Explosiveness

In addition to the power cleans, I would incorporate some hang cleans as well.
Plyometrics are outstanding for building explosiveness.
We use a medicine ball routine with our Linemen to fruther develop their "punch".
When we are on the field during our offseason, we do our fundamental drills. That is when we work stance and start. Look for explosion of the ball, making sure there are no false steps or wasted movement.
I feel that this time of year is excellent for this type of work. We will line up in our defensive fronts depending on my call and we will swim, rip, and bull rush, slant, and stunt. This is when I put my DL package in adding a little every so often. the kids are into it. It breaks the monotony of the wiehgt room and they can also see and feel themselves becoming better players. Another drill you could do is the punch and lift. have your DL get on their knees and sit on their heels and on the snap of the ball explode up through the hips and simultaneously shoot the hands up and into the sled. This can also be done with a partner holding a dummy. I would also like to suggest Golla's DL vidoe series. It is excellent.

Try this exercise...it's the best (IMO) exercise for improving explosiveness (the first 15-20m). I have yet to see anybody (other than me) use it.

Build yourself (or somehow set up something) that resembles a small ramp (no bigger than 3 ft. in height and 3 ft. wide) with a decline at 70 degrees to 80 degrees.

With your back to the declined ramp (heels about 1 ft. away from base of decline ramp) and your body in a bent knee and bent hip position, with back flat, almost parallel to the ground), jump backwards toward the ramp (still keeping a forward lean and keeping a flat back) and explode off the ramp in the same manner you would if you were performing a regular sprint. The lower you keep your torso during the jump phase, the better. You will immediately feel what it’s like to get a world class start. I have thick carpet stapled to my surface of my ramps. The carpet provides a non-slip surface and allows athletes to use cleats too. When exploding off the ramp (using one leg), do not allow your torso to rise excessively upward---instead---explode forward. Use a proper arm split when exploding forward off the ramp. Arm action is important! Sprint 15-20m.

What happens when you do this exercise is right is that you learn the proper mechanics and stride frequency/length for maximum acceleration. You are performing an exercise that generates instantaneous overspeed at the initial phase (steps 1-8) of the sprint. This exercise is far more transferable to speed improvements than the ho-hum box jump exercises that most programs mindlessly anoint as king. Try this exercise for one session and you will be sold on it. We generally do 8-10 full speed sprints using the ramp and then 3-4 regular sprinter start stances without the ramp. The improvements are transferable almost immediately.

You can use the ramp to improve the initial phase of lateral speed take of too. Just turn sideways at the base of the ramp and perform the exercise. Add a weighted vest to the forward or lateral drills and you add resistance to overspeed. Use the exercise for the start for some of your cone agility exercises too.

Again, I have been in this business 18 years and nothing teaches the proper mechanics of the start than this exercise. Some folks like to use bands and cords, but athletes tend to fight (brake) the overspeed movement when using cords. Plus, the crap is expensive and you can only overspeed one athlete at a time. With the ramp you can line kids up and get lots of reps in 10 minutes. With two ramps, placed about 40m apart you can get twice the reps.

I have a 6’ 5” quarterback son who improved from 5.0 to 4.78 in two months. His improvements are a result of ramp training twice a week for two months. I consider the intensity of our practices as moderate since he is competing in basketball. I was hesitant on sharing this info in this forum, but this forum is here to help others (coaches and athletes).

Enjoy the training.

Any comments are welcome.

Hang_50

Visulize a decline ramp behind you. You will be using the ramp to propel yourself forward. Jump backwards (1 to 1.5 ft.) onto the decline ramp and then explode forward. If you don't explode forward you will fall flat on your face. A flat wall behind you would be too vertical to lauch from. That is why you need a decline at 70-80 degrees.

So you're jumping back with both feet, then pushing off the ramp with 1? Then break into a short sprint?

Would this type of exercise be similar to running downhill? I live in IL, and unfortunetely we have no hills here, except for at the lake. The backside of the dam is probably about 100 yards in length, and a pretty good incline (or decline, depending which way you're running). I believe what you are referring to is a kind of overspeed training to stimulate the stretch reflex. I know running downhill can help improve your speed, as well as running uphill. The uphill portion seems to develop a little more "power" in your stride however.

What do you use to keep the ramp still?

Another effective way to develop explosiveness (~the first 20m) is to bound with a sled (pulling no more than 100 lbs). Bounding with a sled develops a powerful full extension. Most kids who run with a sled fail to fully extend the back leg while driving forward. As you well know speed is a product of stride length and frequency. Bounding (when done correctly) develops useable stride length.

Another benefit of bounding with a sled is the athlete learns to land with his/her feet in a more productive position (underneath hips and behind hips). When the foot land in fornt of the hips, the athlete will drag. Eliminate drag on the foot plant.

Personally, I don't feel you should ever do anything with a sled other than walk with it because you are screwing up your running mechanics.

If you want more power and speed in your car, what do you do? You put a bigger engine in it. So if you want to be more explosive and fast, you need to put a bigger engine in YOUR car (increase strength).

I'm not saying not to pay attention to sprint mechanics or plyos and all that, but you have to know how to periodize these things and how to implement them into a program. Its one thing to go outside and do sprint work, but its another thing to go outside and sprint train properly.

You will only be so fast in life and that is just something you have to live with, but you can always get stronger, and by becoming stronger you can become more explosive. Remember fast and explosive are two different animals all together...ive seen fast but not explosive and ive seen explosive but not fast...but the one thing I haven't seen is weak and explosive! Get Strong!

As far as sled work goes, heavy sled dragging shouldn't be used to practice sprinting mechanics in the first place; heavy dragging is used for developing strength in the hip extensor/posterior chain region. Plus, using heavy, slower movement with the body aligned in perfect starting position will train the correct quad/ham motor units used in the start. Yes, there are benefits to using other techniques with the sled (I wont deny that) but with high schoolers, at what expense?

According to Charlie Francis, you shouldn't use resistance that will slow an athlete by more than 10% of their max speed, or else you screw with the mechanics. If you know every athlete's times and can adjust the resistance for each athlete, then by all means keep on keeping on (This is very possible with just a few athletes, but a whole team?). Too risky for me so I Guess we will agree to disagree on that one.

If you are at the high school level or coach at the high school level, you have to understand that the majority of the athletes in the program are NOT at an elite level and need to develop CORE strength first. If you think I am a squat/Clean only type of guy , you are sadly mistaken. However, I WILL say that I believe in training for strength first and translating it into power. In training for strength, I 'm talking about training the athlete to be FULLY prepared for the sport in which they participate in. In the case of football, you have to be strong in the core first, followed by strength both both bilaterally and unilaterally. Show me an athlete with a weak core and I'll show you an athlete that gets taken to school on the field by an athlete with a strong one.

I never said that the guy with "the highest squat/PC will be the most explosive". I DID say however, that an athlete that is strong CAN become more explosive and I will stand by that, because it is true. If you don't agree then so be it, I really don't care.

Yes, there are several variables to consider here, but we are talking (for the most part) under-developed high school athletes here. The point I try to make with my philosophies is that coaches will be better off focusing on building a foundation first, then branching off to other techniques depending on the athlete's weaknesses, rather than jumping on the gadget bandwagon right off the bat and still getting little to no benefit from it. This is a generalized statement, I agree, but for the majority of high school coaches I feel that it holds water. Once again, agree or disagree, It doesn't bother me one way or the other.

Arguing about strength, speed and conditioning is like arguing about religion...nobody is going to change anybody's mind, so I don't care to go there. However, these are my philoophies that I have developed over time with the influences of coaches such as Louie Simmons, Christian Thibaudeau, Tom Myslinski, Charlie Francis, Dave Tate, Joe Kenn, Vladimir Zatiorsky, Mel Siff and the list goes on...so I am confident in my beliefs and have no problem stating them in the quest to help other coaches and athletes.

Had a long night, its late and I have to sprint in a few hours...so, good night!

Coach RDM,

I agree 100% that developing power is more an art than it is a science, and I also agree with your statement about skinning a cat different ways. The Important thing is that you find what works and keep using it while keeping an open mind, which I try to do and I can see that you do as well.

In re-reading my last post, I see that I sound kinda "smart allecky"...this wasn't intended (it was late). I agree that what makes this profession so fun is the different ideas and methodologies out there and I respect what you are doing here.

Where abouts are you located? I assume that GA stands for Georgia, my home state. If so, maybe we can hook up and talk shop sometime (I'm in Tennessee, currently). I don't know Coach Baskett, but I will definitely look him up! Thank you for the heads up on him. If you haven't already, buy Joe Kenn's book...even if you don't use the Tier System, the info on setting up micro, macro and mesocycles is invaluable.


Always a student,

Jimbo Hale

Thanks for the resources. I have heard good things about Buddy and Ken.

I am in Augusta, but I will be a Dacula High School (Gwinnett County) serving as head S&C, assistant football, and track (specialize in throws).

I was at UT-K high school meet last year (Knoxville Classic Indoor Meet). My 5-2 145 lbs. high school girl threw the 4k 44-7. Finsihed the year at 45-6. A good mark for a mighty avenger :>)

You know Cathrine Erickson (throws coach) at UT-K?

Greyhoundpride
Coach, if you want downhills, use the crown of the football field to your advantage. That is the perfect angle of descent, not my science, but straight from Charlie Francis. We have our athletes run ins and outs across the field. Up the field is 3/4 speed concentrating on sprint mechanics that each individual needs improvement, then at the apex, kick in full speed to the sideline. Don't set a certain number to do, but watch carefully. When form goes on the sprint, the athlete needs to quit or else poor form will be ingrained.