Coach Eck's Training Sessions 2/11/13 - 2/25/13

Prevail Strength Coach Jacob Goodin

Have you ever wondered how Chris "Eck" Ecklund gets his training sessions in despite his busy schedule?  Below are his last eight sessions, complete with the rationale for each lift.  Enjoy!

• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/25/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/22/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/20/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/18/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/15/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/13/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/12/13
• Coach Eck's Training Session 2/11/13 <-- read this one first if you haven't 

Coach Eck's Training Session 2/26/13

by Chris Ecklund, MA, CSCS, USAW

Quick Thoughts:

1. Early morning session as my schedule was supposed to brutal again today (turned out I had some cancelations so had more time than anticipated).  
2. I hate working out in the morning.  Takes me forever to get going...but...at least I get to do it, right?!
1. As such, I didn't get much done since I got to Prevail later than I wanted and it took me a while to warm up.

Energy System Development is below:

1. I jumped in with my Adult SPARQ group today since I'm having difficulty getting in any conditioning.  
2. Great session.  It always makes me work harder and pay attention to my movement patterns when I train with  my clients. (thanks for letting me train with you Wolfy and Liam)

Trainer Workout 7/12/10

After power and balance, the PCPC team tackled a fast-circuit of upper-and lower-body isolations. Check it out.


Circuit 1
6 Slideboard Push Up (place hands on slideboard, slide upper-body to floor and push up, pulling arms back together)
Inverted Bosu balance triangles 30s each leg
6 Dumbbell Push Press
Side Bridge with leg raise 30s hold each side

Circuit 2 (Upper-body Emphasis 8-10 each)
Bent Over Flys
Bicep Curls
Front Raises
Tricep Dips on Bench
Lateral Raises
30 second rest

Circuit 3 (Lower-body Emphasis 8-10 each)

Dumbbell Squats
Single Leg RDL
Lateral Walking Lunges
Single arm tightrope dumbbell carries

These are to be done in quick succession with 30s-1 minute of rest at the end of the circuit. 

Questions about the program? Ask any PCPC Trainer! Be sure to pace yourself and complete in a safe manner at your own risk. Consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.  Enjoy!

Trainer Workout 5/7/10

Here's another one to enjoy.  Remember, always use loads, tempos and speeds you can maintain perfect technique with.  Poor movement with load = Pain.

Strength and Power
1a. Hang Clean 3x3-6
b.  Non Alt Bent Leg Quadruped Opposites w/MiniBand and Band Resistance 3x8 each, 30-60 seconds recovery

2a.  BB Dead Lift 3x8
b.  Push-ups on Bosu (with leg lifted) 3x10-40
c. Rotating Push-ups on Wobble Board Rotating 3x3-8 each
d.  Reverse Crunch on Bench with SB 3x 8-12, 30 seconds recovery

3a. Foot Elevated Split Squat SB - Foot Elevated Push Up 3x2/2 8-12 total
2. BB RDL - BB High Row 3x2/2 8-12 total, 30 seconds recovery


Metabolic Conditioning:
Each Station 30 secs

1. Mountain Climbers on slide
2. Jump rope
3. Cone Clock Drill
4. Box Jumps Up and Down
5. Sled pushes with 50lbs

One min rest. Repeat 2 more times.

Consult a physician prior to beginning any exercise program and stop at the onset of any pain or dizziness.

Trainer Workout 5/10/10

Every week the trainers at PCPC do a "family workout". We take turns planning the workout and spend about an hour trying new moves and testing out different techniques. Here is the circuit from last night. Give it a try and feel free to add weight or repetitions:

Core (three sets at 30s per station):
a) Side Plank with hip abduction
b) V sit-ups
c) Russian twist
d) Supermans
e) Bosu bridge with knee cross punch

Upper body (3 sets):
a) Pronated Pull-ups, 9
b) DB Push press, 6
c) Feet elevated push-up, 6
d) Inverted row with feet on swiss ball, 6
e) Pike push-up, 6

Lower body (3 sets):
a) Crossover squats, 5 each
b) Lateral lunges, 5 each
c) Slideboard Leg Curl Hip Lift
d) Lateral hurdle jump x30
e) Lateral Slideboard conditioning, 30s

Some of these exercises can be viewed on our video site: www.prevailvideo.com


As always, please use caution when attempting any exercise routine. Complete at your own risk and check with a medical professional before commencing physical exertion.

Quadruped:Opposites Bent Leg Dowel Parallel

Quadruped: Arm Flexion Bent Leg Dowel Parallel

Quadruped: Hip Extension Bent Leg Dowel Parallel

One of the primary torso (core) training exercises that should be included in any well-rounded strength training program is an Anti-Rotational exercise. Quadruped (sometimes referred to as Bird Dog) exercises fit into that category. The torso's ability to absorb stress/forces as well as efficiently transmit stress/forces from upper to lower extremities (and vice versa) is vital to maximizing performance and minimizing mechanical breakdown (i.e. disc injury). Of primary importance in this exercise is the ability of the body to gain postural endurance through glute medius, multifidus, quadratus lumborum and transverse abdominals as well improving scapular stabilizers. Finally, improving glute max activation is a common need aiding in decreased low back pain.

Coaching Points:

1. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips (hip - shoulder width max).

2. Neutral spine and shoulders retracted.

3. One knee on Airex pad and one knee off (and off ground as well)

4. Dowel runs parallel to spine with 3 points of contact (head, shoulder blades, glutes) to be maintained throughout.

5. Extend heel to ceiling (activate glute but do not arch spine).

6. Make the body long from the top of the head through the opposite knee.

7. Hold for 1-5 seconds and repeat.

Exercise of the Week: Bosu Push Up

Here's a simple example of adding in some instability training to your program. Benefit? Any lazy torso stability or incorrect application of pushing force is easily seen. You've got to work harder to make the movement clean and controlled.

Exercise of the Week: Inchworms

Great addition to Dynamic Warm Ups or as a part of your torso training regimen for torso musculature, shoulder stabilizers and hip mobility/flexibility.

Exercise of the week: Inverted Row Suspension

Here's another great exercise for upper body pulling strength. If you're an athlete or advanced lifter and you can't do these through a full range of motion (handles touch lower pec) it may be an indicator that you either have anterior flexibility or mobility problems (shoulders) or posterior weakness in upper back (especially traps and rhomboids).

A good goal is to work toward 8-10 full range reps starting with your body parallel to the ground.

Exercise of the Week: Supine Bridge

Exercise of the Week: Side Bridge

Exercise of the Week: Prone Bridge

Exercise of the Week: The Draw In

Stay tuned for more weekly exercise videos that will give you insight and understanding of proper exercise performance and progressions.

May 2008 Core Conditioning Group Training

Here's the Core Conditioning training class at Hayashida & Associates Physical Therapy Clinic. For those of you who are athletes, weekend warriors, or just looking for something different than the typical "gym" workout...put this into effect for a month and watch your agility, stability, balance, explosiveness and core strength improve. If you are an athlete, you can utilize this program as a pre-season, in-season or off season program for improving strength and power-endurance. Variations and progressions exist with each exercise.

Holler with questions:

Dynamic Warm Up/Movement Prep (5-10 minutes)

Core Circuit (2-4 Sets / 30 seconds each / 0-5 seconds between exercises)
Ab Roller
Swiss Ball Back Extension
Quadruped Ipsilateral
Draw In Unsupported March
Cable PNF Lift
Side Bridge (both)

Explosive / Balance Circuit (same sets/time)
DB Push Press
Forward/Reverse Mini Band Walk (Abduction)
Mini Hurdle Skip (forward/reverse)
Zig Zag Hop & Stick
Push Up Clap or Pivot Push Up
Bodyblade PNF w/SL Balance

Agility / Lift Circuit (same sets/time)
Miniband Lateral Shuffle
Single Leg RDL Contralateral
Quad Patterns (1-2’s & 3-4’s)
FreeMotion Push-Pull
Cone Star Drill
DB Lunge w/Press & Knee Punch

Active-Isolated Stretching Cool Down (5-10 minutes)
Strength/Agility Circuit
Bear Crawl/Crab Walk
Agility Ladder 2 Step Backward Run
Valslide Push Up
Fan Drill Cones
Split Squat & Cable Row
Clock Drill Cones

Perform exercises with perfect posture and landing technique prior to progressing to more difficult variations. If you can't do it slow and controlled...you can't do it fast and heavy! Simple as that.

Enjoy!

Consult a physician prior to beginning any exercise program and stop at the onset of any pain or dizziness.

Alwyn Cosgrove's Blog

Yet another resource I have yet to post. Figured it was about time. It's tough to find people you feel comfortable recommending to others. And it seems that the more time passes, the fewer recommendations I make. Alwyn (along with a chosen few others like Mike Boyle) does a solid job at continuing to look at research and bringing into real-world training applications. I always appreciate people who do that because I don't do it well.

If you are a personal trainer looking to gain insight into business or training...

If you are a strength coach looking for new information...

If you are an MMA enthusiast...

If you are someone looking to lose body fat safely and effectively through good resistance training, cardio and nutrition techniques...

...check out his blog at www.alwyncosgrove.blogspot.com.

StrengthCoach.com Podcast: Listen for Free

If you are a Strength Coach, trainer, or simply want to learn more...this is a podcast you shouldn't miss. Tons of great information from some of the top minds in the industry. Mike Boyle (pictured below) is a regular on the show and is editor and primary contributor to the StrengthCoach.com website.

Program design, strength/power development, quickness/agility development, mobility/stability/flexibility discussion, assessment and movement evaluation, technique tips, warm up and activation ideas, etc.

If you're not listening, you're not learning...and trust me, there's a LOT to learn.

StrengthCoach.com Podcast (click here)

What I Recommend

For those of you who have not yet taken a look at some of the resources I subscribe to and recommend, take a look in the right hand margin of my blog.

I did want to make special note of a couple sites I use for my own reading/learning as well as some of the sites I use for my own purchases and for those of my clients:

StrengthCoach.com: Edited and run by Mike Boyle, this website has some of the top Strength & Conditioning professionals in the country contributing their thoughts and updates on research, program design, nutrition, injury prevention, etc. One of the primary benefits of this site is online video resources. If you're a strength and conditioning professional or just an avid learner, take a moment to check out this site.

AdvoCare.com: My trusted source for supplement products and information. These are the only products I have taken and recommended to my clients for the past 6 years . With so many companies out there, it's tough to know who is doing the research and putting safe, quality USP grade products in the packages. These guys do it. And not only that, their products work synergistically well within their easy systems.

Also, if you're a trainer looking for a good company to retail to your clients or on your site, you can do it with AdvoCare (click here).

Perform Better: My choice for almost all equipment purchases. Good quality, tons of variety, great library for learning as well.


Human Kinetics: if you're looking for ANY book related to exercise, nutrition, training, strength, conditioning, etc., you'll be able to find it here.

NSCA Performance Videos: A recent find of mine. A great video collection utilizing Dartfish technology showing proper form & technique for several athletic-related lifts, Olympic Lifts and variations, Power Lifts, and Acceleration mechanics.


SPARQ Training: Athletes, this is another Good resource for up-and-coming Performance techniques. Find articles and videos on improving your speed, power, agility, reaction, quickness.

ExRx.net: Another great tool for exercise info and demo videos. Not fun to navigate, but if you take the time you'll find good info.

CorePerformance.com: Mark Vertegen's site. Another tremendous site filled with information on exercise for athletic performance, example programs, nutrition insight, and a large library of exercise videos.

April Core Conditioning

Here is the April program for my Core Conditioning training class at Hayashida & Associates Physical Therapy Clinic. For those of you who are athletes, weekend warriors, or just looking for something different than the typical "gym" workout...put this into effect for a month and watch your agility, stability, balance, explosiveness and core strength improve. If you are an athlete, you can utilize this program as a pre-season, in-season or off season program for improving strength and power-endurance. Variations and progressions exist with each exercise.

Holler with questions:

Dynamic Warm Up (5-10 minutes)

Core Circuit (2-4 Sets / 30 seconds each / 0-5 seconds between exercises)
SB Crunch
Double Leg Hip Pop
Prone/Supine Bridges
Lateral Crunch
SB Lateral Rolls
Seated Russian Twist

Explosive / Balance Circuit (same sets/time)
BodyBlade Double Arm Vertical Frontal/Horizontal Frontal (90˚ Shoulder Flexion)
MB Double Arm Chest Pass on Wall
Single Leg Cone Touch (foot or opposite hand)
Double Leg ¼ Turn Jump & Stick
Single Leg Balance w/MB PNF Lift
Box Strides (Linear or Lateral)

Agility / Lift Circuit (same sets/time)
Miniband Lateral Shuffle
Single Leg RDL Contralateral
Quad Patterns (1-2’s & 3-4’s)
FreeMotion Push-Pull
Cone Star Drill
DB Lunge w/Press & Knee Punch

Active-Isolated Stretching Cool Down (5-10 minutes)
Arm Hugs
Knee Hug Walks
Quad Stretch Walks
Straight Leg High Kick Walks
Piriformis Stretch Walks
Hip Circles

Make sure you can do exercises with perfect posture and landing technique prior to progressing to more difficult variations.

Enjoy!

Consult a physician prior to beginning any exercise program and stop at the onset of any pain or dizziness.