Selling the warm-up after years and years of doing the same thing is tough. If you don't sell it, it will not get done well, especially if you are not there. I have written articles with illustrations and citations, I have blogged over and over again. The warm-ups I see now are embarrassing to our profession. Warm-ups screen, prepare, educate, create dialogue, and get athletes focused for the tas [...]

"These tests are a big psychological builder. When the athlete has control of her times, she also controls her own psychology and physiology.”-Santiago Antunez The beauty of Athletics is that you must eventually get people better. Talent matters of course, but what keeps me hungry is the fact that great coaches have humbled so many by producing such wonderful performers. I am frankly tired each [...]

Warm-up and Cool Down? Are we done talking about it? So long as people are pulling up lame and getting hurt, we will see more references to John Smith and random posts on Thermochromic shirts.The issue I have is what is the best way to know if one is warming up besides our eyes? Do cool downs help reactivate the PSNS? Does microstretching change cortisol and brain waves to help sleep? Lot's of t [...]

"When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don't expect to see a zebra"-Dr. Theodore WoodwardRobert Sapolsky is popular and that is a good thing, but my fear is some of the best materials are lost because they are not cool or trendy. I asked a strength and conditioning group in an exercise science class during one summer who was Al Vermeil and nobody raised their hand. I asked the same question on a [...]

Andrew Flatt alerted me to a great video that was thought provoking. Andy O'Brien does have some interesting ideas about brain waves, HRV, and pressure profiles of hockey. I am no expert in hockey, but when center of pressure discussions came up and explaining that vertical lifts not creating horizontal speed could create some application of training problems with coaches. The General versus Spec [...]

The individual training session is the cornerstone of the entire training plan. The individual training session is the point of implementation of the long-term plan. A long-term plan is a succession of linked individual training sessions in pursuit of specific objectives.The training session should occupy the greatest emphasis in planning and execution.Each session should be carefully evaluated an [...]

I've been training with the goal of qualifying for USA Weightlifting National Championships as a masters athlete (I recently turned 36) and winning a couple masters National Championships before I turn 40. For training today, I used a leg extension machine. Yesterday I did too. Tomorrow I'll probably do the same. I'll do some hamstring curls too. For at least the next 9 weeks, my training plan [...]

The biggest risk is not taking one. When you are coaching high school, some push kids with motivation. Some push college kids with education. So when they are professional it becomes "keep them healthy" and "don't mess them up". It's not working, and looking at every league we are more injured now than 10 years ago. Sure some programs are faster, bigger, and more athletic, but most have beco [...]

I have had many questions lately regarding sprint drills. Whether or not I use them, how I use them etc? The following is an article I wrote several years ago for the the Australian publication Modern Athlete and Coach. I think it will shed light on the why and how of the Mach drill system. I have used this drills extensively over the years with great success, of late I have also incoporated some [...]

[This is a guest post by John Grace. John is one of the coaches at my training center, Athletic Lab. John has his CSCS and USATF Level 1 certifications and coaches youth to professional athletes at Athletic Lab] Hurdles aren’t just for those competing in the 100/110m hurdles; they can serve as a tool for every athlete. Hurdles are a great tool to use when considering a dynamic warm up. Hurdle m [...]