A Sports Conditioning Quandry?

I was faced with a very interesting case. I just finished constructing a initial 12 week strength and conditioning program (on the US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning System) for a gentleman in Ireland who plays Rugby, but at the same time in less than a month needs to improve his speed and stamina as he is vying for a position at his local Fire Department.

Here in 'these here parts' Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Rajon Rondo, might be considered the most significant athletes in the eyes of the public; but I consider any public servant whose athletic ability, strength, endurance and other factors that have a say in the saving of someone's life much more important. It required some thought and talking to the Big Man through prayer.

The answer became quite simple. I suggested to him that we put him on what is generally called the 3 Day Armed Forces PFT Program This is a program designed to help members of the Military ace there Personal Fitness Tests required of most officers. Also included in the program is speed, agility, quickness, balance, and reaction training that will translate nicely onto the Rugby field as well.

So the morale of the story my strength minions is that whether you are pro or a weekend warrior there are ways to approach your program that can help you not only become a better athlete; but a better public servant. In later entries I will give you updates on how our Rugby/Firefighter is speeding towards success!

Wednesday Workout Should be the worst...err..best

During your summer program, fall sports athletes, This should be your hardest and most intensive workout of the week. Here is where you will put the leg-oriented workouts with power or Olympic movements.

Skip a day on your Speed Agility and Quickness (SAQ) workouts to allow for recovery and reduce the chance of injury. Plan your next SAQ workout for Saturday.

Get more on structuring your summer workouts here:

US SPORTS ONLINE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

June 1- Football 'Playuhs' Keep the Pedal To The Medal!

Almost exactly 3 months to training camp for High School and College fall sports athletes. Little over 2 months for the pros.

This should be the month where you hit those highs with the max lifts (Squats, Cleans, Snatches) and yes even though it is the most overrated exercise in sport, Bench Press is still a must if you are to impress in camp.

Do your coaches a favor and ditch the so called "Energy" drinks and get used to hydrating yourself with water. It is awfully hard to drink too much water but as a general rule you High School age players should be regularly drinking 2 gallons a day. Yes I said 2 gallons. You carry more muscle that 98% of the population of your school and that muscle is sucking up water all day long. Add the intense off season training and the upcoming training camp in 100 degree heat; You can stay on the field and off the IV.

Those energy drinks contain caffeine, ephedra and other hydration stealing 'crapola el grande' that will have you writhing on the ground grabbing at your calves as opposed to jacking up the freshman walk on during the 'man up' drills.

If you are not in a strength and conditioning program right now, don't fret. Get help right now. If a personal strength coach that could cost as much at $1000 per month not an option there are plenty of online resources. Here comes the hint:

Feel free also to post any questions here and we will certainly do our best to point you in the right direction. Train now in August you will be glad you did. Now here is today's sample football training exercise fro the US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning System:

Stay strong my friends

Power Cleans Starting Position: Grab the barbell with your body is in a bentover stance with your back flat. Explode up by pushing your feet through the floor keeping the bar close to your legs. Keep your arms straight and forcefully extend your hips, knees, and ankles. At the same time shrug your shoulders and at their highest point curl the bar up while forcing your hips forward and support the bar at chest level . Return to starting position and repeat.

Enjoy this weekend of rememberance

We take a break from the witty banter and valuable strength and conditioning advice to wish you all a great Memorial Day weekend.

This is a time to remember why the USA is the greatest country on Earth! Mainly due to the sacrifice and commitment of the men and women of the armed forces.

God bless every single one of you. Those of us here will never know the extent of your service but; hopefully today and in a small part everyday we can show our appreciation.

God Bless America!

Blogger turns over a new Leaf? Or Smashes the old one!

After much contemplation I have decided to turn this blog into a Strength and Conditioning Blog.

Why you ask? Wow! you must have ESPN or somethin' I decided to be honest with myself in that I cannot stoop to the levels to typical sports blogging. "I hate this". "I can't stand him" or "they are losers" seems to permeate sports media these days. Long gone are the days of simply enjoying sport for what it is to this humble observer: Entertainment. Not the meaning of life!

So seeing how it is clear that the 'kid' doesn't want any part of that landscape, I am taking this internet manifesto fest into areas where I can personally help ya'll folks.

As a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer for over 35 years; I too often see athletes in the gym working out without any direction toward their particular sport. With budget cuts and the like hitting every school system like a Gulf oil spill, It is usually up to the coach or assistant coach who may or may not have the expertise to supervise and implement the strength and conditioning programs at his or her school.

God bless every single one of you coaches out there who are put into this position, and I wish you the best because I know you are doing your best for your kids and your program. Unfortunately this can leave a gap between the teams that have and those that have not or almost have.

Hopefully with this blog I can help those coaches that wish to have their athletes "bigger, stronger and faster" by the time camp starts in August. Right now I am helping out a good friend whose High School football team is coming off its first championship in the young history of the program.

I will share some of the concepts here and execution of the program for the 30 kids that are involved in the program this summer.

Feel free to post questions or comments here and I will do my best to answer them. If I can't I have access to some of the best minds in the business who have helped me help athletes be the 'best that they can be.' I look forward to this new endeavor. If you need any help with your program specifically come visit the US Sports Online Strength & Conditioning System

There I can design and deliver 3 month, 6 month, or year round strength and conditioning programs for individuals or teams to help you be your biggest, fastest, and strongest when you hit the field, court, pool, or course.

It is time for some consistent positive sports talk. Well folks here it is.

The Biggest High School Football Event To Hit the Washington, Baltimore Region is On!

The 2010 I-95 Kickoff Classic is set For September 4, 2010
April 16, 2010 - 10:10 AM --

The Baltimore-Washington area's two strongest high school football leagues, the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference are in the early stages of discussing a possible merger by fall 2011. In the meantime, the possibilities of such a merger will be showcased at the inaugural I-95 Classic on Sept. 4 at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium.

Although the lineup is still tentative, the Classic is set to finish off the day with a meeting between defending MIAA A Conference champion Gilman and WCAC champ Good Counsel. The two played in September with Good Counsel taking a 49-37 victory.

“We wanted to put something out there to highlight the power that we have as high school football in the state,” said Tony Kennedy, who is organizing the event through his nonprofit organization Extra Point.

Advertise your business during the live radio broadcast of the games! The games will be heard throughout the Washington-Baltimore region on:

WNST We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports
The US Sports Radio Network

6 Million Sports Fans Will Tune In To the Action.

You can broadcast your message serveral ways:

Become a Sponsor of the DeMatha Sports Radio Network

Choose the 'Yearly Option' of the All-Biz Advertising Special

Or Become a Washington D.C. Area Multi-Media Sponsor By Clicking Here

Thank you for your support of Local High School Sports and Enjoy The Games!

Get 1-95 Kickoff Classic Tickets

Find Tickets in Towson

Recher Theatre Towson, MD Find Tickets » Towson University Towson, MD Find Tickets » Unitas Stadium Towson, MD Find Tickets »

DO NOT LET FEAR AFFECT YOUR GAME IN SPORTS

DO NOT LET FEAR AFFECT YOUR GAME IN SPORTS

By: Stan Popovich

Sometimes, fear and anxiety can get the best of us in sports. The key is to know how to manage that fear and anxiety. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that an athlete can use to help manage their fears and every day anxieties.

Occasionally, we you may become stressed when we have to play in an important round. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind. For instance, you have to play in the championship golf game in front of a large group of people in the next few days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself playing the game in your mind. Imagine that you are playing in front of a large audience. By playing the game in your mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.

Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could read the newspaper, listen to some music or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. This is a great technique to use right before your next game.

Another technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive statements that you can carry around with you. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you. Whenever you feel stressed, open up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking.

In every anxiety-related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a small walk before your game to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.

Remember that patience, persistence, and education will go a long way in preventing fear from becoming a factor in your game.

BIOGRAPHY:

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

Down to business. Off-season training rolling along?

This is the time of year that concerns me. It is only March turning into April and I see way to many football players, mostly high school and younger waisting their time doing essentially bodybuilding workouts. Please if you can get some help from a pro; you will not only give yourself a chance to play varsity, but more importantly get your body ready for the pounding. Mom and Dad don't really want to put healthcare reform to the test!

(Pictured) Nate (On the Bench) with training 'pahtnuh' the mysterious 'Biggie Shorty White'

Here is a suggested workout split for football, assuming training camp starts in early August:

Monday-Chest and Back

Wednesday-Shoulders, Biceps, and Triceps,

Friday-Legs. (The how and what can be acquired at US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning).

Tuesday And Thursday would be set aside for speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) training. I know there is a movement afoot to try to do it all in each workout. Let me preface this next statement by stating that I am a certified strength and conditioning coach with 35 years experience. The combined strength and SAQ with cardio thrown in workouts are OK, but [which means 'zero' eliminating the previous statement] with the athletes that I have helped improve; who have focused during the off season on weight lifting on weightlifting days. SAQ on SAQ days have not only improved in all physical areas, but have in comparison avoided and recovered from injury faster than those doing the combo workouts now made popular by the crossfit phenomenon.

Not bashing the crossfit idea mind you just an informal observation.

So get to cracking now before the pads crack in August. Now I am aware of this little economic situation that many of you and your parents may be experiencing. Maybe a professional strength coach is not in the budget. So you may ask: Nate what can I do? Well there are many good resources on this 'internet thing' that are available to you. Ranging from free to a small fee.

So now you may ask: Well Mr. '35 years of strength coaching experience' what do you recommend? Funny you should ask! To help athletes like yourself or your sons or daughters, I started the US Sports Online Strength and Conditioning System. Click 'dat' link right 'der' and I can design and deliver your program online and you can take this guide to sports greatness....Ok at least getting into better shape for your sport, into your gym as early as tomorrow! Oh yes Mom, Dad, it is only $15 per month.

Tiga', Tiga' Tiga' Woods Ya'll!

Oh let the Shizzle Hit The Fizzle! [that one was for the kids]. Tiger woods will come back and be on the links which is the only place I want to see the world's greatest golfer.

I heard a radio host this mornings state that he has lost is iconic status. GOOD! Because if his name is not Jesus Cristo Rey then he can't be my role model. I can however appreciate his God given talent to put that little ball in that little hole better than anybody in the world.

So hate if you want to. I will appreciate as that is healthier for moi!

Tim Tebow just gained a new fan

Me! That's right yours truly who normally only likes 'playus' wit 3.9 40's and 100 inch verticals, will now go officially in the Tank for the 'Teebster'.

Not because he arguably was one of the most successful QB's to play the college game, not because he floated like a butterfly and threw (with a long release mind you) a stinger like a mutated Killer Bee. He ran for 57 TD's and was one of the most prolific of rushers in SEC history with over 3000 yards.

But those are not the reasons I have decided to give my unbridled support to the "..Bow". Nah the main reason is you, and you, and especially YOU! The haters. Why is it that when most people in the public eye who profess their faith and act on it become the object of scorn, jealously, envy, and unprovoked hate? Makes me ponder first who have I been hating on and how can I get over it.

No worries friends, I don't hate any of you, I would just like to open the discussion. What would be so wrong with Tim Tebow fulfilling his dream of playing the NFL and using it as a platform to be an instrument of God's love for all people? Even you!

Now mind you at this point I wouldn't want Tim Tebow as QB of my Raiders, but then again exhuming Sammy Baugh would be better than what we got in Russell. No hate just fact. Anyway I personally am hoping that Tebow becomes a hall of famer and proves the critics wrong to the point where a non-believer may say: "There is a God afterall"