Individualize Workouts for Players

Individualize Workouts to Fit Your Student-Athletes

BY ZACH CUNNINGHAM, STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COORDINATOR, WINNETONKA HIGH SCHOOL

■ Winnetonka

High (Mo.) coach Zach Cunningham customizes workouts for each athlete.

The entire goal of strength and conditioning is to prepare student-athletes to perform to the best of their abilities. I have never had a group of student-athletes who all have the same abilities to begin with, nor do they have the same goals.

Yet, as strength coaches, too many times we use a “one size fits all” training model for every student-athlete. We need to train our kids individually based on where they are at in their development. Why are linemen doing the same workouts as receivers?

Here at Winnetonka High School, I have begun to implement a “Tiered System” that categorizes student-athletes into sub-groups that fit their biggest level of need. Each cycle begins with every student-athlete in the beginning phase, or Tier 1. After a few weeks, kids will either repeat this phase, move up into Tier 2, or begin in a specialized group. After a few more weeks, kids will either repeat the phase or move into the next Tier.

Every workout begins with all groups doing the same main lift to start (i.e. Squat, Bench, Clean). After that, the specialization of the tiered groups begins.

We use Rack Performance for our workouts. That makes everything easy. We have multiple TVs in the weight room with each one showing a different workout. All TVs are synced up, so everybody is lifting and rotating in unison. Once your student-athletes understand that you are trying to take care of them and strengthen any weaknesses that they have, they will FULLY buy-in to this process.

TIER 1

TIER 1 IS WHERE EVERY STUDENT-ATHLETE BEGINS

every cycle. This phase is spent focusing on hip and shoulder mobility, the primary locations for “weak spots” or injuries in young athletes. We will always spend the first week doing a GPP (General Physical Prep) to reinforce proper movements and also help heal any lingering injuries from a sports season. The workouts are on a Push-Pull split with higher reps.

TIER 2

STUDENT-ATHLETES WILL BE MOVED INTO TIER 2 IF

they can demonstrate proper technique, flexibility and movement patterns in Tier 1. It is common for kids to have to repeat Tier 1, especially younger or newer lifters. Tier 2 is focused on absolute strength where we are just trying to get our kids as strong as possible. The split is moved to Upper Body-Lower Body with medium to lower reps.

TIER 3

TIER 3 IS FOCUSED ON PERFORMANCE TRAINING

and is a very limited group meant for only our most advanced lifters and highest performers. Currently, less than 10% of our population qualifies for this training. Tier 3 follows a French Contrast training method, which I believe is the epitome of performance training. Here, we will do a muscle group circuit and movement circuit each workout. We do NOT want anybody in Tier 3 longer than one four-week cycle.

MUSCLE FACTORY

THERE ARE ALSO A FEW OTHER “SPECIAL GROUPS”

that certain student-athletes will fall into. One of our special groups is our “Muscle Factory”, or sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (size) group. These kids are naturally thinner and have a difficult time putting on weight and muscle. This group will do an entire cycle of higher reps for every exercise.

SWEAT MACHINE

OUR “SWEAT MACHINE” GROUP IS FOR ATHLETES

who are too big for their abilities, and therefore follow a cardio-muscular workout. Not every large athlete automatically gets placed here to lose weight, only the ones who cannot move effectively and explosively at their current weights. We are still focused on getting stronger just like everybody else, however we will supplement movements instead of the auxiliary lifts to burn more calories (i.e. complementing bench press with battle ropes).

TAKE A ‘FEED THE CATS’ APPROACH TO ALL TRAINING

BY DAN GUTTENPLAN, FNF COACHES EDITOR

More and more football coaches are taking their cues from a high school track coach in Plainfield, Ill.

Tony Holler invented a revolutionary new method of training sprinters at Plainfield North High (Ill.) called “Feed the Cats.” It’s a minimalist approach to training which discourages putting sprinters through long workouts that make them feel crushed by the end.

“Football coaches want to take football players past failure because they think it helps their teams in the fourth quarter,” Holler said. “If you value high performance, the fourth quarter might not even matter because the game is already over. The reason teams lose in the fourth quarter is fumbled snaps, turnovers, dropped balls. That stems from overworking kids during practice and them being tired.”

The “Feed the Cats” training method teaches sprinters to run fast using micro-segments of work. Holler also coached high school football for more than 25 years, although never as a head coach.

“Most football coaches have to join conventional thought to move up the ladder, and I’ve never done that very well,” Holler said.

■ Nationally acclaimed track coach Tony Holler’s motto is: “Light a fire, don’t fill a pail.”

WHAT IS MICRO-DOSE TRAINING?

Coach Holler explains how training in micro-dose

amounts is the best way for athletes to get faster. All speed coaches must make max-speed a priority, and the goal of micro-dose training is specifically to train with a minimum effective dose.

Sprinting fast is the foundation behind the athlete. The faster the top-end speed, the faster the sub-max speed. Remember: to run fast, the athlete must train fast!

POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Coach Holler states that if you want to increase speed, you

must emphasize sprint mechanics, max-speed sprinting, and jumping. Holler offers more than 30 drills that he uses to focus on stiffness, posture, and balance. The end result is better stabilization of the body, which causes stiffness and therefore faster speed.

Holler emphasizes that drills have to have a positive effect on speed without burning out the athlete. You’ll see how to workout without sprinting maximally every day, giving your athletes the option to prioritize rest, which will keep them fresh throughout the season.

10 COMMANDMENTS OF “FEED THE CATS”

In order to adhere

completely to the “Feed the Cats” program, Coach Holler states that you must follow its 10 essential commandments, which include:

1Do high-quality work with maximum focus over the least amount of time possible.

2Prioritize rest, recovery, and growth; never underestimate the power of being happy and healthy.

3Never forget - people naturally are good at what they like and are OBSESSED with what they love.

4Promote your program with unrestrained enthusiasm.

5“Record, Rank, and Publish” to feed the competitive nature of your fast-twitch athletes.

6Never force-feed.

7Never grind.

8Never crush the physical or emotional soul of your athletes.

9Never inflict physical punishment - punish only by taking away the opportunity to do the work.

10 Never forget, “Light a fire, don’t fill a pail.”