Day 1
ME Upper - 3Board
DB Bench
T-Bar Rows
1 Arm Scarecrows
Curls (just for fun) [/quote]
Just make sure you cycle that ME exercise; I find that two weeks with an exercise is best for most athletes. Some more experienced lifters can go with weekly changes.
I might go with 16x50s instead of the 8x100. It makes more sense in light of your position. Just shorten the rest a bit.
[quote]Day 3
ME Lower - Manta Ray Box Squat
Lunges
Snatch Grip RDL’s
Speed Deads
L-Raises[/quote]
As with above on the ME exercise. Put your speed deads earlier in the session.
[quote]Running
Dyanmic Warmup
4 10yd sprints with sled
4 20yd sprints with sled
4 20yd free sprints
3 30yd sprints
2 40’s[/quote]
Looks good, although rest intervals would play into this as well in light of your conditioning goal.
[quote]Day 4
Planning on around the same as Tuesday, but lesser volume
Day 5
D/E Bench
4Board Bench with pauses
Low Seated Rows
Rear Delt Raise [/quote]
Good stuff. You might want to incorporate some single-arm pressing exercises, though - possibly on your other day.
[quote]Running
Planning on doing some stongman stuff but i havent quite decided what yet. Ive been doing med ball tosses, sled drags, farmers walks, and postion specficic stuff [/quote]
Sounds good, especially as the season gets closer and closer.
I think people get too caught up in worrying about all the subtle details of recovery work. It isn’t meant to be overanalyzed. If something feels hard, you’re overdoing it. If you’re getting the blood flow going, it’s working.
Given your program, I think you would be wise to include a little bit of hip abduction work and some extra scapular stability and rotator cuff work. The rest of your exercises can work similar patterns that your training does; just use them as means of improving recovery. The examples given in the article should work fine.
Yes, overhead pressing can be extremely problematic for a lot of people. I covered this in detail in my “Debunking Exercise Myths.” In addition to training history factors, one has to consider what type of acromion process an individual has. Those with hook acromions are at a much higher risk of subacromial impingement.
Also, remember that shoulder strength is a very broad term. Rotator cuff strength falls under this broad umbrella.
Keep in mind that all strength is pattern-specific, meaning that joint angle play into how well a particular exercise carries over to another. In the bench press, you don’t abduct or flex to the overhead position. You can strengthen the shoulders with lateral raise variations, too, for instance, and you won’t get the same degree of problems that arise with overhead work.
With that said, I do prescribe overhead pressing to some athletes who can handle them. And, I certainly respect Jim a ton; I can definitely appreciate that he’s making recommendations based on what has worked for him and those with whom he’s worked. That’s what makes this business great; if we all agreed on things, there wouldn’t be any need for further education or discussion.
[quote]bigTR wrote:
EC,
In Jim Wendler’s new article about benching raw he said shoulder strength should be a priority and he says to do military presses, bradford presses, etc. I have read numerous times that overhead pressing causes shoulder problems. Do you agree with this statement and are there other effective ways to strengthen shoulders for benching reasons without doing overhead presses. Thanks a lot,
TR[/quote]
Sorry to hijack, but what are skywalkers? I ask because on my tempo days I have a whole load of bodyweight GPP/dynamic flexibility exercises and I’m always looking to add more to my arsenal.
PS - Remember that it’s not just what you do; it’s also WHEN, HOW OFTEN, and at WHAT INTENSITY you do it. If you don’t manipulate volume and intensity correctly, exercise selection really doesn’t mean much. You have to allow for supercompensation to occur.
[quote]buckeye75 wrote:
EC,
I don’t know your email address so I’ll just post what I have been doing here, if thats ok with you.
I’m bascially doing Defranco’s Westside routine as far as lifting/running goes. I was doing a Charlie Francis routines earlier, but I switched to this to focus on my conditioning level.
Day 1
ME Upper - 3Board
DB Bench
T-Bar Rows
1 Arm Scarecrows
Curls (just for fun)
Planning on around the same as Tuesday, but lesser volume
Day 5
D/E Bench
4Board Bench with pauses
Low Seated Rows
Rear Delt Raise
Running
Planning on doing some stongman stuff but i havent quite decided what yet. Ive been doing med ball tosses, sled drags, farmers walks, and postion specficic stuff
For the sled dragging stuff, what stuff would you recommend? What type of parameters? What type of resitance exercises? I would think I could go with more shoulder/PC work since I don’t hit those especially hard on any of my days.
What are you thoughts on sternum chins as a complete upper back movement?
I never really feel them in the muscles that row, moreso in the lats and arms.
Talked to Dr. Ryan in the other thread about taping ankles.
I was really thinking about taping my ankles throughout the camp because of what happened in the spring. Sometimes when I tape my ankles I don’t get as much pain from cutting and running as much when I leave them untaped. It’s not that I really need them as much as practices wear on my lower leg starts to hurt in the shins and my ankles start to swell slightly and then the next practice is worse and then it spirals. I’ve never had any injuries to the ankle or leg at all but I am just curious your take on this. Dr. Ryan asked me to ask you what you do or think.
I also tape my finger joints so they don’t get dislocated or broken when I hit a face mask or something. Which was a problem last year.
I think they’re a great movement, but they’ll never be a suitable substitute for “true” horizontal pulling.
[quote]elars21 wrote:
EC,
What are you thoughts on sternum chins as a complete upper back movement?
I never really feel them in the muscles that row, moreso in the lats and arms. [/quote]
Eric, I’ve noticed when I walk on an incline treadmill or walking at a fast pace that my left lower leg/ankle area starts to hurt. I don’t think it’s shin splints as I have had them before. This is more of a dull, full, aching sensation. I’m thinking anterior compartment syndrome. If so, is there anyway one can fix it theirselves? I’ve tried doing exercies for the tibialus, but to no avail. Any help would be appreciated.
I’d be more curious as to how you prepare yourself for this camp. Chances are that your lower extremities just aren’t prepared for whatever it is your coaches have you doing.
I’m not opposed to taping ankles, although it worries me that you’re getting pain when you don’t do so. Basically, that tells me that the muscles working at your knees and hips aren’t doing their jobs, so the ankles are forced to compensate. Or, just as likely, the ankle muscles are weak in the first place.
[quote]Get Lifted wrote:
EC,
Talked to Dr. Ryan in the other thread about taping ankles.
I was really thinking about taping my ankles throughout the camp because of what happened in the spring. Sometimes when I tape my ankles I don’t get as much pain from cutting and running as much when I leave them untaped. It’s not that I really need them as much as practices wear on my lower leg starts to hurt in the shins and my ankles start to swell slightly and then the next practice is worse and then it spirals. I’ve never had any injuries to the ankle or leg at all but I am just curious your take on this. Dr. Ryan asked me to ask you what you do or think.
I also tape my finger joints so they don’t get dislocated or broken when I hit a face mask or something. Which was a problem last year.
[quote]buckeye75 wrote:
EC< thanks alot for the words.
Do you have any methods for planning the manipulation of volume/intensity? I have nothing to work with in terms of that.[/quote]
Yeah, admittedly, it’s a pretty elaborate scheme. I actually submitted an article to TC about it a while back. I use it with clients and my own training. Basically, I’m a firm believer that you have to take into account intensity, volume, complexity of exercise, tempo, and miscellaneous factors such as accomodating resistance.
Mini-band side-steps, monster walks (forward and back), mini-band box squats, and hip corrections. See the “Get Your Butt in Gear” series for details.
[quote]buckeye75 wrote:
EC< thanks alot for the words.
Do you have any methods for planning the manipulation of volume/intensity? I have nothing to work with in terms of that.
Also, what exercises would you prescribe for hip abduction and single arm work?
Thanks
elars21,
Skywalkers are an ab movement. Put your feet straight up in the air and try and touch them in a crunching fashion with your hands up.
PS- What other bodyweight movements do you use on this day? [/quote]
I feel it’s important to address the 5 motor capabilities on tempo days as well. I intersperse little circuits in between 3000m of tempo runs. (I run 400m) I start off wih basic squats, lunges, push-ups, A/B Marching and my favorite exercise of all time RDL walks to get some blood flowing. Then I’ll move onto more dynamic stuff like leg swings, jumping jacks, wide-outs, groiners, mountain cimbers, then I’ll do some activation/ground based mobility stuff like supermans, scorpions,birddogs, fire hydrant circles. Then I do some drills like A skips, SL bounds, carioca, shuffle. Then some basic core stuff, and then some dynamic/static stretching like squat-to-stand, hurdler rollovers, various lunge positions. I love these workouts so much because I just head out the door in the morning in sandals and head to a football/soccer field and do the entire workout barefoot, it’s very free-flowing. It’s a great contrast to the structured high intensity days. I must tell you that I’ve built up to a pretty high volume on these days, and your sport having more of a strength requirement and less endurance, such volume would be overkill. The running is very easy, less than 60% of best effort. It’s more or less to recover from the exercises.
Here are some resources I’ve used http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/Athletics/active_warm-up.htm
[quote]Eric Cressey wrote:
I’d be more curious as to how you prepare yourself for this camp. Chances are that your lower extremities just aren’t prepared for whatever it is your coaches have you doing.
I’m not opposed to taping ankles, although it worries me that you’re getting pain when you don’t do so. Basically, that tells me that the muscles working at your knees and hips aren’t doing their jobs, so the ankles are forced to compensate. Or, just as likely, the ankle muscles are weak in the first place.
Albeit, I’m not training for the kind of running I’m about to be doing because I am trying to gain some more strength and size. So, It’s kind of like a catch 22. I am primarily doing strength stuff right now. It’s not so much my lower legs hurt after a single practice when I don’t tape… just after several hard practices on the lumpy field over a week or so (Doesn’t help either)… You would think after playing football since I was 6 years old that my ankles and shins would be quite strong. Especially given the positions I have played. HB in high school, W/R now in college, and every other position including QB. During track in high school I noticed the onset of shin splints when I ran hurdles. I did high jump as well and I would warm up until I got shin splints and it seemed I would jump higher… The hurdle practices were the worst and the first case of my shin splints etc… We ran on concrete in the halls with the carpet because the nearby track was of hard dirt and we slipped too much. We of course needed 3 steps in-between each hurdle in the 110meter so that is why we ran inside because we didn’t want to slip. The constant pounding on the floor is where I first noticed it. I never taped in high school for football except for games and at HB I felt more secure when cutting and getting hit in the games. Now in college, I taped for every other practice because the trainers did it all the time and i was like… “cool” I can get them taped all the time. For some reason, the amount of running and constant cutting in and out of breaks and routes I started to get them again. It seems to come and go. Some times its chronic and other times I can go without tape for months. So it’s variable. However, I notice myself and another receiver get them while some of the others don’t.
The other thing is I am the fastest and quickest out of all the receivers for the time stuff and the strongest. I just got done doing the 425lb DL X 2 and I actually just squated 345 X 2 on box squats today. I am by no means strong compared to some of you guys but neither are the other corners and receivers. And some of them don’t get shin splints and the ankle stuff.
But besides that… Maybe I am just not training right for all the cutting and change of direction.
I don’t know but if you got some exercises lower leg struff that will fix this i am all ears.
Eric,
Last week you wrote this answer to someones question. Could you expand on this statement at all? Why as you get stronger can you not handle as much volume of high intensity? Also are you saying powerlifters keep the volume low so they don’t burn out as quick? Anything to help me better understand your statment would be appreciated.
You learned your lesson the hard way! The stronger you get, the less volume of high intensity work you can handle. It’s why cookie-cutter 5x5 programs won’t work forever. If you want to get stronger, you pick and choose your max effort work and don’t do a ton of volume. Look at what most powerlifters do: 3x3 or something comparable or just hit a heavy triple or single and call it a day. You don’t see them doing 8x3 and 5x5; leave that for the bodybuilders who really only have strength as a secondary goal.
[quote]Ceaze wrote:
My girlfriend can’t do a bodyweight squat without her heels coming off the ground. What steps can she take to correct this?[/quote]
That would be because her gastronemius, soleus and peroneals are tight and her anterior/posterior tibials are weak. Basically to correct this you want to stretch the tight muscles. All three pre and post workout stretches involve holding onto something sturdy, one leg forward, other leg back and bending until u feel tension in the back leg and holding for 20-30seconds.
Gastro - back leg strait, tilt pelvis and upper body to get tightening
Soleus - bend back leg knee till tightening
Peroneal - internally rotate rear leg/foot lean forward till tightness in shin
Again, do these three before and after the workout until imbalance is corrected.
Ide also suggest doing a Bridge before the workout each day to help with probably tight hip flexors.
Bridge - Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and pointing strait ahead, arms on the side palms up. Lift pelvis off the floor until knees hips and shoulders are in line then slowly lower back to floor, do this for 10-20 reps and 2-3 sets.