Athletic Strength And Power

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ASAP Wrestling Podcast with OHHS Hall of Famer Greg Strochinsky

Wrestling…. Strictly Business!
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For 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

Dick Roche Memorial Scholarship

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October 21, 2023
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.

October 9, 2023
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.

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September 22, 2023
ASAP at Youngstown State Football S&C Podcast and Video

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State Football
Strength & Conditioning

YSU Dir for Football Sports Performance Jimmy Rodenberg

For the Youngstown State Penguins, the season can't start soon enough. Excluded from the play-offs in 2022, the football squad is ready to put that in the rear view mirror and move on. This is a program that prides itself on winning tradition, and the atmosphere around Stambaugh Stadium, which houses the athletic offices that include the football coaches and their meeting rooms along with the strength and conditioning facility, is basically: Let's ___ go!!!
The Director of Football Sports Performance, Jimmy Rodenberg, is making sure that the Penguins stay the course and avoid the cold treatment from the selection committee. Rodenberg, whose father, John Rodenberg is a well known, longtime high school football coach in the Cincinnati and Indianapolis region, got some great early experience at Ohio State strength & conditioning and then expanded on that base to a greater extent under Coach Brady Collins at Cincinnati with the Bearcats and their story book season and College Football Play-off run.

Following his initial year at YSU, he's made some staff additions since his arrival and it can only serve to help the cause and the team goals to get back to national prominence. Keep in mind that this is a program that's had its share of the limelight as legendary college football coach Jim Tressel rebuilt the Penguin program during his fourteen year reign and tenure there, winning four national championships.

Coach Rodenberg was able to bring in a full-time assistant, Mason Garrison, a Cincinnati high school product who was able to be a part of the big transformation as a member of the Cincinnati Bearcat team that was selected to the College Football Play-off vs Alabama during the Luke Fickell years. In addition, they've added G.A. in Sport Performance Colton Krueger, a Marquette University grad who got some quality experience at Oregon Football (intern) under Coach Aaron Feld. Justin Nikakhtar arrived in Youngstown via San Diego State and had an opportunity to work under Coach Adam Hall and Coach Chris Jurek with the Aztecs working on his professional internship in the southern California sunshine. And, Jake Puckett rounds out the strength staff. Jake is an Iowa State guy and had the opportunity to work under Coach Dave Andrews in Ames. He also had
a stop at Valparaiso as a sports performance assistant there in northern Indiana with the Crusaders.

The Monday July 17th Workout

UPPER DAY

Field Work in Stadium: Dynamic Warm-up

straight line acceleration training of limited yardage and limited volume

Bench Press: veteran varsity level players: Clusters of 2 REPs/ 20 second rest with high end percentage with volume limited (timed recovery)

Younger Players went with a 5 4 3 2 1 + percentages training

BentOver Rows (Elite FTS)

Shrugs
Shoulder girdle training with the bands (from The Bill Jacobs Power Company)

Single Arm Incline Dumbbell Press

Supersetted with the Bent-over Rows

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns (tempo) 4 sets of 5

UpRight Rows…so as to bring a different angle for armoring the shoulder girdle

Deltoid Training: dumbbells with some manual resistance

Manual Neck Training took place in the auxiliary gymnasium; 5 Reps with slow tempo cadence

Corework

Good luck to Coach Jimmy Rodenberg and his Youngstown State Penguins strength staff. You can catch them in their home opener at Stambaugh Stadium on August 31st as they host the Valparaiso Crusaders. Or, check them out at Ohio Stadium in Columbus as the Ohio State Buckeyes have set their noon kick-off home opener against the Penguins (Big Ten Network TV)

YSU Penguins Asst' Strength Staff
Justin Nikakhtar, Colton Krueger, Mason Garrison, Jake Puckett

August 7, 2023
South Carolina WBB Performance Director Molly Binetti on the ASAP PODCAST

In her five seasons as Director of Sports Performance-Women's Basketball at The University of South Carolina, Molly Binetti, has seen the Gamecocks lose but only 19 games. And, she's been on board to witness 152 wins that include NCAA Sweet Sixteen, NCAA Final Four twice and an NCAA National Championship! (The Covid fiasco eliminated a run for another championship opportunity when the Final Four was canceled). All this in just five years at USC. What an experience!!

So, it comes as no surprise that HAMMER STRENGTH Clinics sought out this championship caliber performance coach as one of their top notch presenters at the Spooky Nook Sports Center complex in Hamilton, Ohio. Ted Lambrinides, Tommy Moffitt, Niko Palazeti. Al Johnson Molly Binetti to name a few. All experienced, detailed and highly motivated coaches that HAMMER STRENGTH brought in to provide a learning experience and environment to help coaches who have a strong desire for personal advancement.
It also comes as no surprise that this is Molly's second appearance on the ASAP PODCAST. Kindof a BIG deal!

Here's the link to her first appearance
.

Coach Molly Binetti is now tweaking the program a bit as the USC Gamecocks prepare for an off-season program that prepares South Carolina WBB for another SEC and national championship opportunity….. along with an international tip-off this November in Paris, France.

In this podcast, recorded on location and surrounded by HAMMER STRENGTH equipment in Hamilton, Ohio, Molly describes how she got her career started in the strength and conditioning profession and updates us on the preparation for the coming 2023-24 season plans as the team is on break in accordance with NCAA rules concerning mandatory off time. However, after mid June…. It's on!! And, it has to be because, as Binetti reminded me, the Southeastern Conference is a "super physical league…..you get your butt kicked every night".
So, a huge shout out to one of the best in the business, Molly Binetti. We wish her continued top tier success.

Ed Cicale

Molly Binetti ASAP PODCAST
ENERGY-ATTITUDE-ENERGY

June 15, 2023
ASAP Podcast with Football Sports Performance Coach Tommy Moffitt

Former LSU longtime S&C
Coach Tommy Moffitt

One 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 CLINIC

So, 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!

June 1, 2023
The Tommy Moffitt Method clinic slides

CLICK ON THE SLIDE FOR ENLARGED VERSION

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June 1, 2023
Hammer Strength Clinic: Spooky Nook Champion Mill Hamilton, Ohio

For over 30 years, Hammer Strength has been hosting clinics to offer Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) for strength and conditioning coaches as well as other fitness professionals. Hammer Strength has cultivated a community based on its foundations of wisdom, respect, focus and performance. Each clinic has esteemed guest speakers and several breakout sessions to network and discuss training philosophies.

Clinic emcee Ted Lambrinides at The Cotton Bowl CFP Game

Renowned strength & conditioning expert, Ted Lambrinides, will emcee this clinic at the Spooky Nook Champion Mill which is in Hamilton, Ohio. In addition to his forty year pursuit of sports performance science, "Doctor Ted" has become a leader in the field of strength & conditioning program design, speed and human performance enhancement concepts and athlete-wearable gps tracking data analysis. Track him down at the clinic!

REGISTER HERE

2023 Speaker Lineup:

Molly Binetti | Director of Women's Basketball Performance, University of South Carolina

Presentation Title: Freestyle Warm-Up

Description: This presentation will debunk current methods and strategies incorporated during warm-up/prep periods, and explore outside-the-box methods to enhance overall athleticism, motor learning, and skill acquisition. Concepts that will be explored are autonomy/choice, differential learning, games/free play, and the importance of exploration within training. Attendees will leave with tangible ideas and drills to incorporate immediately.

David Queck | Director of Strength and Conditioning, Jones College

Presentation Title: Programming for the JUCO Athlete: From Weight Room to Speed Training

Description: This presentation will cover the challenges and triumphs of programming the strength and speed components in a Junior College setting for football, basketball and softball. As well as what is a JUCO athlete and how you coach them.

Al Johnson | Chief Development Officer, CSCCa

Presentation Title: 30+ Years in the Profession: "What I Learned Along The Way"

Description: My journey in the profession and an overview of how strength and conditioning has changed but in some ways has remained the same.

Tommy Moffitt | Head Coach, The Moffitt Method

Presentation Title: Developing Speed, Strength and Conditioning for Field Sports

Description: This presentation will cover the macro, meso and micro cycle development for field sports and show examples of each.

Lance Walker | Executive Director, Human Performance & Nutrition Research Institute, Oklahoma State University

Presentation Title: Angular Acceleration for Performance and Rehabilitation

Description: How concepts of linear speed development can be applied to nonlinear movement patterns to better express force, improve efficiency in cutting, and potentially improve return-from-injury outcomes.

Auggie Promersberger | Director of Sport Performance, St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)

Presentation Title: Assent of the Edsman: Department-Wide LTAD at St. Ed's

Description: In this session we will take a deep dive into some of the details, principles and key points that drive long term athlete development in the St. Edward High School environment.

Garrett Medenwald | Director of Men's Basketball Sports Performance, University of Tennessee

Presentation Title: Coach has a Question…..do you have an answer?

Description: At some point in the season, your head coach will come to you with a performance-related question. The question could be regarding an individual or the team. When this moment happens, will you response with “your opinion” or will you have the “facts” to answer their question? Your answer may very well decide what type of impact you have on the program. What kind of impact do you want to make?

Niko Palazeti | Director of Football Sports Performance, University of Cincinnati

Presentation Title: Strength and Conditioning Onboarding: Strategies for Transitioning Faster and Smarter

Description: Reflection and key take away on Transitioning Roles and Responsibilities

Corey Miller | Director of Speed and Movement, UCLA

Presentation Title: Coming Soon

Adam Smotherman | Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Virginia

U.C. Bearcats' Coach Niko Palazeti coaching the details

May 13, 2023
Cincinnati Bearcats Head S&C Coach Niko Palazeti Podcast
Coach Palazeti was a speaker at the 2023 Ohio State Football S&C Clinic

Things were moving quickly at The University of Cincinnati as the school's athletic director scoured the football world for a replacement for Head Coach Luke Fickell who had departed to take on a struggling program in Madison, Wisconsin. A little over a week later, Cincinnati A.D. John Cunningham was welcoming in his new football coach, Scott Satterfield, to take the reins of a program that has experienced winning and lots of it in recent history.
Meanwhile, one hundred miles to the north, in Columbus, Ohio, at Ohio State Football, assistant strength and conditioning coach Niko Palazeti was busy training his groups of Buckeye football stars at The Woody Hayes Athletic Center under the direction of his mentor and the Director of Football Sports Performance, Mickey Marotti. The Buckeyes were in training for another run in the College Football Playoffs. However, things were about to change for Coach Palazeti. As the newly named UC Football Coach Satterfield began familiarizing himself with the Bearcats' athletics building, the Richard Lindner Center, he knew that his real and immediate focus was to find someone to take direction of the team's strength and conditioning program, often the heart and soul of a team, and assure the current roster of Bearcats that the uncertainty and doubt that they were experiencing was coming to an end. The Bearcats are now official members of the Big 12 Conference. In fact, the Oklahoma Sooners will be in town on September 23rd, so the football program was in real need of a strength & conditioning coach with much needed experience to guide the team and reset the foundation.

Phone conversations, texts, emails were suddenly lighting up the former Michigan State Spartan's cell phone. The Cincinnati Bearcats would like to interview Niko Palazeti! . As it turns out, Niko Palazeti finished up his morning training-groups at Ohio State, changed shirt logos to a CINCINNATI "C" paw, and headed to I-71 South for the two hour drive
to the Queen City along the Ohio River. Bearcat football coach Scott Satterfield would introduce him to the squad a few hours later.

It was a new focus for Palazeti, he needed a strength staff of his own. So, he finally was able to secure his new personnel:

Chris Friend (via Ohio State, football, hockey)

Scott Ethington (via Marshall, Maryland)
Brandon Garcia (via UNLV, Maryland)

Robert 'Robo' Williams (via Duke, Cincinnati)
Now that he had a staff, it became time to roll out the Winter Program and begin Coach Palazeti's first priority:

Prepare the Players for the demands of Spring Football

In today's ASAP ~Athletic Strength And Power Podcast, Niko and I discussed:

the Cincinnati Bearcats opportunity

his admiration of his mentor OSU's Mickey Marotti

how the Bearcats attack the ever important region of the neck

Spring football strength training objectives

looking ahead to the Summer Program

construction has begun on the new indoor facility and subsequent football building

Coach Niko Palazeti addresses one of the morning groups

Associate Director of Football Sports Performance
Chris Friend

Brandon Garcia & Robo Williams
Assistant Football Sports Performance Coaches

Scott Ethington
Asst Football Sports Performance Coach
March 31, 2023
ASAP Podcast with University of Kentucky Head Athletic Trainer Chris Simmons
This is a re-issue of my podcast with the late Chris Simmons, who has passed unexpectantly, just this week, January 2023. He was the best! Chris spent over ten years as The University of Kentucky Mens Basketball Head Athletic Trainer with Basketball Coach John Calipari. He will be dearly missed as a friend to many and an ASAP associate and podcast guest. He truly loved Kentucky Basketball and he had the good fortune of working with "Coach Cal" for many a Wildcats victory. Athletic Trainers from coast to coast mourn this loss of a great human being who touched the lives of many.

RIP Chris Simmons

Chris Simmons .Head Athletic Trainer at The University of Kentucky. He joins ASAP~Athletic Strength And Power~ Podcaster Ed Cicale for ASAP's 100th Podcast. Simmons' responsibility is the Kentucky Wildcat Basketball team. The winningest program in all of college basketball. Presently, his main focus is helping to make sure the recent arrivals, the incoming freshman class…. get oriented to their new collegiate experience.
The topics discussed in this podcast are:
- Freshman Class Arrival
- Coach John Calipari
- Educational Background to becoming Head Athletic Trainer
- Inspiration in Mississippi
- Keeping Players fresh for Tournaments
- Tendonitis
- Ankle Sprains: his secrets to returning the Wildcats back to action quickly!
This podcast is sponsored by The Bill Jacobs Power Company, and by The CBD HealthCare Company
January 18, 2023