MonsterMash
04-08-2007, 11:47 PM
The Reason Why Strength and Conditioning Moves So Slowly
Friday, I was invited to give a talk and take part in a Q&A at Appalachian State University with their Exercise Science Graduate Department. The whole thing was pretty awesome, and the main topic was endurance training and if it has a place for power athletes. Basically as we all know, running for distance is not optimal for power. The main reasons are: 1. the neurological response, 2. endocrine considerations, 3. and the inevitability of overtraining. The neurological response issues lie with training Type II Fibers especially IIA to mimic type I Fibers or the slow twitch fibers. The endocrine response refers to the lowering of testosterone levels, which is a big no no. Last, the increased release of cortisol from distance training will inevitably cause overtraining.
We did discuss that the benefits from distance training are: increase glucose, improved body composition, and overall general physical preparedness, but we presented how this could be attained more efficiently through sled work, sprints, or interval training depending on the sport. Obviously the more the sport relies on the anaerobic lactate system (basketball, soccer, or rugby), then the more interval type training they need to improve speed endurance, and overall general physical condition. Everything went great, but the end was really interesting.
One of the strength coaches for Appalachian State U., and who is an ex-assistant to Gayle Hatch, the great Olympic Lifting Coach started questioning powerlifting versus Olympic lifting. He was told by Coach Hatch to represent Olympic lifting during my class. He started talking about how Olympic lifting is superior, and brought up a seminar at Wake Forrest that happened over two years ago, where Louie Simmons and some of his athletes got into a pretty high tempered discussion with another Olympic Coach. Somehow they were including me in on that argument, but I went on to explain how I was friends with Gayle Hatch, and that I appreciate both sports. I just think that there aren’t enough coaches that can teach the lifts correctly, and there isn’t enough time allotted to teach the lifts properly. He kind of started in on my again, so I explained that I am competing in Olympic lifting now. Then he shifted his argument that I would have a hard time making the transition. I then informed him that I had actually trained at the Olympic Training Center, and that my first coach was actually Wes Barnett the three time Olympian. I went on to say that to many people make assumptions without gathering their facts, which didn’t go over to well, but the class seemed to enjoy it.
The biggest point that I’m trying to make is that people are more concerned with proving their theories right, then they are with learning new ideas. Coaches are scared to death that someone might know something better than them. They would rather criticize and discredit as opposed to checking in to see if there is any validity. I love both sports. I am trying to apply Westside Principles to Olympic, and I am having awesome results, so far. Most people are getting really curious, but some just want to discredit. I can’t wait till the American Open in December, where I will be able to put all of this to bed!
For Strength and Conditioning to take its next step in evolution, both sides will need to set down and compare notes. Both sides have great applications, and both have their downfalls. We can only hope for such a day!
Friday, I was invited to give a talk and take part in a Q&A at Appalachian State University with their Exercise Science Graduate Department. The whole thing was pretty awesome, and the main topic was endurance training and if it has a place for power athletes. Basically as we all know, running for distance is not optimal for power. The main reasons are: 1. the neurological response, 2. endocrine considerations, 3. and the inevitability of overtraining. The neurological response issues lie with training Type II Fibers especially IIA to mimic type I Fibers or the slow twitch fibers. The endocrine response refers to the lowering of testosterone levels, which is a big no no. Last, the increased release of cortisol from distance training will inevitably cause overtraining.
We did discuss that the benefits from distance training are: increase glucose, improved body composition, and overall general physical preparedness, but we presented how this could be attained more efficiently through sled work, sprints, or interval training depending on the sport. Obviously the more the sport relies on the anaerobic lactate system (basketball, soccer, or rugby), then the more interval type training they need to improve speed endurance, and overall general physical condition. Everything went great, but the end was really interesting.
One of the strength coaches for Appalachian State U., and who is an ex-assistant to Gayle Hatch, the great Olympic Lifting Coach started questioning powerlifting versus Olympic lifting. He was told by Coach Hatch to represent Olympic lifting during my class. He started talking about how Olympic lifting is superior, and brought up a seminar at Wake Forrest that happened over two years ago, where Louie Simmons and some of his athletes got into a pretty high tempered discussion with another Olympic Coach. Somehow they were including me in on that argument, but I went on to explain how I was friends with Gayle Hatch, and that I appreciate both sports. I just think that there aren’t enough coaches that can teach the lifts correctly, and there isn’t enough time allotted to teach the lifts properly. He kind of started in on my again, so I explained that I am competing in Olympic lifting now. Then he shifted his argument that I would have a hard time making the transition. I then informed him that I had actually trained at the Olympic Training Center, and that my first coach was actually Wes Barnett the three time Olympian. I went on to say that to many people make assumptions without gathering their facts, which didn’t go over to well, but the class seemed to enjoy it.
The biggest point that I’m trying to make is that people are more concerned with proving their theories right, then they are with learning new ideas. Coaches are scared to death that someone might know something better than them. They would rather criticize and discredit as opposed to checking in to see if there is any validity. I love both sports. I am trying to apply Westside Principles to Olympic, and I am having awesome results, so far. Most people are getting really curious, but some just want to discredit. I can’t wait till the American Open in December, where I will be able to put all of this to bed!
For Strength and Conditioning to take its next step in evolution, both sides will need to set down and compare notes. Both sides have great applications, and both have their downfalls. We can only hope for such a day!