Strength and Conditioning
| Strength and Conditioning Staff | |
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| The Intercollegiate
Athletic Strength Center |
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| Latti Fitness Center |
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New Signee Training Guide Below
MAINE SPEED, STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
Maine Speed, Strength & Conditioning is a performance-based program with a concentration of achieving success in athletic events and maintaining an injury free environment.
Philosophy:
1. Developing a mentally and physically challenging training environment that will allow athletes to maximize their ability
2. Increase performance in athletic events
3. Decrease the risk of injury through the teaching of progressive strength and power development exercises
4. Identify dysfunctional movement patterns and correct the pattern
Fundamentals of an Athlete:
1. Lower body strength
2. Lower body power
3. Core strength
4. Ability to accelerate and decelerate
5. Mobility
6. Balanced upper body (posterior/anterior)
Core Development Exercises: Core is defined as the musculature of the abdomen, low back and hip girdle region. Core strength development is based on the "straw vs steel rod" theory. "Straw vs Steel Rod" theory is when applying force through a wall with a steel rod and a straw, the straw will break down first due to the lack of strength and stability in the center. The steel rod will not break down due to its density and strength in the center of the rod. We must develop a "steel rod" core with our athletes to help improve their ability to apply force through the ground more efficiently and cut down on the risk of injury.
Athletic events are played on a variety of surfaces and the body is put in many different positions in which strength is needed to perform efficiently. Our core exercises consist of a variety of movements that mimic the positions that are performed in sport:
-Stabilization
-Lateral Flexion
-Flexion
-Rotation
Daily warm-up routines include a variety of exercises from these four areas throughout the entire year.
Mobility Drills: Mobility drills are implemented into our workouts in a joint-by-joint approach for both the upper and lower body. Athletic events are comprised of multidirectional and multidimensional movements that require various levels of flexibility and stability. The installation of dynamic flexibility and static stretching exercises into the workout will decrease of risk of injury and prepare the athlete for sport.
Dynamic flexibility exercises: Actively increase range of motion in the muscles and joints.
Static flexibility exercises: Hold a specific position to increase range of motion in the muscles and joints.
Ground Based Movements: The majority of athletic movements involve an athlete driving their feet through the ground and the application of force through the ground is needed in order to move. Exercises that are performed on a machine without the feet in contact with the ground are not as beneficial to the development of an athlete. The greater amount of force an athlete can produce through the ground in an efficient manner, the faster and more powerful they will be. When an athlete performs an exercise with their feet on the ground they are forced to stabilize more than 1 joint at a time that helps in strengthening total body awareness and decreases the risk of injury.
Three Dimensional Movements: Movements in athletic events are performed in 3 ways: left to right, forward and backward, up and down. The success of an athlete will be determined by strength in these three movements. Training with free weights, allows an athlete to train these movement patterns and strengthen the body as one functioning unit. Exercises that are performed on machines are primarily comprised of isolated movements that do not require activation of stabilizing muscles. Free weight movements will strengthen the stabilizing muscles and aid in decreasing the risk of injury.
Explosive Movements: Athletic events are comprised of quick and explosive movements. Explosive movements develop fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast-twitch muscle fibers enable the athlete to produce power. Olympic lifting, plyometric, and medicine ball exercises are the methods in which we utilize to train power. Power is critical in athletic events due to the rate an athlete can produce it. An athlete may be strong, but cannot produce any power due to training at slow speeds. Powerful athletes can produce a large amount of force in a short period of time. Power, not strength is the key component in winning championships.
Olympic lifting movements are the most efficient exercises for developing strength and power. Olympic lifting exercises characterize movements that are performed in sport at a high rate of speed. Moving a load at a high velocity in a short amount of time teaches the athlete to recruit a large number of motor units to perform each repetition. Utilizing Olympic lifting exercises teaches the athlete to train the body in the proper sequence from the core to the extremities.
Single Leg Exercises: Due to human nature, one leg will be stronger than the other. In athletic events, when athletes are accelerating and decelerating they are pushing off of 1 leg at a time. It is critical that we implement single leg exercises into our programs to balance the strength of both legs. Performing unilateral exercises will focus on each leg independently and concentrate on strengthening the weak points. Single leg exercises improve both balance and the proprioceptive capabilities of an athlete that are needed in order to perform at an optimal level in athletic events.
Posterior Chain Exercises: The posterior chain is comprised of the hamstrings, glutes , and spinal erectors. The posterior chain is critical in athletic performance, speed development, and injury prevention. The hamstring plays a major role in the sprinting motion due to the multiple actions that it performs. During a sprint, the hamstring extends the hip and then flexes the knee. The implementation of posterior chain movements will include a higher volume of hip extension movements compared to knee flexion movements to mimic the sprinting motion and prevent injury.
Program Development and Progressive Overload: Over a 4-5 year period, change needs to occur in both the body and on the field of play. In order for a change to occur, the program must apply a progressive overload. Programs are designed to meet the needs of the athletes and push them beyond their limits but within an injury free environment.
Periodization training is the format in which we install progressive overload. Periodization is a variation in training of repetitions, sets, and loads. Our yearly cycle is broken up into: preseason, in-season, postseason, and off-season. The implementation of variation in a program is needed to prevent overtraining, injury, and a decrease in performance.
Linear and Lateral Speed Development: Speed is made up of two components: stride length and stride frequency. Stride length is the distance between each step and stride frequency is the number of steps per second. When an athlete is sprinting we will concentrate on increasing both stride length and stride frequency simultaneously. As an athlete becomes stronger, they will increase the stride length due the enhance ability to produce force through the ground. Stride frequency component will be improved through P.A.L mechanic drills. Speed development is divided up into Linear P.A.L and Lateral P.A.L mechanics.
Linear P.A.L is: P = Posture; A= Arm Action; L= Leg Action
Lateral P.A.L is: P= Push to move; A= Athletic Base; L= Low Center of Gravity
Acceleration: Acceleration is the ability to reach maximum speed in the shortest amount of time. Acceleration is more important than top speed in sports due to requirement of acceleration and deceleration in a given play and never reaching top speed. The implementation of lower body strength and power exercises will enhance the athletes' ability to accelerate.
Agility: Agility is the ability to change direction without a decrease in speed. An athlete must possess a tremendous amount of eccentric strength, which is the ability to control your body while changing directions. We will utilize two forms of agility:
Programmed Agility - The athlete has a mapped out course.
Reactive Agility - The athlete must change direction to another athlete or visual cue.
Conditioning: Conditioning will vary depending on the athletic event. Conditioning regiments are based on the energy system that is used in the sport. The three energy systems that we utilize are: ATP, Lactic Acid, and Oxygen. The ATP energy system lasts up to 10 seconds of work. The ATP energy system training is comprised of our explosive, speed, and agility exercises. The Lactic acid system goes from 10 seconds to 1.5 minutes. The Oxygen energy would consist of runs or exercises longer than 1.5 minutes. The lactic acid energy system is trained with long shuttle runs and interval exercises. Work/rest ratios are the key component in efficiently training each energy system and will vary depending on the sport. For example Football 1/5, Hockey 1/3, Basketball Soccer Field Hockey 1/1.
Performance Testing: Vertical Jump; 10 yd dash(laser); Pro Agility; Long Jump; 40 yd dash; Strength Testing; Hang Clean; Squat; Bench Press
NUTRITION
"Garbage In = Garbage Out": The recovery from workouts is key to improving performance both on and off the field. Nutrition and sleep play a major role in the recovery efforts from one workout to the next. We recommend athletes receive 8-9 hours of sleep per night and consume 7 small meals per day. To help in the post workout restoration process, athletes are provided with 20 grams of protein that comes from either chocolate milk or a protein bar. Here are the daily nutritional
recommendations:
•Eat Breakfast everyday
•Eat 7 times per day
•Take a multivitamin everyday
•Drink a gallon of water everyday
•Largest meals = Breakfast and Dinner
•Eat 1st Choice foods
•Eat 2 salads each day
•20 grams of protein within 15 minutes of workout
•Consume 4 snacks per day between meals- blood glucose levels optimal
1st Choice Foods:
•Nonfat or Low Fat
•Sugar-Free or Low Sugar
•Baked, Grilled, or Steamed
•Lean Meats, Nuts, Eggs, Yogurt, and Cheese
•Oatmeal, Cereals, Whole Wheat, and Multigrain
•Salad
•Fruits and Vegetables
•Vegetables and Salad-Darker the better
•Nuts, Almonds, and Cashews
FACILITIES
Latti Fitness Center
5,000 square foot facility
Mondo tile flooring
12 Olympic sets of Eleiko and Uesaka bumper plates
8 Platforms
6 Full Racks
4 Multi Racks
5 Racks(attached to platforms)
3 Glute Hamstring Raise Machines
3 Woodway Treadmills
3 Eliptical Machines
2 Stepmaster Machines
2 Bikes
2 Bodymasters Universal Stations
50 x 20 ft Warmup/Stretching area equipped with Dot Drills, Speed Agility ladders, Slideboards, Hurdles, physioballs, and medicine ball wall
2 sets of Black Iron Dumbbells ranging from 5-100lbs
1 set of Black Iron Dumbbells ranging from 80-150lbs
7,755lbs of weight
The University of Maine Speed, Strength and Conditioning staff
strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before
beginning any of our exercise programs. You should be in good
physical condition and be able to participate in the
exercise.
University of Maine Speed, Strength and Conditioning is not a
licensed medical care provider and represents that it has no
expertise in diagnosing, examining, or treating medical conditions
of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific
exercise on a medical condition.
You should understand that when participating in any exercise or
exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If
you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you
do so at your own risk, are voluntarily
participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to
yourself, and agree to release and discharge the University of
Maine from any and all claims or causes of action, known or
unknown, arising out of negligence.
