I asked Jay if he would mind sitting down with me for a non-scripted chat/interview and we recorded it to share with you.  Below is Jay’s bio that I stole off his website www.CVASPS.com .  I would recommend checking it out, it is full of good training information from a variety of contributing strength coaches and weight training professionals.  I am also going to ask Jay for a guest post that I will share with you when he is able to get us one during his busy schedule.

Jay DeMayo has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Men’s and Women’s Basketball at the University of Richmond since October 2005.  Jay is a graduate of the State University of New York College at Cortland where he was a two year starter on the Men’s Soccer team.  Prior to taking over the responsibilities of Men’s and Women’s Basketball at UR Jay worked with every team on campus as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach working.  During his tenure at Richmond, Coach DeMayo has worked with five All-Americans, and 10 Atlantic 10 championship teams.  Presently Jay is also responsible for the dry land training for NOVA Aquatics LLC, one of the top youth swim clubs on the eastern seaboard where he has coached over twenty athlete’s whom have qualified for Olympic Trials.

Coach DeMayo’s constant effort to better himself as a coach has brought him numerous certifications.  Coach DeMayo has his Level I coaching certification from USA Track and Field, is certified as an American Kettlebell Club Coach, United States Weightlifting Sport Performance Coach and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Coach DeMayo has also been a presenter for four consecutive years at the Pennsylvania State Clinic at Juniata College.  At the PA State Clinic Coach DeMayo has spoken on “Training Soccer Players, Developing a 3 Day Strength Training Program,”  “Max Effort Training for Sports,” and “Lift Preparation, The Next Evolution of the Warm Up,” “Developing a Progression for Auxiliary Lifts” and “Teaching the Squat and Deadlift.”  Coach DeMayo has also presented at the University of Richmond Sports Performance Clinic and with the Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball Academy.  Coach DeMayo has also been involved in developing the Basketball Strength Symposium in Raleigh, NC, and the Central VA Sports Performance Seminar.

I would personally like to thank Coach DeMayo for taking the time to sit down to have this discussion.

Hope this helps!

To your health,

Jerry

This was a relatively cheap addition but worth it’s weight in gold for the benefits my athletes get from it.  Just trying to climb the rope takes a vast amount of strength.  A typical climbing workout would look like this:  I would have the athlete sit on the platform and grab the rope with a tight grip.  They would then be instructed to try and keep their legs straight and go hand over hand climbing up to the top of the rack and then work back down as many times as they are able.  Many athletes are not able to do this the first time they try and many female athletes might not ever reach this level.  This is where progression comes into play.

One way to make this a little easier is by lessening your body weight.  You can do this easily by keeping your feet in contact with the floor and then work on hand over hand techniques.  I normally have an athlete grab the rope and place their feet against the rack and lean back lowering themselves little by little and then climbing back (as demonstrated in the video).  The lower you go back towards the floor the harder it will be to climb back up to vertical.  You can see how this would be productive and everyone can work within their capabilities.

Another simple progression is to just stabilize your feet and lie back extending the arms and then without changing the grip or hand positions pull yourself back towards the rope like a rowing motion.  You can repeat for reps or until fatigued.  Make sure for variation you change your grip so that you are not always rowing with the right hand higher than the left or vise-versa.

You should always focus on keeping your core tight and you will feel the muscle tension build in the upper body as you squeeze your grip as tight as possible for each climb variation.

There are many ways to utilize ropes into a training program.  Really your imagination is only your limiting factor.  Get creative with ropes and have fun challenging yourself.  I hope this helps give you some ideas and potential variation that you can include into your training program.

To your health,

Jerry

A blob is basically the end of a dumbbell that has been cut off at the handle.  Traditionally these are classic old York dumbbells but I have seen other types of dumbbell ends used.

The goal here is to hold a blob by pinching it; thumb on one side and the other four fingers on the opposite side.  Then rotate the blob in the air and catch it with the same hand grabbing it at it’s “face” or the widest part of the blob.  Depending on the size of the blob and your hand, many times you will be trying to do this with your finger tips.  Continue flipping this in this sequence until you either drop/miss it or your grip becomes fatigued.

This can get more challenging by flipping it around multiple times and trying to catch it or by alternating from hand to hand.  Either way you choose, this is a challenging and fun way that will produce not only improved grip strength but also good hand to eye coordination.

To your health,

Jerry

Our goals are simple:

• Stay Healthy
• “Finish” Games
• Win the Patriot League Championship
• Get into the NCAA Tournament!!!

A lacrosse player is a special breed of athlete.  Some have set skills and most hold certain field positions.  They can’t get too big or bulky and they must be strong, agile and explosive.  Toughness, both physical and mental, are required at this level of play.  I try to instill this into my lacrosse athletes each time they work with me in and out of the weight room.

During our conditioning workouts I have a “stand tall” rule.  No matter how tired or gassed you are you NEVER bend over and place your hands on your knees.  If someone does, the whole team gets punished.  This is a mental game (as are most demanding sports) and if your opponent sees you are sucking wind; they will have that mental edge.

We can carry this same physical and mental toughness into the weight room.  For example, this workout is taking place during the schools spring break and there are no classes.  They could have easily slept in but we decided to keep them on schedule and hold the workouts early in the AM.

In the video, I took random clips of the team going through Day 1 of their In-season program.  I personally, was not happy with the team’s performance and intensity of this workout on this day.  Actually, I believe this to be one of our worst workouts of the year and I let the team know about it with some colorful words off camera.  Hey this is reality and this is what I filmed on this particular day.  Here was the workout:

Functional Injury Prevention Work: Internal/External Shoulder Rotation & Scapular Retraction Exercises

Functional Core: Kettle Bell or Dumbbell Oblique Raise (windmill)

Emphasis Work:

• Hang Clean To Split Jerk 5 x 2
• Incline Bar Press/DB Press 2 x 6
• Swivel Grip Pull-up 1 x Failure
• Neutral Grip Pull-up 1 x Failure

Supplemental Work:

• Manual Resistance Posterior Shoulder 1 x Failure
• Dirty Thirty Calves 2 x 10/10/10
• Banded Biceps 1 x 100
• Wrist/Grip Work

Ab/Low Back Circuit w/Strength Coach 7min 30 seconds

Team Static Stretch

As you will see in the video background, some athletes will have other exercises that they are working on in their individual programs.

To your health,

Jerry

PS-Follow us in the NCAA Tourney!!

On this day, we ran the basketball team through a seven station circuit.  Each station was 30 seconds long with 20 seconds of rest between each.  They went through the circuit three times with 2 minute rest and water breaks between circuits.
“BLUE COLLAR” Circuit:

• Punching Bag:  Open hand, Forearm,and kneeing
• Rope Climb:  Hand over hand climb
• Land Mine Alternating speed press
• Bonnies: Alternating lateral bounding with pause
• Tire Sled Drag with Power Row:  Full squat to power row
• Bosu Trainer Toe Touch:  Balance on one foot, touch toe with opposite hand
• Tire Flip:  Drive tire up and over with two foot hop through

Although this is not a long day in the weight room; I believe these types of workouts accomplish more than just conditioning, strength, and power.  They help to create an atmosphere and attitude.  I preach this to the team to make them believe in themselves and in each other.  Confidence must be high on a college basketball team.  They must have fun also.  When you have this combination on a basketball court during a game; plays are made and not forced which results in lower turnovers and better scoring opportunities.

As a strength coach, it is not always about how strong can you get that athlete.  You have to look at the total package and what you are trying to produce to walk out on that court so they can be in the best position to play to their abilities!  Establish a “work ethic” relationship with your athletes and they will give you the effort you desire.

To your health,

Jerry

Our pre-season weight room workouts run three days a week.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are about hitting big emphasis lifts like cleans, jerks, sumo box squats, and single arm snatches.  We also supplement in pressing movements (bench press and incline db presses), pulling movements (one arm dumbbell rows and many pull-up variations), and tons of posterior chain exercises (glute/hams and reverse hypers).   I never forget to put a good focus on grip strength development.

On Saturdays, I run them through intense circuit training circuits called the “Beast”.  This has been a tradition the last couple of years for the wrestling team and something that they really get psyched up about.  I instruct them to throw everything out the window and just go for it!  Conquer and destroy each station to the best of their abilities until they are told to move to the next station.  It is insane and we would not want it any other way.

The following is the order of exercises for the “Beast” and although you might not know what each exercise is; I think you can appreciate how physically and mentally challenging this circuit really is.

1. Burpees
2. Heavy Punching Bag
3. 60 lb Kettle Bell Swing
4. Landmine Ab Bar Twist
5. 40 lb Dumbbell Curl
6. Box Depth Jumps
7. Double Arm Plank
8. Swivel Grip Pull-up
9. 65 lb Keg Power Clean To Press
10. Ring Push-up
11. Rocky Pull-up (Pipe hung from chains in a power rack)
12. Box Squat-2-Box Jump
13. D-Ball Seated Russian Twist
14. Tire Sled Push
15. Curved Fat Grip Wrist roll
16. Overhead D-Ball Box Squat
17. Rope Climb
18. Ab Roller
19. D-Ball Ab Slam-Jump-Catch
20. Double Landmine Squat Press
21. Band Triceps Extensions
22. Knees-2-Feet-2-Box Hop
23. Tire Flip
24. Softball Grip Chain Holds

Each of the 24 stations lasted for 30 seconds and they would rotate to the next station on a whistle command.  Twelve plus minutes of continuous work followed by a 5 minute rest period.  We would do three full rounds followed by a cool-down and long stretching session.

I want to stress that this is a very strenuous training circuit being done by trained Division I Collegiate athletes.  This type of training should not be done by a novice or someone who has not been prepared by training principles to attempt a circuit of this caliber.

We are looking forward to another successful wrestling season!

To your health,

Jerry

Mondays:  Total Body Weight Room Workout

Tuesdays: Speed Work, Acceleration/Deceleration Work, Agilities

Wednesdays: Total Body Circuit Training

Thursdays:  High Intensity Conditioning (Stadiums, Hill Sprints, etc)

BS Fridays: Total Body Weight Room Workout

Saturdays: Timed Mileage Run

Sundays: Rest, Recovery, Flexibility

My summer athletes are very dedicated and work really hard to prepare their bodies for their upcoming sport season.  Workouts are held at 6am and the most impressive part is that they all show up voluntarily to train.  In the video you will see athletes from field hockey, volleyball, wrestling, men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s water polo, and the diving team all participating in a Wednesday circuit training workout.  This is the workout they did:

A-1: TRX or Ring Suspended Push-up

A-2: Band Speed Row w/Scapular Retraction

A-3: Dumbbell Farmers Walk

A-4: 45 degree Back Extension w/plate

A-5: Kettle Bell Swing w/Alternating Lateral Step

A-6: Sit-up w/Plate

A-7: Bucket High Box Hop

A-8: Rope Climb

A-9: Light Weight Barbell Hang Clean

A-10: Speed Obstacle Hop

A-11: Tire Flip

Athletes will work at each station for 30 seconds and then rotate to the next station.  They will have 10 seconds to rest and get ready to start the next drill.  After all the stations have been completed they will get approximately 2 minutes rest and then repeat.  We ran four complete circuits.  These type of circuits not only get you stronger, more powerful, and conditioned; but it pushes you out of your comfort zone.  This is a desirable outcome for an athlete to become not only physically fit but mentally strong.

Try it-you may find it harder than it looks!

To your health,

Jerry

So let’s talk about hill sprints.  First look for a hill that is a gradual incline.  It does not have to be steep but it should be about 50 yards or more.  The steeper the incline the less yardage typically needed.  I also think it is best to find a hill that is grass and not rocky.  Obviously, if you live in a city this might challenge you some.

Now that you have found your hill and established your yardage; it is time for the workout.  Start at the base of the hill and sprint as hard as you can, driving yourself forward with each powerful step, while swinging your arms loosely from your shoulders.  When you reach the top, turn and jog back to the starting position.  As you are jogging back down you should focus on your breathing and try to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.  It has been proven you recover much faster with this breathing pattern than breathing forcefully in and out of your mouth.  When you reach your starting position repeat your sprint aggressively back to the top.  Do this for 5 trips to the top and then rest for 2 minutes or until you have gotten your breathing and heart rate back to near normal resting rates.  We desire this to ensure you are able to go ALL OUT when you sprint up.  We typically do 4-5 total sets.

I forgot to mention that you  should always do a good warm-up prior to and a good cool down after.  I will have my athletes perform a series of dynamic movements, followed by some low grade plyometrics, then complete a series of short progressive sprints for our warm-up.  For the cool down we typically will go for a short jog and focus on breathing, then we will walk and shake out our arms and legs.  We will finish with total body static stretching.  Sometimes we will also stretch with jump stretch bands.

Make sure you are getting outside and making the best of your surroundings.  You may be surprised how many training possibilities there might be if you just start looking to add a little variety into your program.

To your health,

Jerry

This video was put together to show the Legend Fitness Pro Series Glute Ham Developer.  I totally endorse this piece of strength equipment as a solid training tool that is built like a tank.  We have three of them and have put them through the ringer with a lot of athletes for the last four years and they still are just as nice and functional as the first day we got them.  The entire frame is welded together; no bolts and the steel is all American so you know it is sturdy.

I have Legend Fitness Equipment in our facilities and I will say this company is legit.  They stand by their strength products and  emphasize quality by not cutting corners.  If you have any questions about the Glute Ham Developer or any other Legend Fitness Product; please do not hesitate to contact me and ask.

To your health,

Jerry

A Variety Trainer subscriber (Sherry) asked a simple question; it was “what else can you do with a stability ball other than crunches, sit-ups, and rollouts?”.   First, Sherry thank you very much for subscribing to the newsletter.  It really means a lot to me that you find the information that I am sharing useful.  Now to answer your question, there are literally hundreds maybe even thousands of exercises that you can do with a stability ball.  In the video, I had the athletes play around with the balls and I just randomly recorded a few of them.  As you can see, a stability ball can be used in more ways than actually just getting on top of it to perform exercises, although that was what it was originally designed for.

A stability ball can also be combined with weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and even with cable machines.  Try experimenting with a ball and see what you can come up with and be creative.  Many exercises were developed on those exact principles, but be careful.  Remember you are using a unstable object.  Always know your limitations and abilities.  Basically be smart.  I have never and will never tell someone to stand on a ball.  That is just asking for it!  I hope this helps Sherry and we have given you some new exercises or ideas to try out.

If you need answers to a question or would like to see a topic or certain exercise covered just let me know.  Also, if you have not signed up for the newsletter-please do so.  You will receive a Core Stabilization E-Book that has descriptive explanations and laid out programs for you to work with.  There is absolutely NO cost to you and I promise I won’t clog up your email with a lot of newsletters.  I will just update you periodically of the new posts or share some useful information with you for free.

Thank you,

Jerry