Keys to Training

1. Warm up properly:  First and Foremost, all running and lifting workouts should be preceded with a  warm up period (3-5 minutes of light activity to increase body temperature) and a total body stretching routine. A modified stretching routine should follow all workouts. (major emphasis placed on the lower back, hips, and legs). 

 

2. Intensity:  The success of any program lies on the willingness of the athlete to work hard. It is a simple equation, the harder you work, the greater the results will be. Our guiding principle on just about everything we perform is as follows” If you could have done another repetition with proper form, you should have done it”. Maximize your efficiency in the weight room. Do not waste time by socializing or taking extensive rest periods between sets. The workouts you receive should never take longer than one hour.

 

3. Total body Development:  The body must maintain SYNERGY! Overtraining one area will lead to an imbalance and thus disrupt the system. In turn, this will lead to a decrease in the normal range of motion found by the joints and again increase the chance of injury. The muscles of the body work together and must rely on each other to perform at optimal levels during competition.

 

4. Emphasize the lowering phase:  Take more time to lower the weight! You can lower 30-40% more weight than you can raise. The same muscles used to raise the weight are the same muscles used to lower the weight. Allow 3 seconds for the lowering phase.

5. Rest & Recovery:  When you lift weights the muscles being trained are actually broken down (protein degradation), and forced to rebuild.  To get optimal results from strength training an athlete must recover properly. It is imperative that the athlete maintains a healthy diet and healthy sleep patterns to optimize the recovery stage. Recovery between sets should be approximately 2 minutes. This recovery time should gradually decrease to approximately 90 seconds between exercises.

 

6. Variety:  Variety will make your workouts more challenging and enjoyable. Stick to the basics of comprehensive training, intense effort, progressive overload, and a 2-4 day a week approach regarding frequency, and you will get excellent gains in size and strength.