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agility strength speed training

ATTENDING THE PA STRENGTH CLINICS by Coach Jim Massaro

This past Thursday I awoke from a deep sleep with much anticipation for the day ahead. It was not a typical work day. Sure, I had to train my regulars and go about the daily operations of running the gym, but at 3:00 p.m. I was heading out to the 4th Annual N.S.C.A. Pennsylvania Strength & Conditioning Clinic. A great opportunity to get together with a bunch of strength coaches to hear and share some new ideas involving our methods of work. Being part of Renegade Training had me even more excited about being there. This way I could learn who has heard about Renegade Training and hear their thoughts about us and how our philosophy defers from theirs. Remember.Renegade Training is not only strength and conditioning, but also a way of life.

With my training sessions done, the car packed, I kissed my wife goodbye and then was off on the open highway to Juniata College, nestled deep in the woods of PA. The country roads of Pennsylvania were a stark contrast to the New York I am used to. As I drove down a winding road cutting through lush farm and forest, I thought about the different way of life I was witnessing. At one point the road followed a beautiful stream with a steamy mist rising above the water. A fisherman on the shoreline made me forget the hustle and bustle of New York. Driving along, taking in all this scenery, I felt that I did not need to concern myself with terrorists.for the first time since 9-11.

Upon arriving at the college, some five hours after my journey started, I went first to the registration office. That went smoothly. Then I found out that the other party who I was meeting got a late start, as usual, and was five hours away. That meant I would have to stay awake and wait for them to arrive to give them their room keys. They finally showed up at two in the morning and could not believe that I had fallen asleep. After telling them to shut up and basically kiss my ass, I finally got some rest and then got ready for my classes.

Friday morning classes began with Integrated Training for Young Athletes. The main structure of this lecture was core training, which became the theme for most of the remaining lectures of the morning. The one lecture I found to be beneficial was given by the strength coach from U. CONN about their basketball programs for men and women. She broke down the movements of each player and created specific agility drills for them to do in conjunction with the other drills. I found this very interesting and useful to add to my toolbox for working with my athletes. Another strong class I attended that morning was Weight Room Rehabilitation. I picked up some great pointers on rehab, for both my athletes and myself.

After a quick lunch break we were back at it. The first part of the afternoon session was dominated by Torso Training, which was given by three different coaches so you got a chance to see each one's approach and how it applied to their teams. But the highlight of the day came when Dick Hartzell of Jump Stretch gave his presentation. Here we had a 63-year-old man with the energy of a 20-year-old. I have used his bands in my training for years but never the way in which he does. He started out the lecture by telling us how much stronger you can make the athletes' ankles by doing a few simple exercises. To prove his point, he inverted his left ankle completely and jumped straight up and landed on his inverted ankle! Well, let me tell you, he got the attention of everyone in the room. From this point on, he explained about all the benefits the bands can give you, not only for strength, but also for rehabilitating all the joints of the body. I was so impressed with him that I signed up for a clinic he is doing in my area later this month. I strongly suggest that you take one of his clinics if they are ever offered in your area.

After the clinics I had some time to have fun, an afternoon barbeque was part of the deal. This was a great time to meet and get to know the other participants, and also to speak to the lecturers one on one. Some of them had heard about Renegade, others had not, so I did my best to explain what we are all about. I advised them to check out the web page to learn more about the Renegade style. Maybe there are ways we can enhance their programs.

The next morning the first speaker gave a talk on hand speed drills for offensive linesmen. Very similar to the combative handwork I have learned from Coach Davies, but it is always good to see other applications of the drills. With the clinic coming to an end, it was time for me to store away what I had learned and start the long ride home. All in all, it was a great weekend just to get away and exchange ideas on improving the performance of the athletes I train.

 

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