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Weight Training Programs: You Can’t Just Keep AddingWritten on February 1, 2011 at 1:29 pm, by Eric Cressey Can I just add some sets and reps of direct arm work? How about cardio? Would a few 30 minutes interval training sessions work? What if I did extra rotator cuff stuff every day? Just a little tubing, you know? I’m going to add two extra days of calves, abs, and forearms. It shouldn’t be a problem, right? These are just a few of the common questions I receive from people for whom I write strength training programs (plus all the other components of a comprehensive program). And, it’s these kind of questions that make me appreciate just how challenging it is to teach someone how to effectively write strength and conditioning programs – and why everyone gets all flustered when they first start writing training plans.
Very simply, most people don’t understand the concept of competing demands. Everybody wants to add something to their weight training program – but not everyone is willing to take something away in order to do so. How many elite powerlifters or Olympic lifters do you know who regularly do interval training as part of their quest to get strong? How many elite triathletes do you know who just want to add a few sets of biceps curls along the road to improving endurance performance? The answer is, of course, none. And, it’s because – whether they appreciated it or not – these high-level athletes were effectively managing competing demands. In some cases, different fitness qualities compete with one another; an example would be extensive aerobic training while trying to increase strength. You can’t get strong quickly if you’re doing hours of cardio each week. Somewhat similarly, in an overhead throwing population, it’s challenging to regain shoulder internal rotation and flexion range of motion (ROM) and pec minor length when an athlete is throwing – so you have to do your best to get the ROM during down-time in their training year. In other cases, you may have multiple qualities that contribute to an overall training effect, but you can’t prioritize all of them at once. For example, my professional baseball clients need a host of different qualities to be successful, but the body has limited recovery capacity, so their training programs have to target their most readily apparent weaknesses – and do so at the right time of year. We cut back on the medicine ball and upper body strength exercises and volume when their throwing volume increases. And, we can’t do as much lower body strength exercises when guys are doing more sprinting and change-of-direction work. Stress is stress, so you have to apply it judiciously. Taking this into consideration, I think that one of the best drills for someone looking to get better at writing programs is to take a full-on comprehensive weight training program with supplemental conditioning/movement training where someone is training 6x/week – and then cut it back to 3x/week. Assume that there is a whole lot of of “other” stress in this athlete/client’s life – whether it’s work, illness, family issues, or just being an in-season athlete – and figure out how to scale a program back in order to make it productive and safe for that individual. Lots of factors have to be taken into account: the volume and intensity that individual can handle, how long each session can last, and what specific factors one needs to address most. A good example to check out would be the differences between the 4x/week, 3x/week, and 2x/week weight training programs (and accompanying optional supplemental sessions) in Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel and Move Better.
There are loads of factors you have to take into account when you write a comprehensive training plan – from the weight training program, to soft tissue work, to mobility work, to movement training, to energy systems training. The most important consideration, though, is how they all fit together synergistically to make the program as a whole effective. So, try the challenge I listed above and see how you do; I think you’ll find that it’s a lot harder to subtract than it is to add to your weight training programs. Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a detailed deadlift technique tutorial! NESN Films Some of Kevin Youkilis’ Off-Season Training at Cressey PerformanceWritten on January 12, 2011 at 7:57 am, by Eric Cressey New England Sports Network (NESN) was at Cressey Performance the other day to check in on Kevin Youkilis’ off-season training and ask Youk some questions about the upcoming season. As you’ll see from the training footage, Youk takes his off-season training at CP seriously and likes to work! Lose Fat, Gain Muscle, Get Strong: Eric Cressey’s Best Articles of 2010Written on December 31, 2010 at 4:46 am, by Eric Cressey Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel, and Move Better – This was obviously my biggest project of 2010. I actually began writing the strength and conditioning programs and filming the exercise demonstration videos in 2009, and put all the “guinea pigs” through the four-month program beginning in February. When they completed it as the start of the summer rolled around, I made some modifications based on their feedback and then got cracking on writing up all the tag along resources. Finally, in September, Show and Go was ready to roll. So, in effect, it took 10-11 months to take this product from start to finish – a lot of hard work, to say the least. My reward has been well worth it, though, as the feedback has been awesome. Thanks so much to everyone who has picked up a copy.
Optimal Shoulder Performance – This was a seminar that Mike Reinold and I filmed in November of 2009, and our goal was to create a resource that brought together concepts from both the shoulder rehabilitation and shoulder performance training fields to effectively bridge the gap for those looking to prevent and/or treat shoulder pain. In the process, I learned a lot from Mike, and I think that together, we brought rehabilitation specialists and fitness professionals closer to being on the same page.
Why President Obama Throws Like a Girl – A lot of people took this as a political commentary, but to be honest, it was really just me talking about the concept of retroversion as it applies to a throwing shoulder – with a little humor thrown in, of course! Overbearing Dads and Kids Who Throw Cheddar – This one was remarkably easy to write because I’ve received a lot of emails from overbearing Dads asking about increasing throwing velocity in their kids. What I Learned in 2009 – I wrote this article for T-Nation back at the beginning of the year, and always enjoy these yearly pieces. In fact, I’m working on my 2010 one for them now! What a Stressed Out Bride Can Teach You About Training Success – I wrote this less than a month out from my wedding, so you could say that I had a good frame of reference.
Baseball Showcases: A Great Way to Waste Money and Get Injured – In case the title didn’t tip you off, I’m not much of a fan of baseball showcases. Cueing: Just One Piece of Semi-Private Training Success – Part 1 and Part 2 - These articles were featured at fitbusinessinsider.com. I enjoy writing about not only the training side of things, but some of the things we’ve done well to build up our business. Three Years of Cressey Performance: The Right Reasons and the Right Way – This might have been the top post of the year, in my eyes. My job is very cool. How to Attack Continuing Education in the Fitness Industry – Here’s another fitness business post. Want to Be a Personal Trainer or Strength Coach? Start Here. – And another! The Skinny on Strasburg’s Injury – I hate to make blog content out of someone else’s misfortune, but it was a good opportunity to make some points that I think are very valid to the discussion of not only Stephen Strasburg’s elbow injury, but a lot of the pitching injuries we see in youth baseball. Surely, there are many more to list, but I don’t want this to run too long! Have a safe and happy new year, and keep an eye out for the first content of 2011, which is coming very soon!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter: Weight Training For Baseball: Best Videos of 2010Written on December 30, 2010 at 4:55 am, by Eric Cressey I made an effort to get more videos up on the site this year, as I know a lot of folks are visual learners and/or just enjoy being able to listen to a blog, as opposed to reading it. Here are some highlights from the past year: The Absolute Speed to Absolute Strength Continuum – Regardless of your sport, there are valuable take-home messages. I just used throwing velocity in baseball pitchers as an example, as it’s my frame of reference. Should Pitchers Overhead Press? - This was an excerpt from Mike Reinold and my Optimal Shoulder Performance seminar (which became a popular DVD set for the year). Shoulder Impingement vs. Rotator Cuff Tears – Speaking of Mike, here’s a bit from the man himself from that seminar DVD set. Thoracic and Glenohumeral Joint Mobility Drills – The folks at Men’s Health tracked me down in the lobby at Perform Better in Providence and asked if I could take them through a few shoulder mobility drills we commonly use – and this was the result. Cressey West – This kicks off the funny videos from the past year. A few pro baseball players that I program for in a distance-based format created this spoof video as a way of saying thank you. Tank Nap – My puppy taking a nap in a provocative position. What’s more cute? Matt Blake Draft Tracker – CP’s resident court jester and pitching instructor airs his frustrations on draft day. 1RM Cable Horizontal Abduction – More from the man, the myth, the legend. You can find a lot more videos on my YouTube page HERE and the Cressey Performance YouTube page HERE. Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter: Weight Training for Baseball: Featured ArticlesWritten on December 29, 2010 at 7:24 am, by Eric Cressey I really enjoy writing multi-part features here at EricCressey.com because it really affords me more time to dig deep into a topic of interest to both my readers and me. In many ways, it’s like writing a book. Here were three noteworthy features I published in 2010: Understanding Elbow Pain - Whether you were a baseball pitcher trying to prevent a Tommy John surgery or recreational weightlifter with “tennis elbow,” this series had something for you. Part 1: Functional Anatomy
Strategies for Correcting Bad Posture – This series was published more recently, and was extremely well received. It’s a combination of both quick programming tips and long-term modifications you can use to eliminate poor posture. Strategies for Correcting Bad Posture: Part 1
A New Paradigm for Performance Testing – This two-part feature was actually an interview with Bioletic founder, Dr. Rick Cohen. In it, we discuss the importance of testing athletes for deficiencies and strategically correcting them. We’ve begun to use Bioletics more and more with our athletes, and I highly recommend their thorough and forward thinking services. A New Paradigm for Performance Testing: Part 1 I already have a few series planned for 2011, so keep an eye out for them! In the meantime, we have two more “Best of 2010″ features in store before Friday at midnight. Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter: The Cressey Performance Elite Baseball Development ProgramWritten on December 22, 2010 at 6:11 am, by Eric Cressey A few weeks ago, Kevin Gray from The Union Leader and Baseball America came down to check out our pro baseball training crew. The result was a feature on Kevin Youkilis and his training at Cressey Performance: Speed vs. Reps, Round Pegs in Square Holes, and Ignorant CoachesWritten on November 18, 2010 at 7:49 am, by Eric Cressey Some recommended reading for the day: The Dynamic Method vs. the Repetition Method – A common question among resistance training beginners who’ve begun to “think outside the box” is whether they should bother using the dynamic method with their strength exercises if they aren’t all that strong (yet). I answer this common inquiry in this blog post. 6 Mistakes: Fitting Round Pegs into Square Holes – This T-Nation article from a while back highlights some situations where it’s important to not force something that just isn’t there. “My Coach Says I Shouldn’t Lift” – This was one of those pieces that was just fun to write because it’s such a ridiculous recommendation from a coach – but the sad truth is that it’s happening all the time across the country. So, spread the word and help some kids out! Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter: FREE Podcast Interview with ECWritten on November 3, 2010 at 5:08 am, by Eric Cressey Last week, Perry Nickelston interviewed me for his podcast. We covered everything from the origins of my latest product, Show and Go, to baseball workouts, to running a facility. You can listen to the interview for free HERE.
Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter: Strength and Conditioning Programs: Understanding the Absolute Strength to Absolute Speed ContinuumWritten on August 25, 2010 at 3:23 am, by Eric Cressey A few questions from one of our pro baseball guys inspired me to create this video “tutorial” on how to develop power. It starts general, and progresses to specific. Think about how it applies to YOUR sport and your training history.
For more detail, check out The Ultimate Off-Season Training Manual.
Looking Back: The Biggest Mistake Pro Baseball Players MakeWritten on August 15, 2010 at 12:23 pm, by Eric Cressey I know a lot of professional (and college/high school) baseball players read this website on a daily basis, so I figured that with just about one month left in this year’s minor league season, I’d report this article from last October. I think it is a must-read for any professional baseball player, based on my years of experience training guys in this population. Check it out: The Biggest Mistake Pro Baseball Players Make. “In a day and age when you read, daily, about players taking ‘shortcuts’ and trying to find the quickest way to ‘get good,’ if you understand anything about the human body and professional sports you know neither of those applies. Eric Cressey is as cutting edge as anyone out there when it comes to throwing a baseball. His insight into not only the bio-mechanics of the action, but in understanding that the kinetic chain is about engaging the entire body and his position specific workouts are far ahead of their time. He also has great insight into the lives we live as professionals and knows that while nutrition is the foundation of any good athlete, there are ways to be healthy, and stay healthy. No matter if you’re traveling from Motel 6 to Motel 6 in the NY Penn League, or on charter flights around the AL East, this guy is as good as they come.” “In addition to being one of the smartest minds on the planet he’s as good a person as he is a trainer, if not better. I couldn’t recommend anyone more highly than Eric if you are truly serious about tapping into potential you never knew you had, or pushing yourself to places you never knew you could go.” Curt Schilling For more information, check out the Cressey Performance Elite Baseball Development Program.
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