Basketball

Strength training for basketball is vital for success.  Professional NBA players strength train during the duration of the entire season and off season, so why shouldn’t younger athletes do the same? 
With basketball we want to focus on increasing:

•    Vertical Jump •    Explosive Strength •    Agility •    Mobility •    Coordination •    Balance •    General Physical Preparedness •    Special Physical Preparedness •    Muscular Strength •    And Overall Health of the Athlete

We do different variations of jumping, strength, torso, conditioning, and focus on specific basketball skills.  We will utilize boxes, as well as performing cone drills that will imitate specific movements an athlete will experience during a real game situation.  We want to focus on the fundamentals of basketball, as well as building the athlete’s conditioning level.  We will perform high intensive workouts that are similar to a game.  Basketball is an aerobic/alactic sport.  With basketball, it is important to perform for a long period of time while moving at a fast pace.  Many injuries that deal with basketball players are due to lack of strength around certain joints (i.e. knee, ankle, and shoulder).  We want to protect those joints through a series of pre-rehabilitation exercises.  While the athlete is strength training, it is important to also have the athlete working on shooting drills.  Strength training could affect the technique of the shooter, so it is important to practice shooting while strength training.   

Baseball

Strength training for baseball is important for the athlete.  We also want to focus on the athlete’s hitting, running, and throwing mechanics.  It is important for a baseball player to get an idea of strength training.  With baseball players we try to manipulate movements that a player would utilize in a game time situation (i.e. catchers perform many squats so they can learn to spring up from a squatted position).  For baseball players we want to increase:

•    Strength
•    Explosiveness (Reaction Time)
•    Mobility
•    Agility
•    General Physical Preparedness
•    Special Physical Preparedness
•    Fundamentals of Baseball
•    And Overall Health of the Athlete

With baseball players, some players will do different exercises. For a pitcher in baseball, it is important to focus on more pre-rehabilitation with many different shoulder exercises. The tactical and technical side for baseball is vital for their overall success. Baseball is an anaerobic/alactic sport. Some players will be able to get some rest while playing the sport, unlike the catcher or pitcher who is constantly moving. Baseball players must be able to react quickly in a game situation. Baseball players have a long season, so it is important to stay healthy and strong for the entire duration.

Volleyball

Strength training for volleyball is vital for success.  We want to focus on the fundamentals of volleyball, as well as building the athlete’s conditioning level.    With volleyball we want to focus on increasing:
•    Vertical Jump
•    Explosive Strength
•    Agility
•    Mobility
•    Coordination
•    Balance
•    General Physical Preparedness
•    Special Physical Preparedness
•    Muscular Strength
•    And Overall Health of the Athlete


We do different variations of jumping, strength, torso, conditioning, and focus on specific volleyball skills.  We will utilize boxes, as well as performing cone drills that will imitate specific movements during a game time situation.  We will perform high intensive workouts that are similar to a game.  With Volleyball, it is important to perform for a long period of time while moving at a fast pace.  The athlete will get to utilize rest for a couple of seconds, but the athlete is in motion for the duration of the game.  Many injuries that deal with volleyball players are due to lack of strength around certain joints (i.e. knee, ankle, and shoulder).  We want to protect those joints through a series of pre-rehabilitation exercises.  While the athlete is strength training, it is important to also have the athlete work on basic skills of the sport. 

Soccer

While many believe soccer is just an endurance sport, strength plays an important role.  Soccer is perhaps the most demanding sport to train for, because soccer is an aerobic/alactic sport.  This means that the athlete has to perform many specific soccer movements for a long period of time while being explosive and quick.  Many trainers just train the endurance of a soccer player, but here we train the specific energy systems required to excel in soccer.  The better the athlete’s aerobic capacity, then the more ground that athlete can cover.  For soccer players we want to focus on increasing:
•    General Physical Preparedness
•    Special Physical Preparedness
•    Strength/Power
•    Balance
•    Agility
•    Mobility
•    Coordination
•    And the Overall Health of the Athlete

In soccer, the athlete is always moving while trying to stay fast.  We will focus with many soccer players the fundamentals of kicking, dribbling, and shooter a soccer ball as well.  We will also stimulate game situations for an athlete to help prepare for games. 

Tennis

Strength training for Tennis can go a long way with the athletes.  Specific training will only increase performance for the athlete.  Many professionals are turning to strength and conditioning coaches for help, so why don’t younger athletes do the same?  Some coaches do not understand the importance of strength training and how they can increase performance.  Strength training can help improve:

•    General Physical Preparedness
•    Special Physical Preparedness
•    Strength/Power
•    Coordination
•    Balance
•    Mobility
•    And Overall Health for the Athlete

We train the specific energy systems required to help the tennis player excel.  Never underestimate how much strength training can do for any type of sport.  We also focus on a strong torso and shoulder joint.  Pre-habilitation is vital to a tennis player.  Their shoulders are put into awkward movements from time to time.  That is why keeping a tennis player healthy is the most important reason to strength train.    

Swimming

Many coaches only want their swimmers in the water to get better at swimming.  However, dry land strength and conditioning workouts will increase the athlete’s preparedness in the water.  Swimming has to do with proper technique of the swimmer.  The majority of your muscular is utilized during swimming: from the top of your head to your toes.   We want to focus on helping the athlete with his/her:
•    General Physical Preparedness
•    Special Physical Preparedness
•    Mobility
•    Strength
•    Technique
•    And the Overall Health of the Athlete

We will train the specific energy systems required to help the athlete excel at swimming.  Dry land conditioning is as important as being in the water.  We will focus on this majority of the time.  The development of muscular strength and power are essential elements in swim training and important predictors of competitive success.

Metabolic Demands for Various Sports

Sport	Phosphagen System	Anaerobic Glycolysis	Aerobic Metabolism
Baseball	High	―――	―――
Basketball	High	Moderate to High	Moderate to High
Boxing	High	High	High
Football	High	Moderate	Moderate
Gymnastics	High	Moderate	Moderate
Golf	High	―――	―――
Ice Hockey	High	Moderate	Moderate
Soccer	High	Moderate	High
Tennis	High	―――	―――
Volleyball	High	Moderate	―――
Wrestling	High	High	Moderate

Chart from Essentials of Strength Training & Conditioning (2000)