Strength Training

Jeff Cardinal

This discussion will focus on an INSEASON

weight lifting program that

WILL

make your kids stronger.

Things That Don’t Work

• Pyramids

• Strength Charts

• “Workout of the month”

Myths?

• You just need to get stronger

• Have to do the Olympic lifts to get explosive power

• Weightlifting won’t get you into shape

Leg workout without warm up sets and assistance exercises from March of ‘04

• Squat 4 X 5 @ 405 = 8100

• Calf Raises 1 X 8 @ 530 = 50401 X 8 @ 810 = 64801 X 8 @ 990 = 7920

• Hip Sled 1 X 10 @ 720 = 72001 X 9 @ 900 = 81001 X 8 @ 1080 = 8640

TOTAL 51,480 pounds

Getting Started

• If you can’t teach the technique yourself get someone who can

– I WILL BE HAPPY IF THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU TAKE AWAY FROM HERE

• Poor technique is the number one reason kids get hurt and don’t get stronger

Warming up• We do not stretch before we lift or throw

• We stretch after we are done

• We do a Dynamic warm up– High Knees

– Machine gun butt kicks

– Lunges

– Carioca-both ways

– Bounding

– Backpedal/turn and sprint

– Overhead tosses

Testing:

• We test 3x’s a season (2003)

1. First two weeks Week of 2/22

2. Middle Week of 3/31

3. One week prior to Sectionals Week of 5/13

What Testing do we do?• Quad test- plus a couple of things

– 40, overhead toss, SLJ, 3SLJ, Bench & Squat– Do this over the course of a week– Compare the results with your observations of them

lifting

Workout Overview• All about cycles- We use three

• We bench, squat …..1x a week

• We have a second day that combines that group with another which is our focus for that day

First Cycle• Time to get in shape and build some muscle

• Teach them each lift and work on form

• Working Weight is ~ 50 to 60% of 1RM

• Lots of volume– 5 X 8 and 3-4 X 10

• When technique breaks down STOP

Second Cycle• Time to build some strength

• 4 X 5 and 3 X 8-10

• Weight used ~ 70 to 80 % of 1RM

Third Cycle• Up the weight drop the reps and get ready to

peak.

• A lot less volume and lots of recovery time.

• 3 X 3

• Weight used +90% of 1RM

• Perfect form

Old workoutCARMEL TRACK 2002

Throwers Workout

MON TUE THU FRI

Bench 5X8 Curl 3X10 50% max Squat 4X10DB Press 3X10 Pulldown 3X10 Speed B 8X3 Hip Sled 3X12

Side Raise 3X10 Good AM 3X10 Inc Close 3X10 Leg Curl 3X10Rear Delt 3X10 Dead/Clean Alt wkly Pushdown 3X10 Calf Raise 3x15

Shrug 3X10

MON TUE THU FRI

Bench 4X5 Hang Clean 3 sets 60% max Squat 4X5Incline 3X8 Hammers 3X10 Speed B 8X3 Hip Sled 3X10

Fr Raise 3X10 Pulldowns 3X10 Close grip 3X10 Leg Curl 3X10Rear Delt 3X10 Stiff Leg 3X10 Dips 3X10 Calf Raise 3x15

Shrugs 3x10

MON TUE THU FRI

Bench 3X3 Deads 3 sets 70% max Squat 3X3DB Incline 3X8 Hammers 3X10 Speed B 6X3 Leg Ext 3X10DB Side 3X10 Pulldowns 3X10 Close grip 3X10 Leg Curl 3X10

Rear Delt 3X10 Good AM 3X10 Pushdown 3X10 Calf Raise 3x15

• Top 9 Reasons Strength and Conditioning Programs Fail

• By Detric Smith, CSCS, USAW, ACSM-HFI• For www.EliteFTS.com• 1. Not knowing how important an off-season is: An

athlete may get better at sports specific skills during the season, but in most cases, they will not get stronger and faster during the season. The body can only recover from so much. The off-season is important so that nagging injuries get a chance to heal and muscular imbalances can be addressed.

• 2. Not getting your athletes stronger: Getting stronger is the foundation on which other qualities can be developed. It is the key to preventing injuries. 

• 3. Not addressing muscular imbalances and flexibility issues: A muscle imbalance will lead to injury in just about every athlete. Your body is like a car. You might have a problem with your car right now that you don’t know about, but as you put more and more miles on your car, the problem will get worse. A thrower with muscular imbalances around the shoulder joint will more likely get an injury. An athlete who has flexibility issues will more likely suffer some form of injury over the course of his or her career. For example, tight hamstrings will lead to low back problems. I also consider some form of soft tissue work (massage or self massage) necessary in order to prevent injuries.   

• 4. Not knowing the difference between flexibility and a warm-up: The traditional warm-up involves jogging a lap and then touching your toes for 30 seconds. This is very outdated. There have been many studies that show that not only is there is a better way, but the old way is dangerous for your athletes. Warming up with dynamic movements similar to the movements you use on the field is superior because it prepares the nervous system for activity, warms up the body, and addresses flexibility in a manner similar to the sport you play. Static stretching is great after practice as it reduces recovery time. Static stretching before activity has been shown in many studies to decrease power output (vertical jump).

•6. Not understanding sports specific cardiovascular requirements: Why do baseball players spend almost all of their time running long distance for cardiovascular work (if they do any at all) when they will never do that in a game? Baseball is a game of sprinting so they need to devote more time to sprint training. I’m not picking on just baseball players. Just about every sport does their conditioning work the wrong way.

•7. No attention to agility training: How many sports only involve straight ahead speed other than track? Keep thinking. I will give your more time. If you coach any sports team, you should put more focus on agility training. Running around cones is not agility training. If you’re teaching your athletes how to round the cones, you’re on the right track, but it is more detailed than most people realize. Make sure the agility training is specific to your sport.

5. Not individualizing programs: If you really think about it, does it make sense to train an athlete the same way you train a bodybuilder? Once again, your body can only recover from so much at one time. Why devote two hours a week working on your biceps when they will not allow you to run faster and jump higher? Do you really feel like you should train a lineman the same way you train a wide receiver or a wide receiver the same way you train a quarterback

• 8. Not addressing recovery methods: You will only improve performance when you realize that you don’t get stronger in the gym. Your body has to recover from the stress you put on it. Muscle soreness is a sign that you broke down your muscles, and if you plan on improving performance, you had better start thinking about various recovery methods, nutrition, and getting plenty of sleep.

• 9. Not addressing nutrition and body composition: Nutrition is very important. I can’t emphasize this enough. An athlete who improves his or her diet will have more energy and recover more quickly. An athlete who loses fat and gains muscle will improve performance. The best athletes in the world (sprinters, football players at skill positions, basketball players, gymnasts, etc.) tend to have very low body fat percentages.

Exercises• Overhead Squat• Squat• Good Morning• Bent Over Row• Stiff Leg Dead lift (Romanian)• Rear Delts• Speed Bench• Bench & Close Grips w/Bands and Boards• DB Snatch

Testing Results for Carmel Track 2004 Lifting Program

QUAD TESTweek of 2/15/2004

12 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUATJ Aaron 9' 1 28' 10 55' 5.1 385 455

11R Brad 8' 11 27' 49' 6 5.2 300 365

10D Patrick 7' 5 24' 3 42' 9 5.6 250 365T Dane 8' 1 26' 44' 5 5.2 155 245

9H Ryan 7' 5 23' 10 42' 5.4 205 275S Doug 6' 7 21' 7 30' 4 5.5 115 155

week of 5/3 or 5/1012 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUAT

J Aaron 9' 5 29' 4 58' 4 4.7 410 47511

R Brad 8' 8 26' 8 51' 1 5.0 305 39010

D Patrick 7' 5 23' 54' 7 5.3 280 400T Dane 8' 1 25' 5 47' 2 5.0 190 295

9H Ryan 7' 8 24' 1 46' 11 5.3 260 385

Testing Results for Carmel Track 2005 Lifting Programweek of 14-Feb

12 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUATR Brad 8' 3 26' 8 49' 5.1 320 365

11D Patrick 7' 3 23' 5 50' 10 5.5 300 400T Dane 8' 24' 5 46' 2 5.0 195 225

10H Ryan 7' 10 24' 5 51' 8 5.2 290 325S Doug 7' 4 22' 11 40' 10 5.2 205 215

9R Eric 6' 10 21' 2 43' 1 5.4 220 195S Michael 7' 2 23' 3 37' 1 5.1 195 195

week of 9-May12 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUAT

R Brad 8' 5 26' 5 54' 4 5.0 325 380

11D Patrick 8' 1 25' 5 61' 9 5.2 350 490T Dane 8' 5 26' 9 54' 4.8 215 275

10H Ryan 7' 11 25' 2 53' 3 5.3 315 385S Doug 7' 9 23' 7 42' 1 5.2 240 245

9R Eric 7' 24' 1 48' 5.2 240 210S Michael 8' 25' 3 40' 5.0 220 225

Testing Results for Carmel Track 2006 Lifting Program

QUAD TESTweek of 6-Feb

12 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUATD Patrick 7' 10 24' 4 56' 3 5.3 340 475T Dane 8' 25' 9 49' 1 5.0 225 275

week of 29-May12 SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUAT

D Patrick 8' 5 25' 11 63' 1 5.2 380 510T Dane 8' 8 27' 55' 2 4.9 250 300

RECORDS SLJ 3 JUMP Overhead 40 BENCH SQUATDalton 06 63' 1 510Jurek 04 9' 5 29' 4 410Mirman 02 4.6

Conclusion• You can get them stronger in season.

• You have to always keep learning

• Do Not over train them.

• Teach them proper technique.

• Let them know you care and always try to have fun.