In October (2019), I went down to Baton Rouge with my good friend David Cusano (Head T&F Coach – Colby College) to shadow Boo Schexnayder and the LSU track and field program. During the time we were there, the team was starting their second cycle of GPP. They were coming off a recovery week and starting the first microcycle (5th overall) of mesocycle 2. We had no idea what to expect, but the trip far exceeded our epectations. Once we got back, we collected our notes and got on the phone to discuss and review our trip. This recording is 2 hours and 45 minutes long and covers sprints, hurdles, jumps, strength and power training, coaching administration, program mastery, rehabilitation, periodization, and more… Originally, I…
Archives
Summer Sale Sneak Peak – Massive Savings
Our Summer Super Sale will begin on Thursday, July 20 and run through Sunday, July 23. So here’s how it works: From Thursday 7/20 – Sunday 7/23, every Complete Track and Field program is on sale for 25% off when you use coupon code: CTFSUMMER. HOWEVER: Each day of the sale we will be highlighting a specific event group/category where you can get up to 50% off our most popular individual programs and program bundles ON THAT DAY ONLY. For example, all Middle Distance programs will be 25% off all week. But, on Thursday, July 20, all Middle Distance programs will be 40-50% off for that day only. On 7/21, sale prices go back to 25%. If you’re in the market for programs addressing 600m – 1600m,…
4 Reasons to Attend This Strength & Conditioning Certification Course
UPDATE (August 3, 2015, 3:53 PM Eastern): The USTFCCCA Strength & Conditioning Certification with Boo Schexnayder is Sold Out! We’ve reached our hard cap of 75 coaches and will no longer be accepting registrations. If you’re one of the coaches who got in, we’ll be nerding out soon with many of the top area high school and college coaches! If you’re on the outside looking in, scroll down to save big on some of Boo’s best coaching programs. -LT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The goal was to get 45 coaches registered for Boo Schexnayder’s T&F Strength and Conditioning Certification Course on August 22-23 at Bishop Hendricken HS in Warwick, RI. With 3 weeks to go, we’ve got 76 coaches registered and will no longer be accepting any entries….
Blizzard of 2015: Video Playlist
Where I live, there’s a blizzard happening. I can’t tell you how excited I am to shovel the 24+ inches of snow that has fallen. By excited, I mean I will cry myself to sleep tonight. Regardless, I thought I’d share a video playlist from my YouTube Channel. And by ‘I thought’, I mean I stole the idea from another coach. (Thanks Coach Bartlett!) The list contains a video or two covering each event group. Also, if you decide to purchase the programs affiliated with some of the videos, you’ll get 20% off when you enter Complete Track and Field coupon code: BLIZZARD SPRINTS How to Get Set Up in the Blocks to Ensure an Explosive ‘Zero Step’ Every sprinter needs to improve…
Contrast Training Methods for Sprinters
Before I dive into the details for why sprinters and athletes should utilize this type of training, I’m going to first define what it is exactly. Contrast Training was first introduced to me by Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell. This type of training involves a “contrast” or some source of variable resistance as you perform an exercise throughout a range of motion. Bands and chains placed around the bar are the most common implements used to create this effect. Contrast Training addresses the concept of “Accommodating Resistance.” Due to changes in the detail of movement throughout an exercise, the degree of difficulty or level of resistance working against us changes automatically. I’m sure many are probably familiar with what I’m talking about. Take the back…
You’re Fired Friday (Vol. 2)
It’s a New Year and I can’t think of a better time to release another installment of me indiscriminately firing people on the Interwebs, especially since coaches seemed to enjoy the first version. The theme of today’s episode: Professionalism, Status and the Ego If you start getting worked up, be sure to look over my left shoulder. Then post your comments below. – LT
3 NOT Track & Field Specific Programs I recommend (25% off, too!)
I implement a lot of coaching and training ideas and programs coming from *outside* of the world of track and field specific coaches and organizations. I think it’s important to branch out in order to get a different perspective from the ‘field and court sport’ and ‘strength and conditioning’ universe. One organization I’m proud to be involved with, promotes an excellent mission and creates phenomenal programs from outstanding coaches is the International Youth Conditioning Assocication (IYCA). Today I’m recommending three IYCA programs for you to consider. As part of their Cyber Monday sale, all of these programs are 25% off when you use coupon code THANKS at checkout. 1. Game Play Performance Why I like it: Athletic development requires more than just relentless biomotor…
Top 4 Farmers Walk Handles Exercises
No Funding? No Problem! Homemade Training Equipment for Teams with Tight Budgets. After the release of the first homemade training equipment article and video highlighting the use of sandbags to gain more strength, power, and explosive speed, a lot of emails and questions were sent from readers wondering about my mention of farmers walk handles in the video. After all, aren’t farmers walk handles only good for one thing? The answer might surprise you. Expensive, welded store bought farmers walk handles are usually good for one or two exercises. There is the suitcase deadlift where weight is loaded on to each handle and deadlifted off the ground (think of lifting 2 heavy suitcases at the airport) and of course, the farmers walk event. The…
Top 5 Sandbag Training Exercises
No Funding? No Problem! Here are my Top 5 (Homemade) Sandbag Training Exercises for teams committed to getting stronger…even with tight budgets! You find yourself in this position every year. You go to your AD and present him with your list of needs for the season. Your old uniforms are looking a little tattered and a few “walked off” last year. You have some hurdles that need replacing. The high jump crossbar has more tape holding it together than ever and it won’t make it through the season. You have starting block rails and pedals scattered around the storage shed but somehow you can’t make a complete unit to use at practice. Oh, and in addition to all this you want medicine balls, plyo boxes,…
5 Easy Ways to Use Weight Training to Develop Speed and Power
Track and field is quite simply speed and power quantified. Nearly ever event (aside from the distance events) reward athletes that are faster and create more force faster than their opponents. Even athletes that are not competing for state championships or all-american status, are comparing their current speed and power to what they were formerly capable. The weightroom is one of the easiest places to develop improved speed and power through smart training. The following 5 exercises (and not all of them are Olympic lifts) are great movements to improve speed and power on the track. 1. Hang Clean- You will notice that I did not say the Power Clean. Power cleans are the staple of most training programs, but the key is by doing…
How Sprinters Use Cleans and Olympic Lifts for Strength Training
How does the fastest woman on earth do cleans? Cleans have been in the programs of track and field athletes for decades. Throwers, sprinters, and jumpers can all benefit from training in the weight room with cleans and snatches due to the high threshold motor unit recruitment that is unique to lifting with the Olympic style lifts. Heck, even the world’s fastest woman is doing cleans in this youtube video. She asked for viewers to not critique her at about :30 into the video, but with all apologies to Carmelita, I am going to critique her. The video actually starts off well, despite Ms. Jeter’s protesting that she doesn’t know what she is doing, she gets in a great start position with her arms…
Peaking Your Sprinters and Field Athletes with the Olympic Lifts
The first of June means one thing in track and field. The most important time in nearly all of track and field for anyone competing in the United States. And you want to be peaking. Championship season. Collegiate conference meets have happened. NCAA regionals are in the book. Most track and field athletes are reaching the pinnacle of their season. For high school athletes it means that the state finals are underway. For collegiate athletes it means the NCAA meet is right around the corner. I remember this time of year fondly as a competitor. I was fortunate enough to compete in state finals as a high schooler, and the NCAA meet as a collegiate athlete. There is no more exciting time of the year….