Great Sports Performance Training does NOT include... (Part 1)

Hello Everyone!

(This series is inspired by real conversations I've had with athletes recently. These are real topics that need clarification.)

Great speed, strength, and power training (sports performance) does NOT include...puking.

If you are learning new speed skills, moving weights properly in the weight room, and developing into a more complete athlete, there is no room (or point) in getting sick during training. And puking should not be your indicator of whether you had a great workout or not.

Getting sick during or after a workout is a physical sign that you've pushed your body to the point where it thinks it needs to empty it's stomach contents so there is less need for blood in the digestive system and therefore more blood can go to the muscular and aerobic systems (for survival). This is a scenario that rarely ever happens in a game setting (at any level of competition).

It's important to understand the difference between speed and agility training and conditioning.

Speed and Agility: individual skills. One specific event/moment. Example: The speed needed to run past your man. The agility needed to defend a play.

Conditioning: being able to repeat the speed and agility of your sport throughout the course of an entire game. Keeping your level of skill throughout your playing time. Example: Repeatedly being able to transition from offense to defense on the soccer field or basketball court. Being able to give it your all on every play during a football drive.

Spending time here is not needed to make you a better athlete.

You don't learn anything when you puke during training. You don't get faster or stronger when you're getting sick. Anyone can run bleachers and suicides until they puke. Very few people can teach you how to perform your sport at a faster, quicker, stronger, and more powerful level.

If you are 4 or less weeks from your first game, then it's important your conditioned enough to be able to play. This may be the time where you have a challenging, game-like conditioning session, that causes some tummy discomfort (but again, your goal shouldn't be getting all the way sick).

If you are in your off-season you should be focusing on LEARNING how to be a faster, quicker, stronger and more powerful athlete. It's the time to fine tune your movements so you can develop into a more complete athlete.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Winning Youth Coaching Podcast interviews Coach Amanda

Hello Everyone!

Recently, I had the great pleasure of being interviewed by The Winning Youth Coaching (WYC) Podcast. Winning Youth Coaching is a podcast for the mom or dad coach that has a passion for impacting young people through a positive coaching experience.

During my interview with Host Craig Haworth, I share a lot of tips and insights about coaching young people. I also include information on better warmups and safe strength and conditioning for kids.

I encourage everyone to listen to the Winning Youth Coaching podcast as I have personally listened to every episode and have learned some great tips every time.

Click HERE to listen to my interview (it's free!). 

For tips on better warmups, "common sense" training tips, and more listen to WYC Ep30!

 Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Why Ohio State Won the 2015 National Championship

Hello Everyone!

There are many reasons why The Ohio State Buckeyes should NOT have won the first ever College National Championship decided by playoffs. 

They lost their starting QB Braxton Miller to a season-ending shoulder injury during fall practice. 

They lost at home to Virginia Tech by two touchdowns. 

They had to cope with the death of scout team player Kosta Karageorge. 

They lost their second QB J.T. Barrett to a season ending broken ankle. 

For most teams, having just one of these huge challenges would be enough to count them down and out. Yet, Ohio State persevered through it all. How did they do it?

The best way to answer that question is with another, "What was Ohio State's goal this year?"

TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. 

Complete buy-in to this goal was what gave Ohio State the ability to overcome their multiple setbacks. They had to stay focused on their belief in their goal.

A great lesson for athletes:

There will be a time in your athletic journey that something unexpected happens. You need to have unwavering belief in your goal in order to be able to overcome the inevitable setbacks.

If Ohio State can achieve their goal of winning a National Championship, then you can achieve your goal too. What is your goal and how much do you truly believe in it?

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Get to Know Your Coach: Alec White

AGSP athletes get to work with the area's best sports performance coaches. Get to know Coach Alec better and what advice he has for athletes.

Our athletes know you as Coach Alec White, what does Coach Alec like to do outside of making athletes better?
In my spare time I enjoy working out, spending time with family and friends, watching movies, and playing video games.

How did you get started working with athletes?
I realized I enjoyed working with athletes when I began training my friends in high school and college. I began training my friend and then it spread to two underclassmen as well. Both of which were all-league as seniors in 2014, in addition to one of them being an all-state selection.

Based on your experience, what is the one, biggest physical skill that today's athlete lacks? How do you address that need?
Flexibility, not in terms of stretching, but being able to move fluently. That is so crucial in today’s world of sports. Flexibility is the one thing I constantly had to work on throughout my career. Being able to open up my hips helped me get away from being robotic. I think doing exercises with a full range of motion and not taking shortcuts can best address the problem. Another solution is for athletes to take more time to stretch and cool down post workout. Lastly, I think beginning yoga helped me a ton during my athletic career.

You have a lot of personal athletic experience, how has your experience as a football player helped your current athletes?
I think my experience as a collegiate football player allows me to give better feedback to the current athletes because I have experienced the good and bad and have most likely been in there shoes in some way, shape, or form. Also, I know the work and effort it takes to make it to the next level.

What do you like most about working with athletes?
I really enjoy giving back to athletes, because I know I was in there shoes before. I really enjoy being in the atmosphere around athletes and the competitive nature that I see in younger athletes; it makes working with them a lot easier.

What advice would you give today's athlete?
Work hard!!!! You don’t get to the next level or where you want to be without putting in the work first. If you don’t someone else will work harder than you and take what you wanted.

Thanks Coach Alec for all your great coaching!
 

Olympic Lifts and Athlete Success: Jon Dawson

Hello Everyone!

Jon Dawson was one of the first athletes to join AGSP back in 2007 when the Stow facility first opened. Jon started training at AGSP to become a faster, stronger, and more powerful football player for Green High School.

As part of his training Jon learned how to perform the Olympic Lifts which are the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. We teach all of our athletes these lifts because they develop power, speed, strength, coordination, and confidence.

Jon Dawson's 2nd Snatch attempt at a recent lifting event.

Jon has become passionate about the Olympic Lifts and has continued his athletic career as a competitive weight lifter. Since learning the right way to lift at AGSP he is now on the path to becoming one of Ohio's greatest Olympic Weightlifters. He has already broken state records and is gaining a lot of attention in the weightlifting world.

Check out this video of Jon in action at the recent http://youtu.be/t3GfMQ6DVIs


We are excited for Jon and wish him continued success as he pursues his Olympic dream. As our slogan goes, "there are no shortcuts to athletic success!" Through hard-work and doing things right, athletes like Jon become successful!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Advice from a D1 Football Player

Hello Everyone!

At AGSP we are under the same roof as Akron General's physical therapists and award-winning rec center, Lifestyles. All the departments share each others resources and recently as a 5:30 pm group was headed back into the weight room, a physical therapy patient, who is also a Division One football player, was finishing his prescribed exercises (he's so strong he needed to use our sports performance weight room).

Akron General Sports Performance, physical therapy, and Lifestyles are all under the same roof!

Putting him on the spot I asked him in front of the 5:30 pm group, "knowing what you know now, what advice would you give these aspiring athletes?"

His honest answer was more powerful than I could of imagined. He said,

• "Take care of your grades. I didn't and lost my opportunity at a Big Ten Football Program. Because of my grades I had to leave and start anew at a Mid-Atlantic Conference school. 
• If you take care of the weight room, you'll be further ahead than most athletes. 
• When you get older you'll realize that most of the time your parents and coaches were actually right. So make sure you're respectful and listen to them.
• Don't follow along with your friends/teammates if they're doing something you know isn't good for you. It's hard to think now, but when you're in college your high school friends and teammates may not be there. If you have athletic dreams, do what you know is best to fulfill those dreams." 

The honest humility and wisdom this Division One football player shared with us (people he doesn't know at all) was incredible. I felt this great advice is something every athlete should hear!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Cleveland Basketball School

Hello Everyone!

Recently I had the opportunity to guest coach at The Cleveland Basketball School. I love watching Coach Paul and Head Trainer Robbie in action as they create a positive learning environment.

Things that The Cleveland Basketball School does well that makes them a great program are:

• Every drill is purposeful and practical. Ever drill they do I can see basketball players actual use in a game. 
• Drills are explained! So many programs just tell their athletes to "do this because I said so". Not CBS, every drill is broken down into the "why we want you to do it this way is because". This is such an important piece of athletics, making sure the athletes LEARN, not mindlessly have them do drills. 
• Teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun are focused on from start to finish. These three attributes go great together and are the foundation of CBS. I've never seen as many young people clap and encourage each other as I have at CBS. 

Coach Paul and Head Trainer Robbie in action in Brecksville, Ohio.

To guest coach at such a great program is truly an honor. I always look forward to spending time at CBS. To learn more about The Cleveland Basketball School check out their website at www.clevelandbasketballschool.com  and follow them on their social media outlets at Facebook www.facebook.com/clevelandbasketballschool , Head Trainer Robbie's Twitter www.twitter.com/RHaught55 and their two Instagrams www.instagram.com/cbsball and www.instagram.com/robbiehaught 

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance