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WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THESE ARE TRUE
> Straight-ahead sprinting and change-of-direction agility drills elicit a “plyometric” (stretch-shortening) effect. Therefore, whenever you're sprinting and doing agilities, your doing plyometrics. No need to spend an inordinate amount of time jumping on and off boxes.
> If you're doing squats without a weight belt, lunges, dead lifts, RDLs/stiff-leg dead lifts, overhead presses, bent-over rows, conventional trunk flexion and rotation abdominal exercises or any on-your-feet exercise, your engaging your “core.” You don't need a 20 minute Swiss ball or medicine ball-on-a-rope routine or a series of funky Pilate's moves. Work your entire body -- including basic ab exercises -- and move on.
> A “functional' exercise is any exercise you do that makes you stronger. Read: any exercise that creates overload on a muscle and is done progressively is “functional.” Last time I checked, ALL muscle groups were important at some point for proper athletic skill execution and injury prevention.
> Speed gadgets and gimmicks such as parachutes, rubber tubing, sleds, weighted vests, and the like are nothing exceptional. They by themselves will not make you “run like the wind” after their use. They can be used for variety in a conditioning program (repeated use can create fatigue), but that's about it. It is a fact that running with weight or against resistance alters running mechanics from those used in unweighted sprinting you'll experience during a game (sport-specific). Therefore, keep your running both sport and energy system-specific by replicating the situations/runs you'll face in competition.
> Increasing strength = increasing power. It's still ridiculous that we have to address this issue with all that we know today. It's simple physics: power = work (force x distance) / time. It's the rate of work done relative to time. The work component is effected by force output. Stronger muscles = greater force production. Thus strength training (heavy, slower moving by nature resistances) is vital for increasing power output. The time component is simply a consciously-controlled, nerve impulse issue: if I want to explode or react quickly, I consciously do it. It's a timing issue that is improved through the practice of exploding or reacting quickly via inter- and intra-muscular synchronization and coordination, UNABATED BY RESISTANCE TO ASSURE THE QUICKEST/FASTEST SPEED OF MOVEMENT.
> If one attempts to improve the speed of movement (the time factor of the power equation) in the weight room, they face a huge dilemma: if they want a fast (relative) movement speed, the resistance used will have to be light in order for it to move “fast.” However, the lighter the resistance (i.e., a 45 lb. bar), the faster it can move but the fewer muscle fibers recruited and overloaded (a low demand). If more resistance is added to the bar, the slower the movement speed, but with a greater number of muscle fibers recruited. More resistance added means a further slowing of movement speed, but with greater fiber involvement (read: more fast/type 2, greater force generating fibers activated due to a greater demand). So, where do you draw the line on the optimal resistance needed for enhancing the time factor of the power equation? The answer: heavier rather than lighter. Remember, the speed of movement that one uses to build power is independent of the speed of movement one uses to demonstrate power! Build force production (strength) in the weight room with naturally heavy, slower moving, greater muscle fiber recruiting resistances. Work on the time aspect outside the weight room using sport-specific, exact speed, consciously explosive/quicker drills.
> Slow twitch/type 1 muscle fibers are only “slow” relative to fast twitch/type 2 muscle fibers. That is, fast twitch/type 2 fibers are larger, stronger and faster to contract as compared to type 1/slow fibers, but if the demand is low (i.e., a vertical jump...body weight-only), the slow twitch/type 1 fibers can move the body “fast” for this task. This explains why one can do body weight explosive efforts for a number of repetitions. Fast twitch/type 2 fibers dominate only when muscle tension and demand are high (i.e., a heavy squat), but slow/type 1 fibers are still involved.
> Olympic lifting is a great sport. However, when it comes to training for other sports, these lifts 1) do not transfer to improve other sport skills, 2) are not necessary for maximal power development, 3) limit the magnitude of overload on the larger muscles involved (lower body) due to weak link muscles (upper body), 4) violate safe and proper lifting techniques due to the nature of the lifts and 5) can be time-consuming regarding teaching and learning. If you do them, be careful, but remember the other exercises you perform (to address over-all body strength) will improve power potential, safely.
> One does not have to perform mega-multiple sets (5+) for each muscle group to increase strength. If working hard – very hard – minimal sets will work, and up to three can be more than enough for some. Most people who disagree with the minimal set approach have never experienced it. If they did, they obviously didn't work as hard as they could have.
> Video tape a group of physically-mature (18+ years old) athletes sprinting. Note their running form. It will vary from athlete to athlete. Some have long strides, some shorter. Some use proper arm action while others do not. Some lean forward, some lean backward. Now, put these athletes through an 8-week traditional “speed development” program replete with form runs, high knees, seated arm-action drills, bounds, hops, etc. adnauseam. Video tape them sprinting after the 8-week program and note their running form again. Result: no significant, time-lowering changes occurred. Message: you can't teach and old dog new tricks. TEACH KIDS HOW TO RUN IN THEIR FORMATIVE YEARS (6-10)!
> Winning in athletics is primarily a matter of talent, coaching and game-day readiness. I was knee-deep in college strength & conditioning for 23 years and can confidently aver that this is 100% true. I've seen it: great athletes + proper coaching + confidence = wins. You can have the greatest strength and conditioning program on the planet, but if you have substandard talent, poor coaching and/or a lack of confidence, you're going to get your ass kicked. The strength and conditioning program is essential (injury prevention and leveling the playing field), but it can only do so much. If that was not the case – that is, you won solely on your efforts in the weight room, in conditioning and/or by a rousing pre-game rah-rah speech --you could take a group of nuns and win a WNBA Championship.
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Two must reads!:
Toigo, M., Boutellier, U., New
Fundamental Resistance Exercise
Determinants of Molecular and Cellular
Muscle Adaptations, European Journal of
Applied Physiology, (2006) 97:643-663
Ken Mannie does it again...he makes sense of it all!
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Athletic Strength & Power - an excellent web site with great articles and interviews.
A.S.A.P
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I had a chance to test drive a new concept in strength training recently. This is absolutely a step forward in the industry. Check out Exerton.com and see. www.exertron.com
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Want a challenging workout in under 45 minutes? Do this:
Sequence 1: upper body push, pull and leg then a different upper push, pull and leg.
Sequence 2: again, a different upper push, pull and leg then a different push, pull and leg (12 total exercises).
Repeat sequence 1 and 2 twice more for 36 total sets.
Aim for approximately 10 reps/set and attempt to complete the entire workout in the least amount of time. The high volume of work is meant to be there, but that is the intent: maximal effort and maximal energy expenditure. For a glimpse, go here:
12 x 3 Circuit Highlight
It's the total package: strength, endurance and mental toughness.
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So, you don't feel like squatting on some days because you're too tired or lazy? Check this out!:
Body weight squat for 98 reps
My heart-rate rose to 190 B.P.M. just watching this (click on video link at the bottom of the above page).
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