Olympic Lifts and Athlete Success: Jon Dawson

Hello Everyone!

Jon Dawson was one of the first athletes to join AGSP back in 2007 when the Stow facility first opened. Jon started training at AGSP to become a faster, stronger, and more powerful football player for Green High School.

As part of his training Jon learned how to perform the Olympic Lifts which are the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. We teach all of our athletes these lifts because they develop power, speed, strength, coordination, and confidence.

Jon Dawson's 2nd Snatch attempt at a recent lifting event.

Jon has become passionate about the Olympic Lifts and has continued his athletic career as a competitive weight lifter. Since learning the right way to lift at AGSP he is now on the path to becoming one of Ohio's greatest Olympic Weightlifters. He has already broken state records and is gaining a lot of attention in the weightlifting world.

Check out this video of Jon in action at the recent http://youtu.be/t3GfMQ6DVIs


We are excited for Jon and wish him continued success as he pursues his Olympic dream. As our slogan goes, "there are no shortcuts to athletic success!" Through hard-work and doing things right, athletes like Jon become successful!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Advice from a D1 Football Player

Hello Everyone!

At AGSP we are under the same roof as Akron General's physical therapists and award-winning rec center, Lifestyles. All the departments share each others resources and recently as a 5:30 pm group was headed back into the weight room, a physical therapy patient, who is also a Division One football player, was finishing his prescribed exercises (he's so strong he needed to use our sports performance weight room).

Akron General Sports Performance, physical therapy, and Lifestyles are all under the same roof!

Putting him on the spot I asked him in front of the 5:30 pm group, "knowing what you know now, what advice would you give these aspiring athletes?"

His honest answer was more powerful than I could of imagined. He said,

• "Take care of your grades. I didn't and lost my opportunity at a Big Ten Football Program. Because of my grades I had to leave and start anew at a Mid-Atlantic Conference school. 
• If you take care of the weight room, you'll be further ahead than most athletes. 
• When you get older you'll realize that most of the time your parents and coaches were actually right. So make sure you're respectful and listen to them.
• Don't follow along with your friends/teammates if they're doing something you know isn't good for you. It's hard to think now, but when you're in college your high school friends and teammates may not be there. If you have athletic dreams, do what you know is best to fulfill those dreams." 

The honest humility and wisdom this Division One football player shared with us (people he doesn't know at all) was incredible. I felt this great advice is something every athlete should hear!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Cleveland Basketball School

Hello Everyone!

Recently I had the opportunity to guest coach at The Cleveland Basketball School. I love watching Coach Paul and Head Trainer Robbie in action as they create a positive learning environment.

Things that The Cleveland Basketball School does well that makes them a great program are:

• Every drill is purposeful and practical. Ever drill they do I can see basketball players actual use in a game. 
• Drills are explained! So many programs just tell their athletes to "do this because I said so". Not CBS, every drill is broken down into the "why we want you to do it this way is because". This is such an important piece of athletics, making sure the athletes LEARN, not mindlessly have them do drills. 
• Teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun are focused on from start to finish. These three attributes go great together and are the foundation of CBS. I've never seen as many young people clap and encourage each other as I have at CBS. 

Coach Paul and Head Trainer Robbie in action in Brecksville, Ohio.

To guest coach at such a great program is truly an honor. I always look forward to spending time at CBS. To learn more about The Cleveland Basketball School check out their website at www.clevelandbasketballschool.com  and follow them on their social media outlets at Facebook www.facebook.com/clevelandbasketballschool , Head Trainer Robbie's Twitter www.twitter.com/RHaught55 and their two Instagrams www.instagram.com/cbsball and www.instagram.com/robbiehaught 

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Baseball Speed

Hello Everyone!

As mentioned in my recent post, baseball and softball are pure power sports. Whoever can generate the most power in the quickest time will be at an advantage. Power can also be thought of as how fast can you move your strength.

When we think of power and running, two main focuses are ACCELERATION and MAXIMUM VELOCITY. Acceleration is your starting speed, either from a dead stop or a minimal movement, to the point where you reach your top end speed. Your top speed is your maximum velocity.

In this great video (click this link) we see Jarrod Dyson use his power to accelerate from his lead off spot, a little less than 10 yards in, to second base in 2.19 seconds (that's over 20 yards covered!). Then as he approaches third we see the red dot signify where he hits his maximum velocity of 21.1 mph, and that's off an angle from rounding second base!

Click HERE to watch video

On the next play we see him tag from third and on a straight ahead sprint accelerate for about 10 yards at a clip of 1.34 seconds to his maximum velocity (the next red dot) of 21mph about another 10 yards in. To get to 21 mph in about 20 yards takes a large amount of power. Dyson moves his strength very fast.

At AGSP we build strength in the weight room, but we also learn how to apply that strength into powerful running by teaching proper acceleration and maximum velocity mechanics. You can't just lift weights and assume you'll become more powerful and faster. You have to learn how to move that strength fast.

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Baseball Agility

Hello Everyone!

AGSP has seen the return of many of it's baseball and softball athletes over the past few days. So I thought now would be a good time to share two baseball agility videos that were sent to me from an AGSP athlete.

Baseball and Softball are about as powerful, fast-twitch-muscle-fibered sports as you can get. The best players are the ones that can generate a tremendous amount of power in a split second.  Swings, pitches, and throws are all about quick power.

A skill set that isn't as well appreciated in baseball and softball athletes are their agility skills. Agility is an athlete's ability to change his/her body's position and direction quickly and efficiently. Here are two great examples of agility on the diamond.


And yet again...


Everyday at AGSP we work on both power and agility improvement. Which is a big reason why so many of our athletes are returning for another off-season of training!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Athletes in Action: Connor Vomero

Hello Everyone!

Recently I had a chance to watch one of our football athletes compete. Connor Vomero of Highland is number 27 and he did some private training with me this summer to fine tune his athletic performance.

It's always great to see the skills we work on at AGSP in action. Here are some examples:

Acceleration off the line. Connor does a nice job of driving back, keeping his shoulders pointed forward, and extending through the hip. These were key points we focused on in his training.
 

Acceleration

Keeping his weight forward and chest facing down. Are crucial for successfully chasing down his opponent once free from his defender. This summer, we did some video analysis to help him improve this part of his run.

Weight forward and chest down.

It's always a compliment when you are double or tripled teamed. Connor's hard-work in the weight room, along with proper athletic mechanics, makes it tough for just one person to stop him.

Triple-teamed and still moving.

He was very consistent with his proper start stance: chin in front of knees, flat back, and chest facing down.

Start stance.

Great triple extension on this almost sack of the QB. We worked on this with Cleans in the weight room. 

Triple extension means hips, knees, and ankles extend.

I'm a big believer in training athletes in movements that they actually do in a game and Connor demonstrates them well!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Optional means Opportunity

Hello Everyone!

For serious athletes, the word optional should mean opportunity. If you're an athlete that truly loves your sport, every time you hear the word optional, your mind should automatically think opportunity.

I enjoy following Alan Stein, Drew Hanlen and The D1 Experience on Twitter. Over the summer they shared that at one of their camps they had 14 out of 65 athletes show up for an optional 7:00 am workout. I was shocked! These athletes were staying at the camp and they had no reason not to be there except they chose not to! They will never get that optional workout back, they missed it. And for what, an extra hour of sleep? These athletes were attending a camp called The D1 Experience so you assume they want to play collegiality.

Serious athletes don't miss optional sessions, serious athletes know that optional actually means opportunity. That's why I love the name of the 7:00 am optional workout, The Separator. Your actions (or lack there of) speak so loudly I can't hear what you're saying.

Athletes at AGSP know that every workout counts!

Keep training (regardless of whether it's optional or not)!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

HOW DO I SIGN UP?
After you've decided to train with us, call our scheduling line at 330-945-3150 (Stow) or 330-896-9829 (Green) and you can schedule your next sessions. You can also schedule as many upcoming sessions as your package allows for simplicity. (See more about scheduling below)

WHEN CAN I START?
You can start and stop at anytime. If your first day is the 5th of January and you're doing a monthly package, your package would end on February 5. When returning to your sport, please let our receptionists know when you are stopping training.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FULL PROGRAM AND THE SPEED ONLY PROGRAM?
The full program means the full 90 minutes, including the weight room. The speed only is the first 30-45 minutes of our sessions and does not include the weight room. The start times are the same for each program.

WHEN ARE THE TRAINING SESSIONS?
STOW after school hours are:
Monday through Friday we have 3:30pm and 5:30pm start times. And when needed, we open an overflow 4:30pm to keep up with demand.
Saturday mornings we have 9:00am, and when needed, we open up an overflow at 10:30am.
STOW summer hours are:
Monday through Friday we have 10:00am and 5:30pm start times. And when needed, we open an overflow 11:00am and sometimes a 1:00pm.
Saturday mornings we have 9:00am, and when needed, we open up an overflow at 10:30am.

GREEN after school hours are:
Monday through Friday we have a 5:30pm start time. And when needed, we open an overflow 4:00pm to keep up with demand.
Saturday mornings we have 10:00am start time.
GREEN summer hours are:
Monday through Friday we have 1:00pm and 5:30pm start times.
Saturday mornings we have 10:00am start time.

HOW DOES SCHEDULING WORK? CAN I CHANGE MY SCHEDULE?

At AGSP we have wonderful, REAL, receptionists that can help you maximize your training via scheduling. They are available Monday through Thursday from 7:00am to 7:00pm and Friday 7:00am to 2:00pm. You can always leave a message after hours and they'll get back to you when they return. You can change your schedule as often as needed, but you have to arrive for the sessions you've scheduled. We limit our class sizes to maintain high levels of coaching and showing up at the correct time is crucial. We understand that life happens, just call us and let us know if you need to change your schedule (even the day of if needed!).

WHAT DOES "WAIT LIST" MEAN?

This only effects athletes that are doing the full program. When all weight room spots are filled we go to our "wait list" scheduling. This means if you are "wait-listed" and someone cancels from the weight room, our receptionists will call you to let you know you've been added into the weight room. Regardless, you can always do the speed portion of the session. 

Laser Timer 40 yards

At Akron General Sports Performance we strive to have the best training, best facilities, best coaches, and best equipment that today's sports performance world can offer. We are happy to announce that we have invested in an official 40 yard Laser Timer!

The PowerDash Laser Timer

In fact, this is the same Laser Timer that is used at the NFL Scouting Combine!

Having our athletes use the same equipment as professional athletes give them a great opportunity to practice proper testing and to get the most accurate 40 yard times possible (it also gives us a 10 yard time too!).

We test our athletes once a month on the following performance skills:

• 10 yard dash
• 40 yard dash
• 5-10-5 Pro-Agility 
• Long Jump
• Vertical Jump

3 Other Ways to Get Better

Hello Everyone!

On our Instagram and Twitter accounts I've been using the hashtag #getbettersummer2014 since our athletes are working hard on "getting better". Besides training with us at AGSP, there are other ways athletes can get better and get closer to their goals.

These 3 other ways are geared towards athletes that have the desire to play in college which requires athletes to find ways to separate themselves from their competition.

• MAKE YOUR TWITTER PUBLIC: If I'm a college coach recruiting you and your Twitter is private, what is the first thing I am going to assume? That you are tweeting things that are not good. Why else would you not want to showcase your workouts, skill development, highlights, etc on one of the greatest platforms in the world? A good rule of thumb is: if you wouldn't want your mom/dad to read it, then you probably shouldn't tweet it!
• LISTEN TO SUCCESS ORIENTED PODCASTS: Many of today's athletes have to travel for hours to tournaments and camps. While you are traveling, why not listen to something productive? Something that will motivate you to be better? My personal favorite, that is free, is The Hardwood Hustle. Even if you are not a basketball athlete, you will gain a ton of knowledge, motivation, and insight into elevating your game!
• READ AN ATHLETE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: While you are resting or traveling, why not get inside the heads of great athletes? Autobiographies are an opportunity to literally see inside the minds of some amazing athletes! They are sharing their journey with you! Talk about motivating and educating you to a whole new level!

Twitter, Podcasts, and Autobiographies are great ways to become a better athlete!

If you are truly serious about playing at the next level, then you'll WANT to do these 3 things. Do the little things that others aren't doing to elevate your game past others!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance
@AkronGeneralSP
AkronGeneralSP on Instagram

Why was was he picked #1 in the draft?

Hello Everyone!

Why was Andrew Wiggins picked #1 in the 2014 NBA draft?

Was it because he was the best shooter? 

Maybe he was the best dribbler?

The sharpest passer?

The best defender of them all?

While Andrew Wiggins is very talented in all these areas, the biggest reason he was drafted first was because he was the most athletic player in the draft! His speed, strength, power, and overall athleticism separated him from everyone else.

You have to be a great athlete if you want to be a great basketball (or any other sport) player you want to be.

Check out this awesome pre-draft workout video of Andrew Wiggins. The best parts are:

• He's practicing basketball-specific skills that he will see in a game.
• He's NOT running mindless suicides up and down the court.

AGSP athletes, check out the following details that we coach here all the time!

• Where his chin and shoulders are.
• His shin-angles when he changes direction.

Become a better athlete and all your skills get better! Join us today!
Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Walsh Jesuit Showcase for the Cure 2014

Hello Everyone!

This year's Walsh Jesuit Showcase for the Cure was my favorite so far! It is such a great event with an even more amazing cause.

Showcase day is jam packed as it is the last day of the Walsh Jesuit Baseball Camp, a baseball focused Expo, and a Showcase of most of Ohio's best baseball players. The Showcase is highly attended by collegiate and professional scouts from all over the country. The Camp on this day includes an opportunity for campers to improve their speed and running with me as I am one of the 5 stations the athletes rotate through. The athletes this year were a lot of fun and hardworking as we were sweating in the summer heat!

Coach Kaczmar speaks to the crowd while members of the Walsh Jesuit baseball team wait to release balloons in member of Chad Crawford.

Coach Kaczmar, the head baseball coach for Walsh Jesuit, gave a great speech honoring Chad Crawford, the man who picked the charity that the Showcase raised money for this year. Coach Kaczmar encouraged everyone to live like Chad did, with exclamation marks!!! Live each day fully!!! Love others, like Chad did, with big energy and a bigger heart!!!

Coach Beals, the head baseball coach for Ohio State, shared a powerful story about attitude, Ohio State's "we not me", and having a "next pitch" mentality. He reminded everyone that it is not just skills he's recruiting, but young men with great character.

The Expo always have some great vendors!

AGSP had a lot of athletes participate in this year's Showcase. It was a special feeling looking at Ohio's best and being able to know many of them personally. I took a moment to point out that the biggest difference between collegiate athletes and high school athletes is that collegiate athletes truly are bigger, faster, stronger, and more powerful. Athletes at both levels can hit, throw, catch, and run, but collegiate athletes have trained themselves so they can do all those things with more power, strength, and speed. You have to train your body if you hope to compete at the next level.

Thanks to Coach Kaczmar, Gary Minorik, and the entire Walsh Jesuit Baseball Showcase for the Cure family for such an amazing experience!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Details

Hello Everyone!

At AGSP we are constantly focusing on the details of movement as it applies to sports. It's in the details that mediocre become good and good become great. It's in the details that separate a well executed move or a missed opportunity.

The best athletes I've worked with take pride in the details. Note, I did not say the best athletes are the best at the details, simply the best athletes understand the importance of the details and strive to improve them.

Details, like touching the line, show coaches your ability to execute and make you a better athlete.

Details in your practice can make you a better player. Details in the weight room can make you a stronger player. Details in your speed workout can make you faster. Details in the game can produce a win. Details can allow your athletic career to go as far as you want it to go.

But not knowing what the details are, those little nuances that will make you better, will greatly limit your ability to become the best athlete and player you can be.

At AGSP we know the details of speed, strength, and power. We eagerly share them with our athletes to make them the fastest, strongest, most powerful athletes they can be.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Top Testing Scores: June 2014

Hello Everyone!

Just like the NBA and NFL combines we do similar speed, power, and agility tests here at Akron General Sports Performance. Numbers can be powerful, especially when you know what they mean!

46" approach vertical jump! Click here to learn more!

WOMEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our female athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 20"
Long Jumps over 6'2 1/2"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.65 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 5.00 seconds each side

MEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our male athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 26"
Long Jumps over 7'5"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.45 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 4.75 seconds each side

Here are our Top Testing Scorers for June 2014!

VERTICAL JUMPS
Women Top Scores
22 1/2"     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball
20 1/2"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball

Men Top Scores
31 1/2"     Nick Kopczak of Stow Football     
30 1/2"     Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball


STANDING LONG JUMPS
Women Top Scores
7'2 1/2"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
6'9"           Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer & Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball

Men Top Scores
10'4 1/2"  Nick Kopczak of Stow Football  
9'0"    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball

10 YARD DASH
Women Top Scores
1.49     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketbal, Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer & Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball    

Men Top Scores
1.32    Nick Kopczak of Stow Football  
1.33    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball


PRO-AGILITY (AKA: NFL SHUTTLE)
Women Top Scores
4.55 RIGHT, 4.51 LEFT     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
4.76 RIGHT, 4.68 LEFT     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball

Men Top Scores
4.15 RIGHT, 4.15 LEFT    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball (best time ever at AGSP!)
4.21 RIGHT, 4.25 LEFT    Nate Peters of CVCA Basketball

Testing helps us keep track of our athletes' progress and allows us to make sure we are giving them the results they want!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Exercise Video Tutorial: RDL

Hello Everyone!

Check out this video tutorial on an exercise our athletes are doing a lot this month, the RDL (Romanian Deadlift). The RDL is great for developing hip strength and mobility! Crucial for any athlete that wants to play at their best!

*Check the description of the video to learn about something the athlete is forgetting to do in the video.



Keep Training! 
Akron General Sports Performance

Top Testing Scores: May 2014

Hello Everyone!

Just like the NBA and NFL combines we do similar speed, power, and agility tests here at Akron General Sports Performance. Numbers can be powerful, especially when you know what they mean!

WOMEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our female athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 20"
Long Jumps over 6'2 1/2"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.65 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 5.00 seconds each side

MEN TESTING GOALS
We strive to help our male athletes get the following numbers:
Vertical Jumps over 26"
Long Jumps over 7'5"
10 Yard Dashes under 1.45 seconds
Pro-Agility Times under 4.75 seconds each side

Every month AGSP athletes work on improving their power and explosion.

Here are our Top Testing Scorers for May 2014!

VERTICAL JUMPS
Women Top Scores
21 1/2"     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball
20 1/2"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball

Men Top Scores
30"          Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball
28"          Hunter Sally of Tallmadge Football

STANDING LONG JUMPS
Women Top Scores
7'0"     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
6'9"     Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer

Men Top Scores
8'4 1/2"    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball
8'1"          Hunter Sally of Tallmadge Football

10 YARD DASH
Women Top Scores
1.50     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
1.50      Madeline Gaines of CVCA Soccer

Men Top Scores
1.34    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball
1.37    Troy Tofil of Cuyahoga Falls Basketball

PRO-AGILITY (AKA: NFL SHUTTLE)
Women Top Scores
4.57 RIGHT, 4.55 LEFT     Regina Reilly of Walsh Jesuit Basketball
4.77 RIGHT, 4.90 LEFT     Kelly Fenwick of Stow Basketball

Men Top Scores
4.28 RIGHT, 4.28 LEFT    Mike Peters of CVCA Basketball
4.58 RIGHT, 4.61 LEFT    Hunter Sally of Tallmadge Football

Testing helps us keep track of our athletes' progress and allows us to make sure we are giving them the results they want!

Next testing is Monday June 2 and Tuesday June 3!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Nick DeLeone slow motion Acceleration

Hello Everyone!

In this slow motion video, AGSP and Walsh Jesuit athlete Nick DeLeone demonstrates great acceleration mechanics out of the box in Canal Park.

0:13 he gets his shoulders in the direction he wants to go

0:15 he drives his foot behind him and finds a great, low, acceleration angle

0:16-0:20 he stays in the low, powerful angle and drives his knees all the way up and his feet as far behind him as possible

0:25 is worth pausing: great arm action, leg drive, toe finish...

0:26-0:33 he is transitioning from acceleration to max velocity mechanics

0:34-0:48 he realizes he has beat out the throw (you will see the first baseman is not even standing on the bag) and starts to slow down (because his feet start to land in front of him as he is putting on the brakes)


To read the latest on Nick DeLeone and the rest of his Walsh Jesuit teammates, check out the school's website.

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Are you really training as much as you think you are?

Hello Everyone!

Are you really training as much as you think you are?

As a fitness professional, I practice what I preach, and train 5 days a week. At first this seems like a lot, but through good record keeping I learned that over the course of one calendar year I trained on 223 days. Again, at first this sounds like a lot, but when you do the math the truth comes out.
223/365 = 61%.

61% is not a passing grade by most standards. Yet, I have a scheduled training regimen of 5 days a week.

What happened to the other 142 days? Well, I don't have scheduled training on the weekends so right there is 104 (52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays). What about the other 38 (over a month!)? 38 days of not training were probably spent mainly on vacation days and the occasional sick day.

Yet, most people believe that, at 5 days a week of scheduled training, I train "plenty". But in reality it's a subpar 61%. I share this because, like myself, many people and athletes believe we are training a lot in order to reach our goals.

Training frequency does impact your results.

There is so much research out that shows our bodies adapt better from multiple exposures. So if you're not seeing the results, maybe it is simply because you are not training as much as your body needs (and as much as you think you are).

Our monthly unlimited packages are our most popular. The more you practice your speed, strength and power, the more results you get!

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Get to Know Your Coach: Carly Riepenhoff

Hello Everyone!

Athletes at AGSP get to work with the area's best sports performance coaches during their training sessions. Recently I did a Q& A with Coach Carly Riepenhoff, check it out and get to know your coaches better!

Our athletes know you as Coach Carly Riepenhoff, what does Coach Carly Riepenhoff like to do outside of making athletes better?
I really love being outdoors doing anything from hiking and biking to barbecuing. When I can't be outside, I am a pretty avid baker. When I lived in Texas, I enjoyed making birthday character cakes for my co-workers' kids. If I'm not baking, I enjoy sewing and trying to keep up with my four nieces and nephews!

How did you get started working with athletes? 
Before I attended college, I completed a program similar to AGSP on the other side of Ohio to prepare me for the rigorous workouts I knew were coming in college. While at college I majored in Exercise Physiology and always worked at adventure camps for kids during the summer. When I needed a final internship, I was lucky enough to return to the place that prepared me mentally and physically for college sports and work with the next generation of athletes.

Based on your experience, what is the one, biggest physical skill that today's athlete lacks? How do you address that need? 
I would have to say flexibility. It is very important that an athlete be able to utilize their joints through the entire range of motion. With adequate flexibility, athletes can better perform the movements of their sport and training exercises efficiently without wasting energy on overcoming tightness of muscles and ligaments. I feel that athletes do not spend a lot time on improving their flexibility because one: it can be pretty boring, and two: they don't feel like they are working hard. Many athletes will think if they didn't sweat or feel the burn...then it didn't do anything. Flexibility is just opposite, use it as your cooldown, and stretch everyday!

You were a Division One softball athlete , how has your experience helped your current athletes? 
I had a very unique experience in college sports. From coaching changes, to winning seasons, losing seasons, to injuries...you name it, it probably happened during my four years at college. There was no doubt it was quite a roller-coaster ride but one I wouldn't change. Those experiences really toughened me up and taught me to adapt to new things which I consider an invaluable lesson in sports and life.

What do you like most about working with athletes? 
Being able to see how much drive and self-motivation these young athletes have is very inspirational. I can only dream of where I would have gone if I had their work ethic when I was that age. They make it easy to be trained which definitely benefits them in their sports, academics, and life. Seeing them reach their goals is priceless.

What advice would you give today's athlete? 
No one ever regretted working hard.

Thanks Coach Carly for your great coaching and passion!

Keep Training!
Akron General Sports Performance 

Work, Play, and Performance Training

Hello Everyone!

Something important for coaches and athletes to understand when it comes to performance training is the balance between work and play. As strength coaches, we want our athletes to have fun and enjoy training. We want to provide a challenging and engaging environment that increases our athletes' enthusiasm, buy-in, and results. We want our athletes to look forward to coming in and working hard.

As athletes, you should anticipate and enjoy your workout. It should be challenging but enjoyable. Yes, you’ll have your good days and bad days in the weight room just as you will on the field or court, but understand that this is part of the process of becoming a better version of yourself. You should want to train each day, bring your A-game, and view each session as an opportunity to improve, not as a daunting task or obstacle.  

For both coaches and athletes, the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” rings true. Training should not feel like a chore and should not be boring. Just remember to keep play in check and make sure that training sessions are not only fun, but productive. Remember to stay focused on the task at hand. Regardless of whether you  are a coach or an athlete, your job is to train first and to talk second!

Keep Training!

Coach Anthony Colarusso and Akron General Sports Performance

Green Sports Performance Center INSIDE LOOK

Get an inside look at some recent training with Coach Anthony Colarusso at the Akron General Sports Performance Center in Green Ohio!

Posture, Pilates, and Your Athletic Success

Hello Everyone!

A short time ago AGSP's Adult Performance Class was treated to a couple of Pilates workouts by Certified Instructor Anne Laing. She had our class on a piece of equipment called The Reformer which allowed us to train our bodies in a low-impact way.

Did you know that some famous athletes have done private Pilates workouts at Akron General's Health and Wellness Center in Montrose?

Did you know that many professional athletes from all sports use Pilates as a way to decrease their injury risk and improve their performance?

Pilates can be a great compliment to all of an athlete's intense practices and sports performance training because it is geared to realigning the body back to optimal lengths and tensions.

One of my favorite sayings during training is, "if your posture isn't correct, there is no way you are the best athlete you can be." Can you think of one NBA, NFL, or MLB athlete that has horrible posture? How about one that has just poor posture? You will be hard-pressed to find one.

Proper posture means you are aligned in the best possible way for your body to perform. Muscles need to be at certain lengths and tensions, and having proper posture ensures that you are giving them the foundation to do that.

What a shame it would be to have your athletic career not be as successful as it could be because you didn't have proper posture! Pilates can be a great compliment to help you reach your fullest potential!

For a Pilates classes and their descriptions check out THIS LIFESTYLES SCHEDULE. To reach Anne directly, you can email her at  laing_anne@yahoo.com or visit her Linkden Page. 

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

You are only as Good as you are Strong

Hello Everyone!

What happens when you get stronger?

It might sound like a silly question, but as an athlete it's vital to understand the effects that getting stronger has on your performance.

Sports are, in a grand sense, displays of force. The amount of force you generate is directly limited by your strength. You could have flawless mechanics, but if you can't generate a lot of force, you won't be performing at a very high level.

Becoming stronger allows you to apply more of ANYTHING. Opportunities like:

• More force into the ground which can translate to more speed
• More force into your opponent which allows for better execution
• More force into the ground which can translate into higher jumps

But if you don't have the strength in the first place you are self-limiting yourself! You can't use what isn't there!

Strength gives you the opportunity to create more speed and higher jumps.

That's one of our "secrets" at AGSP. We train to make our athletes stronger which builds their "strength tanks" to give them as much opportunity to perform better as possible.

Maybe a better question to ask is, "What happens when you don't get stronger?".

Keep Training!

Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Athlete Spotlight #69) Chris Punka

Hello Everyone!

It’s time for another Akron General Sports Performance Athlete Spotlight! Our next athlete spotlight is a baseball player from Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. He been with us for a few off-seasons now and his transformation has been incredible to watch. He's dedicated to building as much speed, strength, and power as he can. It’s time to meet our newest athlete spotlight!

Athlete Name: Chris Punka
Sport(s): Baseball
Position(s): 1st Base and Pitcher
School: CVCA
Graduation Year: 2016
AGSP Athlete Since: 2010

  

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Boston Red Sox

Favorite Professional Athlete: Dustin Pedroia

Chris develops all aspects of his athleticism at AGSP.

Favorite Lift: Back Squat

Favorite Movement Skill: Acceleration

When I am not training at AGSP, I am: Doing baseball stuff and resting.

What are your short-term goals? To be the best player in our pac this year.
What are your long-term goals? To play at a D1 college in 3 years.
How has AGSP impacted your performance as an athlete?It made me faster, stronger, more powerful and a better athlete overall.

Keep Training! 
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance

Off-Season Programs and Recruiting

Coach Nicolas White is also a coach for Baldwin-Wallace University's Football team. Here he shares some of his powerful insights for athletes that want to play at the collegiate level.

Off-Season Programs and Recruiting

Generally speaking, collegiate coaches ask high school coaches 4 specific questions when evaluating potential recruits.

1. How are their grades? 
2. How are their test scores? 
3. How is their work ethic? 
4. Is he/she an athlete? 

The first three questions are straight-forward and there is only one way to attain great grades, test scores, and work ethic. The last question, is he/she an athlete, can have many roads to achieve success. Should I be multi-sport athlete? Should I train all-year-round for my one sport?

The method for evaluating athleticism, without film, for years has been recognizing multi-sport athletes. This idea is contradicting to the collegiate atmosphere where athletes train (sport-specifically) 365 days a year. If your off-season strength and conditioning program is multi-faceted attacking all aspects of movement and strength development then training becomes a sport.

Athletes, find a program that encompasses all elements of movement and strength training. It will pay dividends at the next-level. I see it every season at the college level; athletes that come from great programs are normally the first to impress. I believe a great understanding of movement and strength training will increase your “athletic ceiling.”

If your off-season strength & conditioning program is multi-faceted, then training becomes a sport.

Coaches, if an off-season program is operated properly it can foster an area to build toughness, leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and work ethic. Our job, as coaches, is to develop our student-athletes. Entice your athletes to stay and train within your off-season program. This will allow your staff more opportunities to instill your “characteristics of success” and team values. I believe a great understand of movement and strength training will increase your programs “championship ceiling.”

Keep Training!
Coach Nicolas White and Akron General Sports Performance 

Athlete Performance Testing - Part 10

So far, we’ve taken a close look at the vertical jump, broad jump, and 10-yard dash performance tests. We’ve identified common errors for these tests and walked you through ways to correct these performance leaks. In our final installment of our Athlete Performance Testing series, we’ll look at ways to correct the most common flaws of the Pro Agility test.

If you’ve been following us for the last 9 articles, some of these corrections will seem oddly familiar! That's because the flaws we identified in our last article are also ones encountered in the vertical jump, broad jump, and 10-yard dash. Remember, the Pro Agility is unique in that it combines aspects of all three of these tests. Likewise, the Pro Agility test also has similar movement errors. So we can kill two birds with one stone by performing the same corrective exercises used in the last three tests for flaws in the Pro Agility.

For the sake of brevity, we’ll keep it to just one corrective exercise for each performance leak. If you’re hungry for more, you can go back and read our other installments for additional ideas!

Are valgus knees affecting your start on the Pro Agility? Time to break out the TheraBand!

 

Stepping out in front? Take it to the wall.

 

Having a hard time staying square? This exercise is perfect for developing an explosive start and the ability to change directions quickly! Start with just your bodyweight before adding a medicine ball for an extra kick in the butt.

 

That's all, folks! Hopefully the articles in this series have helped you dial in your performance tests! As always, we're here for any questions you may have. Feel free to leave a comment or drop us a message on Facebook or Twitter! Onward and upward!

Keep Training!
Coach Anthony & Akron General Sports Performance

Athlete Performance Testing - Part 9

Our final test, the Pro Agility, is probably one of the more complex performance tests athletes will encounter. The Pro Agility combines components of all 3 previous tests and then some. Explosive power, acceleration, deceleration, change of direction, and reacceleration are all aspects of this test!

This video is not sped up!

With so many components, there is a lot that can go wrong to reduce power output and performance. Our goal as coaches is to identify and minimize these flaws as much as possible!

Let’s examine the start first. When an athlete begins the Pro Agility, they will traditionally start in a three-point stance with both feet and one hand planted on the floor. Remember the valgus knees we encountered with the vertical jump? They can reappear here in the Pro Agility as well.

The thing about valgus knees is that they aren’t always a bad thing when it comes to maximizing athletic performance. In the case of lateral movement, having the knee of the trail leg angled slightly inward actually loads the inside edge of the trail foot and improves force production and movement efficiency when the athlete begins to accelerate to the side. 

Note the valgus knee collapse of the lead leg! This is a no-no!

When the athlete does initiate acceleration, their first step should be taken with the lead leg. In doing so, they will drive off the inside edge of their trail leg and propel their body laterally in a 45-degree angle. It is crucial for athletes to drive their feet backwards behind their center of mass when taking their first step! Failure to do so will result in braking forces that will slow the athlete down!



A first step out in front will put on the brakes! Don't do it!

Just as when an athlete goes to accelerate, when decelerating, they should remain square and facing out. More times than not, when an athlete changes directions, they will simply bend over, touch the cone, turn around, and reaccelerate. This is inefficient and time consuming! Make sure you stay square!

Stay square when changing directions to maximize movement efficiency!

Are any of the flaws identified above slowing down your Pro Agility time? If so, don't sweat it. In our final installment, we'll look at ways to correct these errors and get you moving as efficiently as possible!

Keep Training!
Coach Anthony Colarusso and Akron General Sports Performance

Is that too much?

Hello Everyone!

It's great getting so many returning basketball and footballs athletes back training with us at AGSP. These athletes realize that if they want to keep improving their game, it starts with improving their bodies.

Frequently we will have parents ask us, "along with sports performance training our athlete is also doing ____ (skills training, clinics, combines, personal skills coaching, travel ball, etc). Is that do much?"

I find this interesting since parents don't think twice about sending their football athletes off to summer two-a-days in 90°+ heat or sending their basketball athletes to weekend long tournaments where athletes play 6 or more games in a single day.

The short answer to, "is that too much?" Is no.

The longer answer is no, as long as your athlete is having fun and getting decent sleep. On a basic level, today's athletes spend the majority of their non-sport related hours either sitting or sleeping. That's a lot of recovery time even if your athlete does some type of training every day. Whether it's sitting: at school, on the bus, while doing homework, at the movies, at the dinner table, playing video games... Most of your athletes' time is spent recovering.

When it comes to sleep, which you can read more about here, as long as your athlete is regularly getting average sleep they'll be able to keep up with the demands of training. And if they are not getting adequate sleep then what are they doing up late at night?

Remember the more you practice/train the faster you see results.
AGSP gets results for basketball athletes
Lifting young for big results
Results in returning athletes
The time to prepare for opportunity  

So welcome back returning athletes and hello new athletes! Let's make the most of this amazing time to get faster, stronger, and more powerful.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Feedback and Fast Results

Hello Everyone!

"I didn't know I did that."

We hear this saying quite often at AGSP. It's athletes responding to one of our coach's keen eyes observing some movement deficiency (improper/poor/weak movement).

One of the biggest reasons why athletes at AGSP get such great results is that we constantly provide feedback to them.

If you don't know you're doing it wrong how can you ever fix/improve it? The answer is you can't!

Having an expert provide you specific feedback to your speed mechanics and lifting technique is what turns a normal day of practice into a deliberate attempt to improve yourself. 

Having a coach provide you feedback will help you get results faster!

One way you can try this at home is by watching yourself in a mirror or video-taping yourself. (Just make sure you know what your watching for!)

Everyday at AGSP, with our coaching staff, is a day where athletes get better because they start understanding their movement better.

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart and Akron General Sports Performance 

Get to Know Your Coach: Nic White

Hello Everyone!

Athletes at AGSP get to work with the area's best sports performance coaches during their training sessions. Recently I did a Q&A with Coach Nic White, check it out and get to know your coaches better!  

Our athletes know you as Coach Nic White, what does Coach Nic White like to do outside of making athletes better?
Outside of making student-athletes better I enjoy educating myself in all facets of athletics. I also enjoy working out, fishing, and spending time with family.

How did you get started working with athletes? 
I began working with student-athletes when I was a student-athlete. I took leadership roles in every sport I was involved in. On that note, I focused on making everyone on my team better in life and athletics.

Based on your experience, what is the one, biggest physical skill that today's athlete lacks? How do you address that need? 
Balance! Every athlete trains to get bigger and stronger. Coaches themselves will push an athlete to gain substantial amounts of weight. If you cannot play within your frame it will make it that much harder to change direction, accelerate, and reach maximal velocity.

You have a lot of Collegiate Coaching experience, how has time at the collegiate level helped your current athletes? 
I understand what it takes to be successful at every level. I know the different physical and mental traits that successful athletes possess. High school and college athletics go beyond the field, the chalkboard, and the weight room. My time at the college ranks allowed me the opportunity to spend more time around athletes, which has opened my eyes to these different traits.

What do you like most about working with athletes? 
I love watching student-athletes accomplish their goals on and off the playing field.

What advice would you give today's athlete? 
Focus on the process of becoming a champion instead of the championship itself. If the “opportunity” is presented to you tomorrow are you prepared?

Thanks Coach Nic for your great coaching and passion!

Keep Training!
Akron General Sports Performance