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
Friday, March 26, 2010
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.
Friday, February 26, 2010
"WVU Strength Clinic"
I can't wait for this day to get started! Alex and I are going to Morgantown, West Virginia, to attend the WVU Strength Clinic on Saturday, the 27th of February. My son, Alex, has always had an interest in strength and conditioning, and there is no better way to fuel that interest than to expose him to a top-notch university program. I am also looking forward to spending that quality father-son bonding time, that only a three and a half hour ride to Morgantown will allow.
This clinic is for all fitness and health professionals.
Where: Morgantown, West Virginia / WVU / Milan Puskar Stadium
When: February 27th, 2010 / 8:00am to 3:00pm
Speakers: Mike Joseph - Director of Strength and Conditioning
Mike Gittleson - Former Strength and Conditioning Coach for Michigan
Al Johnson - Former Director of Strength and Conditioning at WVU, Orioles
Corey Twine - Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at WVU
Nettie Freshour - Dietitian for the WVU Athletic Department
Contact number: 304.293.4459
This clinic is for all fitness and health professionals.
Where: Morgantown, West Virginia / WVU / Milan Puskar Stadium
When: February 27th, 2010 / 8:00am to 3:00pm
Speakers: Mike Joseph - Director of Strength and Conditioning
Mike Gittleson - Former Strength and Conditioning Coach for Michigan
Al Johnson - Former Director of Strength and Conditioning at WVU, Orioles
Corey Twine - Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at WVU
Nettie Freshour - Dietitian for the WVU Athletic Department
Contact number: 304.293.4459
Thursday, February 25, 2010
"Lower Body Strength / Power"
Deadlift: 10x 8x 8x 6x / 90 seconds rest between sets
Dumbbell hang clean to press: 5x 5x 5x 5x / 60 seconds rest between sets
Dumbbell step-ups: 8x 8x 8x / 60 seconds rest between sets
RDL: 10x 10x 10x / 70 seconds rest between sets
Core:
Reverse crunches: 75x
Toe touches: 75x
Russian twist: 75x
Dumbbell hang clean to press: 5x 5x 5x 5x / 60 seconds rest between sets
Dumbbell step-ups: 8x 8x 8x / 60 seconds rest between sets
RDL: 10x 10x 10x / 70 seconds rest between sets
Core:
Reverse crunches: 75x
Toe touches: 75x
Russian twist: 75x
"Bigler's Gym"
In addition to the high school weight room, Dave Rudy and I trained in some gyms that have left lasting memories with me. The first gym was Dave's basement.He had a York Barbell set with an adjustable weight bench. The bench had that narrow rack, so when you took the weight off the rack or reracked the weight, you never quite knew where to put your hands. There were plenty of smashed fingers between the two of us. This York Barbell weight set came with weighted shoes for doing leg extensions. Once we started to grow out of the beginner weight set, we would hang those weight shoes on the ends of the bar to squeeze every bit of weight out of that York set.
Everyone knows that the music selection has a lot to do with the success of your weight lifting program. Dave and I listened to three different eight tracks... Yes, I said eight tracks. Led Zeppelin, The Doobie Brothers and Van Halen were our music of choice.
Good times!
Even though all we did was bench and curls, those times training in Dave's basement, helped to solidify our strong interest in strength and conditioning. Eventually we grew out of that beginner weight set, and Dave and I started to train at "Bigler's Gym" in Millersville, PA. Sam Bigler was a student at Millersville University in the early 70's, where he earned four NCAA weightlifting championships. In 1976, he was a member of the USA Olympic Weightlifting Team. Sam placed tenth in the 182 pound class, with a combined snatch, clean and jerk, of 677 pounds. Not too shabby! Sam was inducted into the Millersville Hall of Fame in 1995.
Sam Bigler's gym was amazing. It was a turn of the century barn, located in Millersville. Every piece of Olympic weight lifting equipment that you could imagine was jammed into this incredible training facility. There were no frills, no windows, no air-conditioning, and no heat. I remember training there in the middle of winter, with the only heat coming from a small space heater in the center of this huge barn. When we came in from the outside, you just kept your jacket on and trained. What an incredible experience. When you became a member of Sam's Gym, he would give you the combination to the lock on the barn door. You could train there any time of the day or night.
These are great strength training memories.
Let me know about the weight rooms you trained in and the lasting memories that these gyms have left with you.
Everyone knows that the music selection has a lot to do with the success of your weight lifting program. Dave and I listened to three different eight tracks... Yes, I said eight tracks. Led Zeppelin, The Doobie Brothers and Van Halen were our music of choice.
Good times!
Even though all we did was bench and curls, those times training in Dave's basement, helped to solidify our strong interest in strength and conditioning. Eventually we grew out of that beginner weight set, and Dave and I started to train at "Bigler's Gym" in Millersville, PA. Sam Bigler was a student at Millersville University in the early 70's, where he earned four NCAA weightlifting championships. In 1976, he was a member of the USA Olympic Weightlifting Team. Sam placed tenth in the 182 pound class, with a combined snatch, clean and jerk, of 677 pounds. Not too shabby! Sam was inducted into the Millersville Hall of Fame in 1995.
Sam Bigler's gym was amazing. It was a turn of the century barn, located in Millersville. Every piece of Olympic weight lifting equipment that you could imagine was jammed into this incredible training facility. There were no frills, no windows, no air-conditioning, and no heat. I remember training there in the middle of winter, with the only heat coming from a small space heater in the center of this huge barn. When we came in from the outside, you just kept your jacket on and trained. What an incredible experience. When you became a member of Sam's Gym, he would give you the combination to the lock on the barn door. You could train there any time of the day or night.
These are great strength training memories.
Let me know about the weight rooms you trained in and the lasting memories that these gyms have left with you.
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