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Maces and clubs are among the world’s first pieces of man-made strength training equipment. Originating thousands of years ago, these tools have stood the test of time and offered value to those applying them.

Utilizing maces and clubs in a training program can fill several gaps that aren’t always met through traditional means of training. The construction of both pieces of equipment creates an offset in the load, intensifying even basic compound movement patterns and challenging trunk and grip strength. This also allows the user to train the shoulders in more open, expressive patterns, creating a fun and more stimulating training experience overall.

Utilizing maces and clubs in a training program can fill several gaps that aren’t always met through traditional means of training. Share on X

I understand that in the saturated space of fitness gimmicks and fads, something like maces and clubs can be drowned out. Yet these pieces of equipment have been a staple of many training programs for a reason. Like any piece of exercise equipment, they can be effective when used within the proper context. My personal experience with mace and club training has all been self-exploration. Looking into alternative training options with special population clients, I purchased a few pieces and began experimenting and training with the tools on my own.

Yes, I did some research and reached out to others in the field, but I do not believe that you need to be a mace or club guru to benefit from their use. Baseball and softball athletes, who have unique upper body demands, love the feel of shoulder prehab work with the clubs, and the mace comes second nature to them for training rotational power. The offset shift and grip demand of both tools help build up the necessary qualities for combat athletes to grip, rip, and prepare for the chaotic demands of their sports. And even with general pop clients just trying to be awesome at life, maces and clubs are great to keep their training fresh and challenging through simple yet different movements.

The purpose of this article is to go into detail on how to integrate maces and clubs into your own prescribed training programs, allowing you to offer more to those you train.

Getting Started with Maces and Clubs

To begin, here are a few notes and considerations when first selecting the weights of the club and mace. Each situation could vary, depending on the athlete’s training experience and abilities, but these are my recommendations:

• When beginning with a mace, 10 pounds is a great starting point for a new client (male or female). This is typically the lightest option, although there are sometimes lighter choices—unless you want to make maces a larger part of the training program, the 10-pound mace is most appropriate.

This size will be great to gain a feel for the implement and learn some basic movements. This is also the weight I started with—I consider myself fairly strong, and this was still a challenge for me to start.

• When selecting a heavier mace, understand that the weight isn’t like when progressing a dumbbell or kettlebell. A 10-pound increase in a mace is a BIG difference. (I know because that’s what I chose.) The 15-pound option would work better with a majority of athletes’ and clients’ training. Remember, these tools just help supplement my training programs and don’t make them up as a whole, so I don’t stress over having every weight selection.

In a perfect world, you could have three maces. One 10-pound for introductions, warm-ups, and prehab work. Then, one of 15–20 pounds for primary strength work and an advanced option of 20–25 pounds.

• When it comes to clubs, I would recommend a 5-pound pair to start, primarily for the upper-body prehab exercises. These movements do not need to be performed with a heavy load but rather with proper intention and range of motion. I have seen lighter clubs used in clinical rehab settings, but that’s not my domain.

From there, a single, 10–15-pound club can be used to gain a feel for the tool and develop some basic skills before moving up to a heavier weight. The same principles apply, where a 10-pound jump goes a long way, and our previous experience with strength progressions doesn’t help as much.

• I would recommend a similar setup as the mace and have a lighter club or club(s), 5 pounds; a base strength option, 10–15 pounds; and an advanced option, 20–25 pounds.

I would go with steel for both options just for durability purposes and feel. Onnit is a great resource where you can get a start on purchasing your equipment and also learn a lot about the specialization of the equipment.

Introduce these new tools while performing exercises you are already familiar with and confident instructing. Athletes can perform squats, press, pull, and hinge with these tools, and they can feel like brand-new exercises.

A progression layout to follow would be:

1. Introduce isometrics within these movements.
2. Execute the exercises focusing on control.
3. Perform more dynamic, fluid exercises.

Each of these three stages builds upon the prior one.

Isometric Exercises

By utilizing movements your athletes are already familiar with, you can also help them to better familiarize themselves with the mace or club and its unconventional nature. The offset of load requires more stability throughout the entire body, and especially the targeted areas, without having to alter the movement completely.

When training with the mace, make sure to keep a strong grip; holding the mace, you want to have the intention of pulling the mace apart. Doing so creates total body tension and lays the groundwork for the exercise. Maintain the weight in as balanced a manner as possible when performing each movement, not allowing the end weight to lower or raise past the rest of the implement. Adjusting your grip away from the end weight—creating a longer lever arm—will increase the difficulty level and amount of balance and strength required.

While training with the club follows similar protocols, the tool’s shorter nature allows for less room to adjust hand grip in relation to the weight. This is a never-ending battle when training with both tools, as there will be a constant need to maintain balance and control of the unruly weight.

Video 1. Isometric squats, split squats, bent rows, and other movements with clubs and maces.

The Basics: Incorporating Compound Movements

Building from the isometrics, the next step is performing the major compound movements using these tools. No matter how strong someone is, performing exercises such as the squat or overhead press with a mace or club is an entirely different feel, and a different type of strength is required to do so.

No matter how strong someone is, performing exercises such as the squat or overhead press with a mace or club is an entirely different feel, and a different type of strength is required to do so. Share on X

Just because a client or athlete has a strong back squat, bench press, or level of athleticism doesn’t mean they will excel with these pieces of equipment. There is never a moment of complete comfort when using either tool. It is a humbling experience when a 10-pound weight has you shaking, sweating, and falling over yourself. When holding the club or mace away from your body, there is such a high level of total body isometric strength required to prevent that weight from tipping or falling to the ground.

You may just slide your grip a half inch farther down, and all of a sudden, you’re wrestling with the weight of the world pulling you down. Like a ship in a thunderstorm, there is never a moment you can completely relax and be at ease.

When performing the movements, maintain balance and alignment with the midline as best as possible; once that’s mastered, you can begin to work away from that position. For example, holding the club on the left side of the body will cause a huge disturbance to balance and require more stability throughout the exercise.

Video 2. Basic mace exercises, including overhead press, goblet squat, RDL, and more.

Video 3. Basic club movements, including squats, reverse lunges, shoulder raises, and more.

Training the Shoulders

The mace and club are fantastic for building strength, mobility, and durability in the shoulders. No piece of exercise equipment allows for the freedom of movement and fluidity to train not only the shoulders but also the elbows, wrists, and grip strength.

This exercise selection is more technical, including movements such as swings around the head, extensions of the pieces, and more. When swinging the mace or club(s), there is an additional layer of connection required to the piece to perfect the timing and rhythm of the movement.

When performing these movements, remember that the objective is to move the mace or club around the body rather than the other way around.

Video 4. Dynamic swings and switches with a mace.

Video 5. Dynamic swings, rotations, pullovers, and twists with a club.

Training the Trunk

Almost any exercises performed with the mace and clubs involve trunk strength. Any of the previously demonstrated movements require a great deal of trunk stability and control to perform correctly. While it is an option to perform additional core work with these tools, it may not be required if the individual is new to this unconventional form of training.

If you do want to include a different training stimulus for direct trunk training, the mace and clubs work great since multiple layers of movements are interlaced within a single exercise. Share on X

If you do want to include a different training stimulus for direct trunk training, the mace and clubs work great since multiple layers of movements are interlaced within a single exercise. When using these tools, you can use weight in patterns you may typically not have before: movements demonstrating rotation, lateral flexion, diagonal patterns from all directions, and everything else in between.

Video 6. Club and mace trunk training exercises, including pull-throughs, plank rows, and half-kneeling woodchops.

Using these tools in training doesn’t have to be complicated. I like performing many of these exercises in the warm-up for 2–4 sets of 10–15 repetitions on each side, depending on the exercise. It is great for the individual to perform something different that they’re not accustomed to, and that allows them to continue to develop and grow within their training.

Key Takeaways

When beginning to use these implements, I would recommend first performing them yourself and then following the progression listed. First, use isometrics to become familiar with the tools, then transition to performing controlled foundational exercises, and finally, get a little more creative working in greater ranges of motion and freedom for the shoulders and trunk development.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Golfers don’t sprint. They don’t even jog. Old men can ride in a cart and play 18 holes without ever working up a sweat.

How could a sprint program have anything to offer to one of the world’s least athletic sports?

Golfers aren’t athletes? Before I get inundated with hate mail, let’s discuss “athleticism.”

Like every coach, when I say, “That kid is an athlete,” I’m saying that kid is fast and explosive. In my days as a basketball coach back in the ’80s, I coached a normal kid who averaged 25 points per game. He was a TERRIFIC PLAYER but was slow and couldn’t dunk. I got in trouble on a post-game radio show for saying the kid wasn’t very “athletic” after he scored 40 points in a game.

Call me crazy, but building athleticism will make any athlete better at their sport. More specifically, I encourage athletes to sprint fast, lift heavy, jump high, jump far, and bounce.

Golf coaches, please don’t quit reading! I know exactly what you’re thinking. When playing golf, players NEVER sprint, lift, jump, or bounce. NEVER. So why should we listen to this crazy track coach?

Stop Reverse-Engineering Your Sport

Seems all my ideas are counterintuitive. What’s wrong with me? It’s so much easier to just go with the prevailing winds. But then again, only dead fish swim with the current.

It makes perfect sense to train athletes specifically for their sport. Here’s the problem: training specifically for a sport doesn’t create better athletes, says @pntrack. Share on X

It makes perfect sense to train athletes specifically for their sport. Swimmers need to swim, hockey athletes need to skate, and golfers need to swing. Here’s the problem: training specifically for a sport does not create better athletes.

In football, specificity will tell you that wide receivers need to do 60 sprints. Offensive linemen only need a couple of quick steps and to push things. But train specifically, and you will ignore athleticism.

In soccer, goalies don’t have to run or sprint. Other soccer athletes need to train like cross-country runners to prepare for up to 9 miles of running in a game. But train specifically, and you will ignore athleticism.

If Stephen Curry runs 3.1 miles in every basketball game, he better be doing daily runs of 3.1 miles, right? Nope, Stephen Curry needs to be the best ATHLETE he can be, especially as he ages.

At the risk of becoming redundant, stop training golfers as golfers!

Why Sprinting Makes a Better Golfer

Linear maximum-velocity sprinting, in spikes, getting timed, is the most extreme movement of the human body.

I repeat, linear max-velocity sprinting, in spikes, getting timed, is the most extreme movement of the human body.

Whether you are Usain Bolt sprinting at 27.6 mph or a 64-year-old track coach topping out at 12 mph, sprinting requires maximal involvement of the central nervous system (CNS). Nothing else comes close. In the weight room, maximum bar speeds never exceed 5 mph.

The CNS controls all movement, and the brain is a protective mother. Kids with poor eyesight never win races (consider the eyes as a part of the brain).

Speed is more electrical than muscular. Muscles are dumb; they do what they are told, at the speed that the CNS tells them to contract. Speed is neurological.

Since all movement is neurological, controlled by the CNS, speed is the tide that lifts all boats. When you train the EXTREME, you train the RANGE. Improving max speed not only improves efficiency at sub-max speeds, it also improves an athlete’s ability to move in all directions. I’ve often timed my track team running backward. Guess who wins? Yep, the fastest guy running forward is also the fastest guy running backward because the CNS controls all movement.

When you train the EXTREME, you train the RANGE. Improving max speed not only improves efficiency at sub-max speeds, it also improves an athlete’s ability to move in all directions, says @pntrack. Share on X

Acceleration? The fastest athletes at max speed are your fastest accelerators.

Let’s take this to the next step.

Want to improve skate speed for hockey players? Sprint.

Want to improve a basketball player’s quickness and ability to jump? Sprint.

Want to improve as a swimmer? Sprint.

When you train the EXTREME, you train the RANGE.

Unless you play a sport where there is absolutely no movement, you better be sprinting. Having said this, I’ve spoken to people who hypothesize that improvements in sprint speed may contribute to cognitive speeds. Chess?

Speaking of cognitive improvements, I study writers. Seems every writer claims WALKING is critical to the creative process. Writer’s block? Go for a walk.


My hypothesis: If walking is so good for the brain, the most extreme movement, sprinting, may be even better. What if we added a third composite brain to Dr. Hillman’s research? What would a brain look like after a 20-minute sprint workout? I predict all reds and yellows. We might be on to something!

Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old

Tom Petty knew his stuff.

I believe the fountains of youth are:

1. Weight
2. Speed
3. Sleep

Those three things are related because gravity is the number one enemy of speed, so being overweight makes you slow. And without sleep, the CNS does not reset and gets sluggish. Tired and sleepy people are slow. My final take on this subject: sprinting is really good for controlling your weight and getting a good night’s sleep.

I would love to see someone bold enough in the baseball world to train aging players differently. Instead of lifting and doing cardio, sprint-train aging baseball players. From what I know, no one does this. No one. I’m sure people will argue that they “run sprints” or that “running poles” is sprinting, but it’s not. Sprinting is not “running fast” or “working hard.” Sprinting is different.

I would love to see someone bold enough in the baseball world to train aging players differently. Instead of lifting and doing cardio, sprint-train aging baseball players, says @pntrack. Share on X

My definition of sprint: sprinting in a straight line at max speed, wearing track spikes, and getting timed. If you don’t push the limits of the CNS, the CNS gets depressed, and speed deteriorates. The road to getting slower is all downhill.

It’s no secret: when baseball players are over the hill, two things leave them—bat speed and cognitive speed (see the ball, hit the ball hard). The average professional baseball player retires before they turn 30, even though all of them are STRONGER than they were as rookies. I bet their sprint speeds are nowhere near where they were as rookies. They’ve gotten old and slowed down.

I Thought This Was a Golf Article?

Guilty as charged, but it’s important to see the big picture, too.

This article is really about the central nervous system and its absolute control over the most extreme movement in the human experience: sprinting.

I was having dinner a year ago with Les Spellman and Brian Kula. Les was talking about the undeniable relationship between the CNS and speed. I added my insight that too many people see speed through a muscular lens instead of an electrical lens. Then, Brian Kula told a story that will be forever etched into my brain.

Brian told us about improving the sprint speed of a female golfer and how she consequently improved her club head speed. Hmmm…maybe speed is truly the tide that lifts all boats.

Eleven months later, I wanted to hear the exact story so I could include it in this article. Brian referred me to his right-hand man, Taylor Nelson-Cook of Kula Sports Performance, who worked directly with two female golfers, Elle Higgins and her sister, Brenna Higgins. Both of these girls improved their maximum sprint velocity by a whopping two mph!

Of course, when max speed improves, acceleration improves, too, and it did. But here’s the stunner: their club head speed improved by 15 mph. Elle is now golfing at the University of Montana, and Brenna is at Valor Christian High School, where she was named 5A Golfer of the Year in Colorado.

Elle and Brenna Higgins were not trained as golfers but as sprint-based athletes. Their training was no different than Brian Kula’s training of Christian McCaffrey (who also attended Valor Christian H.S.). At Kula Sports Performance, they do not reverse-engineer sports; they create athletes.

Six weeks ago, I began consulting with Jonathan Ochoa, a golf coach in Spain. Jon has become a disciple of what he calls “Feed the Cats Golf.” Jon has initiated a “Sprint, Drive, Pitch, and Putt” competition with his students. In addition, Jon has started sprinting himself, improving his 40 time from a 5.07 to a 4.89. Jon’s club speed has improved from 110 mph to 117 mph.

Kyle Berkshire is the World Champion Driver. His club head speed is an eye-popping 157 mph (PGA average is 116 mph), his ball speed is 241 mph, and his world record drive is 579.6 yards.

In a 2020 article about his training, Kyle Berkshire listed four things. The most counterintuitive part of his training is, of course, SPRINTING:

“I’m a believer in doing things that allow your body to move at its fastest without relying on mechanics or positions. That’s why I like to do sprints. When you bust out of the blocks, you aren’t thinking about technique. You’re just going. That’s what long driving is all about, too. Release your inner athlete, no matter your age.” –Kyle Berkshire

To understand the freaky athleticism required to drive a golf ball 579 yards, you must check out this two-minute clip. It’s amazing!

What Would Speed Training Look Like?

What if I told you that your investment in speed could be less than three minutes a week?

Whether you’re a soccer player, lacrosse player, rugby player, baseball player, or golfer, three minutes of work in two to three speed sessions a week could do the trick. This is called my Atomic Workout.

Atoms are the smallest unit of matter but are also incredibly powerful. My Atomic Workout is NOT optimal; it’s atomic… the least we can do and still challenge the CNS. If highly organized, you can do the Atomic Workout in 15 minutes, and you will do only 60 seconds of work. Make sure you have a solid timing system. Hundreds of high school football teams have replaced their traditional worthless warm-up with the Atomic Workout.

The key thing here is to develop a sprint habit and stay as consistent as you can, sprinting two to three times a week. Perform the speed drills as well as you can, but remember, it’s the max-velocity sprinting that’s most important. Michael Boyle says consistent sprint training allows the body to “self-organize.” In other words, the body starts to figure things out. As you get faster, your drills will become more fluid. Your speed drills will feed your sprinting, and your sprinting will feed your speed drills.

The key thing with my Atomic Workout is to develop a sprint habit and stay as consistent as possible, sprinting 2–3 times a week. Remember: it’s the max-velocity sprinting that’s most important. Share on X

If you are already pretty athletic and want to optimize your work, you should not do more sprinting (remember, we should only sprint two or three days a week). If you want more work, you should do X-Factor exercises on one or two of your off days. These are exercises that fast people do well and slow people do poorly. The #1 rule of X-Factor work is never to burn the steak.

It takes time to get good at X-Factor work. My freshmen are typically awkward and uncoordinated. By the time they are sophomores, they are good enough to demonstrate for our new incoming class.

Nantes, France

On Monday, December 11, at 6:30 p.m., I will speak in St. Sebastien sur Loire, a suburb of Nantes. My presentation is titled “The Unexpected Benefits of Raising the Ceiling of Speed: From Bodies to Brains.”

My audience will include coaches, cognitive scientists, and sports scientists. The presentation will be open to the public, but you need to register. My presentation will be in English but will be translated into French.

Address:

Maison des Associations René Couillaud

6 rue des Becques

44230 Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Core strength, along with defining the requisite anatomy, has been a longstanding topic of debate among strength coaches and practitioners. Despite the ambiguity and dismissiveness surrounding the subject, I have found significant value in emphasizing core strength with almost any athlete I’ve ever worked with. This became particularly evident during my time working with Navy SEAL personnel, who are often plagued by extensive injuries and movement limitations.

Regardless of sport or level of play, the core is essential for connecting and coordinating movements while also playing a primary role in transmitting kinetic forces, says @danny_ruderock. Share on X

Relative to conventional athletes, regardless of the sport or level of play, the core is essential for connecting and coordinating movements while also playing a primary role in transmitting kinetic forces. In this article, I will cover specifically what the core is, why it is significant for sport performance, and, importantly, how we can get the most out of our training to improve core strength and function by utilizing the Keiser.

Defining and Understanding the Core

Anatomically, the core can be observed as any muscles, connective tissue, or fascia that attach to or act on the spine, rib cage, or pelvis. Collectively, these tissues act to flex, extend, rotate, or bend the adjacent appendicular skeleton and assist in connecting the upper and lower extremities.

From a functional sense, the core muscles are arranged in a unique manner and tend to have lower relative contractile capacities than the muscles of the arm or leg. Additionally, these are generally smaller muscles with smaller cross-sectional areas while also having a wider range of orientation and pennation angles due to possessing more precise mechanical actions. For instance, the quadratus lumborum (QL) and the transverse abdominis are essential core muscles and, despite their relatively low contractility, play a key role in stabilizing and integrating the pelvis and rib cage.

Another way of understanding core anatomy and function is by observing the body through a fascial lens, which is something I have discussed at great lengths over the years. As it applies here, the myofascial lines provide a perfect illustration of the direct interconnectedness of the human body and the integrative function of our anatomy—no muscle ever, in any case, works in isolation.

As shown in the graphic below, the primary myofascial lines include several crucial core muscles, such as the lats, adductors, glutes, and obliques. When we are able to get beyond the myopic view of independent muscles and their isolated actions, we can better see the demand for having multiple independent structures providing specific functions that contribute to a global pattern or outcome. This, in the purest sense, is how the core functions.

The function of the core is multifaceted, but it can primarily be seen as transmitting and connecting forces throughout the body. This requires some combination of resisting forces, managing reciprocating forces (torque), rotating, bending, and transmitting forces. Common and straightforward examples of this include coordinating hip and arm action during sprinting, maintaining pelvic stability during single-leg landing, and thoracic rotation and trunk reciprocation during throwing actions. Analyzing the core in this way should help to illuminate the parallels to the primary fascial lines and how this significantly expands the relevant muscle groups and movements that can be classified as core training.

Rather than seeing core training as applying independent exercises, view core training as standard, global patterns that are modified to emphasize certain mechanical actions of the core. Share on X

You shouldn’t need me to tell you, but specific or isolated core movements like crunches, leg lifts, Russian twists, etc., should seldom, if ever, be utilized. The conventional applications of core training have very limited redeemable value for athletes. Rather than seeing core training as applying independent exercises, view core training as standard, global patterns that are modified to emphasize certain mechanical actions of the core. These standard patterns should simply reflect the actions and positions observed in sport.

For instance, as opposed to doing a standard Palloff press or static cable chop, integrate those actions into bigger patterns like lunges, locomotion, or bending. Having the athlete move from positions that are commonly experienced in sport while stressing the predominant vectors is really the boundary from which you need to work. And this is where the Keiser comes into the spotlight.

Benefits and Applications of the Keiser

As I covered in a previous article discussing the Keiser for arm care, the overarching benefit to using the Keiser is the wide range of variability that it can add to the movements being performed. Additionally, the Keiser makes it very easy to replicate sport-specific positions, patterns, and vectors; by default, I suppose this is why I find so much value in using the Keiser for core training.

The ability to load multiple planes, patterns, and positions is essential for beneficial core training. When we can adjust the height and angle of the arms and utilize very precise loading, we can stress virtually any fascial line and/or muscle group. The dynamic fulcrum of the Keiser provides a means to load very specific patterns, which can be beneficial by allowing athletes to move through patterns or sequences that are more comfortable or effective.

While we want to see certain foundations of movement, an overemphasis on “perfect” weight room technique may become consequential for athletes. For this reason, I emphasize variability with Keiser movements for my athletes. I believe a foundational element of core training is having some level of reactiveness integrated into the training, and when using the Keiser, no two reps will be identical.

I believe a foundational element of core training is having some level of reactiveness integrated into the training, and when using the Keiser, no two reps will be identical, says @danny_ruderock. Share on X

The resistance type is another definitive feature of the Keiser equipment and an aspect that is beneficial for core training. As I’ve covered, transmitting forces and connecting movement patterns is the central function of our core. The pneumatic resistance mechanism allows athletes to accelerate completely through ranges of motion, something not possible with static loading. But, in doing so, we are able to stress the core at angles and ranges that just aren’t possible with most contemporary equipment or load types.

An important note here is also the significance of applying eccentric load to the core in these types of positions. The muscles of the trunk—obliques, transverse abdominis, QL, glute med.—are rarely eccentrically loaded during daily life, sport, or standard training. I have found a lot of value in applying eccentric tempos during patterns that stress these areas.

Amplifying Core Training with Keiser Movements

Collectively, between the positions, ranges, and vectors we’re able to work through, along with the pneumatic resistance type provided, the Keiser offers a premium opportunity for strengthening the core. While just a handful of the countless movements you can utilize for the purposes of core training, the six exercises listed below are the ones I tend to program frequently with my athletes.

Some general notes and framework for each of the following movements:

• • Each of these can be considered an intermediate to advanced movement.

 

• • They should be classified as accessory (Block 2–4) movements.

 

• • They should be performed for 2–3 sets of 5–8 reps.

 

• • These should be progressed through increased load, tempo applications, stressing new ranges/vectors, adjusting load placement or implement, or adding variability to combinations/movements.

 

• Although the Keiser can be seen as the optimal means for loading, you can effectively replicate most of these exercises with a standard cable or band setup.

1. Cross Row to Press

What I like:

1. Controlling foot COP throughout transitions of movement.
2. Reciprocating trunk (thoracic) action.
3. Scapular demand/movement.

Video 1. Cross Row to Press.

2. Forward Lunge with Cross Chop

What I like:

1. Spring action of back foot under load.
2. Scapular demand/thoracic reach.
3. Eccentric load on obliques.

Video 2. Forward lunge with Cross Chop.

3. OH Side Bend from Split

What I like:

1. QL and oblique eccentric loading.
2. Lateral line/lat stretch.
3. Ipsilateral compression of rib cage.

Video 3. OH Side Bend from Split.

4. Dynamic Drop to Split

What I like:

1. Rib-hip disassociation (dynamic).
2. Thoracic reach.
3. Hip IR/foot pronation control.

Video 4. Dynamic Drop to Split.

5. Curtsy to Lateral Lunge with OH Reach

What I like:

1. Combination of lunge patterns (adductors/abductors).
2. Thoracic-pelvic coupling.
3. Loaded lateral hip flexion. 

Video 5. Curtsy to Lateral Lunge with OH Reach.

6. Dynamic Rotational Extension

What I like:

1. Loaded dynamic extension (safely).
2. Closed chain hip internal rotation.
3. High-velocity coordination.

Video 6. Dynamic Extension.

Keiser Is an Asset

Keiser equipment has become increasingly popular over the last few decades, and although it may not be a requirement for effective training and programming, it’s certainly a tremendous asset. As this applies to core training, there are several advantages to implementing Keiser for core work. Beyond the versatility, precision of load, and allowance of a wide range of vectors to move through, the Keiser permits the athlete to move intuitively and naturally in ways that best replicate the patterns observed in sport.

The Keiser permits the athlete to move intuitively and naturally in ways that best replicate the patterns observed in sport, says @danny_ruderock. Share on X

For all intents and purposes, Keiser work—especially core-specific work—can be viewed primarily as accessory options that are performed after your big/primary lifts. In some cases, such as return to play, we can utilize the Keiser patterns more as primary movements, but for standard cases, these exercises typically populate my later blocks.

I encourage you to be experimental with these patterns and, rather than just seeing increased load as the only route for progression, utilize an array of hand and body positions, movement combinations, and directions of applied load. You can progress and develop these movements in endless ways, and I believe coaches should prioritize this as they look to progressively increase the demands of core training.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Before diving into the specifics of the different energy systems, it’s important to define what the broad term “conditioning” means. Joel Jamieson defines conditioning as “a measure of how well an athlete is able to meet the energy production demands of their sport” (see author’s note below). This means that a basketball player who can jump, cut, and shoot efficiently while still making it back on defense for the entirety of the game is just as conditioned as a long jumper who can jump and recover three or more times during a meet.

Simply put—conditioning is specific to the sport at hand.

Oxford Languages defines aerobic exercise as any exercise intended to improve the efficiency of the body’s cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen. The more efficient your body is at transporting oxygen to muscles, and the better your muscles are at absorbing oxygen, the better your aerobic fitness is. The aerobic system produces the vast majority of energy that we use during daily activities (walking, writing, standing up and sitting down, etc.) and can produce energy for hours on end. This energy is produced in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the fuel your muscles run on.

The aerobic system is often referred to as an athlete’s gas tank—the larger an athlete’s gas tank, the longer they can compete at or near maximal efficiency. It’s common to think that aerobic fitness is only important in endurance sports like cross country or swimming, but this is false.

It’s common to think that aerobic fitness is only important in endurance sports like cross country or swimming, but this is false. Share on X

Regardless of what sport is being discussed, all three energy systems are working behind the scenes at different times. For an Olympic weightlifter, where success is primarily based on the abilities of the anaerobic alactic system, the aerobic system is responsible for recovery between attempts. This is crucial for success, as first attempts are often used as an extension of the warm-up. If an athlete can’t properly recover between each lift attempt, their results will be poor.

An important note about the aerobic system is that it is the only energy system that can use both fats and carbohydrates to produce ATP. This is important because fat as a fuel source can produce approximately nine calories per gram, more than twice the amount that carbs can produce, at around four calories per gram. While this means the aerobic system has a much larger capacity for energy production, the process of breaking down fat for fuel takes much longer than breaking down carbs. With this increased capacity comes a decreased rate of energy production—meaning the aerobic system cannot produce energy for high-intensity, explosive movements (sprinting, jumping, etc.).

There are various ways to measure aerobic fitness. While the gold standard is a lab-based VO2 Max test, this is often not the best option for sports teams for multiple reasons (cost, test length, necessity for proper equipment, etc.). In a team setting, there are a number of standardized tests that will work well.

One of the most common aerobic fitness tests is the beep test. This test is straightforward, can be done with large groups, and can easily be used to assess the effectiveness of a conditioning program. I personally use the 1200m shuttle test, also called the Bronco test, to test my athletes’ max aerobic speed. This allows me to specify personalized distances for various conditioning workouts.

My coaching staff and I recently tested 80+ athletes’ max aerobic speed in under 45 minutes. Quick and efficient is often the name of the game in my world as a high school strength coach, and the 1200-meter shuttle test definitely fits that description.

This article will look at the aerobic system: what it is, the physiology behind it, and various methods to improve it in different levels of athletes (techniques to build an aerobic base as a beginner, intermediate, and advanced athlete). It will provide practical examples and methods for coaches looking to increase their athletes’ aerobic conditioning.

 Author’s note: Throughout these articles on conditioning, the main citation used will refer to Joel Jamieson’s Ultimate MMA Conditioning. While this book is specific to mixed martial arts, the methods discussed in it can be applied to any sport, from cross country to shot put. During my years as an athletic performance student, my mentors referred to Ultimate MMA Conditioning as the gold standard for energy system development (ESD). As I have ventured into running a year-round high school athletic performance program for various sports, I have found Jamieson’s methods to be second to none.

How Do You Improve Your Aerobic Fitness?

There are three main components of aerobic energy production:

1. Oxygen supply (responsibility of the respiratory system and the heart).
2. Oxygen utilization (efficiency of the muscles’ ability to utilize oxygen).
3. Substrate availability (amount of fats and carbs readily available).

Breaking down the aerobic system into these three parts makes it easy to understand what needs to be done to improve aerobic fitness. Simply put, you can improve your aerobic fitness in three ways: increasing the amount of oxygen supplied to the muscles, increasing the efficiency of these muscles’ ability to utilize oxygen, and increasing the amount of fats and/or carbs available for energy production.

To improve the heart and respiratory system’s ability to transport oxygen to the muscles, cardiac output needs to be improved. Cardiac output can be defined as the amount of oxygenated blood that your heart can distribute per pump. This can be improved by:

1. Increasing the size of the left ventricle.
2. Increasing how hard the heart can squeeze (contractility).

(This will be covered in more depth in the next section.)

Next is oxygen utilization. To improve the muscles’ efficiency in utilizing the oxygen that is transported from the heart, muscle fiber types need to be discussed. Muscle fibers can be split into two general categories: slow-twitch (type I) and fast-twitch (type II). For the aerobic system, an increase in the size and efficiency of slow-twitch muscle fibers is key.

Substrate availability is the third and final piece of building better aerobic fitness. The body stores fats and sugars, which are then used (along with oxygen) to produce energy during exercise. In the absence of these two fuel sources, the aerobic system basically runs dry. The more substrates the body can store, the better the aerobic system can perform.

If one of these aspects of the aerobic system is improved, aerobic fitness will increase. If two or all three of these aspects can be improved, aerobic fitness will be significantly better, and the athlete will be able to perform at a much higher level for a much longer period.

Improving the Aerobic System for a Beginner Athlete

For a new athlete with no aerobic base established, the focus should be primarily on the body’s ability to transport oxygen to the required muscles. If the heart and respiratory system can be made stronger and more efficient, the athlete will soon realize they have a lot of potential to increase the size of their gas tank.

For a new athlete with no aerobic base established, the focus should be primarily on the body’s ability to transport oxygen to the required muscles, says Alex Roberts & @Steve20Haggerty. Share on X

As mentioned above, cardiac output is the amount of oxygenated blood that your heart can distribute per pump. Training cardiac output is simple (not easy) and requires a high volume of low-intensity conditioning. Any exercise that can be done at a steady state for an extended amount of time (at least 30 minutes, preferably between 45 and 90 minutes) can be used for low-intensity conditioning. Think jogging, biking, swimming, jumping rope, etc.

Sport-specific drills can also be used here. The same exercise doesn’t have to be used for the entire session. An example would be: jog for 15 minutes, perform sport-specific drills for another 15 minutes, and finish with another 15-minute jog. This can break up the monotony of jogging for 45 minutes. Keep in mind what sport team is being trained: If the athletes play a field sport, jogging is ideal. Don’t have soccer players swim for 30 minutes and expect their on-field conditioning to improve.

Most beginner athletes with no aerobic base will likely be young athletes just getting into training. We run a summer strength and conditioning program for incoming freshmen every summer. If you’ve ever tried to have a freshly graduated eighth grader jog for 30 minutes in the Midwest heat and humidity, you know it doesn’t work very well. While we do perform long-duration, low-intensity conditioning with them, we also implement game-based cardio. We have various games and relay setups that will keep them working at a low intensity level, and they are much more content playing a game for conditioning than jogging for long periods.

An example of game-based cardio we use throughout the summer is “Ultimate Ball.” Fields that are 50 yards long and 30 yards wide work well, but dimensions can vary based on available space. Set up two end zones with cones, each 10 yards deep. An easy way of setting up fields quickly is to use the width of a football/soccer field as the field’s length. This way, three fields can be set up on one field.

The rules are as follows:

• Using a football or any other ball, teams pass the ball to each other with the ultimate goal of catching the ball in the end zone.
• When a player catches the ball, they can only take three steps forward. (They can move backward/laterally as much as they want.)
• The other team gains possession if a pass is incomplete and touches the ground.
• The crucial factor is that players are constantly moving—if players take too long to pass the ball, give them a “shot clock” of 3–5 seconds.

Teams of 5–8 are ideal, but we’ve run teams of 12 with large groups. The game lasts 10 minutes, and at the end of the game, we switch which teams play.

An important note: the easiest way to ensure that cardiac output is, in fact, being trained is to base the work off of heart rate, says Alex Roberts & @Steve20Haggerty. Share on X

An important note: the easiest way to ensure that cardiac output is, in fact, being trained is to base the work off of heart rate. To revisit the physiology of cardiac output: the main objective is to increase the size of the left ventricle and to increase the heart’s contractility. If the heart is beating at too high of a rate, the heart won’t fully expand and fill with blood, leading to a different training stimulus.

An easy heart rate guideline for cardiac output training is as follows: the athlete’s heart rate should be 130–150 beats per minute for high school- and collegiate-aged athletes. Teach athletes how to check their heart rate themselves. Have everybody count their beats for 10 seconds (using the carotid artery) and multiply that number by six to find their heart rate. To make it even simpler, give them an adjusted rate that can be used for a 10-second count. For example, they’re spot on if their 10-second heart rate is between 22 and 25. If any higher or lower, adjust as needed.

An easier but less accurate method is the conversation check. If an athlete can hold a conversation with a partner while conditioning, chances are their heart rate is in the appropriate range for cardiac output. Obviously, using heart monitors or a wearable device that gives heart rate readouts is ideal, but that’s not realistic for my setting at the high school level.

An example progression of cardiac output sessions can be found below.

Improving the Aerobic System for Intermediate Athletes

An athlete who has completed at least 12 weeks of consistent cardiac output training can be considered “intermediate” in the sense that their aerobic system has a good foundation that can be built upon. These athletes might be getting bored with jogging for 30+ minutes with their heart rate at 145 bpm. Increasing the time of these cardiac output training sessions every three to four weeks would be sufficient to continue to build up the athlete’s gas tank, and they can be easily progressed in this way for months on end.

Another option would be to add a second priority and focus on increasing the size and efficiency of the athletes’ slow-twitch muscle fibers. Rather than replacing the cardiac output session with a slow-twitch session, complete at least 30 minutes of cardiac output, then add a slow-twitch session afterward.

What does this look like?

A great way to increase the oxidative abilities of slow-twitch muscle fibers is via Jamieson’s ‘tempo method.’ An example of an aerobic tempo would be to assign a 2020 tempo during the squat. Share on X

A great way to increase the oxidative abilities of slow-twitch muscle fibers is via what Jamieson calls the “tempo method.” Most coaches are probably familiar with weight room tempos. They involve working under specific tempos during movements in the weight room. General tempos bring much value outside the desired conditioning stimulus (hypertrophy, coordination, fine-tuning technique) relevant to this discussion.

An example of an aerobic tempo would be to assign a 2020 tempo during the squat. This means the lift’s eccentric and concentric portions last two seconds, with no pause at the top or bottom. This is different from “normal” (strength or hypertrophy) weight room tempos; an important detail is that pauses at the top or bottom give the muscles a quick chance to recover, which will take away from the oxidative demands of these muscles.

Another detail Jamieson mentions is to use continuous breathing. Again, different than traditional tempos, but max strength is not the desired stimulus. To increase the oxidative abilities of an athlete’s muscles, the oxygen supply needs to be as continuous as possible.

To better understand why an athlete would want larger slow-twitch fibers when they’re not nearly as powerful as fast-twitch fibers, it’s essential to dive a bit deeper into the physiology of what slow-twitch fibers bring to the table. Apart from being responsible for long-endurance activities, slow-twitch fibers also assist in improving the endurance capabilities of fast-twitch fibers. Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic exercise (which fast-twitch fibers are responsible for) and can be oxidized and converted into ATP with the help of—you guessed it—slow-twitch muscle fibers. So, the larger the slow-twitch fibers, the better the endurance of the fast-twitch fibers. A true win-win.

Three to five sets of 8–10 reps, with the 2020 tempo discussed above, are sufficient to improve the oxidative abilities of slow-twitch fibers. Any compound movement already included in the strength program can be used. As any coach who has used tempos in the weight room will support, that two-second eccentric/concentric tempo will quickly turn into a one-second tempo and might be half a second by the time the third set is reached. With this in mind, it would be smart to prescribe a 4040 tempo, knowing that four will probably be a two.

A notable advantage of the tempo method is that it takes place during strength training sessions, so it’s not another running workout. If the athletes are already familiar with the compound movements in which the aerobic tempos will be prescribed, this method can be trained at the same time as cardiac output. Simply add the tempo method to weight room movements during the accumulation phase of the program. This should fit well with everything else taking place at this point in the program and doesn’t require adding a session after the cardiac output session.

Improving the Aerobic System for Advanced Athletes

For those athletes who have built a legit aerobic base after training the two above-mentioned methods for at least 12 weeks each (either concurrently or separately), it’s time to intensify their aerobic training. As the competitive season approaches, cardiac output and the oxidative abilities of slow-twitch fibers should be solidified.

Explosive Repeat

As sports practices become more and more frequent and intense, athletes might even be getting cardiac output training during practice, depending on the sport. With the residual effects of aerobic endurance being around 30 days, the focus of aerobic training can be shifted to the aerobic endurance of fast-twitch muscle fibers. This can be done using the “explosive repeat” method, which Jamieson attributes to Yuri Verkhoshansky.

The explosive repeat method can drastically improve the recovery capabilities of fast-twitch fibers between explosive sport-specific movement, which is crucial in many sports. Share on X

A straightforward training method that can easily be progressed and intensified week after week, the explosive repeat method involves athletes performing explosive exercises repeatedly—hence the name. This method can drastically improve the recovery capabilities of fast-twitch fibers between explosive sport-specific movements, which is crucial in many sports.

The movement used should be as explosive as possible, with the goal being to get the heart rate as high as possible. The athlete is then given time to recover before repeating this exercise.

Optimal exercises for lower-body sessions are weighted squat jumps (can use a bar, goblet variations, or one dumbbell/kettlebell in each hand) or jumping weighted lunge switches (best using a weighted vest or a goblet variation). The best upper-body exercises are either plyometric push-ups or power-focused bench presses. Creativity helps here, as these are not the only exercises you can use. As long as the exercise is an explosive movement that athletes can perform for continuous reps, it should work.

Athletes should perform at least two series of 1–3 exercises, performing 6–10 sets per exercise. It’s extremely important to have athletes actively recover for 8–10 minutes between series. Work-to-rest ratios are as follows:

Week 1: 10 seconds of work, 60 seconds of rest

Week 2: 12 seconds of work, 45 seconds of rest

Week 3: 14 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest

Again, it’s very simple to progress. Each week doesn’t have to have longer work and shorter rest periods. This can be done every two or three weeks, but at this point, the athlete should be well-conditioned aerobically and can likely handle this quick intensification schedule. An important note: it’s possible to use the explosive repeat method to improve anaerobic abilities as well, but with different work:rest ratios. Anaerobic explosive repeat work involves longer periods of work with shorter periods of rest.

Conditioning Is the Best Ability

A car with a one-gallon gas tank is not very effective or impressive. How frustrating would it be to have to fill a gas tank up after every 20–30 miles? This is the same as any athlete who cannot recover between bouts of exercise, whether between plays on the field, rotations on the court, or attempts on the platform.

The saying ‘availability is the best ability’ is often used when speaking of injuries, but the same can be said when speaking of conditioning, says Alex Roberts & @Steve20Haggerty. Share on X

The saying “availability is the best ability” is often used when speaking of injuries, but the same can be said when speaking of conditioning. An athlete can be the strongest, most explosive athlete in the game, but if they can’t compete at their potential for the duration of the competition due to a small gas tank, their stock decreases significantly. Increase your athletes’ aerobic capabilities and watch the team’s success increase with it.

References

Jamieson, J. (2009). Ultimate MMA Conditioning. Performance Sports Inc.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Steve Haggerty is a sports performance coach at Parkview Sports Medicine (PSM) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and an NFL Draft Prep specialist at Bommarito Performance Systems (BPS) in Miami, Florida. He spent the last two years at BPS working with NFL Pro Bowlers as well as MLB and NHL All Stars in their off-season training. Haggerty took on the lead role of preparing college football players for the NFL Combine and Pro days. At PSM, he leads the youth “Edge” program with athletes from a variety of different ages and sports.

In the high school space, coaches regularly debate the need to keep things simple in training our student-athletes. This is a concept I definitely support but with a caveat: I believe in keeping things simple for the athlete but not limiting the tools or protocols I use to prepare.

From the coaching side, the way I approach programming, technology use, professional development, and other parts of my career does not need to be simple—those just need to be actionable with realistic means. In my current role, we are blessed to have access to a large variety of performance technology. In fact, our student-athletes have the opportunity to use so much that we take week-long “technology breaks” a few times a year just to de-load. Consequently, I replace the word “simple” with “actionable” when it comes to my use of technology and data collection.

Over the last decade, I have tested and used more technology than I could possibly list: some never made it to the floor with our student-athletes; some became a daily staple. During that time, the one technology piece that did not appear simple for our athletes or me was force plates.

• Did we need that much information?
• How difficult would the process of set-up and collection be?
• Would we be swimming in so much data that taking action on it would be impossible?

Luckily for our program, I had the opportunity to get answers to those questions and more. Force plates were not only extremely simple and intuitive to use for all involved, but they also provided an insight that proved to be a force multiplier for our data collection and action protocols.

Force plates are not only extremely simple and intuitive to use, but they also provide an insight that proved to be a force multiplier for our data collection & action protocols, says @MarkHoover71. Share on X

Missteps and Course Corrections with Hawkin Dynamics Force Plates

Early last spring, I acquired a set of custom-made Hawkin Dynamics (HD) force plates, along with a Zeus isometric rig. Unpacking the equipment, I still had questions about the feasibility of using force plates in a high school setting. As with much of the current technology for athletic development, you have to be cautious about falling into the trap of data overload. In fact, this proved to be my initial misstep when getting started with the force plates.

Hawkin’s ease of use had me up and running at full speed in a day—to my personal detriment, unfortunately. That extreme ease of use and expansive list of tests and metrics at my fingertips really led to self-inflicted data overload syndrome. My first week or so was spent trying out every cool test I’d seen on social media. I spent hours looking at every possible metric for our athletes: unilateral braking force percentage, braking force RFD, all possible types of left versus right deficiencies…it was all fascinating and got my mind running over possibilities. I found myself wading so deep through the weeds of potential uses that I lost sight of my goal: collecting actionable data to guide training.

At that point, I reached out and had conversations with several people who had more extensive backgrounds training with force plates. I needed guidance to keep myself in check. I discovered that I needed to step out of the weeds and develop a plan that would allow me to unleash actionable metrics that could be collected organically within the normal context of a training session.

Best Advice: “First Inventory What You Do”

The advice I received was to perform an inventory of our training templates. We needed to pinpoint:

1. Where the use of force plates fit.
2. How often they could be utilized.
3. Exactly what tests would give us the actionable information we sought.

What could we realistically use in our setting and time frame? We have 800 square feet, five power racks, a room full of teenagers, and about 35 minutes to get the job done. The answer was in a protocol we had been using already, the performance circuit.

Force Plates in Performance Circuits

Recently, I wrote an article about using performance circuits (inspired by Cal Dietz) and how that protocol solved many of the issues we faced at Metrolina Christian Academy. The same solution helped us fit the use of force plates into our training program.

Considering we had three days a week to train and the time and space limitations I previously described, it became apparent that we would be limited to no more than three tests per week (one per training session). The flow of the session and time restrictions we faced would not allow us to do multiple tests in a day (as I had originally intended). So, I narrowed it down to:

1. 1. Isometric mid-thigh pull. We chose IMTP (despite a learning curve of proper technique) because we knew we wanted one test that would give us a look into peak force outputs. I wanted a true test of the strength levels of our athletes.

 

1. 1. Step-off altitude drop with an immediate rebound jump (from a 24-inch box). The drop jump is important because I wanted to measure peak braking forces with an immediate re-acceleration. We wanted a way to look at deceleration abilities, but also if we were improving the power and speed that we were able to bounce from that sudden landing.

 

1. Three-rep countermovement pogo jump with hands on hips. The countermovement jump would give us a Reactive Strength Index metric to measure our in-season fatigue, among other things.

I sat down and selected seven basic metrics from those three tests that I felt would give me insight into how athletes were adapting to the stress of our training. Our final protocol looked like this:

• IMTP: max peak force and time to max peak force.
• DJ: max peak braking force, max jump height, and mean propulsive force.
• CMJ: average modified RSI and body weight.

For more on the difference between RSI and mRSI or any metrics/tests available from Hawkin Dynamics, please look here.

Within 2 weeks of beginning these protocols, the need for a coach to help the athletes use the technology was eliminated—the HD app is extremely user-friendly, and the athletes flew through the reps. Share on X

Here is an example of our in-season performance circuits, which we used with our varsity football athletes this season. We programmed anywhere from three to five rounds of these circuits depending on in-season variables. Regardless, we only prescribed two sets of force plate testing. Within two weeks of beginning these protocols, the need for a coach to help the athletes use the technology was eliminated—the HD app is extremely user-friendly, and the athletes flew through the reps.

In the end, the force plates became the easiest and smoothest technology we had available at our disposal, surprisingly even faster than ShredMill or EnodePro, which the athletes also picked up in no time. Hawkin is intuitive and fast to use. We were able to teach the athletes the procedures, allowing them to create a student-athlete-led data collection process that gave us valuable and actionable information.

Here is an example report from RockDaisy (its API works with HD) that allowed us to review each athlete’s historical data.

Another custom report we used for quick reference in RockDaisy was the Daily Metric Report, which kept up with rolling averages and maxes over a sortable period. It also provided team and positional information with just a click of a tab.

Individualizing and Managing Training with Force Plate Data

Our experience with HD force plates has been smooth and successful. The data proved to be extremely valuable and actionable when it came to planning and monitoring our week-to-week adaptations.

We use Hawkin Dynamics force plates in coordination with our GPS data to give us a multi-layered platform to individualize practice and training plans, says @MarkHoover71. Share on X

We used Hawkin in coordination with our GPS data to give us a multi-layered platform to individualize practice and training plans. We found that when we narrowed the focus of our testing, the data collection was fast, simple, and athlete-driven. Overall, I have discovered that force plates are not just a luxury; they are a practical asset to our athlete’s health and performance plans.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

While listening to Episode 4 of Season 4 of the Voodoo Strength podcast (featuring Brandon Herring), the versatility of Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 program came up as a topic. It reminded me of an application I’ve used in recent training programs. Most readers of this blog will certainly recognize the 5-3-1 as a foundational program featuring a simple loading scheme aimed at developing strength in the weight room. For those who don’t know, I encourage them to read Jim’s work in its entertaining and elegant simplicity.

One facet of the 5-3-1 program I’ve delved deeper into this past year is the “First Set Last” concept. In FSL, the first working set (65%, 70%, or 75%) of the workout is repeated as supplemental work with the same or a slight variation of the main lift. Two typical applications of FSL outlined in Wendler’s 5-3-1 are:

1. The FSL 5×5.
2. The “Widowmaker” set.

Applying 5-3-1 in Performance Training

For my programming, I’ve used the former a bit more than the latter. The 65%–75% zones work perfectly as a three-week wave for power applications. This is a bucket I fill with athletes who I know are doubling up with other programs (school) and seem to focus on the heavy end of the strength curve.

The ‘First Set Last’ 65%–75% zones work perfectly as a three-week wave for power applications. Share on X

The lion’s share of Wendler’s FSL application is in the five sets of five following the main sets. The author states, “The biggest reason why I like using 5×5 FSL is bar speed is never compromised.”¹ In my experience, the FSL 5×5 performed after main work enhances the PAP effect from main sets, allowing further precise practice of the lift while simultaneously building power. I’ve also used FSL 5×5 as the main work of the day for a “dynamic effort” type of feel. This helps if you are a bit beat up or lacking that snap, as the moderate loads moved quickly aid in garnering the power response.

The second way to do this (FSL) is to perform a “Widowmaker set”—a term borrowed from Dante Trudel’s Doggcrapp program, where 15–20 reps are done for a single set.¹ This can work wonders for the newer athletes that need a shotgun response. With the main sets serving as high-quality practice, the FSL WM set of 15–20 hits everything from hypertrophy to work capacity to strain ability (much like the effect of 1×20), not to mention its mental kick in the butt.

The FSL 5×5 is easy to program and, if using an appropriate training max, helps athletes recover more easily. It does not interfere with on-field abilities, allowing your gym work to stay in line with all-around progress. This then makes the FSL 5×5 template sustainable over a longer period.¹ For athletes in our program, the FSL is a “fail-safe”: whether it’s programmed as added volume or done as main work, for sets of five or higher reps, we can use FSL loads for power or hypertrophy work at points in the training year when such effects are called for.

Why the 5-3-1 Works

As a coach who routinely ponders the why behind training effects, I often dip my feet into both practice and science in search of where best practices and examination overlap. This search led me to the work of Dr. Matt Rhea and his study of “Optimal Resistance Load for Peak Power in Various Exercises.” His findings revealed some eye-opening aspects of weight-room work in relation to power development in American football.

“We have significantly altered our training focus from strength to power over the past 10 years among football players. This change is due to: A) football is a speed/power sport; B) improvements in strength with a power-focused program were occurring simultaneous to power whereas power was not improving significantly with a strength-focused program. In an effort to maximize power development, we have been investigating different training loads and their impact on acute peak power. What is the best % of 1RM for eliciting peak power in a given lift?”

Rhea’s investigation tracked peak power outputs in the back squat, bench press, hang clean, split squat, rear elevated squat, power clean, incline bench press, and hang high pull over the course of a year and a half. No more than five reps per set were done (very 5-3-1-like). Rhea found that 63% of 1RM showed the highest peak power, with 60%–75% appearing to be a consistently high power range across the various exercises.

If success leaves clues, we can clearly see the ‘First Set Last’ ranges (65%/70%/75%, respectively) fit nicely into this peak power range. Share on X

If success leaves clues, we can clearly see the FSL ranges (65%/70%/75%, respectively) fit nicely into this peak power range. Although each percentage is a precise piece of data collected from the most elite of elite athletes in Rhea’s findings, we can certainly distill the application down to using the FSL loading for developing athletes. Where Rhea’s studies reinforce the concept with precision, Jim’s coach’s eye led him to witness the positive effect on power.

Not one to leave personal interpretation and implementation on the table, I’ve recently employed two other ways to use the FSL to drive power adaptations. In using the traditional application, FSL 5×5, I simply track average velocity (using Flex Stronger units) across the whole set with the intent of moving the barbell as fast as possible. I’ll wave the percentages over three weeks, rinse, and repeat, aiming to set personal bests in velocity each session. As athletes grow stronger, you can even drop to five sets of three, which is also a great volume control when in camp or in season.

In my recent work with a female soccer team, I have been challenged by how to get enough high-quality work in a short amount of time—I’m given 15 minutes once a week for strength work (yes, 15 minutes is all I get). Much of this stems from the fear that:

• “Lifting will make them too sore to practice.”
• “Lifting is dangerous and will make them tight.”
• “We don’t want them to look like boys.”

Yes, we’re still battling this nonsense from a few naive parents and coaches, but we must press on!

Relative to an earlier point, these loads lend themselves to work along the power and hypertrophy spectrum. For the bulk of the team sport athletes I get who are in season or training in other activities, the 3–5-rep sets help preserve power quality; for the undersized athletes that need some muscle, the 10s are the spark for muscle building.

Given the constraint above, I thought, “Why not incorporate both?” What I mean here is if 10 reps at these percentages give us a structural response and 3–5 can keep power quality…why not use a cluster-style approach for 10(ish) total reps per set?

What I mean here is if 10 reps at these percentages give us a structural response and 3–5 can keep power quality…why not use a cluster-style approach for 10(ish) total reps per set? Share on X

To accomplish this, we use a cluster approach in the hex bar deadlift and a squat variation affectionately dubbed “Rapid Fire.” We break up the set of 10 into three mini-sets of three (nine total reps) or five mini-sets of two reps. To create more training density, we have added 2–3 box or long jumps immediately afterward. Here, the athletes go in a “follow the leader” fashion, and if weights need to be adjusted, they work as a team to load and unload each other’s bar.

Typically, we have groups of 4–5, and they can whiz through a “Rapid Fire” set in about 90 seconds—during the rest period, they each perform one set of predetermined reps in an upper body push or pull and a trunk exercise. The total set takes 3–4 minutes—we rest for a little and then go again.

For us, attaching a number to the execution of bar speed is key in driving home intent and purpose with otherwise disregarded loads. The “Rapid Fire” approach has filled the buckets of providing a higher-quality volume of work while driving a team-building environment, given the constraint of time. From the coaching side, these applications have allowed my program to be science-guided, principles-based, and inventive simultaneously.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

1. 5-3-1 Forever: Simple & Effective Programming for Size, Speed, & Strength. Wendler, Jim. 2017. p. 59.

2. Rhea, Matt. “Optimal Resistance Load for Peak Power In Activity,” Linkedin.

The hex bar deadlift is a primary strength exercise in athletic fitness programs from middle school to college, and hex bar jumps have become popular for improving explosiveness. The hex bar also has many advantages over dumbbells. That said, there are a few downsides to using this unique bar too often, particularly with maximum weights.

I have a unique perspective on the pros and cons of hex bar training because I worked at Bigger Faster Stronger (BFS). BFS introduced the hex bar to the strength coaching community and promoted the hex bar deadlift for nearly four decades through their magazine and clinics.

BFS introduced the hex bar to the strength coaching community and promoted the hex bar deadlift for nearly four decades through their magazine and clinics. Share on X

Before the hex bar, BFS championed the straight bar deadlift as a core lower-body exercise for athletic performance. Their weekly program design for their core lifts was organized as follows:

Monday                                Wednesday                            Friday

Box Squat                             Power Clean                            Back Squat

Towel Bench Press               Deadlift                                   Bench Press

The downside of this program was that BFS found that athletes often rounded their lower back when deadlifting maximum loads, increasing the risk of injury. As a precaution, they said athletes should recruit a spotter during their heaviest sets to protect the spine (yes, you can spot a deadlift).

Spotting a deadlift involves having a spotter place one arm across the athlete’s chest and the other on the lower back. If the spotter felt the athlete’s lower back rounding during the lift, they would tell them to drop the bar. BFS coaches demonstrated this spotting technique at their clinics, often with participants attempting maximal weights.

Of course, we’re talking about 40+ years ago, and this hands-on spotting technique would not fly in today’s strength coaching environment. That is why BFS was excited to discover the trap bar in the early 80s.

Enter the Trap Bar

The trap bar was introduced to the Iron Game in 1986 by Al Gerard, a powerlifter with a history of lower back pain. To continue training heavy, Gerard developed a four-sided barbell that looked like two triangles arranged base to base, which he called the trap bar. Gerard would step inside the bar, grasping the handles with his hands at his sides rather than in front. This design put the bar’s center of mass (COM) in line with his body’s COM throughout the entire lift.

Gerard found that the triangle design of the trap bar enabled him to lift the bar with a more upright stance. This postural change shifted the stress away from his lower back and hamstring muscles and onto his quads. And unlike a sumo deadlift that requires a wide foot stance, a hip- or shoulder-width stance could be used with a trap bar.

It’s challenging for many beginners to assume the optimal starting position on a deadlift. At the start of a conventional deadlift, the lower back should have a slight arch to shift the stress from the disks to the muscles and connective tissues. With your hands at your sides, the shoulders are pulled back, making it easier to arch the lower back.

BFS found that the trap bar also helped athletes lift more weight in the squat, but not so much from a physical standpoint. Bob Rowbotham, the CEO of BFS, says lifting heavy loads with the trap bar gives athletes the confidence to try heavier weights in the back squat. For example, if an athlete can back squat 200 pounds and works up to a 300-pound trap bar deadlift, they will have more confidence when attempting a back squat of 205 pounds or more.

The trap bar was a great idea—the hex bar was even better.

BFS found that a trap bar easily tipped backward and forward and didn’t provide enough legroom for larger athletes—note how cramped the basketball player is in Image 1. This later point was particularly important to BFS because, at the time, their coaches were working with the Utah Jazz.

One solution was a hexagonal (six-sided) design. This design didn’t tilt as easily and offered considerably more legroom. The hex bar was an immediate hit with athletes, especially football players at the high school level. Strength coaches and PE instructors preferred the hex bar deadlift over the straight bar deadlift because it was easier to master and students were less likely to round their lower back.

As more athletes used the hex bar, BFS saw a need to develop several other types of hex bars. One popular version was a “combo” hex bar with regular handles as well as high handles to accommodate taller athletes so they didn’t have to bend down so far. This bar was followed by a heavy duty, 75-pound “Mega” hex bar. This bar had thicker, raised handles and longer sleeves that could hold considerably more weight for stronger athletes. But the evolution of the hex bar didn’t stop there.

Other equipment manufacturers caught on and began producing unique hex bars, such as one with an open-back design. Several equipment companies designed hex bars with rotating handles that offer different grips, and now there are even larger units than the Mega hex bar. BFS also saw the need for a 15-pound aluminum bar, which was suitable for children and for beginners performing hex bar jumps.

Before going further, let’s see if all this attention to the hex bar is deserved by reviewing some research.

The Science of Hex Bars

The increasing popularity of hex bars captured the attention of sports scientists who wanted to verify that the bar did what its proponents claimed. Let’s start with the belief that hex bar deadlifts produce less stress on the spine than straight bar deadlifts.

One study that compared the straight bar deadlift to the hex bar deadlift was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The authors found that the hex bar “significantly increased the peak movement at the knee and significantly decreased the peak movement at the lumbar spine and hip compared to the deadlifts performed with the straight barbell.” To use the popular terminology, the hex bar deadlift would be considered a “quad-dominant” exercise, and the straight bar deadlift would be a “hip-dominant” exercise.

To use the popular terminology, the hex bar deadlift would be considered a “quad-dominant” exercise, and the straight bar deadlift would be a “hip-dominant” exercise. Share on X

As for the value of hex bar jumps for developing explosiveness, another JSCR study found that vertical jumps performed with a hex bar were superior to vertical jumping with a straight bar on your shoulders. The researchers concluded, “The results of the present study demonstrate that if the resistance is moved from the shoulder to arms’ length using a hexagonal barbell, the athlete can jump higher and generate greater force, power, velocity and rate of force development.”

One reason the hex bar may be superior to barbell squat jumps is that the upper body is more involved with a hex bar jump. The shoulders can shrug while jumping with a hex bar, whereas the shoulders are motionless during a barbell jump. (You can prove the contribution of the upper body by jumping off a contact mat with your hands on your hips and then using your arms—you should be able to jump several inches higher when using your arms.)

Moving on, the researchers said, “The continuous frame of the hexagonal barbell will provide several advantages over dumbbells, including improved stability and greater capacity to apply a wider range of loads.” I would add that jumping with dumbbells is an excellent way to develop nasty bruises on your thighs.

Hex bar deadlifts and hex bar jumps are two of the most popular exercises performed with hex bars, but there are many other uses for these bars. Here are six of them:

1. Shoulder Shrugs. Having your arms positioned at your sides enables you to raise them higher than with a straight bar. To save time, BFS recommends that after the last rep of a set of deadlifts, while still erect, finish off with a few shoulder shrugs.

Another shrug variation, made popular by Mr. America Steve “Hercules” Reeves, involves grasping the inside plates rather than the handles. This “pinch grip” technique would be valuable for wrestlers and other athletes who need a strong grip. For more on shoulder shrugs, check out Kelso’s Shrug Book, a classic by Paul Kelso published in 1992.

Hex bar shoulder shrugs with a “pinch grip” technique would be valuable for wrestlers and other athletes who need a strong grip. Share on X

2. Push-ups. The push-up has been criticized for placing excessive stress on the wrists. This variation is performed with a high-handled hex bar. These handles allow the wrist to be aligned with the forearms, reducing the stress on the wrists; this is better than using many types of dumbbells, which can move. As a bonus, the high handles allow for a greater range of motion.

3. “W” Overhead Press. Paul Gagné, a Canadian strength coach and Posturologist, taught me this exercise. A neutral grip (palms facing each other) is considered easier on the shoulders than the pronated grip used in a military press. It is also more stable than dumbbells, increasing the amount of weight you can use. However, the setup is tricky with heavier weights; it’s best to rest the bar inside a power rack and step under it.

4. Split Squat. Open-back hex bars are ideal for split squats, including rear-leg-elevated split squats. It can be awkward to perform this exercise with dumbbells because you must bend down low to pick them up. The hex bar enables heavier weights to be used because it’s more stable than dumbbells and you can pick up the weights from a higher height. 

5. Rear-Leg-Elevated Split Squats. I have issues with today’s strength coaching love affair with rear-leg elevated split squats (see my article on Bulgarian lunges). If you’re going to do them, an open-back hex bar is the way to go. As with the regular split squats, you can pick up the weight from a higher height than dumbbells and the hex bar is more stable.

6. Farmer’s Walk. For strength coaches on a budget, the parallel grips for the hex bar provide a suitable substitute for farmer’s walk devices. Yes, dumbbells can be used for the farmer’s walk and offer a parallel hand position, but there is a higher risk of dropping the weight plates on your toes if you lose your grip. There is also the issue of bruising, as the dumbbell plates can bang against the thighs.

For strength coaches on a budget, the parallel grips for the hex bar provide a suitable substitute for farmer’s walk devices. Share on X

A high-handled hex bar is best for this exercise because these handles don’t require you to bend down as far to assume the starting position. However, the issue with conventional hex bars is that you must take relatively small steps; an open-back hex bar allows for a longer stride.

Those variations should add valuable tools to your weight training toolbox, and many other exercises can be performed with these bars.

Those are the pros of hex bars—let’s look at some cons.

The Dark Side of Hex Bars

Now that I’ve got you excited about the versatility and benefits of the hex bar, let’s look at seven special considerations to think about when using the hex bar.

1. Compressive Forces. I saw a relatively short male athlete using the high handles on a combo hex bar while standing on thick bumper plates. Perplexed, I asked him what he was doing. He told me that he wanted to perform the exercise through a greater range of motion. Although this athlete had performed hex bar deadlifts in high school, he didn’t realize he could flip the bar over and use the lower handles!

I share this story because high hex bar handles were originally designed for tall athletes to make hex bar deadlifts more comfortable. However, many strength coaches only have their athletes use the high handles because their athletes can lift more weight (and their video clips look cool on Instagram). I saw a female athlete doing a high hex bar deadlift for the first time a few years ago. Although her best squat was 160 pounds, she deadlifted 285 pounds!

The point is that using high hex bar handles rather than the standard handles enables athletes of average height to use significantly heavier weights, placing higher compressive forces on the spine. An occasional max-out day with a high hex bar may be fine, but you may be asking for trouble if you are of average height and max out too frequently. My colleague Paul Gagné shares my opinion.

An occasional max-out day with a high hex bar may be fine, but you may be asking for trouble if you are of average height and max out too frequently. Share on X

Gagné has trained over 500 NHL players. For many of those athletes, he had to be conservative with the hex bar deadlift as he found these compressive forces often led to hip impingement. When you are coaching athletes competing on the professional level, you must take a serious look at the risks vs. rewards of any weight training exercise.

2. Instability. Because the hands are held away from the body, the hex bar is less stable at the top of the lift compared to a conventional deadlift. This instability could cause adverse shearing forces on the spine. The problem is compounded because much heavier weights can be lifted than with a straight bar, and it’s worse when using bands.

Strength coaches often have their athletes use elastic bands when performing hex bar deadlifts. This is usually accomplished by attaching the ends of the bands to the outside sleeves, then having the athlete step on the band as they lift. The result is that as the athlete lifts the bar and the band stretches, the resistance curve increases to match the strength curve of the athlete. The issue is that bands further increase the instability of the exercise.

3. Specificity. The hex bar deadlift has little carryover to weightlifting pulling movements such as the clean, power clean, snatch, or power snatch. With the Olympic lifts, during the first part of the pull, the bar shifts from a position in front of the body’s COM to a position aligned with its COM. The hex bar starts with the resistance aligned with the COM and remains there throughout the entire lift. Besides the differences in muscle development, the pulling motion can adversely affect the biomechanics of the Olympic lifts.

4. Cheating. Bouncing the bar off the floor during hex bar deadlifts enables larger loads to be used but creates harmful stress on the spine, especially if the plates land unevenly. Instead, a relatively slow “touch-and-go” technique should be used.

Bouncing the bar off the floor during hex bar deadlifts enables larger loads to be used but creates harmful stress on the spine. Share on X

5. ACL Stress. With normal-sized athletes, high hex bar handles reduce the range of motion of the legs, such that the knees are in a position that applies the highest stress to the ACL.

ACL injuries are among the most common and severe to female athletes, affecting them as much as five times more than male athletes in several sports. Athletes recovering from an ACL injury, or those involved in sports with a high risk of ACL injury, may need to take a more conservative approach to programming the high hex bar in their workouts.

6. Plyometric Effect. Because the hex bar deadlift does not begin with an eccentric contraction, there is no stretch-shortening cycle (i.e., plyometric effect) that helps develop explosiveness. Can this exercise make the athlete stronger? Sure, but it will do little to improve explosiveness. Hex bar jumps are a better alternative if explosiveness is a primary goal.

7. Flexibility Restrictions. The hex bar does not allow the legs to work through a full range of motion. Performing only partial-range leg exercises reduces the muscle-building effect and may increase an athlete’s susceptibility to knee, ankle, and Achilles injuries. (For more on this subject, see my article.)

The hex bar has many advantages over the straight bar and dumbbells for developing strength and explosiveness. But if the hex bar is misused or if maximal loads are used too frequently with high-handled hex bars, you may be doing more harm than good. The bottom line with the hex bar is that it’s not only a matter of training heavier but training smarter!

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

Swinton, Paul A; Stewart, Arthur; Agouris, Ioannis; Keogh, Justin WL; and Lloyd, Ray. “A Biomechanical Analysis of Straight and Hexagonal Barbell Deadlifts Using Submaximal Loads.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 25(7); pp 2000-9, July 2011.

Swinton, Paul A; Stewart, Arthur D; Lloyd, Ray; Agouris, Ioannis; and Keogh, Justin WL. “Effect of Load Positioning on the Kinematics and Kinetics of Weighted Vertical Jumps.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(4); pp 906-913, April 2012.

Kelso, Paul. Kelso’s Shrug Book. Hats Off Books, Revised Edition, January 28, 2013.

One of the areas of nutrition that receives the most attention is the pre-workout timeframe—so much so that there’s an entire branch of supplements dedicated to the notion. However, just because it’s common knowledge to address pre-workout nutrition in some capacity doesn’t mean it’s done right. In fact, a lot of the traditional, commonplace advice either leaves large gaps or completely misses the mark. This may seem inconsequential, but the reality is that bad pre-workout or pregame nutritional strategies can rob you of your performance potential—and in some cases even be unsafe.

Bad pre-workout or pregame nutritional strategies can rob you of your performance potential—and in some cases even be unsafe, says @rewirehp. Share on X

Before continuing, I’d like to throw out the necessary caveat that when it comes to nutrition: it’s quality – quantity – timing. Although I’m discussing the timing component of the equation, I’m in no way trying to make it sound like this is more important than what you take in over the totality of an entire day.

Caveats aside, to better grasp pregame nutrition, it’s first better to understand where athletes usually go wrong.

Standard Advice and Where It Goes Wrong

Okay, time to help show you how not to screw in the lightbulb. The four most significant things people tend to get wrong are:

1. Undernourishment.
2. Excessive digestive obligation.
3. Harmful supplements.
4. Missing nutrients.

There are others, but generally speaking, these are the largest, most frequent blind spots I encounter. Let’s break down each one.

1. Undernourishment

We’ve all heard people who say they perform better on a light stomach, right? There’s nothing wrong with that, but the reality is you’re still expected to perform at a high clip or match a certain level of intensity in training to get quality work in. A lot of people understandably eat lightly before games but inadvertently undernourish themselves.

This is similar to when people go on a diet. They aim to cut calories but inadvertently cut nutrition as well—often opting for foods based purely on macro and/or caloric metrics without paying attention to foods that net them the highest nutrient load at the same time. The pre-training or pre-competition window is essentially an extension of this. The way around this is to consume foods with a high nutritional yield and minimal digestive obligation.

Carbohydrate-wise, fruit juice is an ideal source as it contains vital nutrients (including electrolytes), takes minimal energy and time to be assimilated, and is put to use for glycogen loading. Share on X

What does this look like in practice? Protein-wise, it is something akin to collagen or gelatin powder. If you need something more solid, try eggs, a tin of wild-caught oysters, or shredded or ground meat. Carbohydrate-wise, fruit juice is an ideal source as it contains vital nutrients (including electrolytes), takes minimal energy and time to be assimilated, and is put to use for glycogen loading. Orange juice, watermelon water, and grape juice are all excellent options.

2. Excessive Digestive Obligations

The flip side to the previous point is that it is also true most athletes won’t do well on a “heavier stomach,” performance-wise. Why is this? Well, think about the slang terms for your autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic branch is known for its role in the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. And the opposite? The parasympathetic branch, which is better known for its “rest and digest” roles. This isn’t merely a rhyme—it’s quite literally a state in which we rest and DIGEST.

Where we run into problems is that training and competition necessitate a certain level of sympathetic arousal. If we eat a meal with a heavy digestive obligation too close to this window, we’re probably making it more difficult for our digestive system to do its job from a neurological perspective. Keep in mind that our guts—and our digestive systems—are intimately intertwined with our nervous systems. This is why certain conditions, disease states, and symptoms are referred to as neuroimmune disorders.

This should make sense at some level, as stress is frequently observed to cause digestive problems and vice versa—it’s a two-way street. So, by the same token, gut dysfunction can hypothetically limit neurological efficiency downstream. This means it can potentially limit performance.

Thankfully, the recommendation here would be to piggyback on the last point and opt for foods with a high nutritional yield relative to the work required to digest them.

Those who’ve followed my work know that I generally recommend choosing foods based on the digestion > absorption > utilization model. In other words, if a food can be easily digested, it can be better absorbed by the digestive system. Once assimilated, it can be better utilized in the system for whatever biochemical chain reactions are necessary after that. This pre-workout digestion consideration is definitely an extension of these ideas (originally coined by nutritionist Ronnie Smith of Energy Concepts).

3. Harmful Supplements

This one is pretty straightforward but may be the most frequently made mistake of the four. Most supplements have some combination of poor ingredient sourcing, limited bioavailability, and/or potentially harmful ingredients.

Often, athletes opt for pre-workout supplements that contain non-efficacious doses of the ingredients that actually could do something and rely on strange stimulants that trick you into thinking they’re doing something. Historically, some of these have even been amphetamine derivatives.

Almost every marketed “pre-workout” formula is probably underdosed in the good ingredients and overdosed in the stimulant department. An effective pre-workout is best done as a DIY cocktail. Share on X

Other harmful ingredients can include sweeteners, food dyes, excipients, citric acid, and the like. I do realize there is some debate about these ingredients and to what extent they’re problematic. That said, additives and their potential downstream consequences could be an entire article unto itself. My general rule of thumb is to evaluate each one on its own merits and make an individual judgment call.

Personally, I don’t recommend being a total hypochondriac if something sneaks in once in a blue moon. That said, I do advocate controlling what variables you can, and if you’re going to take (or eat) something on a near-daily or weekly basis, it probably should be pretty damn clean. I don’t recommend purchasing supplements with artificial sweeteners, most natural sweeteners, food dyes, citric acid, gums, stabilizers, fibers, excipients, and beyond.

Now, I’m not saying don’t take anything pre-workout. I’m merely saying that almost every “pre-workout” formula on the market is probably underdosed in the good ingredients and overdosed in the stimulant department. That doesn’t mean there aren’t helpful things to take. It’s just that an effective pre-workout is best done as a DIY cocktail. The good news is that this probably makes it more cost-effective in the long run than many of these “hypebeast” products—more on specific options later.

4. Missing Nutrients

This one is also pretty simple. Most athletes have biological blind spots when it comes to pre-workout nutrition because they’re unaware of certain nutrients or supplemental ergogenics that can be of huge value to them.

For example, most have no idea a common household item they likely already have—baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)—has been shown to noticeably improve performance in explosive activities, like sprinting. Rinse and repeat for nutrient or supplement X, Y, or Z.

This can also be thought of in a more basic sense. Many people believe they lack cardiovascular conditioning or endurance capacity, but in reality, they’re just incredibly underdosed on carbohydrates.

Most athletes have biological blind spots when it comes to pre-workout nutrition because they’re unaware of certain nutrients or supplemental ergogenics that can be of huge value to them. Share on X

When striving for high performance, we often overfocus on the training end of the equation while neglecting the adaptive side of the equation (diet, sleep, light). However, optimizing our performance physiology that underpins these athletic outputs can be worth its weight in gold in the long run.

What to Do: Pre-Workout Considerations

Although I go into more detail in my book, Adaptive Nutrition, consider the following an incredibly basic, pared-down starting point.

Pregame Protein: As mentioned before, protein consumed relatively close to game time or pre-workout (immediately to an hour out) may look something like collagen or gelatin protein (bone broth works, too), a tin of wild-caught oysters or shellfish, eggs, or a not ultra-filling amount of ground or shredded meat (e.g., ground beef or shredded chicken).

My recommendation for most people is to opt for the collagen, gelatin, or bone broth. I go into how to identify quality sources in the book’s guide, but essentially, you’ll want to look for a supplement without artificial sweeteners and most natural sweeteners. You won’t want other ingredients in it for the most part (these are usually just marketing hype), and you’ll want to look for some type of stamp of regulation on the package (NSF Certified for Sport®, for example). That doesn’t mean all NSF or accreditation X supplements are well-engineered, but it’s a helpful starting point for the sake of this article.

Fueling-Friendly Carbs: Ideal carbohydrates may look something like a spoon or two of raw honey, fruit juice (e.g., orange, watermelon, grape, mango), or fruit (e.g., banana, blueberries, strawberries, dried fruit). Vegetables should mostly be avoided during this window because they come with a greater digestive obligation and minimal performance benefit as they usually contain less glucose.

Fat in Focus: Whatever fat comes along for the ride on your protein source is fine, but we’re not intentionally trying to add fat during this window. This is because it’s not a readily available energy source, and high amounts of it may prolong the collective digestion of the food we eat. That doesn’t mean you should fear it during the rest of your day, though.

Focused Nutrition and Ergogenic Aids: I go into more baseline pre-workout supplements as well as more advanced considerations in my book and recommendations on my site, but the following represents a solid start.

• Creatine: In addition to collagen or gelatin, creatine is a tried-and-true pre-workout ergogenic. While most pre-workout supplements have a non-efficacious (underdosed) amount, taking a full serving (usually 5g) of creatine with sugar can help support strength outputs, endurance, explosiveness, and recovery.
• Sodium Bicarbonate: CO2 is actually highly protective, promotes cell stability, and shouldn’t be feared. Pregame baking soda is a remarkably cheap way to improve performance and recovery and prevent pH perturbations in tissues.
• Electrolytes: Although you should primarily be getting your electrolytes from food, electrolyte supplementation may be useful in some cases to match depletions caused by the stress of training. Electrolyte supplements vary wildly in their formulations, so consult a professional to ensure you’re not throwing off your mineral patterns. I have a few recommendations on my site that match ideal mineral ratios.
• Coffee/Caffeine: Although I may have shot down most pre-workout supplements earlier, that was not meant to be a shot at stimulants. (There are just more ideal sources.) Pregame coffee with the aforementioned glucose from carbs and a splash of cream or milk can be an excellent natural ergogenic aid. Caffeine essentially acts as a surrogate for thyroid hormone, providing us with a ton of clean energy.

Caffeine is also a great CNS energetic and has been shown to improve cognitive fitness during tasks as well as physical outputs. Moreover, it may help us more effectively utilize carbohydrates as fuel. Coffee is also a phenomenal source of nutrients, including magnesium. Just don’t be the person who gets their caffeine from energy drinks, as these usually contain poorly sourced ingredients and/or potentially harmful additives.

Don’t be the person who gets their caffeine from energy drinks, as these usually contain poorly sourced ingredients and/or potentially harmful additives, says @rewirehp. Share on X

There are certainly other options, but these represent an excellent starting point.

Please keep in mind that these considerations don’t include supplements that may be more foundational (like vitamin D) but are just not commonly used around training windows. They are also nonspecific, meaning they aren’t meant to be prescriptive and may vary depending on the individual.

Timing: Let me start by saying that doing what makes you feel best is the right call. If you’re someone who feels best eating a regular-sized meal further away from your game (say 1–2 hours) and being a minimalist around your training/game—that’s totally cool. I would just qualify that by encouraging you to experiment during non-critical times (training, practice, preseason games, scrimmages) to also see if some of these recommendations move the needle in a positive direction for you.

The research hasn’t quite settled on an exact time here—likely due to different sporting demands, gut-brain (neuroimmune) differences between athletes, and more—but these light pre-training meals can be consumed anywhere between 15 minutes and one hour out from competition. Additional carbohydrate load in the form of fruit juice (possibly mixed with electrolytes) may improve performance in-game and/or at halftime.

Quantity: This may be the trickiest of all recommendations due to variables in muscle mass, body weight, sporting demands, training/competition duration, current metabolic status (e.g., “fast” or “slow”), and more. In the context of the above examples, approximately 25g–40g of protein from one of the above lighter sources is likely sufficient. Fat is whatever comes along for the ride on your protein source, but to be clear, there aren’t any fat goals you need to hit. (I just wouldn’t be adding additional fat sources like nuts, seeds, oils, or avocado during this time.)

Carbs can have the largest functional range. You’ll likely want at least 30g–50g, possibly upwards of 100g, starting pregame all the way through intra-workout. As I mentioned, this is context-dependent, and the more muscle mass you have, the longer training/playing is, the more explosive the task demands—the more you’ll be on the higher side of that range.

A good rule of thumb is paying attention to how you feel pre-, during, and post-workout to gauge whether you should increase or decrease your carbohydrate load. Consistent patterns of fatigue, inability to turn on and change gears, weakness, and cognitive sluggishness would indicate potentially higher needs (or perhaps a nutrient deficiency elsewhere). Feeling bloated when performing could indicate a need to lower your intake and/or choose a more agreeable food source, potentially with a lighter food volume.

Keep in mind that pregame coffee also helps you better metabolize your carb sources. Even just that combo of coffee and sugar from fruit juice can be a huge win for many athletes.

Parting Shots

Hopefully, this mini guide has helped demonstrate the main ways athletes tend to go wrong when deciding what to supplement with before training or competition while also helping to progress the way we think about pre-workout nutrition.

The reality is we can learn a lot from the fundamentals—what not to do as well as what low-hanging fruit (no pun intended) we can easily course-correct for a high return on investment.

I also acknowledge that because of cost and logistical reasons (e.g., collegiate meal plans), athletes may be limited in what they can pull off in the nutrition department. In such a case, remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. Do what you can with what you have.

Remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. Do what you can with what you have, says @rewirehp. Share on X

Thankfully, pregame nutrition can be fairly simple and straightforward with easily implemented habits you can get started with right away.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Abbreviated References/Further Reading

Coffee Supporting Exercise or Sports Performance

1. Grgic J, Trexler ET, Lazinica B, and Pedisic Z. “Effects of caffeine intake on muscle strength and power: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2018;15(1):11.
2. Pickering C and Grgic J. “Caffeine and Exercise: What Next?” Sports Medicine. 2019;49(7):1007–1030.
3. Hodgson AB, Randell RK, and Jeukendrup AE. “The metabolic and performance effects of caffeine compared to coffee during endurance exercise.” PLoS ONE. 2013;8(4):e59561.

Creatine Improving Performance

1. Hultman E, Söderlund K, Timmons JA, Cederblad G, and Greenhaff PL. “Muscle creatine loading in men.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 1996;81(1):232–237.
2. Rawson ES and Volek JS. “Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2003;17(4):822–831.
3. Kreider RB. “Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations.” Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2003;244(1–2):89–94.

Baking Soda Improving Exercise Performance

1. McNaughton L and Cedaro R. “Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and its effects on anaerobic exercise of various durations.” The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 1992;32(3):240–245.
2. Carr AJ, Slater GJ, and Gore CJ. “Effect of sodium bicarbonate on [HCO3−], pH, and gastrointestinal symptoms.” International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2011;21(3):189–194.
3. Siegler JC, Marshall PW, and Bray J. “Tolerance to sodium bicarbonate ingestion: a review.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2015;10(1):28–34.

Electrolytes Improving Performance

1. Shirreffs SM, Taylor AJ, Leiper JB, and Maughan RJ. “Post-exercise rehydration in man: effects of electrolyte addition to ingested fluids.” European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology. 1996;73(3–4):317–325.
2. Maughan RJ, Leiper JB, and Shirreffs SM. “Restoration of fluid balance after exercise-induced dehydration: effects of alcohol consumption.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 1997;83(4):1152–1158.
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Collagen Protein Improving Tendon Health

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Pre-workout Carbohydrate Intake and Sports Performance

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Pre-workout Nutrition Improves Sports Performance or Exercise Output

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Fruit Juice or Fruit and Its Impact on Exercise Performance

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General

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Basketball is a sport that demands a unique blend of athleticism—including strength, power, speed, mobility, and agility, among other attributes. To excel on the court, athletes must continually seek ways to enhance their physical capabilities through training and then translate that into the skill of basketball.

Basketball is also a sport that features some of the most unique body types, frames, and movers you’ll ever see. In the NBA, it’s not uncommon in 2023 to see a seven-foot athlete doing the same thing as a six-foot athlete—from how they move to the skills they master, it’s made the game almost position-less at the pro level.

One innovative approach gaining popularity in the realm of sports performance is velocity-based training (VBT). VBT is a method of training that focuses on monitoring the velocity, or speed of movement, during resistance-training exercises. It involves using specialized equipment, like Vitruve, to measure how quickly—or slowly—an athlete moves a load during exercises.

VBT leverages real-time data on movement velocity, power output, and range of motion measurements to tailor training programs and optimize an athlete’s performance by helping coaches manage stress, develop athletic qualities, increase athlete buy-in, and maximize training adaptability.

But outside of those general benefits, there are some very specific benefits that I’ve been able to capitalize on when using VBT with my basketball population. In this article, I’ll outline three of the most outside-the-box ways VBT has positively impacted my basketball players in training and on the court.

1. Utilizing ROM as a Metric

If you’re a seasoned VBT coach, you need no introduction to the standard use of VBT practices or the main metrics it can track, like velocity, power, and force. All of those are excellent metrics and ones that we should continue to master; however, I’ve found that with the basketball population, using range of motion (ROM) as a bonus KPI metric has helped our athletes tremendously.

Most VBT units should have the capability to track ROM in real time. I am a long-time user of Vitruve, so I’ll speak on my experiences with Vitruve linear encoder units and software throughout this article.

When people think of ROM, they tend to immediately consider the two drastically different (and extreme) trains of thought that surround this topic. I’m not here to debate whether “knees over toes” is the best way to train or if you should perform “90-degree eccentric-isometrics” for every lift.

Use ROM as a metric: apply the same principles to ROM as you would velocity, power, or force. Prescribe it, monitor it, adjust it, and most of all, use it to help guide your coaching. Share on X

When I say to use ROM as a metric, what I mean is to apply the same principles to ROM as you would velocity, power, or force. Prescribe it, monitor it, adjust it, and most of all, use it to help guide your coaching.

As it relates to basketball, I mentioned that hoops has some very unique body types—and with unique bodies come unique lift executions. Not every squat, deadlift, or bench press variation will look like the textbook technical model. We’re dealing with insane levers, crazy lengths, and bodies that have been conditioned to excel at everything that looks like basketball for years of single-sport development.

“Good” form may look different. And that’s okay.

With the ROM metric, you can quantify this and start to create standards for your athletes based on their limb length and lever angles as it relates to a particular lift and what “good” reps look like for them.

For example, I’ve seen two athletes in a trap bar deadlift have the same ROM despite being 5 inches different in height. One was 6’5, and the other was 6’; however, the 6’ athlete’s arms were so disproportionately long that it caused the bar to have to move less to the lockout of the lift, making it the same ROM as the taller athlete (as opposed to the taller athletes having more concentric ROM).

This is an advantage for the deadlift, but the same blessing is a curse for other lifts—like the bench press. Instead of taking ROM away, those long arms add ROM to the lift in a bench press, which equals more total work. This can impact the volume, the intensity, and our expectations for these athletes in this lift with a disadvantageous setup. This could also alter your exercise selection for the athlete.

Establishing a foundation of ROM metrics is a great way to autoregulate that aspect of training, just as we would with a velocity or power loss in a set. If we know an athlete’s usual ROM in a lift and see them falling short, we can make an intervention effort if needed. This could be as simple as instructing them to finish the rep better or involve a more complicated issue like an inhibited muscle or joint.

Another excellent way to use ROM metrics in training is purposeful partial ranges on specific exercises. This is when those baselines of ROM for each athlete in each lift can come in very handy. Share on X

Another excellent way to use ROM metrics in training is purposeful partial ranges on specific exercises. This is when those baselines of ROM for each athlete in each lift can come in very handy. If we have an athlete’s full range of motion documented, it is easier to prescribe the proper partial range of motion.

Video 1. Pin squats with Vitruve.

Some research suggests that it is beneficial to incorporate partial range squats in a comprehensive program as a way to load “sprint-and-jump-specific” joint angles. The quarter- and half-squats are usually done by the eyeball test, but with a ROM metric, we can:

• First, pinpoint an exact range of motion to target.
• Then, walk the athlete through that range with the VBT unit and an empty bar to let them feel where they should be on each rep before going live with higher loads.

For basketball players, obviously, this is crucial because jumping is such an important factor in their sport. If coaches dedicate time and effort to training to maximize jump outputs, this can be a very fruitful rabbit hole to dive down.

A final core use of ROM metrics in VBT is with loaded jumps. Again, in the basketball population, athletes, parents, and coaches are obsessed with vertical jump height. So jump training is a critical element of the process, and loaded jumps are one of my favorite—and most effective—methods to help athletes add inches to their vertical.

Video 2. Trap bar jump with Vitruve.

I love trap bar jumps. We do them in a myriad of ways with different bar speed or power output targets, but we also do them for maximal ROM. In a countermovement jump test, we want maximal height—so why not aim for the same in our loaded jump training?

In this case, ROM can be considered vertical displacement, or jump height. So, whether it’s an empty trap bar or a specific amount of load on the bar, you can also count on ROM to be a valuable driver of intent and effort as basketball players aim to jump out of the gym.

2. Stimulus Stacking

I am a huge proponent of making a hard day a hard day and a light day a light day, especially in the middle of the grueling basketball season. Velocity-based training is a great way to manage this process because you can quantify the stress quality and the overall volume.

If a day is planned to be high-stress, I would rather get all planned work in on that day and let the following day be a low-stress or no-stress day. I refer to this as “stimulus stacking.”

If a day is planned to be high-stress, I’d rather get all planned work in on that day and let the following day be a low-stress or no-stress day. I refer to this as ‘stimulus stacking.’ Share on X

For example, let’s look at the topic of lifting on game day. What do I think? Yes. Do it—every single time. I’ve even become a fan of lifting after the game.

Many athletes will opt to skip their lift on game day and do it the next day. Many coaches will also give their team the day off after a game. But if you think about it, lifting on that off day kind of defeats the purpose of having an off day. You now had two high-stress days in a row (maybe more) when it could have been one high-stress day followed by a low-stress day, with true rest and recovery.

In-season, rest and recovery are immensely important. These true off days are hard to come by. They should be valued and honored. If we “stimulus stack,” we can help athletes get the most out of the hard days and the most out of the light days. But if we let the hard days bleed into the light days, then we really don’t have light days.

With VBT, we know that bar speeds will tell us the story on intensity levels. It doesn’t matter what weight is on the bar, what percentage of 1RM is being used, or what the athlete did last week. The bar speed is the bar speed; that is the energy and effort the athlete has to give on that given day.

By using target bar speeds in training, we can help our athletes aim for the desired athletic quality or adaptation we want to get from the lift. So, if an athlete does want to get their strength work in post-game, a heavy rep is still .30 m/s.

Maybe on a fresh day, the athlete can trap bar deadlift 400 pounds at .30 m/s, and after a game, they can only move 335 pounds at .30 m/s. That’s fine. We know why that is. But that’s a high-stress rep giving a good strength stimulus, and that’s what we’re after. We’re not after arbitrary goals like “go up 5 pounds each week” or lift “90% of your one rep max.” It’s about maximizing each training opportunity so they can earn their off days.

For hoopers, this element of stress management has been huge for our program. It’s a bit untraditional, but it’s becoming the norm at the highest levels. Each year in the NBA and WNBA, we see post-game lifts becoming increasingly popular. Colleges have started to implement them as well.

Post-game lifts are a bit untraditional but are becoming the norm at the highest levels. This element of stress management has been huge for our programs, says @JustinOchoa317. Share on X

Of course, college and pro ranks have far greater travel and logistical demands than a high school basketball player, but I still think this method is valid and useful for high school athletes as well. In the high school setting, I think it’s probably more challenging to implement due to:

• Limitations of a high school facility schedule and budget.
• Athletes still relying on their parents for travel.
• Time management in a school week.

But it’s still worth considering for high school coaches.

3. Imbalance and Deficiency Trends

Lastly, this is a much more experimental and anecdotal method, but one that I believe is very powerful: using VBT to identify imbalances and deficiencies in your basketball players to potentially reduce the risk of injury.

I live by the 70/20/10 rule:

• For 70% of what we do in training, I am absolutely, positively certain it will work exactly how I plan.
• For 20% of what we do in training, I am fairly sure it will work exactly how I plan.
• For 10% of what we do in training, I’m experimenting but hopeful it will work how I plan.

This section is about that 10%.

Can we use VBT to identify muscle or coordination imbalances? I believe so.

In our unilateral strength or power exercises, VBT feedback can help us find trends or red flags during training that can at least start to get some wheels turning.

We can look for things like significant discrepancies between the left and right sides—a 10% difference or more, anecdotally.

That could mean there’s a strength imbalance that we may need to address. It may also mean there’s a fatigue or overuse factor that we need to address.

The answers would not be directly in the VBT data, but the data could help us ask the right questions to start to probe for more information. Specifically in basketball, where so much repetition is involved in many common moves, VBT can help athletes develop an awareness of how important it is to train for general health and wellness versus always being so focused on the performance side.

With advanced analytics, we can see data and trends in basketball actions that could lead to conversations about overuse or potential injury risk. In conjunction with the VBT data, that could be a beneficial tool for enhancing athlete health and safety on the court and in training.

Nuances Matter

VBT has been one of our program’s most helpful and impactful additions over the years. Tracking, storing, and managing athlete data with Vitruve has been crucial to our consistent results and track record of basketball performance.

Again, the general benefits of real-time data on velocity, power, and force are great, but it’s these nuanced uses for our basketball players that have helped us shape our program into what it is today.

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