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On the first page of our assessment form at VSP, underneath medical history, it asks the athlete to write their goals. Simple enough, they write what they want to accomplish from training here and it usually is the same answer from everyone. “I want to get stronger and faster.”   They aren’t wrong about writing it, but it is never enough for me and I’ll explain why below. Training to be stronger, faster, and whatever other adjective you want to throw in there is usually the goal. But what and why? What will that goal do for you and why...

Writing a program for an athlete is pretty easy. Just have to put exercises, sets, and reps together in a calculated fashion and violà - a workout program is created. But if you are a jerk coach who just yells and acts angry while you conduct the session, you probably won’t get the most out of your athletes.   Some of you may be reading this and thinking “why would he say this?” and others may be thinking “shit, that’s me.” Either way, don’t do that, you won’t get too far in this field.   A youth athlete is very...

In order to increase arm strength, throwing a baseball every day is not the answer. Plenty of kids always think this, but in reality, you can do more harm than good.   A proper strength program is the most efficient way to build strength in the arm and improve overall athletic performance all while decreasing the risk of injury.   In a sport like baseball, it is hard to find a college team that has 5 players without a history of injury. Whether is a UCL tear, lat strain, or one of the many shoulder pathologies, most players deal with...

Contrary to popular belief, taking one thousand shots will not increase the velocity of your shot.   Of course playing lacrosse will make you better, but it won’t necessarily get you to your goals in the most efficient way possible.   So how do you work on your performance without playing lacrosse?   I’m glad you asked.   The answer is simple, workout!   Strength and conditioning for lacrosse is a perfect supplement that can greatly increase your capabilities on the field. If your goal is to boost top-end speed on a clear, swiftness on a split dodge, or prevent...

Most athletes that roll through VSP are between the ages of 12 and 16, most of who never worked out before. Each one of them present with different movement patterns, play different sports, and overall, are just different kids. With that said, they all have one thing in common; they all need a true first block of training.   No athlete is ready to just jump right into a true strength, power, or whatever program until they are competent in 6 areas I believe are important.   The first training block, I call “Chalkboard” is a time to teach the...