The Mentality

 The Mentality

When speaking of this mentality, one client of ours comes to mind, Vinny Planz of LaSalle Institute. Vinny, along with many of his teammates, dedicated his summer to training with us at the gym. He brought a “hardhat and lunchpail” mentality everytime he came to train, never complained, and experienced some great gains. Vinny would have pushed the Prowler 50 times if Brian or I had told him to. Vinny is TOUGH. Note, he is not a “TOUGH GUY” (he is actually probably one of the nicest kids Brian and I have ever met). He does not walk around with his arms puffed out to his sides thinking he can beat everyone up. Far from it. Vinny is tough because he is fearless in the gym and on the football field. He commits himself fully to each and every lift, and each and every hit.  There were two hits in particular this year at the LaSalle games that made the crowd go “Ooooo”. You know, decleaters. They were both made by starting left cornerback Vinny Planz.  Vinny  is 5’7 and 155 pounds (145 at the start of the summer).  In both hits, the victim of Vinny’s ferocity was well over 200 pounds, but you can be assured that both kids though they were run over by a truck. Vinny has “The Mentality.”

Vinny Planz (#24) 

A lot of strength coaches and trainers think it is terrible to make their athletes throw up. They gasp at the thought of training to fatigue, and base all of their programming because of the “science” that they read about it a book. There is no science to becoming a beast. Just the sweat, blood, tears, and yes, sometimes vomit that comes from pushing yourself to the edge. I don’t care if the “expert” coaches out there say this isn’t good for you, because I have seen countless cases of high school football players , that had no business even being on the football field,  laying guys out who were much larger because they were tough enough, and confident enough to believe in themselves. This doesn’t just have to be football. Basketball players, wrestlers, regular guys, etc, have ALL benefited from “The Mentality” of giving all that they have, and never quitting.

Long Live the Back Squat

Long Live the Back Squat

Wrestling Training Myths EXPOSED!

 WRESTLING TRAINING MYTHS EXPOSED!

Rest More!

PTS STRONGMAN COMPETITION

2009 Phelps Training Systems Strongman Competition    SATURDAY JULY 18th, 2009 8:30AM-1:30PM   STRONG ENOUGH?   GOT WHAT IT TAKES?   CAPTURE THE CROWN FOR THE 2009 PHELPS STRONGEST MAN!   There will be 6 Events:   -Heavy Farmers Walks -Heavy Prowler Sled Push for 20 Yards -Overhead Keg Toss (Distance) -Thick Rope Sled Row -Heavy Tire Flip (6 Flips for time) -Mystery Event   Weight Classes are as follows: -High School Male Under 165 -High School Male 165-200 -High School Male Over 200 -College Male Under 200 -College Male 200-250 -College Male Over 250

PTS ATLANTA

PTS ATLANTA

Although we are sad to see him go, we are also pleased to announce that Rob "The Viking" Koester will be representing Phelps Training Systems in Atlanta, GA. If you are serious about training, and want to get the "Phelps" experience south of the Mason-Dixon line, then Rob is the man you need to see! Anybody who has followed us online for the past year knows that Rob practices what he preaches, is passionate about training, and is a tireless trainer who will always be there for you. I know he will be missed in our gym, as all of our athletes looked up to Rob and aspire to be as lean, powerful, and strong as he is one day.

If you are a wrestler, MMA fighter, football player, or anyone looking to add strength, size, speed, and conditioning, then IMMEDIATELY contact Rob at to get started.

Prowler Power

Prowler Power

I often get e-mails from people asking about how to increase their vertical or 40 yard dash time. Often, these same e-mails are written by guys that weigh 140 pounds soaking wet. To be explosive, you need to produce POWER. To produce power, you need to develop force, and develop it QUICKLY. This is why, in our lower body training, we specifically target overall force development (strength training) with RATE of force development (speed training) to develop a powerful, more explosive athlete. I would like to show you the following video of Rob "The Viking" Koester, one of the strength coaches at PTS. Now, at a lean 6'2", 235 lbs, with a 37" vertical and a 48" box jump to his name, not only does Rob strongly resemble an NFL Linebacker, but he is an extremely powerful man.

This is truly one of the most impressive displays of power that I have EVER seen. The thing is, in order to move a heavy prowler effectively, aside from some body mass, you need 3 attributes:

1.) Strength: Simply put, you need to exert a tremendous amount of force back into the ground to even budge this thing one inch. You can be quick, but if you don't have the lower body strength, this thing isn't budging.

2.) Speed: Notice how in the video Rob maintains a quick turnover. This is because physically, he HAS to in order to keep the prowler moving. That is why this an awesome display of power, because Rob has to exert all that force, and if he want to keep this thing moving, he had better do it quickly! Simply put, slow guys don't do well in the Prowler push.

3.) Guts: It takes a tremendous amount of "intenstinal fortitude" to move the Prowler for 20 Yards like Rob did. You have to have the heart of a warrior, and the confidence of a champion, because the second you start doubting yourself, it is all over!

I highly reccomend the Prowler to ANY serious athlete who is looking to add size, toughness, and added power that will quickly add inches to your vertical, and drop tenths off your 40. Stop wasting your time on gadgets, gizmos, and other peices of junk that are othopedic disasters and get serious!

You can purchase your Prowler at http://www.elitefts.com you won't regret it!

Olympic Lifting

Olympic Lifting

We have gone here before, but there is a very good article on www.t-nation.com that goes into debunking several training myths.  One of the myths is that "Performing Olympic Lifts is the Best Way to Develop Power." The author goes on to say that Olympic lifting is NOT the best way to develop power, and goes on to discuss the injury risks, joint damage, and high degree of skill that these lifts require. The author performs many exercises that are JUST AS effective at developing power, such as med ball slams. What do you think is easier, and safer to teach young athletes, Olympic Lifts, or Med Ball Slams? I am not trying to dispute that Olympic Lifts both require, and generate a lot of muscular power...they do! What I am disputing is why we would use them with athletes, when there are safer, more effective, protocols that are easier to learn?

Please read this post with care and thought....it just may change the way you think!

1.) Teaching time.

I believe there are something like 17 points of technicality in a hang clean, ONE of which is the modified RDL. Any strength coach worth his salt knows that RDL's are one of, if not THE hardest lift to teach athletes....so now we are going to incorporate that lift, in the modified variation, into an explosive movement? I could teach an athlete to do that, but we wouldn't get anything else done that session! What is going to benefit him more, doing some med ball slams, benching, squatting, adding some core/grip, or just working on hang cleans? I hope the answer is obvious. I have kids that are STILL fine tuning the box squat. I shudder at the thought of incorporating a properly done hang clean.

2.) Joint Pain.

In general, my stance is old school, blue collar with most lifts. I don't like my athletes to be "soft," complain about things, and in general, I ENCOURAGE them to display mental and physical toughness throughout a typical training session. The Olympic Lifts,  while undoubtedly great demonstrations of power, can cause a good deal of joint pain, particularly at the wrist, elbow, and shoulder. I know this, because I have DONE them, and experienced it myself. Any exercise the causes harm to the various joints throughout the body become contraindicated in my gym. We rely on joints for movement, so to cause harm to them seems awfully, awfully stupid to me. The fact of the matter is, the higher the strength level of the athlete, the more joint pain these lifts can cause.

3.) Specificity.

I hear this argument ALL of the time, and it is one of the most asinine pieces of logic I have ever heard. "Olympic Weightlifters have 40 inch verticals and 4.5 40 Yard Dash times, so that is why our athletes should train using these lifts." This is insane to me; Olympic Weightlifters are genetic freaks that have excellent skills in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. They can thank Mom and Dad for this. Lebron James and Adrian Peterson can do these things too, so should you do EXACTLY what they do? Odds are, guys who can clean and jerk at the highest level of competition are gentlemen who could have excelled in a number of sports, but CHOSE Olympic Weightlifting as their sport. Skills are specific people, just because someone can push press XYZ does NOT mean he is going to be a one man wrecking crew in a football game.

4.) Alternatives

Well, how do we then develop muscular power with our athletes? We know that it is important to train rate of force development with our athletes, so how do we do it? There are many, many different ways to get this done, but here are my top 3 choices:

1.) Overhead Med Ball Throws: This exercise takes a tremendous amount of power, and very little teaching time in order to perfect. The cool thing is that athletes can progress EVERY time they train, and let's face it, it is FUN to throw things over your head. You can also use empty kegs for this exercise, just like the strongmen you see on ESPN!

2.) Tire Flips: This exercise allows us to drive our hips explosively THROUGH an object, without the eccentric force of catching this same object harming our joints. Jim Smith of www.dieselcrew.com does the best job at explaining tire flips that I have seen to date, so I will let him take it away, I encourage you to click on the link and check out his website, it is VERY informative!

3.) Box Jumps: We have all seen legendary feats of box jumping on YouTube, and while I think some kids have no business jumping on some of the boxes that we see out there, I do think it is an important component of any training program. Some keys to remember, always line up "2 Sneaker Lengths" AWAY from the box (if you like the skin on your shins), and utilize the stretch-reflex reaction to drive your hips back and then through in order to give yourself the lift you need to land the jump. Always land softly, and never jump down from high boxes, step down so you don't twist an ankle. Never be "scared" to jump on a box, instead build your jumping ability up slowly through the use of mats and aerobic boxes. Training is all about YOU, so don't try and attempt a jump just because your buddy did. For more advanced trainees, vests and light dumbbells can further increase the degree of difficulty and enforce the need to develop force QUICKLY.

So there you have it! Hopefully I have brought you over to the "dark side" of those who do not use Olympic Lifts, but still produce monsters who have a TON of muscular power!

Matt

Hockey Training

Matt,

I am interested in starting a training routine for hockey, but I have heard that this will make me "bulky" and slower on the ice. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information out there about this topic and I don't know where to turn or what to do. What is your advice?

-Tom, 15, Troy, NY

Tom,

It's funny that some myths STILL exist out there, even in the year 2009. You will undoubtedly improve your hockey performance by incorporating strength training into both your off season and in season routine. I could go on for days about why you need to do so, but in short, here are the main reasons why:

1.) Injury prevention. By strength training in a  full range of motion, stretching, and foam rolling, you will become more flexible, and less susceptible to muscle tears and strains. This reason alone should have you training!

2.) Increased lower body power. By increasing your lower body power (the ability to produce force QUICKLY) you will become faster, more explosive, and assuming your skills stay sharp, a BETTER hockey player. By getting your lower stronger, and incorporating dynamic effort movements like speed squats, box jumps, broad jumps, etc, you will definitely improve your lower body power.

3.) Increased shot velocity. Why do 16 year olds shoot the puck harder than 10 year olds? Because they are BIGGER, STRONGER athletes! Yes, it is that simple! By increasing your overall lean body mass and strength, you will have a much harder shot, which one would think would lead to an increase in performance!

Alexander Ovechkin: 6'2", 212 lbs....NOT afraid of getting "too bulky"!

If these 3 reasons are not reasons enough for you to stop reading this and head to the gym right now, I don't know what will get you going! Tom, don't worry about being "too bulky." No offense, but as a 15 year old athlete you have a loooong ways to go before that becomes an issue. Train hard, train smart, and watch the results come pouring in!

-Matt

Bull Strength

Matt,

No matter what I do, I just can't seem to get strong or put on weight. I am starting to get a little frustrated, I have been performing a high volume routine I got out of a bodybuilding magazine, I know it probably isn't the best, but I just don't seem to make any progress. What should I do differently?

-Sam, Erie, PA

Hi Sam,

Well, your first mistake is following a routine from a bodybuilding magazine! Those guys are nothing more than juiced up machines, and if you are not on the bevy of drugs that they are on, you will not be able to make progress on those routines. I have found that a progressive approach works best for the natural bodybuilder/athlete/strength athlete, in which 2 upper body days are performed each week, along with 2 lower body days.

It turns out that you wrote this e-mail just in time! My colleague Joe Hashey, of Synergy Athletics in Binghamton, NY, just wrote an EXCELLENT e-book, Bull Strength. In this book, Joe unveils many cutting edge secrets about how to make the gains that have eluded you for so long, and why you need to change the way you train! Ever wonder why masons, construction workers, distributors, and moving men possess freakish levels of strength, while millions of Americans toil away hopelessly at a commercial gym? Joe will tell you why, and bring you the best of both worlds; typical exercises performed in a gym, with alternative, fun exercises to get you STRONG. Joe incorporates bricks, logs, tires, kegs....you name it! Joe's philosophy is old school with a dash of modern science, and that is what makes his program so effective.

In his e-book, Joe puts you on a template, and after reading the entire manual in one sitting, I can assure you that you WILL get "Bull Strong" on this program.

Sam, I highly encourage you check it out at www.bullstrength.com, and order your copy today. The price of the e-book is pennies compared to the gains you will make for years to come. This book will truly change the way you train!

 In Strength,

Matt

Grip Training

Matt,

I need to get my grip stronger this off season for wrestling...how should I train my grip strength? Where should I begin?

-Steve

Hi Steve,

Grip strength can play a big role in many sports, but in sports like MMA and Wrestling it is HUGE. You are smart for wanting to increase your grip strength, as grip strength will allow you to attain more wrist control, will reinforce your holds, and will also allow you to break away from holds from your opponent. Here at PTS, we typically train grip 2X/week, after Lower Body Sessions.

I like to train grip after Lower Body workouts because it is still relatively "fresh" so we can really focus on the task at hand. You wouldn't train your bench press after doing 200 pushups would you? Your wrist extensors and flexors are indirectly taxed during upper body work, so in order to really focus on the QUALITY of our training we need a grip that is somewhat fresh. While I think things like wrist flexion, wrist extension, wrist rollers, and sledgehammer work are great, one of the most effective tools for increasing grip strength are the Tyler Grips, which can be found at www.elitefts.com.

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The Tyler Grips are pieces of rubber that can be placed over the dumbbell or barbell handle, immediately OPENING up you hands. When your hands are somewhat closed, you end up working a lot of "pinch grip" or finger strength. Personally, I feel as though most of the training you already do holding dumbbells, barbells, plates, etc. ALREADY targets pinch grip strength. By forcing your hands to open up, your forearms and grip will be put to the test like never before. 1-2X/week try and include some direct work like wrist extensions, flexions, etc after your lower body training. 1-2X/Week incorporate theTyler Grips. We like to do timed holds for 1:00 or longer.

For my wrestlers, we use the Tyler Grips on Dumbbell Shrugs, Chinups, and other "normal" lifts, in order to make their grip THAT much better. We strongly feel as though grip strength is that much of a priority! I think that this is an excellent idea for those whose grip is really "holding them back." Try using the Tyler Grips on almost everything that you need to hold, and your grip will definitely be stronger!

Here are some basic rules for Grip Training:

1.) Train your grip on its own, or after Lower Body Sessions.

2.) Never train grip the day before any deadlifting, as this will prevent your hips from getting stronger due to an inability to hold the bar.

3.) Do not perform direct wrist work around the wrist joint on consecutive days (i.e. wrist curls, wrist roller, etc.)

4.) Record your workouts, and measure your progress!

5.) As always, keep your grip sessions brief and intense; you aren't going to get a good grip holding the 30's! Cut right to the chase, and work to challenge yourself right from the beginning in order to make your training efficient.

I can bet that after an off season of using the Tyler Grips, your opponents will be shaking after the opening handshake!

Matt

Thrower Lifting Program

Hi Matt,

I currently compete in the Shot Put and Discus for Indoor Track. I throw on Saturdays. What days should I lift? What kind of split should I use? My goal is to add some serious distance and I could really use your help...thanks!

-John D.

John,

First off, best of luck this indoor track season. If you want to add some serious distance to your throws, then the weight room is the place for you to do it. Now, your skills in the area of throwing will need to be highly refined in order to maximize success in those events, but, all things being equal, you need to increase your force output in order to throw farther. I would suggest performing a Max Effort Lower Body lift on Sundays, a Max Effort Upper Body lift on Mondays, and a Dynamic Effort Full Body lift on Wednesdays. This should increase your strength, and give you ample recovery time for your meets.

Your ME lower body lift should consist of a safe warmup protocol (here at PTS we use a 5, 5, 4, 2 warmup set scheme) leading up to a max effort attempt of 4-6 reps. Choose any hip dominant movement: box squats, free squats, trap bar deadlifts, etc...Please be very safe in your effort, and do not go to absolute failure. Your last rep should be tough, but if there is any doubt as to whether of not you will get another rep, rack the bar. From there, add in a posterior chain movement (GHR, RDL, Back Extensions, Reverse Hypers), and perform 2 sets of 6-10 reps. Finally, a unilateral movement (lunges, stepups) done for 2 sets of 6-8 reps on each side will conclude the lower body session. Perform core work in between sets, and add in 5-10 minutes of hand/grip work to finishthe workout. As always, get in a thorough post stretch.

Your ME Upper Body lift will start with a Bench Press Variation, using the same warmup and approach as done in the ME Lower Body Day. Include an Upper Back movement (chins, rows, etc.) and pair it with a Chest dominant movement (pushups, DB work, incline barbell, etc) for 2 sets of 6-10 reps. Perform another pairing of 2 different Chest and Upper Back exercises for 2 sets of 6-10 reps. After you have finished this rotation, perform 2 sets of band face pulls for 20 reps each. Your finisher today will consist of time under tension sets of the following, and in this order: DB Shrugs, Plate Raises, Band Pushdowns, and DB Hammer Curls. Run through this circuit twice, performing each station for :30, and resting for :30 after each. If done properly, it should take you 8 minutes. Select a load that allows you to perform each rep with good form, but is fatiguing by the end.

For you DE Total Body day, you are going to perform an "explosive" movement such as box jumps, speed squats, broad jumps, vertical jumps, etc. Personally, I am not a big proponent of Olympic Lifts, but if you were to perform them, this would be the day to do it. Perform 5 sets of 3 reps of your "explosive" movement. Really work on generating a lot of bar speed. After this movement, you are going to do a Deadlift Variation, performing 2 Warmup Sets of 5 Reps, leading up to 2 working sets of 6-10 reps.

On your next block, you will add in Landmines, and pair them with Incline DB Rows. The Landmines will be done for 10 reps on each side, while 6-10 Incline DB Rows will be performed. Perform 2 Rounds of each movement.

Your "finisher" will consist of Band J-Rows paired with Med Ball Pushups. Two Sets of 15-20 reps will be performed. The Band J Rows will help strengthen your Upper Back and resist the constant internal rotation that your shoulders will endure, and the Med Ball Pushups will help promote recovery, while also enhancing your shoulder stability.

So there you have it. Get strong, and watch those distances soar! For examples of unknown exercises, please consult our YouTube page!

-Matt

Hockey Training Schedule

Hi Matt,

I am trying to make a training schedule for myself this year. I am  20 year old Club Hockey Player down in Maryland. I am planning on trying to get in 3 Full Body workouts a week, and am getting on the ice 3X/week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays). Should I lift on the same days that I skate? Or should I lift on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday (I can't lift on Fridays because I work all day). Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

-Harry, Rockville, MD

Harry,

Thanks for your question, and best of luck this hockey season. Full body workouts are very CNS intensive...they take A LOT out of you. Since you will be skating 3X/week in addition to your lifts, I think it may be wiser to plan on 1 Upper Body Workout, 1 Lower Body Workout, and 1 Full Body Workout during each week. I would reccomend that you try this schedule out:

Sunday-OFF

Monday- Lower Body Lift

Tuesday- Skate

Wednesday- Upper Body Lift

Thursday- Skate

Friday- OFF

Saturday- AM- Full Body Lift

                  PM- Skate

In terms of allowing your lower body to get STRONG, while still allotting ample recovery, I think that this plan is the way to go.

Be sure to let me know how it goes!

Matt

In Season Training for Football Players

Metabolic Conditioning for Wrestling

Q: I am trying to get into shape for wrestling…should I run cross country?