The rain stopped and the temperature dropped in time to create a great outdoor training environment. Its Friday morning and we are prepared for a great workout knowing that the weekend is right around the corner.
We started our session with a combination easy jog, ball handling drills, and some active and static stretching. After a good warm up we started with some 6 inch hurdle work. We used 6 hurdles approximately a yard apart and performed 4 repetitions for each drill. The hurdle work started by running through putting one foot in between each hurdle. With each repetition we increased the speed of the drill. Ive always preferred to start slow to make sure the drills are done under control with good mechanics and proper form. The second drill completed was two feet between each hurdle the same proper mechanics were emphasized. We worked to reduce the amount of time the foot spends on the ground in order to develop foot speed. These hurdle drills are designed to teach you to manage your center of gravity over your base of support. The third drill we moved laterally through the hurdles making sure to keep our hips squared and our toes pointed straight ahead. Third we did bounds over the hurdles, again the emphasis was speed through the hurdles.
We moved to our resistance cables for some loaded and unloaded sprints. Five reps of 20 yard sprints followed by three reps of unloaded sprints. I like using the variation of loaded and unloaded sprints to develop speed and power. The loaded sprints help you to feel a proper body lean, as well as emphasize the amount of force you apply to the ground to propel you forward. The combination of ground force and proper body lean will translate into increased ground speed. I love unloading the sprint to allow the player to feel the same body lean and the same ground force without resistance. This is great positive reinforcement for proper running mechanics.
After a few minutes of rest and water we finished with a circuit using six exercises. The exercises used were Russian Twists, KB Deadlifts, Fighting Ropes, KB Push Press, KB Snatch and Tug Of War. We used 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest, we moved through this series of exercises twice. Awesome job with a great effort given by everyone.
If this sounds like fun, give C3I Sports Performance a call, we would love to have you be a part of our team.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
"Good Day To Be Alive"
Feels like summer again today in Ashburn. The temperature is rumored to rise to 90 degrees for the second day in a row. I love it hot; the hotter, the better. I am so glad to see winter in the rearview mirror.
Anyway...enough talk about the weather. It's time to get to work. Another great day for training. I absolutely believe that there is no better time to train than first thing in the morning, with the sun rising up over the trees.
We started our morning with an easy jog and some rugby ball handling drills. We completed three laps around the parking lot, using a lateral pass, ball on the ground pick up, and an overhead backward pass. The combination of running and an eye/hand coordination drill helps warm-up the body and the mind. In between each lap we did a series of active and static stretches. This is a great way to elevate your body temperature and prep your body for more challenging work.
We continued our prep work by adding a series of three exercises for three rounds. The exercises emphasized core development.
Our first exercise was a sit and reach with a single KB, 10 reps with the KB in the left hand and 10 reps with the KB in the right hand. The second exercise we used was the Russian twist with the KB for 10 reps, across and back counted as one. The third exercise in the series was a different style push up for each round completed. First round we added diamond push-ups. During our second round we did serpentine push-ups. And finally our third round consisted of your basic shoulder width push-ups.
We continued are training session with the use of our resistance cables. We used four exercises for this portion of the workout. The first exercise we completed were two 30 yard power walks with the harness vest. This exercise will push your heart rate through the ceiling. The second exercise used was power pull throughs. This exercise is tremendous for working the hamstrings, glutes and low back. The third exercise focused on core and shoulder stability; placing the resistance cable handle in the left hand and extending the arm away from the body. We walked against the resistance for 20 yards, switched hands, and walked another 20 yards. The final exercise with the resistance cable was lateral rotations for 20 repetitions on each side.
We finished the work portion of our session with 8 timed work/rest intervals: 30 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest. We used four exercises for our Grand Finale: 1)fighting rope swings, 2)KB dead lift, 3)cable squat with high pull, and 4)KB push press. We went through each exercise twice for 8 total work sets.
Our cool down was a nice easy walk around the parking lot, combined with static stretching.
I can't think of a better way to start the day, can you? Let me know When you are ready to give it a try.
Come and join us, we are always looking for new people to join our "Kettlebell Bootcamp Team" Call me 571.238.8111 or email hastingsj64@gmail.com
Anyway...enough talk about the weather. It's time to get to work. Another great day for training. I absolutely believe that there is no better time to train than first thing in the morning, with the sun rising up over the trees.
We started our morning with an easy jog and some rugby ball handling drills. We completed three laps around the parking lot, using a lateral pass, ball on the ground pick up, and an overhead backward pass. The combination of running and an eye/hand coordination drill helps warm-up the body and the mind. In between each lap we did a series of active and static stretches. This is a great way to elevate your body temperature and prep your body for more challenging work.
We continued our prep work by adding a series of three exercises for three rounds. The exercises emphasized core development.
Our first exercise was a sit and reach with a single KB, 10 reps with the KB in the left hand and 10 reps with the KB in the right hand. The second exercise we used was the Russian twist with the KB for 10 reps, across and back counted as one. The third exercise in the series was a different style push up for each round completed. First round we added diamond push-ups. During our second round we did serpentine push-ups. And finally our third round consisted of your basic shoulder width push-ups.
We continued are training session with the use of our resistance cables. We used four exercises for this portion of the workout. The first exercise we completed were two 30 yard power walks with the harness vest. This exercise will push your heart rate through the ceiling. The second exercise used was power pull throughs. This exercise is tremendous for working the hamstrings, glutes and low back. The third exercise focused on core and shoulder stability; placing the resistance cable handle in the left hand and extending the arm away from the body. We walked against the resistance for 20 yards, switched hands, and walked another 20 yards. The final exercise with the resistance cable was lateral rotations for 20 repetitions on each side.
We finished the work portion of our session with 8 timed work/rest intervals: 30 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest. We used four exercises for our Grand Finale: 1)fighting rope swings, 2)KB dead lift, 3)cable squat with high pull, and 4)KB push press. We went through each exercise twice for 8 total work sets.
Our cool down was a nice easy walk around the parking lot, combined with static stretching.
I can't think of a better way to start the day, can you? Let me know When you are ready to give it a try.
Come and join us, we are always looking for new people to join our "Kettlebell Bootcamp Team" Call me 571.238.8111 or email hastingsj64@gmail.com
Monday, April 5, 2010
"Awesome Day For Training Outside"
What a great morning for getting out in the fresh air and doing some kettlebell training.You do realize that summer is just around the corner? It is definitely time to lose those additional pounds you put on during the winter months. Below is a description of what we did this morning that will help get you started shedding the winter weight.
We started out our training session with a nice easy jog and some simple rugby ball handling drills. Our goal was to use the drills to elevate the body temperature and loosen up for a full body workout. We used two drills to accomplish our warm-up; a lateral pass and burst, and a ball on the ground, scoop, and burst drill.
After the warm-up, we used an active stretch to further prep ourselves for the main body of work. Exercises included:
1)walking ground sweeps for the hamstrings
2)reverse lunges with a reach for the back and hip flexors
3)active groin stretch for the groin and hip complex
4)lunge with a twist for hip low back complex
We also used the resistance bands to prep our shoulders and back.
After the warm-up we did some core work. Exercises used for this were:
1)supine toe touches
2)leg lowerings
3)Russian twists using a kettlebell for added intensity
Time to get to work. We started by using a tool that I haven't used for years and was happy to bring this piece of equipment back into the fold. The OPTUM S.P.S. is a Resistance cable system used for a large assortment of movement exercises in all planes of motion. The resistance is created by a cable running through a cam system and can be adjusted with a simple turn of a knob. Simple is always better for strength coaches, especially this strength coach.
The OPTUM system is simple and tremendously effective. We started by hooking the cable to a vest harness and we did a series of power walks of 30 yards. The emphasis was on developing the posterior chain - muscles used include hamstrings, glutes and low back. From the power walk, we moved to VMO pulls. This exercise emphasizes quad development and core stability. We finished our cable work with a set of walking pull-throughs, an exercise that also emphasizes hip extension and the development of the muscles of the posterior chain, as well as enhanced core stability.
Time for some kettlebell (KB) work. We started with 60 kettlebell swings which definitely elevates the heart rate. After a minute rest, we moved into a combination KB deadlift and shoulder press. The exercise is performed by holding onto two KBs. One kettlebell is held hanging between the legs and the other is positioned at the shoulder. The combination exercise is performed by deadlifting the KB and immediately shoulder pressing the other. We performed 15 repetitions with each arm press and deadlift combination. Proper form is essential for each and every exercise used during our sessions. We followed with an alternating single arm swing and walk for 20 steps, followed by 20 walking lunges using the KB for additional resistance.
We continued our work for the morning with fighting ropes. Three exercises were used, each performed for 30 second work intervals, followed by a 15 second rest period. The exercises used in this session were the grapplers throw, double handed swing with a jump emphasizing hip extension and an alternating single arm swing.
We then finished off with a cool-down and stretch.
If this sounds like a fun and interesting way to get into shape for the summer, give me a call. We can set up a training session just for you and your friends.
We started out our training session with a nice easy jog and some simple rugby ball handling drills. Our goal was to use the drills to elevate the body temperature and loosen up for a full body workout. We used two drills to accomplish our warm-up; a lateral pass and burst, and a ball on the ground, scoop, and burst drill.
After the warm-up, we used an active stretch to further prep ourselves for the main body of work. Exercises included:
1)walking ground sweeps for the hamstrings
2)reverse lunges with a reach for the back and hip flexors
3)active groin stretch for the groin and hip complex
4)lunge with a twist for hip low back complex
We also used the resistance bands to prep our shoulders and back.
After the warm-up we did some core work. Exercises used for this were:
1)supine toe touches
2)leg lowerings
3)Russian twists using a kettlebell for added intensity
Time to get to work. We started by using a tool that I haven't used for years and was happy to bring this piece of equipment back into the fold. The OPTUM S.P.S. is a Resistance cable system used for a large assortment of movement exercises in all planes of motion. The resistance is created by a cable running through a cam system and can be adjusted with a simple turn of a knob. Simple is always better for strength coaches, especially this strength coach.
The OPTUM system is simple and tremendously effective. We started by hooking the cable to a vest harness and we did a series of power walks of 30 yards. The emphasis was on developing the posterior chain - muscles used include hamstrings, glutes and low back. From the power walk, we moved to VMO pulls. This exercise emphasizes quad development and core stability. We finished our cable work with a set of walking pull-throughs, an exercise that also emphasizes hip extension and the development of the muscles of the posterior chain, as well as enhanced core stability.
Time for some kettlebell (KB) work. We started with 60 kettlebell swings which definitely elevates the heart rate. After a minute rest, we moved into a combination KB deadlift and shoulder press. The exercise is performed by holding onto two KBs. One kettlebell is held hanging between the legs and the other is positioned at the shoulder. The combination exercise is performed by deadlifting the KB and immediately shoulder pressing the other. We performed 15 repetitions with each arm press and deadlift combination. Proper form is essential for each and every exercise used during our sessions. We followed with an alternating single arm swing and walk for 20 steps, followed by 20 walking lunges using the KB for additional resistance.
We continued our work for the morning with fighting ropes. Three exercises were used, each performed for 30 second work intervals, followed by a 15 second rest period. The exercises used in this session were the grapplers throw, double handed swing with a jump emphasizing hip extension and an alternating single arm swing.
We then finished off with a cool-down and stretch.
If this sounds like a fun and interesting way to get into shape for the summer, give me a call. We can set up a training session just for you and your friends.
Friday, March 26, 2010
" Hammer Strength Clinic"
I'm looking forward to the Hammer Strength Clinic in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, but I'm not looking forward to the drive from Ashburn, Virginia up the 95 through Baltimore and Philadelphia on the eve of spring break.
The clinic will be held at Notre Dame High School, starting today the 26th of March and going through Saturday the 27th.
Hammer Strength does a great job of putting together very informative clinics. Speakers include Louie Simmons of WestSide Barbell, Allen Johnson, former Strength Coach for WVU and the Baltimore Orioles, Kieth Gray Associate Strength Coach of Georgia, Mike Brass Assistant Athletic Director of The Naval Academy, Lian Blyn owner of Athletic Based Trainng and finally CJ Stockel and John Mckenna two local High School Strength Coaches. The clinic should be full of valuable information.
I am especially excited to hear Louie Simmons speak about "Loading Principles and How to Apply Them" and "How to Increase Running Speed". I'll fill you in on the details of the clinic next week.
We will be starting a new week of "Kettlebell Bootcamp" bright and early Monday morning in Ashburn, would love to see you there. Call for location and times.
We would love to travel to your neighborhood and take you and your neighbors through your very own "Kettlebell Bootcamp". Call for more information, C3I Sports Performance 571.238.8111
The clinic will be held at Notre Dame High School, starting today the 26th of March and going through Saturday the 27th.
Hammer Strength does a great job of putting together very informative clinics. Speakers include Louie Simmons of WestSide Barbell, Allen Johnson, former Strength Coach for WVU and the Baltimore Orioles, Kieth Gray Associate Strength Coach of Georgia, Mike Brass Assistant Athletic Director of The Naval Academy, Lian Blyn owner of Athletic Based Trainng and finally CJ Stockel and John Mckenna two local High School Strength Coaches. The clinic should be full of valuable information.
I am especially excited to hear Louie Simmons speak about "Loading Principles and How to Apply Them" and "How to Increase Running Speed". I'll fill you in on the details of the clinic next week.
We will be starting a new week of "Kettlebell Bootcamp" bright and early Monday morning in Ashburn, would love to see you there. Call for location and times.
We would love to travel to your neighborhood and take you and your neighbors through your very own "Kettlebell Bootcamp". Call for more information, C3I Sports Performance 571.238.8111
Friday, March 19, 2010
"Kettlebell Bootcamp"
I am so exited, I can barely sleep at night. Bobby Crumpler, a fellow former strength coach of the Washington Redskins, and I are starting a "Kettlebell Bootcamp".
The camp will start this coming Tuesday, March 22, weather permitting.
The Bootcamp will be located outside, at the park on the corner of Ashburn Village Boulevard and Fincastle Drive, next to Ashburn Elementary School.
We will offer three classes, 5:30am, 6:40am and 7:50am.
I am inviting every single person: man, woman and child, no matter what your fitness level, to participate in this truly life transforming event. There is something magical about training outside in the fresh air, with a group of your soon to be best friends, at the crack of dawn. What a great way to start the day. The weather is starting to warm and there is no better time to melt off those excess winter pounds than the present.
Come and join our team!
If you can't attend for any reason, I will post the workouts daily, so you can follow along at home.
Call me for additional information
571.238.8111
The camp will start this coming Tuesday, March 22, weather permitting.
The Bootcamp will be located outside, at the park on the corner of Ashburn Village Boulevard and Fincastle Drive, next to Ashburn Elementary School.
We will offer three classes, 5:30am, 6:40am and 7:50am.
I am inviting every single person: man, woman and child, no matter what your fitness level, to participate in this truly life transforming event. There is something magical about training outside in the fresh air, with a group of your soon to be best friends, at the crack of dawn. What a great way to start the day. The weather is starting to warm and there is no better time to melt off those excess winter pounds than the present.
Come and join our team!
If you can't attend for any reason, I will post the workouts daily, so you can follow along at home.
Call me for additional information
571.238.8111
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
"Cross Fit"
Cross Fit was developed by Greg Glassman in 1996. In a gym in Santa Cruz, California, High Intensity Training, found in most Nautilus/Racquetball clubs in the late 70's early 80's, was reinvented and given a fresh new look in the form of Cross Fit. In 2005, there were 18 Cross Fit gyms. Cross Fit has now grown to 1500 gyms.
Cross Fit training involves choosing three to four random exercises: preferably multi-jointed, full body movements. The chosen exercises are completed in a giant circuit, with the weight used remaining consistent and all routines timed or given a time to be completed. The emphasis is on reducing the rest time between sets and completing the desired repetitions for each exercise prescribed.
Cross Fit is an excellent training protocol for military, fire, police, martial arts and anyone whose trying to enhance their work capacity. The training protocols force neurological and hormonal adaptations across all metabolic pathways. The only way to quantitatively show a positive training effect is to measure lactate threshold and VO2 max.
The criticism of Cross Fit is that the randomness of the exercise selection does not allow an athlete to periodize or positively progress work loads over time. These protocols make the athlete's performance variables virtually impossible to quantify.
Most Strength and Conditioning coaches are control freaks and need to be able to show absolute conditioning gains over time. The recorded numbers validate exercise prescription, not only for the coach, but for the athlete. I do agree that Cross Fit, in general, needs a better way to track progress of their clients. However, the concept is tremendous.
There is definitely a place for Cross Fit protocols. Whether you are a competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, you will benefit from these time-efficient training routines.
Give this Cross Fit routine a try:
One mile treadmill run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
one mile treadmill run
Time this routine from start to finish.
Under 50 minutes is excellent!
Cross Fit training involves choosing three to four random exercises: preferably multi-jointed, full body movements. The chosen exercises are completed in a giant circuit, with the weight used remaining consistent and all routines timed or given a time to be completed. The emphasis is on reducing the rest time between sets and completing the desired repetitions for each exercise prescribed.
Cross Fit is an excellent training protocol for military, fire, police, martial arts and anyone whose trying to enhance their work capacity. The training protocols force neurological and hormonal adaptations across all metabolic pathways. The only way to quantitatively show a positive training effect is to measure lactate threshold and VO2 max.
The criticism of Cross Fit is that the randomness of the exercise selection does not allow an athlete to periodize or positively progress work loads over time. These protocols make the athlete's performance variables virtually impossible to quantify.
Most Strength and Conditioning coaches are control freaks and need to be able to show absolute conditioning gains over time. The recorded numbers validate exercise prescription, not only for the coach, but for the athlete. I do agree that Cross Fit, in general, needs a better way to track progress of their clients. However, the concept is tremendous.
There is definitely a place for Cross Fit protocols. Whether you are a competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, you will benefit from these time-efficient training routines.
Give this Cross Fit routine a try:
One mile treadmill run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 squats
one mile treadmill run
Time this routine from start to finish.
Under 50 minutes is excellent!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
"WVU"
Alex and I had a great time in West Virginia attending the strength and conditioning clinic. It was also my son's first experience on a college campus, which made the trip even more enjoyable. We made it to Morgantown after a heroing trip through a snow hurricane in the mountains leading into Morgantown. Alex kept us focused on the the drive through the mountains by playing DJ in the truck, Lil' Wayne was the artist of choice. I love Lil'Wayne yea...Boeeee.. Once we made it to Morgantown, we drove through campus trying to get our bearings and find the field house where the clinic was to be held. The campus is beautifully laid out, with everything within walking distance from the dorms and student residences. The field house is located next to the football stadium, with an amazing indoor football field and a weight room that looks onto Mountaineer Stadium. What an awesome atmosphere for a young athlete to train and be apart of.
After finding the field house, we went to the basketball coliseum. Alex loves basketball and hopes to play college basketball some day. He and I were very impressed with the arena and the positive college atmosphere that is created by such an incredible facility. We both took pictures in the snow with the statue of Jerry West in front of the main entrance.
After leaving the coliseum, we found a great restaurant/bar that split the difference between the coliseum and the football stadium called the "Boston Beanery". The food and atmosphere were exceptional. If you were wondering, we both had the seafood bisque and a sandwich. It had been a long day up until this point, with the drive from Northern Virginia and the tour of the campus. We headed to the hotel and turned in for the night with great anticipation of the next day's strength clinic.
Mike Joseph and the strength staff put together a very organized and information-soaked clinic. Mike laid out the WVU strength and conditioning philosophy and their year-round program. Mike's program philosophy is based on strong communication with everyone involved in the training process. Communication is essential when teaching and emphasizing technique, work intensity, school pride, competition, mental toughness, and accountability. Mike does a great job of making communication a priority.
The strength program is filled with platform-based movements; Squat, clean, snatch, jerk, bench, and every variation of these movements imaginable are used to create WVU's championship program. You will never see any athlete standing idle during the strength and conditioning program. The emphasis is placed on tempo and work volume for each training session. They are not concerned with developing a world class snatch or squat, but more importantly developing productive football players. The greatest performance asset that we can develop in a player is the ability to recover in between intense bouts of work. Recovery time can only be enhanced by emphasizing tempo, coupled with a significant work volume. WVU does an excellent job of accomplishing this goal.
Mike gives his athletes daily feedback on their program performance. Three name placards are made for each player. Gold - Outstanding performance; Blue -Nothing more, nothing less then what is asked; Brown - Average... The color alone makes this placard self explanatory: poor performance and unacceptable. Every training session is evaluated by Mike and his staff and the appropriate colored placard is assigned to each player. The placards are displayed for all to see. I love this idea! Talk about developing great work habits. Let's face it, some athletes have no idea what it takes to work hard on a consistent basis. A simple idea like this helps to generate and build team pride, consistency, intensity, mental toughness, and most importantly, an accountability to the coaching staff, the system, and their teammates. No one wants to be the weak link!
Alex and I left Morgantown with a good understanding of WVU's strength and conditioning program. I highly recommend attending this clinic. Alex is already looking forward to attending next year.
After finding the field house, we went to the basketball coliseum. Alex loves basketball and hopes to play college basketball some day. He and I were very impressed with the arena and the positive college atmosphere that is created by such an incredible facility. We both took pictures in the snow with the statue of Jerry West in front of the main entrance.
After leaving the coliseum, we found a great restaurant/bar that split the difference between the coliseum and the football stadium called the "Boston Beanery". The food and atmosphere were exceptional. If you were wondering, we both had the seafood bisque and a sandwich. It had been a long day up until this point, with the drive from Northern Virginia and the tour of the campus. We headed to the hotel and turned in for the night with great anticipation of the next day's strength clinic.
Mike Joseph and the strength staff put together a very organized and information-soaked clinic. Mike laid out the WVU strength and conditioning philosophy and their year-round program. Mike's program philosophy is based on strong communication with everyone involved in the training process. Communication is essential when teaching and emphasizing technique, work intensity, school pride, competition, mental toughness, and accountability. Mike does a great job of making communication a priority.
The strength program is filled with platform-based movements; Squat, clean, snatch, jerk, bench, and every variation of these movements imaginable are used to create WVU's championship program. You will never see any athlete standing idle during the strength and conditioning program. The emphasis is placed on tempo and work volume for each training session. They are not concerned with developing a world class snatch or squat, but more importantly developing productive football players. The greatest performance asset that we can develop in a player is the ability to recover in between intense bouts of work. Recovery time can only be enhanced by emphasizing tempo, coupled with a significant work volume. WVU does an excellent job of accomplishing this goal.
Mike gives his athletes daily feedback on their program performance. Three name placards are made for each player. Gold - Outstanding performance; Blue -Nothing more, nothing less then what is asked; Brown - Average... The color alone makes this placard self explanatory: poor performance and unacceptable. Every training session is evaluated by Mike and his staff and the appropriate colored placard is assigned to each player. The placards are displayed for all to see. I love this idea! Talk about developing great work habits. Let's face it, some athletes have no idea what it takes to work hard on a consistent basis. A simple idea like this helps to generate and build team pride, consistency, intensity, mental toughness, and most importantly, an accountability to the coaching staff, the system, and their teammates. No one wants to be the weak link!
Alex and I left Morgantown with a good understanding of WVU's strength and conditioning program. I highly recommend attending this clinic. Alex is already looking forward to attending next year.
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