Explosive "Plyo-Cleans"

Try this nifty drill to shake things up! Plyometric box jumps are a great way to build explosiveness; power cleans are an additional way to create an all inclusive explosive movement. Why not combine them both for a super explosive result? (see above pic)

Here are some tips on the "Plyo-Cleans":

• Don't go heavy with the weights. Choose a size that's moderate, yet challenging
• Use your hips and the arm action of the power clean to jump
• Drive from the ground and land on the box using your power pads (balls of your feet)
• STEP down from box after each rep---don't jump back to ground!

My suggestion is to begin with 5 reps per set with about 4 total sets. Give yourself a good recovery between sets (about 90 to 120 seconds).

Train on one leg to maximize sports performance

YES, two legs are better than one, but if you would like to increase the effectiveness of both of them performing together, train them with single leg drills!

Why? By training with single leg drills and exercises you teach your body how to function better just using one of those limbs. In this way the body is forced to adjust by balancing, coordinating and being strong without one leg relying on the other. And the better your legs become at working as singles, the more effectiveness you get from both legs working together!

Try these athletic drills and exercises below on a single leg:

1. Lifting Stand on one leg as you perform any type of lifting such as curls, presses and pulls
2. Ladder/Hurdle Drills Perform various drills on one foot hoping forward, laterally and backwards
3. Boxes/steps Use a mini box (6") or step to perform single leg hops both sideways and forward
4. Jump rope This is one of the best: put that single foot in motion as you spin the rope for quickness
5. Medicine Ball Perform standing medicine balls drills throwing and tossing the ball from a single leg as your body balances and stabilizes throughout the entire motion

There a dozens more ways you can make single leg training effective. Be creative and make it sport specific!

Training all year to stay fast, quick, explosive and strong!

To become a better athlete and to constantly improve means that you have to sharpen your skills on a year round basis. Even if you are a multiple sport athlete who plays a different sport from one season to the next, you can still take the time to improve upon your speed, quickness, strength and explosive power.

Training all year does not have to be a huge effort on your part with a complex series of workouts, exercises and drills. In fact, you can keep it simple by working with these basic training tips:

• Jump Rope Use it on a regular basis as it will improve footwork, quickness and conditioning. Vary your jumping from one foot to two feet, while going between jumping for reps and jumping for time.
• Full Body Strength Training Focus on strength and power with full body workouts at least twice per week. These workouts should include an explosive lift (DB squat and press), a leg strengthener (barbell squat), a hip action lift (RDL), press and pull movements (bench press and rowing exercise), and a good body weight exercise such as pull ups. Also add in a rotational movement (plate cork screw) and a good core exercise. (Questions about these? email me at PerformanceSport@Hotmail.com!)
• Cone and Ladder Drills Use a variation of cone patterns to run, sprint, shuffle and backpedal through to keep your agility sharp. Also use various ladder drills moving forward and laterally to improve your foot speed and ground contact.
• Workout Scheduling When you are not in a season, try to keep a schedule of consistent workouts per week (2-3 Strength, 2-3 Agility/quickness). But if you are in a sport season, tailor the above tips around regularly scheduled practices and games (a good rule of thumb during this time is simply work in certain drills and exercises into your existing sport practice days).

Above all, keep it simple and put in maximum effort. It will pay HUGE dividends as you work toward success in sports!

Strength Training Tips for High School Athletes

High School Athletes who plan to compete at the next level need to have a proper understanding of HOW to strength train to be successful in competition. Conditioning Coach Dave Morgan gives some basic tips on how to strength train for athletic performance.

Explosive Sports Performance Training

Explosive Sports Performance Training is a great resource for downloadable training and conditioning drills and workouts for competitive athletes! Checkout the complete site here:

Explosive Sports Performance Training

Viper 360 Trainer

The Viper 360 Trainer is the ultimate athlete training tool! The latex bungee cord allows for both resistance and assistance training as athletes jump, sprint, and bound while training.

Check it out at Viper360Trainer.com

Tennis Balls for Quickness Training