Drago v. Rocky Training in the woods

It’s times like these you learn to live again
It’s times like these you give and give again
It’s times like these you learn to love again
It’s times like these time and time again

-Foo Fighters

So we have all been cooped up a bit while we wait to see how things unfold. Therein for me lies a very big challenge….waiting to see how things unfold. I am the kind of guy who does the folding and unfolding how he chooses. Control. Lack of it leads to frustration for me. For some reason it made me think back to a workout I did out in the middle of nowhere about 20 years ago with a log, some stones and a nice hill. Lots of control!

I walked for about 90 seconds or so between each set.

My Rocky version legs: The log was about 8 feet long with a 2 foot diameter. Gnarly and curved, tough to hang onto. Stood it on 1 end and tipped it onto my back. Took a few attempts. Did Squats, front squats, zerchers, and walking lunges.

Drago version legs: Step into a beautiful power rack and do work.

My Rocky version pull: Found an old low lying overhang of a railroad bridge and did about every version of chin up I could think of. Regular, close, wide, supinated and pronated grips. L chin ups to get some core going as well.

Drago version pull: Step under a nice chin up bar or fancy chrome and do work.

My Rocky version push: Did some overhead presses with stones of different sizes that I found. Did some push presses but launched the stones at the end of the push instead of holding on. Some studies from the early 2000s suggest that releasing an object allows you to accelerate all of the way through to the end versus having to hold on. Holding on takes away the conscious decision of accelerating all of the way through and makes deceleration occur at the end reflexively. Also did a wide variety of push ups. Typewriters, 1 handers, elevated, etc.

Drago version push: Push presses and jerks under a barbell. Could have had some more snap on those punches if he pushed rocky style!

My rocky version total body: I used one of those stones and pushed/rolled it for about 50 yards up a fairly steep hill. One of the best total body moves i ever did. Every group involved. Core and core stability, grip, upper body extensors, total lower body, grappling effect.

Drago version: Shiny prowler push minus the instability, upper body work and core challenge.

Feels like control to me! Try it out and modify as needed.

QB Training with Coach Jeff Metheny

WHEN: STARTS WEEK OF JANUARY 6 MEETING BY APPOINTMENT. SCHEDULE WITH COACH ED VIA ED@STRENGTHFITNESSANDSPEED.COM. EVENING HOURS AND WEEKENDS AVAILABLE
WHY: QB SKILLS AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS
WHO: COACH JEFF METHENY(SEE BIO AT BOTTOM)
AGE: 8 THROUGH COLLEGE
COST: $60 PER HOUR. PAYABLE TO JEFF METHENY VIA CASH OR CHECK

Jeff Metheny has been a head high school coach for 33 years. He has coached numerous standout athletes participating in all levels of college athletics.  His specialty is quarterbacks, coaching some 18 signal callers that played at the  college level. He focuses on footwork, release, throwing motion, agility, strength, toughness and confidence.

 

2020 Lineman Skill Camp at SFAS

THIS SESSION FILLED WE ADDED A SECOND IN THE FOLLOWING HOUR!

WHEN: STARTS WEEK OF JANUARY 13 MEETING TWICE PER WEEK FOR ONE HOUR ON WEDNESDAYS AT 7 PM AND SATURDAYS AT 11AM FOR 6 WEEKS.
WHY: OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE SKILLS
WHO: COACH KEITH HUEBNER(SEE BIO AT BOTTOM)
COACH MIKE MILLIKEN(SEE BIO AT BOTTOM)
GRADES: 6TH THRU 12TH
COST: $239 to reserve your spot. Camp size limited to 12 athletes and is filling presently. Payable in advance to reserve your spot. Check payable to SFAS, Cash or Credit/Debit/Paypal on the SFAS Website.

Email ed@strengthfitnessandspeed.com with registration and payment questions and about signing up. You will be emailed a registration packet with forms and welcome info.

Contact Coach Milliken or Coach Huebner with questions about equipment and skills addressed.

The Strength, Fitness, and Speed, Inc. Facility will be
offering a six week lineman clinic in the building. The clinic will have a
CORE FOCUS on basic fundamentals.
Offensively : Some of the topics covered (but not limited too) hand
placement, pad level, combo/zone blocking, double teaming, pass
protection and bumping off.
Defensively : The skills that will be covered (but not limited too)
hand placement, slanting, angling, blitzing, tackling, twisting, splitting
double teams, and pass rush.
What will you need:
● Football helmet
● Mouth piece
● Tennis shoes
● Football jersey
● Positive attitude
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact Coach Keith Heubner or Coach Mike Milliken
for additional information.
Coach Milliken’s Cell: 724-747-3334
Coach Huebner’s Cell: 412-841-1717
Mike Milliken
-Defensive Line Coach-
_____________________________________________________
Hello, my name is Mike Milliken and I will be one of the line coaches
running the lineman clinic this winter at the Strength, Fitness, and
Speed facility. I’ve been a Line Coach / Assistant Defensive
Coordinator at Bethel Park for twenty-six years. Please take a moment
to review my credentials.
Experience:
● Bethel Park School District
○ Line Coach / Assistant Defensive Coordinator 26 years
○ Helped over 50 players attain a college scholarship (over
two million dollars)
○ WPIAL Football Champions 2008
○ Multiple All-State & All-Conference Players
○ One player currently playing in the NFL; Nick Kwiatkoski ~
Chicago Bears
○ Assisted and formulated the off-season program for Bethel
Park Football Team
○ Have made the playoffs 20 straight years in multiple
classifications
● Glenville State College
○ 1993 ~ Played for the NAIA National Championship
○ Three Year Letter Winner
○ Three Year All-Conference Player
○ College Coach Responsibilities
■ Academic / Study Hall Coordinator
■ Defensive Line Coach ~ Spring 1994

Keith Heubner Offensive Line Coach

Hello, my name is Keith Huebner and I will be the Offensive Line coach for the lineman clinic this winter at the Strength, Fitness, and Speed facility. First, let me tell you a little about myself. I played locally here at Baldwin High School where I was an All Conference and 2^nd Team All State player. After high school I went on to play football for the University of Akron where I received a full athletic scholarship. While at Akron I was a part of the 2005 MAC Championship football team as well as a 3 time letter winner. After college I started my coaching career, serving as the offensive line coach for multiple schools. I spent 3 years at Carlynton High School, 1 year at Canon-McMillan High School and the last 5 years at Bethel Park High School. In 9 years, I have had coached multiple All-Conference players and I have coached multiple player that have gone on to play in college; 2 of which have gone on to play major Division 1 football.

Soccer athlete observations and Training

6 things my staff and I notice with soccer athletes over the last 21 years:

1) Everyone could use some more strength. All else aside, more strength makes you flat out more athletic. Power is your ability to recruit strength in a hurry and is a requirement during sprinting. Power also helps during cutting, jumping and kicking. Strength and stability keeps you from getting knocked off of the ball.

2) The athletes could use some more oblique and abdominal strength, stability and power. Your lower abdomen provides the anchor from which all movement can occur. This helps when you are kicking, jumping or sprinting. Have you ever watched a player run fast without the ball and look like he or she is speed skating? This tends to happen a lot with soccer. Sometimes it is motor and is a result of elbows that are flailing to the outside but more often it is the hips that are rotating. Force generated by the hip flexors and powerful arm action can’t be controlled by the body’s secondary rotational stabilizer, the obliques.  This produces a roll in the hips, a zigzag foot strike pattern and arm action that belongs on the ice, not on the soccer field.

3) Many of the players use a crossover step to move laterally without the ball instead of an open step. Takes longer and is inefficient in moving short distances.

4) Many athletes do not dorsiflex(pull the toes up) at the ankle during planting and during the recovery phase of sprinting. This is sometimes not a natural occurrence, particularly with soccer players who must point their toes to kick! As the shin swings forward right before ground contact, a nice dorsiflexed ankle provides a shorter lever at the knee(easier to turn over) as well a more efficient ground contact in line with the hips, not in front of the hips. Dorsiflexed ankles also send a warning to the knee joint and hip joint that they need to be ready to fire in advance.

5)Many players have a false step that wastes time and is inefficient.

6)Many players overstride as witnessed by a late recovery  evidenced by the foot finishing “high” when observed from the rear. This is “braking” actually.

Contact us to fix these issues.

Ed,

“I wanted to thank you for the work you and the other trainers have done with my children.  They both play soccer and this training was perfect for them.  When my son first came to you he was fast, but he ran out of control.  You not only improved his speed, but greatly increased the control he runs under.  His lateral movement and change of direction have improved tremendously.  This has enabled him to play his position with the speed and agility needed.  My daughter has also increased her speed and has become a stronger player.  She played her first game since last fall last weekend and other parents were commenting on how much faster she is now.  It is that noticeable.  They will be continuing with the program.  I am so pleased with their progress that I am having my youngest daughter begin the training.”

Again, thanks for your efforts.

Sincerely,

Patrick Maloney

 

www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com

Guest Blog Post SFAS Coach Chris Serrao

Prologue: In eighth grade, my basketball crew and I were weekly regulars at Strength, Fitness, and Speed under Mr. Wieth. We would go to work on our vertical leaps, speed, agility, quickness, and strength. During one of our training sessions, I noticed one of my teammates slacking. He was just there going through the motions, and even laid down on a bench in the middle of a workout to rest! Being the (physically larger) leader that I was, I walked up to him, sat on him, and told him he better get his butt in gear. Immediately after, Mr. Wieth (jokingly) said, “Chris, if you ever need a job, you know where to find me!” Just five years later, finishing my freshman year of college, I showed back up at Strength, Fitness, and Speed and took him up on that offer.

 

As a sophomore in high school, I experienced physical therapy firsthand. I spent several months in and out of physical therapy for different ailments – shoulder pain, multiple bouts of low back pain, and chronic neck and upper extremity pain. This experience left me with a desire to pursue a career in the PT field.

Because of these ailments, I eventually stopped participating in high school sports. Instead I focused on the physiology and coaching aspect of sports and performance, which soon became my passion. To this day, many of my high school friends still comment on “that huge book” I would carry around from class to class. That book was my first personal trainer’s certification book. I often studied this material when I likely should have been studying for my actual classes!

Since high school, I’ve worked constantly to increase my knowledge of the human body and sport performance. I have since graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science, received a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist title, and am currently enrolled in Pitt’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Having this advanced knowledge has increased my abilities to improve our athletes’ success in many aspects at Strength, Fitness, and Speed.

A good example of how my education has helped a developing athlete comes from one of the hardest workers at the gym. He is currently a senior football player, though has now become enthralled with the sport of powerlifting. While I would mainly train him and his team for football, we always found ourselves talking about how to better set-up for the bench press, his current personal record lifts, or tips and cues for the deadlift. I was able to help coach him through his first powerlifting meet in Summer of 2018 where he broke the PA state teen record for the bench press. He is currently in-season for football, though will continue to compete in the off-season and push his limits of powerlifting, hopefully breaking more records along the way.

Another example involves a current Division II football lineman that I have worked with for many years. His first few sessions in high school, we realized we had a lot of work to do on footwork, quickness, and coordination. After many seasons of him working with the team at SFAS, he was able to land a starting lineman job at his high school, and soon begin to get offers from different colleges to play there.

While intensely training for his time in college, this athlete began to suffer from low back pain. He began to see a physical therapist, while continuing his training with us. The physical therapist had him performing rehabilitation exercises to strengthen and coordinate his core and proximal musculature.

Meanwhile, we continued his return-to-sport training and strengthening. With my education on his limitations and impairments, we spent time all the way up until he had to leave for camp working on getting back into playing shape. He is currently a freshman at a Division II school and is redshirting this year to continue his rehab, get a good jump on his education, and prepare for the rest of his football career.

While I could never take credit for any of the hard work that these athletes put in, I like to think some of my knowledge, coaching, and motivation has guided them toward the amazing success that they have had.

About the Author:

Chris Serrao
Sports Performance Coach
SPT, CSCS, Sport Performance
Coach Chris is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist that is currently enrolled in The University of Pittsburgh’s Number 1 ranked Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He received his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Pitt in 2018. Throughout his life, Chris played basketball, volleyball, and football, though eventually found his niche in the weightroom, now competing in powerlifting competitions across the country. He boasts lifts of a 555 pound back squat, 355 pound bench press, and 615 pound deadlift and uses his strength and athletic background to better train athletes of all ages and skill levels.

5 keys to athleticism

Taken from Coach Ed’s emanual 5 Important Keys to Developing Athleticism

Written by

One of Pennsylvania’s most educated and experienced Sports Performance Trainers

Ed Wietholder

 

The following list is by no means all-encompassing but provides some insight into some of the most glaring points that have jumped out at me through the last 40 years of my own training as well as those that I have trained. By no means was I a gifted athlete but years ago at the age of 36 I ran a 4.6 40 yard dash and vertical jumped 36 inches. I also managed to dunk a basketball at a height of 5′ 10″. This was not by accident or due to a gift but because I have learned and observed training outcomes for a very long time. Please take a few minutes and look over my list.

 

1)Put more empahasis on strength, power, explosion and speed than muscular and aerobic endurance.

In other words more strength, fitness and speed and less crossfit and long slow distance running.

The most common question we get is, “Did he or she work hard?”. Did they sweat? Did they breathe heavy? Most of these questions are related to conditioning. Athletes have plenty of time for conditioning. What most lack is explosion. Who cares if you can finish the soccer or basketball or football game without being tired? Did you move explosively during it enough to have an impact on the game? It’s great to be able to get through the game, but were you quick enough during it?

Conditioning and speed, agility quickness training are mutually exclusive events.

When baseball players prep for the season, many teams run distance only.  3 miles per day, 3 times per week. What about speed in the field or on the bases? It would take 2 seasons to run what some teams condition with in a week. THIS MAKES NO SENSE. Especially when you lose 3 close games due to a ball dropping in or getting thrown out at second when stealing or not beating out an infield hit.

Puking during a conditioning workout is one thing. Puking during a speed workout is impossible. Here’s why. When you condition, your body produces a boat load of metabolic acid especially when video gamers start conditioning for the first time. Metabolic acid in copious amounts completely inhibits the firing of any fast twitch fiber that one is trying to tap for SPEED TRAINING. Puking=lack of conditioning, conditioning, eating bad food, virus, nerves. Not explosive training. Not anywhere remotely close.

All you have to do is look at what happens to vertical leap, 10 yard dash, broad jump and 40 yard dash after a 6 week bout of high rep band squats for time. Or what happens after a division I soccer player trains like a marathoner.

Decreases of 4-6 inches in the vert and worsening dash times of .2-.3 seconds are not uncommon.

You can do all of the plyometric and speed drills in the world but if you don’t have  a strong, stable base you will reap very little benefit.

 

2)Work your brakes!

Athletes work linear speed like crazy but the problem is unless you are a track athlete you will have to be able to stop and restart. Stay off of the leg press machine and spend more time in the squat rack. While you are in the squat rack, don’t bounce out of the bottom position, use your hamstrings and glutes down there.

Make sure your ground mechanics are appropriate when you are training. Knees over toes, dorsiflexed ankle on contact. Don’t  feel  for the ground with a pointed toe. Get your hips down! Avoid excessive vertical movement when you are moving laterally.

 

3)Rely more and more on “open” drills.

Ready….
Set……
Go…..
only gets you so far.
You need to perform drills that involve you reacting to a variety of stimuli including contact, visual and auditory. There needs to be a reactive component to your training. You can prove it to yourself by first reacting to a “go” command without false stepping. Next try doing it reacting to a clap or thrown ball. See what I mean?

Your ability to stop and start unpredictably is at the root of agility.

If you do not add the element of surprise(open drills) to your agility repertoire, you become good at a skill like you get good at a golf swing or dancing or a ladder or cone drill.

Multiple studies bear this out.

Once the foundation of good mechanics is laid, unpredictability must follow unless you just want to be a combine or showcase star only.

 

4)Spend more time actually developing your athleticism.

There comes a point in time when being in 2 leagues, for 3 teams and running around reaches a point of diminishing returns.

Your swing is flawless….but has no pop. Will playing for 3 teams make it better?

Your soccer foot skills are great…….but you run like a dump truck. Will playing rec, travel and cup all in the same season fix this?

You are running track to get faster…….will running the mile or throwing the discus make this better?

There comes a point in time when an athlete needs to focus on his or her athleticism. You can’t do this by demonstrating the skills that you have. You must overload with some strength, speed, and agility training and allow time to RECOVER. Try playing for one team, one sport at a time during season.

 

5)Continue training In season! A recent research study entitled, “DETRAINING AND TAPERING ADAPTATION ON STRENGTH AND POWER PERFORMANCE” was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Aug. 2007 and provides definitive scientific data that addresses your question of whether it is worth maintaining some level of training frequency versus stopping altogether and participating in a sport.  In the study, speed and strength training was conducted for 16 weeks prior to the experimental detraining (DTR) or maintenance (MT) work.  Following the training period, DTR stopped additional exercise; the other group, MT, performed low volume, high intensity work periodically.  Both groups continued to participate in their given sport.  Following 4 weeks of this modification, DTR lost some strength but had over a 15% decrease in muscle power (slower running speed and lower vertical jump), while  MT (the group that continued with their performance training) showed a small increase in strength and maintained power (maintenance of performance gains)

 

About the Author

Ed Wietholder is the founder and owner of Strength Fitness and Speed, Inc. Ed has trained many athletes and non athletes as well from the Pittsburgh area. In addition, many have benefited from his routine design and consultation across the United States.

Ed has authored many articles that have appeared in national and international magazines.

Ed has trained and consulted for many High School, Collegiate and Professional teams.

 

What others are saying about Ed Wietholder

Big thanks to Ed Wietholder of Strength Fitness & Speed for the workout and always taking care of me when I’m back in Pittsburgh! Great dude!
Thanks Ed for all the help getting here! If anyone sees this and is in the south hills of Pittsburgh, they should check out Ed Wietholder‘s work!

Chase Winovich
University Of Michigan Football #15
New England Patriots # 50

 

“Coach Ed Wietholder has worked with our Bethel Park Lady Hawk Basketball Program for ten consecutive years. We would not even entertain the thought of having preseason conditioning without him. Coach Ed combines agility, flexibility, strength, stamina, and core exercises into every one of his workouts. It’s easy for me as a coach to make my girls run for conditioning, but that’s just not enough anymore. Today’s high school varsity athlete needs to be cross-trained and that’s right where Coach Ed fits into our program. There is no doubt in my mind that working with him has greatly contributed to success. We have reached the playoffs each of the seasons he has trained us, with the highlight coming in 2013 when we won the program’s first WPIAL championship in history. The Lady Hawk Basketball Team is made tougher, faster, and stronger by Coach Ed and Strength, Fitness And Speed. I highly recommend Ed Wietholder for any aspect of training, team or individual. You will become a better athlete (or team) as a result.”

 

Jonna Burke

Head Varsity Coach

Bethel Park Lady Hawk Basketball

Find out more about Ed and Strength, Fitness And Speed, Inc. –   www.strengthfitnessandspeed.com

SFAS 21st YEAR CELEBRATION/OPEN HOUSE 10/26/19 1PM until 4PM

This will be a chance for those not yet part of the SFAS family to check out the facility, observe some training, speak to our staff and to get an opportunity to sign up for 50% discounted functional assessments. All current and past SFAS family members are welcome to attend!

• • Meet Coach Ed and get a perspective on 40 plus years of trends and what is effective in training. What looks “cool” may not do much for the athlete at all.
  • Meet Dr. Jake Wietholder and get his take on corrective exercise
  • Meet the excellent staff and observe some training
  • There will be an opportunity to schedule a 50% discounted functional assessment for attending
  • Of course some snacks(healthy!) and….some not so much