Five Questions for The Thinker
By
EFS Staff
1. It must be very exciting to be involved with a winning program at this
point in the season. How has this football season been progressing for you,
personally?
No doubt the process is an enjoyable one.
No doubt that winning trumps losing.
Regarding my place (the place of a physical preparation coach) within the
process, the present institutional hierarchy within the collegiate and NFL
atmosphere is highly restrictive with respect to what could truly be
accomplished.
X and I often remind ourselves that a physical preparation staff never won a
football game; however, we also have no hesitation in stating that our
contribution toward the team’s success cannot be ignored. I don’t think we’d
encounter much argument on this front as there have been enough circumstances
during games this season (2nd half comebacks, 4th quarter
comebacks, 4th quarter demonstrations of bioenergetic superiority,
overtime wins, etc) that have somewhat highlighted the physical and
psychological preparation level of our athletes and in this regard I think our
work has been recognized.
I state that these components of our preparation have been highlighted
because in many of those game scenarios I think many would agree that, more than
anything else, we won the physical and psychological battle.
This aspect of our team’s play can be compared to those of recent years for
some perspective.
Having said that, I’m not going to ignore the fact that we have our share of
tremendously gifted athletes that, to this point, demonstrate a level of playing
ability that is largely innate and has only moderately advanced due to training.
These players are outnumbered by those, genetically less gifted, who must
maximize the training potential in order to compete on a high level, however.
More than what I could say about the program, I’d like to think that our
athletes know what is going on.
Just this morning I was giving a lesson to our running back sensation LeSean
McCoy about the relevant bioenergetic training for American football. As he was
walking on a treadmill at a 15% grade, 2.0-2.20 mph, at a heart rate of
120-130bpm for 20 minutes, prior to his strength retention workout, I was
explaining the difference between the anaerobic-alactic, anaerobic-lactic, and
aerobic systems and why we only train two of those systems during our general
specific and specific training.
Will he retain everything I told him? The answer is no; however, I asked him
if it would mean something to him if I were to take the time to provide him with
some training insight and he said yes.
I enjoy giving these lessons to my athletes, especially those who are strong
candidates to play at the next level, because it’s very likely that no one else
will.
I’d also like to point out that our injured list has dramatically reduced in
size versus what X and 62 inherited in January of ‘07.
2. In watching your athletes compete, is there anything you'd change about
the way you've prepared them? Have you learned anything new about the process
from watching them compete?
I wouldn’t say I’d change anything in hindsight, per se; because careful
thought is applied prior to constructing the training and what I do at any given
time is ultimately a result of what I feel is optimal at that time. What
happens, however, as I continue to learn via my growing correspondence with my
overseas associates, is that I carefully integrate new training tactics as time
moves forward in such a way that I avoid introducing adaptation stiffness to my
athletes.
Something that I have been spending more and more time on this season is soft
tissue work with a few of my top athletes. Before practices and games I’ve been
working on three of my top skill players’ hamstrings. It’s been a great process
learning as we go.
3. You've consulted with Shelby Starnes and seen results in your body
composition. Can you talk a bit about this?
It’s been a great learning process with respect to the manipulation of the
macro-nutrients for the desired morphological effect.
The way that Shelby programs the nutritional blueprint is a true testament to
the fact that many who struggle with fat loss or lean tissue gain (save
congenital issues) are just unwilling to seek out and follow a systematic
program that is well founded in physiological principles.
I’ve managed to make the best of both worlds by having combined information I
gained from Eric Talmant with regard to my metabolic type and selecting from
most of those food sources within the guidelines Shelby has provided for me in
his nutritional programming strategies.
It’s easier said than done; however, in the end it’s simply a matter of doing
it. My goals have been moderate compared to others on EFS. My aim was to get
back up to my heaviest (mid 250lb/115kg range) and be leaner than I was before.
Shelby advised me to lean out first. We just completed this phase of the
training and I’m now on the lean gain phase of the program.
I’ve posted photos in my training log for those who are interested.
4. How have you been training recently, what are your current training
goals, and how are you planning on achieving them?
Continuing on from my previous response. The training and nutrition is now
geared to put on the most amount of lean tissue at the least expense of body fat
gain.
Problematically, I just discovered that I have a small asymptomatic (no pain)
umbilical hernia. Didn’t even know I had it until I saw the small deformity
above my umbilicus. Having consulted with my respected associates I’ve decided
to get the surgical repair so this will sideline my training for 4-6 weeks
following the procedure that I’ve scheduled for the 24th of this
month.
5. Closing statement, because I know you'll have one.
Along with debatable optimums there are, in fact, right and wrongs with
respect to training. Furthering one’s knowledge of the biodynamic and
bioenergetic character of the training target will allow one to distinguish
between the two and minimize the room for debate. As knowledge grows in this
regard we quickly realize that the debatable topics are futile to discuss
because if the training is constructed in accordance with the relevant
biodynamic and bioenergetic principles than everything else, in the words of
Charlie Francis, is chicken soup.
