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When They’re WEAK, Train Em’ Like a Farm Boy!If you’ve been on the USC forum enough you know I have a passion for training youngathletes, but I also have anger towards their lack of movement which has resulted in kidswho are too big and unable to move. In simple terms, this means FAT, plain and simple.I used to feel that calisthenics and variations of the farmer walks could be used to getthese kids into some form of conditioning, but, I am learning that farmer walks mayprove too much nowadays, at least for some kids.When I spoke this over with some fellow Coaches and Physical Therapists, theymentioned that some kids should not even “smell a weight”.Their hips, ankles, spine and entire supportive structures are likely to be too weak toallow them to carry heavy loads of any sort. Crazy thing is, these kids might be able tobench 185 for reps, squat 225 for rep and deadlift 275 for reps – still, they can not movetheir own bodies. Strong is one thing, unable to move is a totally different ball game.Take these kids to the new age athletic development facilities and they’ll be doing plyos,standing on wobble boards and performing other tasks that are NOT necessary orbeneficial for these kids. http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

And guess what, at the rate kids are going nowadays, you will meet one of these kids. Infact, it is being said that this generation is growing up fatter, weaker and moredeconditioned than their own parents!So, what does this leave us with?Calisthenics are still in, and they will always be in, even when you are at the top of yourgame, bodyweight will always have a place in a training regime, all types of them. Inaddition, I consider movements such as back extensions on a 45 degree bench or a gluteham bench to be a bodyweight movement so get them in as well. They attack the weak asall heck posterior and this is where most kids get injured, the lower back.Walker brought an unprecedented combination of speed and power to the gridiron.In 1982, he ran a world-record time of 6.15 in the 60-yard dash. Look at thosejacked up quads!Jumping rope, power walking up hills, stationary bike (I can’t believe I am saying that astationary bike is considered exercise!), light med ball tosses / throws, band training,sledge hammer work, sled drags and prowler work. I am even disappointed to state thatwe should power WALK up the hills, I prefer hill sprints and aggressive movements, butI am noticing that most kids don’t know HOW to RUN!! http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

I am seeing hips and knees that do not flex and feet that turn outward due to tight hipsand possibly laziness and not wanting to lift the knees while running!This is MY Rant! I am getting pretty damn angry!Why did I eliminate carries for these out of shapers? Well, unfortunately, lifting an objectoff the ground, even with correct form, can cause injury to the deconditioned individual.The argument might be, “Exercise itself can cause injury”. You’re absolutely right, but,people are entirely too deconditioned nowadays. I thought only baby boomers were out ofshape, but it’s the high school athletes who are out of shape as well! Grossly out ofshape!I have seen Coaches on our site post on the forum how black belts in various martial artsstruggled through warm ups and could not make it any further than the warm up! We’retalking Black Belts, NOT beginning martial artists! That is pathetic and inexcusable!I have seen kids toss cookies and get light headed from workouts that consisted ofcalisthenics and dumbbell work. And yep, I have had varsity athletes get nauseatedduring our warm up and not make it further than the warm up. These are kids who haveplayed sports year round since age 6 and push ups, squats and lunges are sending them tothe toilet!If you can’t handle the warm up, how can you handle a 250 lb guy running head on whowants to knock your teeth out?What about 300 lb high school Football players, or what about kids heavier than 300 lbsand still in high school? Some of our athletes were bragging about a kid on their Footballteam who benched 375 and squatted over 500 lbs, but then they told me he damn nearcollapsed on the Football field when running. He is so big he can not move his body. http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

There is a fine line between being big and strong but unable to move your own body!This is why I think that training needs to be BIG time simplified.If I had a team of Football players, we would get out of the weight room for a long time. Iwould have tires of ALL sizes, ranging from 200 to 500 – 600 lbs. for flipping. Theweaker kids would stick to the light tires.Sled drags in all directions would be a regular. Push ups would be performed like crazy!Pull ups and / or recline pulls would be a staple, walking lunges, split squats of all sortsand jumping rope. For speed and agility, how about tag games! Old school tag games getkids moving fast and working on agility. The short rest periods develop speed enduranceand conditioning relative to the game of Football!Want to know which athlete rarely gets sick or is rarely deconditioned? The seriouswrestler. I emphasize the word “serious”. These kids wrestle 4 – 6 x week, this equates to4 - 6 strength & conditioning workouts. Constant pushing, pulling, lifting, squatting androtational work against another load (the human body) gets these kids in fantastic shape!I have also seen gymnasts demonstrate amazing physical capabilities but have nevertrained them, although I have had a few in my Physical Education classes and man dothese kids impress me BIG TIME! This proves that young kids should, and can, benefitfrom bodyweight movements and all types of gymnastics training.Above, a young gymnast in training http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Now, when you think about kids who work on farms, you think of tough kids who cancrank out pull ups, push ups, climb rope with ease and carry heavy objects for hours onend.I’ve seen it first hand. I’ve seen my wife’s cousin perform manual labor for over 12 hoursa day with no signs of slowing down. He might only weigh 150 lbs or so but his relativebody strength is amazing. His work capacity was sky high.Why was he in such good shape? Nothing fancy and no traditional working out. Heperformed manual labor. He performed it 6 or 7 days a week for hours and hours. Nodifferent than the kids who grow up on farms.Above, a strong AND highly conditioned Football player takes 200 lbs for a walk ineach hand.Now, if you mention manual labor to a young kid he might scream for the cops, so, bestbet is to disguise it all. Modifying strongman movements can always be performed. If theathlete is completely out of shape, use farmer walk variations with super light weights. http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Also, utilize animal movements such as bear crawls and crab walks. Partner wheelbarrow walks would be great, but, I’ve seen kids fall flat on their face because theirshoulders and arms can not hold themselves up.I have wrestlers who weigh 145 lbs who flip the 400 lb. tire, and then I have 300 lbFootball players who struggle for 1 rep or hurt their lower back after more than 2 reps.It’s a sad state of affairs and conditioning has to be the ground work for these kids.Above, a 145 lb wrestler flipping 450 lb tires, preparing for D1 wrestling wherestrength is critical!Coach Ethan Reeve used to spend his summers on a barn. On the barn is where helearned much of his philosophy geared towards improving work capacity. Pushing atruck, digging ditches for fences, carrying odd objects, climbing rope and performing 500push ups a day – this stuff will get ANYONE stronger and in better shape. http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Ask a high school athlete if he did 100 push ups today, not many of them will answerwith a “Yes” that’s for damn sure. How about asking them if they performed anycalisthenics all week?How do we correct the sad state of fitness in people today?It starts with US! We all have to do our part and spread our knowledge. If you’re a PEteacher then teach kids how to move, don’t just play the games. Have challenging warmups and WOD’s (workout of the day). Allow the kids who really push themselves to beshowcased for their efforts.Contact Rob Isza of http://IntenseTrainingSystems.com and speak with him aboutrunning high school PE classes! This guy is changing the world slowly but surely. Whathe teaches his students and athletes now becomes the rule of 3. These kids will head offto college and teach 3 of their friends what they’ve learned, who will teach 3 more and soon.Adults need the same. They need challenging workouts, no matter what their goals are.Exercise is supposed to be hard! I now hold boot camps for adults at The USC Gym, wecall them ‘REAL World Fitness’ Boot camps. I tell people straight up when they inquirethat this is HARD f**ing work, and yes, you might get nauseated. I tell them I’ll givethem a trial session because I will be testing their physical and mental toughness on thatday. If they quit or drag, they are NOT going to be accepted.Do we need to convert gyms into true gymnasiums (i.e. Turner Hall’s) or should we justconvert gyms into barns with farm equipment in them? http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Look at the facilities below, we must bring these back! http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Above, Sigmund Klein sporting an amazing physique while performing one of the mostpopular weightlifting movements from back in the day, overhead work! http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

Looks to me like the answer for some of these problems is a simple training hall, and onewhich can be created via a group of dedicated individuals who create a collective gym.During an Underground seminar, a gentleman asked me how he can find a gym like theUSC Gym. I told him they are unfortunately far and few between, and the best bet is tocreate one.Creating an old school gym can allow you and your partners to bring in the young kidsand get them physically and mentally prepared. Do you need much equipment? Not at all,and now as a member of USC, you are realizing that fancy is NOT necessary.A sledge hammer, a tractor tire (or two), light sandbags, a jump rope, a sled or tire fordragging and GREAT atmosphere. Remember the cabin Rocky trained in to fight IvanDrago? He has a table for ab work, beams for pull ups, the outdoors for training – yourgym is to be created or, it’s is all around you, everywhere you look!We need to get back to training everyone hard, not just the athletes. If we can train theadult population hard we have a better chance of spreading the word to the youngerpopulation.Adults will be out there training their kids and friends of their kids because they willKNOW that being strong is a good thing.Here are a few workouts we’ve been doing lately with our out of shape, youngathletes to get you started in case you run into these kids .and I’m sure you will:Warm up x 2 rounds:A) squats x 10B) lunge variation x 5 each ( add rotation when athlete is ready)C) forward reach lunge x 5 eachD) band face pulls x 15 – 20E) push ups on stability ball x 15 – 20F) abdominal movement x 15 – 20 http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com

G) Mobility movements:-supermans on floor-bird dogs-fire hydrant hip circles forwards & backwardsWorkout 1:1A) split squat – back foot elevated 3 x 15 each1B) sledge hammer swings 3 x 12 / 12 – switch top hand at 12 reps (24 total)1C) push up variation 3 x max reps1D) pull up variation 3 x max reps2) sled drag forwards / backwards 2 x 75 ft. each direction3) prowler push 2 x 150 ft.4) ab circuitWorkout 2:1) 1 arm KB military press 2 x 15 – 20 reps @ 36 lbs2) 2 hand Kb swings 2 x 15 reps3) BW walking lunges 2 x 75 ft.4) Bear crawl 2 x 75 ft.5A) Bent leg sit ups 2 x 25 reps5B) 45 degree back extensions 2 x 25 repsWorkout 3: http://UndergroundStrengthCoach.com