Does this video contain info that is portable to other sports?
Certainly- most, if not all of the routines, movements, runs, etc. in the video are usable for other sports. That’s where the “general” in the GPP comes in. Specific comes later.
We’ve used much of this in the early off season with hockey players. The med balls and ab routines also work well in season- with some adjustment in volume, times on task.
Some of my non-track athletes have made great improvements in running economy working through the big circuit.
With younger athletes, where just building up their volume of work is important, the GPP stuff is great.
I would highly recommend incorporating the drills from GPP into your training.
Absolutely.
I’ve used the CF’s GPP to prepare soccer players - but only the hills/accels, tempo, core and medball work and it really, really helped. I’m convinced the weights, plyos and hurdle walkovers would have helped even more.
More to the point, the soccer players actually gained more agility and explosiveness then they did on a soccer specific program the year before that focused agility and explosiveness.
I think the hills were the magic bullet.
I’ve also found that a similar program is better for agility than the soccer SACrap I see. Technique work is important, but running over hurdles (6inch), through ladders and around 4 foot sticks isn’t beneficial as I can see.
I didn’t believe it when Charlie mentioned, but then I took a leap of faith, not looking back now!
Number 90 from http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1746782&cr=performanceTraining
Linemen need speed too! A few years back Charlie Francis came out with a DVD called GPP Essentials, which is a must have for any coach or athlete in my opinion. On that DVD he showed some great examples of combining medicine ball throws with jumps and sprints for acceleration development. I couldn’t help to think of how great these drills would be for a lineman.
By combining an isometric squat hold with a medicine ball catch, immediately into a throw and followed by a sprint, you get a great explosive exercise similar to a movement pattern many linemen will use during drive blocking. For more stimulation you could also add a jump after the medicine ball catch. This exercise will help build that starting strength and rate of force development that a lineman needs to smash an opponent. Adding the medicine ball catch and throw also develops the ability to receive and redirect forces with the upper body. Here is how it looks: