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National Strength and Conditioning AssociationVolume 28, Number 3, pages 20-27Keywords: lacrosse; preseason training; complex training;interval weight trainingA Preseason Resistance Training Programfor Men's LacrosseTroy A. Burger, MS, ATC, CSCS,PES, Molly E. Burger, MS, ACSM-HFI,CSC5Limestone College,Gaffney, South CarolinasummaryDespite the recent popularity andgrowth of lacrosse, there has been alack of specific training programs forthe sport. This article provides oneexample of a preseason resistancetraining program for male lacrosseathletes.The program utilizes a variety of training strategies, includingcomplex and interval v eight training, specific to the energy demandsof each position.ften called "rhe fastest game ontwo feet," lacrosse is a sportgrowing in popularity acrossthe country for youth, high school,college, and professional competitors(12). Since 1999, participation inlacrosse youth leagues has Increased byalmost 250% (12). Lacrosse has beenshown to have the fastest growth rateof any high school sport, with morethan 140% growth in men's teams andO250% growth in women's teams overthe past 10 years (12). Similarly, collegiate-level lacrosse is exploding, withlacrosse tupping the chart of fastestgrowing college sports with an almost55% increase for both men and women(12). Many colleges continue to addlacrosse for varsity competition. In2004, the Carolinas-Virginia AthleticsConference included women's lacrosseas a conference sport.The growth of the sport also is evidentin record 2005 spectator attendance. Acrowd of 44,920 attended the NationalCollegiate Athletic Association Men'sDivision I Final, and 19,432 fanswatched the National Lacrosse LeagueChampionship (12). Likewise, women'slacrosse is growing in spectator support,with a crowd of 6,820 watching the2005 International Federation ofWomen's Lacrosse Associations WoridCup in Maryland, the largest spectatorattendance at any women's lacrossegame in the United States (12).Despite this popularity and growth oflacrosse, training programs for the sportare limited. Lacrosse combines elementsof basketball, soccer, and hockey (12).However, no specific training programsfor the sport have been researched orJune 2006 Strength and Conditioning Journalpromoted by strength and conditioningprofessionals. I his article will focus on apreseason resistance training programfor male lacrosse athletes. Table 1 depicts where this mesocycle would fall ina year-round, periodized training program.We prefer to split the preseason resistance training program into 3 groups(goalies, attack and defense, and midfielders; see Table 2) to better target thesport-specific demands of each positionon the field. Goalies (Figure I) typicallyhave a space of 35-40 yds to protect, butmost often stay within the crease, or immediately in front of the goal. Themovements required of the goalie areprimarily explosive, reactive movementsresponding to a shot on the goal. Because of this, the focus of training is toincrease the goalie's rate of force production (1,8) and the ability to explosivelychange positions. The other lacrosse positions also need to develop power andincreased rate of force development, sothe goalie training program will serve asthe foundation for all other positiontraining programs.The goalie preseason program willfocus on power development using aprogressive model of heavy-resistance

Table 1Annual macrocyclePreseasonPowerdevelopmentncreasemovement speedncorporateadvanced trainingtechniquesI. Complex training2. Interval weighttrainingTRANS1T1n\jNIn-seasonPostseason VLow volumemaintenanceprogramActive rest,2-3 wksALOff-season 1Early reconditioning"General training"UAT1Length oftheseasonmay includechampionshipmesocycleLater basic strengthdevelopment1-2 (4-wk cycles)ri*JMTRANS1T1f\uNlMesocycles usingundulationperiodization.day to-dayadjustmentsOff-season 2Strengthdevelopment1-2 (4-wk cycles)Off-season 1 &2May blend basic andpeak strengthdevelopmentRecoveryEncourageactivity &cross-training1 day of basicconditioningCardiovascular fitness (running focus)progressing to.Interval running, long duration (improvingglycolytic capacity)progressing to.Short sessions inpractice or weightsHigher intesity, short-duration sprints & change ofdirection drills (early preseason)Figure 1. Lacrosse goalie.June 2006 Strength and Conditioning JournalINMACT1VEREST1 dayof speed workThe program to follow is 8 weeks long.The entire body will be trained each day,using 3 training sessions per week.Training sessions will alternate betweenhigh, low, and medium workloads byadjusting the volume and intensity ofuACT1VERESCardiovascularfitness (limited running)progressing to.training and plyometrics (1-3, 8, 9).The focus of this 6-8 weeks of trainingwill be neuromtiscular adaptation. Thekey to power development is to use exercises with higher movetnent speed, asopposed to the high-load, slow movement speeds used in off-season strengthdevelopment (1, 2, 9). Strength andpower require changes in differentmechanisms,althoughresearchersadmit that this is not completely understood (2, 9).NS1T1orBasic conditioning focus in relationship to resistance trainingLargely from sportpractice and playAorTSport-specificconditioning &injury preventionTR

Table 2Resistance training programs for men's lacrosse by positionGoaliesMicrocycle 1(2 weeks)Attackmen and defensemenMondayStructural exercises {supersets, 3-5 min rest)Clean pull,3x5,82%Medicine ball OH throw, 3 X 101. Squats,3x5,82%Squat jumps,3x 102. Push-press3x5,82%Medicine ball 2-hand OH throw(Figure5),3) 10Supplemental:(2-3 min rest)1. Pull-ups,3x52. Romanian deadlift,3x 5,82%3. Hammer jammer rotation and press,3x8Core stabilization: Choice of dynamicexercise, 3 x 8,1 min restRotator cuff circuit: 3 X 15,1 min restMonday, Wednesday, FridaySame as goalie microcycle 1MidfieldersMondaySame as goalie microcycle 1WednesdaySame as goalie microcycle 1Friday {\VJJ)1. Power clean, 3x5,75%Bike,2min,90%HRmax2. Front squat, 3x5,75%Treadmill, 2 min, 90%3. Incline press,3x 5,75%Upper body erg, 2 min, 90% Perform fteeexercise immediatelyafter structural exercise without rest- Rest 3-5 min following each freeexerciseWednesdaySupplemental: IWT Circuit1. One-arm row x 8,65%2. Legcurlx8,65%3. Dips X 84. Crunchesx85. Cross-trainer 2 min Circuit to be performed 3 times Rest 1 min between each exercise,2 min between circuitsRotator cuff circuit: 3 x 15Structural exercises:3x 5,3-5 min rest,70%1. Snatch pull2. Split squat3. JerkSupplemental:3 xlO,2-3 min rest1. Cord alternating arms standing row2. Ball single leg curl3. Cord alternating arms standing pressCore stabiiizationiChoice of static exercise3x8,1 min restRotator cuff circuit: same as MondayFridayStructural exercises:3x 5,3-5 min rest,75%1. Power clean2. Front squat3. Incline pressSupplemental:3 X 10,2-3 min rest.60%1. One-arm row2. Leg curl3. DipsCore stabilization:Choice of dynamicexercise, 3 x 8,1 min restRotator cuff circuit: same as MondayMicrocycle 2(2weeks)Monday (complex training)Sameasmicrocycle 1MondaySame as goalie microcycle 2MondaySame as goalie microcycle 2WednesdayWednesdayWednesdayStructural exercises (supersets, 3-5 min rest)1. Snatchpull3x5,intensity:70%Balance reach {see Figures 6a, 6b), 3 x 122. Splitsquat,3x5,intensity:70%Wobble board squat (see Figure 7),3x 123. Jerk,3x5,intensity:70%Upper body step-ups {see Figure 8), 3 x 12Supplemental, core: same as microcycle 1Rotator cuff circuit: 3x20Same as goalie microcycle 2Same as goalie microcycle 2Friday (IWT)Friday IWNJ)1. Power clean, 3x5,75%Bike, 3 minutes,90% HR max2. Frontsquat,3x5, 75%Treadmill,3min,90%3. Incline press,3 X 5,75%Upper body erg, 3 min,90% See instructions microcycle 1 aboveFriday (complex training)Structural exercises (supersets, 3-5 min rest)1. Power clean,3x5,75%Medicine ball jump to box(see Figures 9a, 9b), 3 x 102. Front squat, 3x5,75%Band squat jumps, 3 X 103. Incline press, 3x5,75%Plyometric push-ups,3 x 10Supplemental,core:same as microcycle 1Rotator cuff circuit: 3 x 20Power clean, 3x5,75%Bike,2min,90%HRmaxFront squat, 3x5,75%Treadmill,2 min,90%Incline press,3x5,75%Upper body erg, 2 min, 90% Perform free exercise immediatelyafter structural exercise withoutrest Rest 3-5 min following each freeexerciseSupplemental, core, rotator cuff:Same as goalie microcycle 2June 2006-Strength and Conditioning JournalSupplemental: IWT circuit (microcycle 1above)Rotator cuff circuit: 3 x 20

Table 2 continuedResistance training programs for men's lacrosse by positionGoaliesMicrocycle 3(4 weeks)Attackmen and defensemenMonday (complex training)Sameas microcycle 1 &Sameas&222-3 reps on clean pull, squat, andpush-press, 88%WednesdaySame as microcycle 2Use 2-3 reps on snatch pull,splitsquat,andjerk,75%Mont/ay (complex cle33WednesdaySame as goalie microcycle 3Friday {\WT)Same as midfielder microcycle 1Friday IWT IWT circuitFriday (complex training)Same as microcycle 2MidfieldersMonday (IWT)1. Clean pull, 3x3,1Bike,3min,90%HRmax2. Squat,3x3,88%Treadmill, 3 min, 90%3. Push-press,3x3,88%Upper body erg, 3 min,90% See instructions microcycle 1 aboveSupplemental (2-3 min rest)1. Pull-ups,10,3,32. Romaniandeadlift,3x5,82%3. Hammerjammerrotationand press,3x8Core stabilization: Choice of dynamic exercise,3x5,l min restRotator cuff circuit: 3x20Wednesday fplyometric and stabilization)Perform as supersets, 3-5 minutes rest1. Squatjump,3x8-10Balance reach, 3 X 122. Speed-skate hops (see Figure 10),3x8-10Wobble board squat,3 x 123. Medicineball 2-hand OHthrow,3x8-10Lateral upper body step-ups (seeFiguren),3xl2Supplemental, core, and rotator cuff sameas goalie microcycle 1Friday l\VJJ)1. Power clean,3x5,75%8ike,3min,90%HRmax2. Front squat, 3x5,75%Treadmill,3 min, 90%3. Incline press, 3 X 5,75%Upper body erg, 3 min, 90% See instructions microcycle 1 aboveSupplemental: IWT circuit (microcycle Iabove)Rotator cuff circuit: 3x20OH overhead; IWT interval weight training; HR max maximum heart rate;erg ergometer. Percentages are based on 1 repetition maximum(weight exercises) and HR max (free exercises).training. We have incorporated complextraining strategies, using the combination of heavy resistance training and plyomerric training in the same trainingsession (3, 5).As with goalies, attackmen (Figure 2)and detensemcn (Figure 3) must develop the ability to sprint, jump, andchange direction. Thus, the basic resistance training plan for these positionsis based on the previous goalie training. These athletes place a higher demand on their glycolytic energy systemthan goalies do, because ol the intermittent sprinting performed as a demand of their positions (4, 7, 8). Tomore closely match the metabolic demands, we have added interval weighttraining (IWT) to their training programs. Interval weight training is theprocess of executing a major multijoint exercise (clean, power clean highpull, or squat) followed immediatelyby 2-3 minutes of intense anaerobicfree exercise (stationary biking, stairclimbing, or treadmill) (10). It is hypothesized that this type of trainingJune 2006 Strength and Conditioning Journalwill develop anaerobic power (10). Interval training has been recommendedin the conditioning of sports such assoccer (6). Soccer is an activity thatslides along an aerobic-anaerobic continuum, depending on the intensityand duration of the work-recoverycycle (6, 7), When we compared theenergy system utilization of soccer tolacrosse—there were no training articles about lacrosse from which todraw—it became evident that not onlydo the 2 sports use fields of similarsize, but the energy demands ot the