Complex Training

As the summer approaches, the Hockey and Football players we train at SST are getting ready to train for the summer. The summer months of training are very important, as we want our athletes to go into their season in ‘peak’ condition.

As both of these sports rely heavily on upper and lower body power, we hope to enhance this in their last training phase. Basically we are trying to convert all the strength they have gained into power. Power is defined as force x velocity, or the ability to move an object with great speed. Therefore, our training is geared towards Olympic Lifts, Band Training, Faster Concentric Contractions and plyometrics.

In Complex Training a complex, multi-joint exercise is followed by a plyometric movement that mimics the movement. Lifting a heavy weight, or doing an exercise with bands, where the weight is accelerated quickly excites your nervous system. Following it with a jump will allow you to jump higher than before, training your body to become more powerful. Examples of Complex pairings are Squats with Squat Jumps, Hang Cleans with Standing Long Jumps or Bench Press with Bands with plyometric Push Ups.

This type of training is recommended for an athlete with at least 2 years of continued training. Below is an example of a lower body complex workout for an 18 year old football player with 4 years of training experience.

For a reference on how to read our workout chart look at Larry’s article on Decreased Rest Interval Program.

* Height starts at 18” – increase based on how fast the athlete gets of the floor for the jump.
** Perform the lunges on one leg, followed by tuck jumps on the same leg, then move to the other leg.

As you can see in this program, the volume is low, the focus is on speed. There is also core work done at the end of the programs for the abdominals and low back.

This type of training is for the serious athlete who has developed high levels of strength and should not be attempted by beginners. It is important that all exercises and plyometrics be done with exact form.

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