Core Strength

I wanted to write a short article on what I observed this past week with my athletes. I had some new baseball players join my baseball group this past week. One thing I noticed was how much core strength the athletes who have been training with me for a while had. There was a very noticeable difference in the new kids and the one's who have been training. The new players have been training, but not with us. I'm not saying this to brag, I'm just saying we focus on the core. When developing an athlete, you have to develop a strong and powerful base. Upper body strength and power is important as well. To tie the base with the upper body, you MUST have a strong core. This is a neglected part of training a large part of the time. Crunches won't get it done. If you want to train the core in a functional way, try renegade rows. Make sure the athletes keep there feet back and there butt down and back flat. Train hard and smart and God Bless!

Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC

High School Strength and Speed, LLC

http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com/

scott@highschoolstrengthandspeed.com

Training High School Baseball Players

Being Co-owner of High School Strength and Speed is just one of my businesses. I also own Pro Performance. Pro Performance is a personal and sports performance training facility in Rome, GA. We train the general population, elementary school age kids, middle and high school athletes, college and pro athletes and tactical athletes. This article is going to focus on high school baseball players. Before I start, allow me to share with you how we set up our training schedule. We train Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:15 AM. Monday is a total body day with upper body focus, Wednesday is also a total body day with a lower body focus and Friday is a plyometric/movement day plus work capacity.

I’m going to write a series of articles on training baseball players. Today I’ll discuss some of our athletes and the progress they’ve made. First of all, the baseball players we’re training at this time range from freshman to juniors. They play a variety of positions. These guys are above average athletes with a couple of them being very good athletes. Over the past 3 months, as a group, we have had steady lean muscle mass gains of 3-7 lbs., vertical jump has increases 3-5 inches, there upper body strength has increased and pull up rep maxes have increased. There core strength has increased as well. For our baseball group, we focus on lower body strength and power to improve speed, rotational core strength, upper body strength, shoulder prehab, work capacity and flexibility. I can see a measurable difference in their body composition as well. I’m looking forward to watching these guys play this year. Next week I’ll get into the specifics of their program. Until then, remember, NO EXCUSES! JUST RESULTS! Train hard and smart and God Bless!

Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC
scott@highschoolstrengthandspeed.com


Sign up for our newsletter at: www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com

Also, check out the #1 training program for High School Football Players in the nation: Football 360

Football 360

Football 360 is ready for shipment! Just in time for your off season and winter conditioning program. If you want to take you football team to the next level and put the best product possible on the field, this program is for you. Football 360 is the most scientific and functional strength, speed and conditioning program ever created for high school football players. This program is not a bunch of hype. It is solid, scientific and time tested techniques that work, plus new and proven speed training techniques. Get your copy today at:

http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com/index-3.html

Visit our web site at: http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com/ and sign up for our FREE monthly news letter.

Train hard and smart and God Bless!

Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC

Still Convinced

Still Convinced
By Dan Bailey, PhD, NBCT, NESTA

Gentlemen, the Good Lord has blessed me with being able to keep learning and being in contact with so many people who have the same passion about Strength & Conditioning as I do. But over the years I am amazed at the number of programs that are still using other formats for their workouts. I have spoken at clinics before on the conjugate method and when I do; I speak from 7 years of proven results that are unlike any results from various formats that I have used over the last 20 years. I am not the expert, I love to learn and listen to other people that understand the conjugate method and gain different perspectives on how to maybe approach a certain aspect of the system.
I did not just read and learn the conjugate by trial and error; I went straight to one of the best sources for this system, a protégé of the great Louie Simmons, Jim Wendler, of Elite Fitness Systems. Jim spent countless hours with me by phone and email discussing the format, and then there was my good friend Scott Hines who I spent many hours talking about training high school student-athletes with the conjugate method. I know everyone has their preferences and this format is considered radical to some extreme by some of the “old school” coaches I have spoken with. In my personal opinion, it is a fail safe system to raise the strength and conditioning level of ANY student-athlete. Like most of you who utilize the system, I have tweaked it to fit into my own personal style of teaching and the other considerations that we all have to deal with as strength coaches (equipment, room size, number of students, class time, etc.).
I basically wrote just to say again how much I believe in the system and what it can do for the average highs school student-athlete. I did not get into any specifics, like most of you, I use the basic four days (we refer to max effort as Best Effort), that way the basketball coach does not think we are maxing out every Monday. Mondays and Wednesdays are best effort for lower and upper, we include some aspect of the clean of plyometric on 3 of the 4 lift days. Thursday and Fridays are either dynamic or hypertrophy work for lower and upper body work. We use Tuesday as an active rest and work core, speed and agility, or change of direction work. (As well as clean the weight room, our kids take lots of pride in the weight room).
I listed below the results of a 3A program of 29 varsity football players who were in 1 of 4 classes and compiled their spring max results as a team. None of these are Division I or II players. Maybe 1 or 2 could play Division III, or even II with a little help, but this is the result of 29 average high school football players on the conjugate system for 2 years:

2008 – SPRING FOOTBALL MAX SUMMARY

Ø 16 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS SQUATTED OVER 350 (55%)
Ø 9 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS SQUATTED OVER 405 (31%)
Ø 3 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS SQUATTED OVER 450 (11%)
Ø 17 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS CLEANED 225 OR OVER (59%)
Ø 6 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS CLEANED 250 OR OVER (21%)
Ø 2 PLAYERS CLEANED 315
Ø 12 OUT OF 29 PLAYERS BENCHED 225 OR OVER (41%)
Ø THE AVERAGE SQUAT FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 358 LB
Ø THE AVERAGE BENCH FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 215 LB
Ø THE AVERAGE CLEAN FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 225 LB
Ø THE AVERAGE GAIN ON SQUAT FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 38 LB
Ø THE AVERAGE GAIN ON CLEANS FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 27 LB
Ø THE AVERAGE GAIN ON BENCH FOR ALL OF THE 29 PLAYERS WAS 17 LB

Football 360

We are 9 days away from the release of Football 360! December 1st is the date you can get your hands on the nations #1 strength and speed training program ever created for high school football players. Check out the High School Strength and Speed web site and learn more about FOOTBALL 360

http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com/

Block Periodization

Have you ever heard of block periodization? If you have you are way ahead concerning periodization models. If the NSCA had its way we'd all be using Western Linear periodization and experiencing sub par performance the rest of our lives. Granted, for a brand new trainee this method works...but as Siff states all training programs work for a small period of time. But, if the correct morphological and physiological elements aren't develop to support the function of the movement...well your work has been in vain. I digress.

Check out the book Block Periodization by Vladimir Issurin. Block periodization is a method for structuring training in which you concentrate training means into a uni-directional focus. By concentrating training means and using delayed residual effects one can precisely peak an athlete at the right time. That is it in a nut shell...and that nut shell is huge. So check it out its sure to make your head spin and get you thinking again.

Its 5:20am and I'm already 1.5 hours deep

I'm writing this blog as I quickly scarf down my morning 3/4 cup of oatmeal with 50g of protein...add some cinnamon and you've got a deadly combination. Softball is rolling in around 5:40am and I'm getting my mind right for the culmination of our off-season program. We are at the most intensive phase of training...next week we unload and then the following Monday/Tuesday we test.

You want to know what it takes to be #1? Well I'll tell ya. Bull-headed determination. The ability to get up and get yourself going when you don't want to. The desire to pick up your teammate up when times get tough and the end doesn't seem to be in sight. Well for us it is in sight...at least the beginning of the end.

Will we choose to dominate or be defeated....in 20 minutes I'll know.

Erik Korem, MS, CSCS, SCCC, USAW...and a bunch of other stuff

Performance Nutrition

I have a fascination with training and performance nutrition. There are many diets on the market today. Many of these diets work and work well. I look at nutrition a little different than just a diet. I realize this isn’t the norm. Most people want a cookie cutter program that works. Tell me what to eat and when to eat it so I’ll get results. If you want to perform at your best when dealing with nutrition and training, you have to learn. I just finished two books on performance nutrition. One was Nutrient Timing, written by John Ivy, Ph.D. and Robert Portman, Ph.D. and the second one is Comprehensive Performance Nutrition by Justin Harris. These two books are similar in several ways but different as well. When I choose a nutrition book to read and study, I look at the authors and their credentials. I don’t look at the marketing or all the fluff. Fluff sells but science gets results.

Our bodies adapt to training, thus you change your routine. Nutrition is the same way. Our body will adapt to a diet and our results stop. Our body requires protein, carbohydrates, essential fats and water. That will never change. When, how much and in what combination we put these in our bodies will change. If you are training at a high level, your diet will be different than someone who walks for one hour, five days per week. The bottom line is this; there is no cookie cutter program.

In this article, I am going to discuss nutrition for pre, during and post training. This information was compiled from the book, Nutrient Timing. I want to give credit to Dr. Ivy and Dr. Portman. The drink combinations are products I have used and have had great results with.

Let’s talk a bit about what our body needs before, during and after we train. The 1st phase we will talk about is the energy phase. This is 10 minutes prior to and during your workout. Here are the benefits of consuming the proper energy phase drink prior to and during your workout. I will give my recommendations for energy and anabolic phase drink mixtures as well as the rapid segment growth meal at the end of the article.
1. Increase nutrient delivery to muscles and spare muscle glycogen and protein.
2. Limit immune system suppression.
3. Minimize muscle damage.
4. Set the nutritional stage for a faster recovery following your workout.

The 2nd phase or anabolic phase is of great importance as well. This mixture should be ingested within 45 minutes following your training session. Below are the benefits of an anabolic phase nutrition drink.
1. Shift metabolic machinery from a catabolic state to an anabolic state.
2. Speed the elimination of metabolic wastes by increasing muscle blood flow.
3. Replenish muscle glycogen stores.
4. Initiate tissue repair and set the stage for muscle growth.
5. Reduce muscle damage and bolster the immune system.

The 3rd phase I will touch on today is the rapid segment growth phase. This meal should be consumed within the 1st four hours of your training. Below are the benefits of this meal.
1. Maintain increased insulin sensitivity.
2. Maintain the anabolic state.
3. Maintain positive nitrogen balance and stimulate protein synthesis.
4. Promote protein turnover and muscle development.


Energy Phase Drink: 10 minutes prior to and during your workout
1. ½ - 1 scoop of whey protein
2. 1-2 scoops of waxy maize
3. 2 oz. of Monavie
4. 1 scoop of AdvoCare rehydrate drink mix
5. 12-16 oz. of water

Anabolic Phase Drink: Within 45 minutes after your workout
1. 1-2 scoops of Advocare post workout formula
2. ½ - 1 scoop of whey protein
3. 1-2 scoops of waxy maize
4. 2 oz. of Monavie
5. 1 scoop of AdvoCare rehydrate drink mix
6. 12-16 oz. of water

Rapid Segment Growth Meal: Within the 1st 4 hours after your workout
1. 1 serving of lean protein
2. 1-2 servings of complex carbohydrates
3. 1-2 servings of fibrous carbohydrates
4. 12-16 oz. of water

This is just a small portion of how performance nutrition works. If you are going to train hard, why not make the most of your training. We all have to perform on a daily basis. Do you want to perform at your best? Give this a try. You will feel and see a difference. Remember, NO EXCUSES! JUST RESULTS! Train hard and smart and God Bless!

Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC
High School Strength and Speed, LLC
www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com
www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.blogspot.com


Disclaimer:
You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this exercise program. These recommendations are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to starting this program or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. This program is designed for healthy individuals 18 years and older only.
You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietitian.
Copyright © 2008 High School Strength and Speed, LLC

Pre Combine/Pro Day Prep

One of my duties at Mississippi State is to train the graduating senior for either the NFL Combine or our Pro Day. Last year we had great success. Dezmond Sherrod, Lance Long and Eric Butler all made camps...and I'm proud to say they have all stuck. Lance had an amazing Pro Day. He ran an unofficial 4.35 and vertical jumped 39". Also, he ran the fastest 60yd shuttle in the country...or at least from all the guys that ran at the combine.

I'm starting to prepare the training template and periodization for this years group. If we can win out this year we will go to a bowl game, if not we will commence training December 8, 2008. This will give us approximately 16 training weeks before Pro Day and ~10 weeks if the athlete is invited to the combine.

My plan thus far is to use a block periodization model in order to heighten our reactive strength and acceleration abilities. We will begin with an accumulation phase wherein we will develop our general strength abilities and restore the athletes' bodies from a rigorous season. We will then move into an intensification phase for maximum strength development. This will be a short period. After that we'll move into a restoration phase. The next block we will concentrate our loads to develop reactive strength/ speed-strength. During this time we will begin concentrating our sprint loads and begin running "at speed".

Its very crucial that all qualities are at their peak on Pro Day/Combine. Thus, I will meticulously use delayed residuals to reach optimal sports performance.

Stay tuned for videos and updates.

The Prowler

Most people haven’t heard of a prowler. Only those who are serious about getting in shape fast, getting stronger and don’t mind a little pain will ever know what it is. We have been using it at Pro Performance with some of our athletes for some time. Some of the performance training facilities in the Northeast use it. Joe Defranco uses it with his athletes and has had tremendous results. This is what I have noticed using it with my own training and out athletes. We have gained strength both in the squat and dead lift. I have seen a steady progression in the weight we can push with the prowler. It is a tremendous anaerobic workout along with the most intense burn ever. Not only is it a leg workout, it is a total body workout. We vary our weight and distanced pushed according to where we are in our squat and dead lift cycle. The 1st time I used it I thought,” My legs will be destroyed for days”. To my surprise, I wasn’t sore at all. I came to this conclusion; Prowler sprints are working the concentric contraction and not the eccentric contraction. This makes this exercise not only a great muscle building and anaerobic workout, but also a restoration workout. If you want to get into shape fast, faster than interval training, make the most of your training time and increase your mental toughness, grab a hold of the prowler and push! Take a look at what the prowler can to do you. DON’T BE AFRAID! NO EXCUSES! JUST RESLUTS! Train hard and smart and God Bless!
Check out the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPS7vWHiNLU

Scott Hines Sr. EdM, C.S.C.S. RKC
High School Strength and Speed, LLC
http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.com/
http://www.highschoolstrengthandspeed.blogspot.com/


Disclaimer:
You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this exercise program. These recommendations are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to starting this program or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity. This program is designed for healthy individuals 18 years and older only.
You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician.

Copyright © 2008 High School Strength and Speed, LLC

The # 1 Strength, Speed and Conditioning Program for High School Football Players

Huge Announcement! Coming in November, our new web site will be up and running. High School Strength and Speed will be your source for all of your strength, speed and conditioning needs for your high school athletes. In December, we will release our 1st product. This product will enable you to train your entire football team with the most innovative and proven strength and speed techniques. I will send out more information the closer we get to completion. If you have any questions, please contact us at:



scott@highschoolstrengthandspeed.com


erik@highschoolstrengthandspeed.com

Work Capacity...possibly your missing link

Just like every other S&C coach out there, I often get ahead of myself. I want to coach so many things up that I forget about the very foundation of it all...work capacity. When I was a redshirt at Texas A&M Mike Clark put us through what he called "Complex is Life Training". It was the battle cry of every redshirt and we had the t-shirts to prove it.

Coach Clark taught me that there are four basic qualities that we are trying to develop: Strength, Power, Speed and Work Capacity. Strength is improved week by week, power month by month, speed month by month and work capacity is year by year. At Westside they call this GPP. Whatever you call it, it is a vital component to improving performance.

Work Capacity training is designed to improve the structural integrity of the musculoskeletal system. Muscles strengthen much faster than tendons and ligaments and if the whole system is not strengthened equally there will be a greater chance for injury. In addition, work capacity training improves aerobic capacity via anaerobic means.

The adaptations seen by performing aerobic training (increased mitochondrial density, capillary density, myoglobin ect) are improved by performing anaerobic work capacity training. This is great considering large amounts of aerobic training decrease overall power production.

Methods for Developing WC:
Complex's: See Javorek's Complex Conditioning
Circuit Training
HIIT
Sleg Dragging

Favorite Complex's

BB Squat Complex: Lunge x 5, Step Up x 5, Squat to Push Press x 5, Squat x 5, BW Squat Jump x 10
DB Complex: High Pull Snatch x 5, Squat to PP x 5, BO Row x 5, Upright Row x 5, High Pull Snatch x 5
Clean Complex: Hang Clean x 5, RDL x 5, Front Squat x 5, BO Row x 5, Hang Clean x 5

If it has been a while since you incorporated WC Training in your program work it back in. I promise that your quality of Strength and Power work will improve.

Mental Toughness

What is mental toughness? Athletes hear it and coaches say it. How do you become mentally tough?
In my 24 years of coaching experience I have seen one common denominator in athletes who are mentally tough or one way to develop mental toughness in athletes or teams. The weight room! From my experience, athletes and or teams who work hard in the weight room are mentally tough. That weight room toughness transfers to the playing field thus producing more wins. Everything being equal, size, speed, strength, athletic ability, the team that develops and exudes mental toughness, wins!

So how do you develop mental toughness in the weight room? First of all, you don’t hurt or injure your athletes. You must teach and develop perfect technique on all lifts. You must develop a strong core. You must train hard but smart.

I have been associated with many programs. One thing the successful ones had in common was mental toughness and that mental toughness started in the weight room. I was a graduate assistant at Clemson University in the early 90’s. When I left Clemson, I took a job in Northwest GA at 4A high school as the head strength coach and assistant football coach. Two power house high schools had combined and this school was expected to compete right away. Between the two schools, they had won 7 state championships. I arrived at the beginning of the summer, walked in the weight room and a small group of football players were working out with a few coaches standing around watching. I made a comment to my wife, “this must be the middle school or JV players. To my surprise, this was the varsity. I had my work cut out for me. I evaluated the team and realized that we had the weakest and softest football team I had ever been a part of. To make a long story short, we went 2-8 the 1st year, 5-5 the 2nd, and made the playoffs the 3rd. The 4th year we made it to the 3rd round of the playoffs. This group of young men were mentally tough. It all started in the weight room. As a coaching staff, we put our players in situations in the weight room and on the field that challenged them. We worked harder than any of our opponents. When they thought they couldn’t go any further, we push them to a new level. Nothing remains the same. 100% effort doesn’t remain the same. What was 100% effort in game one isn’t always 100% in game 2.

“The physicality of our world is a boundary only if our will is weak: A true champion can accomplish things a normal person would think impossible”—the book, the art of racing in the rain

This quote from the book, the art of racing, sums it up. You must be tough physically and mentally, not only in sports but in life. If you are to be a champion, you must be mentally tough!

Can the Pro Performance System of Training be Utilized for Athletes

The answer to this question is yes. Our training system is based on science and has been tried and tested for many years with myself, our trainers and our clients. Nothing can beat experience and being under the bar or in the heat of battle.

Our program is based on a 3 day per week total body training system. Each day we start with a power movement followed by a leg movement and then upper body movements. Day 1 will be an upper body emphasis, day 2 a lower body emphasis and day 3 a power emphasis and then work capacity. I will lay out a template later in the article.

The Program:

Our training program is designed around 3 proven methods.

Train Absolute Strength: We train absolute strength. We do this with a twist. High school strength training programs are usually limited on time. Our system allows you to get the most out of an athlete with great results in the shortest amount of time. So how do we do this? We utilize the push/pull method. Ex. If we are performing a horizontal pressing movement, we will superset with a horizontal pulling movement. When training absolute strength for high school athletes, we keep our rep range between 3-5 reps. We also utilize multi-joint lifts, i.e. Squats, dead lift, overhead press, rows, hang cleans etc.

Train Power: Each workout begins with a power movement or plyometric exercise. Again, we keep the rep range between 3-5 reps. We’ll take longer rest periods between these movements. Power is generated through the legs, hips and core, thus our focus is on training these movements. Notice the last statement. We train movement and not just muscle. You must get away from the body building mentality when training athletes.

Train Work Capacity: We have a unique way of doing this and this is one of the components that separate our style of training from the rest. We train work capacity using medium to heavy weights. We train work capacity on the 3rd workout of the week. We begin this workout with a series of plyometric movements for the lower body as well as the upper body. That’s right, I said upper body. The upper body must be explosive as well. This part of the workout takes around 30 minutes to complete. The work capacity section will take around 15 minutes.

3 Day Template:

Monday: Total Body with Upper Body Emphasis
1. Power movement
2. Multi joint leg movement
3. Horizontal pressing movement
4. Horizontal pulling movement
5. Vertical pressing movement
6. Vertical pulling movement
7. Triceps movement
8. Biceps movement
9. Core training

Wednesday: Total Body with Lower Body Emphasis
1. Power movement
2. Multi joint leg movement
3. Posterior chain movement
4. Unilateral leg movement
5. Vertical pressing movement
6. Vertical pulling movement
7. Body weight horizontal pressing movement
8. Body weight horizontal pulling movement
9. Core training

Friday: Total Body with Power and Work Capacity Emphasis
1. Plyometric movement lower body
2. Plyometric movement upper body
3. Work capacity total body
4. Core training


Each workout begins with a dynamic warm up focusing on lower body flexibility with an emphasis on hip mobility. We also focus on shoulder flexibility and mobility, plus shoulder prehab. Each training session ends with static stretching focusing on hamstrings, hips, glutes and hip flexors. We stretch our upper body with bands. For more information on strength and conditioning for high school athletes, contact us at scott@pro-performance.net

Sample Workout Week:

Monday:
Kettlebell power pulls: 4x5

Kettlebell Front Squats: 4x5

Dumbbell bench press: 4x5
Superset
Dumbbell rows: 4x5

Overhead see saw press: 3x5
Superset
Pull-ups: 3x10

Dumbbell triceps extension: 3x10
Superset
Dumbbell curls: 3x10

Core:
Hanging leg raises: 2x20
Superset
Get up sit-ups: 2x10
Superset
Floor wipers: 2x10 each side

Wednesday:
Kettlebell swings: 4x10

Squats: 4x5

Glute ham raise: 3x10

Pistol box squats: 3x5 each leg

Double overhead kettlebell press: 3x8

Chin-Ups: 3x10

Ring Push-Ups: 3x10

Horizontal pull-ups: 3x10

Core Circuit:
Hanging leg raise: 10 reps
Floor wipers: 10 each side
Get up sit-ups: 10 reps
Ab tucks on swiss ball: 10 reps
Prone plank: 1 min.


Friday:

Standing tuck jumps: 3x10 reps, 2 min. rest

Power skips: 3x 20 yards, 2 min. rest

Med ball chest pass: 3 x10 reps, 2 min. rest

Plyo push-ups on bosu ball: 3x15 sec, 2 min. rest

Work Capacity: 30/30
Jump rope: 30 sec.
Rest: 30 sec.
Squat to push press: 30 sec.
Rest: 30 sec.
Pull-ups: 30 sec.
Rest: 30 sec.
Push-ups: 30 sec.
Rest 30 sec.
Power pull: 30 sec.
Rest 2 min.
Complete 3 rounds

Coming in December!
The # 1 strength and conditioning program on the market today!