Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice | Jerry Campbell Football

rookie
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Posts: 91

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 10, 2004 7:14:06 GMT

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Post by rookie on May 10, 2004 7:14:06 GMT

Here's the situation - It's my 1st year as head football coach. No previous coach has made (or encouraged) the kids to lift. The kids are athletic, but weak & soft. I'm afraid a "lift or you can't play" kind of approach could be disastrous. I'm also afraid that a really hard-core lifting regime might chase away kids who've never lifted. I think simply "getting 'em in the weight room" might be more important than the actual program itself. My questions are:
- Does anyone have (or know of) a lifting/training program that consists of relatively short workouts with an unconventional approach (maybe using such things as flipping tires or other "less boring" exercises) ?
- Am I making a mistake by looking for a "more fun" kind of workout ? Note:I do plan on picking up intensity over time.

hang_50
Senior Member

Posts: 290

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 10, 2004 8:00:06 GMT

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Post by hang_50 on May 10, 2004 8:00:06 GMT

Coach -

Do what you believe in. You do not need to re-invent the wheel. I was in the same boat last year. Turnout was low for the weightroom and summer program. It had never been done in the school before but I made it a point to call each parent and kid that didn't show to the workouts everyday to sell them on how important it was for their son to be at the strength and conditioning workouts. Last year we had 70 kids for Varsity and JV. This year I have 100 Juniors and Seniors and 45 sophomores in the program. It's all about building relationships with the kids. Once they trust you, they will run therough a wall for you.

Good Luck!

Champions Don't Choke.....

Coach_P
Member

Posts: 60

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 10, 2004 14:12:05 GMT

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Post by Coach_P on May 10, 2004 14:12:05 GMT

Coach, I wise man once told me that my program wouldn't truely be mine for four years. When your first class of freshmen are seniors, they will have been through your program entirely. Patience is the key. I don't know if you lift weights personally, but a great icebreaker for me was to lift with my kids. I started in February with about 4 kids coming consistantly, but that built to around 25 by the time summer came around. Good luck with your program!

rookie Member Posts: 91	Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 11, 2004 5:35:28 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by rookie on May 11, 2004 5:35:28 GMT Here's the sort of thing I was talking about - sportsspecifictraining.com/main.asp Check it out & tell me what you think. Thanks for all responses.

jb5272
Member

Posts: 25

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 11, 2004 7:00:53 GMT

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Post by jb5272 on May 11, 2004 7:00:53 GMT

If you feel that strength and conditioning is vital to success in a football program - then dont compromise your values and priorities. It might be rough the first few weeks - but change always is. Once they see the results in the mirror, on the weights their able to use, on the improvement in technique, in their ability to perform at a higher level they begin to believe and look forward to workouts. You get what you demand if you make workouts voluntary you will get voluntray results. If the kids didnt necessarily like hitting and you were fearful that you may run some guys off - would you elimintae hitting in practice or make hitting drills voluntary?

annihil8tor
Member

Posts: 114

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice May 11, 2004 12:26:33 GMT

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Post by annihil8tor on May 11, 2004 12:26:33 GMT

jb5272 hit it right on the head. If, by some odd chance, you DO happen to run some kids off because they have to lift and run...GOOD!, they didn't need to be there anyway.

Just make sure that you set good examples for they team and always practice what you preach. Never ask a player to do ANYTHING you wouldnt do yourself.

Tell your upperclassmen that you are here to change the program around and that you need THEIR help in doing so. Teach them your philosophies on s&c and then have them lead the younger guys into believing in what you doing.

Good luck

Play EVERY down as if it were your LAST.

Coachrvg
Junior Member

Posts: 18

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice Jun 17, 2004 20:55:02 GMT

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Post by Coachrvg on Jun 17, 2004 20:55:02 GMT

You might try BFS which is a relative short work out when done right. Depending on your facilities we had a crappy one where I was at last 4 benches 3 inclines 3 racks and 3 platforms. We warmed up the kids for 20 minutes then lifted them for 35 minutes that also included core work. Make it intense, demanding and short no water breaks if they aren't hydrated when they get there it doese not them a lick of good to spend 3 minutes waiting for 30 seconds of water. Push them to finish no walking in the weight room no wasting time racking weights there should be a sence of ugerncy then then build them back up when you are done.

TIGER ONE
Senior Member

Posts: 6,423

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice Jul 19, 2004 20:54:03 GMT

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Post by TIGER ONE on Jul 19, 2004 20:54:03 GMT

Coach, sell yourself to your kids, then they will buy into the program lock, stock, and barrell. I'm an old coach and I used to be hard butt, and there is a time for that approach still. But, these kids today react in ways that are totally foreign and if you get them down and discouraged, you may as well hang it up.
They need to respect your posiiton as HC and they need to understand exactly what you expect from them, as well as, what they can expect from you. Be consistent, not easy one day and hard the next. Listen to what they are saying, and take their input seriously. Get to know each one on individual basis, because they all are not motivated in the same vein. Motivate the studs to help the less stronger players,
don't belittle them. Teach them the basic lifts and take it from there. Make sure each kid has a lifting partner, and get them working together. Unity from the get go is the key to success. The three basic lifts that any football player needs to master is the Bench Press, the power clean, and squats. I want my skill position guys to burn out on the dip rack threee times a week for one minute as hard as they can go.
I want my QB's and receivers to get in some incline bench each upper body work out day. As they start to progress, then start a real intensive stepped up program. But don't put some kid who has never lifted before on some intensity plan,he will get sore and not come back. Break him in and then turn up the heat.

Coach Easton

J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE

dcladwell
Member

Posts: 75

Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice Nov 25, 2004 10:37:38 GMT

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Post by dcladwell on Nov 25, 2004 10:37:38 GMT

Coach,

I too am a first year head coach for a first year varsity team. Our biggest motivator this year was that we got literally and physically beat by every team we played.
My returners are now motivated, or at least they say they are. We start our pre-season lifting program the Monday after Thanksgiving.

What we are doing and hope it works is:
We assigned 9 group leaders who have 4 to 5 underclassman (football brothers) in their group. It is the group leaders job to call their brothers to remind them about our lifting program this upcoming Monday. It is also their job to monitor their groups attendance, intensity in the weight room. Obviously, I will be there every day, taking attendance, pushing kids and keeping everyone on-task, but it is my hope that these group leaders will set the bar and take charge of the underclassman.
Posted in the weight room is a daily attendance chart with the players current max lifts and a goal that they set with the coaches assistance.
All players not participating in a winter sport are asked (required??) to lift 4 days a week, while all athletes participating in a school related winter sport are asked lift twice a week. We open the weight room from 6:30-7:30 AM for these sessions.
Not sure if any of this will work, but we are trying to set the tone or at least a high level of expectation for all future football players in our program.
Our kids can earn 500 and 1000 pound club t-shirts and the group who makes the biggest gains will be treated to a steak dinner.
I have weight cards that each kid is assigned. Our four core lifts are: Squat, Hang Clean, Dead Lift and Bench Press. We assign our kids to 4 different work-outs through the week or work-out A, B, C and D. We do this so that not everyone is trying to Squat on the same day. After each core lift which reps are based on certain percentages of their max the will proceed through a series of 5 additional core lifts. Example: Bench Press (Core), Close Grip Bench, DB Incline Bench, Jammer Extensions, Military Press, Dips.
This is what we are doing and we are hoping it works. If anyone has any recommendations or suggestion please feel free.

Thanks,
DC

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Inheriting Weak Program - NEED advice

Post by rookie on May 10, 2004 7:14:06 GMT

Post by hang_50 on May 10, 2004 8:00:06 GMT

Post by Coach_P on May 10, 2004 14:12:05 GMT

Post by rookie on May 11, 2004 5:35:28 GMT

Post by jb5272 on May 11, 2004 7:00:53 GMT

Post by annihil8tor on May 11, 2004 12:26:33 GMT

Post by Coachrvg on Jun 17, 2004 20:55:02 GMT

Post by TIGER ONE on Jul 19, 2004 20:54:03 GMT

Post by dcladwell on Nov 25, 2004 10:37:38 GMT

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