DEVELOPING A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM

1. DEVELOPING A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM Terry Harrison

2. DISCLAIMER I do not have all the answers and none of this information is original or originated with me. All that I am doing is relaying this information in the format and providing the structure to you in a way that has helped the athletes and teams I have been blessed to work with.

3. What a Strength and Conditioning Program is not What it is not: 1.) We are not training competitive Olympic lifters – if you spend the majority of your time teaching technique you may miss out on other necessary components of athleticism 2.) We are not training power lifters – although lifting large amounts of weight is part of developing the athlete 3.) We are not training bodybuilders – muscle mass does aid in some sports and helps serve as padding and protection in contact sports, but is not the main goal.

4. What a Strength and Conditioning Program is Strength and Conditioning is the ongoing process of developing individuals and teams athletic abilities in order to help them perform at their highest level in their sport. WE TRAIN ATHLETES Not a.) football players b.) volleyball players c.) power lifters ….

5. BENEFITS OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM • Strengthen Tendons and Ligaments • Increases speed of athletes – enables the athlete to produce more force into ground when sprinting and changing directions • Gives objective immediate feedback to keep athlete interested and helps with goal setting • Helps improve athletes self confidence which in most cases will lead to improved performance

6. BENEFITS OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM (cont.) • Everyone has opportunity to be part of the team and be involved; there are no starters and back ups • Can be helpful in all sports both male and female • Teaches life time activity

7. PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

8. PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY 1.)    Use of Ground Based Lifts: I tell the players if they want to get used to sitting down during the game then train that way. You can incorporate more muscles (stabilizers and core muscles ) by lifting standing up, which is what ground based training is – training with feet on the ground. If an exercise can be done sitting down or standing (shoulder press, curls, side laterals…) we will do it standing.

9. 2.) Use of free weights: This partially goes with # 1, when using free weights it is much easier to incorporate ground based movements. At the high school level we are also very limited with our floor space and budget, you can do any number of lifts with a barbell or dumbbell, however you are limited to one movement with a machine. Having said that if you can afford machines they do have a place in training the athlete and are necessary when dealing with injured athletes or rehabilitation.

10. 3.) Use of Multiple Joint lifts: Time is very limited, so in order to train the body as completely as possible it is necessary to utilize multiple joint exercises. Athletic events require the use of many muscles in coordination with one another, therefore it is most beneficial to train the body in the same manner. Isolation exercises (movements that train only one joint/muscle at a time) do have a place in training, especially when trying to achieve hypertrophy. These exercises should not be a high priority, and may be used to help an athletes weakness or lagging body part.

11. 4.) Incorporate Body weight exercises: Some of the best exercises we can use we often forget, such as push ups, chin/pull ups. Find ways to make athletes have to control and manipulate their own body weight. This is especially useful when training younger athletes or athletes with a weak core that have a hard time using barbells and dumbbells.

12. 5.) Have Variety in your workouts: This is done for 2 main reasons, number one being the body needs a variety of stimulus to continue to force the body to adapt (that adaptation being increased muscular strength, muscular size, and power). Number two, it gets boring coming in and doing the same exercises, sets, reps… the athletes and coaches will become mentally stale. There is a need to continually incorporate exercises that have great benefit. These exercises are in your program to help the athletes develop and to create movement patterns they are familiar with. But keep the athletes guessing mentally and physically by changing the exercise order, technique variations, sets, reps…

13. 6.)    Have incentives for your athletes: • Reward those that work hard • Recognize athletes accomplishments in front of peers and parents

14. 7.) Give the Athletes a weight – don’t let them choose Many times athletes will go too heavy or light, just like you don’t let players call their own plays you must have a game plan and play ready for your team

16. 8.)    Have athletes record the weights they use Each athlete has their own folder This will help athletes see progress between tests Way for coaches to see if players are a.) completing all their sets b.) using a weight that is challenging Keeps athletes on track

17. 9.) Set Goals • Must be in writing (we write on 3index cards, 1 goes in workout folder, 1 in locker and 1 at home) • Must be challenging and achievable See next slide • Must have a deadline Length of off season, next test • Must be specific Not – “ I want to get strong, I want to gain weight”

18. Goal Setting • Set goals for the items you will test • Realistic gains during a 10-16 week off season Squat: 50 + , especially if they are young or haven't had a consistent program in the past, have seen several 100 lb gains Bench: 35 +, same as above, have seen many with 50 lb gains Clean: 30 +, many times they could do more weight but since technique and bar speed are critical we don’t want to see how much they can do with improper technique – much of their early gains will be due to technique 40: .1-.3 (have seen.5) Vertical: 1-3 inches (have seen 6)

19. 10.)   Create an enthusiastic, competitive, challenging environment • Money sets – opportunity for athlete to do more rep or weight on designated set of exercise • Competitions – wall squats, plate holds, harness tug of war • 4th Quarter Drills – way to finish workout and develop mental toughness (10-push ups, sit ups, up downs, mt. Climbers – progress to 20) • Mat Drills

20. 11.)  Never quit learning as a coach: There is no one best way to train. Just as an offense can evolve so should your strength and conditioning program. The more you put into your program the more your kids will put into it. Attend clinics that cover strength and conditioning, read journals, network with other strength coaches, and experiment by trying some of the workouts yourself. I also encourage you to get certified by the NSCA or United State Weightlifting Association, this well help bring credibility to your coaching skills and provides great information on how to develop a program and teach proper technique.

21. 12.) Change your thinking • “Its not no pain = no gain” It is no brain no gain (training to failure is not necessary) • Don’t only work harder Work smarter • Don’t do a program because school “X” does it and they are successful – that may or may not be why they are successful, they might be good in spite of what they do in the weight room and speed development • Just because you did it when you were a player doesn’t mean it is good or works

22. BASIC PRINICPALS OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

23. WEIGHT TRAINING PRINCIPALS • Progressive Overload • Rest Between Sets - • Increase amount of weight used • Volume – total number of sets and reps in a workout • Also can change the sets and reps used • Repetition speed • Variety • Periodization • Combination of these

24. PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Progressive Overload – gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training Progressive Overload may be implemented with the following 1.) load increased 2.) repetitions added to current load 3.) rest periods between sets may be shortened 4.) repetition speed with sub-maximal loads 5.) total volume of workout (total # of repetitions performed in a workout) 6.) any combination of the above

25. REST BETWEEN SETS How long you rest between sets will depend on what your goals are and what your current state of fitness is Strength = 2-3 minutes This would include multiple joint movements Hypertrophy = 1-2 minutes Supplemental exercises Endurance/Fitness = 30 seconds to 1 minute Circuits, supersets, fast paced

26. PERIODIZATION Linear Periodization – high initial training volume with low intensity as training progresses volume decreases and intensity increases Typically each phase has an emphasis Example: on following slide

27. Find out when your most important event is and work backwards, so that you are peaking at the right time Macro – Meso – Micro –

29. HOW TO WRITE A PROGRAM

30. HOW MANY REPS AND HOW MUCH WEIGHT? 1 * MAX 2 * 95.5% 3 * 91.7 % 4 * 88.5 % 5 * 85.7 % 6 * 83.2 % 7 * 80.9 % 8 * 78.8 % 9 * 76.9 % 10 * 75.2 % For workouts subtract 5-10% off of number (3 + sets – workout). The fewer the sets, the less % is taken off

31. ORDER OF EXERCISES • Warm up • Power movements • Hard to easy • Multiple joint to single joint • Pre-Hab, Core work

32. What a typical workout looks like 1 HOUR: WEIGHTS ONLY 10 minutes: Warm – up / give instructions / mental training 20 - 25 minutes Core Lifts 10-15 minutes Supplemental Lifts 5 minutes Pre-hab 5 minutes Fourth quarter work / wrap up

34. What a typical workout looks like 1 HOUR: SPEED AND WEIGHTS 10 MINUTE SPEED WARM UP 10 MINUTE SPEED STATION # 1 10 MINUTE SPEED STATION # 2 20 MINUTE CORE LIFT 10 MINUTE CORE WORK / WRAP UP / 4TH QUARTER WORK / STRETCH & COOL DOWN

36. HOW TO INCORPORATE WEIGHTS AND SPEED WORK Progression of a workout 1.) Speed Work – under 60 yards, agility work also 2.) Power Development – plyomterics, Olympic lifts, medicine ball work 3.) Strength – weight training 4.) Conditioning

37. HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK TO TRAIN In Season – 2-3 Off Season 3 – M,W,F 4 – M,T,Th,F 5 – M-F

38. HOW LONG SHOULD A WORKOUT LAST? 30 – 120 minutes 30 – in season 60 – school day 90 – school day + extra before or after school 120 - summer

39. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN IN / OFF /PRE SEASON WORKOUTS • Limited overhead lifting • Limited front squats • Fewer supplemental exercises • Total volume is lower • Most speed/conditioning work done within practice

40. WHEN, WHY, WHAT AND HOW TO TEST WHEN Test 3 times a year: 1.) Pre - Season 2.) Post – Season 3.) During off-season Example using football 1.) August 2.) December 3.) April

41. WHEN, WHY, WHAT AND HOW TO TEST WHY 1.) Evaluate teams/individuals strengths and weaknesses 2.) Tool to monitor progress during off season 3.) Tool to evaluate strength/speed program 4.) Motivational tool for athletes (clubs, awards…)

42. WHEN, WHY, WHAT AND HOW TO TEST WHAT 1.) Speed – 40 yard dash 2.) Agility – 5-10-5 (pro) shuttle 3.) Lower body power – no step vertical jump, standing broad jump 4.) Upper Body Strength – Bench Press 5.) Lower Body Strength – Back Squat 6.) Total Body Power – Hang or Power Clean *Optional* Speed Endurance – 300 yard shuttle (by 25 or 50 yards) , repeated bouts with goal time and set rest intervals

43. 1 Rep max versus rep max Benefits of one rep max: a.) more accurate when basing %’s off of maxes b.) applies better to incentives, comparisons, goals c.) requires intensity and focus to attempt heavy weight d.) doesn’t take as long when figuring results

44. 1 Rep max versus rep max e.) injury is just as likely or more likely when muscle is fatigued from multiple reps f.) there are varying charts and formulas to figure out a rep max DO NOT MAX 1 REP OR MULTIPLE REP UNTIL CORRECT TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN LEARNED AND PRACTICED

45. Rep max formula 1 * 1 1.03 * 2 reps 1.06 * 3 reps 1.09 * 4 reps 1.12 * 5 reps 1.15 * 6 reps 1.18 * 7 reps 1.21 * 8 reps 1.24 * 9 reps 1.27 * 10 reps 1.30 * 11 reps Beyond 11 reps is inconsistent

46. PROGRAM BUILDERS Consistency • In teaching and performing technique • In effort expected and given • In recording workouts • In attendance Competition • Helps provide a spark and variety to off season • Can be a point system that cover course of off season • Can be individual event that takes place every week

47. PROGRAM BUILDERS Awards • Athlete of week – put picture up in locker room • Find ways to recognize athletes hard work in front of peers and parents (Night of Champions…) Teach • Help kids understand why they are doing what they are doing

48. PROGRAM KILLERS 1.) allowing athletes/teams to workout on own 2.) Inconsistency in following, enforcing,attending writing workouts 3.) Lack of variety, using the same workout all the time 4.) Lack of support, promotion from head coach (if your not seen at workouts what makes the kids think its important)

49. PROGRAM KILLERS 5.) Lack of understanding of how to do exercises properly 6.) Having more of a social atmosphere than work atmosphere 7.) lack of discipline – no enforcement – tardies, absences, not cleaning weight room… 8.) Female athlete not understanding that weights are beneficial to her athletic abilities and will not turn her into a “muscle bound gross women”