[ComeFlyWithMe]

What is everyone doing?

I know that Shelby Valley has started the Bigger, Faster, Stronger Program. They seem to be working pretty hard. What's your team doing?

[warriorpride]

East Ridge has been lifting weights and speed traning. But thats all so far with Coach Ratliff coaching basketball.

[A Decent Lineman]

Same with Hazard, strength and conditioning. Lifting (squats, bench, power clean, leg drive, push press, incline, all that good stuff..lol) and then bleachers and sprints and stuff like that.

[BlackcatAlum]

Prestonsburg started about three weeks after the season came to and end, and they have players Conditioning every day. Some players goto Football practice and then they go to Track practice. I don't see how some of them stand doing practices for different sports back to back, every day.

[BIGBLACK]

I don't see how some of them stand doing practices for different sports back to back, every day.

Heart and determination. Players with this kind of attitude is exactly what's going to bring Prestonsburg back from the ruins.

[BlackcatAlum]

Heart and determination. Players with this kind of attitude is exactly what's going to bring Prestonsburg back from the ruins.

I never thought we where in the ruins but, I agree with you.

[Redneck]

Heart and determination. Players with this kind of attitude is exactly what's going to bring Prestonsburg back from the ruins.

Prestonsburg has always done this, well for as long as I can remember. Heck use to the boys who played basketball had to go to football before basketball, and on game days they had to lift at school durin the day. But you're right, heart and determination is what it takes to be a winner.

[Panther1]

The MINIMUM -- basically what EVERY competitive team is doing -- is to lift (Bench, Squat, and Olympic Lifts) 3 or 4 days a week, do some agility/athleticism work, and some speed work.

(Are there still schools out there that DON'T have an organized off-season strength program at least 3 days a week either after school or with a PE teacher that is also a football coach???)

The real question is what schools have players making an EXTRA commitment beyond the minimum?

Back in the 70s, there were very few schools in the state that had an organized strength program -- and they're the ones that won it all almost every year. Lifting gave those schools an "edge."

Now, that's pretty much the MINIMUM and EVERYBODY is lifting.

Who is it that's doing something different than simply what everyone else is doing that gives them the EDGE? (I'd specifically like to know what the team I follow -- Pikeville -- is doing beyond the minimum!)

[BC75]

It should be hard. Now is the time for endurance and weights. That way in the late summer/early fall you can work on fundamentals and have your players be able to go through a practice.

[Estaban Esteves]

Well most of our guys wrestle and that will make you really tough...try going through one season....our backs put up 280 the other day it was pretty impressive they work pretty hard without coachs even having to tell them..

[Estaban Esteves]

besides lifting what can you do for footwork?? and speed?

[BlackcatAlum]

Well most of our guys wrestle and that will make you really tough...try going through one season....our backs put up 280 the other day it was pretty impressive they work pretty hard without coachs even having to tell them..

What school do you represent?

[Estaban Esteves]

[Meaty]

Somerset has been lifting 4 days a week and doing speed and agility 3 days a week... We started the week after the season ended.

[DevilsWin]

besides lifting what can you do for footwork?? and speed?

The same footwork drills you do during Football season. Track is a big help in developing good speed in the backfield. All Football Players should run track.

[Panther1]

Track is a big help in developing good speed in the backfield. All Football Players should run track.

I always see this written, but not sure if I agree.

If you're doing track in hopes to "help your speed," it means your speed maybe isn't great. If you're not one of the TWO or THREE fastest kids on your team, your coach is going to have you compete in something OTHER than the 100m dash (the only true all-out SPRINT event).

What if track wants you to run 400meter dash or 200meter dash, or worse, the 1-mile or 2-mile run? Running doesn't make you faster, SPRINTING makes you faster. If you're working on running at 400m pace, your 40yard dash isn't necessarily going to improve (and it MIGHT even get WORSE!).

Maybe your coach wants you to throw shot or long jump. IF your goal in running track is to help you for football (as I hear many people suggest), is the time spent working on those things on a weekly basis going to help MORE than if you were lifting, sprinting, etc.?

Not saying kids shouldn't run track -- if a kid can really help their track team in something and they enjoy it, they should...just that maybe the idea that football kids should automatically do it because it will "help" their football isn't all that true.

I guess I'd agree that kids should do track if the football coaches aren't doing what they should with a good year-round strength/speed program, but are there really schools that DON'T have that nowadays?

[PantherPride68]

The MINIMUM -- basically what EVERY competitive team is doing -- is to lift (Bench, Squat, and Olympic Lifts) 3 or 4 days a week, do some agility/athleticism work, and some speed work.

(Are there still schools out there that DON'T have an organized off-season strength program at least 3 days a week either after school or with a PE teacher that is also a football coach???)

The real question is what schools have players making an EXTRA commitment beyond the minimum?

Back in the 70s, there were very few schools in the state that had an organized strength program -- and they're the ones that won it all almost every year. Lifting gave those schools an "edge."

Now, that's pretty much the MINIMUM and EVERYBODY is lifting.

Who is it that's doing something different than simply what everyone else is doing that gives them the EDGE? (I'd specifically like to know what the team I follow -- Pikeville -- is doing beyond the minimum!)

Go up and watch Coach Copelys workout program sometime and youll see what our boys are doing and the word "minimum" wont be the word you use to describe it.

[Panther1]

Go up and watch Coach Copelys workout program sometime and youll see what our boys are doing and the word "minimum" wont be the word you use to describe it.

Thanks...that's what I was hoping.

[DevilsWin]

I always see this written, but not sure if I agree.

If you're doing track in hopes to "help your speed," it means your speed maybe isn't great. If you're not one of the TWO or THREE fastest kids on your team, your coach is going to have you compete in something OTHER than the 100m dash (the only true all-out SPRINT event).

What if track wants you to run 400meter dash or 200meter dash, or worse, the 1-mile or 2-mile run? Running doesn't make you faster, SPRINTING makes you faster. If you're working on running at 400m pace, your 40yard dash isn't necessarily going to improve (and it MIGHT even get WORSE!).

Maybe your coach wants you to throw shot or long jump. IF your goal in running track is to help you for football (as I hear many people suggest), is the time spent working on those things on a weekly basis going to help MORE than if you were lifting, sprinting, etc.?

Not saying kids shouldn't run track -- if a kid can really help their track team in something and they enjoy it, they should...just that maybe the idea that football kids should automatically do it because it will "help" their football isn't all that true.

I guess I'd agree that kids should do track if the football coaches aren't doing what they should with a good year-round strength/speed program, but are there really schools that DON'T have that nowadays?

This is your opinion. I stated mine earlier.

Fact is alot of schools don't have a great offseason training program. Most of them aren't even mandatory.

If you are a lineman or oversized to run competetively you can still benefit from track if you have the right coach. Shot and disc is all about technique with some emphasis on strength.

At Russell we had the advantage of our track coach(one of the winningest coaches in the state) also being our Freshman football coach, Jim Epling. So he knew what to have us do to improve our footspeed and flexibility as football players. And he hated the baseball program.

Practice started everyday with a team strength half mile, followed by lots of unorthodox running exercises.

Big guys had the "Beefer Relay". and they practiced for this with sprints and 800-400 meters. This also improves stamina, endurance and conditioning.

Russell doesn't have a mandatory weight program and only a few lift every day.

Can you argue with the success of Russells football or Track programs?

I think not.

So keep thinking what your thinking and maybe we'll hope to see you in November to see who knows more about strength and conditioning.

[Panther1]

Fact is alot of schools don't have a great offseason training program.

If you re-read my post, you'll see that I had a caveat in there about this.

If you are a lineman or oversized to run competetively you can still benefit from track if you have the right coach.

Ahhhh, but my post was about how track isn't AUTOMATICALLY going to help a kid doing it JUST to get better at football. Part of MY point is that many kids go to schools that DON'T HAVE THE "RIGHT" COACH in track and field.

At Russell we had the advantage of our track coach(one of the winningest coaches in the state) also being our Freshman football coach, Jim Epling. So he knew what to have us do to improve our footspeed and flexibility as football players. And he hated the baseball program.

AHHHH, I agree...IF you're fortunate enough to have a "football-friendly" track coach, then track COULD help you get better for football. Again, NOT my original point.

Big guys had the "Beefer Relay". and they practiced for this with sprints and 800-400 meters. This also improves stamina, endurance and conditioning.

All three of those things are worked on EXTENSIVELY in the pre-season of football. There's a month and a half between the end of track and the beginning of football pre-season practice. What good does it do to do something to get in "GREAT ENDURANCE SHAPE" and then have a layoff period to get out of shape, then have to get back IN shape?

Russell doesn't have a mandatory weight program and only a few lift every day.

Wow. If that's accurate I'm REALLY impressed with the Russell football program. But I'd bet their success then has more to do with the coaching expertise of the football staff and their ability to get their players to EXECUTE correctly on the field than the shotputting ability of their linemen or the 400meter prowess of their defensive backs.

Can you argue with the success of Russells football or Track programs?

I think not.

Only in this way: perhaps if their kids lifted more than "only a few lift(ing) every day" they'd have even MORE success than they've had in football? I guess you'd argue that the college programs that have year-round lifting and DON'T have their players run track instead (that would be ALL of them) are wrong and they'd be better off if they did things "the Russell way?"

Also, is there a chance that maybe a little more weight room strength MIGHT have made the difference on one or two big plays in the state championship game this year? Maybe those plays would've made a difference?

So keep thinking what your thinking and maybe we'll hope to see you in November to see who knows more about strength and conditioning.

Wow. Kind of antagonistic and defensive for someone that's so sure they're way is the right way.

Best of luck to your team.

[DevilsWin]

I originaly only responded to this post because someone was asking what they can do to improve their level of play.

My comments were directed to someone who has no clue what to do to improve during off season.

At Russell we tend to take personal responsibility for our own training and by the age of 12-13 kids already know what they need to do. Granted some of them don't.

I agree if Russell had a mandatory weight program we would probably smash everyone we played beynd comprehension.

You are also correct when you say that the off season dedication could have made up the 3 point difference in this years state game.

Complacency can be a problem at a program that is used to winning.

You make some very good points Panther 1 but you came off as arrogant and abrasive. Which is why I sounded a bit defensive.

I wish the kids did take their offseason work outs more seriously.

The only time you'll find 45 kids in the weightroom at russell is during football season. In the Mountains and alot of County schools like Boyd Co weight training is a huge part of their program.

Ironton Ohio proved how much a difference weight training makes during the 1980's and 90's.

A football oriented work out is the best. No doubt about it man. But not all schools have this luxury or philosophy.

Russell last year was a 2a team that dressed appx 85 players not including freshmen. Our depth is our strength. Always has been IMO. Great talent hasn't hurt either.

[FBALL]

I'd bet the success at Russell has to do with there has been alot of talent in the school system over the years. That talent has had the benefit of a JFL program that gets a vast majority of the boys in the school system interested in football at an early age. Talent, depth and experience coaching staff = success. And yes Alot of that talent does work in the off season either on their own or at the fieldhouse.

When I played it was not mandatory but most of those that were on the field did do off season conditioning and weight training.

[Panther1]

You make some very good points Panther 1 but you came off as arrogant and abrasive. Which is why I sounded a bit defensive.

Sorry if I came off as "arrogant" (after all, I did start off the post saying "I was NOT SURE that I agree" that track is automatically good for football -- an arrogant person wouldn't have left any doubt that they thought they knew what was absolutely right).

I think you and I have more IN common than not on this issue...my point was to refute those that say track IN GENERAL is some kind of ONE WAY ticket to making you better at football. You seem to be making the point to refute those that say more football-specific "off-season workouts" are a ONE WAY ticket to making you better at football.

More than one way to skin a cat (too bad there's not a SMILY for that!).

[cowgirl34]

The MINIMUM -- basically what EVERY competitive team is doing -- is to lift (Bench, Squat, and Olympic Lifts) 3 or 4 days a week, do some agility/athleticism work, and some speed work.

(Are there still schools out there that DON'T have an organized off-season strength program at least 3 days a week either after school or with a PE teacher that is also a football coach???)

The real question is what schools have players making an EXTRA commitment beyond the minimum?

Back in the 70s, there were very few schools in the state that had an organized strength program -- and they're the ones that won it all almost every year. Lifting gave those schools an "edge."

Now, that's pretty much the MINIMUM and EVERYBODY is lifting.

Who is it that's doing something different than simply what everyone else is doing that gives them the EDGE? (I'd specifically like to know what the team I follow -- Pikeville -- is doing beyond the minimum!)

Ok now everyone is talking about the pikeville panthers workout lol. Wooooo heal pikeville workout!! lol there not doing nothing special and you know i bet every school does exact what they do! At valley they are doing the Program BSF and its helped the kids alot and they are never slowing down. But when my friend was in weightlifting he was always telling me that hampton was a crazy *** Hole that really worked out WITH THEM and never shaves his arms and arm pits like pikevilles so called (WEIGHTLIFTING COACH). I would line these boys up against any of the ones from pikeville. Oh yeah I did forget b/c didn't they already line-up in passleage and valley kicked there ***! YEP! If the workout was so hard and good why wasn't they strong and mean enough to whip VALLEY! So pikeville needs to calm the **** down about there mean *** work out that they do. I BET $100 THAT THEY COULDN'T COME UP HERE AND DO THE WORKOUT THAT VALLEY DOES AND THEY WOULD FOLD OVER LIKE THE PUSSYS THEY REALLY ARE!

[HillyBillBob]

Ok now everyone is talking about the pikeville panthers workout lol. Wooooo heal pikeville workout!! lol there not doing nothing special and you know i bet every school does exact what they do! At valley they are doing the Program BSF and its helped the kids alot and they are never slowing down. But when my friend was in weightlifting he was always telling me that hampton was a crazy *** Hole that really worked out WITH THEM and never shaves his arms and arm pits like pikevilles so called (WEIGHTLIFTING COACH). I would line these boys up against any of the ones from pikeville. Oh yeah I did forget b/c didn't they already line-up in passleage and valley kicked there ***! YEP! If the workout was so hard and good why wasn't they strong and mean enough to whip VALLEY! So pikeville needs to calm the **** down about there mean *** work out that they do. I BET $100 THAT THEY COULDN'T COME UP HERE AND DO THE WORKOUT THAT VALLEY DOES AND THEY WOULD FOLD OVER LIKE THE PUSSYS THEY REALLY ARE!

Are you so sure of this? If you've never watched an actual workout how do you know for a fact that valley would beat pikeville? :confused:

[dfblackcat53]

besides lifting what can you do for footwork?? and speed?

for fast feet dot drills and ladder drills..speed all comes from lifting and conditioning (squat, deadlift, full clean, etc)

[footballdaddy10]

Bath county has been going through a 3 day weightlifting workout, along with a 2 day plyometric workout. This should improve overall speed, footwork, and endurance for the players. Hope to see them do well next year.

[tomcatscc23]

at ashland if a player isnt playing a spring sport we lift during school, after school then as soon as the boys basketball season is over we start spring practice that ends in our maroon and white spring game

[cats eye]

Well most of our guys wrestle and that will make you really tough...try going through one season....our backs put up 280 the other day it was pretty impressive they work pretty hard without coachs even having to tell them..

Wreslting and backs bench pressing 280. Hmm sounds like Sheldon Clark.

[BBB]

Russell has averaged over 40 kids a day in the weight room 3days a week for the past 5 years. Some kids lift with the team along with going to the local gym. This has been a big part of their program going so deep into the playoffs.