STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ROUND TABLE

Michael Young
Louisiana State University

****These are my answers from a Strength and Conditioning Round Table that was recently published in
Track Coach.

1. The bench press is one of the staples of many lifting programs yet wrecks havoc on
the shoulder because of the shear forces it creates. What preventive measures do you
take with the bench press? Do you recommend and alternative lifts? (Varying the
angles, elbows in, etc.)

The bench press is perhaps the most overrated and over-performed exercise in the
weight room. Not only does it create high shearing forces in the extreme range of
motion, but it also has little functional carryover to most track and field events. In no
sport, is an athlete ever in a position where they are pressing a load while having
support at their back (if they are, something has gone terribly wrong!). That being
said, the bench press is a convenient and relatively safe means of developing overall
upper-body strength. The best way to minimize injury is to closely monitor the load
and volume being lifted to ensure that a suitable progressive overload is achieved. In
doing this, athletes should be able to develop the supporting structures of the shoulder
in balance with the musculature of the chest, deltoids, and triceps. If shoulder injury
is still a concern, partial range of motion, dumbbell, overhead and / or close grip
pressing exercises can be substituted or alternated with the bench press.

2. Shoulder injuries are a major problem for lifters. Do you do any specific exercises to
strengthen the rotator cuff shoulder stabilizers? How do you know when “enough is
enough?”

I have never felt the need to incorporate any of the typical rotator cuff exercises
(internal /external rotation, etc.) into my programs. We do however perform various
strengthening and stretching exercises within our warm-up and general strength
circuits. For example, within one of our warm-up routines, we perform a series of
exercises with bowling pins and stretch cords that help to strengthen and stretch the
rotator cuff and other shoulder joint stabilizers.

3. Long ago I read an article that talked about stabilization of the tempomandibular joint
(TMJ) as a way of increasing strength. Have you ever heard anything about this? Do
you use mouthpieces to set the jaw while lifting?

I have also read about this phenomenon. The mechanism for it is not fully understood.
It has been proposed that proper alignment of the jaw decreases the likelihood of the
posterior airway space collapsing, thus ensuring an adequate oxygen supply. I have
not seen enough evidence to support these claims and I don’t feel it is necessary or
practical to use a mouthpiece while lifting.
4. Regarding speed development and explosiveness – at what point in a training plan do
you introduce these qualities? How much do you use medicine balls or light
implements? Obviously this would more apply to the throws but feel free to
comment on what you do for the legs.

For all speed and power events in track and field it is imperative that speed
development and explosiveness be trained throughout the year. To be fast and
explosive you have to train fast and explosively. However, because of the high
neuromuscular demand of this type of training, intensity and volume must be
monitored carefully to prevent over-training and injury. Ideally, the intensity will
increase throughout the year and the volume will decrease. We use medicine balls
extensively and feel they are a great way of developing general strength and overall
body power. Light implements are used on occasion. It is important for coaches to
realize that if speed of movement is emphasized, the neuromuscular demand may
actually be higher when resistance is lower (as is the case with lighter implements and
over-speed devices). As such, this type of training should not be regarded as “easier”
or less intensive than any other form of training.

5. For many athletes flexibility is the first victim of a busy schedule. Ideally, how much
time would you like to see your athletes spend daily on flexibility? Do you vary the
approach? Do you have any special methods – proprioceptive neuromuscular
facilitation (PNF), partner assisted, yoga, pilates or something else?

Static flexibility training is highly overdone in most sports. Contrary to what most
coaches think, it has been shown to actually decrease power outputs and increase
rates of injury. Having said that, it does have its place in the training menu and we
incorporate it daily. A typical training session will include a dynamic warm-up, a
static stretching routine at the beginning and end of our workouts, a dynamic
stretching routine, as well as other dynamic flexibility exercises with hurdles,
medicine balls, and stretch cords. The routines are alternated on a daily basis as well
as throughout the year depending on the training cycle. We take a varied approach,
using partner, static, PNF and yoga stretching techniques throughout the year.

6. How much emphasis do you place on core strength? Any favorite exercises?

Core strength is a vital part of any sport-conditioning program. This is especially true
for track and field, where postural integrity is a key to success in every event. We
incorporate core training in practically everything we do. Postural alignment is
monitored at all times for a breakdown in integrity. In addition, we use general
strength circuits, medicine ball work, as well as our weight room routines to develop
core strength. I feel the Olympic lifts and loaded squatting exercises are the best way
to train the core in a functional manner. These lifts place a higher load on the core
muscles that cannot be achieved in isolation exercises. Isolation exercises are a good
means of training muscle awareness in the smaller-less used core muscles but loaded
exercises should be the foundation of any core strength program.
7. Nutrition is always a hot subject. What are your basic rules or recommendations? Do
you use creatine? Vitamins? Protein powders? Do you concern yourself much with
pure size or do you more point towards a total fitness profile?

Nutrition is key to maximizing the effects of training. I recommend that athletes

achieve a good balance in their diets. This means, that the protein, fats, and
carbohydrates they consume are in correct ratio. A good rule of thumb for this is a
30/30/40 ratio of calories for each macronutrient respectively. It is also important that
athletes consume enough vitamins and minerals in their diets. Also, protein intake is
always a concern for athletes, especially those training with weights. As a general
guideline, athletes should consume at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.
We have found that nutritional logs are helpful in tracking the nutritional habits of the
athletes.

I think that supplements can be of value but coaches and athletes must realize that
they only supplement and do not replace a well balanced diet. Creatine can be a safe
and effective means of boosting recovery and performance if its use is monitored for
proper use. Protein powders and vitamins can be useful to ensure that an athlete is
consuming what their body needs for recovery. Also, a simple carbohydrate and
protein-based snack consumed within an hour of the completion of a workout can go
a long way in an athlete’s recovery.

Size is not a concern other than in the throwing events, where mass and absolute
strength is of some value. In all other track events, athletes should strive to maximize
their power-to-body weight ratios. As such, overall health and fitness should be
emphasized rather than size gain or loss.

8. Do you do much with the “push-pull” concept in lifting, either in general or with
specific workouts?

Currently, we do not use a push-pull routine, but I have used it in the past. It can be
useful to develop antagonistic muscles in a balanced manner. It can also be used to
maximize time efficiency. If athletes alternate a pushing set with a pulling set, more
work can be accomplished in less time because the rest periods for pushing muscles
become the work periods for the pulling muscles. For example, athletes can perform a
set of bench press, immediately followed by a set of pull-ups, immediately followed
by the bench press, and so on.

9. Do you recommend varying a lifters cadence? I realize this may be dependent on the
training cycle but what are some of the common cadence patterns you use and how
does it vary throughout a seasonal macrocycle or weekly microcycle?

For the most part, the only tempo I recommend is a controlled eccentric action and an
explosive concentric action. This seems to be a safe and effective means of
developing strength and power. Occasionally we employ static-dynamic techniques in
our lifting programs. One technique I do like to use however is compensatory
 acceleration training. In this technique, the athlete should try to move as fast as
possible through the entire concentric range of motion regardless of the
biomechanical leverage. Typically, athletes do not have to put forth maximum effort
throughout the entire range of motion because of changes in the leverage of the
movement. For example, while squatting, the weight will seem easier at the top of the
movement because leverage improves. This means that the body will not have to
recruit as many muscle fibers at this stage to complete the lift. In compensatory
acceleration training, the athlete will attempt to move the bar as fast as possible
through the entire range of motion regardless of the biomechanical leverage, thereby
maximizing motor recruitment.

10. I have always taught that the proper quad/hamstring ratio to be essentially 1:1 (hip
extension v. knee extension NOT knee flexion v. knee extension). How do you feel
about that? Any other “rule of thumb” ratios that you use in the body to insure even
development?

The hip extension / knee extension ratio seems to be a more accurate assessment of
the functional demand placed on these antagonistic muscle groups. Concentric quad /
eccentric hamstring strength ratio (also 1:1 ratio) is another more accurate
measurement of muscle balance. The problem with these measures is that it is
difficult to assess hip extension and eccentric hamstring strength.

11. Do you use any “stage control testing?” (Standing long jumps, vertical jumps, 30m
sprints, etc.) When and how often do you use them?

We typically test at the end of each training cycle. The test protocols fit perfectly into
a rest week and provide a chance to introduce a competitive atmosphere early in the
season. Testing includes several weight room lifts as well as several field tests. In the
weight room, we test cleans and squats. Our field tests include sprint tests at several
distances, various jumping exercises, rudimentary weighted ball (shot put) throwing,
and agility / coordination tests.

12. For further study – Last fall I attended the Canadian Society of Weight Lifting Injury
Specialists who put on an excellent program each fall in Toronto. Any organizations
or books you feel would have some valuable information?

There are several organizations that can be of use to those interested in strength
training in particular and physical conditioning in general. The National Strength and
Conditioning Association publishes 2 journals: Strength and Conditioning Journal
and Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research which would both be of value.
Also, USA Weightlifting is perhaps the best organization to learn about the Olympic
lifts. They offer certification courses as well as basic information on their website
(www.usaweightlifting.org). For basic level reading, I recommend the following
books: Periodization: Training for Sports by Bompa; and Essentials of Strength
Training and Conditioning by Bachle (ed.). For more advanced reading,
Supertraining by Siff & Verkhoshansky; Facts and Fallacies of Fitness by Siff; and
Science and Practice of Strength Training by Zatsiorsky are excellent.