ASAP Archives: Legend Strength and Conditioning Coach Ken Mannie and his Michigan State Spartans in training
Category: Motivation
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Athletic Strength And Power
ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power publishes educational videos, facility tours, and interviews with strength coaches. The YouTube channel description calls the content “in-depth and behind-the-scenes looks at some of the top training centers in all of sports.” Program founder is Ted Lambrinides (Ohio State graduate, former OSU graduate-assistant strength coach, longtime exercise-science educator, and sports-performance consultant who has supplied research updates to pro football, baseball, and basketball strength associations). Ed Cicale is the main podcast host and frequent on-site interviewer.
OSU Strength Coach Mickey Marotti with ASU’s Joe Connolly -
Strength Training & Conditioning Ideas for 10 year olds!
Off and runnin' is Sage Wetterich, a fourth grade running back in Mason (Ohio) School District.Strength training for a 10-year-old can be safe and beneficial if done correctly, focusing on bodyweight exercises, proper form, and fun to build strength, coordination, and confidence. Here’s a concise guide:
Key Guidelines- Safety First: Use bodyweight or very light resistance (e.g., resistance bands, light dumbbells 1-3 lbs). Avoid heavy weights or max lifts to protect growing bones and joints.
- Focus on Form: Emphasize proper technique over intensity. Supervision by a coach or knowledgeable adult is ideal.
- Keep It Fun: Make exercises engaging with games or challenges to maintain interest.
- Frequency: 2-3 sessions per week, 20-30 minutes, with rest days in between.
- Warm-Up and Cool-Down: Start with 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretches (e.g., arm circles, leg swings) and end with static stretches.
Benefits
- Improves strength, bone density, and coordination.
- Enhances sports performance and reduces injury risk.
- Boosts confidence and establishes healthy habits.
Sample Routine (Bodyweight-Based)
- Squats (10-15 reps, 2 sets): Strengthens legs and core. Ensure knees don’t go past toes.
- Push-Ups (8-12 reps, 2 sets): Modify with knees on the ground if needed for chest, shoulders, and arms.
- Plank (15-30 seconds, 2 sets): Builds core stability.
- Lunges (10 reps per leg, 2 sets): Improves balance and leg strength.
- Superman Hold (15-20 seconds, 2 sets): Lie face-down, lift arms and legs off the ground to strengthen back.
- Jumping Jacks (20-30 reps, 2 sets): Adds cardio and coordination.
Tips
- Progress Gradually: Start with low reps and increase as strength improves.
- Incorporate Play: Use obstacle courses, animal movements (e.g., bear crawls), or team challenges.
- Nutrition and Rest: Ensure a balanced diet and adequate sleep to support growth and recovery.
- Consult Experts: If possible, work with a youth fitness trainer or check with a pediatrician if there are health concerns.
Cautions
- Avoid complex lifts (e.g., deadlifts, squats with heavy weights) until puberty, as growth plates are vulnerable.
- Watch for signs of overtraining (fatigue, soreness, disinterest) and adjust intensity.
For more details, resources like the American Academy of Pediatrics or youth fitness programs (e.g., YMCA) offer evidence-based guidance.
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New Book release: Beyond Comfort: Mastering a Growth Mindset with Excellence Through Urgency by Coach Ted Rath
Hello!
This is the first season in the past 16 years that I haven't been patrolling an NFL sideline holding people back in short sleeves haha! So what have I been doing with myself?
Well, besides coaching youth sports for our kids I WROTE A BOOK!!! It's been an incredibly rewarding process and I'm blessed to have so many people in my life who have supported me throughout it. Please see below for a link to purchase on Amazon. Attached is a brief overview of the book
Ted Rath
Download Ted Rath Book Release
If you're going to do the olympic lifts in your training program, do them the proper way! I can't tell you how many high schools that I have visited and saw athletes demonstrating how NOT to do them.
Strength & Conditioning Coach Ted Rath explains the necessary progressions for athletes who are incorporating olympic lifting movements. Sean Williamson demonstrates the progression movements.
Filmed on location at the Detroit Lions Football Complex and Strength Training Facility at Allen Park, Michigan by Ed Cicale; ASAP Athletic Strength And Power"Building your facility from the ground up"
Download Ted Rath Book Release
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ASAP Podcast Eleiko Director of Education; Rodney Corn
In this episode, ASAP PODCAST host Ed Cicale talks 'training and Eleiko equipment' with Rodney Corn, Director of Eleiko Education, a world-renowned Swedish company known for its high-quality strength training equipment. Rodney shares the history of Eleiko, from its origins as an electrical installation company to becoming a leader in the weightlifting and powerlifting community.
Rodney delves into the innovations that set Eleiko apart, such as their indestructible bars, precision-engineered cables, and versatile training systems. He also discusses the company's commitment to longevity, safety, and user-centric design, making Eleiko a top choice for professional and collegiate sports facilities worldwide.
Listeners will learn about Eleiko's rigorous testing processes, their educational programs, and how they cater to both elite athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts. Rodney also shares insights into his personal training regimen and the importance of proper supplementation for optimal performance and recovery.
Don't miss this conversation that highlights the cutting-edge technology and rich heritage behind Eleiko's exceptional strength training equipment. Discover why Eleiko remains a very trusted name in the fitness industry.
One can experience Eleiko by heading to the Eleiko USA Headquarters located in Austin, Texas.
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ASAP Classic Podcast with the late Fitness and Training Pioneer Roger Schwab
ASAP Classic Podcast with the late Roger Schwab who passed this past March 2024.
ROGER HAD BEEN A PIONEER IN WEIGHT TRAINING FOR DECADES. HE WAS COLLEGE FOOTBALL’S FIRST STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH (PENN STATE 1964-1965) AND THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED THE NAUTILUS TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT SYSTEM TO PHILADELPHIA IN 1976. FROM 1976 TO 2015, HE WAS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF MAIN LINE HEALTH & FITNESS, RECOGNIZED BY MEN’S HEALTH AS THE FINEST WORKOUT IN THE UNITED STATES. ROGER WAS ALSO NAMED BY THE MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP PERSONAL TRAINERS IN THE U.S.
ROGER TRAINED BOTH THE U.S.A. WOMEN’S OLYMPIC SWIMMING AND FIELD HOCKEY TEAMS. HE ALSO TRAINED MIKE MENTZER FOR THE 1978 MR. UNIVERSE AND THE 1980 MR. OLYMPIA COMPETITIONS, AND SERVED AS HEAD JUDGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF BODYBUILDERS, PROFESSIONAL DIVISION, FROM 1978-1982.
A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN THE PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION OF SPORTS RELATED INJURIES, ROGER HAS CONDUCTED IMPORTANT RESEARCH INTO THE PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION OF INJURIES OF THE SOFT TISSUES OF THE LUMBAR AND CERVICAL SPINE. HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF OVER 100 ARTICLES IN NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS ON STRENGTH TRAINING AND BODYBUILDING, AND PUBLISHED THE ACCLAIMED BOOK, “STRENGTH OF A WOMAN,” IN 1997. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE PHILADELPHIA JEWISH SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS/MEDICINE IN 2008.
IN 2012, ROGER INTRODUCED X-FORCE “NEGATIVE ACCENTUATED” EXERCISE IN THE U.S. HE IS CURRENTLY THE OWNER-OPERATOR OF X-FORCE PHILADELPHIA, AND IS A LECTURER AND FEATURED SPEAKER ON THE BENEFITS OF “ECCENTRIC” TRAINING IN STIMULATING A SYSTEMIC PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT.
In this episode of the ASAP Podcast, brought to you by SpecAthletic The Sports Flooring Professionals, Ed Cicale traveled to Philadelphia to visit the Mainline Health and Fitness Training Center in Byrn Mawr. Founded by the passionate strength trainer, Roger Schwab, Mainline Health and Fitness evolved from a small 1,200 square-foot facility to a whopping 35,000 square-foot behemoth. The conversation with Schwab uncovers the rich history behind the center's transformation and the unique approach towards strength training it offers.
Starting operations on Thanksgiving Day in 1976 as Mainline Nautilus, the gym was equipped with only nine machines. Inspired by his personal strength training journey, Schwab took the initiative to elevate his small fitness center. It wasn’t long before they expanded to include 120 Nautilus and Med-X machines, Nautilus medical testing machines, and a complete line of X-Force machines from Sweden, hailed by Roger Schwab for delivering the most effective workouts, brings a "wow" factor unseen in other fitness equipment due to its unique design for stimulating negative training.
Schwab elaborates on the benefits of X-Force machines, particularly for negative or eccentric training, citing how the technology has contributed significantly to the success of his fitness center over time. The remarkable physical transformations witnessed by clients, insists Schwab, are a testament to the efficacy of the X-Force equipment. This forward-thinking approach to fitness has not only garnered positive responses from patrons but has notably tripled business for Mainline Health and Fitness.
Wrapping up the episode, Cicale commends Schwab for his innovative and dedicated approach to fitness and strength training within the Mainline Health and Fitness Training Center. Tune in for an insightful look into one of the most incredible centers in the country and the inspiring story of its founder, Roger Schwab.
RIP Roger
ASAP Classic Podcast Roger Schwab
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ASAP Wrestling Podcast with OHHS Hall of Famer Greg Strochinsky
Wrestling…. Strictly Business!
xFor a Cincinnati, Ohio high school wrestler, to qualify for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s State Wrestling Tournament is an arduous task at the very least. Attaining and maintaining a given body weight-class, wrestle-offs, intense practices, managing a disciplined approach to nutrition, continuing the in-season strength training and conditioning program goals, and of course….. lots of winning, especially in the district and regional tournaments that are along the way to Columbus, Ohio where the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournament is conducted at St. John Arena on the campus of Ohio State University.
And that’s the way it went for ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power Podcast guest Greg Strochinsky, a Cincinnati Oak Hills High School Hall of Fame wrestler who had the privilege to be coached by an Ohio High School wrestling coaching icon, Dick Roche. The coach, a stoic military veteran, was a strict disciplinarian who didn’t veer off course too much when it came to following and enforcing rules. He was the Woody Hayes of Oak Hills High School who despised losing and demanded that his wrestlers felt the same. Conversely, Strochinsky was the loose, fun loving student athlete who oozed self confidence 24/7. His self-given nickname was ”strictly business’, which he prominently displayed on his shoes, his pick-up truck, t-shirts, chains, etc. However, ‘Stroh’ shared the same desire for victory as did his coach. And, Coach Roche and Assistant OHHS Wrestling Coach Ken Hauck, a Championship Miami Redskin defensive lineman and former OHHS wrestler himself, knew that they had themselves a potential star in the making and didn’t alter the “strictly business” mojo.Unlike a lot of today’s high school wrestlers, Strochinsky never stepped onto a wrestling mat until he was a seventh grader. In fact, it was by chance that his junior high school gym teacher, Randy Owen, announced and encouraged the lanky twelve year old to explore the sport at an after school practice session. It wasn’t long before the hook was set and Strochinsky was well on his way to becoming an Oak Hills High School wrestling star. Upon leaving junior high, he entered high school 10th grade, bringing his shiny winning record along in tow. Initially, Coach Roche wasn’t greeting him with hugs and adulation. But, he soon realized that he had someone who could become a serious competitor for his team as the two figures combined their passion for winning. ‘Stroh’ felt a bond to Roche and never wanted to disappoint the legendary coach. However, as an undefeated senior and state qualifier making the two hour drive to Columbus and walking into an arena packed with thousands of wrestling fans and supporters, Strochinsky met the sting of defeat against a well skilled, experienced state meet opponent in the semi-final match. And, not one to sulk or mope from the loss, he’d only felt the emotions of thinking that he’d let his coach down.
Coach Roche passed away at the age of 73.Greg Strochinsky became instrumental in starting the -
ASAP PODCAST with the 2023 Cincinnati Bearcats Football Sports Performance Staff
When The University of Cincinnati Bearcats' Director of Football Sports Performance, Niko Palazeti, took on his new role in January 2023, he recognized an immediate need for his program and the Bearcats football squad: he needed a strength and conditioning performance staff. Palazeti had been a member of Coach Mickey Marotti's sports performance staff at Ohio State Football. Yet now, he found himself having to formulate a complete staff to complement new Head Football Coach Scott Satterfield's vision and mission. Coach Palazeti moved quickly, as time was ticking away and the Bearcats would soon be returning from the holiday break.
The returning squad had not quite really met him yet and he needed a staff that could hit the ground running to prepare the team for the rapidly approaching spring football practices. Nobody occupied the small and cramped assistant strength & conditioning office. Palazeti made his first call to Columbus, Ohio. His fellow strength and conditioning partner, Coach Chris Friend, had been a strength intern at OSU Football and was later promoted as a full-time strength coach under the olympic sports strength training umbrella. Coach Friend was ALL-IN for Cincy and made the 90 minute trip with his sleeves rolled up and ready to go. Next came Coach Brandon Garcia, who decided to depart Las Vegas, Nevada and UNLV to take on a fresh challenge of Big 12 Conference Football in Cincinnati. Garcia, a former football player at West Virginia State University, also had coaching stints at WVSU and Maryland Terrapins as well as some experience as a personal trainer down in Knoxville, Tennessee. Next on board was Scottie Etherington who had gained some early coaching experience at Marshall University with some intern experience at Ohio State Football and also Maryland Football. Finally, Robert "Robo" Williams was brought back into the fold. Robo had gained football playing experience at Miami University (Ohio) and also played a fifth year at Ohio Dominican where he completed his Masters Degree in Exercise Science, did an internship at Robert Morris University as well one back in his hometown at Cincinnati. He was an assistant at Toledo Rockets, Duke Blue Devils and at Army Football.
This is an energetic, meticulous and hard working strength staff with some very good early on coaching experience that is sure to provide solid strength and conditioning knowledge and motivation for a very good and surging college football team. So, here's the ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power Podcast with all four members of Niko Palazeti's strength staff.
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Basketball Strength Training Podcast with Xavier S&C Coach Andy Kettler
It took awhile to reconnect with Andy Kettler, mostly due to that good old pandemic. Closed doors and stop signs, red lights and masks. However, I was finally able to get a mutual date on the ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power calendar with the veteran strength, conditioning and sports performance coach! I have seen him on several occasions, including at the West Virginia Mountaineers where he worked his program for legendary basketball coach Bob Huggins. Not only in Morgantown, but I tracked him down in Indianapolis, Indiana for an ASAP 'Final Four' Podcast at the Lucas Oil Stadium. A few years following that mission, Coach Kettler found himself in Louisville, Kentucky as the strength coach for the Louisville Cardinals. An opportunity to work under Head Basketball Coach Sean Miller, got him packing to head up Interstate 71 North to Cincinnati and Xavier University as their Head Strength And Conditioning Coach for Men's Basketball.
The Xavier Strength and Conditioning Center has recently been refurbished and is the perfect size facility to train elite basketball players. Coach Kettler can even swing open their giant open air windows and if your a visitor to the facility, there's no question as to where the weight room is. Just follow the music, as you can almost see musical notes coming from those windows. Speaking of music, it's loud and if you happen to be an audiophile, you'll love the high quality-high fidelity sound emanating from the master sound system. Kettler likes it loud! He want the players to learn to communicate during loudness as if their in the raucous Xavier Cintas Center that's just down the hallway from the training center.
In the podcast, Coach Kettler and I discuss the strength training methodologies that he employs….how the program is configured, and why he trains his players to develop a mentality and a tenacity that encourages physical and mental toughness.
His program is not for the meek. When a player steps foot into the facility, he better be ready to get hit from all angles. This is about as far away from Planet Fitness as you can get! In fact, when I walked in and took notice of one of his guys, I assumed that Xavier University had re-instituted their football program. A few of the players in this group looked like decent size defensive backs so I decided it would be best not to challenge any of these guys in a game of H-O-R-S-E nor one-on-one, just in case things got a little salty.Here's the ASAP Basketball Strength Training Podcast with Coach Andy Kettler, that will also soon make a debut in YouTube video form so coaches can see the training demeanor and with pics of the facility mixed in.This podcast is brought to you by the following strength and conditioning businesses. They outfit the top training centers with great service and :
Spec Athletic: The Sports Flooring Professionals
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ASAP Podcast with Football Sports Performance Coach Tommy Moffitt
Former LSU longtime S&C
Coach Tommy MoffittOne of the big highlights of the HAMMER STRENGTH Clinic that was conducted at the Spooky Nook Athletics Complex in Hamilton, Ohio was the presentation on the opening night by Coach Tommy Moffitt. Basically, he laid out the infrastructure of his championship performance program that had the LSU Fighting Tigers fighting for and winning the big games and the big prizes. He's been in the strength & conditioning field for over thirty years. At Louisiana State for 23 years and prior to there, he'd been at Tennessee Vols and the Miami Hurricanes.
Tommy Moffitt's Championship Level Slide Presentation
HAMMER STRENGTH CLINICSo, I guess it's a no-brainer that the Hammer Strength Clinic roped in the accomplished Tommy Moffitt. And, the clinic was the perfect time to catch an Athletic Strength And Power Podcast recording with Coach Moffitt. We talked strength training and conditioning an discussed how he used Polar heart rate monitors with the Tigers at LSU when conducting speed and conditioning workouts.Currently, Moffitt has a strength & conditioning website called The Moffitt Method. It looks like a great resource for coaches & athletes and can even merge with TEAMBUILDR, the online strength & conditioning software. In addition, he has a podcast that he records every Wednesday!