First things first, learn a first step.

Some of my favorite posts are when topics of discussion more or less happen by coincidence.  For example, I was teaching a class a few weeks ago and my athletes were on the younger side around twelve to thirteen. The NFL Combine was in full swing, which generated a lot of enthusiasm among the kids coming into the center. I had a few kids ask, “Why don’t we work on three-point start like they do on television.” Before explaining, I asked the kids what sports they currently play. A few responded with baseball and a few with basketball. Not a single kid played football. I explained to them in almost every team sport you will accelerate from a standing position. I continued to explain that we spend most of our time learning how to apply acceleration forces from a standing position because it is most applicable in game scenarios. All of the kids then gave me that look of, “touché coach”. However, I could see that one of my kids went deep into thought. Finally, he looked at me with a grin and said, "Well, we do not have sleds attached to us on the fields!?"

This is the type of class that I love. I love when an athlete has the desire to learn to get better as well as the drive to work to get better. I explained to them, “the sled helps us not only stay in our 45 degree acceleration angle, but then it also requires us to apply greater force into the floor allowing us to increase our ability to run faster when the sled is removed.” I reminded them of the policy, "Big Force, Proper Direction, Quickly as Possible, Optimal Range of Motion." Now, some of this information might be a little advanced for these kids but you could see their curiosity and desire to understand why we train the way we do. I am challenging them to understand the science behind our training and they are stepping up to the challenge of learning as much as they can.

One day I come into work and one of my staff members says to me, “I found an awesome website, it is kind of like your coachingspeed.com, but I definitely like their logo better.” (Nothing like a competitive comment to get me back to the drawing board!) He continued, “They also post up pretty cool articles that scientifically validate what we do. If you want to read some cool scientific article, I would absolutely recommend natureofspeed.com.” So, I went to check it out, and their Facebook post was titled, "If you are under the supervision of a coach or training system that does not incorporate sport science into your speed development, run away!" Check out the abstract from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning:

Relationships Between Ground Reaction Impulse and Sprint Acceleration Performance in Team Sport Athletes

Kawamori, Naoki; Nosaka, Kazunori; Newton, Robert U.

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research . 27(3):568–573, March 2013.

doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e318257805a

Abstract: Kawamori, N, Nosaka, K, and Newton, RU. Relationships between ground reaction impulse and sprint acceleration performance in team sport athletes. J Strength Cond Res 27(3): 568–573, 2013—Large horizontal acceleration in short sprints is a critical performance parameter for many team sport athletes. It is often stated that producing large horizontal impulse at each ground contact is essential for high short sprint performance, but the optimal pattern of horizontal and vertical impulses is not well understood, especially when the sprints are initiated from a standing start. This study was an investigation of the relationships between ground reaction impulses and sprint acceleration performance from a standing start in team sport athletes. Thirty physically active young men with team sport background performed 10-m sprint from a standing start, whereas sprint time and ground reaction forces were recorded during the first ground contact and at 8 m from the start. Associations between sprint time and ground reaction impulses (normalized to body mass) were determined by a Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) analysis. The 10-m sprint time was significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with net horizontal impulse (r = −0.52) and propulsive impulse (r = −0.66) measured at 8 m from the start. No significant correlations were found between sprint time and impulses recorded during the first ground contact after the start. These results suggest that applying ground reaction impulse in a more horizontal direction is important for sprint acceleration from a standing start. This is consistent with the hypothesis of training to increase net horizontal impulse production using sled towing or using elastic resistance devices, which needs to be validated by future longitudinal training studies.

So getting back, this post was generally directed towards my curious kids I had the discussion with. If you did not believe me then, believe me now! After that initiation into acceleration the ground forces were greater as we got closer to the 10-meter mark. I always teach our athletes, “The first step is extremely important in setting up successful acceleration.” It will be harder to be great at 10 meters with poor form in the beginning. If your mechanics cause you to transition and start to rise too early the force horizontal force application will not be great at 10 meters.

I love when science makes a speed program come to life, and I love when what is being taught is validated.

Keep working hard, Keep working Smart, Keep Coaching Speed

-Adam 

The Pesky Piriformis

Distance Runners, Cyclists, and Athlete's that compete in the sagittal plane are prime candidates to run into Piriformis Syndrome. Piriformis Syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated by the Piriformis muscle causing pain, tingling and numbness down the glute along the pathway of the sciatic nerve descending down towards the lower leg. The best way to rid this is by making the Piriformis flexible and strong.


Here are a few dynamic/static stretches:

Here are a few good strengthening exercises:

A little bit further down the progression scale:

Protracted Shoulder Girdle Part 2

In Part 1, we described exactly what a Protracted Shoulder Girdle was and what causes this imbalance. Now, let us discuss the best ways to attack this problem. We know that there is a combination of Serratus Anterior, Pectoralis Minor, Pectoralis Major tightness and/or a weakness in the Mid-Trapezius, Rhomboids, and Rear Deltoids.

The diagram below is to show you where those muscles are located in case you are not aware.

 In order to find out exactly which muscles are causing the problem my suggestion is to contact either a Physical Therapist, or a Strength and Conditioning Coach or Trainer. If we are talking in generalities these are some exercises you can use to help your problem. You can email me directly at coach.szuch@gmail.com. 

If you do in fact have a Protracted Shoulder Girdle you need to understand that this imbalance did not happen over night and the fix will not happen overnight. My philosophy behind stretching is simple, "Once a day, do not bother. You are wasting your own time. Two times a day, we are getting a little better. Three times a day, you will see a change."

These are my personal favorites to strengthen your Mid-Trapezius, Rhomboids, and Rear Deltoids.

PRONE BLACKBURN'S

SUPINE NO MONEY

PRONE "Y"

I found these two videos from Brent Brookbush on YouTube to help with the release of Pectoralis Minor, Major. Brent does an excellent job explaining how to correctly perform each exercise. Check him out at http://www.b2cfitness.com/ 

Wall Drill (The Basics)

The more I search the Internet to find videos on Acceleration Wall Drill, the less I actually see it being coached. The only things I feel being stressed are rapid fire speed and move as quickly as possible. Do not get me wrong those are two key things in order to make an impact on the Nervous System and a key way to make a change on how their muscles fire. Athlete’s need to understand this, there is a lot more going on with the wall Drill, then that. A few things need to get done correctly prior to moving rapid fire, and moving like a crazy maniac.  

Stance:

1.  Hands are finger tips up, shoulder height, shoulder width apart on the wall, use something sturdy. It is very similar to a push up position.
2. Eyes are set in between the hands to aid in neutral spine.
3. Feet Hip width apart.
4. Feet are walked back so that the body is in a position approximately 45 degree angle.
5. Heels should be pressed down towards the floor creating our “Credit Card Rule” (Dorsiflexion)
6. Abdominals are Draw-in, which cause the hips to tilt slightly in a posterior direction.

Start by getting in this position and holding.

Ready Position: (Punch)

1. Repeat Stance protocol
2. Focus is Hip Flexion prior to Knee Flexion
3. Making sure that when 90 degrees of Hip Flexion is achieved stance position has not changed.
4. Tibia, both air and ground are parallel to each other, both at an approximate 45 degree angle.
5. Return to Stance.

Start slow with a longer isolated hold, use a 3 count to start and decrease as athlete’s show competence.

That is extremely basic, but extremely important. It is hard to believe that so many athletes are unable to “Punch” their knee up and maintain their Draw-in, and come to 90 degrees of Knee Flexion without a postural change. If you cannot do it stationary, you cannot do it moving. If you cannot do it slow, you will not do it fast. Start here and progress, for more STAY TUNED!

Combine Prep: 3 pt Start

The NFL Combine, a national invitational camp designed for scouting college athletes for the NFL, has presently overhauled one of the nations biggest realms of business in the Sports Performance Industry. Business’ such as the IMG Academy, Parisi Speed School, Bommarito Performance, Velocity Sports Performance, Athlete's Performance, are all spending countless man-hours assessing movements, designing programs, coaching athletes, lifting, moving, etc. in preparation for the NFL Combine. Athletes have dedicated themselves to excellence both on the gridiron and through a pre-season series of strength, power, and speed assessments in order to solidify their future and worth on the NFL level. Today, we raise the bar again with the birth of the “High School Combine” era. This era is a booming production with combines in our area such as the, National Underclassmen Combine, Under Armour Combine, Nike SPARQ Combine, etc. in which young athletes aspiring to become NFL players are displaying their talents for what is next: a college scholarship.

How can you rise to the challenge?

           

Speed is “measured time” in which most sprint races come down to tenths and even hundredths of a second. A good NFL scout will adamantly explain the difference between what two-tenths of a second could mean. It could be the difference between a first or second round draft pick and multiple millions of dollars during contract negotiations. The saying, “Speed Kills”, is absolutely true; it can be lethal to a scouting report and recruiter opinion or kill a draft stock.

So let’s talk about speed:

            Loren Seagrave is a renowned Speed and Conditioning coach, whom I have had the pleasure to hear in lecture and work with in practical application. Loren proposed four important and interdependent categories that relate to all components of Speed Training.

1.      First, and generally most emphasized is the “Big Force” component. This component stresses the ability to apply as much force in the ground as possible. In terms of Sports Performance, I always preach that the more force you are able to put into the ground, the stronger you need to be to stop that force eccentrically.

2.      The next component to be highlighted is “Short Time”. The ability to generate a large force is only half the battle. As discussed earlier, speed is always measured in the element of time so it needs to be done over a relatively short period of time.

3.       The third component discussed is “Proper Direction”. Forces should be forward/backward and not lateral. This component is part of my inspiration in creating CoachingSpeed.com Proper Direction and Short time are the reasons that maximum performance barriers are reached in athletes.

4.      The fourth and final component is “Optimal Range of Motion”. Limbs achieve certain heights and distance and no higher.

When all of these components are learned and organized in the correct manner, movement performance potential is maximized.

When coaching speed, we always teach technique first and then utilize these techniques in a practical application.

The 3-Point Start

Today, the topic is the 3 pt. Start and first I will explain the stance:

The most common error and hardest concept to understand is, “Where do my feet go”? In the athletes I have trained in the past, there is one common set up point, the “Front Foot”. First, we need to decide which is the dominate ‘Front Foot’?? Two rules of thumb I use is:

1.      Ask your athletes to cross their arms. The arm that gets to the body faster and is underneath represents their “Quick Side”.

2.      Ask your athlete to stand tall and close their eyes. With their back facing me, I will give a little push and watch to see which foot they use to step in front and recover their balance.

Now that we have established their ‘front foot’, let’s talk about foot placement:

            The Front Foot should be set up one sneaker-length from the line where the hand is going to be placed. That back foot will require a little trial-and-error, but I try to set my athlete’s up based on the study done by Harrison & Comyns at the University of Limerick, Ireland.  I ask my athletes to place their knee somewhere between mid-foot and toe of their strong side/lead leg. (Most people would refer to this as a Medium Stance). The rest of the secrets and analysis to the 3 Pt. stance can be explained in person.

Do you want to enhance your 3-point stance and your 40-yard dash?

Check out my facility, Velocity Sports Performance in Mahwah, New Jersey or Contact me using the ‘Contact Tab’ on the side for more information.

Work Hard, Work Smart, and keep Coaching Speed.

-Adam

IF YOU CANNOT PUNCH, YOU CANNOT DRIVE

The terms we use in our center, “Punch AND Drive”, describe the Hip Flexion and Hip Extension actions that are crucial components in the Acceleration Phase of Movement. ‘Punch’ is a cue for an explosive hip flexion movement, whereas, ‘Drive’ is the counterpart cue for Hip Extension and the ‘driving’ force! I enforce a great deal of emphasis on these two actions and as I preach them it reminds me of the recent T-mobile commercials. An interviewer sits around a table with a few elementary-aged children and they discuss speed. One little kid imagines strapping a cheetah to his grandmother’s back to make her faster. It is pretty entertaining.

One absolute guarantee in life is, that as we age, our body will lose a few things. Understand, I am not ignorantly referring to year-to-year changes but instead, decade-to-decade. Over time, we lose three vital aspects to movement: strength, power, and mobility. Anatomically, we have 5 muscles that aid in Hip Flexion and based on the their locations of origin, these muscles can either help all the way or part of the way.

The muscles that insert at the iliac crest (Tensor Fascia Latae, Rectus Femoris and Sartorius), can only assist part of the way. Confused?? In other words, if they connect at the hip, they can only lift to the hip and not beyond. If these muscles can generate enough force, they will propel the movement higher then the hip, but without momentum they will stop at hip level. Still with me??  The other 2 muscles (which give us a total of 5 potential movers involved in Hip Flexion) are the very popular psoas and iliacus. The psoas has an origin on the lumbar spine whereas the iliacus has its origin on the posterior of the ilium. The psoas and the iliacus are the only hip flexors capable of bringing the hip above ninety degrees. 

A great test for an athlete to discover if he/she has an inactive psoas: Take his/her foot and put it on a box that brings them to a point above 90 degrees of hip flexion;  ask him/her to  activate these muscles by hip flexion off the box and hold for 10-15 seconds.  Check for the following:

1.                          Lumbar Spine Flexion: Make sure that the athlete does not compensate by flexing their Lumbar Spine. One of the most prominent signs of an inactive psoas and lack of hip flexion is flexion in the lumbar spine (which is a leading cause of disk injuries!!!).

2.                          ‘Quad-Dominance’: If the athlete does not have the Psoas and Iliacus strength and mobility to produce hip-flexion, then the Rectus Femoris (Quad) may over-compensate to produce the hip-flexion movement (which is a leading cause in quad & knee injuries.)

So before I take you on an even longer tangent into the science behind these movements, the fact of the matter is that in this day and age of Sports Performance and Strength Training, there is a huge emphasis placed on training the ‘Drive’ Phase of Hip extension. Consider some of the hip extension exercises such as squat, deadlift, power clean, lunge, etc).

Where are your exercises focused on hip flexion??? ::Cricket Cricket::

Don’t take this out of context. Yes, there is Rectus Femoris Activation at some point in each of those lifts mentioned above but, is this quad-activation being used for hip flexion or knee extension?

Hip flexion is not the primary focus, which is a main contributor in psoas and iliacus deficiencies. Another contributor is the daily routine of many who sit behind a desk all day. This is not a knock on adults because kids spend a majority of their day sitting behind a desk at school as well. Therefore, in our Active-Dynamic Warm-ups and Speed Training, we spend a lot of time working on our ability to ‘Punch’ rapidly and efficiently to make sure that our pesky psoas has strength and mobility!!

Understand this, if you spend all your time and energy on developing your Hip Extension and ‘Drive’ phase but not consider the ‘Punch’ phase, then it is time and energy wasted. This is the main reason an athlete who, in the off-season, only lifts weights but does no running and is surprised by that mysterious “quad pull”.

You cannot have Drive without Punch!!!

Want some more information on Hip Flexion exercises?

Check out my facility, Velocity Sports Performance in Mahwah, New Jersey or Contact me using the ‘Contact Tab’ on the side for more information.

-Adam

Protracted Shoulder Girdle and Shoulder Pain Part 1

Before we start lets talk about what too much pressing and not enough pulling does to the shoulder girdle.

Protracted Shoulder Girdle

Is the easiest way to describe that is the shoulders are pulled forward too far. This does a lot to way the shoulder functions when the shoulders are pulled forward the size of the sub-acromial space is made smaller, which could lead to impingement. What has really happened is the way your muscles work in the your body is with or against their opposite muscles. The easiest ones antagonist muscle groups for most people to relate too are bicep, and triceps, or quadriceps and hamstring. Essentially from over use and lack of flexibility the shoulders now sit too far forward, which will decrease the efficiency and strength delivered in pressing exercises and increase injury. This tightness will prevent retraction of the scapula. A common sign is winged back, that is very easily seen or felt by either being able to take your finger tips and being up to touch and feel the edge and underside of the scapula or the scapula protruding through the skin.

Stay Tuned for tips to correct a protracted shoulder girdle and all the syndromes that go along with it imbalance.

Mult-Directional Drill of the Day "Sprint, Shuffle, Shuffle, Sprint"

We are staying with the theme of the 10 yard with for this "Box" drill if needed put a smaller disc cone in the middle to represent the 5 yard marker in between each 10 yard distance. The athlete will start in an athletic position outside of cone #1. They towards the next cone, so they will always be sprinting forward. The athlete will begin by sprinting towards con #2 when they reach the midway point or the disc cone they are going to shuffle touch cone #5 and then shuffle back to the path between cone #1 and cone #2. Once arriving at cone #2 the athlete will decelerate and turn towards cone #3 and continue sprinting towards cone #3 at the midway point or disc cone shuffle to cone #5 and shuffle back to the path between cone #2 and cone #3. The athlete will continue that pattern for the entire length of the box until returning to cone #1. I have a diagram and video below. Work Smarter, Work Harder, ENJOY!

Introduction to Wall Drill

The more I search the Internet to find videos on Acceleration Wall Drill, the less I actually see it being coached. The only things I feel being stressed are rapid fire speed and move as quickly as possible. Do not get me wrong those are two key things in order to make an impact on the Nervous System and a key way to make a change on how their muscles fire. Athlete’s need to understand this, there is a lot more going on with the wall Drill, then that. A few things need to get done correctly prior to moving rapid fire, and moving like a crazy maniac.  

Stance:

1.  Hands are finger tips up, shoulder height, shoulder width apart on the wall, use something sturdy. It is very similar to a push up position.
2. Eyes are set in between the hands to aid in neutral spine.
3. Feet Hip width apart.
4. Feet are walked back so that the body is in a position approximately 45 degree angle.
5. Heels should be pressed down towards the floor creating our “Credit Card Rule” (Dorsiflexion)
6. Abdominals are Draw-in, which cause the hips to tilt slightly in a posterior direction.

Start by getting in this position and holding.

Ready Position: (Punch)

1. Repeat Stance protocol
2. Focus is Hip Flexion prior to Knee Flexion
3. Making sure that when 90 degrees of Hip Flexion is achieved stance position has not changed.
4. Tibia, both air and ground are parallel to each other, both at an approximate 45 degree angle.
5. Return to Stance.

Start slow with a longer isolated hold, use a 3 count to start and decrease as athlete’s show competence.

That is extremely basic, but extremely important. It is hard to believe that so many athletes are unable to “Punch” their knee up and maintain their Draw-in, and come to 90 degrees of Knee Flexion without a postural change. If you cannot do it stationary, you cannot do it moving. If you cannot do it slow, you will not do it fast. Start here and progress, for more STAY TUNED!

Credit Card Rule and the Good Ol’ Achilles Tendon

Let me give you the facts: For every step taken, I can reduce both the time spent on the ground and time it takes and athletes leg to travel through the air, making an athlete that much faster over any given distance.  I can shorten ground time and air time by five thousands of a second each, thereby gaining one hundredth of a second per step.
Every time I tell an athlete or his parents this number, they look at me like I am the one losing my mind. They give me the classic face, as if to say, “No way is that beneficial,” or “Like that’s really going to matter”. If you understand that the more efficient you are, the faster you will move, then this concept is simple.
Let’s use the analogy of entering a bike race with athletes of the same level.  Athlete A has flat tires.  Athletes B has half-filled tires.  Athlete C has tires filled to the optimal amount. Who wins?  While we cannot guarantee any outcome with 100% certainty, Athlete C has the best chance to win.  Why?  Because Athlete C has equipment calibrated to the most advantageous settings.

If an average track athlete was to race Usain Bolt in a 100m dash, odds are in favor of Bolt.  However, if he was forced to run on his heels, with his arms tied behind his back, the odds have shifted slightly in favor of the average athlete.  Obviously, Bolt still has an advantage based upon his Anthropometrics, but without the ability to run with proper technique, his capacity for maximum velocity has been greatly diminished. The fact of the matter is, an athlete does not get to an elite level of speed with poor technique.

The most efficient athlete wins the race.  We are talking about reducing the time on the ground, and reducing the amount of time the leg travels from toe off back to ground contact. Those are two things that can be practiced, can be taught, and can be learned. I use the ever so popular video game Guitar Hero as my next example. Guitar Hero 3 Starts you off on setting "Easy", first song and a classic at that is Slow Ride - Foghat You play through a list of progressively faster and more complicated songs. The game then brings you back to Slow Ride on a more challenging level. What does the game do, it adds in another button making the game a little more challenging. Your fingers are learning and practicing how to move faster, and you are becoming efficient. If you do not get a high enough score on a particular song you get kicked off stage, which means you retry. Eventually you are playing The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden on "Expert".

Unfortunately, we have limited control over the build of the athletes with whom we work, and chances are, our athletes do not match the body type of Usain Bolt.  However, we can still dramatically improve the performance of athletes of any age and skill level by teaching technique.  We can make any athlete more efficient, which translates into making any athlete faster. If you add Stability, Strength, and Power Development in there as well, you have a recipe for SUCCESS.
I mentioned earlier that by teaching proper ground contact techniques, an impact as little as 5 thousandths of a second in terms of ground contact time, and 5 thousandths of a second in terms of flight time, we can reduce each step by a hundredth of a second, which in a forty yard dash taking depending on skill level and age of the athlete could lead to a reduction of two tenths of a second. Think that is not a lot, check out this video of the same athlete initial and post testing blended on Dartfish after 24 sessions of training, showing a two tenths difference in speed.
3 month in during at 28 sessions in total

The efficiency I have been preaching about comes from the ankle being dorsiflexed prior to landing.  The Gastrocnemius and Soleus are now stretched, if a force is  applied in a backward direction and the  foot contacting with what I referred to in the title as a "Credit Card Rule" which allows enough room for only a credit card to fit under the heel under the hell of the foot,  the stretched muscle will not only produce a greater force, but shorten the amortization period and reduce the time spent on the ground. The less time an athlete spends on the ground the faster an athlete moves.

If you can’t do it STATIONARY, you shouldn't do it MOVING at full speed.

One of the biggest flaws I see when teaching speed, is that coaches are not using their Active Dynamic Warm-ups to teach athletes the skills you are going to demand/expect them to be able to accomplish in their technical movement section. This is the first post where we are going to be progress on how to teach athletes how to shuffle more efficiently. There should to be a few things covered and accomplished prior to performing the task of shuffling.


Squat Lateral is an exercise we use to start strengthening an athlete in the frontal plane for Acceleration and Deceleration Laterally. The term “Athletic Position” is pretty popular, we teach our athletes to make sure your knees are just outside their hips, and their feet are just outside of your knees, with the weight shift forward on the ball of the foot with a “Credit Card Rule”. That puts them in a place where the NSCA would arrange as Shoulder width apart. I line them up this way, because in my experience if you tell them shoulder width they will always fault and move wider. If you explain a little more in-depth where you want each individual joint it holds them accountable during training.













In the above picture you can see I set up the start point to run from where the head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, and ran the line down through the femur through the tibia to the floor to show the contact floor angle.


I explain to athletes that in architecture triangles are used in the design of buildings and other structures as they provide strength and stability. When building materials are used to form a triangle, the design has a heavy base and the pinnacle on the top is capable of handling weight because of how the energy is distributed throughout the triangle. The sturdiest of the triangles are equilateral and isosceles; their symmetry aids in distributing weight. (Read more: Triangles Used in Architecture | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8746538_triangles-used-architecture.html#ixzz2KbLuUNUH)

Once an athlete is able to perform this exercise and maintain proper hip, knee, and shin angle also while maintaining an upright torso we progress to a lateral lunge. The exercised has only progressed to stepping into the movement and pushing out of the movement.

Add these exercises in your Warm-up or movement to prepare your athletes for the demands of multi-directional movements. Stay Tuned for Part 2, where I will discuss Side Shuffle with Arm Swing, to Lateral Deceleration.






Work Harder, Work Smarter, Keep Coaching Speed


-Adam Szuch

Plyometrics and the Counter Movement, Yes or No?

By definition, Plyometrics are exercises which muscles exert maximum force in a short period of time.  This training focuses on learning to move from muscle extension to a contraction in a rapid or “explosive” manner. These exercises are designed to increase both speed and power. Plyometrics are an integral part of your training routine. Without these exercises, your program lacks structure and efficiency. The plyometric component completes everything I preach in the Big Four, (as noted in the “Combine Prep, 3 Point Star”), “Big Force, Short Time, Right Direction, and Optimal Range of Motion”.

However, should there be the addition of a counter movement to the plyometric or not??

Counter Movement in jumping is a worthy topic for debate. Most studies will explore that the addition of arm swing and eccentric loading of the hip and knee joint (while forcing the natural adaptation of the body to use the stretch shortening cycle), enhances Vertical Jump between two to five centimeters. In America, where we decide to boycott the metric system, that translates to between one to two inches.
During sports performance training, you have to prepare for the various situations you may face and sharp movements your body may be required to perform. I use non-counter movement plyo’s as well as non-counter movement lifts to train muscles to contract faster without the aid of the Stretch Shortening Cycle. Here are two examples you can add to your training to initiate power from a completely de-loaded position.


The Squat Jump is one of the simple most commonly used plyometric exercises used today. In my opinion, this exercise is a vital starting point and foundation for plyometric training. First, I evaluate an athlete’s squat pattern. I look for proper hip/knee/ankle alignment on the eccentric phase of the Squat prior to the jump. This is an assessment I make during the Active Dynamic Warm-up Squat. If there are flaws in their movements during a Squat, then the exercise needs to be corrected before the athlete should perform the plyometric movement. The squat can be regressed and modified for quicker learning and adaptation.

For more information on teaching the Squat, see my [post on SQUAT PROGRESSION.

In the meantime, lets get back to our topic of discussion. Let’s say the athlete can perform the appropriate squat progressions and can execute the proper squat pattern. Now, the athlete is ready to progress and turn this into a plyometric exercise.

Pin Front Squat:

While performing the Pin Front Squat, make sure the catch bars have been raised on the side of the rack to the appropriate height. (When training our Combine Athlete’s I use a height that is slightly higher then a parallel Squat.) The athlete then positions the bar appropriately for a front squat. Eccentrically lower the bar to the pins, hold that position, and then explode back to the starting position. The load should be on the lighter side, approximately 20-30%,  experienced athletes can work up to 50%  of Front Squat load only if the exercise can be perform with ‘Big Force’ in ‘Short Time’.

Seated Box Jump:

I use this exercise for training out of the 3-point start position. Find a box that is appropriate to position under the athlete’s glutes with a knee angle greater then 90 degrees. The athlete should not be sitting on the box but instead low enough that the glutes touch the box. The athlete should then execute the jump with a little bit of horizontal displacement so he or she does not smash back into the box during landing.

For more specifics about Plyometrics and the Counter Movement, Hit up the ‘Contact’ Tab or Check Out Velocitysp.com/Mahwah for more information.

Work harder, Work Smarter, Keep Coaching Speed.
-Adam

Prowler Push How?Why?What!?

The prowler is a piece of equipment that is definitely one of my favorites! With a catchy title and its challenging reputation, this sled portrays the epitome of a ‘meat-head’ in terms of teaching movement. Despite this one-dimensional image, the Prowler has an overwhelming variety of uses. I specifically use the Prowler while teaching the acceleration component of speed.
I found a ton of videos in which people are attempting to show correct technique with the Prowler and I could not find a single one I liked. Therefore, I was inspired to share my instructions on Prowler Acceleration. Now, I am sure there are people out there reading this and thinking, “everyone thinks their way is the right way so of course this guy thinks his way is better”. Well, I was prepared for that so I put it to the test!
First, I took one of my athletes to accelerate the Prowler. He has a basic knowledge and understanding of the concepts of acceleration, as well as correct form using my checklist:

• Power Line Position
• Knee Punch to hip height (without initiating with knee flexion first, parallel shins)
• Drive the ball of the foot backwards behind the hip and center of mass, etc.

What I had him do next was watch some of these videos and try to demonstrate what he saw, I forced him to perform each a few times. When he was finished, I asked him to explain what he felt during the movements. This is demonstrated below by the bottom illustration. If you look at the joint angles you can immediately determine that the quadriceps are going to load the brunt of the force, which limits activation for the Glutes and Hamstring.

I took a picture of the Prowler with my phone, transformed it into a sketch, and then printed.

After comparing the results, there are noticeable differences and in using my checklist my athlete was much more effective and able to push more weight faster with less fatigue. He uses a better combination of power and in a better direction. The top picture demonstrates my checklist. My way the athlete will get a better combination of quadriceps activation as well as total Glute and Hamstring extension. These movement skills will carry over to free running and make any athlete more efficient.
Not convinced? Check out the videos…

Prowler Push (Not my version to increase Acceleration technique)

Prowler Push (Acceleration Technique)

Would you want to train with you?!

I have been observing new and incoming coaches for a long time now and I wanted to give a few tips and advice for those coaches who are new to the field. After working with a new coach and shadowing the class, I sat down with the coach to provide some feedback on the lesson. The first reflective question I asked the coach was,

"If you were just in that class, would you come back to workout with you again?"

Basically, I’m encouraging the coach to reflect…

·         Did I have fun?

·         Did the athletes have fun?

·         Did I meet my objectives?

·         Did the athlete progress?

As a director, I am evaluating my coaches from a number of different perspectives. First, from a business standpoint I am looking for professionals who can master the entire realm of this industry. I am looking for coaches who have credibility, knowledge and the ability to effectively relay that knowledge to others. I am also looking for coaches with energy and personality to keep the athletes engaged. Lastly, I am looking for the coach that can recognize when a lesson is not meeting the objectives effectively and can adapt to fix it to make it better.

Let’s start with energy and personality. As new coaches come in and shadow my classes, sometimes I will go into an acting mode. I will show them how my demeanor, attitude, and energy can change the atmosphere of the class and how it can impact the effort and attitude of the athletes. For example, if my attitude is lazy and paltry then the effort my athletes will give me will match that ‘bare minimum’ request. I have a personal philosophy that I take from coaching sports, which is, if I need my athletes to meet my expectations, I need to meet theirs and that starts with motivation. Energy is what keeps the class going and that needs to start with the coach. Stirring up motivation and maintaining energy in the class are two extremely basic components necessary for a successful class atmosphere. Let me keep it simple and remind you of Newton’s First Law of Motion:

An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by another force.

Therefore, if my athletes are constantly stopping or bringing down their energy level, I then need to double my energy to be the force to get them moving again. Constantly having to re-gain the momentum of the class will be exhausting! Instead, I have my athletes jog everywhere. It might sound over-the-top but body language, discipline, and momentum as a competitor is crucial. Whether my athletes are getting equipment, water, changing location, etc., they are jogging and moving quickly to where they need to be. Keeping the class moving and engaged makes for more effective learning and progress. I’m sure many of you can relate that in school there were always ‘favorite’ teachers, and it was not always based on subject matter but more on teaching style, effort, and energy. I don’t always remember what I learned but I certainly remember how I felt in the class. A high-energy atmosphere will give my athletes momentum to progress through the daily objectives. Also, from a personality standpoint, I expect coaches to be able to look at our daily schedule, recognize each athlete and know what sports they play, where they are from, and something interesting about them without looking at their file. Having a little bit of personal knowledge about each athlete helps strengthen the relationship. People feel special and important when they walk through a door and are greeted by others who are excited to see them and know a little bit about them.

     Finally, from every class that is coached, the coach is also learning. If the coach isn’t learning too, they aren’t doing a very good job. I know this is starting to sound uber-philosophical, but bear with me for a moment. If a class isn’t going the right way, fix it!!! If you don’t know how…ASK! The biggest key to teaching is progression and regression. If you are not ready to take an exercise and modify it so that your athletes have success, that means they will fail more times then not.

            I explain to my coaches, its important to be able to ‘wear different hats’ while out on the floor. Athletes and students alike may not always be able to learn the way we teach, so instead we need to be able to teach in a way they can learn! For example, you cannot train an eighteen-year-old middle linebacker the same way you would train an eight-year-old middle linebacker.

I believe all the things we spoke about above hold true, at the end of the day we are teaching more than Sports Performance. Our athletes learn how to train and improve, they learn how to spot other athletes and train safely and they learn how to lift properly. Every athlete should leave your class better then when they walked in. Coaches are expected to monitor the class and recognize when progressions or regressions need to take place. It makes me sick when I see a video online of some "Coaching Guru" who is lifting a young athlete and filming it to put on their website, and it is such poor form you just want to vomit. I saw a video like this last week and I was appalled. This “Coach” proudly displays a video of a young athlete lifting and all I saw were the detrimental flaws: knees are valgus, spine is flexed, depth is inadequate, load is too heavy, etc. This coach is clearly doing more harm then good for this athlete and unfortunately someone with little experience will watch it and try to learn from it. Fortunately, as I read the comments below, someone else had already commented on what my frustration was about to spill on the board. There is a difference between right and wrong, and if you are getting away with wrong lifting technique you are increasing the likelihood to get hurt.

I wrote this after I read Eric Cressey's Article, but I wanted to take more of a philosophical approach. I like his ideas and concepts and I highly recommend you take a look

http://www.ericcressey.com/5-coaching-tips-for-up-and-coming-fitness-professionals

Be a coach you would want to train with!

What the FMS?!

The following description is directly from the FMS website:
“Put simply, the FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness.
The FMS generates the Functional Movement Screen Score, which is used to target problems and track progress. This scoring system is directly linked to the most beneficial corrective exercises to restore mechanically sound movement patterns. Exercise professionals monitor the FMS score to track progress and to identify those exercises that will be most effective to restore proper movement and build strength in each individual.” (http://www.functionalmovement.com/fms)

The Functional Movement Screen, when translated, is solely a screen. Gray Cook, the founder and one of the main contributors to the FMS says so himself. The Functional Movement Systems website provides registration to a public weekend seminar to teach how to evaluate the general population in it's seven screen. This test breaks down and scores movements to identify limitations, pinpoint weak areas, and provides a database of general corrective exercises to help track progress. What you do with those scores is completely up to you and that can open up so much potential! This potential, is what makes the business of Health and Fitness, Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning so much fun.  So, if someone tells you they have an FMS certification ask them what is their plan of approach to correct the identified dysfunctions. Every time I sit down at the dentist, doctor etc., I always look for their diploma or certifications on the wall behind their desk. If your dentist had a diploma with a degree in Marketing you might be a little nervous. Those nerves might turn to fear when he starts drilling and explains, “I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, plus I get my teeth cleaned every six months for the past twenty years so don’t worry, I know what I am doing”. Would you let this “un-certified” man finish the job? The answer is NO!
When people give you bologna, expect bologna!

This was a biography I found online displaying their speed instructors qualifications. I want you to read it over and then ask yourself this, "Would I train here?"

"Coach A" is not only a certified personal trainer, is certified in kettle bells, cardio through through the NSCA, but his FMS certification is what sets him apart from the rest! This certification is very important to all athletes. FMS is the current workout of most professional teams. Some teams are even negotiating player's contracts based on their FMS screening!! You don't get more specific than that!!

The FMS Certification is a two-day course that an extremely high number of people pass who attend the course. I am not discrediting the test or this certification in the least, so do not take this the wrong way. I am saying that obtaining this certification does not make you qualified pr educated to do much with this certificate once obtained. I mean FMS gives you access to all their exercises which correct these dysfunctions and asymmetries, but that is not what some of the more success performance facilities around the world are doing. I am encouraging anyone in a position to prescribe sports performance that this certification is quick, easy, and valuable to obtain. If your body does not function properly it cannot achieve specific tasks based on limitations. If you have dysfunction or left to right asymmetries then you are increasing the likely hood of injury. If you don’t have corrective strategies to counteract dysfunctions then you will not improve. Every single person who trains should be cognizant that their program be designed around one primary goal: enhance body function and performance. With the Functional Movement Screen, your coach, trainer, etc has a place to start. Where they go from their, that is another post on another day. If you want to find out our approach go to velocitysp.com/mahwah or fill out the contact information tab to the left