q&a

Q&A with Frank Giannantonio

Do you have a question about F.O.R.C.E. Performance Training or need some training advice? Email Frank Giannantonio at frank@forceperformancetraining.com

6/8/10

Q.How often should I do sprinting work per week. I am a senior in High School and currently running with a track coach at a local high school. Thanks, Christian

A.Christian thanks for the question. This question is a good one because there are so many football players that do way too much in the off-season. I know sounds like a hard pill to swallow but let’s look at this. Weight room work 3 times per week, double sessions, speed and agility train, Sports Camps (Lacrosse, Football, Soccer, ect.) For this reason, I do believe you have to see how much you are doing already. I personally prefer two solid speed sessions per week. During these speed sessions I would try to incorporate some restoration, as well as hip mobility training. Often I see kids completely over training which causes there hips to get all bound up. Therefore exercises such as tempo running, foam roller work, hurdle walk over form different angles, and ground base training for muscle activation are essential. Christian I can not tell you how many football players we get coming to us before the summer in great shape, only to look like cross country athletes at the end of summer. So to answer your question, figure out what your training load is for the summer, and adjust your training accordingly. But I do recommend at least two solid speed sessions per week

6/1/10

Q.Frank when I am squatting I have had tremendous knee pain in the front of my knees. This just starts to happen in the beginning of my workouts. Any suggestions would be great thanks a million. Bobby H.

A.First of all knee pain and terrible squat form is synonymous. Sounds like you have been squatting for a bit, but I would make sure your squat form is solid. Also when squatting there are exercises which I call precursors. These exercises are performed prior to what the emphasis of training is on that specific day. For example, during our max effort lower body days we always perform terminal knee extension (TKE) work, as well as step ups. This will ensure proper firing of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO). The fibers of this specific muscle run obliquely and allow the patella to track properly. Often patella tracking is a major problem with knee pain during your squat exercise. With respect to upper body days all of our programs start with Blackburn exercises. These are a series of exercises which allow for scapula stabilization, and will preserve glenohumeral joint, mobility and stability Bob try and incorporate some of these exercises into your programming, it should help.

knee1

5/25/10

Q.I have had an issue with cramping now for way to long.  I am a high school football player and simply can not get through a game without cramping?

A.The main reason why cramps occur is from excessive sweating or dehydration which depletes essential minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium magnesium and phosphorous.  Other reasons could be claudication or poor blood supply to the musculature.  Due to the fact it happens during exertion, I believe is not your problem, however rule it out. There are many reasons why this can be occurring to you.   First off it can be just simply overexertion or just simply fatigue due to improper training.  Here are some things I would try, the obvious is stay hydrated Stay Hydrated – this does not mean wake up and start drinking water before game time.  Hydrating starts days before the event.

  • Stay Hydrated – this does not mean wake up and start drinking water before game time. Hydrating starts days before the event.

  • Stretch Regularly- If your problem is occurring to the same muscle all the time, this could mean you have developed a muscle imbalance of some sort.

  • Eat regularly throughout the day- Obviously we recommend 6 to 8 meals per day. This will ensure you are getting proper glycogen stores which will be readily available during your game .

  • Supplementation- I highly recommend the energy and rehydration supplement Endura by Metagenics. Unlike Gatorade-type carbohydrate drinks commonly consumed (which also contain a high volume of high fructose corn syrup as the primary ingredient), Endura uses malotdextrin-based carbohydrates, which have the most favorable effects on blood sugar during activity. Furthermore, it contains more essential vitamins and Magnesium, which is important for a variety of metabolic functions during activity and is an ingredient not found in Gatorade, Powerade, etc.

5/10/10

Q. Frank what are some great ways to increase my running speed. I do not have much equipment and do not belong to any faculties to train?

A.There are many ways to increase your running speed. First of you did not give me your age, so I am going to presume you’re a high school athlete.

  1. Find the nearest hill with a slight grade:I love hill running providing the grade on the hill is not to steep. Running hills at about 45 degrees is excellent for teaching positive shin angle during running. This will enhance the kinematic (hip, knee ankle) chains ability to provide proper force production into the ground. Also, hill running is a great way to energy system train providing you provide proper rest intervals.

  2. Sled work: I love utilize the sled to develop running speed. Usually I recommend 5 – 10 % of the athlete’s body weight on the sled. Furthermore I do not do more then 10 yard sprints with the sled, I have found anything over that really does not enhance linear acceleration. Furthermore keep an eye on your rest intervals as they are critical to not fry the all important CNS.

  3. Mechanics:  Obviously running mechanics are critical. Posture plays a key role in your mechanics of running. The use of video while your running is a great tool to evaluate your mechanics. Many of the athlete’s that I have worked with sometimes feel that there mechanics are great, until they watch a bit of video and find they need vast improvement. Lower body mechanics include: hip at 90 degrees, forefoot in full dorsiflexion, shin at 45 degrees. Upper body mechanics: arms at 90 degrees, hands open, driving from your shoulders (hand pocket to chin), Stretch your pecs so you able to fully extend your arms back this will ensure your opposite hip comes of the ground higher.

  4. Weight room work: Refer to a previous post

12/4/09

Q. Was curious as to when is a proper age to squat. I'm a 16 year old lacrosse player and my mom asked my doctor, and my doctor said I should not be squatting at all. Thanks Mike

A. Although important, age is not a good indicator if you are ready to squat or not. Remember there are many variations of the squat that can be performed. For instance, if a child demonstrates proper movement efficiency in any exercise, we may prescribe it to them. Variations can be done with weights or no weights. So to answer your question if a younger athlete can do a box squat with no weight, y not have them perform the lift. We have a couple of 7th and 8th graders here, who can preform a box squat with sub-maximal loads, there form is flawless. We have others in the same range that cant sit on a bench properly so we do not even mention the squat to them. Bottom line proper form and again movement efficiency.

12/2/09

Q. I am a football player at a local school (not to mention names), how much cardio work should I do while training. I have been told from my coaches that aerobic training has no place for a football player?

A. This is a great question and I do get this often. For a while and for what ever reason, football coaches exercise physiologists, and strength coaches have always been under the impression that aerobic training has no place with the sport of football. I can assure you that if these are your assumptions please change them. So many college recruiters keep telling me the same thing "frank make sure they come in, in shape" Well take that for what it is worth, because if you lack a cardiovascular base it will definitely affect your performance. The type of cardiovascular training you do however will directly affect your performance, so prescribe your cardiovascular training wisely. Just a quick note, I do not have my football players run cross country nor run marathons, so understand this is not what I am saying. These two disciplines will adversely affect your performance. However I believe prescribing cardiac work for a football player is critical. At F.O.R.C.E. we do many variations of tempo running as well as other modalities to enhance cardiovascular function. It is important that you do incorporate cardiovascular training in your program for a number of reasons. 1) It will allow you to reduce some percentages of body fat. 2) It will allow for you as a player to sustain anaerobic conditioning and activity for longer periods of time during a practice and or game. Point is that if you run a 4.5 second 40 for 3 quarters and a 4.7 in the 4th quarter what good is that for you. A sound cardiac system will help in maintaining and sustaining game play for longer periods of time. 3) The benefits of cardiovascular training in restoration and recovery have been well documented. So to answer your question, yes do incorporate cardiac work in your programming.

8/31/09

Q: My Son is in 7th grade and his doctor told him that training with weights is detrimental to his growth. Your program at F.O.R.C.E., from what I’ve seen in your videos, incorporates extensive weight training. His junior football coaches tell him he needs to get stronger. Any advice?

A: All F.O.R.C.E. protocols are tailored to each individual athlete’s maturation levels, as well as previous physical preparation. Additionally, most of the athletes coming to F.O.R.C.E. for the first time do not have proper physical preparation from prior training regimens or lack thereof. So we typically start all athletes from the basics and then work from there. I can tell you that age is not the red or green flag as to if your child should train with weights.

Exercise technique is critical and if properly done, will not only make your child perform better, but will also help prevent future injury. Our program is not only a weight lifting program, as it encompasses much more, such as speed and flexibility work. But if you ask me will your child in 7th grade lift weights, I am going to tell you, IF HE DEMONSTRATES PROPER EFFICIENCY IN A LIFT, HE WILL! Although these loads may be sub-maximal in nature, they will benefit him in the long run. Also remember that strength training not only encompasses the use of weights, but also relative body weight strengthening. I hope this helps,

Frankie G

4/10/09

Q: I live in the area and want my daughter to train at FORCE. My husband built a great gym in the basement, and said they can just train at home. What would be the difference if they were to come to you?

A: I did not get any name for this email, so we will call it anonymous. First of all, do you know if your child is demonstrating proper efficiency with respect to technique in her squat, dead lift, bench or any other exercise modality that you prescribe with your training? How about rest intervals, restoration work, speed development, which by the way needs to be done frequently? Great places to train possess great theory and scientific background to rationalize their training. FORCE is state of the art, has a 60 yard track, great weight training facility, yada, yada, yada. This is not what I pride myself on however, It is our training philosophy which we continually refine. I will tell you, no matter what facility you choose, do not be impressed by the facility, but consider the professionals that work there, their training theory and the atmosphere (CRITICAL). Come visit us and we’ll show you the FORCE difference.

4/4/09

Q: Frank, I am a 17 year old football player in my senior year. I can’t get out of my 315 bench weight, any suggestions?
- Bill M.

A: Bill, why is benching so much weight important to you? To be a great football player doesn’t necessarily mean you need to bench a ton of weight. Now if you are just looking to bench some serious weight, refer to a previous post regarding technique of the bench press. You need to understand that if your sport is football, learn the mechanics of the game, and adapt your training to prepare you to master them. Weight lifting is definitely important, as well as speed/agility factors. However, please understand that your one rep max. in most cases, does not make you a great player. What makes a great American football player is a solid yearly training paradigm. During the yearly training cycle, different phases of training should be the focus. Let me know if you are looking for specifics and I can definitely help with it.

3/14/09

Q: Hello I am writing with respect to my daughter who is 14 years of age. She has been suffering from patella femoral pain for years now. We have been to many physical therapists as well as physicians. We have gotten many different opinions. We have wanted our daughter to start working out with you guys, and were told by some professionals that weight lifting will make it worse.
- Jamie

A: Jamie thanks for the question. The amount of patella femoral pain (PFP) that I see in females is alarming. The etiology of patella femoral pain may be caused by several reasons. Strength and firing patterns in the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), gluts, abductors and adductors may also be contributing to the problem. Often, weak musculature around the pelvic stabilizers causes excessive pronation or supination of the foot, as well as rear foot, and fore foot malalignments. This in turn causes tibial torsion about the lower extremity.

Without seeing your daughter, it would be difficult to say what your course of action may be. I can assure you that not allowing your daughter to strength train would be a huge injustice to her. Many strengthening exercises can help PFP syndrome. However, they must be implemented correctly to avoid further injury. Call us and schedule an appointment. I can take a look and recommend a training program.

2/17/09

Q: How much prowler work do you guys do during your training? I saw that on your web site you use it periodically. I am considering purchasing a prowler but I don’t know if it is that important in my training program.
- Cedrick G.

A: The prowler is a great training apparatus without question. Is the prowler a staple in what we do? No, but it is another means of training. The prowler is great for down linemen in American football. I will use it often for certain positions in football, and also use it for recovery workouts. Also it depends on the time of year and when you implement the prowler.

Understand that rest interval, volume of training, training loads, exercise selection, and the time of year the athlete is training, will give you a clear understanding of when to prescribe the prowler. Again, I do prefer it earlier in the season for wide outs, D-backs, and TE to some extent. However I do use the prowler for our linemen as they get closer to the respective season.

Without question the prowler is no longer a secret in training, almost all facilities have them. I believe that many of the exercises performed with the prowler just need to be justified by the particular sport the athlete is participating in. Look at your training program, and what the prime objectives and outcomes are. Further, be sure to ask yourself if the prowler meets these objectives, and if the answer is yes, get one!

Q: My question is what exercises can be done to regain balance after reconstructive knee surgery?  My son is 5 1/2 months out and his surgeon is telling him to strengthen his proprioceptors.  What specific exercises should he do?  He currently is using vibration therapy.  Any other suggestions?
Deb

A: Thanks for the email. Deb there are so many exercises that can help your son regain and re-establish balance and proprioception of his knee. I presume at this point he is under the direction of a Physical Therapist or Athletic Trainer. This is important because you do not want to push too quickly through the rehabilitation process. The idea is NOT to strengthen the proprioception, but to restore and heighten the proprioception he had before the injury. The purpose of articular, tenomuscular (tendon and muscle) proprioceptors is to provide sensory information to the CNS. This sensory information is critical for neuromuscular control about the knee joint. So in theory the more sensory information to the CNS, the better the neuromuscular control is about the knee joint. All this means is by working on balance, strength, proprioception your son should make a full recovery. These articular and tenomuscular receptors witch I have mentioned provide direct sensory information to the CNS, via neuromuscular pathways which are beyond the scope of this question and answer. However, just know that with injury there is damage to the receptors, and hence the need for pre-habilitation as well as rehabilitation, via balance and proprioceptive training.

Rehabilitative exercises should focus on balance training both with eyes open and closed. The use of wobble boards, bosu balls, bapst boards are all great. Your therapist should know the proper progression to follow regarding there use. Progression should be made to more sport specific work, and introduction of the agility ladder, change of direction work, single and double leg work on both is a must. Without seeing your son I am unable to give you a clear picture as to what he should be doing in this phase of his therapy. There are many variables involved such as, strength levels, balance, and propriocpetive acuity, the way he looks as far as gait and stature, all play a role. Understand one thing also, matching the strength of the uninjured contra-lateral limb, is not a good indicator if he is to return to his participation. Many other variables also play a role! I will name the most obvious “efficiency in movement and gait during sport specific tasks”. Make sure when he is cleared, he follows up on a well supervised physical preparation program, which encompasses: Speed, strength, flexibility, aerobic and cardiovascular conditioning, (which I feel is often over looked), quickness and change of direction work yada yada yada. Put the “return back to play” with your son in the hands of a good physical preparation coach and he should be fine. The advances in ACL reconstructive surgery are tremendous in terms of recovery and return to play. However, not worth pushing the envelop with getting him back to soon. Furthermore. Listen to the professionals working with your son, and keep asking questions regarding his rehabilitation process.

Frankie G

1/17/09

Q: Frank - you state that you perform an ACL prevention protocol with all of your female athletes. What exactly do you do? Is it more weight lifting, balance training, jump training and/or sprint work. Thanks
- Freddy K.

A: Freddy, thanks for the question. Our ACL prevention protocol includes a combination of all of those exercises and more. I firmly believe that any physical preparation programming that should be backed by sound scientific evidence to rationalize your training. When reviewing contemporary literature with respect to the female athlete and the ACL, you cannot overlook the differences between males and their female counterparts. The literature documents electromechanical delay of the hamstrings, strength differences, strength imbalance differences between the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles, wider Q angle (measurement taken form the ASIS of the pelvis to the tibial tuberosity), enhanced joint laxity during menstruation, altered landing mechanics, narrowed interchondular notch width, and other neuromuscular differences have been observed. To complement the literature, it seems that many of the mechanisms involved in ACL tears occur while the female athlete is decelerating and there is no contact. This all seems to suggest that these differences alter the female athlete’s knee joint stability. With that in mind let’s look at some of the data regarding adaptability to training.

Observations have shown that trained dancers, gymnasts and those sports which require exceptional balance coordination and strength have shown enhanced propriceptive acuity than sedentary females. Studies regarding joint specific strength, neuromuscular and proprioceptive training of the knee, show adaptability of the muscle and joint proprioreceptors to specific training demands. So with the aforementioned data, we must train females in all areas including balance, proprioceptive, strength and neuromuscular control of the knee joint. Now, to answer the question: how do we do this?

The F.O.R.C.E. protocol asks all of our female athletes to perform a series of strength, balance and proprioceptive exercises. These exercises focus on deceleration of specific muscle groups in the posterior chain. Strength exercises such as variations of glut ham raises, squats, single leg squats, reverse hypers, just to name a few. Proprioceptive and balance training include, pendulum swings off one leg, both with eyes open and closed. Our program also focuses on landing and jump training performed during our lifting sessions. These are done while performing our squat, and or dead lift variations while simultaneously incorporating ply box jumps. Yes, all of our female athletes get all of this training EVERY workout. I have found that our protocol not only enhances the ability to preserve knee joint integrity, but also enhances sports performance. I hope this helps

Thanks
Frankie G

1/14/09

Q: Frank - killer facility, love the place. I am opening up a facility in Boca Raton Fl., and have a million questions to ask you. Can you give me a quick synopsis of how you designed it. I also would love to come up and see it in the near future. All the best.
- Debbie

A: Debbie thanks for the kind words. I am very happy with our facility and was fortunate to have design input from Mike Fox, Dustin Thomas and Lou Rushnock, three great Athletic Enhancement Specialists on my staff. If you are asking me for advice, one thing I would really focus on is building the facility around your program, and not the program around your facility. Basically, this facility was designed to evolve around our program and its dynamics. The track next to the weight room was specifically designed for the use of plyometric, sled work and jump-type training during our lifting sessions. Our power racks and platforms complement a plethora of the exercises that may seem unconventional in most facilities. Our stretching room upstairs was strategically placed to allow the athletes a more relaxed comfortable atmosphere, away from the training on the lower level. Finally, our dedicated cardio room was located adjacent to the rest of the facility and outfitted with plasma screen televisions as well as different music, which allows our athletes proper rest and restoration training on certain days.

To summarize, make sure that when you design your facility, you take a good look at what you are doing as far as exercises and programming. Also take a good look at the type of athlete that you are catering to and their expectations. Finally, make sure your trainers are able to replicate your programming with all of your clientele. Understand that you are only as good as the people around your facility and therefore, weekly meetings are a must.

Best in health
Frankie G

12/28/08

Q: I am crazy with all of this training stuff, and would love to visit your facility - it looks killer. How important do you feel a certification in the field is? My son is currently training with a person he truly loves. I found out that this trainer does not possess any certifications. Should I be concerned?
- Damon L

A: Damon this is a great question that I receive often. To be honest, many of the certification agencies (NOT ALL) require very little of the applicant to earn the certification. I am certified in many disciplines but these certifications do not necessarily make me great at what I do. Rather, I believe that knowledge and experience make great trainers. Knowledge in anatomy, sports mechanics, athletic development and injury prevention are critical. Add qualities like a great coach, extensive experience and the ability to motivate, and you’ve got a great trainer. Beyond those qualities, experience is also paramount. A trainer’s methods have to work. And those methods should be adaptable to specific athlete goals, sports and individual positions. A perfect example I like to use is the development of the American football player. With respect to football, would we train an offensive lineman the same way as a wide out? Or a D back as a tight end? The answer to this question is a resounding NO!!!

When evaluating a trainer, find out how many years of experience the trainer has training athletes. Inquire about their athletes’ages, ability, skill levels, experience and accomplishments. Also, make sure that you see your child improving on some of the basics of his or her training regimen. Good trainers will always document their athlete’s progress and be more than willing to discuss it with you.

Best in Health,
Frankie G

12/1/08

Q: Frank I have been playing Division 1 lacrosse at a major University. Can you give me some things I can do to enhance my change of direction speed. My coaches tell me that if I can improve, I’ll see more of the field. I have heard you train many of us lax guys. Just want your input.
- Bobby A.

A: First of all sorry for the long delay with the Q and A, I have been getting this facility rolling, and that has taken precedence. Thanks to our athletic enhancement specialists and operations staff, I’m happy to report that things are going very well. Many of you have sent some great questions. I just haven’t gotten to them and I apologize for that. With the center now up and running, I’ll be able to be more responsive in providing training advice.

Change of direction in any game is critical. In every sport, this discipline (change of direction) is different. Consider: Look at the dynamics of your sport (i.e. rest intervals per play, sprinting yards between plays, and rest intervals of man up, man down, so on and so forth). It does not have to be exact but this will give you a clear picture of how to train). What I want you to avoid at all costs, other then for your post recovery workouts and restoration work, is distance running as a discipline. A lacrosse player has no business running cross country as a discipline, but rather a means of enhancing his or her sport via aerobic or anaerobic metabolism. Change of direction work must entail what your sport calls for and specifically your position. Working on deceleration of a movement skill is pivotal in change of direction. Drills focusing on keeping the shoulders over the knee and the control of your center of gravity during all phases of training is a must. I love to incorporate deceleration work during our change of direction work.

Weight room work is critical since it takes strength and force production to change direction. In your program, I would add jump training whenever possible. Jump training seems to enhance the central nervous systems’ ability to recruit high threshold motor units, which are critical in change of direction. Further, I believe jump training teaches kinesthetic awareness and body positioning. What we do at F.O.R.C.E. is to incorporate plenty of jump training during our weight training sessions. Some examples: after a 3 rep max effort lift, we have athletes complete plyo box jumps. Keep in mind that these are not implemented in every training session, due to the stressors on the body and the dynamics of the exercise. Hope this helps

Frankie G

5/12/08

Q: Frank how often do you cycle your speed work with your athlete’s. How many times a week do you recommend in conjunction with the off-season program.

Thanks Eric S

A: Eric this is a great question. However to answer your question there are many variables to be considered. Variables such as age, type of sport, the level of physical preparedness, body composition, flexibility, strength etc. I can give you a general template of the ideal split.

We generally would look for our athletes in the weight room three to four days per week, while the remainder of the split has them speed train twice a week. The athlete in this template will therefore be in a 5 to 6 day split. This will allow for proper training to rest ratio during the cycle of training.

Ideally for our speed development we prefer the first day to focus on linear speed and acceleration, as well as energy system training. We start again with all of our training sessions with a dynamic warm-up. During linear speed day we place a tremendous emphasis on hip flexibility, and work to rest ratio. With respect to hip flexibility front and backside running mechanics are compromised due to inflexibility about the hip region. Therefore flexibility of the iliopsoas, pectineus and the rest of the pelvic stabilizers must be addressed. Also we feel the work to rest ratio must always be recorded and documented to ensure the athlete does not stress the CNS. Day 2 dynamic warm-up to hip mobility drills, change of direction work, explosive strength, and some energy system training. On this day there are numerous jumps that are performed, as well as hip opening work that we feel is quintessential in our training program. The nature of our track gives us the flexibility to conduct these workouts free from the elements, as well as in a safe and personal environment.

So your question is a very good one, and to truly answer it you have to consider the variables involved. Here are some perfect examples that I want you to consider. I have a local high school that comes to my facility for our 3 day per week weight training session. At this high school the athletes are performing there speed training with F.O.R.C.E. on site 2 times per week. In this scenario, am I going to take this team and continue to waste valuable time and money working on speed development work? NO! This team comes to us for our weight training protocol, while we consult them on there speed training. The second scenario is the complete opposite. We have many athletes who have the weight training facility so these group of athletes are consulted on there weight training protocol, and all the speed work is done by us.

Let’s look at the younger kids 8-11 years of age. These young athletes training focus is completely different, very few weights, and the emphasis is on motor development as well as calisthenic work. So our program at F.O.R.C.E. is very dependent on the physiological variables, and the nature of the athlete’s current and past training regimens. We feel this is the only way an athlete can enhance his/her athletic performance.

Hope this helps

Thanks

Frankie G

EXAMPLE OF THE F.O.R.C.E. LINEAR SPEED AND CHANGE OF DIRECTION PROTOCOL.

This is a basic template

Linear speed focus: day 1

Dynamic Warm-up

Toe touch, Side lunge, reverse lunge, sumo squat to stand, seal jumps

Ground base emphasis on hip mobility, scorpions, iron cross, superman’s, hip over work.

Stance progression

Start progression

Acceleration progression

Linear speed drills

Core development

Tempo run as needed: I am a big believer in training with slow paced tempo runs for restoration and recovery. I find that after a hard session of getting after it, the athlete needs to take into account, his or her level of fatigue. Fatigue is a huge stressor and that in, and off itself will hinder the anabolic process

Change of direction focus: day 2

Dynamic Warm up

Hip Mobility progression

Jump training: periodized via foot contacts per week

Plyometric training progression: periodized via foot contacts per week

Deceleration work

Ground base

Change of direction

Tempo to cardio run

This is a brief linear speed and change of direction protocol that we train with at F.O.R.C.E. There are many variations of the program in which we use.

3/17/07

Q: Frank I am in the process of training for my first strongman contest ever. Currently, I am working out with many other strongman competitors, and want to change my training up a bit to get the edge, any recommendations would be great.

Bob

A: Hey Bob, welcome to the strongman era of training. All kidding aside, this sport has taken off and it is great to see. When I was a child, I remembered sitting in front of the television with my Dad just fascinated with these athletes brut strength. There are many ways you can approach training for this contest. First, I hope you are training with the contest in mind; in that I mean that you are performing some of the contest drills regularly. One thing I think a strongman competitor really needs to focus on, is grip strength. (remember you are only as strong as your weakest link). For example, if you are doing a farmers walk, and your legs are just crushing it and suddenly your grip fails, what the heck is it worth to you? There are many things that we do to work on grip strength at my facility. You must keep in mind that when working grip strength you must work on both the intrinsic and extrinsic musculature. Some intrinsic muscles of the hands are worked by plate pinching, and rice jabbing and or grabbing. I feel that plate pinching for time, is awesome, and gives you an objective way to evaluate if your grip strength is stronger than before. This is accomplished by grabbing two metal weights, and pinching them until you fail. One of my strength coaches at F.O.R.C.E. Mike Fox, will have his athlete’s plate pinch while standing behind them, and simultaneously cause aberrations to the weights. Try this, it will make the intrinsic muscles of your hand and forearm scream for mercy. Also a pail filled with rice may be your cheapest, and greatest alternative to work on your grip strength. Simply jabbing your hands and fingers into the pail of rice while rotating and squeezing the rice will help your grip strength out tremendously. Some forearm work is critical also. We will do the obvious ones like wrist rolling, dumbbell or plate holds for time, and forearm curls just to name a few.

Secondly, I would put a concentrated effort into working your low back, glutes, and hamstrings. Obviously, many of your events will be decided by the strength of these muscle groups. Glut ham raises, sled pulling as well as variations of good mornings are great. I will do unilateral good mornings with weights on a regular basis; try this at your training facility. Unilateral training for these events are great because the events often focus on single arm, single leg movements; i.e. rope pulling, torpedo walks etc; which brings us into the importance of work capacity training. I will do many types of tire flips, whether for time, or simply for brute strength. I feel that many of the strongman competitors I see, lack some work capability, which ultimately seems to be their demise. One thing to keep in mind however we rarely do strong man training with our athletes and if we do, its only for short periods of time during there respective training cycles.

Best in Health,

Frank G

2/25/07

Q: Frank, there are so many nutritional programs that people throw in my face it is unreal. I am a proud parent of a 16 year old boy who loves football. Some of the people including doctors tell me that supplementation for a growing child is wrong. However, at my gym, I often get some information that supplementation is good. So, I am stuck at this point as to what I do as a parent.
Any information on this topic would be great.

Thanks, Al.

A: Hey Al, thanks for the question. This question I get about 500 times a day. Sports supplements are exactly that, they are a supplement!!!!! Let’s look at its definition in the Merriam Webster's Dictionary, there are two: the first says, 1) something that supplies a want or makes an addition and, 2) to fill up the deficiencies of: add to. I love the part that says supplies makes an addition too. This is exactly what you are doing, making addition to your diet or meal plan, whatever you want to call it. There are great supplements that I believe do work. These supplements are great for supplementing your meals that you simply can't get in for the day. Now if you have the time to stay up at night, and cook your meals for the next day please do that. However, in today's society who the hell has the time to do that. Listen, a sound multivitamin, protein shake, a meal replacement bar, and a free fatty acid supplement are great. Bottom line, if you are not getting in 6 - 8 meals a day please!!!!!!!!! SUPPLEMENT. The second part of the definition is great, to fill the deficiencies of. That is exactly what supplementation will do, a supplement will fill the deficiencies in your diet. These deficiencies will keep you catabolic instead of anabolic, which is disaster for a young athlete. That is the reason I am always pushing certain products on the market. The products that I recommend have sound research and literature on the rational for there use, so I feel comfortable recommending them. For Example, research is overwhelming as to the benefits of a free fatty acid supplement in someone’s diet. So I push a product by the name of Udo's Choice, preferred oil blend. This product is great, not only for blood lipid levels, but for overall health.

The best thing I can tell you is to make sure that you educate yourself as to what products to use. Again a sound nutritionist is worth its weight in gold, and I am not one. I can only tell you that people need to consult with these professionals often. If I was out to make a buck I would tell you I have the answers, I have some, and not all. So bottom line if you can prepare 3 or 4 extra meals a day, on top of how you are getting breakfast, lunch and dinner AWESOME!!!!!!!, if not, I do recommend supplementation. Again, I do strongly believe in the benefits of a nutritionist, so if you can afford it, seek one ASAP!!, and get after it in the weight room. Take Care.

Best in Health,

Frankie G

1/20/07

Q: Frank what is the best way to increase my 40 yard dash time. I have been experimenting with many different stances and starts, as well as breathing techniques. It seems that I am having trouble breaking the 4.8 barrier.

Thanks Jeff

A: Jeff thanks for the question. First off your stance and starts are critical in your 40 time no doubt about that. I would spend some time working on both of them obviously. As far as your start goes, your stance and first step are critical. I found that verbal cues are critical to an athlete when working on your stance and start progressions. Couple of verbal cues we use are: Head tucked, Chin to chest, hips higher then shoulders stay low first ten yards, eyes to the ground, do not want to see your eyes till you are over 10 yards mark. There are also great videos out on running the 40 yard dash these provide an excellent resource for future and past reference.

Since the kinematics of running are ultimately a body weight movement of simultaneous bounds, I would recommend incorporateing some relative body weight exercises. I am confident that not enough athletes incorporate pull-ups and dips in their training regimen. Which brings us now, to what you are doing in the weight room. Obviously your training program should incorporate dead lifting, variations of squats, glute ham raises, as well as sled work to enhance posterior chain strength (there I go again, sorry). However, when we speed train with the sled there is no more then 10% bodyweight on the harness, so we do not effect running mechanics. How you design your training program is critical, and there are many ways to do that. I believe I could write about 100 pages on this topic. There are a million programs out on the market, and many of them do work. My program at F.O.R.C.E. was influenced by many great strength coaches, and authors such as ,Mell Siff, Vladamir Zatsiorsky and Yuri Verkoshansky just to name a few.

Furthermore, flexibility in the hips and pelvic region are essential, so spend time preserving as well as enhancing hip flexibility. Hip mobility work should be done regularly, exercises such as: turn over’s on the hurdle, iron cross, scorpions, fire hydrants are great places to start.

Jeff, with respect to your nutrition take into account what is feeding your biological machine. If you do not feel comfortable doing this on your own, seeing a competent nutritionist is worth its weight in gold. There are also numerous resources i.e. books internet, that can help you out. Your diet in many ways will be a huge factor in developing lean body mass. I spent some time talking about your diet, because there are huge correlations with the amount of lean body mass, and athletes 40 times. Hope this helps you out a bit..

Best in Health,

Frankie G

1/12/07

Q: Frank what is the best single exercise I can do for my daughter who is recovering from ACL surgery. She has been in therapy for 6 months and she seems to be on her way. She is an avid soccer player and has been playing forever thanks,

Jim Haslett, Elmira New York

A: Jim, first of I hate to be harsh, but playing a single sport at developmental years is not the answer for any young athlete. This is not answering your question I know, but hopefully I can drive the point home that kids should be playing multiple sports, and facilitating the development of their body. I have seen so many athletes come to me with all kinds of biomechanical and musculoskelatal issues related to overspecialization of a sport.

With respect to females and the incidence to ACL injuries, there is a plethora of literature that documents neuromuscular differences when compared to there male counterparts. Differences in electromechanical delay of the hamstrings with respect tot the quadriceps have been observed. Other issues such as hormonal differences during menstruation, interchondular notch width, increased q angle and the list goes on. We have developed a protocol that we use at F.O.R.C.E. that seems to have helped the cause. This protocol focuses on strength in the posterior chain, as well as a series of jumps and proprioceptive training, during our tempo running at the end of our training sessions.

Many female soccer athletes I see come to my facility with overly developed quadriceps, as well as very week hamstrings, low back, and glutes. These weaknesses seem to cause alterations in the athlete’s ability to enhance their sports performance, as well as preserve knee joint integrity. What is interesting, many of the mechanisms of injury to the ACL involve non-contact while the athlete is decelerating. This seems to suggest that biomechanical, neuromuscular and muscle strength imbalance issues as stated previously may be the culprit. I do not want to go off on a tangent, but I feel strength coaches must begin training the female athlete a bit different then there male counterparts. Now to say that strength is the single issue as to why female athletes are tearing their ACL is foolish. However, if we can strengthen the posterior chain musculature (i.e. low back, glutes and hamstrings) as well as enhance the force, proprioceptive, and neuromuscular capacities of these muscles, we can definitely help the cause.

Jim as far as exercises go, there are a number of them. I love the squat, glute ham raise, dead lift, sled pulling work, and variations of these exercises. The variations of these exercises are pivotal in enhancing the force generating capacities of these muscles. I also love to teach these exercises while focusing on deceleration of the lifts. I have a whole protocol I use when I train my female athletes. It seems not only to enhance joint stability but also maximize the athlete’s sports performance. I’ll post the protocol on this web site when I get a chance, things have just been a little crazy around here.

Best in Health,

Frankie G

Q: Frank I have a son who is about to play his freshman lacrosse season in college. It seems that they do not do much weight room work, as well as not enough speed agility work. I see that you train many lacrosse athletes and was wondering what you felt are the most important things he should be doing to prepare for his upcoming intercollegiate season.

Thanks

Will

A: Will, thanks for the question. Let me guess he also is having them run their but off till they puke also. It’s hard to believe that they are not in the weight room at this college. The speed and agility work is fine, but your son needs to get his but in the weight room, ASAP!!! The goal in your off-season is to maximize your strength as well as, level of preparedness. Your son is being done a huge injustice by not having direction and guidance as to his off-season training. Listen, this is not only to perform better on the field, but there is a huge injury prevention issue here. I believe there are resources at the institution he is in that he can follow up with. Just because his coach is negligent by not having these kids in the weight room does not mean your son has to listen. Tell your son to do his homework, and get to the nearest weight training facility, and tell his coach to get a clue.

Best in Health,

Frank G

1/12/07

Q: Frank was wondering how you periodized your training leading up to an individual athletes’ season. I was also wondering if all of your training is the same for every given sport.

Thanks Manny

A: Thanks for the e-mail, our training principles are based on eastern block training methods. So the answer to your question is that this is the form of periodization that we use at F.O.R.C.E. Depending on the time of year we would use a concurrent model of training, in which an individual trains many aspects of strength development simultaneously. It is not linearly periodized to peak for a specific period. It is designed to peak during all phases of your training. At my facility there is also a huge emphasis on training specific weaknesses that athletes present. I feel my exercise specialist and I do a great job at this. As far as the training being the same for every sport, the answer to that question is yes, and no. We do a series of core lifts, which we feel, really facilitates the athletes strength development. These lifts include the squat, dead lift, hang clean, bench press, and variations of these lifts just to name a few. I will often use supplemental lifts at a given time for the athlete’s individual sport, as well as weaknesses in which we see. The athlete’s body type will tell us how we should train that individual. For instance for some of my thinner athletes I will volume train initially to build some mass. Then as the athlete develops we will drop the reps so that we begin to work on strengths in specific areas of our athletes. I will give you an example of our template at F.O.R.C.E. Better yet ill send the template and then post it on this Q and A.

The ideal yearly protocol in my eyes in a perfect world would constitute:

END OF SEASON

↓

INCREASE GENERAL PHYSICAL PREARDNESS (GPP) WORK ACTIVE REST

↓

INCREASE VOLUME OF EXERCISE

↓

BEGIN SPORTS SPECIFIC PREPARDNESS (SPP) AND ABOUT A 40 – 50 % DECREASE IN VOLUME, FOLLOWING A INCREASE IN CARDIAC WORK PERIODIZE YOUR TEMPO WORK ACCORDINGLY

↓

SEASON BEGINS

↓

INSEASON TRAINING FOCUS ON RESOTRATION AND RECOVERY SUBMAXIMAL LOADS OF 40 – 60 % staaaayyyyyyyyy healthy!!!!!!

↓

But it is not a perfect training world, and you must stick to what makes it work for each individual sport, individual schedule, and all other physiological variables involved.

Thanks

Frankie G

1/9/07

Q: Frank, I am trying to get my bench weight up. It seems that I have hit a sticking point where I simply cannot get over 315 pounds. What are some recommendations that you would do for this? My training partner said that I should do as much triceps work as possible, just wanted your thoughts.

Thanks

Eric C

A: Eric this is the all-important question I get from all of my athletes that I train, it is hysterical. I just wish more athletes would worry more about getting their squat weight up (not that it is the most important aspect of training). I have had so many of my athletes with this so-called “I’m stuck at this bench weight” If it is that important here you go.

I can name a plethora of things that you are probably doing wrong: these may include your bench technique, as well as exercise selection for supplemental and auxiliary lifts. With respect to your bench technique here are some of the things I would do. First: do whatever you can to keep your scapula retracted, while performing the lift. This will do a number of things, First of all, it will eliminate some of your deltoid in the lift, while simultaneously facilitating more of your triceps strength. This technique will also keep all the weight on your feet and upper back. Keeping the weight on your upper back in a retracted scapula position allows the lifter to now push off the bench. I would also pay very close attention to how you are moving the bar during the lift. Make sure you are moving the bar in a straight-line beginning from your lower nipple line up. Let’s now look at your supplemental lifts. Yes, your partner is not wrong about the triceps work however, when and how you are training them is also pivotal in your training. As far as the triceps exercises go, I prefer variations of triceps extensions with the elbows pointed out, some jm pressing, along with some types of rack lockouts. Your upper back development is also critical for a good bench press. To address the upper back we will do many variations of upper back fly’s, as well as lots of lat pulling movements. I will prescribe these supplemental exercises depending on the athlete’s body type, and weakness that need to be addressed. For example, many of my thinner athletes, I prefer to volume train these supplemental lifts, before I progress to more strengthening work. So therefore there are many variables to consider when prescribing supplemental lifts to my athletes. These supplemental exercises are pivotal in your development as an athlete, and the ones that I have mentioned are a few in a long list of them. So Eric, I hope this helps you out a bit.

Thanks

Frank G

If you have a training question to ask Frank please do so at frank@forceperformancetraining.com

Frank Giannantonio MS, ATC, CSCS