On Wednesday I took both my daughters out of school to drive with me to Philly (9 hours of driving one way) to see the opening round of the NCAA tourney. We went to see BYU and Texas A&M. My nephew is the point guard for BYU (Jimmer Fredette). Anyway. We arrived Wednesday night and stayed in a hotel about 30 minutes from the arena. We got up early and were going to have a good breakfast and then drive into the arena. Well, as I was getting dressed I dropped my sock and squatting down to pick it up and I felt like a had been stabbed in the back. I shuffled out of the bathroom and told the girls I hurt my back so but should be OK to get to the game. So I sat down and asked one of my daughters to help me with my sneakers. The minute I lifted my foot my back went into overdrive. I fell to the floor and was in a major spasm. I was unbelievable.

To make a long story short; I ended up having a family member (the father of Jimmer) drive to our hotel that was 25 miles from where they were staying and pick the girls up and take them to the game. I layed flat on my back for a the entire day and through the night. I never felt so much discomfort. Talk about a disappointing time. I was thrilled my girls got to see the game and their cousin (plus other family) but I couldn’t believe I drove all that way and missed the game. well the next morning I got back in the car and drove back to Indiana- it was a tough drive.

For the past 20 plus years I have been dealing with occasional back pain and it really snuck up on me on that day. I think the long drive to Philly made me tight plus the combination of being tight in the morning- the timing was just right.

Being Proactive

My back injury I believe is a product of a frozen big toe on my left foot. In 1985 during a basketball practice I complained to my coach about my toe hurting. I had been complaining for a few weeks and it finally got to be too much. He set up an appointment for me with a foot specialist. The specialist took an ex-ray and noticed I had a bone spur growing over my toe joint. He told me I would be OK for the rest of this season but at some point I would need to have it taken care of or it might cause issues with my gait and possibly posture. Well, I never did anything about it. I believe I have been paying for that stupid toe ever since.

Now, when I train clients and they present an injury or a possible postural issue I always urge them to be proactive and take care of it now. Don’t let it become a problem when it can be managed now- I tell them.

Many times it is just a matter of them doing more flexibility. If I could wind back the clocks I would have taken care of my toe immediately after the season.

My advice to you is do what ever you have to (avoid surgery if possible) to gain full and correct movement- you will be glad you did!

Yours In Speed,

Lee

PS: If you like to read more articles about proper training and check out great resources so you can move great and be healthy go to www.SportsSpeedEtc.com

PSS: Now that basketball season is winding down it is time to really get focused on off season training. Go to www.BasketballSpeedInsiders.com so you can get a jump start on your off season training.

Thoracic Extension: What is it?

The thoracic region is basically the upper back (between the neck and the lower back). More and more we are seeing athletes and non-athletes have a frozen and or overly flexed thoracic region. This mean the thoracic spine isn’t able to extend back from it’s fixed or partially fixed forward flexion. Think hunchback of Notre dame- not really that bad but to give you and idea of forward flexion.

When athletes perform skills overhead (throwing, hitting in volleyball, pitching in baseball, and even lifting weights overhead) but are unable to get extension in the thoracic region the shoulder has to do more external rotation then normal. This constant overuse and over range of motion can lead to mild to serious shoulder issues. Here are some great ways to increase thoracic extension.

IMPORTANT! Seek a qualified professional if unsure of how to perform these exercises!

1. Foam Rolling of the thoracic region. By performing simple extensions in a short range of motion you can begin to open up the thoracic region and allow extension to occur. If you have a pre-existing back issue consult a doctor or therapist. Do not force the extension- it should be a comfortable range of motion. Breathe out during the extension and in when returning from extension. Perform 3 reps in the lower thoracic, middle thoracic and upper thoracic.

2. Single sided flexion extension. In a hands and knee position place the right hand behind the head- now tuck the elbow under the body as you flex forward with just the right side. Now extend back and up with the elbow and chest. Perform 6-10 reps on each side in a controlled speed.

3. Prone cobra. Lying on your stomach raise your upper body off the ground while externally rotating the arms. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and down while focusing on extension in the upper back. Squeeze the glutes together to minimize lower back extension. Perform 10-15 second holds to for 5-8 reps to develop endurance or perform 15-20 reps to mobilize the region.

These 3 exercises have helped me tremendously over the years. Like to hear you advice.

Once again. Check with a professional before performing any of these exercises.

Yours in Speed,

Lee

PS: If you want to discover proper movement patterns for strength training check out www.SportsSpeedEtc.com and look up Strength Through Movement Patterns DVD. You will love the information in this product

If the reason for distance running is to build a base the only base being built is a base for running long slow distance- not much else.

Let me show you how I design a program to “build a base” for explosive sport athletes:

I prefer to use a combination of many training components together through out the year. I am not a fan of always working on just one area. For example: I will not simply work on speed for several weeks, then conditioning, then…. First off, I will work on what is needed based on an assessment. Secondly, I will develop the components together…the way the sport uses them. Here is an example of a monthly program broken down into weeks/days:

Week #1 Speed focused, endurance secondary

Day#1 Speed and agility skill based training. Drills are at a highly intense effort with adequate rest and recovery between drills. The focus on day one is linear and lateral acceleration.

Day #2 Endurance based training. The speed and agility drills are going to be focused around interval and short rest period station training. Shuttle runs with a 1:1 work to rest ratio. Obstacle based races lasting 30-45 seconds to complete, and true short burst intervals (30 yard acceleration with job back- 6-10 reps)

Day #3 Speed and agility focus. Resisted and deceleration/change of direction drills. Drills can be lateral shuffle and crossover change of direction drills reacting to coach’s signal or partner mirror, Box 4 corner cone drills, resisted agility drills focusing on cutting and change of direction.

Week #2 Endurance focus, speed and agility secondary

Day #1 would be the same as day #2 in week #1. Use appropriate drills for athletes.

Day #2 All Random reactionary speed and agility drills. Tag games, coach lead directional games, mirror drills, all the drills are 100% effort with an emphasis on using learned speed and agility techniques in a random setting. Coach can really teach and correct during these drills

Day #3 Endurance focused but only linear drills. forward and backward shuttles and intervals, short hill interval runs, stay away from hard cutting on this day but push the endurance hard.

Week #3 Speed and agility focus, endurance secondary

Day #1 Sport Specific agility drills. Example; 6-10 reps of fielding footwork for softball/baseball or tight cutting drills for soccer or retreating shuffle for basketball. Make the drill specific to your athletes- be explosive with effort though.

Day #2 Metabolic drill- mark off a 50 yard area in 5 yard increments. set 1-4 quarters as the length time the drills will be done. CAUTION! you will have to build up to more quarters as the athletes get better conditioned. First quarter consists of 10 reps- each rep is a sprint to a yard mark (looks like; 10 yrd, 25 yrd, 5 yrd, 35 yrd, 5 yrd, 20 yrd, 15 yrd, 50 yrd, 25 yrd, 15 yrd- rest for 2:00 minute and repeat) One quarter consists of two 10 rep cycles. This can be done using different movement patterns- angled take offs, crossover runs, backpedal… each sprint can be a different movement. tough drill!

Day #3 Random Speed and agility. All drills are based off the coaches signal. This will allow the athletes to really focus on the coach and it allows the coach to teach and correct mistakes. Example of drills; random 5-10-5 drill, multi-directional random drill (shuffle, backpedal, forward, jump…)

Week #4 Endurance focused, speed and agility secondary

Day #1 Resistance based endurance work. Sled drags, partner tubing resisted runs/shuffles/cutting. All the drills are using power and or quickness but are resisted and for 30-60 seconds. In other words the athletes will go full out pulling the sled displaying power but must work hard for a longer duration than most power drills. Example drill: Sled sprint for 25 yard- quickly reverse and pull sled back to start backpedaling hard, then finish with a 25 yard sled sprint. You can use many different drills but make the athlete work with good technique so injury potential is reduced.

Day #2 Speed and agility. Timed drills. This is a great time to have the athletes compete and challenge their times during timed speed and agility drills. Examples; 5-10-5 shuttle, 4 corner X drill, W-drill, T-drill, 60 yard shuttle… Great motivational day and coaches can still teach proper movement technique.

Day #4 Endurance challenge day. Have the athletes compete on the 300 yard shuttle. Each athlete must perform the shuttle 3 times but all 3 shuttle are set up differently. Example; first shuttle is 25 yard up and back 6 times. Second shuttle is 50 yrds up and back 3 times. Third shuttle is 4 up back at 25 yrds and 1 up and back at 50 yards. Give the athletes 5-6 minutes between each one. This is a great drill to pair athletes up with comparable talent and make them compete.

This format will get your athletes in shape and keep them fast and quick. Plus, you will develop the “base” you were looking for in a much more effective way than long slow distance running (which accomplished little toward the goal of making more skilled athletes.

Yours in Speed,
Lee

PS: If you are looking for great speed and agility exercises and skills check out the DVD’s at http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/. Ground Breaking 2 and Low Box Training are hot items that coaches use all the time.

This past weekend my daughter’s team played in their first AAU volleyball tournament. They play in the 12 and under bracket. There were some very talented teams in this tournament and we (the parents) were all so proud of our girls because they came in second. The reason for the hint of surprise is due to the fact we played against regular volleyball club teams. I mean these girls practice all the time and that is pretty much what most of them do. We came in with little experience and practice time and performed outstanding. On to my rant….

The team that ended up being the 1st place team- and rightfully so, was a team made up of very good players. However, their coach did not represent what youth sports are about at all. She obviously knows the game and coached the girls well, but she is a bully and a poor example of a youth coach.

When we first arrived she had her team on the court warming up- no problem and great idea. When the girls made mistakes she barked at them relentlessly and made them do push ups and suicide runs. If they didn’t do the suicides correctly they did them again. THIS IS WHILE THEY ARE AT A TOURNAMENT!? There are spectators in the crowed watching this. She would single out any player and embarrass them. Did I mention they were 12 and under???

This type of behavior tells me she is a bully and only can get what she wants out of these girls by using a motivation tactic of “Fear.” The girls played hard out of fear of what she would do to them.

I know there are many coaches out there who agree with this type of coaching but I can’t imagine how many kids she has left in her wake. Kids that loved volleyball when they started and ended up hating it by the end. There are going to many girls on that very team of 12 year olds that will have burned out and had enough before they ever play a varsity game. It is wrong!

The sad thing is I watched her coach her girls strategically and she knows the game well. She made great cues to help the girls when they needed it and put them in positions to play effectively. But she blew it when it comes to how to behave as a coach of young athletes.

Many parents will tolerate this because she turns her players into good players (those who last anyway), but once again we forget that the sports are about the kids, not the coach or parents. If this coach would just back off on the form of discipline she uses she would be fantastic for the girls. I am sure she loves the kids and is supportive of them, but that doesn’t give her a free pass to act the way she does.

There are many ways to coach but the two main approaches is to coach from a dictator and fear standpoint (kids play hard from out of fear) or a respectful leadership approach. In other words you lead the athletes by being strong and direct with your coaching but you respect them and their opinions and don’t try to fear them into doing things.

An example of coaching through fear is when a player makes a mistake and you threaten them with conditioning/running or by taking them out of the game and not letting them play and by embarrassing them in front of their peers and possibly audience. The athlete in this case doesn’t want to make a mistake because of the negative consequence.

The other example is when a player makes a mistake and you talk to them and explain why what they did was wrong and how to correct it. You make it clear to them that you except more but you also let them know that you like their effort (as long as their effort is good).

The second example will most likely create a mutual respect between coach and player and the player will play hard and not want to disappoint the coach out of respect for them rather than fear of discipline as in the first example.

I know my rants won’t change the world but hopefully a young coach getting into the profession will take a close look at his or her options as a coach and realize kids deserve better and being a bully of a coach isn’t what young athletes deserve.

Like to hear your feedback.
Your in Speed,

Lee

PS: Hey, have you thought of becoming a Speed Insider? You will receive a great newsletter each month full of articles and facts- plus other tips you will enjoy. Best of all you can try it out for 2 months FREE! Go to www.SpeedInsiders.com and sign up now.

PSS: If you are a coach or trainer and looking for some great resources for you athletic programs go to http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/ and check out what they offer. You will be glad you did.

Strength training is a process in which I attempt to increase the overall stability of the athlete and force production. I have never been caught up in numbers. In other words, if an athlete could not squat 300 or 400lbs I could care less. What I do want is the athlete to be able to produce force correctly and with speed. I also wanted the athlete to be able to produce force correctly with one leg.

When I coached football my teams were not going to go to some power lifting contest and kick butt. But my teams were always fast, strong, and safe. I bet if I took my team to an Olympic lifting contest (Weightlifting contest) we would have done very well. With my teams, I emphasised strength so we could transition it into power.

Two of the primary lifts I use have always been lunges and step ups. I have since added a lot of single leg squats. I believe these lifts challenge more components of athleticism then only focusing on traditional squats. Please don’t get me wrong. I love traditional squats and use them- just not as much as single leg exercises. I have seen my athletes learn a ton about how to move their bodies doing single leg squats, lunges, and step ups. I watch them begin to understand how to adjust their center of mass to execute the lift properly and with more power. I have seen unstable weak athletes get stable and strong performing step ups and single leg squats. I have seen knees that use to collapse no longer do so. I watched feet hold their arch while the athlete performs intense single leg lifts. In my personal observations athletes learn so much from these exercises and it translates into what they will do on the field, court, and track.

Not only do I use single leg exercises for strength training I also use them often for warm ups and activation. I love leaps, hops, and balance exercises on one leg. As I wrote earlier the athlete is required to focus and learn how to balance and correct poor positioning when on a single leg. Let me share with you some routines I typically use…

Warm up:
1. Single leg stance with multi-directional reaches with free leg. Great exercise to increase hip stability and strength. The feet and ankles must do a ton of proprioceptive work. I will typically do 2 sets for 20-30 seconds on each leg.

2. Lateral leap and hold. The athlete will leap 18-24 inches and stick the landing for 2 seconds. Because we are leaping laterally the athlete only has the width of his or her foot rather than the entire length to use as a balancing tool. This really challenges the hips (and their control of the knee), and the feet and ankles. Not to mention the adductors and core. I will typically perform 6-8 in each direction for one set- then perform lateral leaps again but add a single leg squat to each landing.

Power:
1. Power skip to lunge holds- The athlete will perform a power skip and upon landing on the hop leg step out into a lunge and hold the low position for 1-2 seconds. The athlete will then power up out of this low lunge stance into the next power skip. I am looking for great upper and lower body posture. The athlete learns to decelerate the body correctly. I will have them perform 5 reps on each side for 1-2 sets.

2. Bench blasts- On a 12 inch box the athlete will perform a power step up. This means he or she will leave the ground explosively pushing off the top leg (the leg on the box). Because this exercise is quick and there is little time to see poor movements I try to focus on body position through out the jump (correct jumping). The athlete learns to keep the knee in alignment with the feet and the hip from kicking out. 5-8 reps per leg and 2-3 sets.

3. Ice skaters- The athlete will leap explosively from the right leg jumping to the left and land on the left leg. They will land in a single leg squat position with the right arm/hand reaching across the body to create a pre-stretch on the cross posterior chain. Then explode back to the right side. Great hip power and stabilizing exercise. 5 reps in each direction for 2-3 sets.

Strength:
1. Lunge- I love lunging in all directions. These are both great strengtheners and super for balance training. I generally perform 2-4 sets for 5-8 reps per leg.

2. Step ups- This exercise has always been a favorite of mine. When athlete have a difficult time keeping the feet from pronating I will get the doing step ups with a little feedback to keep the arch up. Great exercise for overall leg and hip strength and for controlling the positioning of the hips. 5-6 reps per leg for 2-4 sets.

These are some of my favorite exercise for single leg work. I DO NOT PERFORM ALL OF THE ABOVE IN ONE WORKOUT. As I wrote in the opening, I do what is needed. If single leg work is too advanced I will gradually bring them into it.

Have fun with single leg exercises and stay focused on technique and stability.

Yours in Speed,

Lee

PS: For a great DVD about fundamental strength training exercises including single leg work in “Strength Through Movement Patterns”, go to http://www.sportspeedetc.com/stmp.shtml and check it out.

The season for the 5th and 6th grade girls basketball program is over after tonight’s game. It has been a learning experience for all involved. The girls learned a lot and so did the coaches. We all had to make adjustments as the season went on. Keep in mind, we are working with first and second year players who have had little if any experience playing. The goal is to keep building a foundation that will serve these girls well as they grow up through the program. Now that it is almost over what comes next?

Many of the girls will join softball programs and some are playing in a local travel volleyball league. What about the girls that are not involved in a sport or activity? This is where the schools can be actively involved with programming for kids not in a sport.

Let me introduce the Mini-Camp

The mini camp is a program that can be used in so many ways to keep kids active and involved. You as the coach can run a mini camp for just about any sport or activity you desire. Let me share some examples:

SAQ Mini-Camp

The SAQ mini-camp is designed to teach kids how to move and become a better athlete. They will develop hand eye coordination, agility and balance, and even strength and power. If organized correctly these mini camps can be a great program to keep kids active but also improve their ability to move.

Sport Specific Mini-Camp

You can run a 1-4 week mini-camp dedicated to one sport. These are fairly common, but if you design it correctly, then it can become a great after school program to keep kids learning and having fun for 1-2 hours 3 days per week. The key is to make sure their a good balance of skill learning, organized game play, and free play. This will surely be a home run with your kids.

Skill Specific Mini-Camp

You could offer periodic 1-2 week mini-camps dedicated to improving a particular skill for a sport. Maybe a passing camp for volleyball, a dribbling camp for basketball or soccer, a throwing camp for baseball, softball and football…the key to the success of these camps once again is to have teaching time, organized practice and game time, and free play.

Game Mini-Camp

A great mini-camp to run is an ultimate frisbee or football camp. I have played this with tennis balls as well. What is so great about the ultimate games is it teaches kids how to play a team game. There is no running with the ball or frisbee so they have to learn to pass and move to get open. This program should be organized with teams and specific rules. The kids will get great physical activity and learn how to throw, catch, and strategies. Fun!

OK, now it is up to you to organize mini-camps at your school or park. These are a great way to keep kids active after a season, especially if they are not involved in other sports.

Yours in Speed,

Lee

PS: If you are looking for fun training tools to use at your mini-camp, go to http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/equipment.shtml and check our great equipment.

Let me tell you about a Great Event I just spoke at. This past weekend was the inaugural IYCA Summit in Louisville, KY. Although I was only able to attend for Friday due to coaching responsibilities (more on this later) it was a fantastic atmoshere.

I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. One of my favorite experiences at these seminars is when I get to meet the attendees and talk shop. There are so many fantastic coaches out there that are working their tails off to make a difference and I was proud to met several of them this weekend.

Brian Grasso, Nick Berry, Pat Rigsby and the rest of the IYCA staff put on a first class event. It is only going to grow from here on out.

The message of proper youth training is getting out in a big way but there is still much work to do. It is up to all of us to start educating parents, athletes, coaching, and trainers on proper training and coaching methods. It is a big job but little by little the impact will be felt.

Big Basketball Weekend

I left the IYCA Summit Friday night so I could be home and ready for my daughters basketball games. As much I loved the Summit nothing beats being with you kids on their big days. Jae, my oldest, had a game at 10am and Bailee, my 9 year old, had her first game at 2pm. Both teams did so well. I was so proud of my girls and all the girls. They played their hearts out.

Bailee and her team had their first game of the year. The girls were so excited and they couldn’t wait. I think they were just as excited to put the uniforms on and ride the bus as a team- this is what makes young kids so special.

The girls played a team that has played much more basketball- they were more talented. But that was ok. Our girls went out and competed hard. I have a feeling from here on out these girls are going to keep getting better and better.

How Can We Improve These Girls In Sports

Hands down, my answer will always be; Improve them as athletes.

If they want to be a good tennis player, basketball. softball player, or track athlete- they have to become more coordinated, stronger, quicker, and more body control. This foundation of athleticism will allow the skills needed for the sport to be more effective.

Regardless of the sport the beginning of each practice should involve athletic movements; skipping, shuffling, retreating, jumping/landing techniques, first step quickness in all directions, and balance and agility training. This will set the girls up for a good practice.

What is important to understand is the exercises you do now will be like putting money in the bank for later. These skills will become more important as the athletes get older. They will help them through difficult times of development.

Don’t mis-understand me…You need to practice the sports skills often. This is what will make you a better player as you grow in the sport. NO skills, No play! The key is to make the skills learned be more beneficial due to athletic ability.

So what ever you do, spend time making the younger girls better athletes so they can improve their overall game.

Yours in Speed,

Lee

PS: During the IYCA I had so many people comment on how they enjoyed Ground Breaking 2. This is a 6 video set that is like having a complete program and system of training. If you want to check this out go to www.GroundBreaking2.com to see what it all about.

I do this workout often when I don’t have much time or don’t feel like working with my usual routine. Check it out.

1. A complete warm up
-foam rolling
-corrective stretch
-activation
-dynamic movements

2. The routine: I perform this routine in a circuit format with 30 seconds between exercises. I do not take a break between circuits.

a. Walking lunge and one arm press- I will walk for 10 steps (5 each leg) while pressing the db overhead on the up phase of the lunge. After 10 steps I switch arms and repeat the 10 lunges while pressing with the opposite arm. Always maintain great posture.

b. One Arm Tubing row- I attach the Swim Trainer http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/swimtrainers.shtml to the squat rack and perform 8 rows on the right and then 8 on the left arm. I will do the first set with a parallel stance, the next set with a staggered stance, and the last set with a parallel stance.

c. Swiss ball push up- You can do regular push ups if you don’t have a Swiss ball. I will do the first set with my both feet on a box, the second with one foot off the on the box and the other in the air, and the final set with the other foot in the air.

This workout allows me to train the entire body, especially my core, in a short time period. My primary goal with this type of workout is to get a decent strength workout but more importantly push my endurance. If I want more strength, I would obviously give more rest and keep my reps lower with higher intensity, but because this is a time saving workout to challenge my endurance it is perfect.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Yours in Speed,
Lee

PS: If you are looking for some simple great training equipment go to http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/ and check out the store.