Philosophy

UCR Strength Training Philosophy

 

1. Focus Your Training On The Core Body.

   1. The core body is the center of all power and strength
   2. Imagine the body broken down into three links of a chain: upper body, lower body, and core body.
   3. What is the core body? What muscles make up this core? Abs, obliques, erectors, gluteals, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors.
   4. Imagine all of the human movements in the core!
   5. There is little chance of athletic success if one is weak and inflexible in this core.
   6. How do we emphasize core strength in our training? What lifts or exercises are used?

2. Train With Ground-Based Lifts and Bodyweight Calisthenics.

   1. Most athletes participate in standup power sports.
   2. Most sport skills are initiated with the feel applied to the ground.
   3. The more force applied to the ground, the greater the potential for power and speed.
   4. Athletes in all sports will benefit from ground based training.
   5. More muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments are involved in ground-based activities.
   6. What are the ground based lift and calisthenics used: cleans, squats, pulls, pushups, chins, rows and standing press.

3. Incorporation NOT Isolation.

   1. Athletes never isolate a muscle or a joint in competition.
   2. It’s not how strong you are but how you use your strength in sport that counts.
   3. It is of utmost importance for athletes to train using their whole body naturally.
   4. When using weight machines, you isolate muscles and do not use stabilizing muscles for that particular lift.
   5. When using free weights, you incorporate many muscles by using prime mover and stabilizer muscles.
   6. With machines, you work in one plane. With free weights, you work in multiple planes.
   7. With team workouts, one should use free weights. Individual workouts allow athletes to use machines.

4. Train For Power. Power Is The Function Of Strength And Speed.

   1. Along with “feel of the game” and “mental toughness,” sport coaches are in search of athletes with great speed and power.
   2. Increasing speed of movement with same mass lifted increases power.
   3. Increasing mass lifted with maintaining speed increases power.
   4. Olympic lifters have the highest vertical jumps (Avg: 36” to 42”) and are the fastest athletes in a 25 meter run.
   5. Olympic lifters us predominantly the quick lifts (clean & jerk and snatch) and deep front and back squats.

5. Train Athleticism.

   1. The strength coach’s main purpose is to train athletes for maximal performance in competition.
   2. Positive qualities of superior athletes are: strength, power, speed, agility, flexibility, rapid reorientation from disorientation, rapid gathering from poor positions, sport skill expertise, mental toughness and being goal driven,
   3. The enhancement of these qualities should be a part of any strength program.

6. Train Attitude.

   1. The strength workout is run like a sport practice to develop chemistry, teamwork, leadership skills and competitive environment.
   2. Athletes should attack the weights, displaying mental toughness, discipline, focus and intensity.
   3. Mental weaknesses are not allowed. For example, negative facial expressions, poor verbal and body language, whining, displays of disrespect and the spreading of negativity are all strongly discouraged by the strength coach.
   4. Brief, intense, challenging workouts that are as fun as possible help create a positive attitude.

7. Train For Intensity.

   1. Use almost exclusively exercises that generate a large work output (wt x distance). Complete these exercises/workouts quickly in order to generate high power outputs. ((wt x distance)/time)

8. Single Limb Lifts And Two Limb Lifts.

   1. Emphasize the use of one arm and one leg lifts as well as the two limb lifts. This will make the movements more functional by bringing into play more of the core body.

9. Short Intense And Organized Workouts Are Best.

   1. Most successful programs and strength coaches throughout the world in all of Olympic lifting, power lifting and college sports, use brief, intense and organized workouts in training their athletes.

10. Encourage The Champions Attitude.

    1. True champions will never blame anyone but themselves for their failures.
    2. True champions will embrace the mentally and physically challenging workouts because they know each of these workouts will make them stronger mentally and physically and better prepare them for competition.
    3. True champions will do the extra workouts to help make themselves champions.

*Credit for this sound training philosophy goes to Coach Ethan Reeve, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Wake Forest Univ.