Training Philosophy

[compusatman]

I have started this thread a few times over the years and with not many takers. Just think it could be productive to share ideas.

 

I am a tried and true believer in 3 alternate days of full body workout with running drills on the off days. These young men need time for their body to recover and their mind to refocus. I am not an advocate of 5 & 6 day weight workouts. I also believe in working to failure otherwise there is nothing to recover from. In addition the workout should be timed so as to create an aerobic workout. For example: only 45 seconds between each set. As far as running, I was always an advocate of endurance. I have seen the benefit of it. In high school a large percentage of starters play both ways which requires endurance. In college many positions (at least skill) are managed by committee. Meaning short bursts of speed is more important than outright endurance. As of late I have had my running philosophy questioned by someone who advocates speed work only. I'm considering it's merits. Of course, much of this depends on the position and the type of offense. Anyone care to chime in?

[mykidsdad]

Monday Heavy Day/Muscle Building: Chest, Shoulders and Tricepts

 

Tuesday Heavy Day/Muscle Building: Back, Bicepts and Legs

 

Wednesday: Rest

 

Thursday Lite/High Reps/Endurance: Chest, Shoulders and Tricepts

 

Friday Lite/High Reps/Endurance: Back, Bicepts and Legs

 

Cardio Everyday of Some Type.

 

Rest Saturday

 

Sunday go to church, get right with Jesus!

Edited May 26, 2011 by mykidsdad

[Bucksfan]

Like many strength coaches my philosophy evolves some every year but I am sold on 3 full body days followed by running with complete days off in between. I feel we get more total volume of work than on a split routine. I think every year you need to evaluate you needs and write the program accordingly because you cannot train for everything all at once. We are focussing on speed until the dead period and then start conditioning after we come back. We will use a variety of lifting activities out doors to increase our workload and heat conditioning in addition to just running. Of course you want to make strength gains and you will but with a short summer and even shorter pre-season (thanks to the TSSAA) I think you need to train for work capacity like a game and save the heavier split routines for the winter and spring off-season.

[compusatman]

Thanks for your input guys. Bucksfan, what are your views on the cardio aspect of the lift? Is it counter-productive to limit rest time between sets? Or does it add to the overall effect of the burn. Is other words, should the athlete be allowed to recouperate between sets or continue before resting is complete?

[mykidsdad]

Like many strength coaches my philosophy evolves some every year but I am sold on 3 full body days followed by running with complete days off in between. I feel we get more total volume of work than on a split routine. I think every year you need to evaluate you needs and write the program accordingly because you cannot train for everything all at once. We are focussing on speed until the dead period and then start conditioning after we come back. We will use a variety of lifting activities out doors to increase our workload and heat conditioning in addition to just running. Of course you want to make strength gains and you will but with a short summer and even shorter pre-season (thanks to the TSSAA) I think you need to train for work capacity like a game and save the heavier split routines for the winter and spring off-season.

 

It's hard to get a full body workout in one day depending on the number of kids in the program. Dividing the body parts into two major groups allows the kids to get more done in a shorter time frame. Some cardio/conditioning should be done every day taking into consideration which body parts are worked on which day. Also stretching sould be incorporated not only does it help with quickness, but will help keep you healty as well.

[Shag]

It's hard to get a full body workout in one day depending on the number of kids in the program. Dividing the body parts into two major groups allows the kids to get more done in a shorter time frame. Some cardio/conditioning should be done every day taking into consideration which body parts are worked on which day. Also stretching sould be incorporated not only does it help with quickness, but will help keep you healty as well.

 

This is easy.

Lift - Run - hydrate & REPEAT!

Edited May 26, 2011 by Shag

[mykidsdad]

This is easy.

Lift - Run - hydrate & REPEAT!

 

Did you get that off the back of a shampoo bottle?

[Bucksfan]

Thanks for your input guys. Bucksfan, what are your views on the cardio aspect of the lift? Is it counter-productive to limit rest time between sets? Or does it add to the overall effect of the burn. Is other words, should the athlete be allowed to recouperate between sets or continue before resting is complete?

We basically give them 2 minutes per set and work in groups of two, they rest from the time they finish until the clock tell them to start again. Physiologically the body will be as recovered as it is going to be in two minutes anything more is wasting time. Since FB is anaerobic, I try to train the body and lift that way go hard, rest, go hard, rest like a game. I think if you train with little rest you are training the wrong energy system.

[compusatman]

And Bucksfan, your view on working to failure on each set. Obviously, this is intended to produce bulk so at some point one must change gears...I understand that...just curious because most high school coaches think working to failure in not the way to produce the intended results. Of course, again depending on position, system and goal.

[Bucksfan]

And Bucksfan, your view on working to failure on each set. Obviously, this is intended to produce bulk so at some point one must change gears...I understand that...just curious because most high school coaches think working to failure in not the way to produce the intended results. Of course, again depending on position, system and goal.

IF you are talking about true HIT (High Intensity Training) one set to failure for everybody part, I belive it has merit, but to do it right is takes a staff of trained strength coaches. I think it is hard to teach kids what muscle failure feels like for most lifts. College staffs do it, for example Michigan's new Strength Coach A. Hillman is HIT guy from Cincy and he has a staff of five that train 3 players at a time, and they have 6 groups a day. We do most of our work in 3 sets and I hope to achieve momentary muscle failure by the third set except cleans and Squat, and I usually have some sort of finisher for the muscle failure I want. I just think it is very difficult in a high school setting to do it right because of the number of players vs coaches and time. Even if I trained in groups of 5 for 30 minutes which is probably too short to get everything in, I would be training kids 10 hours a day even if it were just 3 days a week. I would get fired from teaching or divorced.

[compusatman]

Now we're getting somewhere. So mykidsdad is right on target. I understand and agree with what you are saying and therefore it seems to me that the weight room is a mixed bag for the high school athlete. In light of these notions it seems that speed work and agility may take presidence. My son graduated a few years ago and I disagreed with the weight training program at his school at the time. I was mum because the coaches produced results. But those results were based on endurance training not so much weight training. My view through his career was that his Martial Arts training was his claim to fame. And now I believe that wholeheartedly. However, that regimen is not for many. High school coaches hands are tied when it comes to weight training...I see that now. My next question is, do you think squatting below horizontal is an accident waiting to happen for the high school athlete?

[BasicAppreciation]

I believe many things should be taken into consideration when creating a strength and conditioning program.

The amount of kids, Coaches educated on lifting and technique, equipment, and whats needed most (strength/speed). I also believe that a program should incorporate stretching and warmups (things that make the muscles work some but also help the blood flowing). Kids should be talked to about goals and how to reach those goals (proper eating). Kids should not be in the gym 5-6 days because it will burn some out and also prevent muscle recovery time. The program should change after a period of time to keep muscles confused and from plateuing. Adding endurance lifts are important in my mind also, reason being a kid may be able to bench 350 2 times but in a game of Football a kid doesn't block someone just two times. He could be having to block someone 20-30-40 times and without proper training for the muscles, the kids strength will greatly drop and quick. The conditioning is also key, it needs to vary, from agilities, plyometrics, and sprinting endurance. With all these taken into account, I believe a program can be set up to maximize a kids potential in multiple aspects of the game and not just one. Also, if coaches want kids to be motivated and care about effort and getting better, you have to have coaches that are enthusiastic about the training and try to motvate and push the kids to get better. And lastly, I am a firm believer of holding players accountable for showing up, if a coach plays a great player that rarely shows up during training, I believe it looks bad on both the coaches character and the Schools football program. Football is played with 11 players (from one team) on the field, to play favorites during training and offseason would take away from the building of a team and a family.