Elite athletes don’t have time for BS in their training. Short, off-seasons leave little time for recovery and even less time for training. As a strength coach, you had better know your business or that elite athlete will go find someone who does.
The first step when setting up a training regimen for an elite athlete is to understand his physiological strengths and weaknesses. The second step is to make sure that the methods used in training will trigger sport-specific adaptations. Because some off-seasons are as short as eight weeks, athletes can’t afford to waste time on training that doesn’t directly improve their on-field performance.
Producing results during short, off-season training can be extremely challenging for a coach. The lack of time makes getting the maximum benefit out of every workout critical. Owen Marecic, a fullback with the Cleveland Browns, is a great example of what can happen during short, off-season training. Owen came to me during his 2012 off-season with only twelve weeks to train before he needed to be back in Cleveland. Prior to writing his training program, I tested him on the Omegawave to determine what his strengths and weaknesses were. Judging by his biological indicators on the Omegawave, I carefully selected the training methods I would use to develop his biological power.
A few of his biological indicators after the first evaluation were as follows:
- Resting heart rate: 72 bpm
- Body weight: 255 pounds
- Sympathetic ANS dominance (which isn’t optimal)
- Poor general fitness level
After the initial testing, it was obvious that Owen needed lots of work. As an NFL player with only twelve weeks to train, he not only needed to get in shape quickly, but he also needed to build a level of fitness that would stay with him for the whole season. I decided that based on his numbers and training history, the best way to achieve this goal was through concentrated loading.
I decided to implement this training method by splitting it into three blocks spread across twelve weeks. The first block focused on strength, the second focused on explosive power, and the third focused on developing his reactive speed. These areas of his biology all directly relate to the game time demands on an NFL fullback.
Block #1
Because the methodology was concentrated loading, during the four-week strength block Owen accumulated close to 25,000 to 30,000 pounds of lifting volume with weights 80 to 95 percent of his 1RM over the course of four weeks. I didn’t have Owen doing any Olympic lifts; only bench and squat movements were utilized for the main loading. Auxiliary exercises were mixed in here and there. During the Wednesday workouts, upper body work was performed but only at sub-maximal intensity. (We never went over 75 percent of his 1RM).
The week was broken down to look something like this:
- Monday: Weights
- Tuesday: Hill sprints (high volume)
- Wednesday: Weights (upper body)
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Weights
- Saturday: Hills (half of Tuesday)
Hill sprints were performed on a medium grade for thirty yards uphill. Owen was instructed to run at full speed for each repetition, and the time it took him to run each rep was recorded. The following graphs demonstrate his increase of speed by a decrease in his 30-yard hill sprint time by six tenths of a second over seven weeks.
Block #2
The second block was a shift to explosive strength. I used a high volume of jumps, squats, and depth jumps in order to accomplish this. Depth jumps are usually performed by jumping from one box to the ground and then on to a taller box, but with Owen, I changed this. I had him jump from a box to the ground and then straight outward from the box, mimicking a broad jump movement. This was done because the movement is more closely equated to what his body would experience in a football game. Thus, we achieved a sport-specific result without any extra time spent training. On the Wednesday workout, we increased the bench press intensity during block two, working up to 85 percent of his 1RM while keeping the volume relatively low at about fifteen total repetitions. Hill sprint volume was increased a little, with the emphasis still on high volume on Tuesday and lower volume on Saturday.
Block #3
To top it all off, block three focused on reactivity and power. We added a third lower body day, which meant that days one and three were jump squats and depth jumps and day five was high volume box jumps. Doing all the extra jumping crafted a reactive expression for all the power we had built over the course of eight weeks. Also, the hill sprints were reduced to only Saturday and volume never exceeded twenty repetitions.
Owen has responded extremely well during previous off-seasons to training under concentrated loading. The 2012 off-season wasn’t any exception.
His results at the time of the final evaluation were as follows:
- Resting heart rate: 54 bpm (down from 72)
- Body weight: 242 pounds
- ANS completely shifted, moderate dominance of PSNS
- Excellent level of fitness
Signed, sealed, and delivered
The way that I look at training is purely from a biological adaptation point of view. So, for example, Owen’s first training day was a developmental day for the hormonal system (causing a large spike in hormone levels after the session). Hormones rise for three to four days (e.g., use Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday). During those three days, we still train, but none of the training induces another rise in hormones (so don’t use hormones as an energy source), and we don’t do anything to failure (no hypoxia, etc.). Then on Friday, we stimulate the hormones again so that they rise for two days (Saturday/Sunday). Come Monday, we do another developmental day. This is why the hill sprints or walking lunges we use on those “off” days aren’t high intensity, as you might think. This is because the biological stimulus doesn’t conflict with the hormonal response that we induced on Monday.
Testing systems:
- Cardiac: Resting heart rate, standing versus lying down (you will have to Google this one to see how to perform), retain to normal heart rate after intense exercise, heart rate monitor as terms of variability (Polar sells these)
- Anatomic: Only heart rate and skin palpation (sympathetic versus parasympathetic; will have to Google)
- Parasympathetic (over relaxed): Impaired performance, lack of supercompensation, lower heart rate during exercise and suppressed neuromuscular excitability
- Sympathetic: Impaired performance, lack of supercompensation, restlessness and irritability, disturbed sleep, weight loss, increase in resting heart rate, increase in resting blood pressure and slow rate of recovery from exercise
- Metabolic: Empirical test
- Central nervous system: Reaction test, stopwatch (build empirical data for self)
- Cardio/pulmonary: Hard to predict
- Detoxification: Color of eyes/skin, frequency of urination
- Neuromuscular: Standing long jump, sport-specific
Related Articles:
EFS Classic: The Periodization Bible
PDF 
Mark McLaughlin is co-founder of the Performance Training Center. He attended college at the College of Santa Fe in New Mexico and is a native Oregonian currently living in Portland. His passion of all athletics flourished throughout his teen years. He participated and competed on various teams and in a variety of sports. Through his years of participation in sports and later in his education, Mark developed a deep commitment not just to sport but also to the complete well-being of the athlete. This passion and commitment leads to continual self-education in the field of athletic performance enhancement. Mark has been active in the field of athletic performance enhancement since 1997 and has trained over 700 athletes on every competitive level ranging from Olympic, professional, college, high school and grade school athletes. As well as working with individual athletes, the Performance Training Center works with and coordinates programs with high school and university strength and sport coaches. You can learn more about Performance Training Center at 
Great example of what can be done in a short time. Evan walking on a treadmill may have helped Owen achieve a better resting HR but would not have prepared him for American Football. Especially at his level.
Walking on the treadmill may yield great results for the deconditioned individual, not for somebody training for the NFL.
Fascinating read, but what results did he get that transferred to the field? Improving his RHR and bodyweight doesn’t mean he is a better football player. Shouldn’t the goal be improving his skills?
This is excellent!!
I dont see the reason to critique “this just sounds complicated”. I champion clear and effective methods as much as anyone, but there is still a time and a place for “complication”. A pro level athlete with such a short training block, the goal is to OPTIMIZE the training as much as possible. Efficiency and optimization are not always the same thing. Mark used a variety of assessments and clearly delivered a performance improvement.
I would also say that this is a great example of why “sports specific” training is clearly misunderstood. He had an athlete with a level of fitness and improved upon that. The execution of athletic “skills” is predicated upon athletic strength and conditioning, not the other way around. The most skilled players are the best athletes for a reason.
The guy was fat and out of shape. I don’t think there was anything here to tell us anything about performance enhancement. At best, a case study in what to do with somebody horrifically out of shape that needs to be ready to pass a physical in a short time period.
Maybe the improved RHR and body weight allowed him to express his skills in a more efficient manner?
It would be nice to know some other variables that improved. Like acceleration, VJ, 1RM and what not.
For the naysayers: The client in this case was a professional athlete in the NFL. Even if it was the Browns :P
So he’s not your typical overweight deconditioned fatty.
Excellent thought on breaking preparation into blocks. A colleague and myself are looking into a similar implementation in other collision sports. Very cool what you managed to do.
Jeff, why would an S&C coach set any sort of objective related to improving an athlete’s skills? Leave it to the skills coaches and do what you can to improve what your specialty is. If the athlete wanted to spend the off-season working on skills then that’s who he would have gone to. Have to meet the needs of the individual who comes through your door.
I believe Owen Marecic played both ways at Stanford. How many can do that? I also believe he has a thyroid issue. Look at times on hill sprints. Much improvement in a short period of time with para-sympathetic dominance means he is prepared for the challenges ahead. We could all be this grossly out of shape. Nice article Mark, I am now going to go for a walk on my treadmill.
Good read – I enjoyed it.
There’s nothing special in what he did here. All he did was add Hill Sprints to Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky Block Training program for American Football players, if you have his Special Strength Training Manual for Coaches go to page 208 and the whole program is laid out. Garrett, Jeff is talking about technique in the execution of the skill (using special exercises), not the tactical aspects that sport coaches teach. Eastern Bloc strength coaches believed in this, as here we do not. I guess that’s why they killed it every 4 years!
For example performing a banded explosive side lunge replicates the actions involved with cutting on the field. If the athlete becomes more efficient in executing this exercises, he will be more efficient in COD on the field because this exercise fits all the criteria of dynamic correspondence outlined by Dr. Verkhoshanky when designing or using special exercises (sports specific) for sports.
The graphs were a nice touch, good article.
Why would it be assumed that because of his initial test that he was “fat” and “grossly unhealthy?” Did you ever stop and think after a long and grueling season that his body was just beat down? The testing shows him being sympathetically overreached. Correcting that issue alone could drastically change a resting heart rate.
The Omegawave gives a snap shot of how the body is working at that very moment. An hour later it could significantly change. We don’t have a background for this test. Did he come off the plane from Cleveland and drive straight to see Mark? Did he have a coffee in the morning before he tested? Was someone being loud outside the door and distract his relaxation? We don’t know, so such harsh and brash statements are well outside the lines.
Most of all you just sound jealous. Commend the man for taking the time and effort to write a free article and be on your merry way.
Chris, you are absolutely correct. We don’t know why he was so sympathetic dominate. It could have been any number of factors. All I am curious is what results did he get that transferred to the field?
No one is jealous. What is wrong with sparking a conversation? Why else would there be the ability to leave a comment after each article?
Al, thank you for specifying.
Garrett, I was referring to improving Owen’s motor skills, i.e. running, cutting, ect. Improving specific aspects of and motor abilities as it relates to those skills in order to peak for competition which is the foundation for Block Periodization. (High concentration of sport specific exercises)
Thank you Jeff and Al for clarifying. I’m a young physical educator and have seen the concept of “skill” presented in so many varying ways over the course of my last seven weeks of student teaching that I’m entirely frayed in how to interpret it when someone says it.
Yes, skills as fundamental movement skills should be a focus in a block close to the end of off-season in my opinion as it prepares and helps perfect the movement patterns and motor coordination required by those skills in a variety of situations. A colleague and I are currently trying to implement this strenght/cond/skill block split with the multi-tournament schedule of rugby sevens for prep both in the off-season and in the time between tournaments.
Does anyone even know who Owen Marecic is? He isn’t even close to the fat, gross athlete that “Evan the idiot” is talking about.
This is awesome discussion, one of the premier physical prep coaches in America, one of few I would follow or listen to and there is a plethora of donkeys bashing him. I don’t know why I waste my thoughts even voicing my opinion as some donkey will follow that up with some stupid ass comment. I coach at the high school level, and it is like one of my stupid ass assistants made this statement the other day:
Me: yeah FS just squatted 450 parallel, and I shut him down there even though he could of went up
Him: what you mean he didn’t get 500?
Me: I am sorry have you ever even put 450 on your back?
Him: insert crickets
Just another example of some stupid ass thinking he knows something because he acquired a coaching position which is easier in America them obtaining a gas station job.
What hormones?
Hormones that rise for several days! really!!!!
Use hormones as an energy source!!!
Oh come on!!!
This is pseudoscience of the highest order.
I’d also LOVE to see one bit of research that has either validated or demonstrated a degree of reliability for the omegawave.
Great article, clear, well written and informative.
Not many coaches give away a case study of what they actually do with a pro client FOR FREE.
For those who want to bash Mark, then send in YOUR article telling us how you train your NFL clients – I’d love to hear your superior method and the names of those you’ve trained.
Otherwise please shut up and stop discouraging decent authors from posting.
Thanks.
Kevin so because it was free it shouldn’t be questioned? Even it it is error ridden and misleading?
Challenging philosophies and beliefs is how we learn, improve and refine what we do. too suggest otherwise is foolish.
Error ridden and misleading? He improved the athletes performance – so what he did worked.
“Challenging philosophies and beliefs is how we learn, improve and refine what we do”.
There is no “philosphy” or “belief” written in the article. There are indicators at the start, there is the training plan that was done and there are the indicators at the end having been improved. No philosophy or belief, just fact. This was the start, this was the end, here’s what I did in the middle to get the improvement.
Again if you think you can do better, then write an article explaining how you’ve trained your NFL athletes so we can see how you are doing a better job.
And because you asked:
Reliability of omega wave
Int J Sports Med. 2010 May: Comparison of Omega Wave System and Polar S810i to detect R-R intervals at rest. Parrado E, García MA, Ramos J, Cervantes JC, Rodas G, Capdevila L.
“… both systems are valid to record R-R interval signals and to obtain a valid analysis of heart rate variability”
Kevin
Do you believe a polar S810i monitor to be a gold standard method for measuring HRV
Can you demonstrate that HRV can be used to accurately assess all the systems and functions the makers claim?
What about assessing CNS status with a reaction test?
Do you understand the limitations of using an ICC for reliability?
What hormones would be used for fuel?
What hormones stimulated by exercise continue to rise for 3 days?
If I told u I’d been working with Olympic athletes for over 10 years would that make my opinions more valid? In your eyes would I then be allowed to question incorrect statements?
Michael,
Your original statement was:
“I’d also LOVE to see one bit of research that has either validated or demonstrated a degree of reliability for the omegawave.”
I’ve provided that. Discussing your further questions on the omegawave seems farily pointless as you seem to have made you mind up about whether its useful or not.
As to these questions:
“What hormones would be used for fuel?”
“What hormones stimulated by exercise continue to rise for 3 days?”
I didn’t write the article – maybe you should ask the author. However with the aggressive comments do you think he’d be interested in answering questions? Probably not. Its what causes decent authors/coaches to stay away or post on sites you have to pay for. We’ll be left with articles on “four weeks to massive guns, brah!”
Finally:
“If I told u I’d been working with Olympic athletes for over 10 years would that make my opinions more valid? In your eyes would I then be allowed to question incorrect statements?”
I said (and it was genuine, even if it didn’t sound it) if you (or whoever) think you have a better way to train NFL players and have got indicators at the start, a completed training plan in the middle and indicators that have improved at the end for an NFL player – to post an article. That was all.
Why? Because I am interested in improving elite performance. If you have experience that can help me then I want to know about it.
Thanks
I read this article, was mildly amused and generally thought the method presented was over-thought. Then I get to the comments: wow. I thought the Brits had a bitchy estrogenic temper. I had heard that in the modern world we posses a meager 30% of the natural testosterone our great grandfathers had and today the academic bitchfest displayed by readers of what I thought should be one of the more “hardcore” article sources has proven that in part this theory was correct.
One of the primary issues I see here is that some of you believe there is such a thing as a fundamental truth that exists in a non-observer dependent state. This is a bygone product of puritanical religious thought-forms. The results achieved were done through just one avenue of many possible avenues of training theory. There are many others that would have worked to create the same results, perhaps better and instead of talking shop, frankly and without an ulterior motive (self-aggrandizement); you call each other down.
This guy actually did this with his client. Do you have a 54 bpm HR? Do you have any clients that do? Especially clients who weigh over 200lbs? Relax: learn what you can and don’t get your experience of life tied into “facts” because they do not exist (it’s physically impossible on a quantum level). Almost any routine or method will work if the client believes in it (case in point: the barbarian brothers, who were way stronger than most of us commenting this article).
Train: don’t complain. Even if you think you’re right it’s likely that you are the only one who cares, which means you’re talking to yourself, and if that is so: what are you really saying?
Regarding the hormonal response:
Hypoxic conditions, along with heavy resistance will cause the body to use testosterone, GH, insulin, etc. (anabolic hormones) as fuel.
In the subsequent days following an intensive session, (hill sprints, >80% 1RM weights, explosive jumps, etc.; i.e. Mondays workout as Mark outlined) the hormonal levels will rise and peak after three days.
During the days after this session, it is Marks goal to not place the athlete in 1) hypoxic conditions 2) stimulate the release of and use of anabolic hormones as fuel.
The sessions during this time period will consist of various aerobic means and methods.
After the systems have recovered/adapted, a similar session will be repeated.
DISCLAIMER: This is my understanding of marks template and methodology. I’m not 100% on it, but I’m positive I’m pretty close. If you want to know, then email Mark directly. He’s probably the nicest guy in this industry and will explain it better than I can.
For research citations and texts about the biochemical/hormonal responses, see work from:
Yuri Verhoshansky
Atko Viru
Tsvetan Zhelyazkov
Daniela Dasheva
V.N. Seluyanov
For practical information, Val Nasedkin’s lectures cover this research but with training means and methods examples. Also anything from Mark, Joel Jamieson, etc. is along similar lines as they are heavily influenced by these individuals from my understanding.
Best,
Ryan Williams
Nowhere there did you explain how the body uses testosterone/GH/insulin to ‘fuel’ the body. In fact, it is a physiological impossibility, which is why a previous posted asked the question to begin with. Randomly quoting authors, without citation, and who are not what anybody involved in clinical science would call a scientist, does little to support your argument.
Ryan,
Hypoxic conditions stimulate GH IGF-1 release
T less so and appears to be more related to volume load. Training experience is also important however you will find few studies reporting post exercise depressions that can’t be explained by circadian variations in its release. Indeed both T and C our most studied anabolic and catabolic hormones following circadian patterns with peaks in the morning and gradual depressions during the day. Training can cause deviations in this pattern in that u will give spikes post exercise and some deviations in the expected loss but these are short term and most research shows a return to normal patterns within a few hours. While some research will show changes 24 hours post vs baseline ie risen back after the depression it’s rare to see elevations.
As biochemistry and technology evolves our understanding of the endocrine system does likewise however it’s still at early stages. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking the Russians had it sussed 30 years ago and all western science is nonsense. There is a lot of really good work being done today into elite sport that is peer reviewed.
The how’s are important as they they allow us to understand the active ingredients of a training program.
None of what you said explains how you can use any of those hormones as an energy source. How in the flying f*** does the body use testosterone or cortisol for energy? Please for the love of god explain that.
thank you.. Nicely written