James, for the time the youtube site was up, I was able to see the videos and look forward to the bigger production of what you guys are doing out there, keep up the good work and keep us informed as to when and where the bigger video can be seen.
Thank you.
The NCAA book of infractions is so big it could probably anchor an aircraft carrier in rough seas.
My compliance people told me I can showcase players on video any other time of year so I’ll put some things together as time moves forward.
For any those of you who haven’t seen them already, two of my highly genetically gifted players have their own youtube sites:
Great video. It says alot about Buddy and your relationship and trust in your specific roles. I have other thoughts on why other schools don’t do this but won’t post them here.
Go PITT!!
Thanks I appreciate it.
An outside film and production company was contracted to do the feature. I was blown away when I saw the final product.
Great video, James. Personally I’d of like to see a bit more training footage, but I guess that’s what is to be expected when its somebody other than you guys constructing it.
Are you allowed to post your videos once training camp begins or after your first game?
how much pure speed work do you guys do? Most football teams really don’t do much of any. Too many coaches take sprinting as a chance to condition their players. thanks!
Thanks. Yes, once the season officially begins I will be able to post training videos.
We perform a great deal of pure alactic speed work throughout the spring and summer.
That is interesting James. Thanks for posting.
In your capacity work, do you vary the number of sprints within each set to simulate the conditions a possession/drive might present and then I guess you take a break after each series?
Yes, I rotate between a set amount of repeats per series as well as a random amount of repeats. Caveat being that we rarely exceed 6 repeats because we get more than enough 2minute drill capacity work during the Friday 7on7 sessions during the last block of summer which is focused on 2minute drill.
Do you make a gradual shift from power to capacity ala CF GPP as in 2 hill sessions and 1 flat speed during his week 5 to 1 hill two flat in week 6 etc. or is capacity done just one time per week-how often would you do such work?
I’m on my phone so I can’t view the youtube vid, what’s on it?
We had the guys Mon-Fri in the summer leading into the 2008 season and I was able to go three speed sessions per week M/W/F; however, it’s been M, T, Th, F since then so speed is M and Th.
Speed work over this summer was power during Blocks 1 and 2 and capacity during Block 3.
Block 1 hill sprints (adapted from CF GPP on Monday only)
Block 2 sled sprints on the field
Block 3 capacity sprint series (no sled) on field for veterans and capacity with sled on field for new freshmen
I must note that none of my skill players are required to do the assigned workload for the day. I only require that they communicate to me what they are ready for and give me 100% on whatever that is; be it in actual intensity of best or via focus/mechanical execution of a reduced intensity workload (ergo power speed instead of sprints).
As a consequence, over the 12 weeks of summer I had one single player (scout team) sustain a minor hamstring pull because he did not communicate to me that he was tight and pushed himself too far. As I stated it was a minor pull though and he was back running tempo in less than a week.
Excerpts of interviews with some of the coaching staff, Buddy, and myself along with excerpts of the training session we had that day.
It’s produced very well.
I finally get to have a look and it’s gone into cyberspace?
James,
Thanks for posting the video. I have a couple of questions:
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Can you compare and contrast, in terms of what you’re looking to get out of them, the hill sprints with the sled sprints?
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Is there any flat sprint work done in the power blocks?
Thanks!
What are you referring to?
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At the risk of pointing out the obvious: both the hill and the sled reinforce the acceleration position, strengthen the associated musculature, and possess a default intensity limit; by bringing the ground to the athlete in the case of the hill and allowing the athlete to maintain the acceleration position in the case of the sled- both means overloading the start and acceleration.
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Not this summer. I mentioned the default intensity limits that the hill and sled provide. This was used to ensure that my guy’s outputs were slightly reduced because they had a high volume of 7 on 7 before our Mon and Thu sessions and I wasn’t willing to risk it by following with high output speed work out to 30yds or more.
So I allowed whatever outputs they generated during 7 on 7 to play their role in the process.