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Steve Plisk is one of America's up-and-coming young strength and conditioning coaches. Steve not only directs Yale's football strength and conditioning program, but as the University's Director of Sports Conditioning,, Steve is also responsible for the strength and conditioning needs of Yale's entire athletic department and its more-than 30 intercollegiate sports. He has two full-time assistants, and works closely with Yale's sports medicine staff. Steve joined Yale in 1997 from the University of Memphis, where he had been Strength Coach since 1995.  Prior to Memphis, his Strength & Conditioning resume includes work at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (1995, 1986), James Madison University (1992-95), Dartmouth College (1990-92), Austin Peay State University (1989-90), and the University of Colorado (1987-89).  A native of Orchard Park, New York, Steve is a 1987 graduate of SUNY-Buffalo with a B.S. in Sport & Exercise Science, and received his M.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado in 1990.  He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association, and a Level 1 Coach through USA Weightlifting.  He is a member of the Board of Directors of the NSCA, is on the faculty of the NSCA Coaches' College, and is an Associate Editor of the Strength and Conditioning Journal.

Readers please note: I am frequently asked by athletes or their parents to have Steve Plisk recommend individual workouts, or ways for them or their child to gain weight, speed, strength, etc. My arrangement with Steve,who is kept very busy as strength and conditioning coach for all 30 of Yale's sports, is that he will answer, to the best of his ability and to the extent that his schedule permits, questions from coaches (including youth coaches). Occcasionally, an individual may pose a question about training that in our judgement might be of interest to coaches, and Steve will attempt to answer that. But it is simply not feasible to ask Steve to prescribe or recommend personal programs for athletes, nor is it my desire to insert anyone between any athlete and his (or her) coach. In general am not a big fan myself of personal coaches for athletes who are already participating in team sports. As Steve says, "everyone is looking for the magic training program - no one ever seems to be satisfied with the one they've been provided. We deal with the same thing here, and in my opinion it's killing the profession." I always counsel an athlete to talk to his/her own coach first. I believe - and I tell this to anyone who asks me about a training program other than what their coach has provided them - that it is important that any young athlete learn to work with his (or her) own coach, without "benefit" of outside advice. Hugh Wyatt

22. Coach, My 12 year old son is a very good athlete. His main sports are Football, Baseball and Wrestling, he is starting to dabble in track. He wants to lift. I am a football coach. I am trying to hold him off for 2 more years. Can I start working him with Plyometrics without hurting him? He will do anything - he loves a workout. Thank you

The same basic answer posted for question #7 also applies to plyometric work. Keep in mind that your son is doing plyometrics every time he runs, jumps and participates in many of these sports - so if he's regularly involved in such activities, additional plyometric training would be redundant and potentially problematic. Any time he's "in season", I wouldn't recommend it.

I should qualify that, however: Certain sports like hockey, rowing and so on that don't have a ballistic component to them are an exception to that guideline.

The other key issue is intensity. During adolescence his growth plates have not yet closed, and other tissues are still maturing as well. As a general rule, be conservative. The classic "shock" types of plyometrics (e.g. depth/drop jumps) used by mature, advanced athletes are not appropriate for adolescent or preadolescent athletes.

21. Coach Plisk, I am a division II football player from Wayne State College (NE). I am at a point where I am not seeing a lot of improvement in my lifts (especially my structural lifts). I was wondering if doing partial reps at high loads could help break me out of my "plateau". Will doing this help decrease the Golgi Tendon Organ effect? According to Wolf's Law it seems logical that it would also be good to prevent injuries by increasing the cross-sectional unit of the bone and tendons. I don't see too many program designs that involve partial reps, I was wondering why because it seems like a valuable exercise for sports such as football. Are there any contraindications to doing this type of exercise, such as reduced flexibility?

Bryce Teager, Exercise Science Major at WSC-- P.S. I hope to be a Strength and Conditioning Coach after college. Is there any advise about anything that you could give me? I am a big fan of your work and read everything I can that you publish, keep up the good work.

Thanks Heavy partials can be a very useful overload trick, if not overused. Heavy negatives are another good one. As long as your training menu is sound and you regularly perform full-range movements they shouldn't affect your flexibility. However, both of these belong at the high-resistance end of the continuum and may be only part of the answer. The best way to break out of (or better yet, prevent) a plateau is to vary your training methods with some combination of "maximum strength", "speed strength" and/or "strength endurance" workloads. For more info on these terms, refer to Table 1 near the bottom of the following web page: http://www.yale.edu/athletic/Strength/implications.htm

In much the same way that you want to use certain football plays to set up others, you want to use different training methods to amplify the effect of others. Partials and negatives both belong in the maximum strength category, and may not be the best change up to throw at your system if that's where you're already directing most of your effort. More emphasis on speed strength is usually where athletes stand to benefit the most, but that depends on how your program is set up. I would recommend following up with your S&C coach and exploring various options, as it's not my place to evaluate other coaches' programs.

Thanks for the compliment - sometimes I wonder if anyone reads that stuff!

Regarding S&C as a career: Hopefully you thrive on long hours, low pay and lots of disrespect? SP

20. Coach, I was wondering about tapering off the workload during practice and the weight room at the end portion of the season, especially post-season play. Is it necessary to cut back on contact, conditioning, weight room work, anything at the end of the football season to keep athletes fresh and peaked for the post-season? Or is this just a myth? If tapering is a good practice, why is it effective? Thank you in advance for your consideration. John Bothe Oregon, IL

It's a great question. Tapering/peaking is inherent to any sound periodization plan, including in-season as well as off-season. It's effective because optimal adaptation (and overuse/injury avoidance) seems to result by progressing from extensive volumes of intermediate intensity work to lesser volumes of more intensive work. We use a 3-week rotation during the season where the workload progressively cycles up and amount of work cycles down. In fact the 3rd week of each phase is extremely intense - e.g. high percentages on everything, and heavy negatives on hip sled and bench press. The trade-off is that reps/sets are very low and we eliminate half of the usual movements that week. Then the next week it's back to the full menu, lower weights, more (but still moderate) reps, etc. Obviously there are different ways to apply this concept. You should also consider whether you want to simply use a 3-4 week in-season cycle, or one that's designed around important competitions. If the cycle exceeds 5-6 weeks in length you'll probably want to be a little more creative with how you vary the program. Steve Plisk

19. My son is 13 years old and wants to excel in football. What types of strength and agility training exercises will provide the most benefit to a 13 year-old?

Readers please note: This was my reply:

"The best thing to do is for him (or you) to contact the coach of the high school he will attend and see if he can get involved in their off-season program. And then see how it goes from there." Hugh Wyatt

I do not forward questions of this nature to Steve Plisk. Our arrangement with Steve Plisk, strength and conditioning coach for all of Yale's sports, is that he will answer, to the best of his ability and to the extent that his schedule permits, questions from coaches, including youth coaches. It is simply not feasible for me to ask Steve to prescribe individual programs for athletes, not is it our desire to interpose ourselves between any athlete and his (or her) coach. I believe it is important that any young athlete learn to work with his (or her) own coach, without "benefit" of outside advice. HW

18. I am a football coach who is attempting to implement a school-wide conditioning program. The Cross Country coach at our school is against his distance runners doing any squats; especially parallel. He claims that at best they're not needed and at worst they are dangerous and harmful to his runners.

Any input regarding this would be helpful. If the distance runners should not be squatting what will help them?

That's actually another simple one. Running (at all velocities) is an explosive activity. All else being equal, once the distance is established, the person who wins is the one who generates more force per stride. Structural strength in the hips/legs is foundational.

It's generally accepted that explosive strength is important in "power" sports. There's a common misconception, however, that its role in "endurance" activities is minor. For example, since a marathoner's running velocity is about half that achieved by skilled sprinters, explosive force output is often mistakenly believed to contribute little to performance. It's important to realize that ground contact time at intermediate running speed - although longer than that manifested at full speed (on the order of ~0.2 sec at 5-6 m/sec) - is still much shorter than that required for maximum force application; and that power output and rate of force development are important determinants of running velocity. The value of strength training for such events can be appreciated when considering the performance improvements possible over long distances with even modest increases in stride length or frequency, assuming metabolic cost remains constant.

While prolonged activities certainly require specialized metabolic capacity, they often involve a series of brief, explosive "spikes" in power output; and thus should not be simplistically classified as submaximal endurance events. The task-specific importance of speed-strength should be critically evaluated on a mechanical basis, rather than categorically dismissed for physiological reasons.

17. Our football staff has been working to improve our weightroom facilities, and usage. One of our goals has been to have our incoming 9th graders ready and trained to lift before they begin their freshman year. To that end, we are going to have a 7th and 8th grade weight lifting clinic in March.

We are doing our clinic with our football program in mind, but we are taking any 7th / 8th grade athlete, regardless of sport or gender. I have coached a little basketball, and wrestling and I support all the programs. Our program focus is going to be teaching technique for bench press, incline bench press, squat, and power clean. We will also work on the auxillary lifts, machines, Nautilus equipment and plyometrics.

My wife is the varsity gymnastics coach, she thinks the clinic is a great idea, but she isn't sure about having young girls doing power cleans. I have to add that she has been in the fitness fields (aerobics instructor, physical therapy) for about 15 years, all on-the-job experience, no formal education. She is a pretty smart lady, and she has never seen or heard of girls doing power cleans.

We intend to run the clinic, very low weights, emphasizing correct lifting technique ( we are only going to teach the power clean, no Olympic Lifts ). I would prefer to teach every kid the same thing, the same way.

This is a simple one.

Olympic style lifting (or any training exercise) is not a gender issue. The issue is one of how to train athletes. Our female athletes train the same way as our male athletes, and realize the same benefits.

The only potential issue here is developmental - i.e. whether all the kids in that age group are ready to do these movements properly. As long as their basic movement mechanics are sound, it's appropriate to start introducing them to this. However there may be some who will need remedial strength etc., and may not be ready.

16, As a freshman I jumped a 35 inch vertical and ran a 4.55 40 yard dash and ran 11.27 in a hundred meters. Now I have actually declined in speed but increase vertical and I have been training very hard. Then the subject of training smarter not harder was brought to my attention. How does the fast twitch muscle fibers affect ones sprinting speed? How greatly does it affect ones speed? What are the best exercises to increase explosiveness in fast twitch muscle fibers?

Fast twitch motor units are the power source for any rapid or forceful movement.

Probably the most profound fact that many athletes and coaches need to realize is that speed is the result of explosive strength. Speed is often mistakenly believed to be independent from (or incompatible with) strength, when in fact the ability to produce impulse and power determines velocity.

So the issue is: What have those FT muscle fibers been trained to do? They will adapt to the demands that are regularly imposed on them. Two guaranteed ways to lose speed as a result of strength training are to:

1. Train slow and heavy all the time, especially if taken to fatigue/failure on every set.

2. Train muscles instead of movements, i.e. emphasize isolation (1-joint) exercises.

Now here are the guaranteed ways to gain speed through strength training:

• Emphasize skillful, explosive, athletic (multi-joint) movements.
• Rest-pause as needed to execute each rep at full power (accelerate through the power position or sticking point as explosively as possible with good form on each rep, and rack the bar after every 2nd or 3rd rep and breathe for 20-30 seconds even if you don't feel tired).

A rule of thumb is to stick with exercises that are skillful enough they require coaching, such as Olympic-style movements, squats, plyometrics etc. Structure your strength training workouts the same way you would perform a sprint training workout intended to improve speed: keep the work intervals short (5-6 seconds) and the effort level maximal. Take as much recovery as needed within each workout to achieve these two objectives.

15. I would like to know if it is better to obtain a B.S. in Sport & Exercise Science or an Associates Degree. What is the best route to take if I want to become a Strength Coach.

Not to make a long story boring, but I'm currently involved with the NSCA Strength & Conditioning Professional Standards & Guidelines project, and one of several things we tried to do is define the personnel qualifications preferable in the S& C profession. This document is available online (in HTM & PDF formats) at the NSCA web site: http://www.nsca-lift.org/publications/standards.htm

Section 2 addresses this topic. We recommend a three-pronged approach: First, the Strength & Conditioning practitioner should acquire expertise &emdash; and have a degree from a regionally accredited college/university &emdash; in one or more of the topics comprising the "Scientific Foundations" domain identified in the Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) Examination Content Description (i.e. exercise/sport anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, nutrition), or in a relevant subject (e.g., exercise/sport pedagogy, psychology, motor learning, training methodology, kinesiology). Note that the NSCA's Educational Recognition Program has been developed to recognize institutions of higher learning that meet such requirements; and also helps to identify an educational career path for the Strength & Conditioning profession. Likewise, practitioners should make an ongoing effort to acquire knowledge and competence in the content areas outside their primary area of expertise.

Second, certifications offered through professional organizations with continuing education requirements as well as a code of ethics (e.g., the NSCA Certification Commission's CSCS credential; Appendix B) are available to Strength & Conditioning practitioners interested in acquiring the necessary competencies. Depending on the practitioner's specific duties, responsibilities, and interests, relevant certifications offered by other governing bodies may also be appropriate.

Third, a Strength & Conditioning practitioner's knowledge and skill development can be enhanced by applying the "performance team" concept (i.e. aligning a staff comprised of qualified professionals with interdependent expertise and shared leadership roles). The scope of practice for the Strength & Conditioning profession has expanded and diversified to the point where it is very challenging &emdash; and often unrealistic &emdash; for each individual to acquire proficiency in all areas. Furthermore, the productivity of a hierarchical (single-leader) work group can be significantly improved by applying the team model to staffing; and the same team dynamics that augment the group's effectiveness also tend to enhance individual members' learning and skill acquisition.

14. I read an answer you gave to a question about static stretching vs. dynamic stretching. The answer talked about dynamic stretching before wieghtlifting, but would you recommend it before football practice or a game? I sort of understand what dynamic stretching is (sort of), but could you or Steve give a couple examples of dynamic stretching? From what I gathered you were saying that standard stretching such as toe touches and groin stretches could be detrimental before a competition. Are jumping jacks considered dynamic? I had heard another coach talking about this and I thought he was crazy. You always go with what you have been taught, stretch all your muscles slowly, but it would not be the first time that new information changed my perspective. Bryan Wegener Brentwood High School St. Louis, MO

Virtually all flexibility exercises can be done either statically or dynamically. The difference is how long the "stretch" position is held. In the former case, the athlete might hold for 8-12 seconds (or longer); whereas in the latter, he/she might hold for <1 sec and then repeat in a series. As is the case with strength training, variation is probably more important than getting locked in on certain #s in terms of duration, reps etc.

Anything where rhythmic movement is involved can be considered dynamic, and dynamic movements are generally preferable to static ones when warming up for competition. I think what's important is to progressively switch the emphasis from static to dynamic methods as the season approaches. Game day is not the time to be developing remedial fitness qualities like static mobility; and the consensus seems to be that dynamic movements have a superior "priming" effect for performance.

13. Is the Dead Lift still considered a valuable lift for football training? It seems as if a lot of programs have gone away from the Dead Lifts and more towards the speed lifts. Are there negatives to the Dead Lift we should consider when training high school athletes?

It sure is! I especially like the trap bar (we have 10) for deadlifting because it allows the athlete to get better leverage than a straight barbell.

The primary exercises (e.g. squat, deadlift) can be considered a family of ground-based movements that are interchangeable to some extent. It's a simple matter of whether the weight is supported across the shoulders or suspended from them. So if an athlete is better able to handle heavy squat weights by substituting the conventional deadlift in its place, we encourage them to do so because the two movements are similar in terms of being "structural" (multi-joint, weight bearing) movements.

Furthermore, if the athlete has difficulty maintaining good posture when deadlifting from a static bottom position, we instruct them to set the bar up on blocks or racks and descend into each rep from an upright position. In this way, the best features of each movement can be combined to achieve an optimal training effect.

In my opinion the deadlift is a great foundational exercise for young athletes as long as he/she is healthy, has sound technique, and the workload is reasonable.

12. What foods would you recommend that football players eat for breakfast before an early morning heavy practice? We have 8:00 am practices during our pre-season. A lot of players do not eat anything before these practices and suffer from energy loss. Others eat too heavy and suffer from sluggishness. What would be good pre-practice food or drink? John Bothe, Oregon, Illinois

I recommend a balanced meal for breakfast (as well as lunch and dinner). The "food guide pyramid" posted at the USDA's Food & Nutrition Information Center is an ideal model to work from: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pyramid.html

The issue may be one of meal timing more so than content. Your players will probably struggle if they are eating meals <2 hours before practice. If you can't move practice back, the other option is to move breakfast to an earlier time. Obviously that is not always a practical (or popular) decision, but the alternative is exactly what you're encountering - players who are either out of energy and going catabolic, or having GI problems. The ones who aren't eating are losing lean mass, which is hindering long-term performance and setting them up for injuries.

If your schedule won't permit you to change your meal or practice times, the 'meal replacement' shakes offered by the popular supplement companies are a fair substitute and can be digested faster than solid food. These can be consumed ~1 hr before practice.

11. I know a lot about weight training, and I have always believed in a 4 day offseason workout Uppers on Mon Thurs and Lowers on Tues Friday (with certain core power lifts like bench squat hangclean deadlift -- and some supplemental lifts) I know it works and it provides 48 hrs of rest to the muscle groups used. I see a lot of coaches use a 3 day a week M, Tu, Fri workout where they do all their core lifts each day) -- a lot of guys do this so they can do other drills and passing leagues on Tues. Thurs. to keep it fun for the kids. Which do you think is better and why?? Also how many times a week should speed training and plyometrics be used???

This is actually a very interesting question. Hope the answer isn't too technical?

The answer to whether a 3 d/wk or 4 d/wk routine should be used is: yes! Both approaches can work, and I believe the optimal way to maximize the results is to alternate between them when feasible from a scheduling standpoint.

During the school year it may not be practical to do this, and therefore we stay with a 3 d/wk program during that time. It's structured so that we Clean & Squat on days 1+3 of the first week, and day 2 of the following week; while the Jerk & upper-body movements are done on day 2 of the first week, and 1+3 of the following week. This approach allows more recovery between each workout, but is certainly not the only (or necessarily best) way to implement a 3 d/wk cycle.

Up to a point training effects are influenced by volume of work, and so a 4 d/wk program can be very effective as long as: (1) workloads and movements are varied adequately; and (2) higher volume (e.g. 4 d/wk) phases are interspersed with lower volume (e.g. 3 d/wk) phases every 3-4 weeks.

During the summer we use two 4 d/wk phases (weeks 1-3 and 8-10) in the weightroom, each followed by 3 d/wk phases (weeks 4-7 and 11-14). The 4 d/wk strength phases effectively load up the stress on the athlete, during which we only do 2 d/wk of speed-agility-conditioning work with emphasis on learning more so than full-speed execution. During each subsequent 3 d/wk strength phase, a "delayed after effect" phenomenon can be exploited by increasing the emphasis on speed/technique training on the field. We use a 3 d/wk speed-agility-conditioning program at these times, during which we're getting a significant jump in the athletes' power capabilities while also competing with less residual fatigue from the weightroom. Note that I'm bound by a 6 hour weekly limit set by the Ivy League, whereas those bound by the NCAA's 8 hour limit (or other time restrictions) can reach different solutions.

This is a simple application of Verkhoshansky's "conjugate sequence" concept. You have to appreciate the nature of cumulative and delayed training effects to be comfortable with such an approach, and it may not be appropriate for novices. For advanced athletes, however, it is probably the ultimate way to periodise a program for best results. I recommend Mel Siff's "Supertraining" textbook for those interested in learning more about it.

10. I work with several athletes (young and old) who have difficulty keeping their feet flat on the floor during any type of squat. I have heard several strength coaches recommend placing a 2" x 4" under the athlete's heels to provide a "level" liftng surface. However, I have heard equal number of coaches label this as dangerous. Your opinion on this issue please.

The problem with elevating the heels is that it also shifts the hips and knees forward as the athlete sits into the squat. This redistributes more torque to the knee joints, which is generally not a desirable thing to do. Ideally you want to drive through a full foot (flat on the floor) with the hips as far behind the center of gravity (c.o.g.) as possible, and knees no further in front of the c.o.g. than necessary.

If an athlete can't keep his/her feet flat while squatting, it's better to address the flexibility needed to correct this than to accommodate it by elevating the heels.

9. I HAD A CHANCE TO ASK STEVE A FEW THINGS ABOUT CREATINE!!!

HW- You seem to be saying quite emphatically that Studies show that creatine's use can be beneficial. SP-Correct, in high-powered brief-recovery activities.

HW- You also state that there is little scientific proof of harmful side effects in healthy users SP- Correct. There are a few case studies of renal (kidney) problems in people with preexisting kidney disease; but otherwise its effects seem to be quite positive. In fact it's useful in treating certain clinical/medical conditions.

HW - Are we merely conducting witch hunts, then, by chasing down kids who are using it? SP - It would appear so, based on current evidence. However there's a potential issue in terms of whether creatine is an appropriate supplement to use in sports where you have to make weight, e.g. wrestling. It has nothing to do with being inherently good or bad; it has to do with how it works, and with the nature of the sport. If athletes (or coaches) are led to believe that creatine use simply causes temporary water retention, they may think it's just a matter of cutting a few additional pounds before competition with a little extra time and effort. If they don't understand the documented creatine-hypertrophy link, they may be setting themselves up for serious health consequences. But the real problem isn't creatine itself, it's the misinformation about it.

HW- When - if ever - would a coach be justified in recommending its use? SP- I'm of the opinion that supplement use is a matter of personal discretion, and coaches should be very cautious in making actual recommendations. I think we have a duty to provide clear, evidence based information so athletes can make informed decisions - but beyond that we need to take great care in what we recommend to our athletes.

In terms of performance, creatine can enhance:

*strength gains (in conjunction with body mass) in strength training programs

*exercise performance in brief, powerful activities, especially during repeated bouts

The higher the intensity and/or briefer the recovery, the greater creatine's effect on power and work output in single or repeated maximal efforts. Its effect is less pronounced when recovery is prolonged ( > 5 min ). Over the long term, creatine can also promote significantly greater gains in strength, sprint performance and lean mass during training than in matched-paired controls.

Some well-controlled studies have shown that there are non-responders to creatine supplementation. But the predominant trend is for creatine to improve certain parameters of strength, mass and/or sprint capacity. About two-thirds of the 350+ published studies on creatine's effect on performance report statistically significant results; whereas those with non-significant results often report improvements of 1-10% that don't meet the p<.05 probability level for various reasons (e.g., low subject number, measurement error in the performance tests used, and/or problems with experimental control).

The "what ifs" about creatine are getting all the press, and are being anecdotally "reported" in non-peer reviewed newspapers and magazines by unqualified journalists who aren't held accountable for checking their facts. What isn't being reported in the popular media is the volume of medical and scientific research that has been conducted; and documentation about the antitumor, antiviral, antidiabetic, and protective effects (e.g., from tissue hypoxia, ischemia, and neurodegenerative or muscle damage) of creatine and its analogs. Other than weight gain, there is no evidence of side effects in healthy subjects.

REFERENCES (SOME OF THEM AVAILABLE ONLINE) ON THE SUBJECT OF CREATINE

 

8. At our school, most of our athletes are in weight training classes, which meet five days a week. Should the basketball players be doing a normal weight workout on game days? (They play two days a week) I am afraid of the precedent I will set for other athletes if I give them the day off.

 

Depending on how you split up your program, game-day lifting can be quite beneficial. With the exception of novices, submaximal accelerative work can be very effective; as can a very low volume of brief maximal work.

 

Examples of the former would be an olympic lift or weighted jump (e.g. 3 sets of 2-3 reps at moderate workload); the latter might include a few single reps of squat or leg press, done with high workloads (e.g. 85-90% believe it or not). In both cases extreme emphasis should be placed on quality, with recovery extended as needed to minimize fatigue and overall metabolic stress.

 

Both approaches work by virtue of their activation effect. The after-effect of such work can have quite a profound effect on explosive movement performance.

7. At what age and under what conditions is it okay for a young athlete to begin strength training?According to the NSCA's position statement on Youth Resistance Training (Faigenbaum A.D., Kraemer W.J., et al. Strength & Conditioning 18(6): 62-75, 1996):

 

* Properly designed/supervised resistance training programs are safe for children.

* Properly designed/supervised resistance training programs can increase the strength, motor fitness skills, sports performance, psychosocial well-being and overall health of children.

* Properly designed/supervised resistance training programs can help prevent injuries in children.

 

I don't know if there's a cut-off point or age limit before which kids should not train. If he/she has the emotional maturity to participate in some sort of organized sport and/or training program, has his/her lifestyle in order (e.g. nutrition, sleep etc.), and common sense is used, I think this a matter of personal discretion for the parents. Otherwise, as long as the athlete is deemed healthy by a board-certified physician, the onset of the adolescent growth spurt would probably be an appropriate time to begin strength training.

 

Let me also qualify this by stating that it should be done as part of a comprehensive program which addresses coordination, mobility, endurance, strength and speed - in other words, a "general preparation" emphasis. There's an old saying in PE circles: Children are not little adults!

 

As I have learned more about this issue, I realize that it's not just a simple matter of physical fitness. There are sensitive periods for the development of respective motor abilities and skills. Because they are interrelated, neglecting any one of them can detrimentally affect the others. Apparently this is common knowledge in Europe, but seems to be an obscure concept here in the USA. Jozef Drabik's book "Children & Sports Training" (Island Pond VT: Stadion Publishing, 1996) provides a simple and concise explanation of this.

 

Anyway, to miss these periods is to miss the window of opportunity to maximize each child's athletic potential.

 

6. "I would like my players to lift three days per week during the season. Do you have a program of core lifts (3 to 5) that they may use in a 30-minute session?" Tom Deusser, Watertown, NY

In our case, our varsity players lift 2 days/wk during the season, whereas our JV players lift 3 days/wk. The former do a split program consisting of one o-lift (Olympic lift) - clean or jerk - one structural lift (squat or deadlift), and a limited volume of 3-6 upper body exercises each day. The latter do essentially the same routine we use during the off-season. Athletes in both groups have the option of further subdividing their workouts if necessary to allow for class schedules etc., as long as they get the primary exercises done first.

 

If I understand your question, you also want your 2-deep players doing 3 workouts per week. A couple alternatives for workout #3 we have used with success: The Clean & Jerk can be done as a complex (Once the bar is cleaned, it is then jerked. This counts as one rep.) If you're comfortable using the Snatch as a training exercise, it can be a great choice as well.

 

In either case, workloads are submaximal (15-20% below RM load) with emphasis on explosiveness. Upper-body or other supplemental exercises are optional. There are other options as well. The trick is to stick with the basic exercises used during the pre-season, and keep the work quality high and volume low to maintain training effect with minimal fatigue.

  

5. I am having trouble teaching my athletes to get under and front squats at the end of their power cleans. Is there anything that I can do in their training that will help them get under the bar when the weights get heavy? Ted Amorosi, Canyon H.S. California - For training purposes, it is desirable (at least during very heavy workouts) for athletes to pull weights they cannot catch, in order to increase the weights they can. When testing them in the clean, however, they will want to be adept at catching. The ability to quickly front squat under the bar can be desirable in this case.

 

First, it's crucial to use an olympic bar with freely revolving sleeves. This sounds obvious, but some bars turn better than others. All the skill and practice in the world won't matter if the sleeves are seized.

 

Also, it can be helpful if your athletes regularly perform the front squat as a training exercise. We are primarily a back squat program, and therefore use the following approach.

 

We have our athletes start practicing the catch and front squat with their submaximal weights about 6-8 weeks before testing. Initially we are not trying to execute this at full speed. The athletes are directed to rotate their arms under the bar, pushing their elbows forward/up into front squat position; rack the bar across the upper chest/anterior shoulders; position their feet back in a normal squat stance; and then front squat the bar as low as possible with good posture. This allows them to practice each phase of the process at "learning speed", and also allows us to spot any limitations.

The flexibility needed to get the bar racked properly with the elbows high seems to be the most common problem, and often requires remedial mobility work. A coaching tip that we give our athletes is that they should be able to see their forearms and elbows in their field of vision once the bar is racked. Even athletes who can achieve this while standing upright need to emphasize holding this position as they descend into the front squat, because the trunk tends to incline forward and the elbows drop as a result. It's important to bull the chest and drive the elbows high in order to keep the bar from falling off the shoulders/chest.

As the athlete masters the individual parts of the movement, we start working putting them together at progressively higher speeds. Right up until the last workout before testing, however, we continue to pull our heaviest weights without catching them.

Some useful general guidelines are posted at the USA Weightlifting web site:http://www.usaweightlifting.org/lifts.htm

 

 

4. Please, compare and contrast the benefits and disadvantages of hang cleans from a hit position vs. power cleans from the ground. Thanks, Pete Smolin , Pasadena City College Football - In terms of training effect, the explosive impulse and momentum produced in the power position (with the bar just above the knees) is the main objective of this lift. For teaching purposes, it's usually easiest to teach the athlete to start from "hang" position with the bar above the knee; and then progress into the hang below the knee, and finally from the floor. Although you really can't explode into the movement until the bar passes the knee, generally a longer acceleration path - i.e. starting from the floor - will allow him to generate the most velocity and power. This is something to work toward once he's got the basics of the movement. In any case, gauge the success of each rep on the athlete's ability to use the hips and legs to get action on the bar, jumping and pulling explosively enough to separate his/her feet from the platform. In my opinion this is more important than the ability to catch a rep.

A couple of safety notes:

1. Use bumper plates; and an 8' x 8' platform which is clear of loose plates,obstacles and people. Do not have anyone attempt to spot you.

2. Technique - especially position and quickness - has priority over weight. 

 

3. I attended a clinic recently where it was said static stretching causes muscles to "go to sleep", and that athletic performance is actually diminished as a result of this type of warm up. Would you please ask Steve Plisk to recommend a 10 to 15 minute warm up program with a specific list of exercises/reps/etc. Appreciate your help- Fred Barnes, Menlo School, Atherton, California There is an ongoing debate about the role of dynamic vs. static flexibility in sports, and about how it should be developed. The prevailing theory seems to be that dynamic movements develop active mobility, and have an excitatory effect when performed prior to athletic tasks. Static stretching, on the other hand, develops passive mobility and is believed to be beneficial after activity. Due to its inhibitory effect, however, it may be detrimental if performed prior to training or competition. Power and flexibility training are synergistic. Optimal results are achieved with a three-pronged approach:

1. Elevating muscle metabolism and temperature with a dynamic warm-up. A rule of thumb is to engage in priming activity where the athlete begins to perspire ightly and has a flushed appearance.

2. Performing dynamic, functional exercises through an optimal range of motion. This improves the athlete's active mobility.

3. Performing flexibility exercises at the conclusion of a training session and/or during recovery breaks (after catching your breath, while your muscles are fully warmed and flushed). This improves the athlete's passive mobility which effectively acts as a flexibility reserve. There should always be time for mobility training because recovery periods should be regularly included between sets or series, as well as at the end of a workout.

It's tough to lay out a specific warm-up program. We generally do various squatting or lunging movements, duck walks, etc., "Mach" drills, skipping/bounding, progressing into 1/2 and 3/4 speed striders.

 

 

2. How does one strengthen the rotator cuff? In addition to standard (2-joint) upper-body pressing and pulling movements and Jobe exercises (The basic isolation-type internal/external rotation exercises originated by Dr. Frank Jobe, from the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in California.) Some of them are diagrammed in a couple of the web links I included below. They can be done with a dumbbell or surgical tubing (generally I prefer the former) - we recommend a movement which is essentially the reverse of a front raise: start with a light dumbbell or other weight overhead at arm's length, and lower the weight in the same movement path the arm follows during the throwing follow through. Note that most throwing motions, as well as movements like spiking a volleyball, also involve a downward turn of the thumb.

 

 Some background info: The shoulder joint is shallow and very mobile, but also relatively unstable. The joint is held together by surrounding muscles more so than by the capsule. It is reinforced above by the supraspinatus; in front by the subscapularis; and behind by the infraspinatus and teres minor. These originate on the scapula and insert on the humeral head, forming a musculotendinous "rotator cuff". When intact and healthy, it serves several functions:

 * It counterbalances the upward pull of the deltoid, preventing the head of the humerus from impinging on the AC joint.

* It helps abduct and rotate the arm. There's a potential imbalance here because the larger superficial muscles (pecs, lats, teres major) assist as powerful internal rotators. The relatively small infraspinatus and teres minor are the only significant external rotators.

 * It stabilizes the joint, like guy wires holding the head of the humerus in the glenoid fossa, while the larger prime movers apply torque. If the rotator cuff is compromised or fatigued, the larger muscles can't effectively act on the joint; and the humeral head can glide excessively, causing potential damage.

 * It decelerates the throwing arm. Throwing is essentially an explosive internal rotation combined with projecting your arm away from your body, and is the motion that usually causes the most rotator cuff problems. The greatest forces actually occur during the follow through, where the arm is violently decelerated from high speeds in just a couple tenths of a second. The external rotators serve as the brake (absorbing about twice the force produced during forward acceleration), and also keep you from dislocating your arm.

 Due to their key role in throwing &endash; and the fact that they are smaller and weaker &endash; it's advisable to place a 2:1 emphasis on external vs. internal rotators for functional shoulder strength and stability.

 Additional information is available at these web sites:

 

http://familydoctor.org/handouts/265.html

http://mayohealth.org/mayo/9802/htm/rotator.htm

http://www.aafp.org/patientinfo/rotcuff.html

http://www.healthforlife.com/html/meetcuff.htm

http://www.kerlanjobe.com/html/faq/faq_rcuff.html

http://www.kerlanjobe.com/html/faq/faq_shoulder.html

http://www.scoi.com/cuffdise.htm  

 

1. What is a "split squat?" This is essentially a lunge without the striding action. The athlete gets into a long, low position similar to the split performed by olympic-style lifters during the jerk. The feet should remain shoulder wide. The front foot is placed ~1 foot-length forward of the torso with the shin approximately vertical; and rear foot is placed ~2 foot-lengths backward, supported on the ball of foot and toes (the heel is elevated) with the backside knee slightly flexed. The athlete descends until the backside knee touches the floor, and then ascends back to the starting position with a scissor action at the hips. Resistance can be added by placing a barbell across the shoulders, or holding dumbbells in the hands.