Fundamentals of Strength

Who are you?

– Coaches?– Triathletes?• Beginner• Advanced

– Physical Therapist?

Absolute vs. Relative Strength

• Absolute Strength– The maximum amount a person can lift in one

repetition• Relative Strength– The comparison of one’s demonstrable strength to

their overall body weight• Single leg squat• Push up• Pull up

Resitance/Stength Training

• A type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. (wikipedia)

• Using a progressively increasing external resistance to force a muscle into an adaptive strength response.

The Importance of Resistance Training

• Increase strength and force production (speed & stamina)

• Tendon and connective/contractile tissue health• Correct muscle imbalances• Enhance immune function (suppressed by endurance training)

• Hormones– Growth hormone, testosterone– Combat cortisol

• Improve neuromuscular efficiency (intra/inter muscular coordination)

• Maintain & build bone density• Maintain muscle mass

– Extra fat is luggage, dense muscle is functional

Quality vs. Quantity

• A poorly designed program executed well is better than the best designed program executed poorly.

• How you execute a given exercise is more important than how much of a given exercise you can endure.

• 1000s reps of poor execution gives you more endurance to execute more poor quality reps

Purpose

• Have a purpose for the exercises that you do. – Whether from a trusted coach or chosen yourself – For most, the “how” will be more important than

the “why”– Stay “inside the box" – there is a box for a reason – Risk vs. reward

Fundamental exercises

• Bird Dogs• Plank• Push Up• Squat• Lunge• Deadlift*• Vertical Pulling*• Vertical Pushing*

Fundamental Exercises

• What do they all have in common?– Neuro-developmental patterns – Multi join / compound movements– Combine stability and mobility– Neuro-reflexive core & postural activation– High metabolic cost

Bird Dog

Plank / Push up

Squat

Lunge – Single Leg

Fundamental Exercises

• What do they all have in common?– Neuro-developmental patterns – Multi join / compound movements– Combine stability and mobility– Neuro-reflexive core & postural activation– High metabolic cost

Bird Dog

• Resemblance to crawling –> walk -> run• Reflexive core integration• Stable trunk – mobile limbs• Static and dynamic control• Deep neck flexor activation• Rotational stability• Posterior chain activation

Bird Dog

Common Mistakes

• Forward head posture• Scapular winging• Excessive spine movement– Lifting leg too high– Too much anterior hip stiffness

• Poor pelvic control– Hip drops or rotates or shifts

Bird Dog Regressions

• Bench on Stomach• Quadruped brace w/ perturbations• Single arm/leg only• Improve Hip flexor extensibility• Improve shoulder and thoracic spine mobility

Bird Dog Progressions

• In-line hand placement• Hand and foot drawing • Band resisted (pull and push)• Partner perturbations• Unstable base *• Remove foot contact• Same leg – same arm• Straight leg & arm

Prone Plank

• Elbows or straight arm• Straight arm– More incline– More challenging on shoulders

• Elbows– Less incline – Increased core challenge

• Hold for # breaths or set time duration

Plank / Bridge

Plank Performance

• Straight line from ankles to ears• Keep chin tucked• Limit ‘humped back’• Avoid hip sag

Mistakes

• Over dominant rectus abdominus– Humped backed– Focus more on side plank and external obliques– Improve t-spine mobility

• Forward head• Hip sag• Hips too high

Progressions

• Partner perturbations• Hand raises• Foot raises• Rotations• Rows and pulls• Forearm walk ups• Box step ups• Unstable – Suspension trainers– Stability ball

Push Ups

• Increase scapular stability• Great core exercise– A plank with changing elevation

• Execution– Straight body line (hips and shoulders move together)

– Keep chin tucked– Arms 45° at side– Vertical forearm– Chest arrives first

Push Up

Regressions

• Plank• Inchworm hand walk outs• Plank box step ups• Incline • Resistance band assistance• Eccentric only

Incline Push Up

Mistakes

• Forward head• Elbows too wide• Hip sag• Excessive kyphosis• End range arm extension + anterior tilt

Progressions

• External resistance– Resistance bands– Weighted vest– Chains

• Feet elevated• One footed• Isometric bottom hold• Partner perturbations

Squat

• Performance– Knees out– Hips back– Weight on mid-foot & heal– Chest up– Shin angle ≈ torso angle

Regressions

• Improve ankle and hip mobility• Heel lift• Bottoms up• Suspension assisted• Hips to wall• Weighted reach• Squat to box• Mini Band @ knees• Resistance band assisted

Suspension trainer assisted

Squat to a box

Weighted reach

Resistance Band @ knees

Mistakes

• Foot and knee collapse inward• Anterior weight shift• Shallow depth• Rounded back under load

Progressions

• Goblet Squat w/ DB or KB• Weighted Vest• Barbell Front or Back• Overhead Squat• Offset weight

Goblet Squat (Dumbell or Kettlebell)

Offset Load

Overhead Barbell Squat

Lunge

• Benefits– Single leg stability– Hip stability– Hip separation– Glute activation– Reflexive trunk control

Lunge

Lunge Basics

• Reverse– Foot maintains contact– Vertical shin (knee-friendly)– Minimal declarative forces– Posterior chain

• Forward– More stability required– Decelerate leading foot (heel –toe)– Quadriceps dominant

Regressions

• Single kneeling exercises• Stationary split squats• Knee block reverse lunge• Assisted reverse lunge– Suspension trainer– Resistance band

Progressions Forward & Rev. Lunge

• Weighted vest• DBs at side• Front Loaded– Barbell, KB, DB

• Offset DB– At side or racked

• Overhead weight• Walking variations• Sliding

Deadlift

• Performance tips– Hip hinge – Back flat– Chin tucked– Posterior weight shift– Chest up

Contact InformationOwner & Head Coach: Tad Sayceinfo@saycoperformance.com781-810-8221

Location90 Linden Street, Suite BWaltham, MA 02452

Websitewww.saycoperformance.com