FUNCTIONAL TRACK & FIELD

TRAINING

What???

THE MOST FAMOUS COACH EVER IS…?

• Who comes to mind?

• John Wooden

• Vince Lombardi

• Joe Torre

• Phil Jackson

• Red Auerbach

• Bill Belichek

HOW ABOUT THESE TWO?

WHAT MADE EACH OF THEM GREAT?

•Calm Demeanor

•The relationship they built with the star pupils

•They were masters at what they taught.

•(and they were fictional)

MY FAVORITE (DEFINITELY NOT CALM…)

WE AREN’T FICTIONAL

• Be Proud of what you do!

• Call me “Coach.”

•How do you want your athletes to remember you as a coach?

• As a coach, be on the “frontlines not safely in a bunker”.• Know why you are doing everything you ask athletes

to do or discard it.

HERE IS WHERE IT STARTED FOR ME

OUR COACHING STARTS HERE

GOAL #1

Keep Athletes Healthy

How?

LOWER LEG MATRIX

• Daily –start of practice

• Golf ball massage

• Ankle mobility exercises

• Stick/foam roller massage

• Softball/glute medius rolling• End of practice-

• 2-3x a week

• Airex pad drills

GOAL #2 DEVELOP BETTER ATHLETES

LUNGE MATRIX• Modified from Todd Wrights’

Matrix

• Todd Wright –• Philadelphia 76ers strength coach

• Long-time Strength and Conditioning

coach for the University of Texas Basketball program.

Owner of Train4theGame Austin, TX

LUNGE MATRIX CTD

• Benefits• Dense exercise

• Ankle mobility

• Movement in all three planes in a linear sport

• Excellent core strengthening work

• Lower body strength

• Agility/balance

• vs load

• Insert basic video here

LUNGE MATRIX •Higher training age athletes use medicine balls and move far faster

• Add video of advanced version here

STRENGTH TRAINING

•Power Cleans• Best explosive exercise

• Muscle Recruitment benefits

• “Athlete developer”

• 3 sets of 5 in season

• Older training ages “Clean and Press”.

• Add AVC video here

AGILITY LADDERS• Bio-motor abilities include – agility

• Helps avoid strength imbalances between muscles in the legs due to linear nature of Track & Field and XC.

•Add practice video here

GOAL #3 – ENHANCE SKILLS

RESISTED BOUNDING• Great Triple Jump Aid

• Use 3 bands in the harness

• No Bands?

use a slight incline

These teach proper bio-mechanics of the bound and how to push (spin the globe).

Not to be done during a taper

• Add band bound video here

QUAD DOMINANCE• A GREATER PROBLEM FOR FEMALES

• Glute doesn’t “fire” or do it’s job forcing other muscle groups to compensate raising the risk of injury and compromising performance.

• A solution?

• Backwards “A” skips • Thank you Tim Cary

CHARIOT RACES• You gotta have some fun.

• Airex pads and bands are a great combination.

• Resistance provides some good acceleration work.

• Laughter helps everything.

• Add chariot race video

MY RECOMMENDATIONS

1 - Ask questions/seek out veteran coaches

2 - Attend the Perform Better Functional Training Summit in Chicago.• You are your own S & C Coach.

• Prehab beats Rehab

3 - USATF or T&F Academy certifications

• Level 2 certifications or the equivalent.

• Aimed more at collegiate training calendars but useful for high school coaches.

ABOVE ALL ELSE, HAVE FUN.