Summer football training is in full swing and if you are a performance coach you know how draining this is. I had one of our football coaches as me the other day why I looked so tired...its was 6pm. I asked him how he'd feel if he just did 3 back to back football practises...he got the picture.
Things are going really well and our guys are responding...we are all very excited about the future of our club. In addition to coaching I'm teaching a course on exercise and weight control. Its been a lot of fun diving into energy balance theories and enriching the minds of our students. Oh, we watched Super Size Me the other day and of course Spurlock pointed out that Mississippi is the fattest state in America...go MS! I really don't like fast food, but after Spurlock puke after each a double quarter pounder w/ cheese and a super size fry and coke...well lets just say MC D's won't be a part of my diet ever again!
Speaking of diet everything is going well. I'm weight stable around 226lb right now. I've decided to increase my g-flux to about 3000-3200kcal for a while b/c of my increased energy demands...i love those extra calories!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
CSCCa Conference Review
This first weekend of May always marks the annual CSCCa (Collegiate Strength Coaches Association) conference. This year we moved the convention from Salt Lake City, Chuck Stiggins you are a rock star, to Nashville. It was a great weekend! Don Decker did a great job picking out speakers, and our certification process went great...for MSU.
Calli Williams won the John Stucky Award. This award is given out to the most outstanding candidate who went through the certification process. I had the wonderful pleasure of working with her this year. She's an amazing coach, but more importantly an amazing person!
Going to the conference is more than just going to see the presentations and having a few with the buddies...its about TALKING to coaches. This is where my best learning takes place. This year I talked to Bill Gillespie (Liberty) about benching 9 x's a week! Let me just say this, Bill is one of the most genuine men I've ever met and anybody would be lucky to have their son or daughter trained by him. Hey, this guy can teach you how to kiss a girl and bench at the same time! (inside joke) I talked to Ryan Feek (Illinois Weslyn) about shoulder stabilization and injury prevention. Let me tell you...this guy is smart, real smart. He's what I consider to be the new wave in strength and conditioning: part PT, part Sports Performance Coach.
Other highlights: Listening to the speed guru of all-time JEFF HOWSER. I'm kind of glad everyone doesn't know of this guy...b/c he's the real deal and I just steal everything from him...just kidding.
So word to the wise...next time you go to a conference, go hear the speakers BUT sit down for a few hours and get uncomfortable with some people that stretch you. That's the only way you grow.
Last thing...really. Performing hamstring curls and training the posterior deltoids won't make you fast :)
Calli Williams won the John Stucky Award. This award is given out to the most outstanding candidate who went through the certification process. I had the wonderful pleasure of working with her this year. She's an amazing coach, but more importantly an amazing person!
Going to the conference is more than just going to see the presentations and having a few with the buddies...its about TALKING to coaches. This is where my best learning takes place. This year I talked to Bill Gillespie (Liberty) about benching 9 x's a week! Let me just say this, Bill is one of the most genuine men I've ever met and anybody would be lucky to have their son or daughter trained by him. Hey, this guy can teach you how to kiss a girl and bench at the same time! (inside joke) I talked to Ryan Feek (Illinois Weslyn) about shoulder stabilization and injury prevention. Let me tell you...this guy is smart, real smart. He's what I consider to be the new wave in strength and conditioning: part PT, part Sports Performance Coach.
Other highlights: Listening to the speed guru of all-time JEFF HOWSER. I'm kind of glad everyone doesn't know of this guy...b/c he's the real deal and I just steal everything from him...just kidding.
So word to the wise...next time you go to a conference, go hear the speakers BUT sit down for a few hours and get uncomfortable with some people that stretch you. That's the only way you grow.
Last thing...really. Performing hamstring curls and training the posterior deltoids won't make you fast :)
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Teach Something
To all those that might be following my blog...I apologize for the break in action. Its been a hectic semester and with football/teaching winding down I now have more time to write.
We just finished a very successful off-season and I'm really proud to have been apart of the process. Our guys achieved the goals that our Ben (our Head Strength Coach) set out for them and I believe that we are ready to have a great summer.
This past semester was my first semester to teach at a University. I was faced with many challenges that I normally wouldn't be faced with...I was called to teach 2 days before my first class. However, I believe that I delivered a unique product to our grad students and gave them a really good look at what "training" is really all about. This summer I will be teach a course on Exercise and Weight Control and this fall I'll be teaching 2 classes. I'm really excited about this opportunity.
Ok, take home point for today...if you want to really learn something prepare as though you are going to have to teach it. If you can teach something to somebody else you will know the material. Not only will you "know" it, but you'll have internalized it and probably thought about whatever it is in greater detail than ever.
We just finished a very successful off-season and I'm really proud to have been apart of the process. Our guys achieved the goals that our Ben (our Head Strength Coach) set out for them and I believe that we are ready to have a great summer.
This past semester was my first semester to teach at a University. I was faced with many challenges that I normally wouldn't be faced with...I was called to teach 2 days before my first class. However, I believe that I delivered a unique product to our grad students and gave them a really good look at what "training" is really all about. This summer I will be teach a course on Exercise and Weight Control and this fall I'll be teaching 2 classes. I'm really excited about this opportunity.
Ok, take home point for today...if you want to really learn something prepare as though you are going to have to teach it. If you can teach something to somebody else you will know the material. Not only will you "know" it, but you'll have internalized it and probably thought about whatever it is in greater detail than ever.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Diet Update
I went in this morning and had my bodyfat measured...its 12.1% and I'm 227lb. I'm pleased with my progress thus far, but I'm starting to get a little upset that my abdominal fat measurement hasn't changed. I think this will be the last area to go...yeah!
So here is the plan, I'm going to start performing cardio for 30min first thing in the morning on a empty stomach...sorry, I'll have a serving of BCAA's. Also, post workout I'm going to do cardio for 30-35 min. Each session will be a littler more intense than the past...more eliptical and intervals on the incline treadmill. I will continue to do HIT on Low carb days...prowler sprints ect. I hope to be 10% by late April. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be, especially the low carb days. They suck!!! I feel really tired and its hard to sleep at night.
So here is the plan, I'm going to start performing cardio for 30min first thing in the morning on a empty stomach...sorry, I'll have a serving of BCAA's. Also, post workout I'm going to do cardio for 30-35 min. Each session will be a littler more intense than the past...more eliptical and intervals on the incline treadmill. I will continue to do HIT on Low carb days...prowler sprints ect. I hope to be 10% by late April. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be, especially the low carb days. They suck!!! I feel really tired and its hard to sleep at night.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
There has got to be a better way!
Olympic lifts...I've been doing them since 1999 and it took me about 3 years to really get the technique down. For a lot of programs this is the primary means for "power" development. I used to believe that this was "the way"...but now I'm not so sure and here is why.
First of all, what is power? Siff discusses power as a type of strength. You can move a heavier load fast (strength-speed) or a lighter load ballistically (speed-strength). If you were to take a really good look at the force-velocity curve you'd see the drastic difference in the two, but you'd also see how intimately they are linked. This leads me to my point...power is really dependent on the velocity of the movement.
The attractive nature of the Olympic lifts is the triple extension of the hips, knees and ankles. Also by using Olympic lifts you are teaching someone to execute complex motor skills. Although these movement patterns don't directly transfer to on-the-field play, the ability of the nervous system to accelerate and decelerate external loads in various degrees of freedom is transferable. However, I think there is a better way to gain power than to bang your head up against a wall for a few years as you try to teach someone to perform a lift that they may never be able to execute, due to unaccommodating leverages.
Have we totally forgot about plyometrics? As long as you have good relative body strength, this is most definitely a superior means to develop power. What about changing the loads and velocity of the squat movement? Think about this...part two is on its way.
First of all, what is power? Siff discusses power as a type of strength. You can move a heavier load fast (strength-speed) or a lighter load ballistically (speed-strength). If you were to take a really good look at the force-velocity curve you'd see the drastic difference in the two, but you'd also see how intimately they are linked. This leads me to my point...power is really dependent on the velocity of the movement.
The attractive nature of the Olympic lifts is the triple extension of the hips, knees and ankles. Also by using Olympic lifts you are teaching someone to execute complex motor skills. Although these movement patterns don't directly transfer to on-the-field play, the ability of the nervous system to accelerate and decelerate external loads in various degrees of freedom is transferable. However, I think there is a better way to gain power than to bang your head up against a wall for a few years as you try to teach someone to perform a lift that they may never be able to execute, due to unaccommodating leverages.
Have we totally forgot about plyometrics? As long as you have good relative body strength, this is most definitely a superior means to develop power. What about changing the loads and velocity of the squat movement? Think about this...part two is on its way.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Diet Changes
Two weeks ago Bob adjusted my Carb rotation. I capitalize Carbs because they are so precious to me now. I have 1 high carb day a week, Wednesday. The rest of the week I alternated between moderate and low days. On my low days I'm doing HIT training and regrettably I'm trying to increase my lactate levels as high as possible...you know, GH response ect ect. On my moderate days I'm training once with high volume followed by 35min of moderate intensity cardio. So there it is...
Monday, February 25, 2008
Weekend Update with Erik Korem
This past weekend I went to the NFL Combine. What a great experience. Right now I'm training five of our players for the Pro Day, and so it was great getting to see the top guys in the country compete at the same drills. On Saturday I watched the lineman run the 40 yard dash and perform the other movement drills. Plus, I watched the tight ends perform the same tests. Jake Long was impressive! He's about 6' 7" and man he's lean. He did a great job of displaying his mobility and quick feet. The tight ends were composed of a bunch of specimens. I've never seen so many 6'6-7" guys run so fast. That's why they are the best in the country.
I was disappointed, however, with the overall performance of the lineman at the 40 yard dash. There were quite a few guys who went up to the line and got in the worst stance possible. It blows me away that with someones career on the line that they wouldn't prepare well.
In addition to watching the athletes I met some great coaches. I spent a great deal of time with Tom Myslinski of the Browns. All I've got to say is that guy is smart. He's a sharp coach and he's a real sports scientist. In addition, I met Joe Kenn of Louisville. Once again, totally impressed.
Quick update on my training. I was tested last week using a 7-site skin fold and I was 13.47% body fat. That is the leanest I've ever been. I hope to be 10% by late March. I'll keep everyone up dated.
I was disappointed, however, with the overall performance of the lineman at the 40 yard dash. There were quite a few guys who went up to the line and got in the worst stance possible. It blows me away that with someones career on the line that they wouldn't prepare well.
In addition to watching the athletes I met some great coaches. I spent a great deal of time with Tom Myslinski of the Browns. All I've got to say is that guy is smart. He's a sharp coach and he's a real sports scientist. In addition, I met Joe Kenn of Louisville. Once again, totally impressed.
Quick update on my training. I was tested last week using a 7-site skin fold and I was 13.47% body fat. That is the leanest I've ever been. I hope to be 10% by late March. I'll keep everyone up dated.
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