EXPLOSION Sports Performance Training

More than Just Conditioning

2011-03-03T15:26:00.004-06:00

Earlier this wee I received an email from a parent. I've worked with his son John for two off-seasons. He recently completed six months of training in preparation for the upcoming baseball season.

Over the 6 months he increased his arm speed by 9 MPH, his bat speed by 12.4 MPH, his Vertical Jump by 4 inches. He also dropped 2 tenths of second off his speed and agility.

Bottom line he worked hard- he put in the effort and now he's reaping the rewards. Benefits that transcend the physical. There are benefits to training beyond running faster and throwing harder. Benefits that can't be measured with a radar gun or speed timers.

Changes in work ethic and self-esteem. Through his hard work he's creating opportunities for himself and moving out of the shadow of his siblings.

Here is what his dad had to say about it:

Hi Mark,

I wanted to thank you for the work you did with John this past 6 months. I found the 4” gained in vertical jump as eye popping as the 9 mph gain in arm speed.

I think the program has not only taught him that he needs to work hard to achieve measurable goals physically but that the same is true with school work. John should be for the first time a high honors student. He also scored high enough on the Benet test to not need his sisters’ legacy status for admission.

The work you do with John is nothing short of amazing and he as well as I, look forward to the next 4 years to see what he can achieve.

Thanks for the time and thought you put into the best program I ever spent money on for my son.

Best,

John C

Show Up

2011-03-01T13:47:00.002-06:00

"Eighty percent of success is showing up." ~Woody Allen

Osmosis- diffusion of molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration until the concentration on both sides is equal.

As a young student I can recall wondering if I could study for a test via osmosis. Some of my friends would put their text book and notes under their pillow hoping that while they slept information would cross through the book right into their brain. Study via sleep..... Didn't work.

I remember recording vital test tidbits onto a cassette tape.

For those of you younger a tape was all the rage before CD's.
CD's? They were the rage before IPODs

Then listening to the tape while going to sleep and let it play over and over while sleeping. I recall using this technique to study for the 8th Grade Constitution test. Fortunately my teacher was kind enough to let me retake it later after a day or two of actual studying. I shouldn't have to mention that I did better the second time.

I talked with a parent on the phone recently. Hes searching for a conditioning program that fits his sons needs. As we talked about the Explosion training system, he mentioned he was trying to determine if there was an Eastern Bloc "magic bullet" exercise that would guarantee his son get faster.

The secret is that you have to train- both hard and smart. The magic happens somewhere between hard training and recovery.

First you have to show up- every time.

No Excuses

2011-02-28T15:37:00.004-06:00

An injury is not an excuse to avoid training. You can always do something.

This past winter we trained:
1 Athlete who has a heart condition where his heart rate is not to go above 150 BPM.
2 People with their arms in casts
2 Others who had restrictions that prevented them from using one of their arms.
Countless athletes who's bodies are beat up from practice, PE class, a snow ball fight gone awry....

With an expert staff and solid programming, training can be modified to work around those problems and still get a training effect.

In my early days I used to train a lot of athletes who were rehabilitating after ACL reconstructions. At that time it was a minimum 6 month recovery from the day of surgery until a possible return to sports. Those who sat around only focusing on their knee rehab would later find out that even though their knee had been cleared for activity their body wasn't ready- add an additional 2 months to get back in fighting shape.

When they could walk we started conditioning. Rehab the knee and then focus on the rest of the body. These turned into 2 hour training sessions near the end.

Once the Orthopedic determined their knee was good to go, their body was as well. They could go to practice that same day or the next. A week later they were in games.

You can sit on the couch and wait for everything to be perfect- which may never happen, obstacles have a way of popping up one after the other. Or you can keep training and be ready when the time is right.

Results Are In

2011-02-25T14:11:00.003-06:00

I haven't been blogging much lately, not because I'm at a loss for words, more of crunched for time. Explosion has been extremely busy the past few months, and something had to give.

Time well spent in fact, especially if you're an athlete getting ready to go into your high school season on Monday.

Here are some standouts:

Jake a junior increased his throwing arm by 10 MPH. From 78 to 88 MPH.

Mac a junior added 9 MPH to her arm.

Bryan a senior added 7 MPH to his arm speed.

Kelsey is senior- nickname bomb squad. This is her third year in Explosion. She's got a fast bat to begin with and continues to improve- adding an additional 5 MPH to her swing. She also added 5 MPH of arm power.

How does improving your arm speed by 3 MPH sound? How does it sound when you also consider Rachel's non-throwing arm was in a cast for 3 out of 4 months of training? With an expert staff and a well designed program, injury is not an excuse to skip training. As soon as she is cleared to play she'll be ready.

There were multiple improvements in Bat Speed of 10 MPH or more. Too many to mention in fact.

What did you do this winter?

This is Explosion

2010-11-05T18:23:00.002-05:00

Speed and Agility- Guest Blog

2010-10-29T17:23:00.002-05:00

Mike Boyle is not only one of the premier Strength and Conditioning Coaches in the world, he is also one of the pioneers in the field. With over 30 years of experience working with college and professional athletes- when Mike speaks, I'm listening. And he doesn't disappoint. Written or verbal he always gets my mind thinking.

Recently Mike sent out an email with his thoughts on a forum post from his website StrengthCoach.com. The topic was improving speed and agility.

In the last week a few parents with kids involved in the Explosion program have asked me about including more speed drills in the training sessions. Over the past 3 years I've been decreasing the amount of sprints and "form running" we perform in favor of training that better prepare the athlete to run faster. I touched on my reasoning here here. Interesting that we've spent less time sprinting, but our speed improvements have improved.

Mike's email covers those questions so well, that I wrote to ask him for permission to post it here.
___________________

A couple of threads on the Strength Coach forum got me thinking about the question of foot speed and athletes. I can't tell you how often I hear a parent or a coach ask, "How can I improve my son's/daughter's/athlete's foot speed or agility?"

It seems everyone always wants the shortcut and the quick fix.

The better question might be "Do you think you can improve foot speed?" or maybe even the larger question, "Does foot speed even matter?"

That begs the larger question, "Does foot speed have anything to do with agility?" I know coaches or parents reading this are asking, "Is this guy crazy?" How many times have we heard that speed kills? I think the problem is that coaches and parents equate fast feet with fast and quick feet with agile. However, fast feet don't equal fast any more than quick feet equal agile. In some cases, fast feet might actually make an athlete slow--often I see fast feet as a detriment to speed. In fact, some of our quick turnover guys, those who would be described as having fast feet, are very slow off the start.

The problem is fast feet don't use the ground well to produce force. Fast feet might be good on hot coals, but not on hard ground. Think of the ground as the well from which we draw speed. It is not how fast the feet move, but rather how much force goes into the ground. This is basic action-reaction physics. Force into the ground equals forward motion. This is why the athletes with the best vertical jumps are most often the fastest. It comes down to force production. Often coaches will argue the vertical vs. horizontal argument and say the vertical jump doesn't correspond to horizontal speed, but years of data from the NFL Combine begs to differ. Force into the ground is force into the ground. In spite of what Brett Contreras may say, vectors don't seem to matter here. The truth is parents should be asking about vertical jump improvement, not about fast feet. My standard line is "Michael Flatley has fast feet, but he doesn't really go anywhere. If you move your feet fast and don't go anywhere, does it matter? It's the old "tree falling in the woods" thing.

The best solution to slow feet is to get stronger legs. Feet don't matter. Legs matter. Think about it this way: If you stand at the starting line and take a quick first step but fail to push with the back leg, you don't go anywhere. The reality is that a quick first step is actually the result of a powerful first push. We should change the buzzwords and start to say "that kid has a great first push." Lower body strength is the real cure for slow feet and the real key to speed and to agility. The essence of developing quick feet lies in single-leg strength and single-leg stability work… landing skills. If you cannot decelerate, you cannot accelerate, at least not more than once.

One of the things I love is the magic drill idea. This is the theory that developing foot speed and agility is not a process of gaining strength and power, but rather the lack of a specific drill. I tell everyone I know that if I believed there was a magic drill we would do it every day. The reality is it comes down to horsepower and the nervous system, two areas that change slowly over time.

How do we develop speed, quickness and agility?

Unfortunately, we need to do it the slow, old-fashioned way. You can play with ladders and bungee cords all you want, but that is like putting mag wheels on an Escort. The key is to increase the horsepower, the brakes and the accelerator. I think the answer for me is always the same. I wrote an article last year called "IS ACL Prevention Just Good Training?" In much the same way, development of speed, agility and quickness simply comes down to good training. We need to work on lower body strength and lower body power and we need to do it on one leg.

I also love ladder drills. They provide excellent multi-planar dynamic warm-up. They develop brain-to-muscle connection and are excellent for eccentric strength and stability. We do less than five minutes of ladder drills, one or two times a week. I don't believe for a minute that the ladder is a magic tool that will make anyone faster or more agile, however I do believe it is a piece of the puzzle from the neural perspective. People waste more than five minutes on biceps curls, but we have long debates about ladder drills.

These are also a great tool to show to coaches who want "foot speed." Sometime it's easier to "yes" them than to argue with them. Give a guy with "bad feet" a jump rope and you get a guy with bad feet and patella tendonitis.

Regards,

Mike Boyle
http://www.strengthcoach.com/

_________

Do You Need Speed Training or Athletic Development?

2010-07-28T08:45:00.004-05:00

Two athletes arrive for training to make them faster. After an evaluation its determined that both athletes are slow. The solution? Speed training right?

Maybe....maybe not.

Depends on your definition of speed training. Some define speed training as running mechanics, and sprint training- but is that always the answer?

Athlete # 1 may not know how to run, has sloppy mechanics and poor form. In that case speed training would help. Working on the movement of running- head position, arms action, and leg drive. Refining how they move and then applying it to sprints.

Athlete # 2 is incapable of running correctly. Tight hips and poor core strength don't allow the athlete's body to move as a unit. While running the body is working harder on not falling over more than it is at generating speed. In this case speed training would be ineffective. Most likely it would make the athlete miserable. Running on its own is hard. When you're body is incapable of effectively running becomes even more difficult.

Athlete #2 may actually be quite fast, but is unable to tap into that speed because the body is acting more like the brakes on a car than the accelerator. How fast can you drive if you have one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. Release the brakes and the car runs smoother and is more efficient.

Training to release the brakes is challenging, but enjoyable. This type of training produces the desired result- running speed. Isn't that the point of training?

Bad Patient

2010-06-30T20:52:00.004-05:00

I'm a Fitness Professional. Not a personal trainer. Turns out to qualify to become a personal trainer you need about $150.00 and access to a computer. Pass a test and 6 weeks later in your mailbox is the validation that you are now qualified to wear spandex, carry a clipboard and count backwards from 10.

I've got a Masters Degree in Athletic Training, I'm certified by two national certification bodies. I'm a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), as well as Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and have held both for more than 13 years. Neither of those certifications can be obtained by attending a weekend course or reading a book and mailing in a test. Both exams require a college degree in a related field before you can even register to take the test.

Before qualifying to sit for the ATC exam I had to log 1500 hours of working with athletes along with meeting the classroom requirements. This certification exam has a failure rate of 65%. The CSCS exam also requires a related degree and has a failure rate of 35%.

When you watch sports on TV and a player goes down. The guy who runs onto the field to evaluate their condition and begin the process of getting them back on the field- that's me. Over the years I've helped countless athletes return to competition after injury. My specialty are knees, ankles and shoulders. Not surprisingly those are the areas most often injured during sports.

I spend more time now helping athletes to prepare their bodies in the hope of avoiding some of those injuries. But I still interact with my fair share of injured athletes.

Turns out while I am a good Athletic Trainer I'm a terrible patient. Earlier this week I strained a muscle in my hip. Apparently my brain and my body do not agree on what I'm capable of. If an athlete were to come to me with a hip strain 13+ years of experience would kick into gear and I'd go into ATC mode. After an evaluation to determine the severity of the injury a plan would be formulated to help them get back to 100%. Seems when I'm the patient my brain doesn't contain the same information. I should easily be able to formulate a plan for myself.

When an athlete has an injury its easy for me to be a little impartial. Of course I'm not the one in any sort of discomfort. I outline the plan, help with its implementation. The athlete leaves with instruction of what to do on their own. The next day or a few days later I see them again and the process repeats itself. If they've followed the plan they are usually feeling better and we can progress.

When its me the discomfort stays with me 24 hours a day. Everything seems magnified and its harder to be objective.

Good thing I have a large network of health care professionals. I checked in with AthletiCo for some piece of mind and the plan comes together.

More proof that working with a professional will always speed your progress compared to going it alone and hoping what you try works.

Sports Conditioning Knows No Holiday

2010-06-08T21:25:00.004-05:00

Summer is in full swing. What are you waiting for?

Breaking the Rules

2010-05-25T18:01:00.004-05:00

Explosion training breaks most of the "rules" regarding sports conditioning. Here are two examples.

Rule #1- You need to be training 5-6 days a week if you're going to get any better. (Maybe at the college or professional level you can bump it up to 4 days a week.)

We've been proving that one wrong for years. The majority of our athletes train 2 days a week, 90 minutes each time. A total of 3 hours a week.

Athletes are busy, we don't want to spend one additional minute training if it isn't necessary to improve your speed, strength and power.

Rule #2- If you can still walk after the workout it wasn't hard enough.

There is no reason training can't be enjoyable. Not easy, not eyewash- challenging, but satisfying. If training is miserable there is less chance that you will work at it, and stick with it. We strive to have fun while working hard.

Want to see what other rules we're breaking? Come in for a free trial and find out for yourself.

Do You Have the Recipe?

2010-05-25T15:20:00.002-05:00

Even if you don't know how to cook making good food isn't impossible. Get a recipe and follow the steps. Follow them closely and the final product will probably taste pretty good. Guess at the amounts or make some substitutions and better have the pizza place on hold.

Without a recipe you're just guessing. If you had enough time and ingredients you may eventually figure out how to make a good cookie, but odds are you would lose interest and have an upset stomach. Much easier to let a professional work out the details. Someone with a track record demonstrating they know how to cook and make good food.

When it comes to conditioning there are a lot of lousy recipes out there. Recipes that fail to include all the ingredients needed to be a better athlete.

Sure you could experiment on your own and see what works. Give your recipe a try for a few weeks, gauge your improvements, then try a different combination to see if that's better. But it might be worse, or the same.

Or you could remove the guessing and simply get to work in a program with a proven track record of getting athletes ready. All the benefits with none of the wondering if its working.

Work Done

2010-05-25T13:45:00.001-05:00

Sight seen yesterday after our warm-up.

Training Smart

2010-05-19T14:11:00.002-05:00

Sam has been training in Explosion for almost 2 months. She is a high school freshman looking to improve her basketball abilities. 7 weeks ago if you asked her to do a push-up she would get on the ground, her mid-section and hips would go up in the air, her arms would go out beyond her head and she would bend her elbows slightly and reach her head towards the floor. It was not a push-up, more resembled a yoga pose.

Relying on the principles of "unloading" her muscles, her strength has improved significantly. A few weeks ago I watched her perform 1 perfect push-up. Yesterday she knocked out 6 in a row.

The secret- Improved core strength and stability as well as putting her in a position to succeed. On the path of continuing to perform countless poor pushups its unlikely that the result will be the ability to suddenly blast out some good ones.

At the beginning she wasn't strong enough, so we changed the angle to one where she was strong enough. As she finds success, we progress. Tougher, but still possible. Within a couple weeks shes progressed all the way back to the floor and can while its still not easy, she can do it.

As her Dad stated- "I brought you a yoga stretch, you gave me a pushup"

VHS vs DVR

2010-05-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

Explosion Tip of The Week

In 1976 the VHS format was created. Now you could record programs and watch them later.

In 2000 technology improved with the creation of TIVO and the DVR. Now you could record more than one show at a time, get program information and start a show without trying to determine where on the tape it began.

In 2006 more than 55% of households utilize a DVR.

If you have a DVR, imagine still being locked into VHS format. If you don’t have a DVR, you won’t believe what you’re missing.

Parallel that to the Exercise World.
In the 80’s and 90’s bodybuilding reigned supreme. Everyone wanted giant biceps and a big bench press. The thought process was if you had big muscles you probably would make a good athlete.

In 1987 The White Sox pioneered development of a comprehensive conditioning program at all levels. They were the first Major League team to have a conditioning coach with each level from single A to the big leagues. Other clubs would slowly follow suit.

In the early 90’s Michael Jordon begins training with conditioning coach Tim Grover. As he became more dominant each year the concept of conditioning for sports becomes a part of popular culture.

In 2003 the concept of functional training becomes widespread in the athletic world.

In 2010 science is advancing training so quickly that training programs that were beneficial 2 years ago about as cutting edge as a VCR.

If you are still training the same way you did 3 years ago, or 20 years ago then it’s time for a change. DVR your workout, skip past the fluff and get to what matters- the results. Check out Explosion today.

Are you 1 Step Closer

2010-05-06T15:49:00.002-05:00

What did you do today to get one step closer to your goals?

Are you working towards achieving them, or are you doing the same things you always do?

Reality check. You are not going to achieve your sports goals with one workout, or one week of workouts. 1 week of eating differently is a start to a healthier lifestyle, but on its own won't solve your problems.

Consistency is the key. The long haul is whats important. Did you take action today that will move you a bit closer to your goal?

If you had a back account that doubled you investment each day- you could deposit a penny on day 1 and by day 30 you've got over 5 million dollars. Watching that each day the first few days are not that impressive. On day 18 suddenly the amount jumps from $655.36 to $1,310.72. On day 22 the total is over $20,000.00. 10 days later 5+ million. The chain of events began very small. A single penny, then another penny. As the momentum grows so does the payoff.

The conditioning world is similar. Every day small efforts add up, over time the payoff is HUGE!

The required efforts include making the right choices for training, nutrition and recovery. An occasional bump in the road is not a big deal as long as you quickly get back on track.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that for 1 single day, or that in 1 total week you can make your dreams a reality. You need to make a commitment to the long haul. The time commitment doesn't require that your whole life revolves around training. But it does require that you train smart, make the most of the time you commit and make good decisions. Clock in and get to work.

Act as if You Already Are

2010-04-28T15:10:00.005-05:00

What if you woke up tomorrow and were the athlete you always wanted to be?

You had the power you wanted, the strength, speed, quickness, the muscle......

What steps would you take to keep those new found abilities?
Would you spend more time training?
Would you make better eating choices?
Would you try to get more sleep?

The steps you would take to maintain those physical skills are the same steps you should take to acquire them.

Get away from the "if then" attitude. (If I was a better athlete then I would train more).

The proper mindset is to accept that as an athlete you're going to need to be prepared. Assuming of course that you want to be a successful athlete and not on the bubble for the cut list or bench warmer.

Athletic preparation requires a commitment. A commitment to training and a commitment to improve your skills. Start acting as if you already are the athlete you want to be. See where it takes you.

Its a Lifestlye

2010-04-20T15:29:00.004-05:00

When I was in first grade we studied: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

When I was in second grade the subjects we studied were: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

When I was in third grade the subjects we studied were: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

In fourth grade the subjects were: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

In fifth grade the subjects were: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

In sixth grade the subjects were: Literature (reading/writing), History, Math, and Science.

In seventh and eighth grade the subjects were the same. But they were getting a little more specific- US History, Algebra, Physical Science....

Over 4 years of High School the subjects were: the same, but even more specific. Biology, World History 1, Physics.

In college the subjects continued to be the same. Although now there was more choice in some of the classes. They still included history, science, literature, and math.

If you were to compare only the subjects for each year they might seem to be the same. Same title, but the topics within those subjects were always changing. The information was getting more detailed, more challenging. Each year builds on the education received the year before. Throughout a lifetime of education there is a progression of learning.

Why? One reason is to be well rounded. Only having a solid grasp of math won't help anyone to succeed in the world.

Another reason is that each of those topic headings contain a vast quagmire of information. Multiple years of study are required to even crack the surface of knowledge for each subject.

Parallel this to the athletic world. Starting out you learn the basics.

In baseball/fastpitch: throwing, hitting, sliding.

Basketball: dribbling, shooting, passing.

Each subsequent year of participation in sports continues to focus on the basics. At no point does a baseball player stop working on hitting or throwing. A basketball player never stops practicing shooting, or dribbling. Each of those skills is so important and so involved that you can never be satisfied. There is always something that could be improved.

Being an athlete is a lifestyle.

The choice to be an athlete for a day, or a week at best results in poor performance.

You need to be committed, focused and willing to put in the time.

Work on the fundamentals, improve your speed, strength and conditioning. Then do it again, and keep doing it.

You're Either in or Out

2010-04-07T18:12:00.001-05:00

I typically deal with two groups of people. Athletes who train, and athletes I have conversations with but for some reason can't seem to get started. Typically a river of excuses flows mostly consisting of variations on how they don't have the time.

If you don't recognize the need for sports conditioning then you are living in fairy tale land. In the 14 years that I have been training with athletes I have yet to meet one who couldn't benefit from being faster, stronger, quicker or more mobile. I train a variety of athletes from young athletes just getting started, all the way to high caliber athletes getting paid to play. I know athletes who are content to ride out their current abilities because they feel they are fast enough or strong enough. While they may be sitting on the couch relaxing, someone somewhere is clocking in and doing work. Eventually relaxing on the couch is not an alternative to training, its the only option. Athletic career is ended not by choice, but because their skills no longer hold up.

The best athletes have no hesitation to dive headfirst into training. There are no obstacles that hold them back. The question is not about how much time it takes, usually they want to know when they can get started.

To make serious improvements in physical skills 3 hours a week seems to be the minimum commitment necessary.

3 hours a week.

3 hours.

That's less than 2% of the total hours in the week. I know plenty of athletes who spend 3-4 times that amount of time each week watching TV or surfing the internet. I know I've spent considerable more time that that trying to figure out whats up with that black smoke monster on Lost

Think about what you did the past 3 days. Without much effort I'm betting you could easily carve out 3 hours that would be better spent doing something else. Odds are you've got a DVR, internet access, so you won't miss any riveting television. Your friends will survive without your facebook status updates or text messages during the time you are training.

Once you get started, finding the 3 hours becomes easier, and whatever was so important before no longer is.

Shoulder Pain- Fast Solution

2010-04-01T13:58:00.002-05:00

Brad is a HS baseball player. Going into the season there was some question as to how much work he would get as a pitcher. About 4 weeks before tryouts he shared that his shoulder was bothering him, and he was unable to throw a baseball without pain. Not good when tryouts are coming up. His initial thoughts were to just keep throwing with the idea that it would go away, or he would just tough it out during the season.

He just happened to mention one day that his arm was hurting. Digging a little deeper revealed more about his problems. Then some tweaking of his training along with some home work. Including I,T,W,L arm raises, foam rolling, and some targeted tennis ball.

Fast forward 6 weeks later. Arm pain is gone, velocity is up. As is his position in the rotation. Initially he would have been hopeful to be number 2 or 3 in the rotation. He started opening day, and did well.

Don't get caught up in ignoring pain hoping it will just go away. Get plan to fix the problem.

Focused Effort

2010-03-26T14:50:00.002-05:00

Dan is a longtime Explosion athlete. 6 years, I believe, might be longer. Over the years he's been a hard worker. Likes to train, and is not afraid to get after it. The longer he trains the more focused he becomes. Evident by the items he has on his wish lists. Recently he had a birthday. The top item on his list? Video game system? MP3 player? Nope- foam roller.

Dan understands the importance of staying loose. Historically hes got tight hamstrings, and occasional knee discomfort. He's also growing in serious bursts. Those increases in height put pressure on his muscles. The bones and muscles grow at different rates. The bones grow faster than the muscles which makes the muscles tight. Eventually they will even out, but in the meantime that can create some trouble.

The solution- work to lengthen the muscles and balance things out. Stretching is one approach and an important one. The foam roller is another tool that deserves attention. Some call it the poor man's massage. Portable, durable and inexpensive. You can feel better for around $20.00.

Dan knows that extra work put in at home can only help him in his quest to athletic improvement. Small things make a big difference.

Small things add up to make big things.If you had a back account that doubled you investment each day- you could deposit a penny on day 1 and by day 30 you've got over 5 million dollars.

What are you doing today that is getting you closer to your goal?

Listen Up

2010-03-24T17:41:00.004-05:00

As we as a culture get bombarded by more and more electronic media, plain old talking and listening have taken a serious hit. I like to think I'm a good listener, in-fact listening to what athletes say is a big part of understanding how to train them. Not only in what style of encouragement will push them, but listening carefully also offers significant clues into what type of training they need.

Ask anyone how they are doing and the most people will say "good" or some similar variation. Even if they are feeling terrible, tired, grumpy, or sad most often the answer will be the same. If I stopped asking questions and paying attention to the answers at that point I might miss out on the fact that their knee is sore from the game last night, or they haven't been sleeping as well recently. The follow up answers can be invaluable when determining where each athletes weaknesses may be hiding.

Athletes benefit from being good listeners as well. Call it good listening, being coachable, or just paying attention. The athletes who can focus are the ones who get the best results.

Being distracted while drills are being taught results in training delays as the drill needs to be explained again, and again. If you don't know what the drill is, you can't do it and won't get better.

Kyle Kobernus is a baseball player, and Explosion coach. I first met Kyle when he was 15. He was as an athlete in Explosion training getting ready for his high school seasons. Kyle rarely uttered any words during our training sessions. He would say "Hello" when he got there, and "Thank You, Great Workout" when he left. The rest of the time he was focused on what he was there to accomplish.

No surprise that Kyle's focus and paying attention to detail allowed him to be successful in high school, college, and now he's getting paid to play baseball. In the off-season he still utilizes Explosion training to prepare himself to play. He still doesn't talk during training.....

When its time to train clock in- and get to work.

More Isn't Better......Better is Better

2010-03-23T17:19:00.000-05:00

An athlete wants to get stronger so they can perform better on the field. Typically the first item on their list would be do add some strength training. Left to their own devices they start a strength program that always seems to begin with weight training- usually consisting of bench press, poorly performed squats, biceps curls, and triceps push-downs. Ask them to perform a push-up, pull-up or single leg squat and it turns out they really don't have control over their own body weight.

Their solution might be to add more weight, more reps or some wacky supplements.

More is not always the way to go. More of the same thing just results in more of the same thing. Continuously running more sprints will not magically make you faster. Doing more 1/2 push-ups will not suddenly create enough strength to do a full one.

Sometimes the body doesn't need more load, it needs to be unloaded. Can't do a full push-up while lying on the ground? Change the load by putting your hands on a high box or bench. Now you are at a 45 degree angle and suddenly 10 quality push-ups are possible. (You may have to try a few heights to find the right angle). Focus on push-ups at that level, and when they get too easy find a lower height. Now the push-ups are more challenging, but you can still be successful. Over a few weeks, suddenly you can knock out 10 push-ups while on the ground.

A deep single leg squat can also be challenging. Without progressions the body is unable to lower itself to the floor and come back up. Typically a 1/2 squat is all that most athletes can initially perform. Add in a TRX suspension trainer and now the athlete can use the strength of their arms to help take some of the load off the legs. The arms are working hard but the leg is working too. With enough time and training the arms are doing less and the legs are doing more, eventually the arms are no longer necessary and the legs are doing it all by themselves.

Most athletes are too afraid to take a step back. Too worried that the alternative might be "too easy". Lets be clear- performing push-ups on a high box, or single leg squats with a TRX is no stroll through the garden. in fact performing the exercise correctly will be productive, while performing it poorly will be the opposite.

Before trying to add more to an already in-efficient program, make a change and make your program better.

Information Age

2010-03-11T14:25:00.006-06:00

This the information age. It is thought that human knowledge doubles every 5 years or so. This is extremely evident when examining the exercise world. The knowledge of how the body works improves and fast. Philosophies and training routines that were used 10 years ago are no longer cutting edge. As Alwyn Cosgrove is fond of saying- Its not that what we were doing was wrong, it was the best we knew how to do at the time.

I quick Google search for "baseball conditioning" returns over 3.9 million hits! Basketball conditioning 1.4 million hits and fastpitch softball conditioning 2.6 million. That is information overload. As an individual trying to get information where to begin is the hardest part. Sources conflict with each other, each offering more and different ideas about how to prepare the body. You need a filter to help you decide which information is valid and which is hype.

I have a filter too. I'm only interested in information coming from practitioners working in the real world. Those who are training athletes to be better and having success doing it. I'm not interested in the training philosophy of someone sitting behind a computer crafting workouts, but not actually training anyone.

Athletes are arriving for training in worse shape than ever. The opportunities they have to move and be active are fewer. They spend more time sitting than moving. A training program can no longer revolve around being in the "weight room".

The fastest way to improved ability is to seek out an expert. A yearly subscription to a fitness magazine does not make you an expert. Being proud of the fact that you can make your athletes sore or throw-up is not the work of an expert. In fact it may be dangerous.

At best improper training leads to no improvement, worst case scenario is that it leads to injury.

Training should be designed to get a result, in the case of an athlete the result should be increased athletic ability. Training should foster success and not misery. Athletes should succeed with each workout, completing the drills and exercises designed to improve their game. Throwing up is not an indicator of success, throwing harder after 8 weeks of training is.

Break out of your outdated routine and give Explosion a try.

Proper Prepeartion Prevents Poor Performance

2010-03-09T14:29:00.003-06:00

Our Elite Softball 16U team recently played in a 3 day tournament. They were playing "up" at the 18U level. They got off to a rough start on Friday losing their first game.

As they regrouped after the first day they ended up playing and winning SIX consecutive games on the final day to win the championship.

Most teams were dragging after playing 2 games while the White Sox players were still going strong- evident by the fact that they hit 6 home runs over the course of the day.

A team playing six games in a row- no rest- theoretically should be primed for defeat. However, unknown to competitors, hidden within their muscles, lungs and heart lies the difference. They are physically prepared, and that's tough to contend with.

You can read more about it here in an article from the Tribune

Real World Results Continued

2010-03-05T13:29:00.002-06:00

Reports from the field:

One of our Elite Fastpitch Athletes,just completed 8 weeks of training, got placed in the "fast" group during high school tryouts this week. First time she’s ever received that designation. Congratulations Alyssa!

High School tryouts are winding down, in some cases over. Reports from the field will continue coming in. Tryouts are the ultimate test of the success of your off season. Make the team and possible move up a level- and your training was a success and worth the time and effort. The alternative means your program didn't hold up.

Time to check out EXPLOSION.

Real World Results

2010-03-03T14:30:00.003-06:00

How do you know when your training program has been a success? When you go into the season with stats like these. Over the past 8 weeks our Elite White Sox Fastpitch Travel Teams have been doing work.

As a team they:
Reduced their 10 yard dash time by just under two tenths of a second.
Reduced their 5-10-5 Agility Sprint by just over three tenths of a second.
Increased their Vertical Jump by 1.25 inches
Increased their bat speed by 9.2 MPH
Increased their arm speed by 3.2 MPH

Notable standouts:
Increases in Bat Speed of 18 MPH, 17 MPH and 14 MPH.
Increases in Arm Speed of 11 MPH.

How would it feel to end you off-season on Thursday knowing that the work you just completed has translated to the exact skills you are going to need to demonstrate to your coach during tryouts on Monday?

Side note: No one lost their lunch or was miserable during the training. Everyone enjoyed it and looked forward to attending. How does your program stack up?

Are You Overlooking the Obvious?

2010-02-17T13:32:00.003-06:00

About a month ago I was at a seminar. On topic was how changing the way you look at things and how it can impact outcomes. The presenter mentioned that there was a hidden arrow in the Fed Ex logo, and once you see it, you can't help but see it every time the logo pops into view. For the next 10 days every time a saw the Fed Ex logo I looked for the arrow, thinking it would be something obvious, many times the logo was attached to a delivery truck that was on the move, so there wasn't much ability to study. Finally as I started at a stationary logo for a few minutes it popped out at me. Ah ha! He's right, now whenever I see the logo I'm drawn right to the arrow. Ingenious.

The arrow is there, but unless you are paying attention you may never see it. Someone spent a lot of time creating the logo to have an obvious but "hidden arrow". Kind of like the password to a secret society.

Most training programs lack the planning required for real world improvements. The details are what separates elite preparation from plain old fatigue. Anyone can create a program that makes an athlete tired. Little planning goes into a program that makes an athlete nauseous.

When the off season is over and you need to perform on the field, has your training given you the tools you need to succeed? Your coach, teammates, and opponents could care less about how many times you had to lay down during training, how many times you lost your lunch, or how much time you spent being miserable.

Athletes should be challenged by their training, but enjoy it at the same time. Time to take a closer look at your training, and see if you are missing the obvious.

Athletes Wish List

2009-12-10T13:12:00.002-06:00

12 years ago I was asked by the parent of an athlete about Holiday gifts that would help athletic performance. We made a list of items that would be great for his home training. After the fact I'm afraid that all the kid got for Christmas was exercise equipment.

Times have changed and so has the available equipment, not to mention the knowledge of how to better prepare the body for athletic activity. My recommendations have also changed. In fact several of the items I suggested would no longer qualify.

Here are my top recommendations for athlete gifts this year.

1- My top Pick would be a TRX. Available from Fitness Anywhere. The TRX is a gym that goes wherever you go. Take to the gym, the beach, the park, your house. The TRX attaches to virtually anything. You can hang it over a door, or anchor it to a tree. Once its attached the sky is the limit. Great tool for strengthening the core.

2- Furniture Sliders. Available almost everywhere. A great tool to move heavy items around the house. An even better tool for developing core stability. The core functions in two ways. Its a power producer that can be developed using the medicine ball, but its also a stabilizer. A strong core ties the arms and legs together and allows each to do their jobs more effectively. Crunches are out- Alligator walk is IN.

3- A medicine ball. Medicine balls are so versatile. They can be used to improve rotational power and core strength. As well as mimic many skills athletes perform during competition. For a younger athlete a 4lb ball is just about right. An older athlete should do well with a 6lb ball, and it will last them through their career.

4- A plan. Even if you have the best equipment you still need to know how to use it. Sure you can sample different ideas and techniques. You can try this and that, or you can rely on an expert who has experience helping athletes to meet your specific goal. IF you are a baseball, fastpitch or basketball athlete in need of sports conditioning, then EXPLOSION training has the plan for you. EXPLOSION has been achieving results for athletes in the Chicago area for over 8 years.

Judging the Success of Your Training

2009-12-04T12:30:00.002-06:00

How do you know if you've had a successful training session? Because you vomited halfway through it? Because you can't walk the next day? Because its the hardest thing you've ever done.... is it the best thing you've ever done?

Sadly this is how training seems to be recognized. The reality is anyone who can read a book, or get on the internet can make a training session ridiculously hard. Creating a workout that causes significant muscle soreness, or the desire to send ones lunch into a strategically placed garbage pail is pretty simple. Some trainers feel a sense of accomplishment when their clients are miserable. They wear it like a badge of honor, and there are a handful of athletes and parents that seem to relish in it as well.

Quality of a training session should not be judged by its difficulty, rather by its results. A single training session is a small but intricate part of the overall goal. The desire to jump higher, run faster, throw harder or hit with more power drives the need for training. Very few people train simply because they enjoy training. Training can become addictive, but its still not the training that is enjoyed, its the feelings that come from training.

One workout builds on another, and another. Each providing the stimulus for the body to change and adapt. Over time the body undergoes changes and can now do things it was incapable of before. Then the training is successful.

I'm not advocating an eye wash workout, effort and determination are still required, as is a plan. The plan needs to be smart, focused on getting the body to adapt and make real world changes that carry over to the field or court of competition. There should be a system of training, and the system should not involved mapping out the spots in the facility where athletes tend to regurgitate the most.

EXPLOSION training can offer you such a plan. We've been achieving real world results challenging athletes and having fun while doing it for over 8 years. Want to see for yourself? Get started with a free trial of EXPLOSION.

Futuristic Core Training

2009-12-02T17:43:00.002-06:00

Is your training stuck in the dark ages?

Muscle function has long been determined by studying cadavers. As anatomy experts study the human body they would examine individual muscles to determine what the muscles job is and how best to make it stronger. By studying an individual muscle of a cadaver lying on the table it was initially thought that the abdominals function was to bring the rib cage towards the feet (trunk flexion) the same motion that occurs with sit-ups and crunches.

As science evolves so does the ability to study the human body and its abilities. We now know that in fact the abdominals may be involved in crunches, and sit-ups, but that's not their real function.

Their real purpose is to protect your spinal cord. Without your abdominals you would be unable to prevent gravity from slumping you over into a pile on the floor. The abdominals actually work to prevent your trunk from moving toward your feet.

So while endless crunches and sit-ups may create a burn in your belly, you may be doing more harm than good. Science also has been teaching us that eventually our joints wear out. As we get older things break down. We see it professional athletes earlier than others, as they put their body through a beating for their job, their joints wear down faster than the average person, but the average persons joint do wear out eventually. The number of knee and hip replacements performed each year is on the rise, as is the amount of low back pain.

Think of the spine like a credit card. On first attempt you can get the edges of a credit card to touch each other and the card bounces back to its original shape with no apparent damage done. Do that over and over and eventually you can see the center of the card start to look a little rough, eventually the card cracks and has lost its rigid state. Over time your joints will respond to the wear and tear and start to wear out, and you might be accelerating the process by performing endless amounts of crunches.

Whats the alternative? Train the midsection the way it works, with exercises designed to promote stability. Give this workout a try:

Plank- 60 seconds
Rest 60 seconds
Spiderman Plank- x 10 ea leg
Stability Ball Jackknife x 10
Side Plank x 30 seconds each side

Rest 2 minutes
Repeat 2-3 circuits

Let me know how you feel the next day.

Injury Prevention

2009-11-30T13:27:00.002-06:00

This article appeared in the Chicago Tribune last week. The trend of females and ACL injuries is nothing new to the sporting world. There may be several underlying factors but probably the most significant is the rise in intensity being played with on the court. As the science of training improves female athletes in particular are stronger, faster, and more powerful than ever. As females become stronger, and the game intensifies, the risk of injury increases.

The off-season gets smaller and smaller. When I was young basketball season started in November and ended in March. I seem to recall the ability to play in a once a week league at the YMCA for a couple weeks after the basketball season. We played basketball on the playground when we felt like it the rest of the summer. Basketball is an organized year round sport now, with leagues and practices being held year round. The time available to prepare the body has diminished as the organized seasons grow. Continued play has become the training modality of choice.

I've stated this before. An injury is usually a product of bad timing. An ACL injury typically occurs with a plant and cut. The athlete plants their foot and changes direction. Plant and cut is a move athletes do repeatedly during practice and competition. A series of seemingly small events falls into place and its just too much for the body to handle. The athletes foot sticks on the ground and doesn't move as the body changes direction. Another player steps on the foot while the body is turning. Two players collide and the force is just right causing the ACL to fail. Moves the athlete has undergone time after time with no problem, but this one time it went severely wrong.

Most times its not the fault of the knee. Usually the foot or hip is the culprit. The muscles above or below the knee didn't do their job in absorbing force. The knee ended up being forced to do more work than its built for and it just can't handle it. Most times the hip and foot do their job just fine and the knee comes through with flying colors.

The body can be trained to be more resilient, more prepared to absorb force. The goal needs to be to train the "brakes". The brakes in a car slow down the car, and allow it to safely stop. When the brakes aren't doing their job the car needs more time and distance to come to a stop. The body has its own brakes- Muscles that absorb force and allow the body to come to a stop, or change direction. When the body's "brakes" aren't doing their job the athlete is unable to change directions on a dime or slow down to make a play or move. They overrun their position, collide with their opponent or end up in one spot when they should be in another.

Spending time training the brakes may seem like a less exciting task than training with weights. The reality is that when the brakes are stronger, the body will allow itself to run faster and jump higher. Not only will the body be more prepared to absorb force but it will be more prepared to produce force, which leads to better performance.

Jim Adduci Put on Cubs 40 Man Roster

2009-11-20T20:14:00.005-06:00

Jim has been training for baseball by using EXPLOSION training for the past 6 years. Today he was placed on the Cubs 40 man roster.

Congratulations! Hard work and dedication always pays off.

Click Here forFull Article

The Chicago Cubs today added five players to the 40-man roster, including left-handed pitcher John Gaub, right-handed pitchers Rafael Dolis and Blake Parker, catcher Welington Castillo and outfielder James Adduci. Chicago's 40-man roster now stands at 38.

Adduci, 24, hit .300 (140-for-467) with 63 runs, 35 stolen bases, 21 doubles, four triples, four homers and 51 RBI in a career-high 131 games with Double-A Tennessee last season. The left-handed hitter had the third-most hits of any player in the Southern League with 140, falling short of the leader by two hits. He led the Smokies in hits, stolen bases and walks (58), while he was third in runs scored and RBI.

The six-foot-two, 210-pounder batted .394 (37-for-94) with nine doubles, 11 RBI and a .467 on-base percentage in 27 June contests. He went 37-for-109 (.339) with 46 RBI with runners in scoring position with the Smokies.

The Evergreen Park, Illinois resident was acquired from the Florida Marlins in September of 2006. Originally selected by the Marlins in the 42nd round of the 2003 draft, Adduci owns a .283 (452-for-1,598) career batting average with 89 stolen bases, 68 doubles, 12 triples, 10 homers and 187 RBI in 447 minor league contests.

More Feedback

2009-11-17T14:46:00.004-06:00

I received this email recently from a parent of an EXPLOSION athlete. Recently he completed his second session of EXPLOSION.

"I saw his results for this fall in the printout he brought home last night. I’m happy for him that he continues to improve – I think that’s a big confidence builder for him and something that he is proud of.

Again I have to say that he really enjoys Explosion – dare I say almost as much as he does baseball. I’m delighted as a parent that Explosion is fun but also I think his participation is helping the light bulb go off for him about the value of exercise and taking care of himself, and helps him to see that hard work and dedication lead to results (and those are lessons that transcends sports).

Since he’s relied on heavily for pitching by the team, it’s good to see arm strength has really improved. And since he struggled at the plate the last half of last season hopefully the big improvement in bat speed may help him."

Blog-Cation

2009-11-13T16:36:00.002-06:00

I haven't been blogging for a while, not because I don't have anything to say, I've been busy getting real world results with athletes.

If you train for sport, how to you know if you've improved?

Can you look at yourself in the mirror and because you look like you should be an athlete know you're ready to perform?

If you threw up while you were training does that better prepare you for competition?

If you were miserable during your training does that prepare you for competition?

If you added 100lbs to your squat and bench press are you prepared for competition?

The only thing that matters is how you perform during games and practices. At the point that the game is on the line has your work prepared you to make the play or not?

We train athlete for results. When they set foot on the court or field they are ready to go, and we back it up with real-world results. Results that are measurable and transfer to sport.

Over the past couple weeks our athletes are transitioning from training to their season.

Our athletes are ready to play, a few standout with phenomenal improvement.

A volleyball player who was cut from her school team because she couldn't jump high enough. They measured her approach vertical during tryouts and jumped 8 feet 9 inches. Shes not a front row player so I'm not sure why how high she can jump is relevant, but it was a factor in her not making the team.

8 weeks later as she transitions from EXPLOSION to her club volleyball team her approach vertical is now 9 feet 3 inches. 6 inches higher than it was 8 weeks ago. In fact at Club VB tryouts she had the highest vertical of any player. Imagine what that must do to her confidence.

An 8th grader who has some significant basketball skills, but his speed was a limiting factor. Turns out the underlying factor was not in his legs, running mechanics or endurance. He had previously tried training through other programs. Most included simply running more sprints, and long distance running for endurance. Those drills would make him tired, and maybe sweaty but his speed remained the same.

Weakness through his midsection was preventing him from reaching his full potential.Once the strength of his core was improved and brought closer to the strength of his arms and legs and hes moving. His father reports that he and his son were not the only ones who noticed the list includes his: parents, doctors, coaches, players, friends, family members. Not surprising since his standing vertical increased by 2 inches and he dropped his speed by a 1/2 second.

Is you're training getting your results that make a difference when it counts? If not sounds like its time for EXPLOSION.

What Works is What Most People are Unwilling to Do

2009-09-25T15:25:00.004-05:00

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

On a daily basis there are small things that greatly impact your success as an athlete. The alternative may take a little planning and effort, but they are worth it.

Sabotage # 1- Not knowing what and when you are going to eat? Instead of spending a few extra minutes to bring some food you hit the drive thru or the vending machine or just starve. Doesn't matter if your goal is to gain muscle, lose fat or even maintain- not having food is ruining your results.

Sabotage #2- Not training. Do you think/read/dream about the perfect workout? Worse yet are you watching someone else perform a workout. Often I see people longingly observing as someone else is getting after it. There is no osmosis here. You want to start to achieve your dreams- Do WORK!

Sabotage #3- Doing the same thing over and over again. Raise your hand if you know someone who trains on a regular basis but never changes?

Didn't raise your hand? Think harder. We all know someone like this- maybe its you. Worse yet you know someone who trains on a regular basis but gets worse. Fatter, slower, weaker.

People don't hesitate to buy a new cell phone or computer every year but they still perform the same training program they've always done hoping it will suddenly kick in.

There is a reason people get a new computer or phone. Technology advances.... gets better. So does training. If you are involved in a program that hasn't changed in the past 2,4,6 years it's out of date.

Think you've done EXPLOSION training? Well if you haven't tried Explosion since June its different and better than ever. We excel at training Basketball, Baseball and Softball Players. Still unsure. Try it for FREE and then see how it compares to what you're already doing.

In and Out

2009-09-17T15:08:00.003-05:00

4 weeks ago out of the corner of my eye I observed a High School baseball player perform his "professional grade" workout. Triceps kickbacks, machine crunches, leg extension, leg curl, triceps push down, lateral raises, seated biceps curls, pulldowns. He wasn't sweating. His designer sports drink had more condensation on it than he did.

I've known this athlete for several years, and I've watched him "take it to a lower lesser level" for too long. When he was done we talked about his workout and its lack of benefits. He looked offended as I made alternative suggestions to his training. Offended or worried that he might actually have to exert himself, I'm not sure.....

I designed a workout for him and we did a quick run through. Gone from his training was any type of machine, dumbbell or weighted bar. The whole workout revolved around him learning to control his own body weight.

Fast forward 4 weeks. A high school junior who's previous personal best pushup record was 5 is now doing 20 consecutive T-push-ups. Actually 4 sets of 20 pushups in about 8 minutes. Not bad.....

If you're thinking it doesn't sound so bad drop and give me 20.

Good ones, not that half pushup with your butt in the air and your head bent forward to try and lessen the distance to lower yourself. For more on pushups read this

Did 20 good ones- now rest about 45 seconds and give me 20 more.

Still with me?

The rest of his body kept pace with his pushup abilities.
Legs- Stronger
Core- Stronger
Back- Stronger

He can control his body and now his muscles know how to work together. His response- "Best Training Program I've ever Done. The other program was a joke. I'm training less and improving more"

Phase 2 is being crafted as I write this. Now that he can control his own bodyweight its time to bring back Dumbbells, Barbells, Medicine Balls, and still his own bodyweight.

Whats still out- machine training, anything done while "seated" and any isolation exercises.

What a concept- Doing Less- Achieving More. Isn't that the goal of almost everything you do?

Muscle Confusion

2009-09-15T15:31:00.007-05:00

Buzz words like "Muscle Confusion" are really only there to confuse your brain. The tag line is usually "Keep your muscles guessing". Last I checked your muscles were not participating in a game show, or pop quiz.

The body is the "Ultimate Machine" and muscles are pretty amazing in what they allow you to do, but they don't have a mind of their own. Muscles don't guess. Imagine your walking down the street and your muscles are trying to anticipate your next move. Every 5 steps you jump, just in case there is a crocodile in the sidewalk. Periodically you squat down as your muscles guess where their may be a low hanging tree branch.

The brain tells the muscles what to do, and how much force to apply to get the job done. That job may be walking up the stairs, carrying something heavy, hitting a ball or jumping to grab a rebound.

Your muscles don't know that your are lifting weights vs carrying the giant water bottle to the cooler. All they feel is resistance. All the know how to do is respond to the resistance.

"Muscle Confusion" is a fancy way of talking about variety. Every time you train you do something completely different. Sounds interesting?

"Muscle Confusion" is detrimental to your progress. How can you get better if you never have an opportunity to repeat the same exercise periodically. When you learned to write your name you practiced, and practiced. Each time you got a little better at it. Eventually it became legible and easy to repeat. You could do it any time without much thought. What if every time your wrote your name someone changed how your name was spelled.....

Great players have a routine. Every time at the plate they go through a "ritual" that gets them ready to hit. At the free throw line the take the same number of dribbles, stand in the same spot, line up the logo on the ball in the same place.

Your training needs to be planned, a system, with a beginning, middle and end. At the end you better have achieved something, besides sweating and fatigue.

A plan built around muscle confusion? Your muscles aren't confused, only you will be, when after weeks of hard work you haven't gotten any better.

Remove the confusion. Get started with EXPLOSION training today, we've got the system that gets results- fast.....

Do You Enjoy It?

2009-09-04T08:32:00.003-05:00

Training can be a difficult task to enjoy. If you are an athlete having had success and can tie it directly to your training in gets easier. If you a driven to become a better athlete to achieve success, the training gets easier.

No one trains because they like training. The result of the training is what is desired. Non-competitive athletes train to look or feel better. Maybe as a method of controlling stress and anxiety.

Athlete train to improve their athletic abilities. Run faster, jump higher, throw faster, hit the ball harder. The competitive event formally address how much training was done. The referee/umpire doesn't collect a survey of your off-season habits and award bonus points to the team the spent the most "time" training. At the end of the game what matters is the score, and the athletes who have prepared themselves the best through training will come out on top.

Its hard for me to believe with the vast amount of information available on training that most athletes and programs are still in the dark ages.

Training should be rewarding, and enjoyable. It's not as enjoyable as attending a party or going to the beach, but it should be fun. During the workout the feeling of enjoyment may fade as the hard work sets in, but when its complete you should feel a great sense of accomplishment. As if you can see yourself moving toward your goals.

If you're not enjoying your current training program- stop doing it. I invite you to come try our program. Its definitely not a walk in the park, but I hear from athletes and parents alike how much they like coming to EXPLOSION. They like the results and they like to coaching. Come experience it for yourself, at no cost to you. Get a free trial.

Quantity vs Quality

2009-09-03T08:00:00.007-05:00

Mindset of Doing Something:
I don't really feel like working hard, so I'll take it easy but do more.

That trainings too hard, I'll just add more of these easier moves.

I don't want to change how I eat, so I'll just add an extra day of training to compensate

I don't want to over do it, better take a day off

I should get my core stronger, I'll add in some extra "abs" at the end

I can't do one push-up, I'll add some extra sets of bench

Laziness and unmotivated cannot be overcome by simply doing more. By the time you account for everything you're not doing there is no time for anything else in the day, and odds are you still are not improving.

I'm amazed at how much time athletes spend trying to avoid getting better.

Do you feel guilty if you get great results in a short period of time?

Is it necessary to impress your coach and teammates by saying you spent 6 days a week at the gym, and each session lasted 3 hours?

I guess there could be those out there who don't have anything better to do than hang out at the gym constantly. Maybe its a way to avoid homework, avoid having fun or avoid interacting with others.

The amount of time spent training doesn't matter, whats matters is the outcome from the training.

I don't want to spend one extra minute than is necessary to get results. My athletes benefit from significant athletic improvement while only training two days a week. They also have lots of time to take advantage of other opportunities that life presents.

When they get to tryouts no one quizzes them on how much time they spent getting ready.

The final exam is how prepared they are to play.

Its not a written exam.

There is no #2 pencil.

Just their shoes, practice gear and body. This test is all physical.

Basketball players your final exam is already been scheduled.
Come November 1st its go time. Show the coach what you can do.

Better start studying. You can't cram the night before on this test.

Last Years Tryouts

2009-09-02T13:09:00.004-05:00

Back in the day, athletes would use tryouts as their preparation time. I remember my pre-season "get ready" routine. I asked my parents for a new pair of high tops and left them in the box until I put them on the day of tryouts. Nothing makes running up and down the court easier than a stiff pair of shoes creating blisters that sting each time you hit the ground. I also picked up a basketball the day before tryouts, went out in the cold November air and shot 3 half court shots before deciding the cold was throwing off my shot.

There is a better way, not only to give you the best chance of making your team, but also to prepare your body to survive the tryout.

After last year’s school tryouts I received feedback from the athletes who used EXPLOSION as their pre-season regimen. The majority of the feedback centered on how prepared our athletes are, and the fact that their teammates we're not. Here are a few of the highlights below:

- Basketball tryouts went very well. She made the Freshman A team at Neuqua Valley High School! She is very excited about how things went. Just a side note, she believes that she is in much better physical shape than the rest of her teammates and we both know it is due to Explosion and the Bulls Academy team! The last few months really paid off!

- She not only made the Freshman Team, but made the "A" team! She very much enjoyed the Explosion program and I truly think it helped her in this achievement.

- She made the Girls Varsity Basketball team at Glenbard South. Thank you so very much for all your help with her training. Your program was very beneficial and contributed greatly to her success.

- He made the team. He sure would love to do explosion and increase his vertical even more, but now with B-ball season he really has no free time. Thanks for your training he really enjoyed it and is still training to keep it up.

Don't wait until its too late to get started.

Get the leg up on your preparation for your next tryout. Get a free trial session of Explosion, and learn how you can set yourself apart from the competition.

62 Days Till Basketball Tryouts

2009-09-01T09:01:00.002-05:00

Depending on your gender you may have a few more days. The official start to the girls high school basketball season is November 2nd. Boys basketball starts a week later. Regardless if you're not ready to go by November 1st its too late.

Better start training now. 60 days is a short period of time, but allows plenty of opportunity for improvement. On a results producing program you would only need to train 16 days our of 60 to improve your speed, agility, strength and power. That leaves plenty of time to enjoy Homecoming, Friday night football, keep your grades up and work on your basketball skills.

Summer flew by, so will the next 60 days. If I were fighting for a spot on the roster I wouldn't lay on the couch eating chips wondering what I could do to increase my odds. I'd be stacking the odds in my favor by getting involved with EXPLOSION. A free trial gets you your first workout, and gets you one step close to making the team.

What You Eat Matters

2009-08-31T15:37:00.003-05:00

We've been told for a long time that eating salmon and other cold water fish is about the best protein choice you can make.

I love to fish, but I'm not big on eating them. Odds are its something dating back to childhood, and I probably haven't given fish much of a chance since I've grown up.

Cold water fish is a great source of protein and is high in omega 3 fatty acids, both positives when you look at your nutritional profile.

Recent research shows that eating grass fed beef may be as health as salmon. Great news for me, since I'd rather eat a burger any day over fish. Dropping the bun most of the time for maximum health benefits. Surprisingly I can eat a bun-less burger almost daily. More on why to forget the bun coming up- stay tuned....

Grass is high in omega 3. Grain is high in omega 6 fatty acid. Typical American diet is already high in omega 6- high omega 6 consumption has been shown to increase fat gain and increase in inflammation. Finding omega 6 is not hard, getting adequate omega 3 is tougher. Aside from eating salmon and some specific nuts, the easiest and most popular method to increasing omega 3 intake is through supplementation. This can be tricky as well, as some fish oils are poorly manufactured and therefore may not bring the wanted benefits.

Add to the mix grass fed beef, and the healthy outlook continues to improve. Interesting to note that farmers know the fastest way to get their cows to gain weight is to take them out of the pasture and feed them grains. Compare two cows eating the same total number of calories and the cows who eat grain, gain significantly more weight that the cows eating grass.

How does this apply to you? Take a look at what you eat? What it ate makes a difference.

Some athletes are trying to gain weight, none want to gain "fat". Looking to add muscle? Cut back on your "grains" and look to other sources. I wouldn't mow the lawn and the eat it for dinner, but I would and do, pay attention to what goes on my plate.

Wanted! Charged with Stealing Bases

2009-08-24T15:34:00.004-05:00

Seems there is a base stealing spree in the Southern League. Wanted for questioning is Jim Adduci. Currently with 31 bags this season. A career high, and 4th in stolen bases in the league. Hes 6 off the leader. During the off-season he trains with EXPLOSION.

Can You Do It Yourself

2009-08-18T12:11:00.004-05:00

With all the information available on the internet and through books couldn't you just train yourself?

Well..... you could, and a lot of athletes try to do it that way. Will they make improvements? Maybe.... Depends on what they choose to do.

Follow a bodybuilding program? I see too many athletes "inflating" themselves. Being bigger doesn't make you better.

Follow a program designed for football? If you play football, maybe a good idea. If you play baseball or basketball you should spend your time better.

Follow an outdated program from 9 years ago? Science and research is catapulting the world of training and conditioning forward at a high rate of speed. The way programs were designed 9 years ago is no longer the best way of doing things.

Following these methods might get an athlete stronger, add muscle, or just wear themselves out.

I don't know about you but I don't like to waste time trying to "figure out" what works. For a program to start showing results takes at least two weeks, to really know if you've made progress takes 6-8 weeks. If your off season is only 10 weeks long you don't have time to waste. Even if your off season is 16 weeks, do you want to waste 6 of them on a program that isn't producing results? At that point there are only 10 weeks left, can you afford to waste another 6 on a "refurbished" program? One that you're still "tinkering with"

When you want to get something done quickly you find someone who is an expert at your problem. Ask around. Ask enough people and you'll get the response you've been waiting for- "I know a guy"

Computer trouble you need an IT guy. Maybe there's one in your neighborhood, or where you work.

Oil change, yeah I can do it. But I'd rather save myself the trouble of cleaning up an oil spill and buying new clothes. An expert can get it done in no time.

Want to learn to make good food? Find a recipe and just follow the instructions.

All of the solutions have a common theme. Find someone who has significant experience in the area you need help with. They've done it before, they've made the mistakes, they've worked out the kinks. They've probably found a better way to do it.

When there are 40 kids trying out for 15 slots on the team do you want to chance it to something you read in a magazine, or a program that was mediocre 9 years ago?

EXPLOSION can help you build your athletic foundation. EXPLOSION has a proven track record of getting results in a short period of time. Don't waste valuable time hoping you are ready for tryouts, go into tryouts KNOWING you are ready to go.

For a free trial session of EXPLOSION call (630)324-8248. What have you got to lose.....Except a spot on the roster.

Results Keep Coming

2009-08-17T08:29:00.002-05:00

Summer training is winding down for most athletes. My college athletes are either already back to school or heading there this week. Area students start school this week or next. Tryouts at the high school level are already taking place.

I specialize in training basketball, baseball and softball players. I've long talked about the fact that each sport needs to have training geared to the demands of individual sports. A football strength program will not be the best fit for a basketball or baseball player. The EXPLOSION program is built around the demands of basketball, baseball and softball. Within the program we are working to develop better athletes. Athletes who can move fluidly, efficiently and with power are going to have the best opportunity to succeed on the court or field.

Some athletes from other sports find that our training is conducive to their goals. Over the summer two high school volleyball players came to train. They wanted first step quickness, vertical jump height and core power. Not unlike the demands of a basketball player.

One is a junior this year, and the other a freshman. Tryouts were last week. Both got a spot on the JV roster. They went into their tryouts prepared and ready to play. Other students may have spent the summer at the pool, hanging out with their friends and generally enjoying time away from class. These girls did those things too, but two to three days a week they spend 90 minutes getting ready to play. That's 3-4.5 hours per week. Not a huge commitment at all. I know some students who spend 3-4 hours a day in front of the TV watching cartoons or playing video games.

Basketball tryouts will be here soon. Get off the couch and get into EXPLOSION. When November rolls around and your fighting for a spot on the team. You'll be glad you did. Especially when the students you are competing with are doubled over, out of gas, and you're standing tall. Think the coach won't notice?.......

EXPLOSION Testimonial

2009-08-13T20:25:00.002-05:00

I received this testimonial from the Head Coach of a baseball travel team. Early in the winter some of his parents were concerned that they were spending too much time with "EXPLOSION" and not enough time "practicing" I've long held to the belief that the best players are the best athletes. You can work on skills all day long, but if your body isn't capable of efficient movement, how much better will you be. Athletes need to be mobile, strong, powerful, and fast. If you can't get to the ball, does it matter if you know how to field it?

I wanted to give you an update on how our baseball team ended up this season......

Our overall record was 28 wins, 24 losses. I was happy with this because I elected to play some of the top teams and play in the top league in the state against some of the best competition. To end up over 500 was definitely a successful season.

Having looked back and maybe questioning at some point prior to and at the start of the season my decision to eliminate "regular" winter baseball workouts and do "Explosion" instead, I can certainly say without doubt that electing to do Explosion was the right decision.

While most teams were wilting in late June and early July, our team was in prime condition -- we won 16 out of last 20 games (losing 3 of those games by just 1 run) and came within 1 win of making the final four in the MSBL League Tournament -- the states "major leagues" of little league which consisted of 70 local area teams.

Thanks to your Explosion Program, our boys were simply put, bigger, faster, and stronger than the boys on other teams. In addition, "Big A" (Alex) was, by far, the most dominating 14 year old pitcher in the entire Chicagoland area. By late June, his fastball was hitting the high 70's, his change up and curve had dramatic speed changes from his fastball and he literally became unhittable. In a game against the Elmhurst Extreme in early July, "Big A" accomplished a remarkable feat -- he struck out all 12 hitters he faced (league only allows you to pitch 4 innings per game). This was not a travel team vs in-house team, but our travel team vs a very good first place high level travel team. A week later, we played the same team in the playoffs and Big A struck out 10 of 12 Elmhurst Extreme players he faced. Big A was a good player for me for 3 seasons, but this past year his game, especially his pitching, was by far over and above any player his age in the entire Chicagoland area. Again, I contribute his success to a burning desire to succeed, my coaching (lol) and your off-season Explosion program.

Just wanted to give you an update and say "thanks". We will definitely be back in January with the boys again to start "spring" training.

Rude Awakenings

2009-08-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

In no particular order.

1- Another summer week has gone by. What will you do this week to become a better athlete?
Did you get a foam roller? Did you use it?
Did you work on core stability?
Are you waiting till next week to get started? How many weeks have you said that?

2- Stop inflating yourself. DB kickbacks, leg extension, leg curl, leg press, essentially any type of fixed machine is out. Start training with a purpose. Reclining on a machine while one individual muscle group gets some work is a waste of time and energy. Focus on training that will allow you to be stronger, faster and be more efficient.

3- Group training is superior to "private" training. Professional teams utilize group training with their players. Colleges utilize group training with their athletes. Swimming lessons are taught in groups and swimming is dangerous, someone could drown. The better value is group training. That doesn't mean you don't get personalized attention or a program that focuses on the position you play. Group training just means other people are there at the same time as you.

4- Want to be a better athlete. Hang around with athletes who are better than you. Doesn't matter what sport they play. Watch how hard they work, watch their dedication, and learn from it. If you are the worst athlete in a group of athletes, you won't be the worst for long.

5- You're probably not as well conditioned as you think you are. I hear a lot of athletes bragging about how much they can lift, and how fast they are. Those are usually the athletes who are gasping for air and complaining during the warm-up. You're "workout" and my training sessions are not the same. Watch out for the athlete who doesn't say much, they are typically the hardest workers.

6- Just because you don't see me training, doesn't mean I don't or can't.
I did it........before you got here..... and I crushed it.

7- You cannot ignore soft tissue work. Use a foam roller, stick, or tennis ball to work out the kinks, improve your mobility and enhance your athletic ability. A foam roller is the best $20.00 you ever spent.

8- You're not eating enough, or often enough. The body needs fuel to perform at its peak. Regardless of your goals you should be eating a minimum of 6 times every day. Each meal should include protein, healthy fats and fruits or vegetables. If you're reading this while eating I hope you've got some protein and vegetables. French fries don't count- put em down.

9- Your core is weak, despite the fact that you do 100 variations of crunches and sit-ups. The core protects your spine- give it the attention it deserves.

10- Read #9 again. It's that important.

11- Stop focusing on your strengths hoping they will outshine your weaknesses. Your weaknesses will always show themselves, probably while the coach is watching or the game is on the line. Make your weaknesses your strengths. Explosion excels at that.

12- Forget about your bench press. How many push-ups can you do? Odds are your core gives out before your arms. A workout of push-ups, pullups and body weight squats trumps a big bench every time.

13- As a general rule you don't need supplements. Protein powder is fine, but keep it simple and only for convince (sometimes you can't eat a chicken breast or lean burger). If you're determined to take something, get some fish oil (keep it in the fridge to prevent "burps" anyone who has taken some knows what I'm talking about). Trying to gain weight- eat some peanut butter (unless you're allergic)

14- 100% of college athletes participating in EXPLOSION rate EXPLOSION as being a superior training program when compared to their collegiate program.

15- There are a minimum of 20 professional athletes that credit some of their success to EXPLOSION training. If you get paid to play and your program isn't working you don't come back next year.

16- Fix your problems. If you experience pain when running, jumping, throwing, or climbing the stairs find out whats wrong and fix it. Trying to "work around it" or ignore it, just makes the problem last longer.

Feel Better Fast

2009-08-03T10:59:00.000-05:00

Athletics can be rough on the body. The training, the practice, the competition all take their toll, not only on muscles, but joints as well. During a long season your body takes a beating. Luckily the body is the ultimate machine and adapts quite well. You can however help it along and feel better fast. Healthy tissue should not be painful when its palpated (pressed into).

Simple tools help in the process. You could stick with one, or use a combination.

Foam Roller- An inexpensive, dense piece of foam that looks like giant paper towel roll. The foam roller is a great way to give yourself a serious massage without paying big bucks or having to travel. As you lay on the roller gravity plus your body weight meet the resistance of the roller and put pressure on your muscles. Depending on how you lay on it, you can work out the kinks on almost any muscle. I have yet to meet an athlete that doesn't have a tight IT Band. Also key areas to hit are hip-flexors and of course hamstrings.

Tennis Ball- Sometimes you get a knot in the muscle. One that requires a little more attention than a foam roller can deliver, or you have a spot a foam roller doesn't fit into. Enter the tennis ball. Put the ball on the ground, and lay on top of it. Try to maneuver over the affected area- you'll know when you get there as it won't be very comfortable. Slow moves right around it, or steady pressure right on top of the know will allow it to free up. Start easy and progress from there.

Give it a try, and see if you don't feel better fast.

Group Training is Superior

2009-07-31T10:43:00.004-05:00

You may think you want one on one training, but you don't. Here's why.

1- Athletes achieve better results when training in groups. Sometimes being a group brings out there competitive juices, they don't want anyone working harder than they do. Other times being able to form friendship and bond with other athletes looking to achieve the same goals is helpful. Whatever the reason athletes in groups work harder than athletes training by themselves.

2- Think you're too "elite" to train in a group with other athletes? Professional athletes train in groups. Their job is to perform on the field and court. If private training was superior to group training wouldn't professional teams structure their program to allow for individual training?

Allen Thomas is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the White Sox. Erik Helland is the conditioning coach for the Bulls. Each is responsible for training every player on the broster. There isn't enough time in the day to work with each athlete individually, and the players don't want it that way.

For the record, training in a group doesn't mean that each athlete is doing the same thing as every other athlete in the group. They are all getting individual attention based on the position they play and any specific needs that have to be addressed.

How is this possible? Anyone who's ever trained hard knows that there are periods of rest. The body needs time to recover before another bout of exercise is performed. While one athlete is resting the coach is coaching someone else. Everyone gets the attention they need to get better, and they enjoy training better because they can feed off everyone else training as well.

3- Group training is more affordable. One on one training is at least 5 times more expensive than group training. For the cost of an hour of private training you could get 5 group training sessions. Considering that a training program requires a minimum of two sessions a week for multiple weeks you are getting a much better value and your results will be better.

4- I'm not holding back any "secret" training methods for those in private training. The principles of athletic development don't change. Every athlete needs flexibility/mobility, speed, agility, strength, power and core stability. The extra cost doesn't bring a higher caliber training, just the chance to chat with me while your resting.

Not convinced yet? Come out and get a free session of EXPLOSION and see for yourself.

Modification to Fix the Problem

2009-07-21T10:56:00.005-05:00

Sometimes a small bit of extra work can fix a rather large problem. I'm always watching the athletes as they perform the drills, and even when they are not performing drills to look for small clues that can lead to underlying problems.

Recently I was observing one of my collegiate athletes in between sets of medicine ball throws. Something I saw prompted me to ask her about her throwing arm. After asking a few questions she mentioned that she had been experiencing pain with throwing during her spring season. After talking with her a bit she let me know that the pain was significant enough that it was impacting her ability to throw hard during games and practices. In fact she would "save" her arm for when it was really needed.

Immediately I added about 5 minutes of additional work to her training sessions, and made a few substitutions. Overall her entire plan remained the same, now we just take advantage of some rest time to get more of a training effect. Two weeks later she went out and threw again. She reported that the pain was gone and she was throwing harder.

Being able to spot small clues comes from years of experience training athletes, and a thorough understanding of how the body works. A few simple additions and modifications and a potentially sidelining problem becomes a renewed strength.

Strength With A Purpose

2009-07-20T07:59:00.002-05:00

On any given day the gym is full of people training. The gym offers many forms of exercise, but how many of those options actually develop fitness with a purpose?

Does your workout out prepare you for anything?

Athletics? Are you a better athlete for having spent time training.

Emergency? If needed would you be able to pick someone up and carry them to safety?

Life? Does your training make shoveling the driveway, carrying heavy items, and navigating obstacles with heavy items easier?

A limited few people like to train just to train. Most are training for another purpose. Look better, feel better, or perform better. Athletes should be focusing on the latter, and as a bonus the other two will come- no extra charge.

If you're going to work hard, might as well get some benefit from it. Get off the treadmill. Get off the machines. Get off the bodybuilding program. Get into EXPLOSION.

Specialization

2009-07-15T08:08:00.000-05:00

Sports Specific Training and Specialization are always a hot topic. Everyone seems to want to get so dialed in to one athletic endeavor, or one method of training. So instead of fighting it I'm in. Starting with the upcoming school year everyone should specialize. We'll start with school, everyone is going to specialize in Math. No more science, no more social studies, no more English. Everyone needs to be able to balance their check book, pay their bills and calculate the results for their fantasy football teams, so forget all the other subjects and spend 7 hours of the school day building proficiency in Math.

What? You want to be a Doctor, or Lawyer? Or maybe you're not sure what you want to do yet?

Everyone needs a solid foundation. As a student you build a base of knowledge. Learning not only math, but history, science, English, literature.... P.E. (if you're lucky). The school creates a curriculum with the goal of moving you to the next level. Elementary to Jr. High, Jr high prepares you for High School, High School prepares you for College. Even in College they want you to be well rounded, so while you are learning the skills that apply directly to your projected career, you also take classes in other areas. Sometime between high school and college the student starts to gravitate to an area of education they like. Sometimes they change their mind. Sometimes years after college they change their minds.

The athletic world is similar. You shouldn't expect to jump from the basics of being a good athlete to playing at the high school or college level. You need to follow the steps to get there.

Athletes need to build a base of physical skills. Learning how to run, learning how to move, learning how to get their bodies to do the things they want them to do. They need to put their time in. Athletes need to learn how to be athletes. In the old days that was accomplished by playing outside. Climbing trees, jumping over bushes..... Times have changed, and its not necessarily appropriate for kids to be outside unsupervised.

Be a well rounded athlete first, the foundation you build will apply regardless of the sport you play.

Specificity

2009-07-14T08:09:00.004-05:00

I get asked a lot about sports specific training for sports. "Sport Specific" is a term that drives me crazy. Initially it had a solid meaning. I took it to mean that the training was targeted towards a particular sport. It wasn't bodybuilding, it wasn't long distance running, it wasn't mindless running on the treadmill. The training was focused to improve the demands placed on the athlete, and would prepare them for the activity they were involved in.

Lately sport specific training has taken on a life of its own. The concept has been blown out of proportion. Seems like each sport believes their is a certain set of exercises just for them- those exercises don't apply to any other sports. Basketball players want "basketball specific training". Baseball players want baseball specific training. Those two groups should never intermingle- because their aren't any basketball players who also play baseball. Certainly their aren't any baseball players who also play football.

Lets break it down into movements and make sure their covered. These rank at the top of the list.

A basketball athlete needs:

1- Quick First Step to blow by an opponent or prevent their opponent from getting past.

2- Running Speed to get up and down the court quickly.

3- Quick Change of Direction- see # 1.

4- Vertical Jump Height to elevate above their opponent to get a good look at the hoop and to grab rebounds.

5- Strong Core to give themselves a solid pillar in which to help fend off opponents, as well as allowing them to make plays.

6- Strength throughout their body for performance.

7- Lower Body Power for explosive moves.

8- Mobility to move smoothly and gracefully, as well as stay healthy.

A baseball/fastpitch athlete needs:

1- Quick first step for getting out of the batters box, and to get a jump on balls hit to them.

2- Speed for running the bases and getting to the ball to make plays.

3- Quick Change of Direction to react to situations in the field.

4- Explosive hip power for hitting and throwing.

5- Strong core to allow their arms and legs to work more efficiently together for hitting and throwing, as well as making plays.

6- Strength throughout their body for performance.

7- Extra strength of the rotator cuff for shoulder health.

8- Mobility to move smoothly and gracefully, as well as stay healthy.

So if we compare lists both groups need speed, agility, core stability, mobility, strength, and power.

Could potentially a basketball player and baseball player train together to work on mobility/flexibility, speed, and agility? To build the fundamentals of being a good athletes yes.

Could they train in the same location for strength and power? Yes both groups could be in the same area performing different drills to meet the demands of the sport they play. Basketball players would have an emphasis on lower body power. Baseball/fastpitch would have an emphasis on developing rotational power. Both groups would need to train for total body strength, and some exercises may transcend the boundary between athletic endeavors.

Being a good player comes from being a good athlete. The bodies ability to run, change direction, absorb force, produce force, stabilize are all important. The best players are the best athletes. Explosion builds athletes.

Don't believe it. Check out these stats. In the past 8 years we've helped shape the lives of over 3000 athletes.

On average they improve by:
10 yd. Dash - .14 seconds
5-10-5 Agility Sprint - .234 seconds
Vertical Jump + 2.1 inches
Bat Speed + 7.7 mph
Throwing Speed + 3.3 mph

All Star Actions

2009-07-13T20:18:00.002-05:00

As I write the Jim Adduci is playing in the Southen League All Star Game. This is his thrid consecutive all star selection. Jim's been contributing to the Cubs AA team all year. He's got 19 stolen bases at the All Star Break.

Hard work continues to pay off yet again.

Missing Out

2009-07-13T08:43:00.003-05:00

While growing up, my parents always used to tell me to do my homework on Friday right after school so I wouldn't have the fact that it needed to be done looming over me till Sunday night. Of course I didn't heed their advice and all weekend I would spend more time worrying about doing the work than having fun. Also by the time Sunday night rolled around I was too tired to focus on it.

Time doesn't wait for you to decide you're ready. The athletic season will sneak up on you. Sure its summer now, and basketball tryouts are not until November.

Yeah, well, seems like a few days ago was Memorial Day and suddenly the 4th of July has already passed. Target already has their school supplies out, and I imagine the Christmas stuff is next.

Things you keep putting off only become larger as time passes. Don't wait until the Sunday before tryouts to stretch your legs and get strong. Start now, and go into tryouts ready for action.

Still Doing That

2009-07-08T12:04:00.004-05:00

I came to a crushing realization today. I've been doing this for a long time. Some of the Explosion athletes training this summer have been with me for years. I knew they were growing up, but attaching an actual age along with the amount of years we've trained together is a hefty dose of reality. The number of athletes who have been here since the beginning are not just one or two, they are plentiful.

One athlete from a session this morning started here when she was 12. Shes now 20 and playing college softball. She still trains here every summer when home from school. Shes not the only collegiate athlete still building on the foundation we started before high school.

Some athletes started here when they 8 or 9, at the mercy of their parents schedules to get a ride here. Now they drive themselves.

I hate the phrase Been There- Done That.

So what? You did it once and now you're done?

The landscape has changed since I started Explosion in 2001. Sports Performance Camps come and go. Apparently they've done that.

How about this

Been There, Done That---- Still Doing it. Don't chance your athletic potential to an unknown. Stick with the program that's been getting results consistently for over 8 years. 3000+ athletes have been trained with Explosion, and they keep coming back.

Why stop when you continue to improve?

Free Trial Session

2009-07-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

EXPLOSION training is a tool for developing athletic abilities. I've yet to meet an athlete that couldn't benefit from running faster, having more control over changes of direction, or mobility.

What do we do during EXPLOSION training? That's simple, yet complex all at the same time. Simply we make athletes better. EXPLOSION prepares the body for performance. Speed, Agility, Mobility, Strength, Power, Core Stability are trained within every session.

The complexity comes in making sure each athlete is getting what they need for the sport they play. We structure training for a basketball athlete different than a basbeall/fastpitch athlete. A basketball player requires more focus on vertical jump while a baseball player needs improved arm and bat speed. Then factor in the progression of training over an eight week period. Believe me when I tell you we've got in under control. EXPLOSION has been producing phenomenal results for athletes the past 8 years.

Writing about the benefits of EXPLOSION in a blog post is not easy. I can share the average results we achieve:
Drop of nearly two tenths of a second off 10 yard dash
Drop of nearly two tenths of a second off 5-10-5 agility sprint
Increase of 2.2 inches in vertical jump
Increase of 7.7 MPH of bat speed
Increase of 3.3 MPH of arm speed

To really get a sense of what we do its best to experience it firsthand. We offer a free trial session that allows parents and athletes to see what we're all about. Take it for a test drive, see how the training we offer produces improved athletic abilities. Only then can you get a fair comparison of what we do vs. what you're doing (or not doing) now.

I received an email from a parent who's son recently took part in the free trial, and has subsequently enrolled in the full program.

"I was impressed with the workout. We will be signing him up. I noticed you keep the kids motivated to push themselves, that's great. Thanks for allowing us to test drive the program. It's great for parents to have a program that allows flexible times."

Whats stopping you from getting a free trial? Already as fast and mobile as you need to be.............

How Hard Do You Need to Work

2009-06-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

How hard to you need to work?

Do you need to puke in a bucket to have had a good workout?

Do you need to be wheeled out to the car on a dolly, or lay down and rest for 30 minutes with you feet elevated?

Do you need to wake up the next day muscles aching, barely able to function?

None of these are the answer. The reality is you probably need to be working harder than you are right now, but your program shouldn't be crushing you.

You need to train smart.

You should not vomit during the course of your training program, unless you made some unwise choices for food consumption- example giant burrito 15 minutes before training. At that point any type of activity may put you over the edge.

At the end of your workout you might be sweaty, you might be tired, your muscles may protest a bit. After about 15-30 minutes you should return to normal. You should not find yourself laying in a corner shaking, or looking for support to walk to the car.

Aside from the first couple days of a change to your training program you should not be sore all the time. When the body is first exposed to something new: beginning of training, variation of an exercise, progression of exercise it will undergo some initial sourness. Hey those muscles have just been asked to perform a task they aren't used to, they need to adapt. After that initial soreness fades, your muscles may make you aware that you did something, but you shouldn't always be afraid to walk up the stairs, or stand up from a chair.

Think you're working hard, come train with EXPLOSION for a day, and we'll find out if your working hard enough and smart enough.

Summer Randomness

2009-06-29T11:18:00.002-05:00

1- Summer is going by fast- make sure you take advantage before its gone.

2- A program that spends 90% of your time in the weight room is not a Sports Performance program. Strength training is important but don't be afraid to get out the weight room and focus on becoming a complete athlete.

3- If you strength training portion has a designated day for chest and tris, or arms, you aren't making the progress you should. Body part splits are out. Full body work, push pull splits, or upper lower splits are in.

4- If your program hasn't changed significantly in the past year you're not improving. If you have a results driven program the fundamentals remain the same. Mobility, Speed, Agility, Strength, Power and Core all need to be trained all the time. How you go about it should change frequently. The body adapts. Think you know Explosion training, you don't. Better start with a free trial and see what you're missing.

5- If your coaches goal is that you should vomit after or during your training.....Time to get a new program. Training should be challenging, but can also be fun. Athletes spend 75% of their time training for competition and 25% of the time competing. Its ok to enjoy the training. You shouldn't worry about where the trash can is located unless you've got something you want to throw away.

6- Pay attention to your nutrition. Eat 6 meals a day, focus on protein and whole food choices, move away from starchy carbs in favor of fruits and vegetables. Forget about any type of supplement until you master that.

7- Better do some foam rolling- Best $20.00 you can spend to enhance your recovery and mobility.

8- Starting today the fine for texting or answering your phone during a training session will be $5/violation (payable directly to me), and you may find yourself in "training detention".

9- You're probably not working as hard as you think you are.

10- As my Dad taught me- "If you're going to do it, do it right". I see athletes spend more time and energy trying to make people think they are working hard, than they would spend if they just worked hard. Trying to get away with something is not going to make you better- in sports, or life.

11- Don't forget the basics of being a good citizen. Too many people have become so self centered that civilization is taking a significant down turn. Be polite, take turns, say please and thank you, wait your turn in line. Geeez!

12- You're not as busy as you think you are.

Are You Inflated?

2009-06-23T12:12:00.004-05:00

Training today has trended towards making the body look as large as possible. With every rep of bench press and biceps curls I can hear the noise that comes from a bicycle pump while inflating a tire. Phhhhh, Phhhhh, Phhhhhh.

What does all that muscle do for you?

Are you getting the results you want for performance?
Can you get up and down the court?
Can you swing the bat with power?
Can you explode off the court?
Are you bringing the heat off the mound?
Are you sticking to your opponent like glue?

Or are You

Feel strong but can't seem to get the bat moving?
Feeling awkward and choppy when you throw?
Struggling to get off the floor and your knees are sore?
Tired of watching your opponent zip by you and get to the basket?
Tired of watching every ball hit at you skip by you?
Feel beat up after practice?
Tired all the time?
Feel bad the day after a game?

Your program should be taking care of you not making you worse.

Looking like you are ready for the beach doesn't make you ready for competition.

If you feel beat up after the game, or especially the day after then your body is not prepared.

If people are commenting on your physique but not on your abilities on the field then your program is not working for you.

If your training program contains a designated day for chest and tris, shoulders, or abs you are a bodybuilder not an athlete.

Continuing Education

2009-06-13T21:49:00.005-05:00

I've talked before about my education and training background(here). School may be out, but I'm still learning. The knowledge of how the body works keeps improving, what was known 10 years ago has changed dramatically. As soon as you think you "Know it All", "IT" has changed and it turns out you no nothing.

Constant learning is required to process new information and know how to implement it to the advantage of the athlete. Alwyn Cosgrove said it best. "It's not that the old methods of training we're wrong, at the time that was how training was done with the information we had."

Over the weekend I attended the Perform Better Summit. Needless to say I had a great time. The best of the best presented on a variety of topics. The great thing about the "Summit" is the ability not only listen to an expert teach, but also to get a chance to have them coach you on their topic during a hands on session. There is no faster way to learn than to have an expert teach you.

Over the weekend I took part in many hands on sessions. One dedicated to speed, another foundations of training, strength outside of the weight room and one on evolution of training. Sometimes I learned a new way to coach a familiar technique. Other times a brand new technique was introduced. I left with a tired body and a mind full of information.

Each morning I awoke to the feeling of soreness in new spots. I knew it was coming, its the same soreness that most of my athletes complain about on their first day of training. A nice reminder of not only the importance of quality training, but the good feelings that come with working hard.

Monday morning I immediately implemented some of the techniques I learned. Some new concepts that fit right into our current speed and agility program. Other "tweaks" of techniques currently being used. Sometimes a coaching point, or a different approach to get the same result. The athletes had a good time as well. Wonder how they will feel tomorrow.

Funny thing, I didn't see anyone there from any of the other local Sports Performance programs. I guess the know it all........

What Would Make You Better?

2009-06-10T21:25:00.003-05:00

Going into your next season what changes could you make that would allow you to stand out, and have your best season ever?

1- Run faster
Get up and down the court faster... Quicker on the bases... No one gets past you... no one can contain you. If you run faster the coach will have to put you in.

2- Add Muscle to Your Frame
Forget about speed. Look good in your uniform. Coach will keep you on the squad just to intimidate the other team.

3- Get Stronger
Throw around a lot of weight this off season. Lift as many heavy objects as you can, and after you set them down, find something heavier. Being a beast will guarantee you a spot on the roster.

4- Specialize
Your best shot is to pick the thing you do best and do more of it. If you do it consistently you have to get some time in the game.

Sadly this is how many athletes view their options.

By choosing to specialize in only one area of training you create a body out of balance. Sure strength has increased, and so has muscle mass, but speed has suffered. Or you can run like the wind, but you've got no strength to do anything once you've arrived.

Or worst yet you forgo all modes of training to try and master the art of the half court shot. So when the game is on the line and time is running out the coach can call timeout and sub you in and you can try and hit the game winner, from half court- using the glass. You'd only have the potential of getting 10 seconds of playing time each game, but it would be an epic 10 seconds.

Other sports can enter their own highly popular but equally as unlikely event. Ambidextrous pitcher, guaranteed home run hitter.....

What if you went into next year simply a better athlete, a combination of choices 1-3, plus had actually prepared your body to perform in the sport you play.

In the past 7 days I've had conversations with 3 different parents of college and high school athletes. The theme of the conversations have been the same. Their sons and daughters are working hard- appear to be getting stronger, but when its game-time seem slow and sluggish. At least one of the athletes was an EXPLOSION athlete while in high school. Shes since gone off to play in college, and this summer will be returning to EXPLOSION to try and restore her quickness and power.

The best players are the best athletes. They train and practice, and train and practice, so that when the moment arrives they are ready to take advantage.

Their muscles may indeed have gotten larger and stronger, but the size and strength came from training that was geared towards performance. Propulsive muscle, muscle that contributes to explosive moves. Not so the seams of the uniform are stretched.

Want to make an impact- focus on training to become a athlete who can do it all. Regardless of the situation your body will be prepared to be quick, strong, powerful and explosive all at the same time.

Get started with a free trial session of EXPLOSION and see what you've been missing out on. Let someone else waste the summer trying to master the half court shot.

Challenge Yourself

2009-06-10T20:46:00.003-05:00

Recently I was asked why I like to exercise so much. I actually had to pause to think of an answer. I started exercising when I was 14-15 for the same reason most Jr High and High School boys do. They want to get big, swole, huge, jacked. They want to impress girls and scare bullies at the same time wherever they walk.

Many years later I'm still training, but for different reasons. I've long since moved past the "inflatable" training program, and it turns out girls weren't as impressed as I hoped, you still had to have the guts to walk up and talk to them.....

Now I train mostly for pure enjoyment. I like the way I feel and enjoy the challenges of exercise.

Recently Fitness Anywhere, the creators of the TRX Suspension Trainer, issued a challenge. The two exercises selected are good measures of upper body and core strength. Their experience shows that being able to complete 20/20 is a good feet, 30/30 even better, 40/40 scores in the top 5%.

The rules for the TRX 40/40 challenge are simple... see how many consecutive TRX Atomic push-ups and TRX low rows you can do with no more than a 1 minute break between the exercises.

I like a challenge, especially when its a physical one, so I recently took the 40/40 challenge to see what I was capable of.

Turns out the challenge came not only in the form of exercise, there were some technical hurdles as well. Execution of each repetition needed to be filmed and uploaded to the Fitness Anywhere website. I has some battery and connective issues, but after performing the challenge 3 times in a week, the video finally recorded and uploaded.

Final Tally 41/41. I've been using the TRX for about 5 months now, as have some of our athletes. The TRX does a great job of building strength as well as stability, and best of all its fun. Kind of like playing at the park, but a lot sweatier.

Here's my video. How Do you Stack Up?

Is What You Do Outside the Gym Stalling Your Progress

2009-05-29T16:23:00.007-05:00

Athletic Development requires some effort, and I'm not just talking about sweating and breathing hard. The time spent in training sessions is important, but you shouldn't spend one more second training than is necessary to meet your goals. I'm surprised that an athlete who exerts vast amounts of energy preparing for competition doesn't give a second thought to what they do the rest of the day.

The body is the ultimate machine shouldn't it receive the optimal fuel? Ever try to see in the dark with a flashlight that has batteries on their last legs? Pretty dim... Head over the the junk drawer and replace those batteries and its like the power of the sun got placed inside the cylinder. Your body responds similarly, but needs new batteries every couple of hours.

Sometimes athletes choose not to eat enough food, sometimes the wrong foods, sometimes too much food. A study by the Georgia Tech Athletic Association showed that 50% of high school baseball players skip breakfast and 25% of those 50% skip lunch as well. That means a chunk of the team is coming to practice or games with no fuel in the bodies at all.

When the body isn't getting the fuel it needs it generally feels sluggish and unresponsive. Over time that feeling of fatigue and malaise becomes the norm. When feeling bad becomes the standard with which you judge your day, things aren't going your way.

Funny how things can change quickly. Give the body what it wants, and it will start to tell you it likes it. Within a few days energy increases, as does productivity. The body recovers better, and the time spent preparing for competition actually works in making you a better athlete. Suddenly when you miss a meal, or aren't drinking enough water, the body is screaming at you to supply it. You get hungry, you feel thirst. Your body wasn't sending you those messages before, it didn't know any better.

The changes are small.

Drink more water, how much- doesn't matter much as long as its more than you were doing. (If your day is already interrupted by many trips to use the facilities, you may not need much more water)

Eat more food, how much- 5-6 times a day. At first just start eating whatever you want at each feeding, but remember each meal should be similar in size. If you eat a whole pizza at lunch you better be ready to eat a whole pizza 3 hours later. Odds are you should start small, focus on including protein at each meal. Once you get used to eating 5-6 meals then you can start to fine tune your choices.

Start with those two and see what your body tells you.

How Do You Get There

2009-05-28T13:07:00.006-05:00

When you have a place you need to get to, you need to know the way. When I first got my drivers license that could be a little challenging. Remembering the actual names of all the roads, much less how they connected to one another wasn't really a part of my brain. As I was learning to drive my Dad would always ask which road was next, I was and still am not very good with directions, his response to my confusion was always "Know your roads".

For about the first 5-6 years roads slowly begin to make sense, but invariably someone will give me directions via landmarks.

"Take a right at the 3rd big tree, then look for "Icicles" frozen treat shop, turn left. If you see the house with the blue flowers you've gone too far...."

Huh?? Was that the first big tree, or just a medium sized one.

I can recall many a drive where I missed my exit, and not knowing how the roads connect, doubled back, going way out of my way to re-run the route, because I was afraid if I got off at any other exit than my usual one I'd be completely lost and never make it home.

Of course today, with the internet and portable GPS, finding your way while driving has gotten much easier. Simply plug in a starting and ending point and let technology take care of the rest.

Getting ahead of the game in the sports world has become much easier as well. As our knowledge of the bodies workings grows, so does our ability to manipulate the variables that improve the bodies efficiency and resiliency. The muscles can be trained to more explosive, the body can be developed to me more resistant to fatigue and injury.

How do you get there? Well you need to follow a path. The starting location is your bodies current physical ability. The destination is where you want to be. Maybe its starting short stop on your high school team. Maybe you want to be all area for basketball next year. Maybe a short term goal is that you just want to be on the team period.

Whatever your goal, becoming a better athlete is a journey. You can take the slow boat in the middle of the ocean, very slowly heading towards port. Or you can arrive via private jet and get there in a fraction of the time. The route is up to you.

Looking to get there quickly, and take the guesswork out of your arrival time? Start with a free trial of Explosion and let us show you the way.

Taking Care of "Biz"ness

2009-05-14T17:35:00.003-05:00

Biz is a 7th grade 3 sport athlete. She likes to run, evident by sports of choice. Track, soccer and cross country.

This spring she began Explosion training looking for enhancements in speed.

The sign makers at her school have been working overtime as she smashes school records and gets her name raised onto the gym wall.

A few weeks back she broke the 8th grade mile school record. (Remember shes in 7th grade). The previous record was 6:25 (minutes). She broke it at 6:16, and just for good measure came back and broke her own record at 6:06.

Then she broke the school record for the 800. Previous record was 2:54 (seconds). She now holds the record at 2:51.

Great job Biz!

Explosion in Action

2009-05-13T17:32:00.003-05:00

Full Article Available Here

Adduci carries Smokies in 3-2 win Wednesday
05/13/2009 2:40 PM ET
By Rennie Leon / Tennessee Smokies

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - The largest Safe Kids & Health Awareness Day crowd in the history of Smokies Park witnessed another classic pitchers duel Wednesday afternoon between the Tennessee Smokies and West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. It was an RBI bunt single though by Smokies OF Jim Adduci that would propel Tennessee to a 3-2 win over West Tenn in front of 6,935 at Smokies Park.

Tennessee got on the board first with two runs in the second. Russ Canzler started the frame with a single to left off West Tenn starter Daniel Christensen, followed by a double by Ty Wright. After Christensen struck out Marquez Smith, Jim Adduci doubled into the left-center gap to bring in Canzler and Wright, giving the Smokies a 2-0 lead.

The score would remain 2-2 until the bottom of the eighth, when Adduci (2-4, three RBIs) again delivered, this time on a bunt single off West Tenn reliever Steve Bray (0-1) that scored Darwin Barney. John Gaub's (1-0) scoreless inning earlier in the frame would give him the win, with Smokies reliever Brian Schlitter (S, 4) shutting down West Tenn in the ninth to get the save.

3 Athletic Development Roadblocks

2009-05-13T15:44:00.000-05:00

I've yet to meet an athlete who couldn't benefit from improving their physical skills. Regardless of age and ability level, the body requires training and maintenance to operate at its peak level. Here are three reasons that prevent athletes from reaching their potential.

Wrong Protocol

Essentially the athlete is performing a training regimen that isn't appropriate for their goals. Training errors would include not performing any mobility work, skipping the fundamentals of speed and movement training, lack of attention to nutrition and recovery, and focusing too much on the training for show instead of go.

The easiest way to avoid this roadblock is to work from an established program, one that has proven to get results time after time.

Lack of Focus and Intensity

Training enhancements don't happen via osmosis. Reading about training, thinking about training, and being in the vicinity of training doesn't magically transform your body into a finely tuned machine. Training requires focus and intensity. Training should not need to be all consuming. Young athletes don't need to spend hours and hours each day training. If training takes more than 3-5 hours a week, odds are the training being done is inefficient.

Being Well Rounded

Spending all your time developing power so you can hit the ball over the fence and jog around the bases instead of showcasing your less than blazing speed is a misguided attempt to hide athletic weaknesses. An athlete needs to develop the 5 bio-motor qualities- strength, speed, power, flexibility, and endurance. The best players are the best athletes. Strengths need continued development, but weaknesses should be given the priority. When weaknesses become strengths, the athlete is able to perform better and gives their team more opportunities to succeed.

That’s it. With a properly designed training program and the drive to stick with it, anyone can improve their physical abilities. If you’ve been performing sports performance training for a while and aren't seeing the results during games and practices - see if you've been sidelined by one of the roadblocks above.

Getting Resuts

2009-05-12T17:43:00.002-05:00

Mike is wrapping up his Explosion training this week. His baseball season is about to Explode in more ways than one. The game frequency is increasing, and his physical skills are about to get unleashed on the competition.

Over the past eight weeks he has increased his running speed, dropping his 10 yard dash by over a tenth of a second. He also dropped his agility time by just under two tenths of a second.

He improved his vertical jump by 2 inches.

His bat speed jumped a whopping 14 MPH. His opponents are going to have a tough time getting balls past him, and the ball is going to come off the bat significantly faster than before. Not only does that translate into more distance, but harder hit balls have a better chance of getting through the infield.

His arm speed also improved a huge 5 MPH. Batters have best been working on improving their bat speed if they hope to keep up with his fast ball.

When he started 8 weeks ago, Mikes scores were about average for an athlete his age. Now after spending 3 hours a week focusing on developing his speed and strength, he's performing at a level usually reached by athletes two years older than him.

Looking to make a difference this season? Its not too late. 3 hours a week is all it takes to raise your game. Check out Explosion, you can even try the first session for free.

Article Publsihed on Tribune Local

2009-05-05T13:49:00.003-05:00

You can check out my latest article on Tribune Local here.

I know a guy.....

2009-05-01T16:10:00.003-05:00

I have a great mechanic, I've been going to him for almost 15 years. As is the case with most great discoveries his name was passed on to me by someone else, who I'm sure learned about him from someone else.

His passion is cars. When he first started he was a mechanic working for someone else. Somewhere along the line he decided that he could do things better, and he does. He built a full service center in his garage. He's got 3-4 bays a couple of lifts and all the tools necessary.

He's not cheap, and it takes longer than 10 minutes to get your oil changed. In fact it takes about 30-45 minutes. While hes changing the oil hes also giving your car a once over. He knows vehicles, almost seems like he can talk to them. In fact one time he was walking around checking out my car, suddenly he took two steps back and took a closer look at an area he had just walked past. He knocked on my catalytic converter and told me it was going bad. He also knew it was still under warranty and told me to go to the dealer to have it replaced. He had never knocked on it before, it was as if it called out to him as he walked past.

He's worth the money and the time. In fact I look forward to going to see him and when I drive away I have full confidence that my car is ready for the road. 220,000 miles spread over 2 cars. Car # 2 is still running smooth. His loaner car itself has over 220,000 miles. In fact he bought it when another customer decided it was time to get a new one, at 200,000 miles. Yikes!

That kind of expertise and attention is hard to find. I'm actually worried that someday he will retire and I'll have to find another guy.

Athletes and cars are not that different. Your car needs attention to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. Regular maintenance helps to avoid problems. change the oil, occasional tune-up, keep it fueled, wash it. Everyone knows someone who skipped routine maintenance and ended up paying the price down the road, or on the road. Potentially unpleasant.

The body of the athlete needs similar attention to keep it running. Flexibility (oil/lubrication), nutrition (gas), strength (motor), speed (accelerator).

If your body needs a tune-up in the form of speed, agility, strength, power and mobility....... I know a guy..... Check out Explosion

Reports from the Field

2009-04-13T13:34:00.003-05:00

I exchanged emails with the parent of one of my Explosion athletes over the weekend. His son, Kevin, one hopped the ball to the fence during an at bat over the weekend. This ball was the furthest one of his hits had ever traveled.

A sign of good things to come for a baseball season that has just begun.

Amazing how much impact strength and power training can have on an athletes game. Really though, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise at all. Kevin has increased his bat speed by over 11 mph in the last 5 weeks.

What kind of season would you be having if you added over 11 MPH of speed to your swing? Its not too late. Devote 3 hours a week to making yourself a better athlete. Get started today with EXPLOSION training.

Don't Wait for it to Get Better

2009-04-09T14:27:00.003-05:00

Yesterday one of my female athletes came in for training. Over the weekend she played multiple basketball games. When she woke up Monday her ankle was sore. The next day she went to see a doctor. She left not really knowing what the final diagnosis was, other than she was "hurt". The recommendation- rest until it feels better. She mentioned that she was hoping to not do much today so she'd be ready to practice tomorrow. I inquired if the doctor had recommended rehab or exercise. Answer- no, just wait till it stops hurting.

The ignore method isn't the fastest way back to the court. You can ignore a problem for as long as you want with the hopes that it will get better, but odds are it won't, at least not before the majority of the season is over.

Back before science had greatly improved medical care, the body was its own caretaker. Hurt your ankle, or knee, and the bodies response would be to dump a tremendous amount of fluid (swelling) into the joint. Significant swelling increases the amount of discomfort when attempts to use the injured joint, and decreases the range of motion available. In most basic terms the body is trying to prevent its owner from using the injured area. Ankle sprain, size of the ankle doubles, can't move it and limp when you walk. In the old days you'd sit down and wait. When the body felt that the tendons and ligaments had healed it would reduce the swelling and you could use it again.

Result = Athlete out of commission for a long time, probably 6 weeks.

Fast forward to present day. With the advent of improved knowledge of how the body works and responds the old school ignore method is off the table. Now we know that you should work to decrease the swelling and restore range of motion. Early on in the process begin to re-strengthen the area, first by isolating the injured site itself and them integrating back into movement.

Result = athlete back in action quickly, maybe a week, probably in a couple days with some appropriate bracing. The rehab process continues, even after the athlete is back in action.

Yesterday, instead of focusing on speed, and agility, I coached her in the principles of recovery. Range of motion, foam roller, band strength, body weight strength, and balance. Then reviewed everything we had done and gave her some tools to take home so she could continue the process. She still needs to maintain her level of conditioning, so she performed a conditioning workout that required minimal use of the ankle but still left the rest of her body getting the desired training effect.

She should be ready for action next week when practice starts up again.

Anytime you incur and injury or just feel that somethings out of whack, don't hesitate to consult an expert. Make an appointment with your doctor, or probably the fastest method to recovery get a free screening from AthletiCo. Most times they are able to see you the same day you call, or at a minimum the next day. Their staff of Physical Therapists and Athletic Trainers offer a Free Screening that will evaluate your pain or injury. If they find something small, they will instruct you in some exercises you can perform on your own. Something a little more complicated and they can set you up with a physician who specializes in that particular injury.

Don't fall into the ignore trap. If you've got a problem don't wait for it to get better, get after it and make it better.

Is it Working?

2009-04-08T13:56:00.002-05:00

I check in with our athletes each time they come in. Ask how they are feeling? How their weeks been going? Doing anything fun or interesting?

At least once a week I ask if they feel they are getting better. Early on in the program the answers vary. Their bodies may be tired, muscles feel different. The body is just beginning the adaptation process, and doesn't necessarily feel improved right away.

About midway through the program the answers become a little clearer. As the body begins to become stronger, more efficient..... BETTER! They are able to answer that question more easily. They feel the difference, and may even be starting to enjoy the training.

I asked an Kyle last night if he felt he was getting stronger. His face lit up, possibly the most excited I've seen him, followed by a loud resounding "Oh Yeah!"

I queried further- "How can you tell?".

"When I throw the ball, its going faster. I'm also hitting the ball harder."

When he started with me in mid February. He worked hard, was also focused, never slacked. He only worked harder as the weeks progressed. About 4 weeks into the program his team began practicing. His teammates saw the difference. His Dad was noting that his hand was hurting a bit when they played catch together.

Home Depot sells a lot of drills. No one buys a drill because they want to own one. Drills are purchased because someone wants to make a hole. The drill is a specialized tool that allows you to make the hole you need to complete a project.

Kyle knew that he wanted to be a better athlete this year, and was willing to do the work to get there. Explosion is the specialized tool Kyle used to be a better athlete. Through his training his "toolbox" is filling up. His added tools this winter- Arm Speed, Bat Speed, Running Speed, Quickness, Mobility and Agility.

How much space is left in your tool box?

Keep Waiting for the Magic

2009-04-06T15:32:00.005-05:00

On a recent segment of "Live with Regis and Kelley" Seth Rogen was asked about how he achieved his significant recent weight loss.

He cracked a smile and said- "Diet and Exercise". Then he commented that people were always disappointed to hear that's how he did it.

"That Works?"

Seems that no matter what the goal, basic hard work is everyone's last choice. They would rather not do anything waiting, for the possibility that a new method will make it easy for them to make improvements their after.

Being a better athlete is a multi-step process.

1- Improve Mobility
During activity you expect your muscles to react explosively and allow you to move smoothly through a variety of motions. Healthy tissue should not be painful when its palpated (poked, pressed....) Tight muscles, muscles with knots and adhesions are going to severely limit you ability to perform. Start or end (or both) your sessions focusing on muscle elasticity, and flexibility.

2- Improve Speed
Learning how to run is a big part of being an athlete. Regardless of age, each athlete benefits from running more smoothly and efficiently. Getting where you need to be as fast as possible and not being tired when you arrive. Most athletes make poor use of their arms when they run. The arms drive the legs. Anytime you take a step forward while walking, jogging or sprinting your opposite arm swings along. Right leg steps forward, left arm swings forward, and vice versa. Try and run where your right leg and right arm swing forward. Hows that feel? From youngster to professional teaching your body how to move will improve your athletic abilities.

3- Improve Strength
Want your muscles to respond better. Get them stronger, and teach them to work together. Walk right past the machines and cardio equipment and find the medicine balls, TRX suspension trainers, sandbags, sliders and dumbbells. The goal is to get the body stronger in a way that allows the legs, hips, trunk and upper body to work together.

4- Improve Power
There is a difference between power and strength. Just because you are strong does not mean your powerful. Muscles need to be strong, but they also need to be able to use that strength quickly. Teach your body to be explosive. Jumps, medicine ball throws... Thats how you create power.

5- Put it all together. The final step in the improvement process is finding an expert who knows how to manipulate the previous variables to get the desired results. Sure you could spend months figuring it out on your own, or use the knowledge of someone who has already worked out the kinks and gets results.

Want to get a taste of Athletic Development. Check out Explosion

You've Got to Have a Plan

2009-04-02T15:04:00.000-05:00

Without a plan you're just spinning your wheels. Personally I'm in between training plans. I'm always experimenting with training techniques looking techniques and methods that are solid enough to become part of Explosion training. Right now I'm testing out a few new ideas. These experiments take time and tweaking to be fully explored. I won't include anything in Explosion training that I can't personally perform and haven't explored thoroughly. If I can't do it, you won't be doing it.

In the past 2 months alone I've worked with over 135 individual athletes. Included within that number are 12 professional baseball players, 5 travel teams, over 50 high school athletes prepping for baseball tryouts, as well as athletes who's seasons won't begin for a few more months.

Here are some gains and losses.

Professionals-
One athlete gained 8lbs of muscle, and reports hes the strongest he's ever been.
Another has lost 20lbs and reports hes never felt more quick, smooth or agile.

Both are ready for spring training and the upcoming season.

High School Baseball-
At least two athletes have gained 20lbs since the end of last baseball season. Others report gains of 5-12lbs.

Bat Speed improvements averaged over 9 MPH, Arm Speed improvements averaged over 3 MPH.

Overall each of the athletes improved their overall physical condition, made gains in core strength and stability, improved their running technique, and prepared their bodies for competition.

Their seasons are just beginning, maybe your just starting your off season and ready to make next year your best yet.

Strong Core- Strong Body

2009-03-31T19:43:00.005-05:00

I've been talking about having a strong core since 1991. Long before the term "Core" entered the popular vernacular. In fact when I first began working with "Core conditioning" very few people recognized the importance of a strong mid-section.

I first learned about the "Core" long before it became popular. Tim Lang (former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Texas Ranger and DePaul University) Tim was a teacher at my high school and was the first strength coach I ever interacted with. While the rest of the world was focused on bodybuilding, Tim was focused on Athletic Performance. He taught me about the importance of the core, and started my journey with the medicine ball which I'm still a fan of today.

Core strength and stability training has progressed significantly since then. Last week I talked about using sliders for core stability. If you haven't tried them yet, I suggest you do and see how you stack up. Check out the sample workout here.

As popular as the term "core training" is, I'm shocked by how many athletes are doing it incorrectly if at all. I see weakness, evident in their inability to run, do push ups, lunges or squats. As athletes enter my program I see hips sagging, and bodies folding in, due to the cores inability to stabilize the trunk and provide a pillar with which the arms and legs work together. These are typically the same athletes who like to brag about how hard they work, and how strong they are.

To be honest, I'm not at all interested in how much you can bench press or squat, if you can't do a plank for 30 seconds or control your body during bodyweight exercises.

The core consists of the abdominals, obliques, low back, hips, glutes. There are lots of ways to train the core. A variety of methods works best. The core needs to be trained for stability, as well power development. A solid program needs to contain both types of training.

Think you got core? Try the slider workout, if its not too bad, your core is probably in good shape. Can't do it very well, then thats your signal to get busy.

Get Going!

2009-03-23T14:35:00.005-05:00

Frequently I hear about time constraints. Seems there is so much going on that people can't find the time for training.

Really???

Do you really want it.....
Or do you just dream about it?

My guess is that most athletes spend more time dreaming about being a better athlete than they would need to commit to actually becoming a better athlete. They sit and mope about how busy they are, how they don't have time for anything else. They become overwhelmed at the prospect of adding anything else to their schedule.

Then they get to tryouts. Their friends are there. Not the friends that they hang around with daily, their sports friends. Their teammates who may go to a different school, or live a little farther away.

Somethings different about one or two of the friends. They look different. New shoes? Different haircut? Hmmmmmm.

Then tryouts start. The friends move different, quicker, more agile- graceful. You bump into one and bounce off what can only be described as muscle.

Tryouts continue, your lungs are burning, legs are aching, performance is slowing.

The friend looks fresh, unaffected by the work. Still looks graceful and smooth.

The day ends... your cashed. Trying to figure out how you are going to come back and do this again tomorrow. On the walk to the ride home everyone is complaining about how out of shape and tired they are.... Except the friend he talks about how they spent a couple days a week getting ready for the season.

Instead of daydreaming about getting better. The friend actually got better. As you drive home, you look back over the time you spent leading up to the season. Looking back it wouldn't have been that hard to find a couple afternoons or evenings a week to get ready. When you get home your daydream changes. Now not only you were wishing you were a better athlete, your wishing you hadn't wasted the past 2 months only daydreaming.

Make your dreams a reality, and get started soon. Click here for more information about Explosion.

Got Core?

2009-03-20T15:03:00.002-05:00

Think your core is strong. Have you been doing 100 sit ups a day? Crunches till you can't move? Take this challenge. If you don't have some sliders find a slick surface like a tile, or wood floor grab some towels and see what you can do.

Start in the top of a push-up position- arms fully extended. At this point you should already feel the muscles in your core contracting. Slowly slide your right arm forward- keep pressure on the arm as you do, don't lean away from the sliding arm. Push into the ground as you slide it out and back, then switch and slide the opposite arm out and back.

For the second move, slide your arm out to the side. Allow your shoulders to drift along with the arm as it goes out to the side. Push into the slider as you slide it out and back. Really want to make it effective slide out into a push up.

Start with 6-10 reps of each movement. Try and complete two sets of each. You should be feeling this in the front side of your core, not your lower back. Feeling it in your low back, better lift your hips a bit, or stop and rest. Feeling it in your low back is not the goal and may be counterproductive.

Action Shot

2009-03-20T13:42:00.003-05:00

Jim Adduci in action during a big league game. Been in 4 big league games so far this spring. He's 3-6 with 2 RBI, 2 Runs scored and a walk.

Drive Your Hips

2009-03-19T14:53:00.002-05:00

If you want to be quick you better know how to use your hips. Hip mobility and strength are imperative if you want to be quick on your feet. Tight hips or weak hips impede your bodies ability to run fast. Hip mobility is also tied directly into hamstring flexibility, as well as core strength.

If you have a weak core you won't be able stabilize your trunk to allow your legs to do their job. If you hamstrings are tight, they won't allow your hips to drive your knees as high as they need to be for speed and quickness.

Want to work on your hips ability to drive, primarily in the first 6-8 strides of a sprint? Start with a combination of the wall drill and high knee run.

Making the Most of Opporuntity

2009-03-16T14:11:00.002-05:00

Jim Adduci (Explosion athlete, Explosion instructor) has played in two big league split squad games for the Cubs so far this spring. I've had a few posts about his off season training over the past few months. In his first game he went 1-2 with an RBI. His second appearance was this past Friday. He went 1-1 with a walk and a run scored.

A few text messages were exchanged regarding the game. A synopsis of the conversation follows: "It was up the middle and the guy made a diving play...I beat it out...I even stumbled out of the box...must be from the scramble up....Thanks Tree!"

Jim knows he needs to make the most out of every opportunity, and hes doing it. Want to learn about the scramble up? Get a free trial of Explosion and find out.

Tryouts

2009-03-10T13:17:00.003-05:00

High School Baseball and Fastpitch tryouts took place last week. This can be a rough week for coaches, athletes and the athletes parents. Success stories are already pouring in. Two athletes stories in particular stand out in my mind. Both were potentially on the bubble of making their high school team.

One I've talked about many times on the blog before. A year ago he was telling me his "lifestyle" didn't have room to accommodate more than 3 meals a day. He was full of reasons that he couldn't bring extra food to school to eat between classes and didn't want to increase the size of his regular 3 meals. Reluctantly he started bringing snacks to school and training sessions. As he started to gain muscle his lifestyle opened up a bit, he's gained 20lbs over the past year. He also used a mint as his focus point to allow him to eliminate distractions and relay on his hard work to showcase whats he's capable of. He was a "B" team player his freshman year. There is no "B" team for sophomores. Now instead of competing for one of 35 slots (two teams), he's competing for 1 of 18-20 slots.

His hard work paid off. He made the Sophomore team.

Another athlete I heard back from was unsure he would make the team. At first glance hes not an imposing player, but under the uniform hes got the ability. He diligently attended training here this winter. Putting in the time and effort needed to set himself apart from his fellow students. As part of tryouts they did quite a bit of conditioning. I've often said coaches like athletes who are "in-shape" and ready to play. They condition during tryouts to make sure their players are ready, but also as a gauge to see who wants it badly. Who has done their preparation work, and who's been sitting on the coach eating chips.

Apparently he sailed through the conditioning while others competing for spots on the team were getting crushed. Coaches noticed, that plus his excellent skill work and he's on the team.

Want to make an impact when your season starts? Better get a free trial of Explosion.

The Ultimate Ladder Drill

2009-03-06T14:28:00.005-06:00

Explosion utilizes the agility ladder as a component of our training program. The ladder is a great tool for getting the head, arms and legs working together. There are a variety of drills that can be done with the ladder. Once the base drills become smoother, the ladder can be progressed to include sprints and change of direction.

I've talked about Sam before here. She worked diligently from last spring until the start of HS basketball season. She put in 2-3 hours a week, because she knew it was going to be tough to get some playing time as a Junior and wanted to make an impact. In January her coach was quoted in the Daily Herald "Sam is such a hard worker; she's done a great job for us all year," Nolan said. "It's such a nice thing for her to come off the bench."

Shes been successful all season, relying on her training and drive to allow her to perform on the court. Recently she relied on all her training and skill to perform the ultimate ladder drill. The drill every athlete trains to perform, but few ever get a chance to execute. A combination of balance, core stability, and footwork are critical in being able to execute this drill correctly.

Her father graciously sent me this picture. Along with this note.

"Sam's team is 32-0 this season and heading downstate to the 4A Final Four Big Dance!
I thought you would like to have a picture of Sam doing the Explosion ladder drill as taught by Mark Crabtree."

Final Four starts tonight. Good Luck to Sam and her Team!

Newspaper Article Featuring Explosion

2009-03-04T14:35:00.001-06:00

From the Suburban Life Newspaper

Hometown boys of winter
By Ryan Long,
Suburban Life Publications

Jody Gerut’s original professional offseason regimen may be considered rather pedestrian.

During his first three years in the minor league baseball system, the 1995 Willowbrook High School graduate would spend snowy winters taking throwing reps in the parking lot of his alma mater in Villa Park.

But in the winter of 2001, the Elmhurst native — now an outfielder for the San Diego Padres — finally was able to dodge snow flurries and sleet when the Chicago Bulls/White Sox Training Academy debuted its first facility in Lisle.

Since then, Gerut and many other professional baseball players from the Chicago suburbs and beyond have flocked to the academy for offseason workouts prior to reporting for spring training.

“I know what it’s like to not have a facility in the winter time,” said Gerut, who is currently at spring training with the Padres in Peoria, Ariz. “It has made my life a lot easier. There really isn’t another place that offers what they have. What they offer to us is unmatched.”

The buddy system
There was once a stretch of time when Ryan Anetsberger and Ryan Curry were strictly foes.

During the spring of 2003, Glenbard West’s Anetsberger and Downers Grove South’s Curry, competed against one another on the high school diamond.

The trend continued in Missouri Valley Conference action when Anetsberger’s Illinois State squad would play against Curry’s Bradley team.

During the college offseasons, however, Curry and Anetsberger joined forces by using a two- to three-week window to work out together at the Bulls/Sox Academy. A friendship developed and after they both were drafted by the Florida Marlins in 2007, they became teammates for the franchise’s Single-A affiliate, the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

The two plan to carpool to Jupiter, Fla. to report for spring training March 9.

“Ryan (Anetsberger) and I have been playing against each other since I was 15 years old,” said Curry, a Woodridge resident. “Luckily, we ended up in the same spot, which is kind of weird.

“It’s nice coming here (Bulls/Sox). You’ve got a bunch of guys who play out in California and Florida and they’re outside all the time. So, we come here, talk baseball and hang out. You can do anything in here. You can run, you can hit, you can throw, get your lifting in.

“There is nothing like this in the Midwest. With the cold weather, you can’t beat it. If you have a place like this, you can do it all. I’m ready to go (for spring training).”

Man with the plan
While Mark Crabtree was getting a masters in athletic training at Illinois State University in 1997, the Downers Grove North alumnus (class of 1991) interned with the Texas Rangers. The following year, Crabtree joined the Rangers for the majority of spring training.

“I really had an interest in the strength and conditioning side of things as well as the athletic training side,” he said.

For the next five years, Crabtree worked as a clinical athletic trainer and spent the majority of the time with AthletiCo — a rehabilitation, fitness and performance company in the Chicago area.

Crabtree, who played freshman basketball at Downers North, began blending rehabilitation training with preventative training. His experience made him an ideal candidate for his next job.

He became the director of the Explosion Sports Performance Program when the Bulls/Sox Academy opened up in neighboring Lisle.

“The conditioning coach that I interned with at the Texas Rangers had been a previous employee of the White Sox,” Crabtree said. “So his program is very similar to what the White Sox training philosophies are.”

Stars and future stars
As thousands of aspiring future baseball and basketball stars know, the Bulls/Sox facility is not exclusive to big leaguers.

Crabtree uses Explosion training for competitive athletes ranging from youth to pro. The academy offers a free trial session during which interested individuals can observe athletes — pro players included — in training.

The intensity level of training might vary depending on age and abilities, but the philosphy doesn’t change.

“The general principals of what we’re trying to do remain the same,” Crabtree said.

The roster of professional baseball players who train at Bulls/Sox goes on. J.J. Furmaniak, a 1996 Bolingbrook graduate, played in the Philadelphia Phillies spring training opener Feb. 25. He played on the Yokohama BayStars of the Japanese Central League last season.

Mike Spidale — Nazareth Academy, class of 2000 — currently is in Philadelphia Phillies system.

“We wanted to have a place where athletes could come year-round and continue to hone their skills and prepare themselves,” Crabtree said. “You can never do too many fundamental things.”

The program could be inspiring today’s pro players to become the next generation of coaches.

“I would probably go over to my high school’s gym if not for the academy,” Anetsberger said. “It’s a good group of people. It makes me want to run my own camp some day.”

Local Professionals at Bulls/White Sox Academy

* Key stats from last season

Ryan Anetsberger
HIGH SCHOOL Glenbard West, 2004
HOMETOWN Wheaton
TEAM Florida Marlins’ system
DRAFTED BY Florida Marlins (15th round in 2007)
YEARS PRO 3
KEY STAT* 16 Doubles

Ryan Curry
HIGH SCHOOL Downers Grove South, 2003
HOMETOWN Woodridge
TEAM Florida Marlins’ system
DRAFTED BY Florida Marlins (21st round in 2007)
YEARS PRO 3
KEY STAT* 10 home runs

J.J. Furmaniak
HIGH SCHOOL Bolingbrook, 1997
HOMETOWN Bolingbrook
TEAM Philadelphia Phillies
DRAFTED BY San Diego Padres (22nd round in 2000)
YEARS PRO 10

Jody Gerut
HIGH SCHOOL Willowbrook, 1995
HOMETOWN Elmhurst
TEAM San Diego Padres
DRAFTED BY Colorado Rockies (2nd round in 1998)
YEARS PRO 11
KEY STAT* 43 RBIs

Mike Spidale
HIGH SCHOOL Nazareth Academy, 2000
HOMETOWN Westchester
TEAM Philadelphia Phillies’ system
DRAFTED BY Chicago White Sox (12th round in 2000) YEARS PRO 9
KEY STAT* 36 RBIs

Focus Point

2009-03-02T13:56:00.004-06:00

In stressful times its good to have something to help focus your thoughts and bring you back to center. Some rely on breathing, some have a thought process that brings them back to center. Sometimes its a routine. Baseball players are notorious for having pre-game rituals, even pre-at-bat rituals. Each time they step into the box they go through the routine to help focus before the next pitch.

High School baseball tryouts start today. A stressful time for both athletes and parents. Sometimes the stress is enough to cause momentary paralysis of the brain, and lets face it there aren't too many opportunities to showcase what you're made of.

One of my high school athletes has the potential to be a successful part of his team. He just needs to stay focused and make the most of his opportunities. He takes lessons from Jim Adduci. Sometimes when he's in the cage teaching Jim pops a mint in his mouth. Probably for the same reason we all do, tastes good and keeps the mouth lubricated to make speaking easier.

Jim is the conduit for teaching him hitting mechanics, technique and approach. What better thing to focus on when he gets to the plate during tryouts. Guess what his focus point is going to be? A mint. Even if he keeps it in his pocket and never puts it in his mouth, the mint can be his reminder of everything Jim has been teaching him in preparation for this moment.

Another Softball Team Ready to EXPLODE!

2009-02-27T13:59:00.003-06:00

The Illinois Xplosion softball team just finished their training last night. 7 weeks ago they came in a team displaying a need for improved running mechanics. Last night their running and efficiency have improved as has their overall athletic abilities.

They trained with me once a week and performed at least one additional workout each week as a team during their regular practice. Here's the bottom line. Their average improvement in straight ahead speed was over a tenth of a second. Pretty significant, especially if were talking about home to first, or advancing around the bases.

Their agility improved by over three tenths of a second. Even more significant if you consider how little time their is to react to a screaming ground ball.

They are heading to their high school tryouts on Monday. I know they are ready, I wonder what the rest of the girls have been doing all winter.

B Cuts

2009-02-25T15:21:00.003-06:00

I've heard the news that some local school districts are considering cutting "B" level teams in order to save money. As a former "B" team player myself I hope it turns out not to be true.

I've written before about how important sports are to not only the academic lives of athletes, but also in molding their future.

The "B" team is a great place for athletes to be. Not all freshman are maturing at the same level. Some are just starting to hit maturity, others are already in full swing, others aren't even close to getting there. The "B" team is opportunity to learn how to work hard, and learn about being on a team. Its also an opportunity to get some quality playing time.

As an 8th grade basketball player I could count the number of minutes I played on both hands. I never got the opportunity to build confidence. Every time I went out there I was too afraid to do anything. I didn't want to get taken out, so I was playing it safe. I really enjoyed being a part of the team, despite my low minutes. I can recall near the end of the season I just decided to see what would happen if I played aggressively. During a 3 on 2, 2 on 1 drill I normally would have stayed up by the post and passed, not even considering taking a shot. Everyone seemed to know that was my M.O. and didn't guard me too close. So this one time... I drove the lane, I blew passed my defender and I'm pretty sure on the next step I dribbled the ball off my foot out of bounds. BUT if that hadn't happened I'm sure I would have scored, or been called for traveling. Point is nothing bad happened. In fact my teammates seemed to enjoy the fact that I'd tried. I filed that away for later.

As a freshman in high school, I made the B team. I still wasn't the most aggressive player out there, but I was getting bolder. I got to play in every game and even though our record was terrible, we did beat our cross town rivals, and that seemed to be all that was important. We were learning, learning about the game of basketball, but also fumbling our way to being better players. With good coaching by the end of the year we weren't bad. My skills had improved quite a bit, so that when I played a pick up game I was usually one of the better players out there.

I've noted before that I didn't make the team as a sophomore, but several "B" players did. They typically were the students who hadn't matured much. While freshman year the more mature students shined, the others were grinding it out, learning how to work hard and giving it their all.

As senior year came, the freshman superstars weren't even playing anymore. They dominated as more mature freshman, but when the hard working late bloomers finally started getting oily skin, muscles, and hair under their arms, they had been working so hard at keeping up that they surpassed the early developers who had been relying more on early growth than skill. If I remember correctly several members of the varsity team were once "B" team players.

Let's here it for the "B" team. Or should I say future "A" team members.

Qualifications

2009-02-18T13:25:00.008-06:00

I'm an Athletic Problem Solver. Athletes come to me with their problems- (too slow, can't jump, need to throw harder, need to hit for more power) and I fix them. My education background gives me the foundation to understand the variables that can be manipulated to allow these adaptations to occur.

I've got a Masters Degree in Athletic Training, I'm certified by two national certification bodies. The National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I'm a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC), as well as Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and have held both for more than 10 years. Neither of those certifications can be obtained by attending a weekend course or reading a book and mailing in a test. Both exams require a college degree in a related field before you can even register to take the test.

The ATC exam in only eligible to students who complete an entire Athletic Training curriculum. The criteria have changed since I became certified but at the time I sat for the exam I had to log 1500 hours of working with athletes along with meeting the classroom requirements. This certification exam has a failure rate of 65%. They make the examination tough to maintain quality control and hold athletic trainers to a high standard.

The CSCS exam has a failure rate of 35%. I took the exam during graduate school and happened to take it at the same time as a fellow student from ISU. I was studying athletic training, he was studying strength and conditioning and he was working as a graduate assistant in the ISU conditioning department. That experience alone should have given him the edge when taking the exam- he didn't pass and had to re-take it again later.

I passed both exams on the first attempt.

I try to teach athletes the essentials of physical activity. I enjoy it when parents are involved in the training of their children, especially when they observe the training and ask questions. I don't hide anything about our training program, nor do I hold back the "secret" training methods for elite athletes. We train right in the middle of our facility. On either side of the Explosion training area other athletes are taking hitting, pitching, fielding or catching lessons. Parents are invited and encouraged to watch and ask questions. I've watched parents of my athletes take notes on the training. I've watched parents who don't have athletes in my program taking notes on the training.

I've designed warm-ups and workouts for individual athletes and teams, so they can continue the training with their team as part of their weekly practices. I help teach both athlete and coach, even going as far to make videos to help keep them on track.

Am I worried about getting ripped off?

Sure anyone could buy some equipment and write down a bunch of drills on a piece of paper and charge athletes to take part. Maybe they read a book, or googled speed training. They may even be doing it with observations they've made from watching me.

A training program needs not only a plan, but the ability to adjust when necessary. What happens to the training when the athletes don't begin with a well thought out warm-up. What happens when they can't correctly complete the drills on the piece of paper? How will the untrained coach adapt? Most likely they will just forge ahead and while the intention is to make athletes better they actually develop bad habits.

I've always got at least two progressions and regressions in my head for each of the drills we do. Sometimes we need to make things simpler before the athletes understand how their bodies should be moving. Sometimes the drill is too simple and needs to be advanced.

Each athlete is different. Overall they need similar things: flexibility, mobility, speed, agility, strength, power and balance. Individually one may need more work on mobility, arm action, range of motion in their ankle, or a variety of other things. They may be small coaching adjustments but if you don't make them their improvement is limited.

I am worried about getting ripped off? I'm more worried the athlete who gets involved in a program run by someone unqualified to do so.

Want to experience the difference. Get a free trial of Explosion here.

Spring Training 1998

2009-02-17T16:28:00.000-06:00

My first experience working at spring training took place in 1998. I was invited to be an intern for the Texas Rangers Strength and Conditioning Department. I spent the majority of time in Big League camp. I had a variety of tasks including traveling with the big league club to their away games as well as setting up for the days training. Each day my first task was to set up the cones for warm-ups. The first day the head conditioning coach told me to set up a rectangle with the long sides being 30 yards apart. I ended up getting out to the field with only a few minutes to set up the cones. 4 cones in a box doesn't seem that hard, but I felt the pressure was on. Everything in the outfield is curved, so setting up straight lines is no easy task.

I did what I thought was a good job. As I was finishing up the players started to approach. Will Clark (Giants, Rangers, Baltimore, and St.Louis) took one look at the field and quite loudly demanded to know who set up the cones, and why they were so crooked. Actually what he said contained some colorful language which didn't make me want to raise my hand. I kind of slunk to the back of the group hoping no one would figure out it was me. I guess it was more of a parallelogram than rectangle. The first day I was instructed to set the cones at 30 yards apart.

The next morning I was out again trying even harder to find some landmarks to triangulate and get some straight lines. A little straighter lines the second day, but still caught flack (even though they still didn't know who to direct it at, or at least didn't let on if they knew it was me). The second day I was instructed to set the cones at 40 yards apart.

The third day I was out there early. I was lining up markers and really getting them straight. I checked and re-checked. A real rectangle was taking form. I was proud of the cones I'd set up. I had been instructed to set the cones 50 yards apart. The players started to arrive and I strolled up by Will Clark and said "Will, how to the cones look today?". His response was that the cones were straight but now they were too far apart.

I really enjoyed working with Will. He had a great attitude and was a really hard worker. I recall a spring training game where a young player on the other team hit a home run, probably one of his first at that level. He took a long time "trotting" around the bases.

At his next trip to the plate, Will also took the ball for a ride over the fence. He briskly made his away around the bases. As he passed the younger player he said something to the effect of- "This is how you run around the bases, we're trying to play a game, not watch you go out for a jog". I bet that was the last time that player showboated around the bases.

Will's philosophy was to make sure each day he did what he needed to do to get better. I was impressed with that, and it's stuck with me.

What did you do to get better today?

Extreme Peanut Butter Diet

2009-02-17T14:14:00.003-06:00

I've talked in the past about athletes who have trouble gaining weight, and a potential remedy here.

Taken to the extreme this can have some fast results. Enter AJ and his magnanimous PB (no J, thank you) sandwich. AJ has been trying to gain weight for a long time. In the past hes tried several options aimed at increasing his overall caloric intake. His metabolism is high and hes very active. The weight just wasn't increasing. He's been on the peanut butter diet since September. At the time of starting he weighed 175lbs. He's started adding daily peanut butter sandwiches, and the weight started to climb slowly. He added a second sandwich each day with slightly faster weight gain. Then he went to the "triple decker". Eaten right after his weight training session, and his weight started climbing steadily. To the point where now he's weighing in around 195. That's 20 lbs in 5+ months. I know guys who would be happy with 2-3lbs in the same time period.

As I've said before this isn't the plan for everyone. If you're metabolism isn't through the roof you don't qualify to eat this many calories or this much peanut butter. We eliminated other options before landing at this extreme level. I'm not sure which is harder the training or the eating. You decide.

Feb Q an A

2009-02-16T17:17:00.003-06:00

If you have questions or topics you'd like to hear about. Email me at mcrabtree@bullssoxacademy.com.

Q: I have taken in some derogatory remarks from the High School Varsity pitching Coach for weight training topics....... FROM A BASEBALL PERSPECTIVE: What are your thoughts with regard to weight training with the Bench Press, The Squat routine, "Clean" and others.....??

A: I'm a huge fan of strength training for baseball. Strength training can be interpreted in a variety of ways including body weight, sand bag, medicine ball, and traditional weight training. From a baseball perspective I do think strength training with weights has its place. Baseball players aren't competing in the Olympics so the actual amount of weight lifted is less important than the strength built, and how it transfers to the field/mound.

If we bench press we use dumbbells, it gives the shoulder a chance to work in a position its comfortable in, as opposed to straight bar which forces the body into one specific position. The muscles trained are the same as straight bar, and each arm has to work independently. As far as sets and reps, it varies from athlete to athlete, their age and training experience. I'm less interested in the strength of the pushing muscles than I am of the pulling muscles (back), but I'm always looking for well rounded development so we do include it. As long as they can perform push ups correctly with good form. I like to use a variety of push up progressions as well.

Squats- Like them as well. Again I'm not so concerned with developing the ability to squat large poundages, but as a tool the squat is effective. Again assuming the athlete has good control of their body and is able to perform them correctly. I like front squats a little more than back squats. Also using a variety of lunges, and step ups. Strength of the legs/hips is very important for throwing and hitting power.

Cleans and Olympic Lifts- I think the catch portion of the power clean is a very technical skill and doesn't have much transfer to baseball. I do like high pulls, which is essentially a power clean without the catch. The athlete explosively drives with their hips to accelerate the weight, gets it to shoulder level and then provides a controlled descent to the starting position. The whole goal here is to develop power thru the hips, a high pull does that nicely and doesn't require the technical skill of the full catch.

Huge fan of any type of pulling/rowing motion. Especially pullups and inverted rows. The combination of back strength and involvement of the rhomboids, and scapular stabilizers make it so important for the throwing athlete. I find that many young athletes are unable to do many, if any, pullups so we use inverted rows to develop similar strength and work on eccentric pullups to continue the quest towards full pullups.

I really like medicine ball for baseball. The med ball can mimic many baseball moves and develop strength/power that transfers nicely to competition.

Blog Bog Down

2009-02-12T21:21:00.003-06:00

Not many posts lately as things have been busy. Here are some random thoughts:

-JJ Furmaniak has already left for Big League Spring Training. The other guys will be leaving soon as well.

-Brett Newsome is in his first year of Pro Explosion. Having just been drafted last year, he's looking forward to his first full season in the Nationals organization. In early January he was struggling with tennis ball drops. Couldn't seem to get the ball EVER. Now proud to report that hes consistently getting the tennis balls on one bounce. In fact he set a personal best this week, getting 5 out of 8 attempts. Looking forward to watching him on the base paths this spring.

-Lots of teams training now. Tonight alone I worked with 4 travel teams getting ready for spring and 36 individual HS athletes participating in our Get Ready Now program. What are you doing to get ready.

-Spoke at career day today in Downers Grove, actually my old Jr. High. Saw my favorite teacher, learned he is retiring. I can blame him for making me into a science geek, he did a great job teaching. I gave 3- 30 minute presentations. The students soon learned that if they didn't ask questions they were going to sweat. After all the questions were answered we worked on flexibility, core stability, and leg strength. Also worked on correct push-up form, If you read this blog on a regular basis, non of that should surprise you.

-With the players leaving for spring training, I'm reminded of my first two spring training experiences. Look for some posts recounting the details in the next couple weeks.

Mindset is Everything- You Need to Learn to Work Hard

2009-02-06T15:36:00.005-06:00

I remember when it happened. When I figured out that the brain was much more powerful than the muscles. It was my senior year in high school. I had been trying to get stronger and put on muscle for 3 years. My high school was fortunate to have a great weight room. In fact my high school weight room turned out to be better than my college weight room. Three days a week after school they would open the weight room for "intramural conditioning". I was there every day. Sometimes my friends would come, but most days I was by myself.

One day I found myself wanting to perform dips at the same time as another student. Not just any student- the star fullback, who had just signed a letter of intent to go to Notre Dame for a full ride football scholarship. I weighed around 140lbs at the time, he dwarfed me both in size and strength. I'd like to think that I approached him standing tall and said something cool, but I'd bet I was looking at the floor mumbling for permission to not interrupt his workout, if it was ok with him.

He jumped on the equipment and knocked out 100 dips, well it was probably more like 10, but to me it seemed he possessed superhuman strength. Then it was my turn, I climbed up and think I may have gotten 6 half reps. I jumped off and he did his next set. When it was my turn again I climbed up and began another "set". Except this time someone had grabbed my feet and was helping me do more reps and also better quality reps. It was the fullback. I probably gutted out 10 reps, barely. I think he probably got more of a workout lifting me than I got liftng me.

I asked him how he managed to do so many reps. He simply said "I just do them". That stuck with me. I, with his permission of course, finished the rest of his workout with him. I went home that night excited that I had trained with him, but also a bit embarrassed that I had such a poor showing with my sets of dips. I thought about what he said- "I just do them". I decided that night that I too would "just do them".

The next time the weight room was open I approached him again. Looked right at him and clearly asked if I could join his training session (no more mumbling or looking at the floor). He said sure and off we went. When we got to dips I performed all the reps with good form and no help from him. I clearly wasn't physically stronger than 2 days earlier, but I was mentally stronger. Amazing what the mind will get the body to do when it really wants to.

I became a lot stronger over the course of that spring. Notre Dame began sending him his off-season football strength workouts. I performed them with him. He kind of took me under his wing, teaching me how to work hard. Teaching me that the biggest thing preventing me from becoming stronger was not my muscles but my mind. I'll never forget that lesson.

A Strong Foundation for a Strong Future

2009-01-28T13:17:00.003-06:00

I have a few goals that I strive to achieve with every athlete.
First and foremost I want them to work hard and enjoy the training. There is no debate that Explosion training is hard work, but that doesn't mean it can't also be fun. I want the athletes to want to come to train, not have to get pushed out the car as their parents slowly roll past the front door.

I want athletes to improve their physical skills for the activities they are involved in now. Most of them are training to prepare for the upcoming season. I want them to go into the first day of tryouts knowing they are new and improved plus ready for action.

I am also working to prepare athletes for future challenges. They are getting faster, more mobile, and increasing their bodies ability to produce power and while those skills translate immediately to the sport they play, each training session is also a deposit in their bodies "bank".

Herm Schneider is the White Sox Athletic Trainer. I've known Herm for a number of years and spent time with him both at spring training and at US Cellular Field. In fact when his daughter was preparing for high school softball she trained in Explosion. Herm compares training and competing as deposits and withdrawals.

Each time the athlete trains they are making a deposit in their body bank account. As the bank account grows the body performs better. Each time they go out to perform in a game or practice they are making a withdrawal. When the deposits outnumber the withdrawals the body begins to break down and becomes susceptible to injury.

I also want to prepare athletes to make the move to higher levels of competition. Many athletes have returned after leaving for college and reported that their coaches were impressed with their training knowledge. Not only did they already know how to perform most of the drills, they excel during the workouts, even to the point of being more efficient than the athletes who had been attending the college for a year or more.

On Tuesday one of my athletes reported that her travel softball team started including more conditioning as part of their practices. Her father got emails from two of the parents who watched the session. Their comments to him were that his daughter was out in front on all the drills, she ran smoothly and wasn't tired when her teammates were gassed. Think the coach noticed who was ready?

Want to build up your bodies bank account? Start making some deposits today with Explosion training.

Guest Blog- Nick Moore

2009-01-25T13:30:00.002-06:00

Nick is a high school sophomore and was one of the original athletes to get involved with the Bulls White Sox Training Academy right after we opened. Nick’s been a staple in Explosion training for the past 8 years. I’ve enjoyed watching him grow and improve over the years. He is filled with athletic talent and is a hard worker. A couple weeks back Nick participated in the Pro Explosion group. I wasn't worried about him being able to keep up, because I know whats hes capable of, he's been in the program for 8 years. Here are his observations and thoughts on the training.

My name is Nick Moore. I’m a sophomore getting ready to play varsity baseball this spring. I have been coming to Explosion for 8 years now. A couple weeks ago, Mark Crabtree invited me to come to the professional Explosion. There were some differences, but what surprised me the most was how many similarities there were between the pro Explosion and the regular Explosion that most of us do.

The key differences were stronger and faster athletes, harder working athletes, and a fast pace of work. These are professional athletes so they would obviously be bigger, faster and stronger. They would do all of the drills in about half the time that athletes in the traditional Explosion would. These guys also worked really hard. They would push one another to become better and go 100% all the time. The most glaring difference was definitely the pace of work. They worked very quickly and got their work done.

They were much more similarities than differences. The main similarities were that the drills were the exactly the same ones I've been working on for 8 years. Mark worked with us in the exact same way as if he was with a group of regular Explosion, and the athletes had fun just like the regular Explosion. We did tennis ball drills, ladders, cone drills, sprints, core work, etc. Mark was great; he treated the pros just as if he was working with a regular Explosion class. He coached us through the drills and then just had regular conversations with all the athletes. The last major similarity was that these professionals were just like big kids. They had normal conversations, they cracked jokes, and they had fun doing all of the exercises no matter how easy or hard.

I learned a group of things from my experiences from Pro Explosion, but I learn two that I consider most important. The first is that the pros who do Explosion do the same things as those that we do in regular Explosion. So listen to what Crabtree has to say because he’s telling you the same things that he tells the professionals. The second and most important is that if you want to become a professional you have to work as hard as you possibly can, give 110% every time you workout. That is the only possible way that you can make it big because you can’t just sit on your butt and get better, if that could happen we would all be in the Major Leagues. My dad has always said: If your going to do something you should do it to the best of your abilities. I finally realize that he is absolutely right.

Small Adjustments- Big Dividends

2009-01-21T15:31:00.003-06:00

Yesterday in pro player training, a couple guys were a little off. Each session we work on base stealing starts, using a tennis ball drop. I've talked about them before here. I can usually gauge how things are progressing by how well they are getting to the tennis ball. The goal is to grab the ball after one bounce. Sometimes they just miss the ball and it tips off their fingers, sometimes it takes two bounces before they get it.

The ball acts as immediate feedback. If they get it on one bounce they've done everything correctly. If they are not getting it, usually somethings off. Maybe they are rotating their front foot, maybe they took a slide step, maybe it was just slow reaction. More often than not, a simple re-adjustment is all that's necessary to bring back the explosiveness.

Tuesday a few of them were having trouble keeping their right foot in position. Instead of keeping it in place, and allowing the front hip to load up, they were rotating the foot early, causing the front hip to lose its power base. Once the power is gone the quick move is lessened and its more difficult to get the necessary propulsion towards second base. As small a detail as it may sound, it was the difference between getting the ball on one bounce and missing it.

So we took a figurative "step back" and covered a few of the fundamentals. Each drill has a progression of training. The ultimate goal is for the drill to stand alone and be completed, but in the early stages of coaching fast progress is made by breaking down the components of the drill. There are several modifications that can me made to emphasize the key points. By tweaking the drill, the athlete gets feedback on how it should feel, and how to make their body more efficient.

2 reps and 4 minutes later, and technique is restored, as is getting the ball on one bounce. The remaining reps looked good.

Focus on the details and see what happens to your athletic abilities.

Guest Blog- Adam Butler

2009-01-19T22:40:00.003-06:00

Guest Blog- Adam Butler

Adam is an athlete who is in his third year of training with Explosion. Adam’s a hard worker who understands the importance of physical training to improve his abilities on the baseball diamond. Last week I invited Adam to participate in our Pro Player Explosion Training. 7 MLB affiliated teams are represented by the players in that program. White Sox, Cubs, Phillies, Texas Rangers, Nationals, Diamondbacks, and Marlins. Here are his reflections on training with professional athletes, and how it will play into his future training sessions.

After two years of doing Explosion, I was given the opportunity to participate in the Pro Explosion. This program is especially made for professional athletes. I had heard about the speed of some of the players, but had not seen it up close. There are some guys in the program who consistently steal more than 20 bags a year, so I was a little skeptical about “running with the big boys."

I quickly realized that Pro Explosion was not that different from the Explosion training that I was familiar with. All the drills were ones that I had done before, the biggest difference was that the athletes trained at a much higher level. The athletes moved so smoothly, and explosively. They almost looked effortless in their execution of the drills. One of my favorite drills is the tennis ball drop. In Pro Explosion, the ball was dropped from a much further distance than I was accustomed to, and these guys were getting in just one bounce!

I really enjoyed participating in Pro Explosion because it was so competitive. I was one of about twelve athletes and we all wanted to improve. I liked the high pace, do-it-yourself attitude of Pro Explosion. Minimal time was spent explaining the drills; we just did them because we already knew how. Pro Explosion was challenging, but fun. It was an experience that I really enjoyed. I look at training a little different now. Having run with the Pros, I can see why they get paid to play. I see now more than ever how important training is. The thing I need to do is figure out how to get out of school to train with them more often.

Don't Talk About It- Be About It

2009-01-19T18:33:00.004-06:00

Some athletes insist on trying to impress others by regaling them with stories of their workout prowess.

Usually they start with a question "Guess how much I maxed out with today on(insert exercise name here- usually bench press)?"

or "I'm really worn out because I was in the gym for 3 hours this morning"

"Really............?" Usually when you watch them do a push-up, pull-up or body weight squat, they can't do it correctly, which makes me think their gym time is spent more on training their Jaw muscles.

Funny thing is, athletes who are truly training hard and making progress rarely seem to feel the need to boast about their training. Instead of talking about what they've done, they are asking about what else they should be doing.

Give them a challenge and they accept it. In fact when they know they are working harder than most, it pushes them even more. They take pleasure in knowing they are doing everything possible to become a better athlete.

I've seen hard working athletes run into their friends after a training session. There friends ask them how the workout was and the response is usually one word, along the lines of "good", "hard", "tough". That's it, no need to expound on how hard they worked or what they did. Inside they know what they have accomplished that day. They know they've worked as hard as they could in preparation for the next game, practice or the next workout.

The basketball department at the Bulls White Sox Academy has a phrase. "Don't Talk About It- Be About it"

Are you about it?

Bartolo Colon Returns to the Sox

2009-01-15T14:17:00.002-06:00

I was at Spring Training in 2003 when Bartolo Colon made his White Sox debut. He might be one of the most flexible athletes I've ever seen. I recall my first sighting of him in the spring training weight room. He walked in and on his first stretch he was able to bring his head even with his knee. Whoa! His range of motion only increased from there.

I also recall watching him long toss at US Cellular Field before a game. He was in-between starts and following the team warm-up began his routine. He was standing as close as one could get to the seats down the third base line. With barely any effort he threw a missile to the wall in the right/center field gap. The ball launched out of his hand and could not have traveled a more straight line.

I'm looking forward to the 2009 season. Spring Training will be here before you know it.