Why the A-Skip Progression Should be the Pillar of Your Speed Program (Pt2)

Last week we discussed the introductory phases of the A-skip progression (ASP): A-March w/ pause, and the Suave A-March. These are truly the beginnings of the ASP, and more often than not, the athlete will be able to handle more difficult movements. Remember, the true purpose of the ASP is to be used as a warm-up modality. Before we can use this drill efficiently as a warm up, it is a teaching drill. 

Once demonstrating movement competency, we can add some intent to the movement, “A-Skip Reflex.” If the athlete can demonstrate the movement in a slow controlled manner, we must teach them to complete it with speed. The athlete rapidly flexes the hip, once reaching the top of the movement, they immediately extend the hip and knee to the ground, producing an audible “pop'' with their foot when contacting the ground. This may be challenging for those who lack strength and power, especially when attempting for the first time. To make the drill simpler, install a pause at the top of the movement, followed by rapid hip extension. Since we are still walking between reps, and this level is not a physically exhausting drill, and we can allow 15-30 yards of continual practice. We are now trying to improve the stretch-reflex ability of muscle contraction. In order to be fast, one side of the joint must contract, while the antagonist muscle group relaxes. This only occurs with movement mastery, strength, and power. 

After completion of A-Skip Reflex, we can now add our skipping rhythm. I like to use “pogos/bunny hops/mini hops...etc,” in order to expose the athlete to the skip rhythm before adding the A-March to the drill. “Individual A-Skip” is the combination of the A-March and pogos. Using one leg at a time, the athlete begins to skip, and every few skips the athlete rapidly flexes, and extends the lower limb. Each round, I will emphasize one leg. Eventually we will alternate between the limbs as another form of progression before moving to the next phase. 

We will end this week's discussion at “A-Skip Continuous.” Maintaining a skipping rhythm, there are no bounces between hip flexion actions. Every skip requires the athlete to flex and extend the lower limb in rapid succession. This is a more physically demanding drill, and in the beginning, distance between bouts should be kept short to ensure the highest quality of reps. 

Thank you for your time! If you have any questions, or want to give this progression a try in our facility, please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Why the A-Skip Progression Should be a Pillar of Your Speed Program (Pt 1)

The A-skip progression (ASP) is a tool that helps to develop proper sprinting posture, quality joint stiffness, and joint kinematics required for high level sprinting. Athletes of every level are taught the progression, and depending on their level of development, it is either used as a warm up tool, or a teaching tool. This is an extremely valuable drill for performance coaches. This drill has a high return on investment, and multiple skill levels of athletes can work simultaneously, while being on their own progression level. This makes the ASP a staple of our  speed program. 

It does not take a genius to recognize that if we struggle with an activity at half speed, there is a small chance that we will be able to perform the same activity at full speed with any level of coordination. In performance training, we take the same approach to teaching new drills to our athletes. We move from slow controlled movements, with long isometrics in key positions before advancing to dynamic movements that require a high level of coordination. The ASP is no different

In the very beginning, we start with an in-place iso A-March. This level requires the athlete to get into a “90/90” position which means 90° of hip and knee flexion. The down leg is straight, and if we are cueing arm mechanics as well, the opposite shoulder of the down leg is extended with the same side shoulder flexed. This level allows a coach to correct form while simultaneously giving the athlete time in the new position. If an athlete is struggling to stay balanced, and shows no sign of improvement, do not rush to progress. Give them more time in the position and combine some corrective exercises that target the same working muscle groups/movements to help hammer home the drill. 

After mastery of the in-place iso A-March, we can now begin to move forward. A-March w/ pause now requires the athlete to repeat the same movement for a predetermined distance. I suggest giving the athlete a few steps in between each rep to give them time to think about the movement. If the athlete demonstrates movement competence, we can advance the movement by having the athlete perform the A-March on every step. Either way, there is a brief pause at the top of the movement that clearly separates the up from the down. Another key variable is making sure the athlete strikes the ground directly under their center of mass. High level sprinting requires proper ground contact, and to help ensure this, we ask our athletes to do the same at walking speed. 

The third progression of the ASP is coined Suave A-March. The only difference being there is no pause at the top of the movement. The athlete must perform the A-March in a successive movement rhythm while maintaining quality technique. Again, start by giving the athlete a few steps in between each repetition. As they show progress we can then advance to “every step is a rep.”

We will continue the ASP next week. Just like our athletes, we have to take new information one step at a time ;) ! Once we cover the ASP in totality, we can then discuss why, when, how, etc. Stay tuned!

Thank you for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Velocity Based Training or Percentage Based Training?

There are various ways to prescribe training intensity and volume. Who, what, where, when, why, and how are often debated. At the end of the day, what is going to work best for you and your athletes?  

Force and velocity have an inverse relationship. As force increases, velocity decreases. So, the heavier the load, the slower the speed and the emphasis of the session is strength dominant. If your goal is speed, the load will be lighter, and the bar will move faster. These are the two ends of the force velocity curve. Whether we realize it or not, when we train power athletes, we are attempting to shift this curve up the graph. If we are able to do this, we can now move the same load at a faster velocity. This happens with essentially any form of training, especially those just starting out. The real question lies in which method will produce better results?

Velocity based training alters the intensity of training on a rep to rep basisis. Typically we are measuring the velocity of the bar during concentric contraction. How fast can you move the bar at a given load? Based on the speed of the bar, and the goal of the session, the load is altered to match the emphasis of the session. Each velocity is associated with a different training outcome. Different people have different parameters for each outcome i.e. max strength, strength speed (power high load), or power. In my opinion, if you believe 0.8m/s is associated with power high load, and the goal of the session is to improve power high load, then you better be at 0.8m/s.

Percentage based training dictates intensity based on some form of concentric failure test. Most commonly, they are based around a 1 rep max test. The athlete attempts to lift as much weight as possible for one repetition. We are then able to work at submaximal loads based around this test. With each submaximal load, there is an associated rep scheme that gives the athlete an idea of how many repetitions they should be able to complete. The more reps you can do, the further you are from your potential 1 rep max.

Some would consider volume and intensity the most important factors when prescribing a training protocol. What can affect the completion of the prescribed training is the fatigue level of the athlete. Velocity based training essentially accounts for rep to rep changes in the athlete’s preparedness level by measuring each rep’s speed. For example, if an athlete is attempting to move a load at .8 m/s, and the first set they are able to do this. As the session proceeds, their ability to move at .8 m/s is hindered by fatigue, and they are no longer able to move the same load at that velocity. In order to maintain a bar speed of .8 m/s, we must decrease the load. This can be time consuming, and other variables just as rest, and weight room flow can be effected. If you are prescribing loads based on percentages, you are neglecting the athlete’s current readiness level. So, what may be 80% today, may be 82% tomorrow. While this may seem like a minor detail, but neglecting this few pounds over an extended period time could result in over training.

Velocity based training has shown to better enhance training outcomes such as max strength, and power. This is accomplished by recieving immediate feedback on rep performance. With this feedback mechanism we are able to more accurately prescribe loads for athletes to accomplish training outcomes while decreasing the possibility of over training. However, there is no one solution, or best answer when it comes to training. Velocity based training is great, and performance has been shown to increase when prescribed accurately, but let’s not take away from the credibility of percentage based training. This method of load prescription has been around for a long time, it is heavily researched, and is still extremely prevalent in today’s weight rooms. More so, if an athlete lacks the understanding of maximal intent, velocity based training will be compromised. Without max intent, bar speed numbers are unreliable, and the training outcome will be negatively effected. 

Why Should an Athlete use Supplements?

In the world of sports performance, and recreational athletics, supplements are advertised as magic powders that can enhance your strength gains, make you faster, and help you recover. When an athlete comes to me and asks “what supplements should I be taking?” My initial response is “why?” Why should a high school kid or even a professional athlete consider supplementation? What does their current diet look like? What is their activity level? Often times, when someone thinks they need a supplement, it is because they are missing a piece of their health puzzle.

We must look at the hierarchy of sports nutrition. First and foremost, is the athlete consuming the right amount of calories to accomplish their performance goals? HIgh school athletes that participate in power sports need to gain weight or sustain the weight they are at. This is not always the case of course, but athletic teenagers are energy burning machines. Without proper calorie consumption, the recovery process from training is often slowed, and the adaptation that takes place is slowed as well. Figure out how many calories you burn on a daily basis, monitor heavy and light activity days, and count the amount of calories consumed on those days. This will give you a good idea of why you weigh what you do. 

Once we have established that the athlete is meeting their calorie needs, we then have to ensure they are getting the proper ratio of macronutrients. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are all required in a healthy diet. Where athletes should be getting their calories will depend on their lifestyle requirements. An endurance runner will either require carbohydrates, or fats as their primary fuel for competition, while the power athlete will hardly ever tap into their fat reserves during competition. Protein has multiple uses in the body, and people often know that protein intake aids in muscle development. How much of each source is macronutrient is dependent on sport and diet. 

Where the calories and macronutrients are coming from can be addressed next. If the athlete has special dietary considerations like: allergies, vegetarian, carnivore, etc. These cases will often times require supplementation of missing micronutrients. Taste is another big variable in determining where the nutrients are coming from. If the athlete does not like it, they are less likely to buck up, and eat it. 

After considering the where and how, we can now consider the timing nutrient consumption. It has been researched, and generally accepted that there is a time sensitive window after training where our bodies are more nutrient accepting. So, after workouts people will have a protein shake. Some say if you ingest protein during the workout, to protect the muscle. Others will ingest carbohydrates and electrolytes during a workout to prevent fatigue. Pre-workout supplements are also popular as an “energy booster” before training. At the end of the day, timing should be considered if everything else listed above is squared away. 

If all these boxes have been checked, we can finally consider the possibility of supplements. If the athlete is missing any key macro and/or micronutrients, supplements are a great way to supply the body with the missing pieces. If an athlete needs an extra edge in training to attain the last percentage of a lift before fatigue, pre-workout and intra-workout supplements can be the answer.  Ensure that the supplement is 3rd party tested. The National Science Foundation is the gold standard for 3rd party testing. If the supplement as their approval, you know that what bottle says is in their, is actually in their. 

Supplements can be great for enhancing training adaptation and preventing fatigue. However, when someone asks if they should use supplements, there is often a reason why. Not all supplements are bad, and they should not be scoffed at without knowing the facts. They are a viable answer to real problems that may have arisen from special dietary and/or training considerations. 

Thank you for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

The 7 Laws of Strength Training (according to Dr. Tudor Bompa

What separates performance coaches from everyday personal trainers is our ability to develop and appropriately modify a program for athletes. With each athlete that walks in the door, there is a new set of problems that require a completely new set of solutions. There is no “cookie cutter” solution book that will apply to every athlete. There are “laws” of training we must follow, but how these laws are enacted will differ from person to person. 

Develop Joint Mobility: 

Having good joint mobility will help prevent pain and injury down the road. When someone lacks a range of motion at a joint, the body will compensate in some form or fashion to ensure the completion of the movement. Over time, this compensation pattern will lead to muscular imbalances and higher risk of injury. As a species, humans have the same joint set up across the kinetic chain, (ankle, knee, hip, etc). How well we are able to utilize each joint’s movement is different from person to person. Lifestyle demands of an individual will determine how well these joints operate. Knowing this alone, we can not assume the same tool will solve everyone’s problem. In the world of sports performance, the demands of a sport, and the demands of a position within that sport will dramatically alter the training for the athlete. A program we use for a pitcher will differ from that of a wide receiver. 

Develop Ligament and Tendon Strength: 

Often overlooked due to lack of aesthetic qualities associated with healthy ligaments and joints, the importance of having a strong joint capsule is crucial to successful performance. A ligament is a form of connective tissue running from bone to bone, and it helps maintain the integrity of the joint. The tendon has a similar role, but the tendon connects bone to muscle, and aides in force distribution. The majority of injuries do not occur at the muscle belly, but rather at the myotendinous junction. Without a proper training protocol, tendons and ligaments may be inadequately prepared to handle the forces being transmitted through them. Exposing the body to ever increasing stress levels, while allowing enough recovery between bouts of stress will increase the connective tissue’s ability to handle more and more stress. 

Develop Core Strength: 

In this blog, I will define the core as trunk musculature. The trunk not only houses the vital organs of a human, the muscles associated with trunk are supposed to provide a stable surface for the limbs to operate on. Looking at a squat, our hip and leg musculature may be able to handle to perform a 500lb squat, but if our trunk is not up to the task, the lift will surely fail. A less extreme example would be someone’s posture. “Poor posture” will lead to muscular imbalances that prevent efficient human movements like walking, thoracic rotation, trunk flexion and extension amongst many others. When the core is weak/ imbalanced, it negatively affects the performance of other movements. 

Develop the Stabilizers:  

Stabilizers aide in movement ability by stabilizing the active joint will a gesture is being performed. Isometric contractions at the joint prevent joint separation. If a joint lacks stabilizer strength, the prime movers of the joint must now act as stabilizing muscles which in turn take away from performance. Unilateral training, and unstable surface training are different modalities utilized to enhance joint stabilization. In the world of athletic performance, we must be careful not to spend too much time emphasising joint stabilization, since the co-contraction of muscles from each side of the joint can take away from strength and power production.

Do not isolate joints

If your goal is to be better at your sport, and that sport is anything besides bodybuilding, you must develop the entirety of the kinetic chain. There is a time and a place for isolated joint exercises like a knee curl, or hip flexion, do not get me wrong. But, when we isolate muscles, we take away from the body’s ability to coordinate movements. In sports, there are literally a million different body alignments the athlete can be exposed to. While we cannot pre-expose our athletes to all of them, we can enhance inter-muscle synchronization and develop strength in these positions to help enhance performance and prevent injury. 

Focus on the Needs of the Athlete

At the beginning of this blog I said each athlete will have a new set of problems requiring a new set of solutions, and this is true. However, this does not mean we need to reinvent the wheel for each individual. People who play the same sport, or have a similar lifestyle will require a lot of the same training. Variables such as frequency, exercise type, intensity, and volume are often what is changed. There is yet to be discovered a magic exercise tool that will make someone faster and stronger. What people actually require is appropriate exposure to increasing stressors with appropriate rest periods to ensure adaptation. No vibrating belt, or ankle bands will make you lose fat and get faster. Eating right, being consistent in the gym, and a well throughout program will improve your performance. 

Plan for the Long Haul

Too often do I see kids wanting to throw their hardest at 16 years old, or run their fastest as a middle schooler. There is a way to get the most out of the body at each stage of development, but it is often done at a price. Premature exposure to advanced training techniques will often to a short playing career. When exposing a developing body to advanced training methods, you will not get the same amount of adaptation if you were to wait until the athlete was more mature. The stress is often mismanaged, and overtraining ensues. 

Performance specialists are a different breed of coaches. When someone stays up to date on the latest research, can apply the knowledge gained from text and past experience, keep the athlete safe and peak at the right time, the only possible outcome is success. Applying outdated training practices to every client that walks through the door will lead to lack of training adaptation, frustration, and eventually cessation of training. 

Thank you for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Cold Weather Performance Training

Being a coach from Florida, training in the cold is a new challenge I will be undertaking during the winter season. While Total Performance is an indoor facility with no real outdoor training ground, getting our athletes outside during speed sessions is something we like to do. Some of our athletes have experienced this first hand, and when we make the decision to train in cold weather, some alterations to the training must be made. 

At TP, our speed sessions only last 30 minutes, give or take. This includes a warm up and taking care of the intricacies of sprint mechanics inside the facility, and then head outdoors for the remainder of session (10-15 minutes). Again, as long as it’s not wet, the weather does not really affect us. However, for the sake of discussion, we will break down a full hour of speed training. There are multiple physiological responses to cold weather. Optimizing your body’s responses to cold weather can mitigate the negative effects of cold weather training, maintaining body temperature is priority number one. This is done by proper layering of outdoor gear, and the amount of heat generated through physical activity. 

The primary tissue responsible for heat production is muscle. As the muscle contracts, energy is lost as heat. The amount of heat produced by the muscle is affected by the intensity of the session. During our speed development sessions, we perform short bursts of highly intense work, followed by rest periods. While in normal weather conditions, sweat is wicked away, blood flow to working muscle remains consistent, and resting muscle tone is normal-ish. In the cold, however, the blood vessels constrict thus shunting blood flow, which helps maintain core body temperature. This means overall work capacity of the local muscles decrease, and the workload must be adjusted accordingly. This constriction of blood vessels also increases blood pressure, and decrease heart rate response to activity. Finally, muscle tone increases (your muscles resting length is shortened). This aides in heat production, but range of motion (ROM), speed of movement, and force production can be negatively affected. 

To optimize cold weather training, variables such as: duration, intensity, rest intervals, clothing and exercise selections must be carefully considered. Training too long in a cold environment can have an adverse effect on training adaptations. Intensity and rest intervals essentially dictate the duration of the session. An hour speed session can easily turn into a 30-45 minute session depending on the goal of the session. If we aiming to attain maximum speed, the session will be kept short since our body’s ability to produce power is already blunted. The rest intervals can be tricky, while I have not seen a “cold weather” work to rest scale; I do know that instead of waiting for the next rep, the rest period will contain more low intensity movements. A jog back for recovery, or in place lunges are a few examples of low intensity movements to help maintain blood flow. Clothing must be carefully selected, and more is not always the answer. Most athletes are recommended to wear 3 layers. The first layer should be used to wick sweat away from the body. The second layer acts as insulation to keep warmth in. The outside layer should be waterproof to prevent the body from getting wet. 

Also, energy expenditure increases from shivering, core body temperature maintenance, and added weight from clothing. Ensure that you are properly nourished, and well hydrated to adjust for the increase in energy expenditure. 

Training in the cold is not optimal. You will not get the most out of session, especially if you are unprepared. If competition takes place in cold weather, it would be appropriate to expose athletes to the elements. However, this can often be done through sports practice. Exposing the athlete to environmental extremes does not improve the athlete’s ability to perform in these extremes. Having a healthy diet for performance and being hydrated will improves the body’s ability to perform in extreme climate. If at all possible, train in a normal climate and get the most out of the session. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

How TP utilizes Aerobic Conditioning to Improve Strength and Power

Thinking back to the summer, and our discussion with energy systems, I want to discuss aerobic conditioning’s role at Total Performance to improve strength and power. 

If we remember, the aerobic (oxidative) energy system is involved with lower relative intensity work levels, we are working for a longer period of time, and it plays a huge role in restoring energy substrates to the muscle to allow for work to be accomplished. There are different levels of intensities we can work at in this energy system (long slow distance, pace, interval, and high intensity intervals (HIIT)) and for most people outside of professional athletes and clinical settings we track this intensity with our heart rate (BPM). Higher BPM equals more intense work levels, lower BPM is less intense. A person’s heart rate is correlated with other physiological responses to work such as volume of oxygen consumed (VO2) that help determine intensity. The intensity of training is a crucial variable that must be tracked to ensure we are getting done what we need to get done. 

At Total Performance, the vast majority of our athletes participate in “power” dominated sports such as baseball, and football. Being an elite endurance athlete is not a requirement of these sports. When we condition these athletes, we want to make sure that we do not take away from strength and power development in the weight-room. By tracking an athletes BPM, and asking “how hard is this?” we are able to determine if our conditioning prescription is appropriate. 

What is appropriate? Why is there a negative connotation with intense conditioning bouts for these athletes?  Well, what are trying to avoid is burning the candle from both ends. The high school athlete does not have the training age, or biological maturity to withstand an intense strength training session and an intense conditioning session. Our goal with these athletes is to: improve movement capabilities, develop strength, improve sprint velocity, and develop overall athleticism. Anaerobic and aerobic conditioning is important, however these athletes will get sport conditioning from playing their sport! Too much conditioning well take away from these adaptations, resulting in blunted sprint velocity,  strength gains, and potentially over-training syndrome. 

Taking novice athletes from “0” and exposing them to strength training will automatically improve work capacity without the need for strict conditioning regimens, this is easy to train, and track. Once we have a foundation of work capacity, we can now spend more time sprinting, and lifting to achieve our goals of movement, strength and speed. Increasing the volume of training will continue to develop these qualities with minimal need for conditioning! However, as we continue to develop our athletes, there comes a point where we need to improve the athletes recovery ability. We can do this via training the oxidative energy system. When we improve the oxidative system, we improve the cardiovascular system. The biggest enhancement with improved cardiovascular function in regards to strength training is increased oxygen delivery to the working muscles. When oxygen delivery is enhanced, the athlete’s ability to recover improves not only within the training session, but after training as well. This allows for a greater volume of training to take place. What use to fatigue the athlete, is now barely affects the athlete and the training stimulus can increase. 

Up to this point, the best way I’ve seen to improve recovery while strength training is low intensity aerobic conditioning. Elevating the heart rate to 50-65% of their estimated max, 10-20 minutes. High intensity interval training elevating the heart rate to 90-100% of their estimated max for 5-15 seconds and resting for 90-120 seconds will also improve an athlete's work capacity and recovery ability. While we may not be working in the oxidative zone, we are improving the athlete’s ability to recover from intense bouts of movement. Working at these two ends of the spectrum improves cardiovascular function without negatively affecting strength and power gains. How often we use these forms of conditioning is dependent on what phase of training we are in. Further away from the season means more time in the low intensity zone, and as we move closer to season we ramp up intensity to match sport requirements. In season conditioning will shift back to low intensity work to ensure preparedness for competition. 

If your goal is to be powerful; long duration, highly intense conditioning prescriptions will burn out the athlete and take away from power development. Low intensity aerobic conditioning mixed with HIIT will attenuate recovery and improve overall work capacity without negatively affecting weight-room goals. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Why Stretching Before Training is the Devil

There is a common misconception about the utilization of static stretching as a way to prepare the body for activity. I say misconception, because like most of the tools used in fitness and performance, they are being used the wrong way. Don’t get me wrong, stretching can be beneficial fitness and performance development, but variables such as: when, how long, and intensity all need to be considered before touching your toes in preparation for sprints

When we stretch, we are temporarily changing the resting muscle length. Your body has adapted to your lifestyle, and we have to be extremely cautious when making acute alterations  to your body prior to intense activity. We all have our own unique range of motion (ROM) in each joint. Attempting to move an external load throughout this ROM, we are able to complete this without injury. When we “open up” in an attempt to increase the ROM at the target joint, this new joint angle is not as strong as the original ROM. This is the biggest problem with static stretching before strength training in my opinion. We are making the body essentially adapt on the fly to this new found motion, and we are throwing on weight with no regard to safety. This completely contradicts the claim that static stretching prevents injury. As a matter of fact, in some ways it may increase the chance of injury! And, performance of exercise can also be hindered by long duration static stretching prior to exercise via ill advised alteration of muscle length. 

Now, before we say that “Coach Nate doesn’t stretch, because it’s the devil…” everyone relax. Static stretching definitely has its place in my program, and I use it often with my athletes. Like I said previously, when we consider the variables of: when, how long, and intensity, we can easily and accurately prescribe static stretching. Personally, I stretch 2-3x/ week for roughly 8 minutes. I cover all major muscle groups, and some more than others. These sessions either take place on my “recovery day” or after an intense session to help return the muscles to their resting length and facilitate recovery. The one variable that is consistent for myself and my athletes is that stretching occurs after the session is over! If the goal of a warm-up is to elevate performance, the dynamic warm-up is the gold standard. Inducing thermogenesis, elevate heart rate to anticipated work level, lubricate the joints, prime the central nervous system, amongst other things are all accomplished with the proper dynamic warm-up. 

Flexibility is one thing, what I am more concerned with is can we be strong throughout your ROM, not just get into the position.

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Common Misconceptions of Maximum Velocity Training: Field Athletes Don't need to Train Max Velocity

In the world of sprint training, each athlete’s needs are going to be unique to their position in their sport. For awhile, there was a misconception that field athletes (i.e lacrosse, baseball, soccer) did not have to train for maximum velocity sprinting. Coaches cited that these athletes “never had the time to reach top speed” and that “track athletes required 50-60 m of sprinting to hit top speed.” I am here to tell you that training a 100m sprinter is totally different than training for a field sport. 

When someone is training for the 100m dash, one big pillar of that race is who can fatigue the slowest. Once top velocity is achieved, it’s a race to maintain that velocity! Sprinters who achieve max velocity early in the race are continually out performed by those who hit top velocity later in the race. According to World Open Indoor Track & Field Records, top sprinters have completed 50-60m races faster than their 50-60m split in a 100m race. The mindset behind these two races are different, and while sprinters are not running “submaximally” until the 50-60m mark, they take a longer time to achieve max velocity to prevent premature fatigue. 

Field athletes often sprint for 20-30m, much shorter than their track athlete counterpart. If we apply the same mindset of attaining max velocity in a shorter period of time, they have no need to fight off fatigue in a long distance run, and they are encouraged to reach peak ability in a shorter distance. Another difference between the two categories of athletes is starting position. 100m sprinters start from a 4 stance out of blocks, while the field athlete is often starting their sprint from a rolling position (walking, jogging) allowing them to reach top velocity in a shorter distance. 

When training the field athlete to improve sprint ability, neglecting to prescribe max velocity training is a flawed prescription. Field athletes are able to attain 95%+ of their top velocity in 20-30m runs. If their body is not exposed to those speeds, or trained to improve their top speed ability, you are not getting the most out of your athlete. Clark et al. looked at the NFL’s 40 yard dash times during the combine. The goal of these observations was to determine how important max velocity ability was during the 40 yard dash. What they discovered was max velocity is extremely important! The majority of all position athletes had similar acceleration ability. In the first 10-20yds, the majority of athletes achieved at least 75% of their top speed. What separates the fast from the slow was their top-end speed. The faster times were completed by the athletes with a higher maximum velocity. 

All phases of sprinting are crucial for improving speed. The ability to accelerate, improve top-end speed, and maintain it are all a must for athletes. The difference lies in the requirement of the sport. What does their starting stance look like? When do they need to hit top-speed? How long do they need to maintain that speed? These questions will answer what your speed development training should look like.

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Total Performance Screening Process

One of the variables of program design is current athlete ability. How well do they move? Are there any asymmetries between the two sides of the body? How high do they jump… how fast do they run… these are some of the questions we attempt to answer before putting an athlete through any workout regimen. We have created a systemized screening tool that is in no way nationally accredited or certified. But, for our situation, we feel it is the best and most accurate method (at this time) to determine current athletic ability with new clients. 

General Questionnaire: 

This is the first portion of our screening process. This is our chance to get to know the athlete in more ways than one. After the basic screening questions like health history, injury history, current height and weight, and past training history, we like to establish the “why” behind their training. “What brings you to TP today?” Not only does this show the athlete we care, but we use it is a reference point for those who stick around for the long haul. We often lose sight of goals through the mundane routine that can be life. Referencing goals set from the beginning gives the athlete and coach a chance to refocus. 

Functional Movement Screening (FMS)

The FMS is a screening tool used to determine musculoskeletal dysfunction for someone who currently isn’t showing symptoms of dysfunction. The FMS claims to be a predictor of injury, however studies have had mixed results showing the test’s ability to do just that. We use 6 of the current 7 screening methods as a way to test for asymmetries, motor control, and mobility. We do not use the FMS to predict injury. It is a systematized way to set a benchmark of movement ability that we can refer back to, and see if our programming cleaned up the movements. Also, inability to complete certain movements without asymmetry between limbs or pain will determine what exercises go into their program. For example, an athlete that scores poorly on the “Straight Leg Raise” will not be allowed to complete loaded hinge patterns like the RDL. We will prescribe corrective exercises to help the movement, and as they progress through the correctives, they will then be exposed to the RDL. 

Basic Human Movement Ability

Beyond the FMS, we like to get our athletes moving in space. How well do they before basic human movements like the: squat, hip hinge, horizontally press/ pull, vertically press/pull, rotate, laterally bend, and trunk strength. These movements require multiple joints to work in unison to complete the movement. If there is a lack of motor pattern ability, muscular “tightness,” or force leaks, we will be able to more accurately prescribe exercises that target these areas of dysfunction.

Performance Testing

This is the last portion of the screening process. The previous activities acted as a minor warm up for these upcoming tests. Due to the nature of performance testing, we also require our athletes to complete a modified dynamic warm up for athlete safety. Tests include: counter movement jump, static squat jump, broad jump, 10 yard sprint, and the 5-10-5 drill. The size of our facility limits our ability to measure speed outside of acceleration ability. Gaining mass while jumping higher and longer, and running faster  often times tells us that we are doing our job with our athletes. 

In the Future

After collecting data from these screens, and testing the results of our programs we will be able to make these tests more appropriate to our population of athletes. Including things like body composition, 40 yard dash times, possibly a force plate :) will allow us to increase the individualization of athlete programs. This in turn will produce greater results in the gym that will transfer to their sport. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Exercise Selection

One of the biggest variables in the world of strength training is... exercise selection. There are many thoughts that go into choosing what movements are going to be completed during the session, mesocyle, and macrocycle. I think what a lot of people get caught up in when choosing exercises is that the exercise they chose is the “end all be all.” For example, if someone wants to jump higher, or run faster they HAVE to barbell back squat. This simply isn’t the case. Some of the biggest variables not discussed in this post are: access to equipment, coach to player ratio, total training time, and training philosophy. I am not married to the idea of any exercise being a must have in a program. I have my favorites, and even some of those are different compared to what I use for my athletes.

Each individual is going to require a similar, but different set of guidelines when prescribing exercises. Whenever a new athlete walks through the door, we run them through a series of movement screens, and performance tests to help us determine where the athlete currently stands physically. These tests also give us an idea of what type of exercises the athlete CAN complete on day 1. If the athlete’s movement pattern shows any contraindication (pain) or an inability to complete the movement, my next idea isn’t “lets load it up because we have to squat today.” I am going to find another way to work the same muscle groups in a similar pattern to build towards the ability to complete a back squat. There is no “one” exercise that will solve all your problems, or elevate you to the next level. Exercises are the tools we use to get the body prepared for the rigors of the season ahead, and allow the athlete to practice their craft more often. 

Lifestyle and demands of the sport are two more variables that must be considered when creating a training regimen. These are also movement dominated! If you are a non-athlete and live a life pattern that goes like from car, to computer, to car, to couch, to bed… the exercise selection for you is going to look completely different compared to a swimmer’s exercise selection. Many people get hurt, and/or discouraged when they start training again, because they train like they are back in high school getting ready for the Friday night game. The priorities for someone living the aforementioned lifestyle is to correct posture, move efficiently, and build some work capacity. The demands of an athlete are greater than general fitness, they must prepare for competition. Athletes may start from the same point as non-athletes as far as correcting movement, and building capacity, but the movements are aiming toward improving sport performance and preventing injury. What exercises do this?? 

Being in the private sector, I have a limited amount of time with my athletes. Some of my guys only activities are when they come to me, and others whose only down time is when they go to bed… and they are in the same session! Once we get over the HUGE hurdle that is “ability” how do I control a weight room of 15 kids coming from 15 different days before they get to me? I must program exercise variations that cater to the lowest dominator, and the most advanced guy in the room. For example, if the primary movement of the day is the hip hinge, there needs to be a progression-regression list of exercises to work the same exercise group at varying rates of difficulty rather than just altering load. Everything from a supine hip thrust, to a banded RDL should be up for consideration (and that’s just the strength training component). 

At the end of the day, the body likes to move. How we make it move is up to us. Whenever there is an imbalance, there is a likelihood for pain with simple tasks like walking or sitting. Correcting these imbalances with the correct exercise prescription can change a person’s life. Athletics demand the body to be really good at predicted and unpredicted movement. Preparing and improving movement will improve sports performance. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Why do it on Two, When you can do it on One

A hot topic of discussion between us strength coaches is the benefits of unilateral and bilateral training. For years now, and we have been taught “if we can’t do it on two, we shouldn’t be doing it on one!” There is merit to this, no doubt. What your body does to accommodate loading on one leg is a totally different neural pattern compared to two legs, and it will lead to different training adaptations. Bilateral exercises such as the squat, deadlift, and RDL have been proven to be useful exercises to improve strength and power that transfers to on field performance. Unless you participate in a bar sport like powerlifting, you may not be getting as much out of these lifts as you think.  

We are asymmetrical creatures, we are never going to perfect balanced no matter how hard we to strive to attain symmetry. When you play an asymmetrical sports such as baseball, the asymmetries are further attenuated. While your body adapts to these asymmetries, the possibility of injury tends to increase. While a lot of movements in the weight-room are performed on two limbs, athletes can hide asymmetries in these bilateral movements. Over time something will give on the field or in the weight-room that causes an injury. In unilateral movements, hiding compensation patterns is almost impossible! It can actually highlights the flaws in the system. While we may never be symmetrical (maybe we aren’t supposed to be) if I can close the gap between left and right, the total system benefits. 

The majority of athletic activity takes place on one leg. Running, cutting, jumping all take place on one leg; the amount of time spent on two limbs is not as often as your would think. The body relies on each individual limb to produce force to propel the body forward; while the opposite leg prepares for ground contact. Bilateral movements like the squat train the appropriate muscle groups required to improve performance, however it is not a movement athletes often experience on the field. A big counter argument is that you are stronger/ more powerful on two legs compared to one, and this is true… in the moment of the lift. 

The bilateral deficit is a term used to describe the sum of two limbs lifts has a greater total load compared to using two legs at the same time. For example, athlete A can back squat 300lbs. But,  he can single leg squat 155lbs on each limb individually and this totals to 310lbs. If the rep and set scheme is the same between the two exercises, total tonnage will be greater with the single leg squat compared to the back squat; which would elicit greater adaptation (maybe). 

Finally, two limb movements do not always equal improvements with one limb movements, while one leg movements can further improve the ability of two limb movements. In my experience, my athletes have trained primarily on two limbs, while often neglecting unilateral movements. With that being said, their RDL strength and coordination completely exceeds their Single Leg RDL ability (most cannot even get into the position). This is troublesome because we ask these athletes to perform single leg plyometric exercises such as a sprint on a daily basis. The Single Leg RDL almost directly mimics the requirements of the sprint, and if these guys can hardly get in the correct position in a controlled, unloaded environment… I cannot expect them to have any type of advanced sprint ability. I want to change our current mindset that you should be able to perform a movement on two limbs before you attempt it on one. I think we should train single limb ability before attempting bilateral movements. 

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Consistency: The True Variable in Training

Too often in my young coaching career I have seen people excited to get started in the gym, only to have that flame of excitement quickly burn out. Too often have I been asked to create a program for people looking to get back in shape, or train for a sport; only to check in after a few weeks, and find out they have completed the first work out… and that’s it. There is no secret formula to finding success in your training. There is no magic program that will create the results you are looking for if you do not dedicate the time to the program. When it comes down to it, the only way to get faster, stronger, more fit, is to stay true to the process. 

When I start training a new athlete, I do not immediately throw them into the gates of hell. A lot of coaches enjoy this, as I have come to find out. We attempt to build mental toughness via excruciatingly difficult/ pointless workouts before establishing some sort of training base, and before looking at the needs of the athlete. Besides the science behind this flawed practice of training, if I am looking to establish a consistent routine with this athlete, absolutely destroying them will more than likely prevent them from coming in the next day… and the next… and the next. Once they have recovered from your “session from hell” they have now missed 5-7 days of training time (probably). That is anywhere from 5-14 hours of training volume that could have accumulated, instead they were laying at home, struggling to walk. So, they come back in and we are starting from zero again. Here is your chance to make up for a pointless workout. Instead of going into the session with a mindset of training homicide, we can test the athlete to see where the athlete currently sits physically, and mentally. Run them through an evaluation! Everything from past medical history, to contralateral asymmetries, and work capacity. From there we can create a program that may not challenge YOU as a fitness junkee, but it will challenge your athlete appropriately.  Your athlete is now coming in 3-4 days/ week consistently with adequate rest between sessions, and after a few weeks some big changes have already begun to take place. Here is where a good program has merit, but that is a conversation for another day.

This same principle holds true for general population folks as well. If you haven’t run 5 miles in 5 years, or you haven't squatted your high school max since high school, do not attempt to do so on day 1. If you do not injure yourself, your body will be in recovery mode for years to come (that’s a joke, but really your body will scream at you). Then we see the same pattern, “I’m too sore” or “I’ll come back in a couple of days.” Before you know it, we haven’t exercised in 7 days. When you are unsure of how to begin,  ask a professional like myself for help. We must establish a routine that appropriately challenges your current fitness level. 

However, not all of the blame can fall on the misinformed fitness coach. If you want to accomplish health goals, or get better at your sport, YOU have to spend the time in the weight-room. Whatever program you decide to run, the common variable is consistency. Whether you come in 1 day per week or 7, the volume of training will accumulate, and change will take place.  

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Heavy and Slow- The Relationship Load has with Speed

At the base of any athlete’s development is strength. Without strength, the likelihood of injury goes through the roof, and performance suffers considerably. What does this mean for speed development? When should you lift heavy and slow, and when should you lift light and fast? 

First, let me clarify “heavy and slow.” The intent of most movements when training for performance should be “move this as fast as possible.” With that being said, if you throw on 90% of your 1 rep max, that movement ain’t going to be performed with any type of speed. Heavy and slow simply implies that the speed of the movement is slowed down because the load forces it to. How does this aide in speed development? That question has many applicable answers, in this post we are discussing the similarities between “heavy and slow” and the start phase of a sprint through acceleration. 

At the beginning of the sprint, the amount of time an athlete spends in ground contact is much longer compared to the ground contact time of the max velocity phase. This means that the athlete has more time to develop force! Just like a heavy squat or split squat, the increased time under tension gives the body the ability to recruit more and more muscle fibers to help accomplish the task of accelerating. 

When we train our athletes, there is a goal behind the session. If the goal of the session is to target acceleration ability, we do more than some 10 yd sprints. The whole microcycle will be tailored to acceleration via intensity, speed, and direction of movement. The intensity of the main movements will be high. In regards to the force velocity curve, loads will be in the strength speed-max strength areas. The speed of the movement will be slower, but the intent is high. The horizontal force application associated with acceleration will also be mimicked with, hip dominant movements, that primarily occur in the sagittal plane (more so posterior -> anterior). Multijoint, hinging movements such as the Roman Deadlift accomplish that. 

Always have a purpose behind your training. If your goal is to improve speed, then break down the phase of sprinting, and focus on the qualities of each phase. Starting/ accelerating require a high level of force production, and you have more time to produce the necessary force to get to speed. While lifting small loads for speed serves a great purpose, it is not always the right answer.

Thanks for your time!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Training Specificity

When starting to train for speed and strength, what must come first is strength. Your body is a machine, and that machine must be prepared for the amount of work you will be exposing it to, or it will break down. It is possible to develop a foundation of strength through any number of programs, and for the most part as long as consistency is apart of that program you will succeed. When training myself, or my athletes, I have found great success in following simple programs that cover basic movement patterns repeatedly. Learning how to: squat, hinge, push, pull, rotate, and bend train the entire working system, to improve the qualities of these movements so we can appropriately overload the body and improve performance. 

Once we have established a solid foundation to build on, we can than further specify training modalities to attack the goal that we are training for. At this point I would like to introduce unilateral and bilateral training. Unilateral training indicates we are working one side of the body (typically dividing the body in the sagittal plane), and bilateral is both sides of the body. For example, a unilateral exercise would be the reverse lunge, and a traditional back squat is an example of a bilateral exercise. 

Bilateral exercises are great for force output. You are obviously stronger on two legs compared to one, however there is also a greater opportunity to compensate a movement and still complete it. This is a problem! Compensation patterns lead to efficient movement, lack of training adaptation, and injury! With unilateral movement, there is also a possibility of movement compensation, but the difference between the two is a unilateral movement compensation is more easily noticed and often leads to failure of movement completion. 

Unilateral movements are often more closely related to the movements required in sports. Sprinting is a unilateral plyometric. There is never a moment in time where there is two feet on the ground at the same time after the start! One of the goals of strength training is transferability to the field, and if I can more closely mimic a movement and load it safely, I will. With this principle in mind, let me discuss the back squat and reverse lunge. Neither of these movements are directly transfer to a sprint, but the reverse lunge is primarily completed on one leg (just like sprinting). The squat will work the same muscle group, and sprint performance will improve, but it will only take your improvements so far (the point of diminishing returns). Unless you participate in a barbell sport, there comes a certain point in training where the goal should shift from improving a squat number to improving athletic performance via movement specificity. 

I will continue to discuss how to improve training specificity for athletic improvement in the weight room with future posts! Thanks for reading! 

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Training for Acceleration

Take a moment, and picture yourself running as fast as you can. How did you get to top speed? Well, at some point you have to start moving! This is the acceleration phase of sprinting. There are two other phases, and these are max velocity and deceleration. At Total Performance, we train these phases individually. This blog post will be discussing the acceleration phase, and how we target the training required to improve acceleration ability. 

Some of you may be thinking, what is the difference between acceleration and max velocity? Why separate the two, when you are trying to be as fast as possible in each phase? Yes, they are similar in some ways, and the goal is to “be fast.” However, what your body does in order to get to max velocity is different than what it does once it has reached max velocity. Some big differences include are the magnitude, and direction of force applied while accelerating. Acceleration has a more horizontal application, while max velocity is more vertical. Also, during acceleration, you spend more time on the ground. This allows you more time to generate more force. Acceleration training should match the requirements of acceleration. 

So, if we are aiming to match the requirements of acceleration in the weight room, things like: the primary direction of the movement, the load of the movement, and the intent of the movement should be manipulated as such. Acceleration requires starting strength, you must get your mass moving forward as fast as possible. If you are weak, your ability to accomplish this is hindered. Max strength training requires heavier loads, and slower movements. Because of the horizontal force direction associated with acceleration, max strength training movements that put the body through a similar pattern should be the primary movements of the session. Roman Deadlifts (RDL), Hip Thrust, Split squat, and Single Leg (SL) Hip Flexion are a few possible exercise selections that I use to train acceleration. The RDL and Hip Thrust both target the hip hinge pattern. The primary action of hip hinge requires hip extension and flexion primarily occurring anteriorly, and posteriorly (forward and backward); here’s your horizontal force application. The Split Squat, and SL Hip Flexion are also movements that improve hip flexion and extension abilities, and they are unilateral (completed on one leg)! During all phases of sprinting, once you start, there is never a point in time in which you have two feet on the ground. So, you cannot rely on the force production of two legs at the same time, you have to rely on one. Neglecting this fact is a poor decision IMO. Finally, the intent of the movement should be to move fast concentrically. The benefits of having the intent to move weight as fast as possible are numerous, and we can discuss them later. Right now, all you need to worry about is “I gotta move this sh** fast” to train the qualities of acceleration. 

Plyometric type, and timing is also a major factors to consider. Plyometrics should check the same boxes of acceleration like direction, and force application. Broad jumps, and single leg bounds are a couple of examples. The timing refers back to the PAP post we had a few weeks ago. I will save that can of worms for another day. 

There are entire textbooks associated with sprinting, and acceleration. These are some basic facts and opinions to consider next time you want to train for speed.

-Thank you for your time! If you have any questions please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Variable Resistance Training (Bands and Chainz)

If you follow my personal instagram page, you will notice I am a big fan of utilizing bands and chains as alternative resistance methods, but what’s the point? Yeah, they look cool, and sure they provide a little more resistance to the exercise (at certain points) but what’s really going on when you load up 50lbs of chains to the bar, or add 50lbs of tension with some bands? 

VRT provides altering amounts of external resistance throughout the movement. Bands are more versatile compared to chains in this aspect, due to the fact that they can resist or assist the movement. In a squat, with the bands pulling the bar to the floor, lowering the bar will result in a decrease in stretch of the band and a decrease in resistance. Standing up will stretch the band, thus increasing the resistance of the band. Bands hanging above the bar does the opposite. Do not over think these mechanisms! Chains provide no elastic qualities, so they only provide added resistance in this instance. When lowering the bar, the chains will coil on the ground and resistance from the chains decrease. Standing up will uncoil the chains and provide added resistance to the movement. 

There are parts certain points of every exercise that require the most effort to complete the task. Referring back to the squat, just above the bottom of the movement is the “sticking point” of the movement. This is where you feel the most amount of resistance, and this is where the majority of failed reps occur. Once you pass the sticking point, the ability to complete the movement is almost a given. Why attempt to make this more difficult by adding chains and/or bands? 

Of the many goals associated with strength training, one of them is to improve inter/intra muscular coordination. Intermuscular coordination is the coordination of contraction between different muscles, while intramuscular coordination is the coordination of the individual muscle’s firing pattern. Traditional free weight training (FWT) will provide the required stimulus to improve the neural adaptations listed above. However, let’s go back to the squat. The time between the “sticking point,” and the completion of the rep. The mechanical advantage we gain during this segment of the exercise is such that our muscles do not require the same amount of force production to complete the rep! This is where chains and bands come into play. They provide the extra resistance through the easier portions of the lift. So, this gap of mechanical advantage is now filled with added resistance that provide a greater stimulus, and inter/intra muscular coordination between these two points will increase as a result. 

This blog barely scrapes the surface of VRT implementation. This modality of training is a personal favorite of mine due to the fact that; VRT provides variation to commonly completed movements, and bands and chains are not expensive relative to other resistance mechanisms. I hope to dive deeper into this form of training and the role it plays in previously discussed topics, like plyometrics. 

-Thank you for your time! If you have any questions please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Self Myofascial Release-Foam Rolling and its Effect on Training

Self myofascial release (SMR) is a popular method used by people to recover from, or prepare for training. Whether they are foam rolling, utilizing a lacrosse ball, or their own hands, the goal is the same; but what is really going on when we foam roll? Why do we do this? What are the effects of this self massage? Is there an increase in performance? Better range of motion? Do we just like how it feels? There are a ton of unanswered questions with SMR, professionals across the board cannot seem to come to a consensus on whether or not this is a useful technique to prepare/ recover from work. 

Let’s look at the phrase “Self Myofascial Release.” Myofascial tissue is a strong, thin connective tissue that provides protection to muscles and bones. Over time, adhesions can build up from improper overuse of the muscle, or the muscle belly is excessively shortened/ lengthened and this causes flawed force transmission. Massaging, foam rolling, etc are suppose to “release” these adhesions amongst other things. Self implies that you are performing this treatment ... on yourself. 

According to (Weerapong, Kolt 2005) there are 4 mechanisms behind SMR body alterations: biomechanical, neurological, physiological, and psychological. Without going too deep in these mechanisms, the changes that occur aim to enhance the body’s preparedness for training. Whether we increase the blood flow to the working muscle, altering nerve excitability, or we just “feel better” at the end of the day we are preparing to train. 

The importance of a warm up cannot be overstated; it is just as- if not more important than the actual training itself! But Coach Nate, Tigers don’t warm up and you see how they work! Well, we ain’t tigers for one, and for two we are training for the long haul of life, not taking down an animal for a meal. At TP, we treat foam rolling as a part of the warm up. A study looked at that very idea and compared foam rolling to walking. What they found was the foam rolling group out performed the walking group in a few performance measures: range of motion (ROM) via the sit and reach test, and counter movement jump (CMJ) (Erick, Brian, Clayton 2019). HOWEVER, when they combined dynamic stretching with both the walking, and rolling groups, there was a negligible difference in performance. What I take away from these findings is that SMR does a better job of preparing the body for work when compared to walking, but nothing tops completing a dynamic warm up before a session. 

We require our athletes to foam roll for a few reasons. One, as mentioned previously, it seems to do a better job in preparing the body for work. Two, we do not have the facility size to tell our athletes to walk or jog for 5 minutes. Three, it gets the athletes comfortable with the setting of the weightroom. We are able to chat with our guys and roll at the same time, get a feel for how their day went and what they are feeling like before we start; which gives us a chance to make mental modifications to program if needed. 

We are training for the long haul. It is not about the “now” for the majority of our athletes. Training is not going to be successful if it is only completed every so often. You have to be consistent to see improvements. Overtraining, lack of recovery, and lack of preparedness are  all factors that will prevent training from taking place. This will subsequently result in stagnant training or detraining. SMR is a mechanism you can use to prepare for, and recover from training. I really do not care if there is a debate on whether it actually does what we think it does. As long as there is no detriment to performance, it’s not illegal, and the athlete likes it, I am all for it. 

-Thank you for your time! If you have any questions please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

References: 

Richman, E. D., Tyo, B. M., & Nicks, C. R. (2019). Combined Effects of Self-Myofascial Release and Dynamic Stretching on Range of Motion, Jump, Sprint, and Agility Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(7), 1795–1803. doi: 10.1519/jsc.0000000000002676

Weerapong, P and Kolt, GS. The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention Sports Med 35: 235-256, 2005. 

Post Activation Potentiation "PAP"

In training for sport performance, we are always looking for a way to enhance the effects of training to better optimize sports performance. One of those methods is post activation potentiation. This topic can get a little tricky, and the variables that go with PAP can be numerous. So, try to stay with me here as we dive into the effects of PAP. 

Physical performance is affected by the muscle’s contractile history. Most people will think of the decreased performance associated with muscle fatigue, well PAP aims to increase performance. We are attempting to prime the working muscle group, typically in preparation for dynamic movement like a jump, or sprint. There is no concrete evidence that gives us a clear look into what works, and what does not work when referring to improved performance. With that being said, I will go over a few variables people have looked into, and discuss what potentially went right and/or wrong. 

First and foremost, the only athletes that should attempting to potentiate should be experienced athletes with a training age of more than 5 years, and post pubescent biologically. Typically, PAP involves near maximal loading of an exercise, followed by a dynamic movement. If an athlete can not adequately perform a loaded pattern such a squat, I will not waste their time trying to prime their muscles for elevated performance. Research agrees with me. The novice athlete’s body simply isn’t ready to complete this type of training. Too much fatigue is often induced, and there's little to no benefit seen when attempting to potentiate the muscles. A solid foundation of strength needs to be formed first, then the athlete is physiologically ready to undergo this advanced style of training. 

Secondly, the loaded movement you are completing needs to be similar to the movement you attempting to elevate in performance. If my goal is to jump higher, a heavy bench press wouldn’t help me much.. Or would it? Anyway, a study attempted to elevate athletes change of direction ability by pairing the 5-10-5 drill with a maximal isometric voluntary contraction of the lower limb musculature in a squat pattern. The results indicated no improved performance in the change of direction drills. They speculated variables such as training age, rest periods, and movement specificity could all be involved when deciding how to potentiate properly. (Marshall, Turner 2019)

Another variable that must be considered is rest time. There is a small window of opportunity we have when trying to utilize the effects of PAP.  Immediately following a loaded movement, we experience fatigue, the greater the intensity of the movement, the more fatigue we experience. If the rest period is too short, we are just performing the dynamic movement fatigued and it will result in a decrease in performance. If we rest too long, the priming effect of PAP is lost, and it is like nothing happened in the first place. So far, it has been stipulated that a rest window of 3-7 minutes is optimal. But, a 4 minute difference in rest time is massive! For the purpose of weight room flow, and the limited time frame we have to work with our athletes at Total Performance, we typically allot for about 1-3 minutes of active recovery to take place before attempting the dynamic movement. At the end of the day, we have limited time to work with our athletes, and there is no research confirming a ratio of intensity to rest to optimize performance. So, we do what is best for our facility and our athletes. 

I want to touch again on the subject of athlete experience. The less experienced athlete will not need as much stimulus to see the effects of PAP, but they will need a greater rest time to allow for proper priming of the muscle. This is compared to the experienced athlete who requires a higher degree of stimulus, and rest time doesn’t need to be as long comparatively. This could be due to the fact that the motor unit threshold attempting to be reached is way higher in the experienced athlete compared to the novice, and the experienced athlete's enhanced ability to recover from work. 

I can discuss post activation potentiation for another 100 blog posts, and I might just do that. However, at the end of the day we don’t know the full risks/benefits of PAP. The variables are still too wide to come to a conclusion. I personally use PAP in my training, but I do not measure my results; but I can tell when I haven’t allotted enough rest or I have rested too long. TP’s athletes complete a variation of contrast training blocks with loaded pattern followed by the matching dynamic pattern. The degree of intensity, the rest time, and the volume is determined by the athletes training age, and the stage of their annual plan they are in. Hopefully we discover the full mystery of PAP in the near future to better harness its ability to improve performance! 

-Thank you for your time! If you have any questions please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

Strength Training for Youth Athletes

I cannot stress the importance of strength training for the youth athlete enough. People have been misinformed in the past when it comes to exposing their kids to a strength training program. There is a fear of “stunting” their kids growth, or fatiguing the child to a point where their school work or sport performance decline. The truth is a properly executed strength program will not have any effect on the height of a child, and not only will strength training aid in improved education and athletic performance; it will also create positive lifestyle habits that they can take with them once their athletic career is over. 

What baffles the strength coach community is the willingness to let kids play sports year round’ (which is great, don’t get me wrong) but they do not feel the need to prepare the athlete for that type of competition load. Too often I have seen burnt out youth athletes due to throwing a baseball 365 days a year, and NO time dedicated to recovery or preparation. “Children cannot ‘play’ themselves into shape, the loads and demands of the sport activity do not stimulate improved muscle and connective tissue growth and strength.” - (Zatsiorsky, 2006) Just like any athlete, at any level, the athlete must be physically prepared for the demands of the season. Just because the athlete is young, it does not mean that their body can handle the demands of long term competition. One of the greatest benefits of organized strength training is its ability to better prepare the youth athlete for sport and reduce injury; which subsequently allows for the athlete to spend more time playing their sport! Funny how that works out. 

Now, training youth athletes isn’t as easy as it seems. Extreme caution must be taken when considering the variables for a youth program. The prepubescent stage of an athlete’s life is crucial for laying an athletic foundation for the future. At this point, any improvement in performance is predominantly neurological; meaning the kid isn’t getting bigger, rather they are improving their efficiency of completing the movement. Variables such as load, volume, duration of the session, type of exercise, and frequency of training all must carefully thought out to prevent overtraining and fatigue. Typically the movement is completed with body weight resistance, but as the athlete progresses the load will be adjusted accordingly. Volume parameters of 1-3 sets x 6-20 repetitions with 8-10 exercise variations will stimulate positive adaptations. The duration of the session should not exceed an hour, and a frequency of 2-3 non consecutive sessions per week will allow proper recovery from the sessions. As the athlete progresses, these variables will be increasingly similar to an adult program, but this is after puberty has taken place. The biggest variable is consistency! Children have no training age, this means whatever they gain from training can quickly disappear with a cessation in training. I would much rather see a kid once a week for a year, more than 3 times per week for 3 months. 

On paper it may seem like youth training requires a ton of structure. But, in reality it is about the child figuring things out on their own in a supervised environment. The younger the athlete, the less structure and coaching there is to the session. Prescribing games that incentivise total body movements and activity thinking works wonders for athletic development. The end goal of any youth training program should be long term athletic development, they do not need to peak in grade school! The last thing we want the kids to think of training is another chore they must complete. Training should be challenging and fun, the weight room can teach a lot of life lessons. Finally, it is not all about sport performance, training is meant to build a foundation for a healthy lifestyle as well. The sooner we can instill positive habits into children, the better the chance they have to sustain those habits throughout life. 

-Thank you for your time! If you have any questions please let us know!

Coach Nate Garcia 

nate@tpstrength.com

tim@tpstrength.com

scott@tpstrength.com 

914-486-7678

Instagram: tp_strength

References:

Zatsiorsky, V. M., & Kraemer, W. J. (2006). Science and Practice of Strength Training. Champaign, ILL.: Human Kinetics.