Expect The Unexpected

9.06.2012

Blog

The Unexpected

High School coaches have unique issues in regards to their athletes. Most high schools only have their participants for a short period prior to the up and coming fall season. Doug Scott is the Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Pingry School in Martinsville, New Jersey. His training is well thought out and purposeful. Doug explains how in only two weeks significant changes in the musculature of young athletes can be made.

The start of football practice in August always represents a “wild card” for many high school coaches. Since athletes participate in a variety of summer activities it is hard to know exactly how well they prepared themselves for the season. It is important to have a plan in place for when the team arrives.

In light of recent scientific research and the growing concern of concussions in football it is important that each player becomes very strong in the muscles of the head and neck region. Given the fact that many high school athletes have underdeveloped neck muscles, especially if they did not have access to training over the summer, and the fact that the neck muscles respond very quickly once exposed to progressive exercise a two-week intensive neck program can show remarkable gains in size and strength. After this period it is important to continue training but the volume and intensity may need to be adjusted.

2-week start of season neck workout

Workout 1
Neck Machine Forward Flexion x 12-15 reps
Neck Machine Backward Extension x 12-15 reps
Neck Machine Right Side x 12-15
Neck Machine Left Side x 12-15

Band Protrusion (chin lift) x 20 reps
Band Forward Flexion (chin tuck) x 20 reps

Shrugs 1 arm x 12-15
Shrugs 2 arm x 12-15

Workout 2
Neck Machine Forward x 8-10 (4 pin)
Neck Machine Forward x 8-10 (8 pin)
Neck Machine Forward x 8-10 (12 pin) “nod” movement
• the goal is to move as quick as possible between sets*
Neck Backward Extension x 8-10 (2 pin)
Neck Backward Extension x 8-10 (4 pin)
Neck Backward Extension x 8-10 (6 pin) “tilt” movement
• the goal is to move as quick as possible between sets

Manual Resistance Forward x 12 reps
Manual Resistance Backward x 12 reps
“Kelso Shrug” x 12-15
Seated Row x 8-10

After performing this routine every other day and rotating between the two workouts you can expect an increase in strength and size of the neck region giving the athlete a good starting point for the season.

6.2.2023

Closed And Open Chain

Open kinetic chain exercises of the lower limb are movements, where the distal segment is unloaded and free to move. The opposite is true of closed kinetic chain exercises, whereby there is enough resistance to prohibit free motion.

Closed kinetic chain exercises are movements such as squats, Pendulum Squat Pro, leg presses and lunges, while open chain exercises are actions like leg curls, leg extensions and the Pendulum Reverse Glute Ham.

The kinetic chain can be understood as interrelated joints and body parts working with one another during motion. This creates a chain of events that affects the movement of neighboring joints and segments.

The advantage of open chain movements is that they tend to be better at isolating muscle and often are selected for specific rehabilitation and used to accentuate performance. While closed chain movements in general would be classified as more functional and closely approximating movements that are used in sport and daily life.

Open Chain Reverse Glute Ham

Closed Chain Pendulum Power Squat Pro

Closed Chain Pendulum Power Squat Pro XT

5.11.2023

Arkansas Baseball Weight Room

5.11.2023

2-for-2 Method

Some trainers, coaches and athletes use what is called the 2-for-2 Method for increasing training load. The rule is if the trainee can perform two or more repetitions over one’s ‘repetition goal’ in the last set of an exercise, for two consecutive workouts, the weight is added for that particular exercise the next training session.