Athletes don't workout

Hello Everyone!

Athletes need to stop looking at their strength, speed, and power training as workouts. Athletes are not working out, athletes are TRAINING and PRACTICING their game-needed speed, strength, and power skills.

Athletes should be spending their time in the gym and weight room with the priority of, "how is this time going to help me play better and at a higher level?"

Developing vertical power, hip rotation, and proper athletic landings.

The training sessions at AGSP are designed to help athletes gain the speed moves, flexibility, range of motion, biomechanics, physics, strength and power that all great athletes have.

Getting faster laterally (side to side) improves your defensive skills.

Other programs like those in muscle magazines, rec centers, Crossfit and boot camps are great for general population and those looking to get healthy and fit. But Professional Sports teams and Division One Collegiate programs don't train their athletes with these programs, they train their athletes scientifically and specifically for the speed, strength, and power assets their athletes need to play their sport better.  (Remember people's jobs are on the line at these levels so they have to do exactly what will help their athletes win.) And that's what we do at AGSP, we equip our athletes with the same science-based approach.

Short hill sprints WITH resistance bands make you a faster, stronger runner. 

Being in the gym/weight room doesn't guarantee you're getting faster, stronger, and more powerful for your game.

When your athletic career is over, you can utilize other great workout programs like Crossfit or boot camps, but until then, TRAIN like the D1s and Pros!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Get In

Hello Everyone!

If an athlete wants to get in the game, they first need to get in the training and preparation. High School Sports today are more competitive than ever. You don't play at the high school level today by accident. You play by effort, sweat, and getting in the work.

GETTING IN some core/ab work at Akron General Sports Performance.

Here are some things athletes have to GET IN before they can expect to get in the game:

• GET IN the weight room!Your athletic career will end when everyone else is stronger than you. Don't let that happen when strength is a byproduct of your choices or lack there of, to get in the weight room.  

• GET IN the speed training!Speed is king! Respect the king and learn how to get faster. Speed can be taught and coached! The top prospects never train alone, they find great coaches and get trained by them. 

• GET IN the coach's office!It may be a surprise to you, but your coach actually knows a lot about your sport. When was the last time YOU asked to meet with them and talk shop? At the very least, you'll learn what your coach looks for in athletes. 

• GET IN the classroom!One day your sports career will end, how much education will you have to fall back on is 100% up to you.

All of these GET INs can be done by any athlete that chooses to do them. Getting in the game is a choice. A choice to put the effort, sweat, and work into the GET INs that come before the game starts. 

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Athlete Spotlight #77) Matthew Funtash

Hello Everyone!

Our 77th athlete has been one of the most consistent leaders we've had at AGSP. Like many successful athletes, he created a routine to follow and committed himself to that routine without fail. This simple, but powerful act of consistency...consistency to his routine, work ethic, leadership, timeliness, and great effort has led to powerful results. It's time to meet....

Athlete Name: Matthew Funtash
Sport(s): Golf
Position(s): N/A
School: Walsh Jesuit High School
Graduation Year: 2016
AGSP Athlete Since: Fall of 2014

Matt warming up with theraband medicine ball squats.

Favorite Professional Sports Team: N/A

Favorite Professional Athlete: Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, & Rickie Fowlen

Matt is one of the most focused athletes we've had at AGSP. Here he is doing a core exercise. 

Favorite Lift: Power Clean

Favorite Movement Skill: Acceleration 

When I am not training at AGSP, I am:Playing golf.

What are your short-term goals? Winning a state championship for golf this fall, 2015. 
What are your long-term goals? Playing in college. 
How has AGSP impacted your performance as an athlete? AGSP has impacted my golf performance by gaining more distance, don't get tired as quickly anymore. I have become more flexible and just overall feel better when I am playing. 

Check out some video of Matt in action at AGSP!

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

PGC/Glazier Cleveland Conference

Hello Everyone!

I was honored to be a speaker at The 2015 Cleveland PGC/Glazier Basketball Coaches Conference. Those in the basketball world know that PGC/Glazier events are the cream of the crop so I was excited to speak, but also to meet and learn from some of today's greats.

Notice the blue "Speaker" title :-)

I spoke on 3 very important basketball-focused topics from the speed, strength, and conditioning world (see photo below).

There comes a time when winter asks what you did all spring and summer!

I had great audiences for all three presentations. The coaches asked great questions and were ready to learn so they could help their athletes. The athletes of these coaches don't know how lucky they are to have such great leaders!

Me speaking on the first day of the conference.

I got to meet some great coaches and people during the weekend, like:

Cindy and Rick Torbett of Better Basketball

Sam Allen of Blue Collar Basketball and PGC.

Kassidy Hardgrove of PGC.

Everyone was incredible! Professional, knowledgeable, and passionate.

Thank you PGC/Glazier for the amazing experience and opportunity to help this great community of basketball professionals!

To learn more about PGC/Glazier Clinics visit http://www.pgcglazierbasketballclinics.com/

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Insider Baseball and Softball Skills Clinic

Former D1 Speed, Strength and Conditioning Coach 

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6-year MLB Player

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An Insider Experience of Professional and Collegiate Drills that will make you a faster, quicker, and better baseball/softball athlete! 

Coach Joe Inglett shares insider drills and skills from his MLB experience and his personal journey to the big leagues. Train like (and with) the pros at the clinic! 

Originally from California, Coach Joe came to Ohio thanks to the Cleveland Indians.

Coach Joe trained with speed, strength and conditioning coaches throughout his baseball career and knows that speed and strength training is a must for any player at any level.Teaming up with me (Coach Amanda Kephart) makes the Insider Clinic the first of its kind in Northeast Ohio! 

To be a pro like Coach Joe you have to be FAST!

"Coach Amanda sees the science and physics behind the movements and drills I mastered as a professional baseball player. We've worked together to make a one of a kind clinic that's sure to make the players better. She breaks down how to move, I show them how to move like that on the diamond." 

Coach Joe developed Strength and Power to excel over his 6 years in MLB.

Register soon as spots are limited!

Athlete Spotlight #76) Riley Feltner

Hello Everyone!

Our 76th athlete has embraced training at AGSP and seen great results in a short amount of time! A very humble athlete with tremendous potential, this athlete is committed to being the best he can be. He makes the most of every workout and is always trying to improve. He is driven and self-motivated to achieve his goals. It’s time to meet our newest athlete spotlight!

Athlete Name: Riley Feltner 
Sport(s): Baseball
Position(s): Catcher, Pitcher, 1st Base, 3rd Base
School:Seton Catholic School
Graduation Year: 2015
AGSP Athlete Since: 2014

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Cleveland Indians

Favorite Professional Athlete: Trevor Baur, Ken Griffey Jr. 

Favorite Lift:Back Squat

Favorite Movement Skill: Lateral Movements 

When I am not training at AGSP, I am: playing baseball at school or playing ping-pong.

What are your short-term goals? Play varsity baseball as a freshman, weight 170 lbs., 1.90 pop time freshman year, and throw 90 mph off mound. 
What are your long-term goals? Be 1st round 2019 MLB draft. 
How has AGSP impacted your performance as an athlete? AGSP has made me faster, stronger, and more powerful. My numbers in the weight room and on our speed/agility have been improving. I see a significant improvement in the batting cages, on the pitching mound, and behind the plate. 

Check out some video of Riley in action at AGSP!

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Why Baseball and Softball Players Slide into Bases

Hello Everyone!

Why do baseball and softball athletes slide? Often the first response is to avoid the tag out, which is true, but there's more to it than that.

AGSP athlete, Tyler Tofil, slides to avoid the home-plate tag. Read-on for the other reason why baseball players slide.

Why do baseball and softball players almost never slide into first base? First base is unique because it's the only base (besides home) that you are allowed to run through. You don't have to stop on first. 

This rule is why baseball and softball athletes have learned to slide into second and third base. Because sliding is the fastest way to stop!

When players are flying around the bases, especially when trying for extra bases, there is no better way to stop all that forward energy than to slide. Trying to use your legs and hips to stop creates a ton of unneeded force on the joints and ligaments. It is also a slower way to stop than sliding. Even when athletes do stop by using their feet and hips, they find it challenging to not sway off of the base.

Many athletes train to improve their starting speed and running, but very few ever focus on stopping (deceleration). You can have all the speed in the world, but if you can't stop fast and controlled than you won't be able to do much once you get to where you're going.

If you're a baseball or softball player you need to train to improve your sliding. If you're football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, etc you need to train to improve your stopping!

We teach athletes how to stop on a dime so they can make big plays and do what others can't.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance