Perfect Pullup
Post-Season Lifting Cycle For Big Results in Young Athlete Development
The initial phase of our off-season program is perhaps a little different than what most coaches do when the season ends. It is categorized by low weight, high volume bodyweight manipulation done in succession. It has EPOC benefits utilizing Metabolic Circuits and Complexes throughout the training week. I coach football, and depending how far we make it in the playoffs we will always allocate time for this phase within our yearly programming. This approach accomplishes a few things for us:
Correct Imbalances
I believe that the nature of sport, no matter the activity, naturally causes imbalances in the body. For example, we have players who play one side of the field, and mostly they take on blocks and have the most contact with the same shoulder. Receivers that play one side of the field often make the same cuts of the same foot time after time. The list goes on.
Metabolic Effect
EPOC (exercise post oxygen consumption) has gotten a lot of press as of late and both research and doing this with hundreds of athletes over the last 10 years has showed me it has value. The workouts are tough to get through and have the same cardiovascular effect as “traditional” cardio movements. We have tangible evidence of this as I have my athletes take their heart rate between circuits to ensure they are “on” with their target heart rate.
Primary Movements
We progress throughout this phase every week with more and more difficult lifts as well as more externally loaded lifts. When we begin in week 1, almost everything we do is pure bodyweight manipulation. This kind of goes with the philosophy of “if you can’t do 10 perfect pushups you have no business benching.” Perhaps a hidden benefit to this is how nice it is on the joints after a season of bashing heads. No, high school kids don’t care about joint health, until they get hurt. By weeks 4 or 5, almost all the exercises are what I call our main lifts, or, the lifts we will mostly be doing all year. This allows me to teach and perfect form of the athletes while the load is still light.
Plateau Resistant
As a former athlete myself, the worst thing after losing your last game, was to hear your coach (still pissed form losing) screaming at you to get under the squat bar and max out or start with a heavy load. I have found with my athletes, that after a month of doing this phase, they were almost mad at me because they have not benched or squatted heavy since August. They are chomping at the bit to get after it and lift heavy. I have yet to see a kid hit a plateau in the next 16 weeks of lifting after implementing this program beforehand. It compliments the next phases of our program really well.
Coordinates the Kinetic Chain
We use multi-joint, ground-based, athletic lifts whenever possible. I feel it is important to have athletes derive force From The Ground Up. Thanks Dan John, I just stole your hook.
It fits what we do
- Everything we do is based on speed. We are looking for kids who can run and strike people. The nature of the lifts having high EPOC and high volume tends to strip body fat off our kids and add some muscle at the same time. It is motivation for them to get lean as they know it will help their chances of getting on the field. Plus, when you were 17 all you wanted was the girls to notice you so why not notice your lean, athletic body right?
Application to Sport
Physically, this is tough to get through. Mentally, it makes you want to quit. This is an ideal platform to teach both sport and life lessons to young athletes. We talk about things like never quitting and standing tall (I don’t let my athletes bend over when tired). This applies to academics(competing in the classroom), relationships (lasting friendships, marriage) We have also seen this come through in the 4th quarter when the other team is on their knees and our guys are bouncing up and down waiting for them at the line of scrimmage. Are my guys tired? Hell yeah! But they will never show it.
I love throwing in a “Fumble!!!” call near the end of the day and have a prescribed lift or activity automatically in place for them to do. It’s as port specific as you can get.
Here is how I organize a training week in Phase 1of our training:
Monday/Friday – Circuits
Metabolic Circuit (Week 1 example) Week 4 Example
Squat – Balance Board Squat Front Squat
Push (H) – Pushups Flat DB Press
Pull (H) – Modified Pull-ups One arm Rows
Squat (1L) – Walking Lunges Loaded Bulgarians
- Push (V) – Overhead Alt. DB Press Overhead BB Press
Pull (V) – Pullups with bands. Pull-ups
8-12 reps/lift. Complete Circuit; take heart rate, repeat 4-5 times.
Tuesday/Thursday – Complexes
½ Light Complex
½ Ab Circuit
Switch
X 2
½ Heavy Complex
½ Hip Circuit
Switch
x 2
½ Light Complex
½ Ab Circuit
Switch
X 2
½ Heavy Complex
½ Hip Circuit
Switch
x 2
Light Complex Heavy Complex
RDL Deadlift
Hang Snatch Bent Over Row
Hang Clean Squat Hang Clean
Bent Over Row Push Jerk
Curl N Press Front Squat
Squat
6 Reps each Lift.
*If the athletes are really sore on Thursday, we sometimes add a day in the wrestling room where we do a prolonged Dynamic Warm-up followed by some competitive movement drills.
Wednesday
We give kids an active recovery day. This means they try beating us coaches in 4 on 4
“basketball”, where no one dares to call a foul and resembles drunken rugby more so than basketball. Again, it’s another way we get our kids to compete.
I am not claiming this as a fool-proof method for post-season training tactics, it works for us and it’s what we do. We have seen it be successful, so successful in fact, we are thinking of implementing it into our second phase for our kids with body comp issues.
About the Author
Josh and Tyler Fagan have dedicated most of their lives to helping young athletes improve their game through sound strength and conditioning training progression principles. Check out the site at www.ImprovingAthletes.com and sign up for their free newsletter.
|
|
Perfect Pullup Handle New in Package $9.99 |
|
|
PERFECT PULLUP KIT Multi Purpose Pull up Bar + More $24.99 |
|
|
Perfect Pullup Heavy Duty Performance Series Ab Straps $28.99 |
|
|
Perfect PullUp Ab Straps Gym Fitness Equipment 2DAYSHP $1.50 |
|
|
AS SEEN ON TV PERFECT PULLUP DELUXE COMPLETE SYSTEM $59.00 |
|
|
NEW As Seen on Tv AB Straps for the Perfect Pullup $0.01 |
|
|
The Perfect Pullup New As seen on Tv $20.00 |
|
|
$50 Perfect Pullup As Seen On TV PL-7101 $34.95 |
|
|
PERFECT PULLUP DELUXE COMPLETE SYSTEM $45.90 |
|
|
Perfect Pullup – Great Condition w/ Ab Straps! $1.04 |
|
|
PERFECT PULLUP DELUXE COMPLETE SYSTEM $27.00 |
|
|
PERFECT PULLUP NEW IN BOX COMPLETE SYSTEM FREE SHIPPING $44.99 |
|
|
Perfect Pullup as seen on tv! Used by U.S. navy seals!! $20.00 |
|
|
Perfect Pullup Bar $15.00 |
|
|
Perfect Pullup Complete System -New $24.99 |
|
|
FuzziBunz Perfect Size Cloth Diaper, Apple Green, Size Medium 15-30 lbs $17.95 FuzziBunz diapers have a SUPERIOR FASTENING SYSTEM. Durable snaps stay strong. Unlike diapers with Velcro, ours don’t scratch your baby. FuzziBunz are made to stay strong for years and years saving you time, money and hassle! The ORIGINAL POCKET DESIGN with some great improvements! FuzziBunz diapers have ADJUSTABLE WAIST AND LEG SETTINGS so you get a customized fit every time, no matter baby’s sha… |
|
|
FuzziBunz Perfect Size Cloth Diaper, Baby Blue, Size Medium 15-30 lbs $17.95 FuzziBunz diapers have a SUPERIOR FASTENING SYSTEM. Durable snaps stay strong. Unlike diapers with Velcro, ours don’t scratch your baby. FuzziBunz are made to stay strong for years and years saving you time, money and hassle! The ORIGINAL POCKET DESIGN with some great improvements! FuzziBunz diapers have ADJUSTABLE WAIST AND LEG SETTINGS so you get a customized fit every time, no matter baby’s sha… |
|
|
FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper – BUTTER YELLOW LARGE $17.95 FuzziBunz diapers have a SUPERIOR FASTENING SYSTEM. Durable snaps stay strong. Unlike diapers with Velcro, ours don’t scratch your baby. FuzziBunz are made to stay strong for years and years saving you time, money and hassle! The ORIGINAL POCKET DESIGN with some great improvements! FuzziBunz diapers have ADJUSTABLE WAIST AND LEG SETTINGS so you get a customized fit every time, no matter baby’s sha… |
|
|
PERFECT PULLUP DELUXE COMPLETE SYSTEM $99.99 Model Number  L7201 liDesigned by a former Navy SEAL Platoon Commander, the Perfect Pulluptrade uses the latest advances in biomechanics and engineering to replace an entire home gym for the upper body and abs; and it fits right in your doorway! liThe Perfect Pullup combines two exercises into one: the pullup and the chin-up, for an upper body and core workout that will get you Ripped! l…
|
|
|
Perfect Pullup Heavy Duty Performance Series Ab Straps $5.49 Perfect Pullup Ab Straps PL7322 Complete Ab Workout – Get chiseled 6 pack abs with Perfect Pullup Basic Ab Straps. Complete Ab Workout: Entire core, Upper & Lower Abs, Obliques. Attaches to the Perfect Pullup with a single click. Includes: 2 Pro Quality Ab Straps Navy SEAL Inspired, 21 Day workout chart…. |
|
|
ProSource Easy Gym Doorway Chin-up Pull-Up Bar perfect for any home exercise program or physical therapy $27.95 This portable, multi-function chin up bar is an inexpensive and easy way to tone up your muscles and get that beachbody you always wanted. Home Pull up bars are great for developing back and arm muscles, particularly biceps and forearms. You can also do a variety of abdominal exercises including leg raises and oblique curls. Use the bars the pros use, only from ProSource If the product you rec… |
|
|
Perfect Pullup $15.39 Maximize your upper body workout without having to leave the house with the Perfect Pullup. The device’s rotating handles engage more muscles while reducing joint strain throughout the pullup motion. The included metal Swing Arms offer three exercise positions for any fitness level from beginner to advanced, and helps build upper body strength even if you can’t do a single pullup. The adjustable a… |