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Ron McKeefery’s Strength Coach Basic Training

          Like many other aspiring S&C coaches, I am extremely motivated to learn from as many coaches as possible, because I realize that great coaches have done things right in order to be in the position they are in now. However, the art of networking can be a bit intimidating for those who do not know many people in the profession.

           Things such as attending clinics/conferences, communicating through social media, & simply writing a personal e-mail/letter to a coach are all very effective ways to creating relationships with other coaches.

           Coach Ron McKeefery has helped me learn the importance of pretty much every aspect of the S&C profession. After listening to his Iron Game Chalk Talk podcast, reading CEO Strength Coach, & attending the PLAE Summit this past March in Noblesville, I decided to sign up for his online internship program called Strength Coach Basic Training.

           I don’t want to give away too much about this program, but it consists of some of the following:

·      Various video lesson plans where Coach McKeefery discusses topics such as networking, building a strength & conditioning resume, the history of the strength & conditioning profession etc.

·      Becoming part of a facebook group with 100’s of other strength coaches who are either currently working on the lessons, or have already been through the program & have stayed members in order to help aspiring coaches on their path to success.

·      Access to programs, manuals, lectures, resumes, and facility layouts from great coaches around the country.

        I have gone through all of the lesson plans, but am trying to implement everything Coach McKeefery has laid out one step at a time. I think the coolest part of this entire online internship program is the almost immediate feedback you get from members of the group, whether it is Coach McKeefery himself, or other members who have gone through the course already & are there to offer some advice or save you from making the same mistakes they have made in the past!

           I highly recommend this program to any young, aspiring S&C coach out there who is looking to really find an effective way of both learning the ins & outs of the profession, as well as form some relationships with other like-minded people in the industry!

           I can’t thank Coach McKeefery for not only all he has done for me individually, but for all he has done for the S&C profession as a whole. He teaches others how to be a better technical coach, but more importantly, he teaches coaches how to make more of an impact in your athletes’ lives, both as an athlete & as a person.

          I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read this post!

           Have a great day & get learning!

           Thanks,

           Cam

 Link to Strength Coach Basic Training: http://ronmckeefery.com/scbt/

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Multi-Planar Movement

           There are 3 categories of movement planes: sagittal, transverse, & frontal. The sagittal plane bisects the body into left & right sides, & includes movements where flexion & extension occurs (squats, running, etc.) The transverse plane bisects the body into upper & lower halves, & includes rotational movements (internal/external rotation, swinging a bat, etc.) The frontal plane bisects the body into front & back halves, & includes movements where you move laterally while having to keep the body inside your base of support (lateral lunges, cutting, etc.)

           Despite there being 3 different planes of movement, weight room exercises are majority sagittal-plane dominant. Things such as squatting, pressing, and running help to improve force & speed production in the sagittal plane. However, when looking at movements that occur in sports, you notice that changing direction and reactive/chaotic movements are heavily frontal & transverse plane dominant. I’ve learned, especially more recently, that the frontal & transverse planes need to be efficiently trained in order to optimize performance, as well as prevent injury.

             Let’s take a batter in baseball. In his stance, he is generally in some sort of a static, semi-squat stance, awaiting the pitch. As he strides, he is taking the front foot & moving it away from the midline of his body, creating tension across the trunk/lower extremities. As the swing is initiated, you see a separation of the upper & lower halves, creating “torque” and production of explosive rotation. This dynamic movement utilizes all 3 planes of movement.

             Non-sagittal plane weight room exercises are difficult to maximally load, whereas it is easier to maximally load sagittal plane exercises such as squats & deadlifts. Since we cannot apply tons of weight when performing exercises such as cable woodchoppers or lateral lunges, we have to utilize other training modalities/methods in order to achieve the effective training stimulus.

           Some ways I have been addressing frontal & transverse plane movement has included using a multi-planar movement prep (bridge, lunge, shuffle, skip, multi-directional movement variations) , incorporating bodyweight or low load frontal & transverse plane movements as “fillers” between heavy strength work (emphasis on mobility/stability) , and performing specific rotational/transverse & lateral/frontal accessory blocks, where the number of repetitions is high compared to strength work, but the movement tempo is varied (slow eccentrics, isometric holds, controlled eccentric & concentric, etc.) in order to apply different stresses to the body.

             I hope this post was able to provide a few ideas as to how to apply more multi-planar movement into your training! Before learning from coaches a lot smarter & more experienced than me, I totally neglected non-sagittal plane movements. I really appreciate every coach out there who is willing to help younger, less experienced coaches out there ( a.k.a me) by sharing what has & hasn’t worked for them/just being a good role model for others to look up to.

             Thanks for taking the time to read this post! Have a great day & get learning!

             Thanks,

           Cam

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Tactics for Learning the Muscular System

           As a non-exercise science major, I’ve really had to put in a lot of work on my own to be able to keep up with anatomy/physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, etc. Anatomy/Physiology, in particular, really gave me some trouble at first. There was just so much material that I think I became overwhelmed.

           As I began to spend more time working with A&P, I started to figure out what worked best for me as far as actually being able to absorb the material. By no means do I consider myself the king of A&P, but I do believe that I have improved greatly from where I started!

           Here are a few tips that have helped me absorb the information regarding the muscular system:

·      Studying only a few muscles at a time. When I first began looking at the muscular system, I wanted to try & knock out tons of muscle groups at one time, probably because I thought I knew majority of the muscles already (I was clearly wrong about that). What I realized was that the next time I went to look at that material, I was not able to recall what those particular muscles’ functions were. I then began to breakdown muscles into smaller, more manageable groups. I’ve found this method to be extremely helpful as far as actually being able to take in what you are reading!

·      Breaking down muscles by area on the body, followed by joint movements/functions. One of the first ways I broke down the muscular system was by grouping muscles according to their location on the body. For example, muscles of the torso (erector spinae, anterior core, etc.) were put into one group. This method alone really seemed to help, but after learning about the importance of training (joint) movements, not muscle groups, during training, I started to further categorize muscles according to their joint movements. For the muscles of the torso, one day I would work on the spinal extensors (erectors), and on another day I would work on spinal flexors (abdominal group). Not only has this been helpful for retaining information, but it also has really helped my practical coaching ability. Knowing what muscles are involved in a specific joint movement is a necessity for explaining proper movement technique/the benefits to performing a movement!

·      Don’t move too quickly. This was 100% my biggest problem when it came to studying the muscular system. I wanted to learn every single muscle in the body as quickly as possible so I could move onto the more “fun” stuff, like programming & force-velocity relationships. I would even move on past particular muscles if I wasn’t exactly interested in them or found them to be “unimportant.” By slowing down & taking my time with each particular group of muscles, I was able to really concentrate on learning about every muscle, knowing that every muscle in the body is there to serve a specific function.

Not only have these studying methods helped me for learning the muscular system, but they also have been beneficial for studying ANY topic! Hopefully one of these studying/learning tactics can help you guys with any field of study!

Have a great day and keep learning!

 Thanks,

Cam

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Breaking Down the Squat

The squat. A movement some people call the “king of all lifts” & one that is included in almost every program, or at least a variation of it. The benefits to squatting are almost endless. Some examples include:

·      Increase in force production

·      Greater muscle mass across the entire lower body/trunk

·      Enhanced potential for improving dynamic movements such as sprinting & jumping

·      Decreased chance of injury

·      Improved mental toughness(loading a barbell with 100’s of pounds on your back definitely puts your entire body in a state of discomfort)

 The “Big Lifts”

When people think about the squat, two lifts typically come to mind: the front squat & the back squat. This may be due to the fact that one can apply the most stress/load to the body utilizing these two squat variations.

The front squat involves holding the barbell at collarbone-level, using either a clean-grip or a crossed arm-grip. The movement is performed by maintaining an upright torso while allowing the knees to travel forward & outward, leaving room for the torso at the bottom of the lift. From there, the lifter pushes through the floor with his/her feet, driving up to the starting position. The front squat strengthens the quads & stabilizing muscles of the core, while also engaging the hamstrings/glutes to a certain degree.

The back squat involves holding the barbell anywhere from the lower-base of the neck to the lower-portion of your traps/rear delts. The positioning of the bar generally determines if you are performing a “high bar” squat (bar is near neck) or a “low bar” squat (bar is near lower trap/rear delt). The high bar squat is performed in a very similar fashion to the front squat. Upright torso, knees traveling forward & outward, push through the floor, then back to the starting position. The low bar squat, however, is done a little differently. Rather than initiating the movement with the knees, it is initiated by a hinge of the hips, or a slight “pushing back” of the hips, allowing the lifter to utilize more of his/her posterior chain. Also, the torso position is less upright in the low bar squat compared to the high bar squat. The high bar squat strengthens the quads & the stabilizing muscles of the core, as well as engages the posterior chain. The high bar squat, because of the greater emphasis on the hip hinge/hip extensors, strengthens the muscles of the posterior chain to a much higher degree than both the front squat & the high bar squat.

 Screening/Assessing

Over the last few years, I’ve learned from pretty much every coach out there the importance in assessing primal movements, with the squat being one of these movements. When screening the squat, a body weight squat is usually used as the baseline/testing movement, along with an overhead squat using a PVC pipe.

In the body weight squat assessment, it’s very important to look for movement deficiencies from both the front & the side. From the front, you may want to analyze the following areas:

·      Torso(should be no caving of the chest)

·      Hips(watch for any sort of unnecessary rotation of the hips)

·      Knees(knees should align with mid-foot; watch for knee valgus/knees caving in)

·      Feet(feet should ideally be pointed straight ahead & “screwed” into ground)

From the side, these areas should be addressed:

·      Spine(neutral spine)

·      Hips(hips should be able to flex/extend)

·      Knees(knees should be able to flex/extend during movement, at least to a degree)

·      Ankles(ankle should be able to dorsiflex)

When analyzing the overhead squat, the squatting pattern should stay the same. The addition of the overhead position tests the athlete’s thoracic/glenohumeral mobility, as well as overall stability of the upper extremity. The best part of the overhead squat is that one’s deficiencies/mobility restrictions tend to be very apparent, whether it is an immobile t-spine or a severe lack of ankle dorsiflexion.

             Progressions/Regressions

After an athlete’s movement efficiency is tested, it’s time to start programming appropriate exercises that will help make the athlete better! With the body weight squat as the baseline, one can actually progress or regress with a goblet squat. The goblet squat can act as a great teaching tool for the squatting pattern as the added weight can make the eccentric-portion of the squat easier & improve aspects of their technique.

           Another teaching tool that has at least helped me recently is the “tempo” squat. By tempo, I’m referring to controlling all phases of muscular contraction (eccentric, isometric, concentric). The lifter descends slowly/controlled to the bottom position, & rather than using maximal force intent on the concentric, the lifter controls slowly/controlled on the ascending portion. Obviously this variation of squatting wouldn’t be ideal under maximal load, but I’ve found it to be great for speeding up the learning curve of the squat, as well as improving inter- & intra-muscular coordination.

           Once the movement pattern has been grooved & the athlete has addressed their mobility restrictions, more traditional & advanced forms of squatting can be used. This includes traditional forms of front squatting/back squatting, & eventually, when appropriate, accommodating resistance (bands/chains) can be added to increase force generation through the entire range of motion during an acceleration-strength phase.

I know this was an extremely long post but the squat has been on my mind a lot as of late, so I needed to vent my thoughts on the squat so the world can see! I hope some of the things I have mentioned can help you guys in some fashion, & I gladly will take any sort of advice/tips/things to add to this! I know this is not a complete breakdown of the squat & I am by no means a master at squatting, so I am always looking to learn from coaches out there!

 Thank you for taking the time to read this post! Have a great day & keep learning!

 Cam

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IWU Baseball In-Season Training

          Illinois Wesleyan baseball officially begins their competitive season next weekend, so their pre-season training block is officially coming to an end.

           This pre-season training phase was intended to accompany the maximal strength gains made in the off-season with a focus on explosive strength/power. Lighter loads were used and a greater emphasis was placed on maximal bar velocity. Accessory exercises were still utilized to strengthen weak points/maintain muscle mass. However, total volume was decreased in order to let the guys recover from the previous period of high training volume, as well as “realize” the physical adaptations that have been made. I learned this principle from Science and Practice of Strength Training by Verkoshansky. This period focused on the delayed transformation of a training load into fitness development and ultimately, the delayed “transmutation” of nonspecific fitness into specific fitness.  

           The goals for the in-season training period are pretty simple:

·      Stay healthy

·      Maintain strength

·      Maintain size

·      “Listening to your body” when training

          There was a great article made after the Patriots won the Super Bowl about how hard the Patriots continued to work, even during the playoffs. When their strength training was mentioned, the article stated that they had squatted 80% of their 1RM the week of the Super Bowl. I thought that was such a great article to read because a lot of people tend to shy away from heavier weights during the season.

          The thing I’ve learned from a lot of S&C coaches regarding in-season training is that maintaining INTENSITY(as a % of 1RM) is the key to maintaining strength. Lower volume, high intensity training sessions can allow one to maintain the strength gained in the off-season. The key is to keep the volume low so the athlete does not get fatigued. Remember, the main job of an athlete is to perform on the FIELD, not the weight room.

          After learning about the importance of keeping heavy loads during in-season training, I tried to devise a flexible training plan that we can use for the season(I know there’s still tons of room for improvement so if anyone has any helpful tips I would really appreciate it!)

          Some of the components to the program include:

·      Each mesocycle has an emphasis placed on a particular motor skill, but maintenance loads to maintain the non-emphasized motor skill.

·      Set-Rep scheme brackets to let the athlete push himself if he’s feeling fresh that day, or be able to just perform the bare minimum if he’s not feeling too hot that day(auto-regulation)

·      Energy system training still included, focusing mostly on alactic, aerobic work that is similar to the energy demands seen in baseball.

·      Not taking any set to failure. That way we can avoid over-fatigue and a risk of injury!

          Obviously there are many ways to approach in-season training, but I hope this post was able to help anyone out who was having difficulty figuring out a way to train during the season! I’d love to hear how you guys train your athletes during the season! I’m always up to learn different ways of training, so hopefully we can all learn from each other!

         Thanks for taking the time to read this post!

         Have a great day and get learning!

         Thanks,

         Cam

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Joint Mobility

           An athlete’s #1 job is to MOVE, both safely and efficiently. This is something you hear great S&C coaches say time and time again, yet its importance can’t be overlooked.

          An immobile joint can cause range of motion(ROM) restrictions. These restrictions can have a negative impact on performance. For example, if an athlete is restricted in extension of the hip, then it will be extremely difficult for that athlete to create that line of extension seen in sprinting. Without this ability to fully extend the hip, and therefore, “finish” each stride, the athlete is not able to generate as much force with each stride!

           In Movement by Gray Cook, there is a section towards the end that discusses a “joint approach”. In this section, there is a really helpful table that lists some of the major joints of the body and their main role in movement, either mobility or stability. By using this joint-by-joint approach, it helps identify the most appropriate way to go about training movements, in accordance to each joint.

           Even though all sports have unique movement patterns that are specific to their sport, many sports require mobility of the same joints, especially in dynamic, team sports.

           Some of the most important joints to mobilize include:

·      Ankle. The ankle’s main movement is plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. Plantarflexion of the ankle is crucial in dynamic activities where extension of the ankle, knee, and hip help to generate high power outputs. Adequate ankle dorsiflexion is extremely important in not only performance, but in staying injury-free. Lacking ankle dorsiflexion(which I severely lack) can take some stress off of the knee by allowing your knees to travel forward more, as well as allowing your torso to stay more upright in knee flexion/extension patterns.

·      Hip. The hip serves a few vital functions. First, it flexes and extends. Both hip flexion and extension serve very important roles in dynamic activity. Getting into proper hip flexion(aka hip hinge) is a necessary prerequisite before progressing into any overloaded squat/ high intensity jump. The hip hinge position also is utilized in the eccentric/force absorbing phase of every dynamic movement. Full hip extension, like ankle plantarflexion, allows an athlete to reach triple extension and generate high levels of force. The hip also externally and internally rotates. Hip external rotation can help keep the knees healthy. Adequate hip external rotation allows the knees to stay aligned with the feet during squatting and can eliminate knee valgus, which is a nightmare as far as knee injuries are concerned!

·      Thoracic Spine. The thoracic spine can go through flexion and extension, as well internal and external rotation. Being able to properly extend, as well as externally rotate the thoracic spine, helps an athlete both performance-wise and health-wise. The cue “keep your chest up” when squatting is used when the chest caves downward and the bar begins to travel forward. A possible reason for the chest caving downward may be due to a lack of thoracic extension, which results in an inability to keep the torso upright. Adequate thoracic spine extension and rotation also can act as shoulder saves, as well. Without proper t-spine extension or rotation, the muscles surrounding the scapula and the glenohumeral joint have to compensate for the t-spine’s lack of movement.

       There are obviously many more joints that are important in proper movement, but these were just the three I thought were the most important for athletes.

       Some really helpful people/resources that have helped me learn more about the importance of mobility, to go along with tons of helpful drills/exercises include Kelly Starrett, Gray Cook, Eric Cressey, and many more! Definitely go and search these coaches and you’ll be bound to find tons of helpful content!

       Thanks for taking the time to read this post!

       Have a great day and get learning!

       Thanks,

       Cam

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Why I Want to Pursue S&C as a Career...

           For a little while in high school, I considered choosing teaching as my intended career option (I love anything U.S History/Government-related so that’s what I wanted to teach). However, when I found out that there were people training athletes as an actual career, I knew that’s what I HAD to pursue.

           As a current student in college, I know it may be extremely early in my life to be dead-set on a specific career path, but I honestly cannot see myself doing anything else.

           For anyone out there who is like me, and considering S&C as a potential career path, I think it’s important to take the time and think about what goes into the job and why the job will make you truly happy.

           For me, some of the many perks of training include:

·      Doing what you love everyday. I think this has to be the biggest plus in choosing any job. Ever since I was a freshman in high school, my favorite part of being an athlete was the preparation aspect of the sport. Thinking about getting the chance to help athletes prepare for their sport everyday makes me the happiest person in the world.

·      Getting to interact with people in an active environment. The idea of sitting in a desk all day would drive me freaking crazy I think, and also, I definitely am not smart enough to do what those in the business world do! Training allows you to interact with people every day in a very active, lively environment. You honestly have the opportunity to make an impact in a person’s life every time you walk into work and I think that’s awesome.

·      Seeing improvement. Ever since starting to train more people, I get more excited watching other people make progress than watching myself make progress. There’s just something about helping others improve, and seeing the positive response from them, that makes you feel like you’re serving a good purpose in life.

·      Motivation. This kind of goes along with the benefit of doing what you love everyday. Since you have a genuine passion for the art of preparation, a built-in motivation to become better and better at your craft should come more easily!

           I know there are way more perks to training athletes than just these four but I hope this helped anyone out there who was on the fence about pursuing S&C as a career! Determining if a job will make you happy can be useful for all fields, not just S&C!

Thanks for taking the time to read this post, I tried my best at keeping it short and sweet!

Have a great day and get learning!

Thanks,

Cam

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Managing Fatigue

           Gradually applying stressors to the body is the name of the game in training. As stated in Zatsiorsky’s Science and Practice of Strength Training, resistance/load needs to be increased as one’s strength increases. However, athletes face many other stressors while engaging in daily activities, and must ultimately be able to perform at their best come the regular season. Therefore, the following question arises: How do I manage an athlete’s fatigue level in order to ensure peak physical condition come game day?

           Even though I have only been listening to S&C podcasts/reading S&C material for a little over a year now, it is pretty clear that the topic of stress/fatigue management is a hot one when it comes to training athletes. So many different coaches, ranging from high school to professional level, have brought up great points about how they approach managing fatigue. This got me thinking about ways I can go about getting some of the baseball players I work with not only stronger and more explosive, but also making sure they are fresh once the season comes. Optimizing peak, physical conditioning for when the season starts has to be at the forefront of every coach’s mind since the athlete’s primary job is to perfrom on the FIELD, not in the weight room.

           After reading great texts such as Science and Practice of Strength Training and Supertraining, as well as trying to absorb as much information from coaches much more experienced/intelligent than me, I’ve tested multiple ways of balancing stress with recovery.

           Here are some possible ways to help manage an athlete’s fatigue levels:

     ·      Utilizing Deload Weeks. As many people have said, strength gains are not always linear. Therefore, once an athlete exits the beginner stage of their training career, continuously adding weight to the bar every week will result in a stalling of progress. It’s really important to emphasize restoration at the end of a training cycle to let the body’s biochemical & physiological mechanisms “supercompensate” to levels that not only match their original levels, but actually exceed them. Deload weeks, where volume and intensity are reduced, help to accomplish this goal!

     ·      Using Restorative Measures. Different forms of massage, stretching, and breathing techniques can be used during a training cycle to help speed up the recovery process by putting the athlete in a more parasympathetic state, as well as aiding in alleviating any pain or mobility issues that an athlete may be going through.

     ·      Incorporating a High-Low Undulating Microcycle. By incorporating both higher and lower intensity days into your weekly training cycle, you can help create a proper balance of applying enough stress to the body to create strength/power gains and giving the athlete’s body time to recover from those strenuous workouts. High intensity days refer to workouts that require a lot of CNS-intensive work such as maximal effort sprints/jumps, medicine ball throws or heavy weight training. Low intensity days refer to sub-maximal work such as tempo running or weight training with lighter loads.

     ·      Incorporating APRE/RPE Scales. All credit goes to the genius Dr. Bryan Mann for informing me on these auto-regulatory measures. The Auto-regulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise(APRE) method allows the athlete to work with weights that he/she is able to do for that particular day. This ensures that the athlete will put in an appropriate workload every session, even on their worst day. Having athletes rate their sets using the RPE scale(Rate of Perceived Exertion) gives a coach another possible way of assessing fatigue. For example, if an athlete completes all of the repetitions in a set “easily” from the viewers perspective, yet rates their set a 9.5/10 on the RPE scale, that might be a sign to really monitor his/her workload for the day.

          Hopefully some of these methods of managing fatigue can help you guys out if you are struggling to find ways to keep your athlete’s feeling fresh while still trying to get stronger!

           Thanks for taking the time to read this post! If you want to find some of Dr. Mann’s material, head on over to elitefts.com and he has posted tons of free material that is bound to help anyone out.

           Have a great day and keep learning!

           Thanks,

           Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Learning from Failure

           Failing to accomplish something is pretty much always thought of negatively. I’ll tell ya right now, I’ve always had a hard time failing. I don’t know many people who enjoy not doing something well. However, the more I look back on past experiences, and consider where I am today, I realize that it is the failures in our life that help us become better for the future.

           No one starts out knowing EVERYTHING. There’s a learning process that everyone goes through before they achieve success(even the great ones). Failure is definitely a part of the learning process and it isn’t the end of the world. If you learn from the mistake when failures occur, and make an adjustment, progress will continue. In fact, the ability to overcome failure is a skill that will help in ALL areas of your life!

           Knowing how to deal with, and overcome, failure helps to:

·      Increase experience and knowledge. Prior exposure to failure and knowing how to handle those tough situations can bring out the best in people, making them “battle-tested” to perform at a high level

·      Increase mental toughness/decrease stress. Rather than panicking when the unexpected occurs, you have the ability to stay “cool, calm, and collective” because you’ve been in these situations before

·      Increase leadership. People always say there are multiple ways to lead, and I 100% agree with that. However, there’s a reason why so many leaders of teams, companies, clubs, etc. are the people who have the most experience. Experience and failure often go together, and those who overcome failure time and time again make great leaders who can help others do the same.

     Personally, I have not dealt with enough failure in my life to be considered wise, an “expert”, or a great leader. This is why I think it’s so important to seek the advice of those with more wisdom, more expertise, and more leadership because they may have been in a similar situation.

     Turning failure into a learning lesson, rather than letting it negatively affect you, can help in all aspects of life, ranging from S&C coaching to family life to social life.

           Thanks for taking the time to read this post!

           Have a great day and get learning!

           Thanks,

           Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Programming Tip for Fellow Young Coaches

           Like most people who love to train, I began my training career using those free programs online created by anyone who was big, strong, fast, etc. I definitely achieved some pretty good results from a lot of these programs, and I definitely am very much to blame for achieving subpar results on other programs(used to LOVE program-hopping). However, as I started to read more and more about the “science” of programming, I realized that there is no perfect training program that fits everyone’s needs.

           The book Supertraining, by Siff and Verkoshansky, honestly changed my whole understanding of programming. It dedicates entire chapters to teaching the “science” to creating the best program for each athlete. Once I started to read this material, I legitimately could not put the freaking book down. Some of the stuff in Supertraining definitely went over my head at times but this was one of the things that I really understood.

           Since finishing the book, tons of great S&C coaches across the world have written/spoke about the importance of creating training programs that are designed to fit EACH INDIVIDUAL ATHLETE’S NEEDS.

           Obviously I am not the master at designing programs considering I am nowhere near as experienced/intelligent as all of the experienced S&C coaches out there. However, I do spend a lot of time programming in my free time and I definitely know I’ve improved drastically at it. If you’re struggling designing programs, here are a few things to consider that may help you!

·      Sport Needs Analysis. Before plugging in the X’s and O’s of your program, it’s very important to look at every aspect of the athlete’s sporting requirements. Some aspects include:

     o   Energy System Used

     o   Movement Analysis, by each position: determine what joints are most important to athletic success, what plane(s) of movement are most used during sporting movement, etc.

     o   Strength Qualities: starting strength, maximal strength, explosive strength, strength endurance, etc.

     o   Injury Analysis: What injuries are most common in this sport?

·      Individual Needs Analysis: Majority of athlete’s come into a season with certain goals, whether they are on-field, training-related, or off-the-field. It’s very important to communicate with the athlete as to what their goals are, and help them find a way to meet those goals. Also, some sort of an initial assessment is vital before beginning a program. Initial assessments give a starting point for the athlete/coach and allow them to see what deficiencies need to be worked on, as well as if progress is being made.

·      Training Means and Methods. Once sport and individual needs are assessed, it’s time to start plugging in the meat and potatoes to the program. How are you going to help the athlete meet the requirements of their sport, along with meeting/exceeding their initial goals? It is here where you create your macro-, meso-, and microcyles with the appropriate training methods that give the athlete the best chance to excel in competition!

Thanks for taking the time to read this post! Hopefully some of these simple programming tips can help you guys avoid mistakes I’ve made in the past!

Try to absord as much information from those much smarter and experienced than you and maybe one day you can be the one people look to for guidance! That’s definitely a goal of mine and hopefully one day I can get to that point!

Have a great day and keep learning!

Thanks,

Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Quality v. Quantity in Training

           When I first started to work out, I always thought the more work I did, the better the results I would get. While this may have been true for the first year of training, my progress began to stall. Taking a de-load week to let my body recover definitely helped, but I started to realize that I was breaking myself down with way too much volume(inappropriately placed volume).

           From what I have seen and heard, a major topic being discussed across the S&C industry involves fatigue management. Great, experienced coaches all over the world have been discussing their tactics to manage their athlete’s stress levels. A common theme I’ve heard from coaches such as Joe Defranco, James “The Thinker” Smith, and Charlie Francis is to place QUALITY over QUANTITY when it comes to fatigue management.

           Obviously, accumulating volume (quantity) over the course of a training year is essential to getting stronger, but pushing your body beyond its limit without proper restorative or corrective measures can lead to some major issues.

           When referring to quality training, you are focusing on fundamentally sound movement patterns. Each rep should look the same. When form breaks down, that’s when the set, or even exercise, ends.

           Focusing on the quality of each repetition has various benefits, including:

·      Improved Movement Patterns/Technique: When the intent of an exercise is to perform each rep with an emphasis on proper technique, you’re engraving quality movement patterns. Form breakdown is inevitable when taking a set to absolute failure. If too many repetitions are performed with poor form, the body will become accustomed to that poor movement pattern.

·      Increased Speed of Contraction/Increased Explosive Strength:  Even though the set may be performed sub-maximally as far as muscular failure is concerned, quality reps performed with the intent to move as fast as possible are very beneficial for improving speed and explosiveness! The high speed of muscle contraction recruits many high-threshold motor units and can increase the motor unit’s firing rate.

·      Decreased Chance of Injury: The goal of every training session should be to complete the workout injury free. Exercises performed with proper form can ensure safety for the athlete. However, when high-repetition exercises are taken to the point of failure, or even beyond, form may become inefficient and the chance of injury increases!

           There are tons of different strategies/training methods you can use to implement rep/movement quality into your training! Here are a few:

·      Going Fast-to-Slow or High CNS-to-Low CNS: Movements that place a lot of stress on the CNS, such as sprints, jumps/bounds, and heavy resistance exercises, should generally be placed at the beginning of your workout. The CNS-intensive movements are the ones where rep quality becomes extremely important. Performing a maximal effort sprint or a heavy squat set with 90% is very taxing on your nervous system, so placing these movements at the beginning of your workout can give the athlete a chance to perform them in a fresh, non-fatigued state(better training environment for quality reps). Assistance exercises and forms of GPP should be placed toward the end of the session since they are less CNS-intensive and movement quality is not as important.

·      Using a “Training Max” Rather than a True Max: After reading Jim Wendler’s “5/3/1” I realized how beneficial using a training max is. A training max is determined by taking 90% of your true 1-rep max. The training max allows an athlete to complete all of their repetitions, even on their worst day. True 1-rep maxes may have taken place on a day where you were feeling the best you ever had, so if you base your percentage’s off of that number, some sets and reps may not be completed. The training max also allows the athlete to work on proper movement execution since the load is appropriate.

·      Utilizing Prilepin’s Table when Trying to Build Explosive Strength: Joe Kenn’s “Coach’s Strength Training Playbook” introduced Prilepin’s table during the section regarding explosive strength. This chart gives appropriate rep ranges for percentages ranging from 55% to 90%+. The lower rep ranges are best used on lower volume days and the higher rep ranges are best used on higher volume days. The rep ranges and total volume given for each percentage bracket can help emphasize quality repetitions. The sub-max repetitions allow the athlete to focus on maximal bar acceleration during the concentric portion of the movement!

Hopefully some of these strategies can help some of you out next time you are creating a program! I definitely believe there is a time and place to go all-out and touch some heavy a** weight, but what I’ve learned from a lot of great coaches is that “less is more” most of the time when dealing with athletes.  The goal is to find that perfect blend between stressing the body and letting the body recover!

Thank you for the taking the time to read this post! It’s always important to thank the coaches who have helped you in your learning process. The content available online, in books, and through podcasts from some of the best coaches in the world is unbelievable, so I highly recommend researching some of this learning material!

Have a great day and keep learning!

Thanks,

Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Importance of Listening, Work Ethic, and Asking Good Questions

  The qualities listed in the title can be learned anywhere. Whether it’s school, sports, work, or family, you can learn the importance of listening, having a hard work ethic, and not being afraid to ask questions when you are unsure of something. 

  A job within the S&C industry that teaches all of these qualities is an internship. The goal of an internship is to gain valuable, practical experience and knowledge within the field. In addition to experience and knowledge, you can learn some extremely helpful life lessons that can go beyond the weight room. 

  To other aspiring S&C coaches- here are a few tips from someone in the same boat as you. Hopefully, we can all help each other out to get where we all want to go! 

·      Focus on being a listener first.  This past summer I truly learned the importance of being an attentive listener. I’ve always been a chatter box throughout my life, and am never afraid to jump into a conversation, even at the most inconvenient time. However, the facility I interned at this past summer really hammered home the importance of listening and absorbing information on how they interacted with the athletes. Instead of jumping into the conversation, (which I was guilty of A LOT at the beginning of the summer…I had a few moments where I was not allowed to talk for a LONG time) I listened to all of the coaches’ interactions with the athletes and learned many valuable coaching cues, as well as the importance of showing genuine interest in the athlete’s life. Also, by focusing on listening, you will be able to ask better questions since you are more informed/have more exposure to the topic at hand.

·      Have a hard work ethic. My work ethic has always been one of my stronger character traits. Whether it’s been in school or sports, I’ve always had to work hard to reach my goals. In my past internships, I really wanted to show my love for training to the coaches I worked for, so I did everything they asked of me without any complaints. I think doing what is asked, especially without back talk or complaining, is a great way to showcase your work ethic and make a good first impression. By going above and beyond what is asked of you, without seeking extra, self-centered attention, you’re really instilling an unmatched work ethic. Having an unmatched work ethic not only helps in the world of S&C, but also in other areas of life! I can’t think of many people who have ever complained of someone working hard.

·      Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I think many people tend to avoid asking questions when they are unsure of something because they don’t want to fail. I’ve learned that in order to become better at whatever you are aiming to do, it is essential to ask questions, especially to those with more knowledge and experience. In the case of S&C internships, asking a coach you are observing a question regarding the purpose behind the exercise being performed is not looked down upon. Asking relevant, productive questions not only shows that you are actively engaged, but also shows that you are willing to learn and get better. It’s pretty hard to get upset at someone who is genuinely interested in learning as much as possible.

  As a young, aspiring S&C coach, it’s important to realize that you are not an expert. The coaches who are experts are those who have years of experience training athletes, and these same coaches are still continuing to “sharper their tools” and learn more! Therefore, go into an internship/other learning experience with the mindset that you are there to learn from coaches who have earned the right to be in their position. Hopefully, the qualities mentioned previously can help make your experience go a little smoother. 

  For me, I know I still have an endless amount to learn. So, my goal every time I step into a room with coaches is to come in with an open mind and come out having learned something new! 

  Thanks for taking the time to read this post, I greatly appreciate it.

  Have a great day and get learning! 

  Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Relationship of Strength+Acceleration

  The more interested I’ve become in learning how to optimize athletic performance, the more I’ve found myself researching acceleration. Coaches such as Joe Defranco, James Smith, Buddy Morris, Mike Robertson, and many others have really valuable resources available to anyone looking to receive an in-depth learning experience on how to build faster, more explosive athletes! 

  As an athlete, I was never blessed with great genetics as far as sprinting was concerned. When running a 40 or 60 yard dash, I was always considered a “middle of the pack” guy, with decent quickness and change of direction. I was really motivated to improve my speed once college baseball recruiting came along, because a player at my size NEEDED to be fast to get college looks. I began running endless amounts of sprints from various distances. While I did become slightly faster, the results were nothing spectacular. My biggest improvement in the 60 yard dash came after NOT SPRINTING for months, actually. From the fall of my senior year until baseball try-outs the following February, I increased my squat from 405 lbs-525 lbs and increased my deadlift from 405 lbs to 480 lbs, while performing little to no sprint work. During that try-out, I ran an all time best 60 yard dash time of 6.89, and followed that sprint up with a 6.92. I was shocked I ran that fast and actually came into the try out thinking I would be slower than before. This made me wonder if there was a correlation between strength and sprinting speed...

  Since then, I have read tons of articles, books, research studies, and other resources regarding the relationship between strength and acceleration. Here are a few things I have learned...

(Acceleration= change in velocity divided by change in time

Strength= amount of force you are able to generate)

·      While the upright position of sprinting is more of a cyclical action, the act of acceleration is more of a push. This pushing action requires great horizontal force production needed to explode from a static start.

·      One of the components to proper acceleration technique involves complete extension of the hip, ankle, and knee of the back leg. This line of extension ensures proper body angle to exert maximum amount of force into the ground.

·      Stride length seems to be a product of the amount of force you are able to apply with each ground contact, as well as having the proper mobility of the lower extremities in order to achieve the various positions of both acceleration and maximal velocity.

  Obviously, there are plenty of cases where the solution to improving acceleration is something other than getting an athlete stronger. However, if an athlete is looking to improve their sprinting ability and are severely lacking strength, simply getting the athlete stronger will improve their ability to accelerate, thus improving overall sprinting ability! There’s a reason why Siff and Verkoshansky in “Supertraining” state that “Strength is the foundation” to all fitness qualities!

  As I mentioned earlier, there are so many coaches out there with great resources available to improve your knowledge on this topic. Pretty much every S&C coach I have listened to has mentioned that strength is a crucial component to becoming a faster athlete! Some of the best materials I have read regarding speed are the “Speed” Manual by Joe Defranco and James “Smitty” Diesel and “Applied Sprint Training” by James “The Thinker” Smith. Definitely go and give these books a read!

  I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read this post!

  Have a great day, get learning, and keep getting STRONG.

  Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Balancing School with S&C

  Being a non-exercise science major, I’ve really had to go through a lot of trial and error as far as finding the right balance between school-related work and S&C-related work. As much as I want to spend all day reading up on ways to increase rate of force production, I know it is just as important to get my finite math homework done(even though it kills me!)

  I think the main thing that has helped me be productive in learning both school and S&C work is being extremely organized. I bought a daily planner at the start of 2nd semester last year, and began to write down a “plan of action” for each day. Sometimes I would include specific times to get certain tasks done, but majority of the time I would just write down 2-3 school tasks and 2-3 S&C tasks to finish before the day ended. Having this plan of action really held me accountable and I began to start motoring through all of my daily work. I still write down my plan of action, for each and every day, the night before(my friends sometimes think I am crazy for doing this). 

  Another helpful tip that may help you out is to constantly look at your class syllabus. If there is a day where you don’t have much going on and are feeling extra productive, knock out school assignments in bunches. Not only will this result in quality work since you are in the right mood to do the work, but it will free up some time to devote yourself to extra S&C work! Lately, I’ve been utilizing Tuesdays and Thursdays to crank out majority of my school work for the week so I can spend the rest of the week focusing on learning more about the exercise sciences. 

  If any of you guys are non-exercise science majors, it’s really important to keep learning about S&C-related topics on your own so you don't fall too far behind those who have an entire school curriculum on it. I think if you focus on just being organized, having a plan for each day, and finishing your schoolwork in bunches, a ton of free time will be opened up to get some learning in! 

  Hopefully some of these tips can help anyone, S&C coaches or other aspiring professionals, balance their time a little more efficiently!

  Thanks for taking the time to read this post, have a great day, and get learning!

  Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

IWU Baseball Training

  Since about late-September, I’ve been training some members of the Illinois Wesleyan baseball team. Since I used to play baseball here, I’m friends with a lot of guys on the team still(I’m even roommates with one of the kids I help with training). Earlier this fall, I mentioned to some of the guys on the team that I was wanting to put some of the things I learned from my summer internship and other resources into practice, so they agreed to let me program for them and help them get ready for the upcoming season. You could say they are my “guinea pigs”.

  Before writing the program, I knew I had to come up with some goals/objectives for the training to accomplish(thanks to the help from many S&C coaches who have stated the importance of having goals in mind before writing a program). The 3 goals I came up with stemmed from the strength qualities I felt baseball players needed to develop in order to improve on-field performance. They were to: 

1.     Increase Maximal Force Output

2.     Improve Rate of Force Development/Explosive Strength

3.     Increase Mobility/Stability, especially the Shoulder Girdle & Hips

 The periodization scheme I’ve used to attempt to develop these goals is pretty much a block training format. I decided to use a block training system after reading “Triphasic Training” by Cal Dietz and “Supertraining” from Siff and Verkoshansky. The program began with a 3-4 week training phase focusing on basic fundamental movements, while gradually introducing  more advanced movements to prepare them for subsequent training. Then, I’ve laid out the program into 3 basic parts: 

1. Preparatory

2. Pre-Competitive

3. Competitive

  After listening to Joe Defranco’s podcast on the importance of having “indicator lifts”, as well as learning the importance of tracking progress from others, I came up with some performance indicators that I was going to test pre- and post-training to see if the training was actually working. These indicators included: 

·      Strength Indicators:

o   Barbell Squat 3RM

o   Barbell Bench Press 5RM

·      Strength-Endurance Indicators:

o   Barbell Bench Press Max Reps with 60% 1RM

·      Power Indicators:

o   Standing Broad Jump(horizontal power)

o   Standing Triple Broad Jump(horizontal power & reactive ability)

o   Rotational Med. Ball Toss(rotational power & sport-specific test)

·      Speed Indicators

o   10 yard sprint(starting strength, explosive strength & initial acceleration)

o   20 yard sprint(starting strength, explosive strength & initial acceleration)

o   40 yard sprint(acceleration & a slight test into maximal velocity; didn’t have room for 60 yard sprint)

  Currently, the guys are in the middle of a strength block during their pre-competitive phase. Up to this point, here are some training methods I’ve used: 

·      High/medium/low intenisty microcycles to prevent overtraining/fatigue

·      Using open-ended sets with the goal of beating a rep PR(example: 4 sets of 2+; two reps are done during first 3 sets, while last set is a max rep set)

·      During explosive strength block, contrast training was utilized to develop both high force output and high velocity

·      Isometric & eccentric-focused training was utilized more toward the beginning of the training cycle, mainly with lower body movements.

·      Tempo Runs done prior to low intensity to develop aerobic capacity

·      Sprints, Jumps, and Bounds used on higher intensity days to develop alactic capacity and power, incorporating incomplete and complete rest intervals

  What I’ve learned from almost every coach I’ve listened to is that there is no such thing as a perfect program. Some programs may work incredibly well for one individual, while another individual may not achieve similar results. 

  If I had to highlight the positives of IWU’s training program thus far, they would probably be: 

·      Everyone has gotten stronger. I tested them after their preparatory block and everyone saw significant increases in their upper- & lower-body strength tests(increases anywhere from 20-60 lbs over the 10 week period)

·      Because of the increased force output, accompanied with a brief period of explosive strength training, their sprint performances improved. The sprints that improved the most were the 10 and 20 yard sprints(improved the most because they are heavily strength-dominant sprint distances)

·      Some individuals have really improved their mobility throughout the course of the training, especially those that started off with extremely poor hip mobility.

·      The guys seem to enjoy training a lot more now. Working out in a group setting, combined with the rep maxes on the high intensity days, has really brought about a fun, competitive atmosphere.

  Despite some successes that have stemmed from the training, there are a few things I would definitely change moving forward: 

·      If I could start the process all over again, I would definitely have placed more of an emphasis on quality movement patterns & soft tissue quality before diving into heavier loads.

·      Due to time constraints (school breaks & the season approaching) we really didn’t get as long of a strength block during the preparatory period as I would have liked. However, I know that is consistently a challenge for strength coaches at the college level(managing the time constraints of the athletes), so I actually am kind of glad that I got some exposure to the situation.  

·      Spend more time on proper sprinting mechanics, especially during initial acceleration. Even though the sprint times improved, I feel like the results could have been better if I spent time gradually introducing different cues to the guys to help make them more efficient sprinters.

·      Testing structural indicators, mainly body fat, not just functional/performance indicators. I’ve learned more & more that an increase in body weight is not always beneficial, depending on the sport and whether or not that sport requires moving a heavy external object. So, for future training, I really want to gauge body weight and body fat/lean body mass, maybe with the use of a skin caliper.

  This post definitely ended up being a lot longer than I intended but I think evaluating your failures throughout a training process is a more valuable learning lesson than just focusing on what you did well! There’s a reason why so many great coaches stress the need to keep learning and growing from your mistakes. This can help you become the best coach you can be!

Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a great day/get learning!

Cam

[camgalgano-blog]

Contacting Coaches for the First Time

Just a few weeks ago, I finished reading Coach Ron McKeefery’s “CEO Strength Coach”. The entire book might just be the holy grail of S&C knowledge, but there was one portion of the book that really had me thinking about past experiences. Coach McKeefery goes into detail about getting in contact with fellow coaches and gives advice on how to properly address them. After reading about this, I started to think about the first time I had to sit down and send e-mails to coaches who I have never met, or maybe even seen, before. 

  The experience was definitely intimidating. I pretty much had 0 connections to any other coach, and the fact that I knew that none of these coaches had any idea who I was made the initial contacting very difficult. Thankfully, I had the help of my sister, who was able to give me some advice on networking and creating a good first impression. 

            To start the process up, I began looking up S&C/Sports Performance facilities near the Chicago Area, and wrote down each facility’s contact information. After I had all of the contact information written down, I read about each individual facility, trying to learn as much about their facility, staff, athletes, and other components of their business. This would help me formulate a better initial e-mail. Once I felt like I knew enough about the facility’s I was going to contact, I began to type out an e-mail. I knew that most people don’t enjoy reading an hour long e-mail about a person’s life story, so I tried to keep the e-mail short and sweet. I gave just a simple introduction, some background information, and some goals of mine. Some information about the respective facility followed, making sure that I included something I really liked about how they ran things. And finally, I inquired if there was any opportunities in the future for internships, or if there was any way they could provide some advice to an aspiring S&C coach. 

I guess if I had to give some tips to any one who has never tried contacting a coach(that they don’t know) for internship opportunities, they would probably be: 

1.     Do your research. Not only does doing prior research show to potential employers that you took the time to learn about their business, but it also can save you some valuable time by potentially eliminating some options that do not fit what you are looking for! Some helpful things to determine prior to searching facilities include:

a.     Location

b.     Private/or Team Setting?

c.      Coaches/Staff

d.     Paid/or Non-Paid Internship Opportunities?

2.     Properly addressing the coach. Make sure to begin the e-mail with “Dear ______,” and close by thanking them for their time and wishing them good luck in the future, as well as a proper closing greeting. There is probably a good reason why you are contacting that coach, so be sure to show some respect!

3.     Inquiring about potential opportunities, as well as showing interest through passion. If the main goal behind you contacting a coach is seeking a potential internship, make sure you ask if they offer any sort of internship opportunity. If you are looking for an internship during a certain part of the year, throw that information in as well. I think a huge key to this part of the e-mail is to NOT JUST ASK FOR A JOB. An example of this might include immediately asking someone if they are interviewing any interns without any sort of prior greeting. By doing this, you might make a bad first impression. See if that facility offers any internship opportunities, and try to support your inquiry by showing your passion for S&C(not too over the top obviously). Maybe you can throw in something simple, such as “since strength training brought my game to the next level, I really want to help other athletes do the same!”

4.     State something about the program, facility, coach, etc. It’s never a bad idea to compliment someone. So, throwing in a compliment about the facility, the knowledge/experience of the staff, or the type of training it looks like they do will definitely not hurt. Also, by stating this information, it might prove to a potential employer that you truly are interested in the position since you did prior research.

5.     Remember, BE HUMBLE. Don’t come off thinking you know everything. You’re applying for an internship. Everyone applying for an internship is seeking to better themselves through the help of people with more knowledge/more experience than them. There is a reason a coach/or coaches are at the level they are at. Show respect and show that you are willing to learn from the best!

 I hope some of this information can help anyone who is trying to contact an S&C coach for the first time out! Honestly, majority of these tips can apply to any area of work. Considering I am still going to be applying for internships and trying to meet/learn from as many coaches as possible throughout the next few years, I will 100% be trying to make the best first impression as possible, and I hope everyone out there can do the same!

Thanks for taking the time to read, have a great day, and get learning!

Cam

“CEO Strength Coach is a MUST BUY. Here is a link to anyone interested! https://www.amazon.com/CEO-Strength-Coach-Ron-McKeefery/dp/1515203328

[camgalgano-blog]

Importance of Proper Movement

  Since really focusing on trying to learn some of the core principles of great S&C coaches, one thing seems to be a constant for all coaches: teaching fundamental movement patterns to all of their athletes. 

  Through internship experience, youtube videos, books, and various other sources, here are some things I have picked up from great coaches: 

-Demonstrating efficient movement before adding additional load. I think this principle is one that’s extremely important for the development of youth athletes, especially in regards to building a strong base for future training and preventing injuries. The demonstration of efficient movement as a pre-req for adding external loads may be tested via an initial assessment/screening. If the athlete has certain deficiencies in a movement pattern, it may be due to a mobility/or stability issue in the movers, or it could be due to a lack of exposure to the movement. After finishing the Functional Movement Screen course, I really learned the importance of pre-testing an athlete with both complete movement patterns and more basic mobility/stability exercises. These mobility/stability exercises may seem silly to test, but they might be the limiting factors for the complete movement patterns!

-Training ALL types of muscle contraction. After reading “Triphasic Training” by Cal Dietz, and texts from Verkoshansky, I am much more aware of the benefits to training movements in the isometric, eccentric, and concentric regimes. While most people are concerned with the concentric portion of movement(where force is developed), the eccentric and isometric portions of movement play a crucial role for any athletic movement, specifically movements which require explosive triple extension. Isometric training helps to improve movement stability and inter- and intra-muscular coordination. Eccentric training helps an athlete absorb force, which I have learned from pretty much every coach out there, is an extremely important element in both enhancing the subsequent concentric force production, but also in injury prevention. Joe Defranco once said in his podcast that “You don’t learn how to fly a plane without knowing how to land”. This quote emphasizes the importance of teaching your athletes how to properly absorb force, whether it is through deceleration training or landing properly from a jump. 

-Achieving the perfect blend of mobility and stability. I believe this was actually a sentence in “Supertraining” by Siff and Verkoshansky, and many other coaches including Eric Cressey, have stated that having TOO MUCH mobility, without proper stability, may result in an injury. So, it’s important to make sure an athlete is mobile, but being able to stabilize those new joint positions is crucial for injury prevention. 

-Primary movement patterns transfer over to sports more than fancy gimmicks. I think every single person I have met/or heard speak has mentioned this statement. I saw a tweet yesterday from Cam Josse(performance director for Defranco’s) that showed how performing movement patterns found directly in sport have a linear correlation with on-field performance, whereas performing footwork drills on a ladder, with no movements found in sport, have a nonlinear correlation with on-field performance. One of the best things that has helped me so far in my learning process has been the phrase “Stick to the basics” and this phrase can be used to emphasize the importance of performing basic movement patterns. 

-Athletes should be exposed to various movement patterns, especially at a young age. Athletes who specialize in one sport early on in their lives miss out on the benefits of playing multiple sports. Not only does playing multiple sports have many social and mental benefits, but the different movements involved in different sports can really develop a strong foundation for athletes. For those athletes who intend on specializing early, it is extremely important to learn various movement patterns, done at various speeds and different planes of motion! 

  Hope you guys enjoyed reading this post. I just want to give a huge thank you to every coach out there who has been willing to share information/advice to the public. You guys continue to act as teachers to me and I really appreciate every thing you do for those aspiring to be S&C coaches! 

Have a great day & keep learning,

Cam