Seems like Albert Haynesworth is catching a lot of flack for not passing the conditioning test required by most NFL teams.  If you are one of the brave souls who wants to attempt the conditioning test for yourself, you need to keep in mind that the requirements are determined by position: “skill guys” (running backs, receivers, def. backs) have less time to complete the test. The other factor is some coaches require you touch the line with your hand on the turn.

From my own experience in passing the 300 yard shuttle in college, I’ll pass on a few coaching points that helped me.  Our test was 3X 300 yard shuttles  (6X 50 yard sprints) in under 60 seconds (lineman time). I was so slow that coaches used to time me with a sun dial, so I had to pretty much sprint the whole thing.  Some guys are just good athletes and could strap up and go, but I on the other hand had to train in order to pass. Here are some tips:

• Run in a straight line. No wasted motion- pick a spot on each end and stick to it.

• Sprint into and out of the turn. The turns are where you lose the most time.  I found that if I exploded into the touch and turn and jumped out of it, I could save some valuable time.

• Train for the test. Practice will improve conditioning and will build your confidence going into the test.  A confident competitor is a less anxious one. Being well prepared for this or any test is always a great idea.

• Don’t eat like an idiot before your test. As a returning sophomore in college I ate 6 chocolate doughnuts a couple of hours before the conditioning test. I was so hungry and needed my strength. I passed the test but lost the doughnuts…all over the field.  Not a good idea.  So Albert, if you need some training I know somebody that can help.

Could you pass an NFL conditioning test?  A  D.C. reporter comes close to passing the Redskin’s conditioning test that Albert Haynesworth failed twice.  Pretty embarrassing if you ask me, that a professional athlete can’t show up to camp in proper condition.

The test: 6 X 60 yard sprints in under 70 seconds.  Rest 3.5 minutes, and another 6x 60′s at 73 seconds or less. The reporter missed the second round by 8 seconds.

This is pretty close to the last test we had in college.  Ours was  3 rounds of 6 x 50′s in 60 seconds or under for lineman with a 3.5 minute rest in between. It was brutal at 100 plus degrees in the August Texas heat, at 300 lbs. Easily one of the most miserable experiences of my life.  But I passed the test and crossed the finish line at just under the mandatory time, needing about 30 minutes to recover and see straight.  I remember landing in a pile of my teammates whi had finished the test and saying to them, “I can’t see! My eyes are open but I can’t see anything!”  My teammate responded, “Me either!”

So Albert, I feel your pain. Nobody had more anxiety about Fall camp or conditioning tests than me, but I didn’t have millions of dollars to soften my landing after I collapsed across the finish line.

If you are looking for a challenge, or just need a quick conditioning workout give one of these a try.  Hopefully you won’t lose your vision like I did.  Send us your times and see if you can beat this reporter and Albert Haynesworth.  Who knows, maybe the ‘Skins will sign you instead.

I have been working with a 14 year old young man for the past several months with no strength training experience or athletic background.  We have been training with kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, heavy ropes, as well as, more traditional strength training implements (dumbbells and barbells). From an early evaluation we began and focused on addressing inflexibility in the hips, balance/body control, and core strength.

Most teens are prone to (especially bigger boys) challenges stemming from tight hips.  We started with bodyweight squats and stopped shy of  1/4 depth without losing balance.  Right away our mission was clear, and a steady dose of  hip mobility drills, stretching, dynamic warm ups, foam rolling, and practice was going to be the prescription.  With patience, reps, and a few weeks the hips began to unlock, he had more balance and control, and we were seeing some strength gains.  I worked with many young men with this body type and age range.  This would be the first opportunity to work with someone this age with kettlebells.   This week he performed a beautiful kettlebell snatch w/ 20kg for the first time.  A month ago I wouldn’t have believed it, but he has come so far and continues to progress.  I am sold on the kettlebell and believe it is truly a tool for everyone.  The kettlebell is unmatched in teaching beginners how to use their body, and teaches transfer of power from feet to hands better than just about anything.

We began with: bodyweight squats, single leg hip sled, kettlebell swing, high pull, one hand kb overhead squat.  Eventually we have been able to clean+jerk, front squat, barbell overhead squat, and even kettlebell snatch. I am really encouraged by this young man’s progress and how he continues to improve his body control, explosiveness, technique, and strength.

Everyone is built a little different, and has varying athletic potential.  I enjoy the challenge and reward of partnering with individuals to unlock that potential and helping them reach their personal goals, improve their performance, fitness level, and quality of life.

Make your time in the gym count by choosing multi-joint movements over single joint ones.  Engage larger muscles and replace single joint exercises (curls, tricep extensions, etc.)  with multiple joint movements (pull-ups, dips, incline press, etc.)  Focus your time on multi- joint movements and larger muscle groups (lats, shoulders, chest, hips, and legs) and your smaller muscle groups will get plenty of work (biceps, triceps, and abs).

This article by T-nation shows how pull-ups stack up to bicep curls of all flavors for activating the biceps.  Not only are pull-ups a tremendous rear shoulder and back developer, but benefit the biceps to boot.

Joe Hashey from Synergy athletics shows some MMA style work that is sure to challenge any athlete and gives you some great ideas on how to incorporate heavy ropes into your training.

Grab a rope or fire hose and get to work.

Turkish Get Up an exercise for the development of strength, flexibility, and coordination of your entire body.

Adding complex exercises like the Turkish Get Up and variations of will bring into balance areas of your body that might be neglected from more traditional strength training approaches.  Balance is the key to building a strong foundation and addressing areas in need of improvement.

Ropes can be purchased in the mid $100 range (depending on length) at performbetter.com.  They offer free shipping a couple of times a year. I would recommend longer ropes for greater versatility.

For those looking for money saving alternatives, contact your favorite local fireman and ask if you can have an old fire hose.   Fire stations throw out old hoses when they wear out.  Duct or electrical tape up the ends for handles, and get to work.

• Box, step, or bench (height that you can jump onto for 10+ reps)

• 2 Kettlebells or dumbbells (weight that you can perform 10+ reps of variety of exercises)

Exercises performed at high intensity for 20 seconds (@10+ reps) / followed by 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds.

• Box Jumps

• Double long cycle kettlebell, dumbbell, or kettlebull (clean and jerk)

• 2 handed swings

• Double High Pull

• Box Jumps

• Double long cycle kettlebell, dumbbell, or kettlebull (clean and jerk)

• 2 handed swings

• Double High Pull

This week’s collection of blog posts and web links is all about the benefits and advantages of kettlebell training.

• Mark Robson puts together a compelling list of the Top 10 Reasons To Train with Kettlebells.

• ACE Study on Kettlebells- The American Council on Exercise study shows how a 20 minute workout w/ kettlebells is a powerful fitness builder.

• Riverside Kettlebells- An extensive list of advantages and benefits of kettlebell training over other training methods.

• Mike Mahler posts a list of FAQ’s for kettlebell training along with concepts and benefits.

• From Palo Alto, CA, Mark Reifkind gives you five reasons why kettlebell training could be your simple solution to improving fitness, flexibility, strength, and stamina.

Be sure and comment with your favorite links.

I’m loving this Tabata Lite i phone application.  It’s free and it makes for a fun and challenging way to finish up a training session.  The Tabata protocol is just one of many high intensity interval training (HIIT) methods for increasing VO2 Max, improving conditioning,  and burning calories.

The variety and combination of exercises you can plug into this 8 round interval are limitless, and I have yet to duplicate one myself.  So here are a couple of examples of Tabata’s I have done in my last couple of workouts.

#1 (All Snatch)

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Repeat 4 X

#2

KB Double Long Cycle (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Double Long Cycle  (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest

Push ups : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Right arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Snatch Left arm : 20 sec / 10 sec rest

KB Double Long Cycle  (Clean and Jerk): 20 sec / 10 sec rest