Athletic Strength And Power

Category: Strength Training & Conditioning

  • ASAP Podcast with Maryland Terrapins’ Performance Coordinator Mason Baggett

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    Coach Mason Baggett: UMD Terrapins Football Performance Coordinator

    Take one step into the University of Maryland's Football Strength & Conditioning facility and you'll be ready to grab a trapbar or attempt a set of logbar bench presses. Stuff can get crazy in there with the Assistant A.D. for Football Sports Performance Rick Court, who seemingly can be in multiple places at one time. His enthusiasm is infectious and the Terrapins are beginning to show evidence of over a year under Coach Court's watchful eyes. Not much gets past him and you'd best bring your "A" game or things could go south real quickly. The players are feeling the love. They're also starting to look like bigtime college football players. Coach Rick Court has orchestrated this scenario with Head Football Coach D.J. Durkin and together they have huge plans for the program at Maryland.

    Of the many things that Court has under his umbrella, one big part is adding Mason Baggett as the team's Football Performance Coordinator. This move propels Maryland Football in unison with current sports science models. Bi-weekly meetings with the Sports Med Dept, the team nutritionist, academics as well as strength training operations and strength staff professional development keep Coach Baggett on the constant go. And, let's not forget his personal workout time that allows him to try to stay a step in front of the young Terrapins. As a matter of fact, myself and NFL sports science tracking data expert Ted Lambrinides, witnessed Mason perform a reverse heavy ball toss from the 10 yard line that sailed over the crossbar! 

    Coach Baggett and I sat down in the Maryland Football Tight-Ends room to record this ASAP Podcast during our visit to College Park last week. Also, Coach Court, Baggett, Lambrinides and myself donned construction site hard hats for an exclusive tour of the renovation progress of the venerable Cole Field House, a 200 million dollar undertaking that promises to be one of the top training facilities in the world. Stop back to our ASAP website for facility update photos. 

    For now, here's the ASAP Podcast with Coach Mason Baggett, brought to you by TEAMBUILDR

     

      

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    University of Maryland Terrapins' Asst A.D. for Football Sports Rick Court was able to guide ASAP's Ed Cicale, NFL tracking expert Ted Lambrinides, and UMD Football Performance Coordinator Mason Baggett through a tour of the $200 million renovation of the Cole Field House 

          

  • ASAP Podcast with Stephanie Horvath R.D. Tennessee Vols Football Team Nutritionist

    Stepanie Horvath UT VolsThe sports nutrition side of training for athletics has become a large slice of the pie in collegiate sports. Its importance is now thought of as a key factor in the overall development of athletes. Poor eating habits coupled with poor food choices is a double whammy against optimal growth. College coaches have a four to maybe five year window of opportunity to develop their athletes to their potential. And, of course, in some instances where a superb athlete may make the jump to professional sports, that time frame might even be shorter. Therefore, it's quite critical to begin the developmental process as soon as the athlete lands on campus. It's no longer a "Hey…. be sure to eat your fruits and vegetables" world. There's too much on the line.

    ASAP went to The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and sat down at the table with Stephanie Horvath, who is the Director of Performance Nutrition at the storied Southeastern Conference football power where there are six National Championship banners in tow. A pretty impressive fact of college football history and Head Football Coach Butch Jones would like to make it a seventh one day. The Tennessee Volunteers' fan base has a huge amount of pride in the 'orange and white' and has high expectations. So to keep the progress rising, the the Vols will need every edge that they can get! That's where Stephanie Horvath enters the picture. Being a former Division 1 athlete herself, she understands the whole deal and how properly fueling the athletic body can give an athlete the edge that they desire. Since the coaches look for any advantage that they can attain, the nutrition aspect could be a difference maker and lead to a winning performance.  The fact that Stephanie was a member of the Indiana Hoosiers Rowing squad, she learned the value of proper fueling for athletics. It served as a catalyst for her career that landed her at Ol' Rocky Top and directing the sports nutrition program at U.T.. The athletes there are extremely glad she's now in Knoxville. Me too! Because, I got to try one of her Strawberry/Vanilla smoothies and it's a winner! Go Vols!

    In this podcast, Stephanie shares her story of how she was able to encounter such a great opportunity with the Tennessee program. Even better, she explains some great tips for becoming a well educated athlete and some of the requirements for fueling those athletic endeavors!

    Pics from around the Tennessee Vols Fueling Station

    ASAP Podcasts, Photos and Videos are property of Athletic Strength And Power. Any use without permission is prohibited

  • ASAP Exclusive Photos: & Video @ Clemson Football New Strength Training Complex

    IMG_1966Clemson Football Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach Adam Smotherman rolled out the orange and purple carpet for the ASAP arrival in Clemson, South Carolina. The defending 2016 College Football National Champion Clemson Tigers now boast one of the most impressive training facilities anywhere. The gleaming new football complex is nestled into the sprawling, beautiful acres of Clemson Athletics. ASAP got the firsthand look at this marvelous place that includes a indoor slide from the second floor down to the weightroom, a bowling alley, nap room, barbershop, huge game room, player dining room, indoor simulated golf course, and impressive outdoor landscaped patio with full compliment of furnishings….. right next to a putt-putt golf course. 

    The weightroom is a huge 27,000 square foot jewel that is sure to provide Head Strength Coach Joey Batson plenty of room to mold more championship-level Clemson Tiger football stars. Here are some of the photos 

      

    Clemson Football Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach Adam Smotherman explains the details of this sparkling new strength and conditioning complex located within the new football headquarters in Clemson, South Carolina

    ASAP photos are Property of ATHLETIC STRENGTH AND POWER Inc: All Rights Reserved. Any use without expressed written permission is prohibited

  • Hammer Strength Clinics: 25th Anniversary Clinic CINCINNATI OHIO May 2017

    Cincinnati Email Graphic (1)Twenty-five years ago, Hammer Strength began a series of training seminars and strength clinics.The objective was to share training philosophies, network with other strength professionals, and conduct professional development opportunities to educate strength coaches, personal trainers, athletic trainers and sports coaches on the ever growing landscape of strength training and conditioning of athletes. Despite some differing philosophies on how best to conduct a program, the root was the coaching desire for having the strongest and most well conditioned athletes. And, ultimately more WINS for their respective teams. Some of the younger strength coaches at the time like University of Toledo Coach Ken Mannie and University of Cincinnati Strength Coach Mickey Marotti seemed to surgically dissect the best of all the methods and bored right through it creating hybrid training philosophies that maximized the best of all the programs. Both were clinic "regulars and fond of gaining new knowledge at clinics.  Football coaches like Nick Saban (Toledo) and Urban Meyer (asst Notre Dame) took notice of these guys and made sure they were anchored in as their right hand guys.   And the clinics, where else could coaches from places like Troy, Ohio or Fowlerville, Michigan or the Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education (CAPE) have one-on-one conversations about training with some of the top strength guys in the profession…. coaches like Dan Riley of Penn State, Kim Wood of the Cincinnati Bengals, Boyd Epley of the Nebraska Cornhuskers,  Bruno Pauletto at the Tennessee Volunteers or Mike Gittleson from the Michigan Wolverine football program? And at the same time, the clinics also provided the chance to see the latest and cutting edge strength equipment. Hammer Strength produced the heavy-duty model of everything strength training. Clinic attendees could try many of the latest models and prototypes that the company was producing. It was great. And still is!

    Twenty five years later, right in Cincinnati, Ohio is the anniversary of the Hammer Strength Clinics will be appropriately held at The University of Cincinnati on May 19/20. One of the speakers, Mickey Marotti (Ohio State) will be back at his old stomping grounds.  Another speaker Brady Collins worked under Marotti at Ohio State and  (clinic speaker)Ted Lambrinides at the University of Kentucky. Collins has come down from Columbus with UC Bearcats Head Football Coach Luke Fickell. Boyd Epley will speak as will Al Johnson! Other speakers like NFL guys Chip Morton (Bengals) and Joe Kenn (Carolina Panthers) will also share their knowledge. Throw in West Virginia S&C Coach Mike Joseph, Heather Mason, Loren Seagrave, Dr. Ken Leistner, Lance Walker and Brian Clarke into the mix! WOW. #BOOM 

    Here's the speaker line-up and agenda. Get registered! See you there on May 19th and 20th 2017

     

     

  • ASAP PODCAST with Coach Kim Wood (Ret) Cincinnati Bengals May 2017 Edition

    Kim wood gym 005ASAP PODCASTER Ed Cicale traveled up the Clifton incline toward The University of Cincinnati, where just down the road, lives retired strength coach Kim Wood. He spent over thirty years with the Cincinnati Bengals and hung around with the legendary NFL coaching great, Paul Brown. During his coach days, Coach Wood took a stand against drugs in sports and hasn't backed down! In fact, he's more feisty than ever and has his sleeves rolled up to take on anyone who disagrees. He's old school in a new school NFL. If he was in charge, there'd be few drug problems and less glitzy training centers around.

    Interestingly, despite having a decent retirement nest and benefits, he's only mastered Maxwell House Instant Coffee in the days of Keurig Coffee Makers and French Presses! His Facebook page is a tip-of-the hat to the days without smartphones, uploads and Tweets….. though done quite icely using the Facebook format. His front yard has weightlifting decks should you feel the need to hoist and olde time barbell or Russian kettlebell. Out back, where some might have their Weber grill…. Coach Has a Lat-Pulldown pulldown machine. His home gym resembles a Swiss ski chalet with fine woods and lighting that cascades inside. Outside, giant evergrees keep the room shaded from the afternoon sun. Each room in his spacious home has training equipment, yes, even the bedrooms…. some of which is highly regarded as collector items by museum types but for Kim, just basic stuff for a daily training regimen. Like good music during the workout? He's in possession of over 10,000 record albums and music CDs. Fancy cars? Nope….. just a 1989 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck with lapbelt seatbelts.

    He loves football, but doesn't like the direction that it's heading sometimes. Especially when it comes to the safety of the players. Coach Wood has seen many of his former players and friends encounter difficult times as they've aged and believes that the forces and hits that they've come in contact with are directly responsible for their present condition. Therefore, he's continuing his stance that more has to be done…. more research on the brain as it relates to football and even further advanced training of the head and neck to further prepare the players' bodies for the violent contact. The longtime coach and Nautilus training advocate was also one of the original founders of the world renowned HAMMER STRENGTH training equipment. Presently, he's well known for his annual head & neck training clinics and though he's placing those clinics on the shelf, he'll surface this summer (July 21 and 22, 2017) in a new location within Cincinnati, Ohio and a fresher topic and updated theme. Coach Kim Wood has been a regular guest on the ASAP PODCAST. Here's the May 2017 Kim Wood Podcast:

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  • ASAP Podcast with Coach Brady Collins CINCINNATI BEARCATS

    Brady CollinsThere's construction going on at the University of Cincinnati. Yes, The Fifth/Third Arena is undergoing a huge renovation…… but there's more, the UC Bearcat Football team is under new direction after the hire of Head Football Coach Luke Fickell and the his football squad is under construction, too. Enter Coach Brady Collins. He's the guy that Coach Fickell has entrusted to lead his young Bearcats as the Director of  Football Sports Performance. Once Fickell had landed from the short flight south of Columbus, Ohio, he summoned Collins  for the task. Coach Collins has been well schooled for the assignment, as he spent a few years at the University of Kentucky with Ray "ROCK" Oliver and Ted Lambrinides. From there, he made his way south and deeper into SEC Football at Mississippi State at first with Matt Balis and then under Rick Court. Then it was on to Columbus and the Ohio State Buckeyes where he worked under Master Strength Coach Mickey Marotti. What a ton of great athletes and coaches whom Brady Collins has been around! Now, Collins is on his own and is prepared for the new journey at The University of Cincinnati! Good Luck Brady!
    This ASAP PODCAST is sponsored by THE DIFFERENCE 

    Podcast discussion points: 

    ASAP Podcasts are Property of ATHLETIC STRENGTH AND POWER Inc.: All Rights Reserved. Any use without expressed written permission is prohibited

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  • ASAP VIDEO: Recent Uploads

    Muscle-Milk-Bars-1 (1)Here's a few videos that have been recently uploaded to our YouTube Channel. There's a Michigan State Half Gasser Test. A Mississippi State Chain-Resisted Running video. A pair of Cincinnati Bearcats high energy enthusiastic & #juiced segments. Texas Tech Coach Rusty Whitt reviews the 40YD Dash start & stance. Ohio State's Quinn Barham talks posterior chain in a Part Two reel. And, West Virginia Mountaineers Asst Strength Coach Darl Bauer joined us for an ASAP Podcast. And, oh yeah, I was at the Ohio State PRO-DAY and caught Dontre Wilson blazing through the 3 Cone Drill.  Grab yourself a MUSCLE MILK® Protein Bar and enjoy! #strongereveryday

                    

  • ASAP Shout-Out to South Carolina Gamecock Basketball & Scott Greenawalt

    6a00d83453dfa869e2019aff21ba6e970b-500wiA huge shout out to our professional colleague and fellow strength & conditioning coach Scott Greenawalt. The team that he and his strength staff have developed down in Columbia, South Carolina is prepared for the toughest of battles. The USC Gamecocks are now among college basketball's elite class as they head to The Final Four. Congratualtions!

    Here are a few videos from our visits to 'Carolina'. Also, our latest podcast sponsored by TEAMBUILDR, with Coach Greenawalt.

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  • Ohio State PRO-DAY 2017

  • ASAP Podcast with West Virginia Mountaineers Asst. Director of Strength & Conditioning Darl Bauer

    IMG_1398qOne of the featured speakers at the 34th Annual University of Tennessee Strength & Conditioning Clinic was Coach Darl Bauer. He's the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning for the West Virginia Mountaineers Football Team. You've probably seen him in several of our past ASAP Features & ASAP Videos and he has become a sought after speaker for several clinics, including Coach Kim Wood's FOOTBALL STRENGTH CLINICS. Coach Bauer is a very knowledgeable coach…… and a definite winner! So, it was a no brainer to add Coach Darl Bauer to our ASAP Podcast Guest List. This is Episode #293….if you're keeping score! And, here's even more pics from Morgantown, WV

     This ASAP Podcast is sponsored by SPEC ATHLETIC   6a00d83453dfa869e201b8d2695ad0970c-300wi

    Or…if you prefer, here's the YouTube version with a few pics from Morgantown!