PHLI WEIGHT

Strength & Conditioning Prep for High School Football

2010-08-08T21:22:00.006-05:00

Strength and Conditioning Preparation for High School Football
By Christopher C. Spurlock

Strength and conditioning for high school football athletes is essential for the longevity of their career in the sport. Due to the impact the body takes during a football season, athletes should take training schedules serious. Complete basic training for stability and endurance, body building and weight lifting to develop the muscles in order to protect the skeletal system, and participate in circuit training that promotes agility and flexibility. A complete strength and conditioning program includes phases of training during the season and off-season.

Currently, I am the head varsity football and wrestling coach at Kenwood Academy located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. In addition, I am a dedicated personal trainer with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and execute training programs for beginning and experienced athletes and non-athletes alike. Prior to becoming a certified personal trainer, I competed locally, nationally and internationally in Olympic weightlifting.

First and foremost, a sport’s physical is necessary to make sure an athlete is physically able to play the sport of football. There is a great importance to develop a base of training to prevent injury. The first step for any athlete, whether seasoned or de-conditioned, is cardiovascular training to strengthen the heart. Running on turf, track, sand, or grass provides the least amount impact on your joints and is the activity most like the sport. Another activity that strengthens the heart is swimming which provides low impact resistance training. These two activities provide good training with the least amount of impact on the body. During this phase of basic training, proper push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and dips should be developed.

The next step for football athletes is bodybuilding and weightlifting, which is used to build muscle mass and gain explosive power. Bodybuilding can be broken down into workouts that are dedicated to specific muscle groups and they should follow an anterior and post-terior schedule. For example, this would mean three chest exercises followed by three back exercises. While bodybuilding develops slow twitch fibers, it should be coupled with the clean and jerk, which is an Olympic movement, that develops fast twitch fibers and helps gain explosive power. It is most effectively taught from the hang position, also a proper dead lift form should be taught. After this step is completed, the athletes will have developed muscles to protect the skeletal system.

The final step to the phase of this program is agility drills and sports specific training, which is obtained through circuit training. Exercises that are used in circuit training should be sports specific such as the shuttle run for the purpose of cutting and quick direction change, ply metrics for agility, and strength movements for power. These circuits should be performed with maximum energy output. Basically, this means go hard or go home.

A deconditioned athlete should be in the basic training phase for four to six weeks. They should then proceed to the bodybuilding and weightlifting phase where they focus on technique. At the coach’s discression, they should then move into the third phase, which is the most demanding on the body, circuit training. Again it should be emphasized that an athlete, should perform circuits at optimal performance.

Once an athlete has become accustomed to training, it is easier for them to take time off and then resume training due to muscle memory. For these athletes, the same cycles apply but with a different approach. Basic training should be two to four weeks. The coach throughout the season can evenly distribute bodybuilding, weightlifting, and circuit training.

Strengthening and conditioning is vital to prevent injuries and promotes longevity in the athlete’s career. The edge in football is when individual athletes are able to play at their optimal performance level for the entire game. This is only achieved through proper strength and conditioning training,

KENWOOD FOOTBALL IS READY FOR THEIR SEASON!!

2010-07-29T23:28:00.004-05:00

High School football is less then a month away . The Kenwood Broncos have been in training for 35 weeks. Mainly weight room conditioning and a lot of performance drills. PHLI WEIGHT has been the coach for the job of preparing these athletes for their upcoming season. Here is a small preview. Stay tuned to follow the Football Team during the season.

KENWOOD ACADEMY CHICAGO FOOTBALL TRAINING from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.

2010-06-20T22:35:00.003-05:00

Greetings PHLI WEIGHT , While busy preparing Kenwood Academy's Football team for the upcoming season I have not posted much for you all. I appreciate all the contacts and questions . Please keep them coming . Here is a throwback of (ME) Coach Spurlock, training for Olympic Weightlifting. I can't say enough about how strong anyone can get from this sport but it takes a lot of practice. Form is everything when weightlifting. If you have a team or athletes and you need this training contact Coach Spurlock at PHLIWEIGHT@PHLIWORLDWIDE.COM.... Enjoy

135 KG. Snatch from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.

165 KG. Clean & Jerk from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.

155 KG. from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.

2010-04-09T08:48:00.000-05:00

Offseason training for a PHLI WEIGHT Athlete. Receiving a overview of your training is a part of the PHLI WEIGHT program. So an athlete can train and leave with video so they don't forget what they did all offseason.

CANDYMAN PROJECT from Christopher Spurlock on Vimeo.

DIET IS EVERYTHING

2010-03-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

Here is a look at one of my most successful clients. He is also a trainer and has great discipline when it comes to diet. Whether you want to lose weight or gain weight one has to have a consistent diet. From there its a numbers game. We will have more diet segments coming soon. Or hit me up...

KENWOOD BRONCOS WRESTLING 09'-10'

2010-03-25T12:52:00.000-05:00

This is for all the athletes that put their time and effort into this season. Thank you.

Athletic Development

2010-03-03T12:15:00.000-06:00

This style of training is designed for each individual based on their personal performance level. For both athletes and non-athletes these circuits will benefit them by challenging their individual optimal performance.

Athletic Development By Chris Spurlock

2010-02-15T14:10:00.000-06:00

2 athletes from the PHLI WEIGHT program. Both are in their off seasons in this video training with circuits to promote Endurance, Strength, Speed and Power. The specialty of the PHLI WEIGHT program is that we tailor fit the program to the athletes needs.

Single Leg Explosive Jump

2010-02-08T20:47:00.000-06:00

Coach Spurlock demonstrating a single leg explosive jump. 37.5 inch box.

Power Clean + Push Jerk

2010-02-02T00:55:00.000-06:00

What up blog world .. I'm gonna put this out there to all athletes. This is Coach Spurlock in the weight room ( power clean + push jerk ) 245 lbs. COLD!! in jeans, I'm just saying. If you haven't done your research on Olympic Weightlifting it is the most explosive movement out there. If you learn how to do this you will have an edge over your competition. Contact me if you want to learn. Peace.

Explosive Jumps

2010-01-30T22:31:00.000-06:00

This exercise speaks for itself. It is a full body movement that develops explosive power, which will help in any sport that demands explosive movements. It is a staple exercise in the program , we work with weighted vests to develop strength and the tire is used to challenge the stability. Tire is 43 inches. Either way these athletes can get ^ up ^.

BRONCOS WIN AT CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS

2010-01-28T12:01:00.000-06:00

CONGRATS BRONCOS ON A WINNING SEASON.
CITY CHAMPION - ROYALE JONES 140lbs.
4TH PLACE CHAMPS - JERRY JACOBS 119lbs. , ANTHONY LOVE 171lbs.
TEAM RECORD OF 16-9

Broncos Wrestling

2010-01-25T22:42:00.000-06:00

What up blog world! As I was checking a coaching site today I noticed they posted a video of the Kenwood Broncos Wrestling Team. Much appreciation goes to those dedicated to following Chicago's Public League athletes. We have a lot of talent here and the youth need support for the programs. Check us out at this link and leave some support.

http://neilski.typepad.com/wwwlanetechfancom_blog/2010/01/videos-now-140lbs-royale-jones-of-kenwood-vs-ryan-pozniak-of-lane-tech.html

PHLI WEIGHT MOVIE 1

2010-01-24T21:15:00.000-06:00

THIS IS THE 08/09 SEASON ..THAT SEASON THE BRONCOS FINISHED WITH ONE 3RD PLACE CHAMPION..

Welcome...

2010-01-24T18:45:00.000-06:00

Hello World!!! .. Welcome to the PHLI WEIGHT page. This is dedicated to the athletes of the PHLI WEIGHT program. I have been a dedicated athlete now I'm a dedicated coach.