Over the years my program design model has been a topic of some interest.  So...here it is from soup to nuts...top to bottom, front to back.  This is from a PowerPoint presentation I recently did for the NSCA state chapter in Indiana and for a coup...

Some History The speed sled is such a great tool, yet very few people take advantage of all it has to offer.  With a little creativity and some “outside the box” thinking, coaches and athletes can experience a completely new w...

As I have discussed in many of my training articles, I think it is very import to train with a wide variety of movements.  Not only does this keep training interesting, but also it keeps the body in the earlier stages of learning and in a constant state of adaptation. 

 

Many times, we just have to think outside the box a little and toy around with tradition.  For instance, I have been dubbed the Push-Up Nazi by many of my athletes.  They question whether I have much of a social life, or if I just sit around thinking up new ways to do old tricks.

Now that the fundamentals of the traditional bench press have been discussed, lets look at some variations. 

 

Traditional Variations

Since everybody that has ever been in a gym has done the traditional flat, decline, and incline bench press exercises, there is really no need give them much discussion.  Rather, I am going to say something that may surprise you.  If you what to have a big bench, do not do these lifts..Big benchers do not bench in its traditional since.  They do utilize its many mutations, but rarely the traditional lifts themselves.  Most big benchers spend more time developing the bench presses supporting cast than the actual lift itself.

Although the bench press has fallen out of favor with many of the newer methods that strength coaches are utilizing, it is still a huge part of the world of strength and conditioning.  For this reason, I feel that it is import to write some articles about it in the hopes of shining some new light on an old favorite.

 

One problem that exists with the bench press is that everybody has been doing it for so long it is taken for granted.  By this, I mean that people do not truly understand the mechanics of the lift.  Most people think that the only technique involved is lying on your back and pushing the bar away from your chest.  If it were that easy, everybody would be benching 2-3 times his or her body weight.

It is kind of like saying, I am a runner, and I have run for many years, I know what I am doing, so I do not need to refine my skills.  However, can you tell me why my hips, knees and back hurt, and why I am not getting any faster.  Do I need to do more running?

Hours upon hours are typically spent on developing the true masterpiece that is the training program.  Typically, great detail is given to every movement housed within the program.  Each lift is carefully chosen to address a certain need.  Every aspect of the intensity and volume is delicately manipulated to place the focus of the training day on the specified target.

 

Great artists have some sort of vision that drives their art.  In their mind, they have a map to guide them through their processes.  Great coaches are no different, they understand the physical demands that are being placed on the athletes body, and they feed from this.  They manipulate the training variables to develop a program that will address all the needs of the given athlete or team.  They know that the finished masterpiece better not only improve the athletes skill, but also decrease their potential for injury.

Understanding Force Curves

What is a force curve (FC)?  A FC is a graphical representation of the relationship between the external expression of instantaneous maximal force production and muscle length (muscle length is sometimes represented by joint configuration).

 

When we discuss force production, we must start by classifying force as either internal or external with relationship to the muscular system.  An example of internal forces would be those that are created by the muscles acting on the bones.  Conversely, an external force would be the force of a 10lb dumbbell acting against the biceps during a curl or gravity acting against the body as a whole.

I’m proud to say that over my training and coaching career, I’ve helped thousands of athletes improve their on-field performance by properly preparing them for their sports.

 

I am also proud to say I’ve played a role in raising my athletes’ performance to play at levels that have earned many of them college scholarships.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to take credit for the development of their sport skill. However, I do take credit for assuring that they are capable of demonstrating their physical abilities to the highest possible degree.

How do I assure that my athletes are the best prepared athletes on the court or on the field?

In part one of Hierarchy of Success we discussed two concepts I call presumptive and reality training.

 

To summarize, I discussed the importance of identifying an athlete's true requirements for success and using this information to create a "destination". I also showed you 3 exercises I use to tie vertically oriented strength into the horizontally dominant environment typically experienced in most sports.

 

If you missed this article, you can read it here: Hierarchy of Success Part I

 

Before we dig into part two, I thought I would share my 3d Lunge Special Report with you. It is packed with several of my favorite horizontal and rotationally loaded lunge variations.

So, when was the last time you took a major road trip without doing any planning first? My guess is that you would say never! After all, who wants to waste valuable time getting lost or taking the long route.

 

First you would defined your destination. You would figure out exactly where it was that you were going to go. In the olden days, you would then get your map out and locate your destination. You would find your starting point and map out the most effect route. Now you plug your variables into Mapquest and let it do the work for you.

 

Regardless, you still have to know where you are going and where you are starting to make it work.