Mean Green Football Performance [ARTICLE]

By: Frank Wintrich : Director of Football Performance - University of North Texas

INTRODUCTION – THE REVOLUTION

At the University of North Texas, a revolution has begun; a revolution of evolution. A revolution that creates the evolution of modern "strength and conditioning" as we know and accept it in athletics today, evolving it into a comprehensive SYSTEM known as Performance Training. The traditional manifestation of "strength and conditioning" throughout American athletics has predisposed athletes to injury, and in many cases led to a decrease in performance. At best, athletes are often left in constantly neutral states, unable to achieve peak performance due to poor training practices and organization. Even the term "strength and conditioning" is limited in its scope.

There are little to no professional definitions that exist to define "good" coaching practices when it comes to the training of the modern athlete. The acceptance of this obscure approach is problematic in that if you can't describe good training, then any training can be accepted as OK. While professional organizations may endorse a coach due to his ability to pass a test, the quality of programming and implementation of their programs is often lacking in several areas, leaving their athletes performance deficient and less than optimal. These deficiencies place the athlete in danger of injury not only during competition, but also during preparation for competition, in practice and during training campaigns. This is not acceptable, and this is where the evolution begins.

The evolution represents an abandonment of the classical approach of the "strength and conditioning" coach as the "weight room and running only guy". The evolution creates an interweaving of all aspects of athlete performance to include sport coaches, sports medicine and academics. Through the utilization of the Performance Training Pillars, athlete training will be optimized and training will be efficient.

The training process must be intense and demanding in order to create the iron will and elitist mentality required of championship programs. While training campaigns must be difficult, it must be understood that the training process is a complex interweaving of physical, psychological, technical, tactical and academic preparedness. It is the responsibility of the Performance Coach to prepare the athlete for peak performance through the management of stressors and the enhancement of traits and abilities necessary for sport mastery.

COMMENTARY

When reading an article, listening to a speaker or visiting / evaluating a performance program, it is essential that you question everything you see and hear. As we proceed today and as you move forward in your professional career, I would encourage you to simply ask of yourself, and of those from whom you garner information, the question WHY? Why, you ask am I writing this article today? That's simple. I am passionate about the development of athletes and in doing so, sharing what knowledge I have with my peers. Our society has access to the most readily available information in the history of mankind; however, ignorance is also at an all time high. The amount of disinformation and misinformation that exists in our field is astonishing. As you read in the introduction, we are in the midst of a revolution, and it is my goal to spread the word of this revolution in order to create a positive evolution in today's training practices. In order for our "profession" to move forward and be recognized as qualified and legitimate, we must continue to educate ourselves and raise the standards by which we develop our athletes.

Therefore, let this be our CALL TO ACTION. In the words of Buddy Morris, former Director of Physical Development at Pitt and the Cleveland Browns, "If you limit your knowledge, you limit your athletes." I encourage you to be knowledgeable. Philip Wylie said, "Ignorance is not bliss – it is oblivion," and far too many of our coaches are oblivious to the physiological needs of their athletes. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the more you can apply and allow your athletes to realize their true potential. Don't be too stubborn or too stupid to make changes to what you do. I am amazed by coaches who come to us looking for help and when they see the drastic difference in the programming say "but this is how we've always trained." Truly then, these coaches can expect to achieve the same results they have always had.

When researching a program, absorb the information that is presented, modify it to fit your system and then apply it to your program. Don't just follow a program because it is what big time University XYZ does. Remember, you must always question WHY. In order to enact a plan, you must understand WHY that plan works for them. Chances are good that you don't have the athletes or the resources of that major University. And who knows, maybe said coach at XYZ U doesn't know either! Know your athletes and your situation so that you can most effectively apply what you've learned. Be realistic. Don't adopt a training system to inflate your own ego. Just because it works somewhere else, doesn't mean that it's BEST for you and your athletes. Use what information you deem useful to develop a system of training that fits your style of play, the type of athletes that you have and the resources available to you.

THE SYSTEM

When people visit our program we often get asked – "what is Football Performance training?" Football Performance Training at the University of North Texas is defined as:

A quadrennial, multi-lateral, student-athlete preparation program, with the singular purpose of developing sport mastery in the game of collegiate football.

Now that is a mouthful! But what does all that mean, and how can you apply it to your situation. First, let's address sport mastery as this is our singular purpose. We define sport mastery as:

The ability to excel at one's sport with the least expense of physical and emotional energy.

It is important to always keep in mind that we are developing football athletes first. While our training may employ methods utilized by power lifters, strongmen, Olympic lifters, sprinters etc, these are simply the means by which we develop the best Mean Green Football athlete possible.

Next, our program is quadrennial. This means that we develop the athlete on a 4-year progression of training. Every year the athlete is in the program, the training evolves to fit their growth. We would be doing our athletes a serious injustice if their senior year training looked exactly like their freshman year training.

Third, our program is multi-lateral. This is an essential aspect of the development of our athletes. We must understand that while our roles as the Performance Coach traditionally limit us to being the "running and weight room guy", we must take into account ALL aspects of athletic development. These are:

Physical Preparedness
Psychological Preparedness
Technical Preparedness
Tactical Preparedness

As the Performance Coach, it is our responsibility to create a marriage of these 4 components to ensure the total development of our athletes.

Finally, we must keep in mind that our program is created to develop the student-athlete. It is essential that we balance not only the demands of the athletic schedule, but also take into account the academic load as well.

IMPLEMENTATION

Now that a definition for what our program is has been established, we must define how we will implement this program. It is our belief that a program must be principle based. Due to the transitory nature of our field, advances in research and methodology and the drastic differences in resources from place to place, a principle-based approach is superior to a philosophy based approach because it provides us with the flexibility to make adjustments as situations arise while still staying true to our training principles. Our goal is to be able to utilize our training approach, in any situation, with any athlete at any level of competition. We refer to these as our ten Program Pillars.

SAFE

Do no harm - There is no excuse for injury to occur during training or as a cumulative result of training.
Do not perform movements that create unnecessary structural stress.
Adhere to safe work to rest ratios.
Emphasize proper technique.
All training means should be progressive to allow the athlete to master a movement before a new more advanced training means is introduced.
Everything done in the scope of training is utilized to support a specific purpose.

DEVELOP SPORT MASTERY

Create a synergistic relationship with the Head Football Coach, position coaches, athletic trainers, team physicians and academic staff to create a harmonious and successful regimen that will optimize performance of the athlete.
Commit to no "exercise"; instead, consider the training effects needed to illicit the physical response necessary to achieve sport mastery.
Athletes are not training to compete as power lifters, Olympic lifters, bodybuilders or strongmen. While variations of these disciplines may be utilized as a training means, none of them alone define our program.
Simple strength training exercises (bodybuilding, exercise machines) offer less transfer of skills in regards to the inter-muscular and intra-muscular coordination required in dynamic sports with complex technique. Therefore, multi-joint, multi-planar movements performed in space will dominate the training regimen.
Training conducted by the Football Performance Staff cannot be seen as independent of training that is conducted on the playing field by football coaches.
Training must be individualized and directed toward every aspect of the players' physical, psychological, tactical and technical development.

MANAGE FATIGUE

Every aspect of the daily activity regimen of the student - athlete places a stress on the system, a stress that will unquestionably affect the others. Therefore, training conducted in the weight room cannot be seen as independent from training that is conducted on the field. Stress from training cannot be viewed as separate from stress incurred from competition, academics or personal activities.
It is the responsibility of the Performance Coach to manage and account for each of these aspects to successfully achieve sports mastery.
Recovery and restoration methods are built into training sessions.
Fatigue markers are measured through physical and psychological assessment.

PREVENT INJURY

A strong, well-developed athlete will be less likely to incur an injury than an athlete who is poorly trained and prepared. Furthermore, through the use of proper training techniques, in the event of an injury, the injury will be less severe and the recovery time shorter.
In the event of injury, a collaborative effort between the team doctors, athletic trainers, sport coaches and athletic performance staff ensures that every injured player is progressed from injured to "full go" in a manner that will ensure the longevity of the healing process.
All injured athletes will carry out a three stage recovery process to bring them back to "full go".
- Stage I - injured athletes undergo extensive evaluation, therapy and rehabilitation in the training room.
- Stage II - bridges the gap between rehabilitation and standard training protocols. Athletes will perform modified training movements performed in conjunction with rehabilitative protocols with the goal of preparing them for a return to standard training.
- Stage III - involves the athlete performing the standard training movements at modified intensities with the goal of raising the athlete's strength levels to those prior to injury.
Warm ups prior to training sessions and competitions are focused, purposeful and extensive in order to minimize the possibility of sustaining injury and optimize performance.
A considerable segment of the training load is comprised of movements and drills that exist to reduce the possibility of sustaining injury. Consequently, a great deal of time and effort is devoted to physical movement assessment and corrective exercise prescription. Corrective movements are performed during the post-workout stage of the training session and target the muscles that articulate the neck, shoulders, posterior chain, hips, knees and ankles.
If an athlete possesses an anatomical peculiarity or injury that prevents the productive execution of a particular movement then that athlete simply performs any one of a multitude of other movements that serve to strengthen the same muscle complex.

INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION

Dynamic sports involve complex technique. Of all the important elements of sport training, correct movement technique should be predominate. The perfect technique allows the athlete in dynamic sports to make the fullest use of his or her strength, speed, and power.
The primary means of training emphasis for general physical development are squat variations, bench press variations, jump variations, medicine ball throws, multi-directional drills and sprints. The execution of technique while using these means is instructed in great detail with an emphasis placed on movement efficiency. The utilization of other training means serve a secondary role and are designed to support the development of the muscles of the shoulders, upper back, neck, power zone (torso), posterior chain, hips and legs.
Athletic Performance training sessions are seen as an extension of the total development of the player and are conducted in conjunction with the football coaching staff.
Just as athletes are instructed to use proper technique while on the field of play, technique and teaching progressions for all aspects of training are emphasized throughout the quadrennial program.
Athletes will not only be instructed as to the proper technique to use in each movement, but be given insight as to the purpose of each movement, and the rationale behind its use in the annual and quadrennial plan.
To that end, the Athletic Performance Staff seeks to develop athletes who are well educated in the purpose of their training means with the goal of athletes training more vigorously and developing quality training skills and knowledge for life beyond collegiate athletics. The Football Performance Staff encourages each athlete to take an active role in the design, implementation and adaptation of each training program.

VARIATION WITHIN SIMPLICITY

Do not interfere with the athlete's development of sport mastery by challenging them to develop mastery of another unrelated and highly demanding sport. Don't train a sport with a sport!
To that end, the Football Performance Staff is well aware its purpose is not to develop power lifters, Olympic lifters, body builders or professional strongmen. While aspects of those disciplines may be utilized in the successful development of the athlete, the end goal is to develop sport mastery. In order to support our program principle of "Develop the Athlete", it is essential for the performance coach to make logical and rational decisions about the implementation of the training means.
With the myriad of information being absorbed by the athlete through sport preparation and academic endeavors, little time and attention is available for complex training techniques and progressions that must be learned and executed by the athlete.
To that end, the essential movements selected to be utilized as a training means are kept simple, so they are easily instructed, and retained by athletes of all training ages.
Athletes should be able to easily master these movements within the span of their quadrennial development.
Movements will not be selected because they are "explosive", "power" or "high volume" types of exercises. Instead, all movements will be at the disposal of the Performance Coach and the variations of those movements will be manipulated to illicit the desired training effect.
It is the responsibility of the athlete to learn basic movement patterns, and the responsibility of the Performance Coach to manipulate and progress those basic patterns to achieve the desired training effect.

BALANCED DEVELOPMENT

Training must be structured and organized to first correct any muscular imbalances that exist and work to not create muscular imbalances in the athlete.
To that end, a great deal of emphasis will be placed on training the muscles of the posterior chain (low back, glutes, and hamstrings) as well as developing the muscles of the upper back and posterior shoulder girdle.
For every rep of press prescribed in a given training block, one and a half to two times pull will be prescribed to create muscular balance and correct previously inadvisable training parameters.
Athletes will be encouraged to steer clear of the "mirror mentality" that dominates training programs in the United States today.

MASTER PROGRESSIONS

An essential component of the development of sport mastery is the practice of progression.
The system must be challenged on a consistent and progressive basis in order to create adaptation.
Athletes must possess mastery of one movement pattern or means before graduating to more difficult and advanced movement or means.
Several options exist to provide the means of progression. The Athletic Performance coach will utilize the optimal means of progression to provide the greatest benefit to the athlete.
The following are the means the Football Performance Coach can utilize to progress the athlete.
- Increase the load
- Increase reps
- Perform more repetitions per set
- Increase the average weight lifted for an exercise
- Increase training density
- Increase training volume
- Utilize intensive training methods
- Use more challenging movements
- Increase lifting speed

TEAM

Create an environment through training, competition and team based activities where team unity is enhanced.
Through team accountability, discipline, attention to detail and unity develop the "team before self" mindset.
To this end athletes will develop an understanding that being part of a team and being instructed by the best coaches in the country is a privilege not a right. This mindset gives priceless value to the concept of team and team unity.
UNITY IS THE SECRET!
Football Performance Four Way Test
- Coaches must believe in coaches
- Coaches must believe in players
- Players must believe in coaches
- Players must believe in players
Develop leadership throughout all classes of athletes through educational and practical means.

DEVELOP THE "MEAN GREEN" ATTITUDE

The utilization of principles listed above creates a unique training regimen. One that exists nowhere else in the country. Our athletes will take pride in being Mean Green. Our athletes will realize that no other school in the country trains with the intelligence or intensity that exists in our program. They will train and compete with great emotion and enthusiasm. The confidence created from this approach to preparation will enable our athletes to be successful not only on the playing field, but throughout life as well. This is the "Mean Green" Attitude.

CONCLUSION

What you have read here today is not a manifestation of solely my thoughts and ideas. I have been fortunate to have worked under and learned from some of the very best in our field. I would like to thank Joe Kenn (Carolina Panthers), Mark Uyeama (San Francisco 49ers), Brady Holt (University of Kansas) Ron McKeefery (University of Tennessee), Tom Myslinski (University of North Carolina), Buddy Morris, James Smith, Adam Feit (Carolina Panthers), Donnell Boucher (Citadel), Joey Hannant (UNC-Pembroke), Kevin Heiberger (University of North Texas) as individuals who have mentored and educated me, and had a huge hand in the creation of this system and its evolution. I'd also like to thank all the interns, assistants and most importantly the athletes who have given me the opportunity to teach and instruct them.

It is always a humbling experience when people will listen to (or read in this case) what you have to say. With that in mind I offer you my most sincere thanks for taking the time to read about our program and the Mean Green System of Development. I hope you found the contents of this article helpful and insightful. If you wish to join the revolution and have your athletes experience an evolution in training, please feel free to contact me with questions, or visit our facility to see the program in action. Our doors are always open.