In the world of sports, the question that everyone is asking is "What can I do to get better?" The answer obviously lies in practicing the sport you play. However, what is done in the off-season separates the good players from the great players. At Elite Athlete Training Systems, we have developed a strength and conditioning program that we feel is the absolute best for our athletes. There are a million ways to train an athlete; but years of quality experience have shown what works well for us.

Generally, we do one set per exercise and one to two exercises per body part. We do a full body workout twice a week within 45-60 minutes. The key to our program's success is in the intensity of training. We require 100% effort from every athlete, every workout. Each set is taken to momentary muscular failure (the point at which no more reps can be completed). This method of training is commonly referred to as High Intensity Training (H.I.T.). It is a style of training that was developed by Dr. Ellington Darden in the 1960's but popularized in the early 1980's by former Washington Redskins Strength Coach and current Houston Texans Strength Coach Dan Riley. Some other very successful programs that currently use the H.I.T. system include: Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan. These programs train their athletes like athletes - not like bodybuilders. There is a big difference in training these two populations.

Traditionalists often state that a sound strength-training program should consist of a high volume of work with a generous amount of rest time in between sets. A sample multi-set program works on a progressive increase in weights as the lifter moves through the sets, with only the last set(s) going to momentary muscular failure (see figure 1a). H.I.T., on the other hand, involves going to MMF on the first set (with an optional second set to follow) (see figure 1b). As far as repetition ranges are concerned, our athletes normally do 10-15 reps for an upper body movement and 15-20 reps for a lower body movement.
 

Figure 1a

Wt/Rep 

*Sets 4 & 5 being the maximal failure sets

Figure 1b (Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 - Optional Set)

Wt/Rep 

*Warm-up set (done only if it is the first exercise)
**Sets 2 & 3 being maximal failure sets

H.I.T. gives the athletes more in less time. Jeff Friday, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Baltimore Ravens states, "I feel that it best prepares the players physically and metabolically for football. The workouts are time efficient and they allow the athletes to fully recover. We offer single and multiple sets all year round but during the season the most popular workouts are the single set workouts."

Variation - Stuck in a Rut?

Variation is another very important ingredient for success. Anyone who has ever lifted weights for a consistent period of time has eventually reached a plateau in size and/or strength. This is caused by a lack of variation, which leads to a lack of stimulation. The General Adaptation Syndrome, by Hans Selye, states that the body will eventually adapt to any given stimulus that is placed upon it. Therefore, it is wise to develop a program that not only intense but also constant incorporates variation as well. Variation includes the following: change in exercise type, repetition range, amount of weight, time of recovery between sets and workouts, and length of workout.

Recovery - The Forgotten Component.

It is a well-established fact that strength can not be gained without proper recovery. You do not build muscle in the weight room. You simply stimulate the muscles for growth in the weight room by overloading them through resistance training. The growth comes from adequate recovery, sleep, relaxation, and proper nutrition. A good rule of thumb is to allow 48-72 hours between strength workouts. A good example for recovery is the fact that most fitness enthusiasts' heavy days are done on Mondays. Why? Because the muscles were able too fully
recover over the weekend.

Proper strength training and conditioning is not only about the amount of weight you lift or what exercises you select. You should also focus on how you lift and what it does for you during the season. Sports are so specialized these days and so should your strength training program. All too often, trainers are picked by the size of their biceps and not the quality of their program. Athletes are strength training at younger and younger ages and their programs need to be individualized to meet their needs appropriately.

Bottom line is, if you want results you have to work hard. Hit the weights hard, use variation, get enough rest, and proper nutrition and the results will come.  Good luck and train hard!

Jason Hadeed, CCS