I am often asked what kind of strength training I use with my athletes. My answer is always "What they need". I don't follow a particular training program like BFS or Husker Power. I use what strength training is needed. However, I do have a philosophy and have believed in this philosophy for some time.
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.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Final Game. What Now?
The Final Game!
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.
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.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Great Event!
Hey!
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Not Much Time? Try This Workout
Because I know how busy you are, you will appreciate the workout below. This workout is great for adults with busy schedules and athletes with limited time in the weight room. All you need is a DB, Swim Trainer (go to http://www.sportsspeedetc.com/swimtrainers.shtml), and a Swiss ball.
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.
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.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A Fun Tournament!
I apologize for the late blog post. Normally I try to post on Saturday but our 5th and 6th grade girls and boys hosted a four team tournament yesterday. It was an all day event and a blast to be a part of!
Our teams didn't do as well as hoped, but all the games were played hard and the crowed support was fantastic. Several of the games came down to the wire with a final shot winning in the closing seconds winning the game.
Many of you may not have any connection to youth basketball but I encourage you to become involved or at least watch these kids play. You could catch a game at your local YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, or any elementary school. These young athletes really compete hard and do their best. It is a pleasure to watch them become better as the season goes on. It is much easier to see the consistent improvement at this level because it is all so new to them and every day they develop new skills.
My Saturday (even though it's Sunday) Tip:
Become involved with the young players and teach the following fundamentals:
1. One and two ball dribbling- Obviously if the players can't dribble one ball you can't introduce two ball dribbling yet. But as soon as they can handle one, then get two in their hands. This will improve their weak hand quickly and give them great control overall.
2. Passing to a moving target- Just like dribbling, you have to start with the basic partner stationary passing. But, have the players hitting a moving target asap because this will teach them touch and how to lead a pass.
3. Shooting off the dribble and the catch- After the players learn the fundamentals of shooting you will need to have them to shoot off the dribble. In the game, they have to learn to shoot quickly when open. Same goes for off the catch. They need to learn to get the ball into the shooting pocket quickly and release.
4. Defending on and off the ball- It isn't too difficult to get the players to learn how to stay in front of a defender but it is difficult to get them to understand playing off the ball defense. They have to learn how to play one, two and Three passes away. They need to learn help defense and how to see man and ball- this is a big one at the youth level.
5. How to Pivot in triple threat position- This is also a big one. How many times do you see young kids put the ball behind their heads of try to protect the ball by not move their body? You must teach them to stay athletic and pivot to protect the ball. They will be able to buy time to get passes to open defenders just by using the pivot.
Finally, you want to teach boxing out and rebounding, but this is tough to teach young kids. They will pick it up it as they become older but because it isn't a natural thing to do they struggle with it. Heck, college and professional players struggle with this.
Have fun and help they young players develop.
Yours in Speed,
Lee
PS: Take a FREE ride on the Speed Insiders train. Go to http://www.speedinsiders.com/ and sign up now. You are going to love the New Source4Speed Newsletter!
Our teams didn't do as well as hoped, but all the games were played hard and the crowed support was fantastic. Several of the games came down to the wire with a final shot winning in the closing seconds winning the game.
Many of you may not have any connection to youth basketball but I encourage you to become involved or at least watch these kids play. You could catch a game at your local YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, or any elementary school. These young athletes really compete hard and do their best. It is a pleasure to watch them become better as the season goes on. It is much easier to see the consistent improvement at this level because it is all so new to them and every day they develop new skills.
My Saturday (even though it's Sunday) Tip:
Become involved with the young players and teach the following fundamentals:
1. One and two ball dribbling- Obviously if the players can't dribble one ball you can't introduce two ball dribbling yet. But as soon as they can handle one, then get two in their hands. This will improve their weak hand quickly and give them great control overall.
2. Passing to a moving target- Just like dribbling, you have to start with the basic partner stationary passing. But, have the players hitting a moving target asap because this will teach them touch and how to lead a pass.
3. Shooting off the dribble and the catch- After the players learn the fundamentals of shooting you will need to have them to shoot off the dribble. In the game, they have to learn to shoot quickly when open. Same goes for off the catch. They need to learn to get the ball into the shooting pocket quickly and release.
4. Defending on and off the ball- It isn't too difficult to get the players to learn how to stay in front of a defender but it is difficult to get them to understand playing off the ball defense. They have to learn how to play one, two and Three passes away. They need to learn help defense and how to see man and ball- this is a big one at the youth level.
5. How to Pivot in triple threat position- This is also a big one. How many times do you see young kids put the ball behind their heads of try to protect the ball by not move their body? You must teach them to stay athletic and pivot to protect the ball. They will be able to buy time to get passes to open defenders just by using the pivot.
Finally, you want to teach boxing out and rebounding, but this is tough to teach young kids. They will pick it up it as they become older but because it isn't a natural thing to do they struggle with it. Heck, college and professional players struggle with this.
Have fun and help they young players develop.
Yours in Speed,
Lee
PS: Take a FREE ride on the Speed Insiders train. Go to http://www.speedinsiders.com/ and sign up now. You are going to love the New Source4Speed Newsletter!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Take A Deep Breath Lee! OK, I'm Back
I must have blacked out for a couple days. I got so worked up over the poor state of our nutrition in this country that it caused me to see stars and become dizzy.
If you read my last blog, then you realized I was very upset. Believe me, this wasn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last. I just had my fill of watching kids destroy their bodies with JUNK, GARBAGE, POISON, and I wonder why no one else sees this as bad. I know this story will continue for years and years...
Today I am writing about KNEE DRIVE. Wow! What a change of direction. One minute it's junk food and the next it's knee drive??? Welcome to the mind of the "Speed Guy".
Acceleration and Knee Drive
In a training session the other day, I had thee athletes all working on short burst acceleration. The goal was to get up to speed as quickly as possible in as short a distance as possible. Because I am currently training out of my home facility the distance is real short- but it works great.
My goal with these three young athletes was to have them drive out with their knee in order to cover more distance while making sure the step was not over-reaching/over-striding. When the lead knee drives aggressively and the upper body is in a forward lean (from the ankle through the head is straight) the force of the knee drive causes a more powerful push off from the back leg (this is the law of action reaction). And, if the arm drive is aggressive, tight, and long, then action reaction forces help once again. My goal is to eliminate an athlete from taking short choppy steps for acceleration and replace them with big powerful driving steps. Here is how I progressed these athletes in the workout:
1. Wall Runs- the first thing I had to do is make sure the athletes understood body lean and how to drive the knee forward and punch it down and back during the drive phase. I used the good old numbered wall runs. Here the athlete gets in a forward lean with the arms straight out from shoulder level. The head is neutral and eyes focused between hands. The right leg is up at 90 degrees but not parallel (being parallel would mean the knee is higher than 90 degrees and this can hurt the support leg/hip extension ability). The ankle should be dorsi-flexed. When I say "One", the athlete snaps down and back with the lead leg and fires the opposite knee up and holds. I do not want posture form head to toe to break. I will call out a series of numbers- "One", "Two", "Two", One", "Three", and so on. The athlete will switch the legs that many times. I don't have them perform the drill for too many second because I don't want poor form to creep in. Great drill to get them focused on posture, knee drive, punch down and back, and aggressiveness.
2. We then moved to light tubing resisted short accelerations. I had the athletes start in a staggered stance. On "go" they accelerated hard for 4-5 steps. I want aggressive arm swing, knee drive out, punch down and back, and great acceleration posture. The tubing resisted was used to slow them down at the end and to add a stimulus at the start to get them to drive and lean. It is important to remember that the lean is a by-product of how hard and fast you accelerate. The lean can't come first. They performed approximately 5 reps of this routine with a lot of coaching to clean up bad habits.
3. Then I moved them into 1/2 kneeling starts. This drill brings in the element of strength and power of the hips to get up and out of the 1/2 kneeling position. The athlete must also learn to drive down and back hard to get into a positive lean without breaking at the waist and dropping the head. This is the tendency at first. Once the athletes learned to be super aggressive with the push off (arm drive was aggressive), keep the head neutral and eyes looking forward, they were able to drive themselves through the start. This is a great strength builder for young athletes. We perform 4 starts on each leg for 3-5 hard steps.
By the time we finished this last exercise the athletes had a pretty good understanding how to drive out and punch down and back while maintaining posture.
One of the three athletes likes to take short little choppy steps when accelerating and it hurts his initial speed. He now is understanding what he needs to do. It will simply take time to re-program the computer (his brain) to develop a new motor pathway so it becomes normal for him to drive his knees more. Plus, he needs more strength and this will come as he gets develops.
Give these three exercises a try and see if you can get more extension with the driving leg down and back into the ground. This can only occur if the lead knee is aggressive and gets out in front. Don't ever let the athlete over-stride and land on the heels. Let me know what you think.
Yours in Speed,
Lee
PS: I recently filmed a short video that outlines the importance of aggressive leg and knee drive in a lateral drill. This movement is SO MIS-UNDERSTOOD. You really should learn how to teach it properly to make your athletes faster. To access this video and many others, go to http://www.speedinsiders.com/ for a FREE test drive.
If you read my last blog, then you realized I was very upset. Believe me, this wasn't the first time and it certainly won't be the last. I just had my fill of watching kids destroy their bodies with JUNK, GARBAGE, POISON, and I wonder why no one else sees this as bad. I know this story will continue for years and years...
Today I am writing about KNEE DRIVE. Wow! What a change of direction. One minute it's junk food and the next it's knee drive??? Welcome to the mind of the "Speed Guy".
Acceleration and Knee Drive
In a training session the other day, I had thee athletes all working on short burst acceleration. The goal was to get up to speed as quickly as possible in as short a distance as possible. Because I am currently training out of my home facility the distance is real short- but it works great.
My goal with these three young athletes was to have them drive out with their knee in order to cover more distance while making sure the step was not over-reaching/over-striding. When the lead knee drives aggressively and the upper body is in a forward lean (from the ankle through the head is straight) the force of the knee drive causes a more powerful push off from the back leg (this is the law of action reaction). And, if the arm drive is aggressive, tight, and long, then action reaction forces help once again. My goal is to eliminate an athlete from taking short choppy steps for acceleration and replace them with big powerful driving steps. Here is how I progressed these athletes in the workout:
1. Wall Runs- the first thing I had to do is make sure the athletes understood body lean and how to drive the knee forward and punch it down and back during the drive phase. I used the good old numbered wall runs. Here the athlete gets in a forward lean with the arms straight out from shoulder level. The head is neutral and eyes focused between hands. The right leg is up at 90 degrees but not parallel (being parallel would mean the knee is higher than 90 degrees and this can hurt the support leg/hip extension ability). The ankle should be dorsi-flexed. When I say "One", the athlete snaps down and back with the lead leg and fires the opposite knee up and holds. I do not want posture form head to toe to break. I will call out a series of numbers- "One", "Two", "Two", One", "Three", and so on. The athlete will switch the legs that many times. I don't have them perform the drill for too many second because I don't want poor form to creep in. Great drill to get them focused on posture, knee drive, punch down and back, and aggressiveness.
2. We then moved to light tubing resisted short accelerations. I had the athletes start in a staggered stance. On "go" they accelerated hard for 4-5 steps. I want aggressive arm swing, knee drive out, punch down and back, and great acceleration posture. The tubing resisted was used to slow them down at the end and to add a stimulus at the start to get them to drive and lean. It is important to remember that the lean is a by-product of how hard and fast you accelerate. The lean can't come first. They performed approximately 5 reps of this routine with a lot of coaching to clean up bad habits.
3. Then I moved them into 1/2 kneeling starts. This drill brings in the element of strength and power of the hips to get up and out of the 1/2 kneeling position. The athlete must also learn to drive down and back hard to get into a positive lean without breaking at the waist and dropping the head. This is the tendency at first. Once the athletes learned to be super aggressive with the push off (arm drive was aggressive), keep the head neutral and eyes looking forward, they were able to drive themselves through the start. This is a great strength builder for young athletes. We perform 4 starts on each leg for 3-5 hard steps.
By the time we finished this last exercise the athletes had a pretty good understanding how to drive out and punch down and back while maintaining posture.
One of the three athletes likes to take short little choppy steps when accelerating and it hurts his initial speed. He now is understanding what he needs to do. It will simply take time to re-program the computer (his brain) to develop a new motor pathway so it becomes normal for him to drive his knees more. Plus, he needs more strength and this will come as he gets develops.
Give these three exercises a try and see if you can get more extension with the driving leg down and back into the ground. This can only occur if the lead knee is aggressive and gets out in front. Don't ever let the athlete over-stride and land on the heels. Let me know what you think.
Yours in Speed,
Lee
PS: I recently filmed a short video that outlines the importance of aggressive leg and knee drive in a lateral drill. This movement is SO MIS-UNDERSTOOD. You really should learn how to teach it properly to make your athletes faster. To access this video and many others, go to http://www.speedinsiders.com/ for a FREE test drive.
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