goergen1
09-10-2007, 11:42 AM
The Start of Something Big
by Rusel Lewis
Hopefully this is the start of a series of monthly articles following the strength journey of the Modesto Christian Crusaders during their expected football victory campaign of 2000.
I need to recharge my batteries, that is not to say I haven't been training young athletes, for this is the inaugural year of the Modesto Strength Team. I have been kept very busy training kids for deadlifting and weightlifting contests. Now is the time to re-focus on the specific sport training.
Starting March 1 we have voluntary training for all football players and "Franchise Training" for high impact players on M-W-F. "Champion Training" is conducted at my garage gym on Saturdays (a separate article on Champion training will come later).
Training starts promptly at 0630. We use the dot drill and various 2 leg plyo drills. NOTE: everything we teach is progressive, the part-whole system.
Example: Our plyos the first month are 2 leg single box jumps, second month are 2 leg multiple box jump, and third month are single leg and depth jumps.
We use weights and bodyweight plyos to develop thunder and lightning power!
Progression part-whole teaching really works!
Then it is on to the Iron Kingdom:
Monday- squat, close grip bench, power clean/push press
Wednesday- high pull clean, deadlift, push behind neck jerk/squat
Friday- Stop squat, bench, power clean/push press
Free weight, compound movements, closed kinetic chain with as much enthusiastic, positive coaching as possible is a must!
In order to teach young athletes the power clean, we start with the hi-pull:
1. Up on toes 5 reps
2. Violent shoulder shrug and up on toes same time 5 reps
3. Arms like a crane lifting 2 cans of soda into shirt pockets, holding it by the tap.
Now that is a perfect hi pull!
Explosive full extension:
1. Hi pull
2. High power clean
3. Power clean
This is the first month, we don't care if the athlete has been 5 time teen champ, we will all follow the same strength program, just as we will follow the same offensive philosophy. Impact athletes will always have the freedom to and are empowered to unlimited progress.
Our main goals are:
1. For the athletes to accept the program (it would be a lot easier to say "curls for the girls" and bench press only, but we want our athletes to take the road less traveled where few dare to go, because that is a champion's destiny!
2. Feel it is football practice
3. Develop a team identity
4. Become stronger than they ever dreamed.
See you in April....
P.S. Vince Lombardi after winning the world championship the previous year, gathered all of his players together: All Pros, veterans, and rookies. He laid the football down in front of them and said,
"This is the start of a new season, this is a football." His symbolism is that the basics, basics, basics retaught, refined and repeated are the foundation of a champion!
by Rusel Lewis
Hopefully this is the start of a series of monthly articles following the strength journey of the Modesto Christian Crusaders during their expected football victory campaign of 2000.
I need to recharge my batteries, that is not to say I haven't been training young athletes, for this is the inaugural year of the Modesto Strength Team. I have been kept very busy training kids for deadlifting and weightlifting contests. Now is the time to re-focus on the specific sport training.
Starting March 1 we have voluntary training for all football players and "Franchise Training" for high impact players on M-W-F. "Champion Training" is conducted at my garage gym on Saturdays (a separate article on Champion training will come later).
Training starts promptly at 0630. We use the dot drill and various 2 leg plyo drills. NOTE: everything we teach is progressive, the part-whole system.
Example: Our plyos the first month are 2 leg single box jumps, second month are 2 leg multiple box jump, and third month are single leg and depth jumps.
We use weights and bodyweight plyos to develop thunder and lightning power!
Progression part-whole teaching really works!
Then it is on to the Iron Kingdom:
Monday- squat, close grip bench, power clean/push press
Wednesday- high pull clean, deadlift, push behind neck jerk/squat
Friday- Stop squat, bench, power clean/push press
Free weight, compound movements, closed kinetic chain with as much enthusiastic, positive coaching as possible is a must!
In order to teach young athletes the power clean, we start with the hi-pull:
1. Up on toes 5 reps
2. Violent shoulder shrug and up on toes same time 5 reps
3. Arms like a crane lifting 2 cans of soda into shirt pockets, holding it by the tap.
Now that is a perfect hi pull!
Explosive full extension:
1. Hi pull
2. High power clean
3. Power clean
This is the first month, we don't care if the athlete has been 5 time teen champ, we will all follow the same strength program, just as we will follow the same offensive philosophy. Impact athletes will always have the freedom to and are empowered to unlimited progress.
Our main goals are:
1. For the athletes to accept the program (it would be a lot easier to say "curls for the girls" and bench press only, but we want our athletes to take the road less traveled where few dare to go, because that is a champion's destiny!
2. Feel it is football practice
3. Develop a team identity
4. Become stronger than they ever dreamed.
See you in April....
P.S. Vince Lombardi after winning the world championship the previous year, gathered all of his players together: All Pros, veterans, and rookies. He laid the football down in front of them and said,
"This is the start of a new season, this is a football." His symbolism is that the basics, basics, basics retaught, refined and repeated are the foundation of a champion!