in their heart of hearts they aren't going to finish. Reason is because they have no plan. A diet is a lifestyle change, PERIOD. To be successful you must have a weekly goal, a short term goal (2-4 months) and a annual goal. These goals should be under constant evaluation to ensure their effectiveness. But before we can have the house we must lay the foundation. So for today's discussion we're going to start shooting for C's.

Here are some basic's of a well rounded diet and I hope they inspire you through common sense to take the challenge to get fit. The fact of the matter is we, as a country, are well below average health wise. So here it goes....listen up you just might hear something you've only heard 1,500 times before! Ha...

Step 1. Protein in King! It all begins here. You should shoot for approximately 20g per meal. If you are eating a clean diet that's loaded with protein and good vitamin sources then the "how many grams per meal" question will become clearer once weight starts going down. With protein we want to reduce craving for "bad" carbs, retain muscle and and recover after workouts. Lack in this area will lead to problems down the road, so eat up.
*Eating clean (staying away from bad fats and sugars & replacing them with quality proteins, carbs & fats) will help speed the metabolism causing you to become hungry faster. So that will explain why you're probably eating more. Embrace it! Bad food has a tendency to satiate you much more thus slowing down metabolism and increasing carbohydrate cravings.

Step 2. Eat more vegetables! This can't be any clearer. Vegetables can be eaten at any time and practically as much as you want. They will greatly increase your energy levels as they aid in vitamin regulation, supply good carbohydrates, are rich in minerals and enzymes & make you more alkaline. Eat them raw, cooked, organic and any other way you can think of. Eat green, red, yellow & purple. However, there are some you must avoid if you have thyroid issues. Check with your nutritionist for details.

"eat one of these a day"

Step 3. Take a multi-vitamin. Some vitamins are fat soluble and some are water soluble. In order to ensure you are getting the most from your body I recommend a good multi-vitamin (usually in liquid form) to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4. Increase essential fatty acids. Fats are good. Too many of the wrong type is bad. Essential fats like Omega-3 & 6 fish oil helps us increase our metabolism, control cravings and lose excess weight.

So, there is is. Simple right? If you begin to incorporate these simple techniques into your diet you will see great results and drop pounds like never before. Now I must say that results may vary. If you have medical considerations please seek professional help. Additionally, these factors are generalized techniques and are not intended to treat or cure anything. A workout routine is highly recommended and will greatly increase effectiveness.

We'll be back soon to discuss the way in which to apply these into your day.

Tips for Improving Lower Body Postural Distortion

2010-08-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

Lower extremity postural distortion is one of the biggest factors I face when trying to help athletes improve their performance. Time after time we see athletes with weakened glutes, tight hamstrings, tight hip flexors, internally rotated knees and everted ankles. These problems are rather common amongst many high school and college athletes, especially female athletes. The reason I mention the glute med is because that muscle in particular seems to go a long way in helping relieve lower body postural distortion in athletes. Of course it is not an cure all sort of thing. We still have to closely evaluate and assess all the functions of the lower body as well as the upper body. This gives us a general approach to add to our training sessions that allows us to address a common weakness. So we've made it our business to put together programs that not only address these issues but work to erase them totally.

The gluteus medius is a small muscle that sits atop the gluteus maximus on the outter portion of your butt (just south of you obliques). This muscle happens to be a major player in helping athletes control their femor and absorb and produce force when running, jumping or sprinting. It also is responsible for the inward and outward rotation of the hip. For years now we have addressed this muscle in the warm-up portion of our training to help "turn it on" as to involve it in the exercises to come. When the glute med is not properly activated, it lies dormant and your body will compensate in recruiting the IT bands and AB/ADductors, quads and hamstrings to do its job. What this will usually do is cause a chain effect which potentially leads to collapsing knees and eventually injury while running, jumping & sprinting.

What we've done here (at Key 2) is use different techniques to turn it and other muscles on so that the inter/intra coordination of the muscles are properly aligned. When this happens, movement is facilitated and therefore performance can improve. We've done soft tissue work with tennis/lax balls and foam rolls. We've added mini-band ab/adduction exercises, pre-hab drills like fire hydrants & knee circle variants together with planned and focused attention to proper stretching during our static & dynamic warm-up as well as during our training. Also, paying close attention to proper bending during squatting (forcing the knees out) and single leg exercises all have helped us gain an edge on conquering this deficiency.

Along with the glute med weakness is the tightness and immobility of the calf and achilles portion of the leg. Many athletes are extremely tight in their lower leg and as a result have no platform to actually produce & reduce force. Many people are not aware of how closely related the glute "deltoid" (consisting of the TFL, glute med & glute maximus) is to the lower leg. By improving the mobility of the lower leg, one can actually see an improvement in the operation of the glutes. (*So a side note - yes, addressing the foot & ankle complex as well as the hip complex can help improve the health and function of the knees). Lately we have adopted a alternate approach to activating the glute med. We have taken the calf & achilles area of the lower leg for granted and overlooked how it can have a profound effect on mobility and over all movement facilitation. Well no more.

As a result we have come up with a short list of exercises we do in order to help improve the functionality of the leg in general as well as activate the glute med. Understand that the foot and ankle muscles can actually mildly turn on the glute med. So by simply performing the exercises we're going to show next, we have seen dramatic increases in the mobility and stability of the entire leg, as well as an improvement in how our athletes are running.

Here is the simple but effective list:

1) Always start with the foam roller on the calf/achilles getting both the inner and outter portions of the leg.

Then remove the shoes and grab a tennis ball/lax ball and roll the bottom of your feet. There are many muscles in the bottom of the foot and by activating these muscles you will turn on many of the otherwise dormant muscles of the foot, lower leg and glutes.

Make sure you get the entire bottom of the foot even the inner and outter edges.

Then stretch the sides & top of the of the feet loosening up the muscles surrounding the ankle and foot.

Last but not least stretch the calf & achilles.

Try to incorporate these exercises into your warm-up routine & you'll see a dramatic increase in your lower body mobility and running performance. The sacrifice is, a little bit longer of a warm-up but when its all said and done the results will be something you will be proud of.

LINEMAN SPEED!

2010-07-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

WHEN IT COMES TO TRAINING FOR SPEED THERE ARE ALWAYS CERTAIN VARIABLES THAT SHOULD APPLY NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF ATHLETE YOU ARE DEALING WITH.

FOR ACCELERATION SPEED EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON:

BODY ANGLE
KNEE DRIVE - ATTACKING THE GROUND BEHIND YOU
ANKLE DORSIFLEXION
AGGRESSIVE ARM ACTION, ETC.

FOR TOP SPEED AN EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON:

TALL POSTURE
CLAWING (CYCLICAL) ACTION OF THE LEGS -STRIDE LENGTH/FREQUENCY
BREATHING
RELAXED ARMS & SHOULDERS

THESE ARE THE NORMAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN TRAINING FOR LINEAR SPEED. BUT FOR OUR LINEMAN (FOOTBALL PLAYERS) WE BELIEVE THAT EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON LOWERING THEIR TORSO'S TO THE GROUND IN A SHORT DISTANCE SPRINT (ACCELERATION). WITH REGARDS TO LINEAR SPEED, WE TRAIN FOR ACCELERATION/DECELERATION ONLY WITH LINEMAN BECAUSE THEIR ENTIRE ATHLETIC LIVES ARE SPENT RUNNING SHORT DISTANCES. WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP THEM WITH WHAT THEY WILL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND NOT JUST PUT THEM THROUGH SPEED DRILLS THAT HAVE NO TURNOVER.

WE STRESS THE FIRST THREE STEPS BEING THE MOST CRUCIAL IN DETERMINING HOW "FAST" THEY WILL PLAY ON THE FIELD. BECAUSE OF THIS WE USUALLY START WITH THE BASIC MECHANICS FROM A TALL (UPRIGHT) STANDPOINT.

THEN WE MOVE TO A SLIGHTLY RESISTED VERSION OF THOSE SAME MECHANICS USING SOME TYPE OF RESISTANCE WHETHER BY BANDS OR SLEDS OR EVEN HILLS. OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO LOWER THEIR TORSO'S AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE MECHANICS OF ACCELERATION.

LASTLY WE APPLY THOSE MECHANICS THROUGH DIFFERENT DRILLS DESIGNED TO HELP ATHLETES KEEP A FORWARD TRUNK. WE ALWAYS DRILL THE WORK AND END OFF THE SESSIONS WITH A COMPETITIVE SEQUENCE OF DRILLS TO HELP FAMILIARIZE THE ATHLETE WITH ALL THE MECHANICAL BUT FROM A REAL LIFE FEEL. COMPETITION IS A GREAT WAY TO DRIVE HOME THE POINT WHILE GETTING GREAT SKILL WORK ACCOMPLISHED.

THIS SHORT VIDEO IS A SAMPLE OF WHAT A TYPICAL SPEED SESSION FOR LINEMAN WILL CONSIST OF.

QB SPECIFIC SPEED & MOVEMENT TRAINING

2010-05-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR QB'S DOING SOME SPEED & MOVEMENT TRAINING @ OUR FACILITY IN WALL NJ.

SAMPLE STRENGTH & POWER WORKOUTS FOR ATHLETES: SAMPLE #1 MOBILITY, STRENGTH & POWER

2010-05-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

FULL BODY (SAMPLE WORKOUT) - I WILL BE POSTING SAMPLE WORKOUTS FROM TIME TO TIME TO GIVE AN INSIGHT ON A- HOW WE TRAIN AND B- WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL HELP BUILD OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE! THIS IS A SAMPLE WORKOUT FROM A 3 DAY PER WEEK PROGRAM.

PRE-HAB & FOAM ROLL - 10MIN
DYNAMIC WARM-UP - 10MIN (SAMPLE)

a.       FORWARD HIP OPENER X6EA
b.      BACKWARD HIP OPENER X6EA
c.       HURDLE UNDERS (IF NO HURDLES – DUCK AS LOW AS POSSIBLE) X6
d.      STRAIT LEG MARCH 30YDS
e.      KNEE CRADLE 15YDS
f.        INVERTED HAMSTRING 15YDS
g.       WORLDS GREATEST STRETCH 15YDS
h.      HAND WALKS 10YDS
i.         QUAD STRETCH WALKS 15YDS)

ELASTICITY - 5 MIN

POGO HOPS IN PLACE - 2X10SEC
BASE RAPID RESPONSE - 2X6SEC
BASE RR (RAPID RESPONSE) W/ SHORT 5-10YD SPRINT - 3REPS

MEDICINE BALL

STATIC GRANNY TOSS (BALL ON FLOOR TO BEGIN DRILL - 3X5
BROAD JUMP W/ CHEST PASS - 3X5

JUMP TRAINING

BOX JUMP - 2X8 JUMPS MEDIUM HEIGHT

LINEAR SINGLE LEG 6INCH HURDLE HOPS - 2X 6-10 HOPS EACH LEG

STRENGTH TRAINING

1A. TRAP BAR DEAD LIFT 3X6

1B. 1 ARM DB ROW 3X8 (SLOW ECCENTRIC)

2A. BB STEP-UP ON BOX W/KNEE RAISE 3X8EA
2B. N/G WEIGHTED PULL-UPS 3X4-8

3A. GLUTE HAM RAISE 3X10
3B. DB CURL TO SHOULDER PRESS 3X8-12
3C. CABLE FACE PULLS 3X15

4. 100 PUSH-UPS (IN AS FEW SETS AS POSSIBLE)

5. 50/50

SWISS BALL REVERSE HYPERS X50
SWISS BALL SIT-UPS X50

3 EXPLOSIVE JUMPS VARIATIONS TO BUILD A BIGGER BADDER 1ST STEP!

2010-05-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

We're going to get strait to the point with this one. We believe that jump training has the single greatest benefit in improving your 1st step & overall acceleration. With this in mind, we have 5 different jump drills we use primarily (at different times and for different reasons) to help our athletes build explosive 1st step quickness and better acceleration power. So without further wait here they are:

BROAD JUMP

We believe the broad jump is superior to the more popular vertical jump. The reason is because of the horizontal movement of the muscles during the jump. When we test for "overall" power, the vertical jump is a great test. But when we are trying to build a bigger 1st step we believe that the broad jump reigns. Along with the horizontal displacement, we like how the upper body leads the exercise. As is the case in acceleration running, the upper body should always lead the rest of the body. This drill allows us to accomplish this in a short amount of time, and we teach it that way. We usually do sets of 1-3 jumps with complete rest between sets.

EXPLOSIVE STEP-UP

This movement is a great addition to any program as it really helps drive home the issue of triple extension & triple flexion. Your bottom leg starts in a triple extension fashion. By driving your bottom leg up as if you were skipping, you can really dive home the issue of knee flexion. In addition, the bottom leg (which is starting in triple flexion) can be dynamically driven into triple extension. This is essentially what takes place during the start phase of sprinting. We have a rule here when it comes to acceleration and that is: teach all the mechanics in a upright position and make sure they are close to perfect before doing them in a 45 degree angle position. This drill is a great one usually done for 2-3 sets of 8 each.

Here is one of our athletes showing a sample set;
EXPLOSIVE STEP-UPS

SPLIT SQUAT JUMP & SPLIT SQUAT LOW BOX JUMP

This one may be my absolute favorite. The athlete begins in a upright position to work on form and landing mechanics. Then by slightly crouching, explodes vertically producing as much force as possible & drawing the toes up (dorsi-flexion), then landing softly and safely. This drill can actually be progressed in that the athlete can lad with the opposite foot forward. We love this one because when accelerating an athlete should feel pressure under both feet. All too often athletes dont feel pressure in their back leg and thus cannot get enough spring in their step. Well this drill actually allows us to teach the body what it feels like to begin with a staggered stance and apply pressure with your feet at two separate levels. We do this from both a static and propulsive state again teaching the body how to handle the demands of stepping with power. Rep ranges vary based on the progression and the maturity of the individual.

Here is sample Split Squat jump sequence (from the ground).
Split Squat Jump

So there you have it! Give these variations a try in your development of explosive power and see the results!
Until next time - GET STRONG BE EXPLOSIVE!

KEY 2