O-linemen, Lose the Fat Not Weight

"My QB Is Safe!"

Age old debate here. Would you rather have bunch of athletic 'hogs' or a Panzer Division protecting your QB and making holes for the horses in the backfield.

Well the answer is already on the field. Offensive linemen do not look that offensive anymore in modern football. They are leaner, faster and quicker while still weighing in on average over 300 lbs.

So how do you big boys train in the off season to achieve this level of performance? As there are days of our lives, there are many ways to go here, but the basic answer is: Much like the rest of your team. Here is a sample of the NFL Combine Workout from the Us Sports Online Strength and Conditioning System:

Week 12 - Day 3 (Thursday) of Billy Dee Arnez's Program	Week Difficulty: Very Hard
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Click on an Exercise Name to view a description of that exercise

Select		Exercise Name	Set and Rep Combinations
	1	Warmup and Stretch	8 minutes
	2	Video Power Clean	5 reps @ 125 lbs, 4 reps @ 150 lbs, 3 reps @ 175 lbs, 1 reps @ 200 lbs, 1 reps @ 225 lbs, 1 reps @ 235 lbs, 1 reps @ 225 lbs, 1 reps @ 225 lbs, 2 reps @ 210 lbs
	3	Video Reverse Hypers	8 reps @ 70 lbs, 8 reps @ 70 lbs, 8 reps @ 70 lbs
	4	Video Close Grip Pull Ups	17 reps, 17 reps, 13 reps
	5	Video Cable Close Grip Row (Low Pulley)	10 reps @ 175 lbs, 10 reps @ 175 lbs, 10 reps @ 175 lbs
	6	Keiser Hip Extension	10 reps @ 195 lbs, 10 reps @ 195 lbs, 15 reps @ 165 lbs
	7	Keiser Hip Flexion	10 reps @ 130 lbs, 10 reps @ 130 lbs, 15 reps @ 110 lbs

As always don't try any program without consulting your physician first. So big boys...Get Lean before camp and you are that much closer to securing a starting position in September.

Get your Max Lifts In Now!

Your Strength Coach Right There In  Your Hard Drive!

Nate Lewis-US Sports Strength and Conditioning
Friday May 27, 2011 1:26pm EST
With a little over 3 months until training camp for most of you, Get your max lifts in now to set the bar for your heaviest lifts. Your summer 8-12 week training cycle should consist of endurance type lifts heavy enough to be challenging, but light enough generally to get multiple  reps and sets.

This will help get your body ready for the pounding of training camp and minimize the shock of the first days in pads. I will usually take the football players that I train through a boxing conditioning program that will consist of many typical lifts but obviously with the anaerobic threshold in mind. Here is a snippet from a workout I designed for a D-lineman in Texas:

Select		Exercise Name	Set and Rep Combinations
	1	Warmup and Stretch	8 minutes
	2	Video Squat	10 reps @ 320 lbs, 5 reps @ 385 lbs, 3 reps @ 445 lbs, 2 reps @ 510 lbs, 4 reps @ 540 lbs, 6 reps @ 510 lbs, 6 reps @ 510 lbs, 10 reps @ 385 lbs
	3	Video Dumbbell Step Up	6 reps @ 70 lbs, 6 reps @ 80 lbs, 6 reps @ 80 lbs
	4	Video Dumbbell Reverse Lunge	6 reps @ 70 lbs, 6 reps @ 80 lbs, 6 reps @ 80 lbs
	5	Video Jump Rope General	3 Minutes
	6	Video Machine Leg Curl	8 reps @ 200 lbs, 8 reps @ 200 lbs
	7	Video Dumbbell Incline Bench Press (30 Degree)	6 reps @ 110 lbs, 6 reps @ 125 lbs, 6 reps @ 125 lbs
	8	Video Push Ups (regular position)	68 reps, 68 reps, 53 reps
	9	Video Push Ups (wide position)	51 reps, 51 reps
	10	Video Dumbbell Arnold Press	6 reps @ 75 lbs, 6 reps @ 85 lbs, 6 reps @ 85 lbs

You can see the Jump Rope intervals after the leg portion of the workout. This is a good way for you to 'get your legs' conditioned for the grind of the season ahead.

This is just a portion of a workout for a specific player so please do not try this at home without your doctor's clearance and proper supervision. In other words don't be a knucklehead!

To get your own custom workout, speed, agility, and quickness program with a detailed nutrition plan go to www.fitnessgenerator.com/ussportsradio and I will personally help you get ready to play!

Here we go again time to get ready to play!

Well it seems to happen year-round, but I see it more this time of year. Top-notch football players wasting their time in the gym doing bodybuilding or even worse 'no intensity' style workouts.

Look it's OK to look good for the beach in May, but guess what? You are going to look real good in your uniform in September flat on your back, ball fumbled, games los,s because you weren't training for football but your best body contest.

Hey if you want to be the next Tyson Beckford then stay on your path, but if you want to get ready to win, talk to you trainer or strength coach immediately or your six-pack is going to look like a rusty tall boy if you don't get serious now.
Need help?

Divas 'D' for Devastating!

-by Nate Lewis US Sports Network
After 3 weeks of football (which by comparison has to be the same at 6 weeks of the men's game) If your D.C. Divas are the championship squad that they look to be; then we will continue to see the 'shut down', 'lock down' performances of the Defense.

While the offense is averaging 326 yards per game and more importantly leading the WFA in first downs (41) the so far always fresh defense has allowed 8.7 points per game while sporting bona fide defensive stars in Tiffany Matthews (LB) and Rookie Nicole Fisk (DB). 'Tiff' by the way is 2nd in tackles for loss with 11 which will create a lot of down time for the defense with 3 and outs.

LB Tiffany Matthews has been a major headache for opposing offenses

Now there are still things that the Diva 'D' need to work on. There seem to be soft spots in the zone from a passing perspective that teams have had some success with. The Divas have been able to hide those deficiencies with pressure on opposing Quarterbacks thus far. But with tough matchups against good passing squads coming up, Diva Nation is hoping that that issue is addressed during this bye week.
Also the Divas are leading the league in penalties (31) and even though the Offense shares in this burden, you don't want to give away first downs to high scoring teams like New York and Boston down the stretch.

Look, in football nobody's glass is 100% full but the Divas particularly on the defensive side of the ball, certainly have more than half with more water out there.

Tune in Friday 04/21 at 9:15am for Diva Time, The D.C. Divas Football Show. We will be talking to Divas coaches players and special guests BJ from Womens Football Talk. go to www.ussportsentertainment.com or click on the big player above to tune in. We will be taking your chat questions as well.

D.C. Divas Looking Good Nearing the 1/2 way mark...

-Nate Lewis US Sports Network 04/20/11 11:11AM EST

 In case you haven't noticed, your D.C. Divas are winning impressively, even when they aren't playing at their best. The good news for the 2-0 Divas is that they can get even better as this season progresses, especially in the defensive backfield. Explosive as they want to be on offense the 'real first ladies of football' have outscored opponents 110 to 26 after 3 games.
They have the ability to run the ball 30-40 times per game with Grisby and Pickett in the backfield. And oh by the way wait until Rachelle Pecovsky works her way back into football shape." Tomorrow a few thoughts on the Divas 'D' because as they say: You can score 35 points a game, but you better keep your opponent under 35 to win." More profound insights tomorrow.


-(Pictured) Okima Pickett is averaging 5.3 yards per carry from her fullback position in 2011

William Bailey Earns All-American Status At NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships

(ALBUQUERQUE, NM)  Bowie State University sophomore William Bailey (Upper Marlboro, MD, Bowie) placed sixth overall in the Long Jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships hosted by Adams State College.

Bailey went 7.40m in the preliminary event and jumped 7.12m (23-04.50) in the finals which earned him All-American status.  This marks the second time in Bailey's career that he has earned All-American status.  He was selected an All-American in the same event at the 2010 Outdoor Nationals and was also named Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in 2010.

Bulldogs junior Artavius Williams (Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Polytechnic) also participated in the 2011 Indoor Nationals, placing 11th overall in the Triple Jump (14.13m / 46.04.25).

BOWIE STATE FALLS 94-81 IN NCAA REGION SEMIFINAL TO INDIANA (PA)

            (WEST LIBERTY, WV – March 13, 2011) Indiana University of Pennsylvania fell into a 14-point hole in the opening seven minutes of the game before the trio of Ashton Smith, Julian Sanders and Scooter Renkin rallied the Crimson Hawks to a 94-81 win over Bowie State University in the semifinals of the NCAA Atlantic Region.

            The Bulldogs made four 3-pointers in the first six minutes of the game and built an 18-4 lead on a steal by junior Darren Clark with 13:22 left in the half.  Ashton Smith hit a jumper on IUP’s first shot attempt of the game, but the Crimson Hawks missed four shots and committed six turnovers as the Bulldogs surged ahead.

            Renkin got the Crimson Hawks comeback started when he converted a steal into a layup and was fouled, making the free throw for a three-point play.  Smith made three buckets, including a 3-pointer, and Willi Estrella made two free throws at the 10:22 mark to cap a 14-2 run that pulled IUP within 20-16.

            Bowie State (26-3) held a 30-27 lead, but triples by Smith and Julian Sanders put the Crimson Hawks in front 33-30. Scooter Renkin scored seven straight points and his 3-pointer with 2:44 remaining in the first half made it a 40-34 Indiana (PA) lead.  The Crimson Hawks strolled into halftime with a 46-40 advantage.

            Indiana University of Pennsylvania (26-5) shot 57 percent from the field in the first half, hitting 17-of-30, which included five-of nine beyond the arc. 

            Bowie State hit 48 percent of its first period field goals (15-of-31), which included six-of-11 behind the 3-point line.

            The Crimson Hawks used the long ball to get back in the game and eventually pulled away from Bowie State.  IUP was red hot from 3-point distance, connecting on 13-of-19 (68 percent), 60 percent overall from the field and 23-of-26 (89 percent) from the charity stripe.

            Sanders and Smith hit 3-pointers on consecutive IUP possessions to make it 78-69 with 6:09 left in the game, and Darryl Webb along with Kevin Stewart also dialed up 3-pointers on back-to-back shots with the latter giving the Crimson Hawks their first double digit lead of the game at 84-72 with 4:04 remaining.  Webb scored nine points over the final 4:35 and IUP made all six of its free throw attempts in the final minute to secure the win.

            Smith scored a game-high 24 points, Sanders had 22 and Renkin added 14 points to lead five Crimson Hawks in double figures.

            Clark led Bowie State’s Bulldogs with 20 points followed by senior Eric Vann with 15.  Junior Jay Gavin and sophomore Bryan Wilson chipped in a dozen points each in the season ending loss.