Iso Variations

If you've read my blogs in the past you understand my love of iso's. Here is a clip off you tube demonstrating where you can go with this stuff.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftkE_Xmzyi0

Heart of a Champion

This past Sunday the BCS standings came out and it seemed as if the whole sports world went nuts. Every news station from CNN to the Ron Burgundy show was covering who got snubbed. Well, whatever you think about this system on January 7, 2008 the NCAA football champion will be crowned.

As a coach my goal is develop champions, not only on the playing field but in life. So just like every other coach I'm always studying and reading about those coaches who are the most successful. I've read John Wooden's books and I've even read Nick Saban's. I've read the biographies of the greats in sport: Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Bear Bryant ect. But there is only one person that I can't stop thinking about. There is only one figure who has totally captivated my being and keeps me wanting for more.

The funny thing about this guy is that his life started out in obscurity. He was born in a small agrarian community to two parents who at the time weren't exactly liked by everyone. His dad was a blue collar worker with great carpentry skills and his mom was a house wife.

Whats even more amazing about this guy is that the first 30 years of his life he did nothing spectacular. He devoted himself to the trade craft of his father and "...grew in wisdom and stature, and favor with God and men." You could say that he was just like you and me...but underneath his humble exterior was the heart of the greatest champion of all.

When he turned 30 things really started to change. He recruited a team of 12 guys and taught them how to be leaders, warriors, fathers, servants and champions. As a matter of fact because of his ability to teach and effectively lead the ripple effect of his presence has been felt by every human being...and changed the course of eternity.

At the age of 33 this carpenter from a small town defeated the greatest foe known to man...DEATH. Because he never committed a sin and never mislead anyone, he was strung up on two boards on a hill side with common criminals. Nails were driven through his hands and his feet and he suffocated for hours...and then in one horrifying moment all the sins of the world were sucked into his body and he died. For the next three days he was dead...everyone gave up hope. Time had expired and everyone headed home...BUT, three days later he came back. But this time he was holding the keys to Hell...he had conquered sin and was extending out the gift of eternal life to anyone who would follow.

Romans 10:9 states, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Today I'm inviting you to be apart of the greatest team ever assembled. I'm asking you to open your heart and consider the state of your life. If you have a deep longing inside for something more...maybe the championships haven't been fulfilling, whatever it is...if you listen you can hear the still small voice of Christ reaching out.

As we approach December 25, 2007...don't look at it as the day to eat great food, give presents and be with the family...view December 25 as the day that the greatest champion of all came to this world...and you have the chance to be on His team. So whats your decision?

Spectracell Laboratories

Recently I called my buddy Bob Calvin, he's a Performance Nutritionist at the Andrew's Institute/Athletes' Performance, regarding some nutrition advice. I explained to Bob how I've been hovering around 14-15% body fat for some time and I'd like to get below 10%. I gave him a good run down on my diet and it checked out with him.

Bob told me that before he would design me a nutrition program that he'd like me to have a Functional Intracellular Analysis completed by Spectracell Laboratories. Spectracell has developed an amazing series of tests where they use your lymphocytes to determine what your body metabolizes correctly/incorrectly, and they can determine what type of micronutrient, antioxidant and lipid deficiencies that you might have. Spectracell takes your lymphocytes and grows them in an isolated environment. Then, one by one they add or remove specific micronutrients to determine if you have a deficiency. The Comprehensive Test runs around $350, but that's a small price to pay to really know whats going on inside your body.

I'm excited to find out what I need to change in my diet to get optimal results from my training. I'll be blogging about the changes that take place on this new program.

Train Hard!!!

Erik Korem

Classroom Experience

Recently I was invited to speak at an Exercise Physiology class on campus. It was kind of a "career day" talk...the prof was trying to expose his students to new and budding fields related to exercise physiology. I took an informal pole before the class started and ~70% of the students were on a pre-physical therapy path. First, let me say that none of the following comments should reflect poorly on the prof but should reflect poorly on our education system regarding our profession.

I opened the lecture with a series of pictures depicting what strength and conditioning is and what it isn't. For instance this is what S&C isn't:



I told the students that we aren't training for an earthquake...I understand the concept of proprioception and enhanced motor unit recruitment, but this is not the appropriate means for achieving the desired effect. We also discussed "Sports Specific" training. I'm stealing from Chad Dennis on this one, but there is no such thing as sports specific training. If you want to be sports specific...well go play the sport. What we can do as S&C Coaches is train muscle contractions, motor patterns, movement patterns ect. This concept lead into my next point which was why train for strength.

I put up the graph from Dr. Mel Siff's book Super Training. Which by the way, if you haven't read it you are about 10 years behind. Not one of the students understood what the terms absolute strength, accelerating strength/rate of force development, starting strength, or strength endurance meant...regarding training. These are supposed to be students that are learning not only about cardiopulmonary function/aerobic training adaptations, but they are supposed to be learning about muscle physiology and basic adaptations from training. The real problem is that this is not an isolated case. You can graduate with a MS from a MAJOR institution in Exercise Science and you will no absolutely nothing about the science of training.

Oh and then I really offended everyone when I told them that the NSCA was about 25 years behind. We discussed how Western Linear Periodization is the reason for a lot of our training related injuries: CNS fatigue, Adrenal Fatigue, Muscle Strains/Sprains ect. I wasn't rude in my delivery but I wanted these young and impressionable minds to see what is available to them.

So, moral of the story...if you are Ex Phys student out there and you are also lost just reading this blog, start reading now!! And here is a short list to get you going:

Super Training: Dr. Mel Siff
High Powered Plyometrics: Radcliffe
Running Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology in Practice: Bosh
Explosive Power and Jumping Ability for All Sports: Starzynski
Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods: Thibaudeau
Special Strength Training: Yuri Verkhoshansky

The Template

I hope everyone completed their assignment and made a detailed needs analysis...I know I have. So now that I know what qualities I need to improve, how do I assimilate all of my needs into a solid program? Well, you need to design a training template. I've made a list of what a training template is and what a training template isn't, these are some common mistakes that I often see.

Is:
1. An OUTLINE of the training week
2. Lifting categories per training session
3. Structure of the hierarchy of needs

Not:
1. List of exercises
2. Reps and sets
3. Specific speed/agility/mobility/conditioning drills

Example of a 4 Day Training Template

Mon: Linear Acceleration, DE Squat, Post Chain, Upper Back, Arm Flex, Abs Static

Tues: Reactive Strength (OLY),1-Leg Sq asst, ME Press,Horizontal Pull, Tri Asst (vol)
Ab Flexion

Thur: Agility, DE Squat, Post Chain, Upper back, Arm Flexion, Abs Static

Fri: OLY, Work Cap, 1 Leg, DE Press,Vert Pull,Tri Asst


Another way to do this is to create an emphasis for the day.
Example:

Mon: Speed Tue: Power Thur: Strength Fri: Work Capacity

But within each of these days you are training all qualities, but the emphasis shifts.

I hope this helps...so get off your rear now and right a template!!!

Winter Programming: Needs Analysis

It's that time of year again. Football season is coming to an end and turkey day is just around the corner. For me this means its time to start thinking about the football off-season. Before I get into how I approach putting together a template, I must say its very important to work with a staff that is open minded. I absolutely positively have the best boss in the world...Ben Pollard. Ben has given me a great deal of freedom to speak openly about what I think we should do or not do. He doesn't always implement what I say, hey he's the Head Guy, but its just great that my voice is heard.

I think the biggest mistake coaches make in planning an off-season is that they plan out every detail of a 8-10 week cycle. Every foot contact, rep, set, warm-up ect is already in place and they leave themselves no room for change. To me this is a huge mistake...this is what inexperienced coaches do, or coaches that are stuck in the dark ages with Western Periodization. There just isn't enough time in a modern off-season to have "hypertrophy" phases...this is why the conjugate method is perfect for the off season. Let's attack multiple qualities at the same time, but give emphasis to certain ones depending on the time of the year.

The Needs Analysis

By now we've seen our teams enough to know what needs to be attacked during the off-season. For some its a lack of speed, others max strength and others maybe work capacity. Whatever that need is I usually center the initial stages of the off-season around that. Of course, we need to improve our work capacity...but stealing from Chad Dennis on this one, if you increase max strength, reactive strength, starting strength, maximum muscle contraction velocity AND work capacity...won't you have a higher threshold of work capacity.

So here's your assignment. Sit down for a good hour and go position by position and right down IN DETAIL what glaring deficiencies that position has. Put your analysis down and come back to it about a week from now and add/take away. Once you've got that we'll start building a template.

If anyone has any comments on this process, please feel free to post...Train Hard!!! -Erik Korem-

Every Rep Every Set

I was recentely watching a video produced by Martin Rooney. As I was watching this guy coach, I felt like I was looking in a mirror. Martin's concepts weren't earth shattering, but what gripped me was his attention to detail. Martin was coaching a few guys on a warm up and it was amazing. He didn't miss a detail...Martin didn't berate guys when they screwed up, he just pointed it out and told them how to fix their error. And then when they got it right he praised them. That is how coaching is done!

During the course of the video Coach Rooney made a very simple statement about how he coaches. He said that Every Rep of Every Set is to be completed perfectly...or at least attempted with the intent of being perfect. It drives me nuts when I watch athletes go through the motions...especially during the warm up. The warm up is designed to turn on the nervous system...if you don't turn it on your body isn't going to respond appropriately to the intended training effect. And you know what? The blame for lazy behavior isn't the athletes' fault...its the coaches fault!!!

This past spring at the CSCCa convention, Mickey Marotti spoke about the Florida Strength and Conditioning Program. He made a statement that has really stuck with me...he said, "You get what you tolerate." Real simple, but its very true. If you tolerate imperfection, you'll get sub par results. If you tolerate filthy language and crude humor in your weight room...you'll end of up with disrespectful athletes. You get my point.

Think about what you are tolerating...if its bad, well fix it!

Train Hard...Erik Korem

NTS Anabolic Phase

The 5 Goals of the Nutrient Timing System during the Anabolic Phase:

1. Shift Metabolic Machinery from a Catabolic State to an Anabolic State

Use of a CHO/PRO supplement will stimulate insulin and blunt cortisol release

2. Speed the Elimination of Metabolic Wastes by Increasing Muscle Blood Flow

Muscles that are recovering require a quick delivery system for nutrients, oxygen delivery and fast removal of metabolic byproducts. When levels increase, blood flow is also increased. Thus, a CHO/PRO supplement is vital.

3. Replenish Muscle Glycogen Stores

Many studies have found that supplementing with CHO post training is much more effective than delaying supplementation. It has also been found that supplementing on a regular basis after exercise can maintain a rapid rate of glycogen storage. In addition the CHO that produced the greatest insulin response also produce the highest rate of glycogen storage.

4. Initiate Tissue Repair and Set the State for Muscle Growth

To increase muscle mass and strength in the postworkout period, the muscle cell must begin to initiate repar and to set the stae for muscle growth. Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, reported that Supplementing with CHO/PRO supplement, both immediately and one hour after resistance exercise, increased muscle protein synthesis compared with the CHO supplement.

5. Reduce Muscle Damage and Bolster the Immune System

There is no way to completely eliminated all muscle damage due to training, and as a matter of act this would be undesirable. However, excess damage will restrict glycogen and protein synthesis. Using a CHO/PRO drink that aslo contained vitamins E and C and glutamine, researchers found a significant reduction in free-radical formation compared with a plain CHO supplement.

Ideal Composition of Supplement for the Anabolic Phase

Whey Protein 13-15g
High-glycemic CHO such as glucose, sucrose and maltodextrin 40-50g
Leucine 1-2g
Glutamine 1-2g
Vitamin C 60-120mg
Vitamin E 80-400IU

NTS Energy Phase

The four goals of the Nutrient Timing System during the Energy Phase:

1. Increase nutrient delivery to muscles and spare muscle glycogen and protein.
2. Limit immune system suppression.
3. Minimize muscle damage.
4. Set the nutritional state for a faster recovery following your workout.

1. Increase nutrient delivery to muscles and spare muscle glycogen and protein.
Replenishing muscle glycogen is not only a major concern to endurance athletes, but it is also crucial for strength training athletes. Muscle glycogen can be reduced by as much as 40% during multiple sets of training...the more sets the more glycogen depletion. By consuming a carbohydrate/protein sports drink you can preserve muscle glycogen and maintain a high level of training effort. The latest research indicates that by adding protein to a carbohydrate supplement one can preserve muscle protein, increase protein synthesis and extend exercise duration. Also, during extended exercise the use of BCAAs may aid in improving training duration.

2. Limit Immune System SuppressionDuring and after strenuous exercise the immune system is suppressed, and the risk of infection is drastically increased. The immune system is closely tied to the neuroendocrine system, and during exercise cortisol is released. Cortisol lowers the concentration and activities of many of the important immune cells that fight infection. Blood cortisol levels can be regulated to a significant degree by controlling glucose availability. Bishop and colleagues show that when athletes were given a 6% CARB solution during exercise, cortisol level dropped by almost 80% compared to subjects just receiving water. Thus, carbohydrate supplementation provides a dual benefit during exercise.

3. Minimize Muscle DamageCARB supplementation during exercise reduces the rise of cortisol and decreases specific agents responsible for producing inflammation. Bishop and colleagues showed the CARB supplementation could reduce biochemical markers of inflammation by almost 50%. Supplementation with antioxidants such as vitamin E and C plus BCAAs may also help minimize muscle damage.

4. Set the Nutritional Stage for a Faster Recovery Following Your Workout
As seen above, there is increased muscle protein degradation, in part to help supply muscle energy needs during exercise. Consuming protein during exercise will enable you to utilize the ingested protein and thereby decrease protein degradation and spare muscle protein. The same principle holds true with regard to muscle glycogen. Consuming carbohydrate during resistance exercise results in less depletion of glycogen stores.

NTS Recommendations for Energy Phase
170lb athlete per 12oz of water

High glycemic CHO such as glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin; I recommend Waximaze
20-26g
Whey protein 5-6
Leucine 1g
Vitamin C 30-120 mg
Vitamin E 20-60IU
Sodium 100-250mg
Potassium 60-100mg
Magnesium 60-120mg

-Portions of blog extracted word for word-

Passion and Purpose

I'm taking a quick break from the NTS series to blog about something very important to me. When someone tells me that they want to be a strength and conditioning coach I always reply by saying, "Why would you want to do a thing like that?". The person usually responds in disbelief thinking in some way that I offended them. I then supply them with a little bit of information that validates my bold statement:

First you have to intern (for free) and work ridiculous hours hoping to get a Graduate Assistant position.
Once you "earn" the GA spot then you work stupid hours...60-80hrs a week depending on how ego driven you boss is. Meanwhile your busting your hump to finished an advanced degree in some type of science...all the while trying to get your mind around the physiology, biomechanics and psychology of training a dynamic group of athletes.
After you've earned a BS,MS and every other certification on the planet you get your first job!!!! Making $28.000 - 32,000 a year...sometimes without benefits.
Once you get that first job you will live a very modest lifestyle and get underpaid for being over educated. If you are lucky you will have a beer with some young football coach at a convention and then 10yrs later he'll hire you as his Head S&C Coach...that's when you hit the jackpot and make 100K a year, oh that is if you are a man...b/c women aren't smart enough or tough enough to be S&C Coaches for football...i hope you are getting the good dose of sarcasm I'm throwing your way.

Now that young guy or gal is looking at me with sad eyes wondering, "Why the heck do I want to do this?". That's the question we all need to ask. If your purpose for doing this isn't strong enough, you'll never make it. You'll end up going into the "private sector" and one day regretting having left this incredible profession. Coaches, find your purpose...let it fuel your passion...and let that passion drive you to excellence.

The Three Phases of the NTS

Hi, this is Erik Korem and welcome to my blog…

There are three distinct phases of the Nutrient Timing System (NTS)

The Energy Phase

The energy phase occurs during your workout, and the objective is to provide the appropriate macronutrients, amino acids and vitamins to spare muscle glycogen and achieve greater muscular endurance. Most athletes recognize the importance of consuming carbohydrate during training to prevent the depletion of muscle glycogen stores and to maintain blood glucose levels, which helps delay fatigue. However, research indicates that consuming protein will not only enhance the factors already listed but it will blunt the rise of the catabolic hormone cortisol and prepare your muscle enzymes for a faster recovery.

The Anabolic Phase

The anabolic phase is the 45 minute window following training during which you can optimally replenish muscle glycogen and initiate the repair of muscle protein. Insulin sensitivity is at its peak following training and diminishes greatly if the proper nutrition is not provided. During this phase it is vital to consume the appropriate ratio of CHO, PRO and specific antioxidants and amino acids.

The Growth Phase

The Growth Phase begins at the end of the Anabolic Phase and extends until the next workout session. During this phase the body is completing the restoration of muscle/liver glycogen and the anabolic process of protein remodeling is occurring.

Over the next week I’ll be breaking down each of the following phases and I will provide you with exact macronutrient profile for each phase. I highly recommend that everyone of you buy Nutrient Timing.

Nutrient Timing

Ever since I've been training I've been told to consume a protein shake post exercise. From what I understood, this one acute bout of nutritional supplementation was going to provide me with all the muscle-building nutrients that I needed...boy was I wrong!

Recently, John Ivy, Ph.D and Rober Portman Ph.D, published a book that has turned the sports nutrition world upside down...its entitled Nutrient Timing. This book takes what most of us couldn't process or gather in the current literature regarding nutritional feeding during training ,and it lays out a precise step by step approach to maximizing muscle growth and reducing body fat.

Over the next few days I will be highlighting some of the great points from this book that you can immediately implement into your training. Don't miss out!

The Winning Attitude

I’d like to preface this article by having you watch the following video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7771nzKMpo This is a scene from the movie Rocky Balboa. In this scene Rocky’s son is confronting his dad because he is angry that Rocky is going to fight again…and he claims that his dad’s fighting career has taken his thunder.

NOW WATCH THE CLIP

In my mind winning is all about perseverance. Like Rocky says, life is tough and nasty and it’ll take you to your knees. BUT, winning in life is about how many hits you can take and keep on getting up and moving forward.

USC has dominated college football for the past 6 years. Three Heisman Trophy winners in three years, 25 All-Americans and 27 NFL draft picks, Pete Carroll is being heralded as one of the best in the game…not only can he recruit but he puts his guys in a position to win. And well, 9.9 times out of 10 they are not only in the right position but they humiliate their opponent with lop-sided wins. Most people would say, wow what a lucky guy…he’s always been a winner and that’s just that. Well you’re WRONG.

For a while Pete Carroll was considered to be a guy that couldn’t get it done as a Head Coach. He was twice a Head Coach in the NFL and twice he was let go…WOW. So how does a guy like that turn it around? Carroll took the hits and kept on bringing it until finally it all fell in place. He had a mission and a plan to accomplish it and he believed in it…and guess what, he turned out to be a winner.

As a strength coach, I have a plan for the physical success of my athletes. Sometimes I don’t exactly get a great looking piece of clay to start with, but I know that if I just keep spinning the wheel eventually I’ll get the finished product I want. Coaches, don’t let your athletes give up…keep them marching forward and prepare them to take the hits and get right back up and keep moving forward. Because in this process lies success.

Now is the time for change!

Variety IS the spice of life…and well training too. I’m always blown away by how coaches get into a rut of doing the same thing year in year out. After a while training cycles start to look exactly the same and guess what…the results are exactly the same. After about a year and a half the athletes begin to stagnate in their progress and instead of seeing constant growth at something most of them will hit a giant plateau.

Just imagine for me that you are Peter in the movie Office Space. Every morning Lumberg walks in with his matching tie and suspenders and huge cup of coffee. He then proceeds to ask you the same boring question, “Umm…Peter have you finished those TPS reports?” I don’t know about you but if I was Peter, I’d beat the crap out of Bill Lumberg just for wearing the suspenders, not to mention the same boring routine that he has to endure everyday.

Training is the same way! If your nervous system is not stimulated in new ways it will learn to function at one level or one speed…which is not what we want. Sport is about change and it requires a dynamic training approach. Hey, we all having training templates that we like to use, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t use different exercises or rep/set schemes to accomplish what we need to get done.

So, if you are looking for a curve ball for your program try using the Dynamic Method Effort (DE). If you don’t know what DE is then check out the following article http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459671 In his book Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods, Christian Thibaudeau discusses the process of reverse neural recruitment which occurs during DE training. Because of the low force component of DE movement and the high level of acceleration, high threshold motor units are recruited prior to slower oxidative motor units. This preferential recruitment occurs because of conduction velocity and the threshold of recruitment. Wow, isn’t this what we want in the first place? If you don’t believe me that this works, then get off your “Mental Butt” and try it for a four week cycle…oh and if you are getting really adventurous try using a band.

What the take-home point from all of this? Change is necessary to grow! If you aren’t changing things you’ll always stay in the same place and you’ll never adapt. For more insight into how change is necessary for personal growth check out my friend Andy Ellwood's website at http://www.andyellwood.com/

Work Capacity

Just like every other S&C coach out there, I often get ahead of myself. I want to coach so many things up that I forget about the very foundation of it all...work capacity. When I was redshirt at Texas A&M Mike Clark put us through what he called "Complex is Life Training". It was the battle cry of every redshirt and we had the t-shirts to prove it.

Coach Clark taught me that there are four basic components that we are trying to develop: Strength, Power, Speed and Work Capacity. Strength is improved week by week, power month by month, speed month by month and work capacity is year by year. At Westside they call this GPP. Whatever you call it, it is a vital component to improving performance.

Mike Clark and Robb Rogers used to set up there programs with this template, and still may:

Monday: Speed Tuesday: Power Thursday: Strength Friday: Work Capacity

I really like this concept and see the merit behind it. However, I really like how Al Vermeil sets up his training cycles. No matter what type of training cycle he is in he will always dedicate a certain percentage of the total volume of work to Strength, Power, Speed and Work Capacity. Depending on the emphasis of the cycle the percentages shift...kind of like Conjugate Periodization.

Methods for Developing WC:

Complex's: See Javorek's Complex Conditioning
Circuit Training
HIIT
Sleg Dragging

Favorite Complex's

BB Squat Complex: Lunge x 5, Step Up x 5, Squat to Push Press x 5, Squat x 5, BW Squat Jump x 10
DB Complex: High Pull Snatch x 5, Squat to PP x 5, BO Row x 5, Upright Row x 5, High Pull Snatch x 5
Clean Complex: Hang Clean x 5, RDL x 5, Front Squat x 5, BO Row x 5, Hang Clean x 5

If its been a while since you incorporated WC Training in your program work it back in. I promise that your quality of Strength and Power work will improve.

Isometrics

When I think of isometrics I get a mental picture of some girl decked out in spandex and big hair (the 80's) doing iso's against a wall. It's amazing how S&C coaches take a simple concept and build a whole program around it. Remember the Nautilus machine and the insuing HIT training that swept the nation...and parked itself in the NFL and Big 10? Well, without going crazy Iso's have a really good function.

Let's think about it, in any dynamic movement there is a portion of the movement in which eccentric movement is reversed into an explosive concentric movement (or vise versa). Well, its my belief that if you can't stabilize your body in large spatial overloads or flexed hip position you won't be able to change direction efficiently.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. In our lateral movement progressions we include static hold positions in a lateral lunge. We are very particular in the hip/knee position relative to the center of mass. In a lateral lunge we look to have our nose over our knee over our toe...the belly button should be in-line with the knee. In this position your whole body can be balanced on one foot. If you were to perform a lateral lunge with you nose/belly inside your knee you aren't stable...just try lifting up your back foot, it won't happen. Once an athlete can stabilize themselves in this position for a good length of time, planting and changing direction in a lateral plane will be much easier.

This concept can be extended for unlimited joint movements. I really like Iso holds for pushups and progressing into depth drops into plyo pushups. The possibilities are unlimited.

Back in the saddle

Well, I just arrived in Mississippi...just in time for our game against LSU. I will start writing with regularity starting next week...but I have a huge shout out. I've had the privilege to work with Veronica Campbell since 2004. Well, as we know she just won the 100m dash at the World Championships and it couldn't have happened to a better person. Not only does she have incredible character, but she trains her butt off! Good job V!

New Job!

I'm excited to announce that I've just accepted a position at Mississippi State University. I leave on Sunday so I won't be updating the blog for a little while.

Train Hard!

Speed as a skill

I want to prevent anyone from saying or even worse believing the following statement, "You can't train speed, you either have it or you don't." This statement usually applies to recruiting situations and then is backed up by a head coach's training philosophy. Yes, it is true that all of us have a genetic ceiling and not ever joe schmo will be able to run a 10.0s 100 meter dash. But, making this statement is just like saying, "You can't make someone strong, you either got it or you don't."

I tell my athletes all the time that we are training our nervous system and not our muscles. Think about that...in any training situation we are trying to improve muscle unit recruitment, synchronization and rate coding. Well, this principle also applies to speed development. In my experience most athletes don't know how to move right and most coaches are scared to teach them. Most coaches know what efficient movement looks like, but they can't explain how to make someone move efficiently. They are scared to break down motor movements because in all reality they'll be exposed.

This deficiency really shows up in non-linear running. I'm not too big on developing at-speed or max velocity running for non-track athletes. If I can train an athlete to accelerate and decelerate correctly I believe I've done my job. Most athlete don't know how to change direction correctly and thus their on-the-field speed suffers. Not only that but they can't produce constant acceleration...what I mean is, a good athlete can accelerate for 25-30yd (minimum), a poor athlete will accelerate for 15yd and then go into some type of max-v cyclical running. This is a result of poor uneducated coaching.

If you're reading this and you're thinking, "My God that's me"...well, suck up your ego and find someone who can teach you the basics. Perfect it and then you'll be the one laughing at the coach who doesn't think you can develop speed...because your athletes will dominating the score board.

Wall Runs

Wall runs are a great tool to improve posture, reinforce a correct pelvic position and improve neuromuscular coordination. The following details how I incorporate wall runs into our speed sessions.

1. I use wall between sprints during a speed training session. If we are using a 2-3 minute rest interval, I don't like for the athletes to stand around. During our RI's we will perform some type of low intensity technique drill as an active recovery technique. Wall runs are great during this time because they reinforce a proper body lean and more importantly a proper pelvic position. Usually around 20-30 meters a non-track athlete will begin to shift into a anterior pelvic tilt. I use the wall run to emphasize maintaining a pelvic-neutral position by cuing the athlete to tighten the low abs, or to make sure their hips are looking up. Sometimes we'll poke the athlete's abs to make sure they are tight.

2. Attack Angle (shin angle): Its really important that the athlete understands that the angle of the shin will determine the direction in which the Center of Mass moves. For instance, if my shin is angle perpendicular to the ground my COM will move upwards (vertical jump). During our wall runs we teach the athletes to direct their shin in the direction in which they want to move, in this case its anterior. The shin of the plant leg should match the shin of the swing leg, in the upright position. When you combine a proper shin angle with the correct pelvic positioning, the athlete has no choice but to have the appropriate body angle for acceleration.

There are many other means of application for the wall run, but these are two important points that we make sure to stress. Enjoy!

Agility vs Mobility

Recently I was having a discussion with a good friend of mine Jeff Howser. Jeff is the Speed/Conditioning coach at Duke and he is a world class sprint coach. In my opinion he is one of the brightest minds in the business. We were discussing the difference between agility and mobility...sounds simple but if you really think about it there is a huge difference. Before I get into my working definition, here is what I found on the internet regarding agility/mobility.

Agility definitions have traditionally centered around skills that are needed for the body to change direction at speed. A classic definition is the ability to change the body's direction efficiently, and this requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, and strength. Agility is usually achieved when the athlete is using his/her ATP/PC or Lactic Acid systems.

Mobility...well I couldn't find anything about this word. When we talk about mobility I'm not talking about joint mobility, I'm talking about movement mobility. I literally did a search all over the internet (google, yahoo ect) and came up with NOTHING. How many times have you heard this word used almost as a substitute for the word agility? I've heard this done a lot...but is that appropriate.

My response is no. I like the working definition of Agility listed above, but I'd add one thing to it. Agility is the ability to accelerate(AC) and decelerate (DC, or negative acceleration). The ability AC and DC in multiple planes is contingent upon relative body strength, amortization, biomechanics of shin angles and MOBILITY!

So what is mobility? To be mobile is to be able to control one's center of gravity...sounds simple right? Well, how many of us actually know how to train someone to control their COG? When we are in anatomical position our COG is roughly somewhere around our umbilicus. Well, lets take a look at an offensive lineman in play. At the moment of impact, head on, the COG has now been relocated to a more anterior position relative to the center of the athlete. And I would argue that upon locking up with the defensive lineman the COG is now somewhere between the two athletes. The athlete that can control the new location of the COG will win the battle.

What are you currently implementing in your training programs to develop mobility? And what are you doing to teach your athletes to control their COG, not just in a static position or even worse a supine position, but in the dynamic motions of sport.

Relative Intensities Part II

I was introduced to Relative Intensities about four years ago and it took my programming to a whole new level. Before we dive into this there are two important terms you need to understand. The first is absolute intensity. The absolute intensity on the bar is the actual intensity on the bar. Example: 80% actual intensity of a 100lb maximum is 80lbs. The relative intensity is what the load feels like for a given rep range. Here is where you’ve got to do a little math…Let’s say we are trying to develop maximal strength in the back squat. Using relative intensities, anything above 90% will develop maximal strength. Here is how I break it down:

90 – 100% Maximal Strength
80- 89% Strength/Power
70-79% Power/Work Capacity

Anything Below 70% is a combination of work capacity, power/speed work

So we’ve completed our warm up and we are ready to squat…what intensity should we use for a given number of reps. Remember, I stated that training heavy applies to a large rep range. Today for our working sets we are going to perform triples at 90% relative intensity…so what is the actual intensity. Take a look at the chart below and see if you can follow.

	Relative Intensities
Actual Int	1	2	3	4	5
100	100	95	92.5	90	87.5
95	95	90.25	87.87	85.5	83.12
92.5	92.5	87.87	85.5	83.25	80.93
90	90	85.5	83.25	81	78.75
87.5	87.5	83.125	80.93	78.75	76.56
85	85	80.75	78.62	76.5	74.37
82.5	82.5	78.37	76.31	74.25	72.18

Here’s how the math works. Each repetition is given a value. For instance 1 rep = 100%, 2 reps = 95%, 3 reps = 92.5% ect. I decrease in increments of 2.5%, I talked to Robb Rogers and he decreases by 3%. It’s really up to you, but a good range is 2-3% per rep.

Going back to our example, if we are going to train at 90% for 3 reps the math would work out like this: .90 x .925 = 83.25% The amazing thing about relative intensities is that you know exactly how it feels under the bar for a specific rep range, and also because the goal of the training is matched with an appropriate percentage for a rep scheme, you won’t have people failing. So the obvious question to follow is what volume should I use…well I like to use Prilepin’s Table. So for training at 83.25% for 3’s we need a rep range of 10-20 reps to produce a strength stimulus with 15 reps being optimal.

Here’s just another cool thing about using relative intensities, your warm up sets become a no brainer! Just start with your key sets and work backwards. The key is not to decrease your relative intensity by more than 10% and you’ll be ok. So for our hypothetical situation here’s how it looks (400lb squatter):

60% at 8 reps 70% at 6 reps 80% at 4 reps 90% at 3 reps

.6 x .8 = 48% .7 x .85 = 59.5% .8 x .9 = 72% .9 x .925 = 83.25%

192lbs 238lb 288lb 333lb

Using this method you can easily plan out a four week strength cycle:

Wk1 90%
Wk2 93%
Wk3 96%
Wk4 85-88%

This is a typical linear model

The following is modified Max Effort/Westside periodization model

Wk 1 Back Squat: 92.5% for doubles (87.8% for 2/7)

Wk 2 Back Squat: Work until a 2RM is achieved

Wk 3 Box Squat: 92.5% for doubles (87.8% for 2/7)

Wk 4 Box Squat: Work until a 2 RM is achieved

The application of relative intensities WILL take your programming to another level. No longer will you feel burned out after each session and with proper periodization the gains will be incredible!

Before I wrap this up let me give credit where credit is due. Rayschelle Ellsworth and Mike Clark introduced this idea to me…its not my own! But just like anything else I ‘ve modified it for my personal use.

Enjoy and Train Hard!

Relative Intensities Part I

What is intensity? In terms of training it’s generally referred to as the load on the bar. So, let’s say I’m trying to develop maximal strength what intensity should I use. Well, any body that knows anything will say you need to put a heavy load on the bar to recruit the most motor units possible. GREAT! So what is heavy?

Heavy for a single is different than heavy for a triple. I can develop strength with a rep range of 1-6, but what intensity should I use to get the best results? Depending on whom you read or if you follow the dreaded NSCA you’ll see a percentage range of 80-100% of maximum. Well, great…that really helps.

I’ve seen a bunch of these nifty charts that give rep ranges with percentage ranges. Some even get real exact, like a good strength stimulus would be 85% for 5 reps x 3 sets. That makes a lot of sense, that’s equivalent to a 1RM…I’d love to see the guy or gal that completes three sets at this intensity. From my experience, most athletes end up failing on there last rep of the first couple sets and then they can’t even complete their last set. By that time their CNS is burned out. Then we look out about 6 weeks to test date and the athlete will only see a 10lb improvement on the squat. Coaches get pissed and the viscous cycle begins. To compensate for the athlete’s lack of “effort” we schedule extra sessions and then we end up over training the athlete.

I’m about to rock a bunch of people’s world…I’ve never had an athlete plateau on any lift! I remember back in high school working out and about every 4-6 weeks I’d hit a major plateau…or course I didn’t know anything about periodization or unloading, but a bunch of collegiate athletes experience this. Obviously as our training age increases we won’t see the same jumps that we saw when we were a bright eyed 18 year old with enough testosterone to train twice a day every day. So what's the secret? It's called relative intensity...

Oxygen Mask

Have you ever noticed that during the airline presentation, which we all totally ignore, the flight attendants always say to put the oxygen mask on yourself before you put it on someone else? Why is that? The obvious answer is that if you can't breath then you'll never be able to help someone else. Think about that.

Lately, I've been getting burned out and everyone has told me to take a vacation. But being a stubborn coach I don't want to miss a day of training. I want my athletes to have the best...well, it just hit me today that they can't have the best of me if I'm not at my best. So I just booked a plane ticket and I'm going to the beach...its good to take your own advice!

My Rings: Part I

Lately, I've given a lot of thought as to what defines my program. At my last two coaching stops I haven't been blessed with great facilities or a huge athletic budget. I've had to make more out of less...and to be honest I'm glad. The past few years I've had to think outside the box and develop new and innovative methods to develop strength, power and speed without the bells and whistle, and sometimes even the bare necessities.

During this process I've come to realize that my programs are developed around two concepts. The first is maximizing athletic movement. Way to many coaches get caught up in the strength/power numbers and they lose sight of the real objective. If you can't move you can't play! I'd sacrifice 20lbs in the squat for a few a tenths of a second gained in acceleration...because if you can't be in position to make a play who cares how much you squat. Granted a good strength base is required to move at a maximal speed, but we shouldn't become over zealous in our pursuit of records and miss accomplishing the main objective.

The second is effective communication. If I combined the best training minds in the business to develop a master program but I couldn't coach the program to meet the individual athlete...the program wouldn't work. Not only would it not work but somewhere along the line I'd lose the athlete from my program. Recently Bill Walsh pasted away. It was very interesting to hear what people close to him had to say. Most of the comments weren't about the x's and o's of his coaching, but they were about how he was a masterful communicator. He could reach guys and get them to do things they never dreamed they could accomplish. Thats what separates the average coaches from the great coaches.

So what do I think I can be the best at in the world: Speed development and Effective Communication...what about you?

Hedgehog or Fox?

When I was a junior in college I worked as a waiter for extra money. During the Christmas season I did a catering event for the owner of CiCi’s Pizza. After the event was finished my brother and I asked if he would talk to us about how he became successful. What he said during the next 30 minutes changed the way I approached my profession.

He sat my brother and I down and said the first rule is to keep it simple. Find out what you are good at and become the best at it. He told us his goal was to make the best pizza for the best value. Everything he did centered on the pizza, even the desserts looked like a pizza. He told us that so many companies lose focus on what they are good at. Pizza joints start making hamburgers or Chinese restaurants do BBQ…they lose focus.

In the book Good to Great­, Jim Collins calls this the “Hedgehog Concept”. Check out this link to read the story about the fox and hedgehog it is very insightful http://www.jimcollins.com/lab/hedgehog/#

The Hedgehog Concept is a simple, crystalline concept that flows from deep understanding about the intersection of the following three circles

1. What can you be the best at in the World
2. What drives your economic engine
3. What are you deeply passionate about

If you can answer these three questions and stick to your answers you will be successful coach. And more than that you will possess a program that breeds success.

Fortune 500 or Dollar General

Today I was having lunch with a very good friend of mine. He’s an absolute genius at sales/marketing and he’s currently the Vice President of Sales/Marketing for Politic2.0. We were comparing the speed of change and innovation in business vs. that of the strength and conditioning world. It was an intriguing conversation and here are a few of the key points.

· Without innovation in business you will soon find yourself obsolete and out of a job…thus if you want to eat you must be on the cutting edge. S&C Coaches get waaaay to comfortable and see there job as a way to collect a check instead of a way to be on the cutting edge. We don’t put ourselves out there enough…we are often waiting on other coaches to do it before we will. This conservative nature might be your ticket out of the game.

· Great ideas only become successful if the timing and market is right.

· Innovation in S&C is built around developing four basic qualities: Strength, Power, Speed, Work Capacity/Hypertrophy. As coaches we often see these parameters as road blocks, instead of launching pads. We already have the fundamental concept in place we just have to expand it.

· In business if you can’t communicate you are dead in the water…how many S8C coaches have you met that wouldn’t make it at a social affair b/c they are too busy shaving their head or watching NASCAR. We need to be well-rounded people…read books, watch CNN and know what is going on the global community. If we can’t connect with the rapidly changing culture that we live in, it won’t matter if you are the Einstein of the S&C world.

It’s just a thought…but we might be better off running our S&C programs like a Fortune 500 company instead of the local dollar store…a lot of nice trinkets but not one solid product.