The Ohio State Buckeye Strength Staff, once again, did a stellar job churning out practical training information for coaches and clinicians trying to further their knowledge of the complexities of strength training & conditioning for athletics. Ohio State's Asst A.D. for Football Sports Performance Mickey Marotti doesn't stand upon the mountaintop to proclaim that his way is the best way to achieve results. He encourages that coaches find what works for them and roll with it. Don't get too caught up in all the percentages schemes and numbers games that are out there. Take basic philosophies and develop your program around very hard work, effort and discipline. He purports that there are several ways to accomplish training... but to make sure that it's proper, safe and age appropriate. Marotti has been training championship caliber athletes for over 30 years. He's been able to take the sound approaches of the different training methodologies and combine that with proper nutrition and timely rest. Walking around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and seeing his football athletes engaging in non-training activities and then seeing them in training as well, there's no question that "Coach Mick" has a handle on the situation and the guys look the part, too!
Clinic Director Jeff Uhlenhake had all his assignments down big time. The registration and parking process was smooth. Plenty of coffee and bagels and spreads were available for all. Vendors and booths were easy to access product information for coaches. The big strength companies...Hammer Strength, Rogers Athletic were all represented. Power-Lift was there, too and all provided clinic materials and take home note sheets. Coach Uhlenhake also organized a Clinic Speaker Staff that laid down the practical stuff that coaches on hand can add to their training tool boxes. Coach Quinn Barham gave a polished talk on Developing & Maximizing the Posterior Chain. It couldn't be covered and explained more thoroughly than what Coach Barham put down! Explanations, the exercises and the demonstrations all easy to understand and follow. And he put new addition assistant strength coach Niko Palazeti through a few of the paces!
One of the other speakers, a quite familiar face at "The Woody", was Coach Brady Collins who covered the gamut of Alternative Training Methods. This talk covered all of the warm-ups, dynamic warm-up, neck training and upper & lower body training guidelines. Collins is now the Director of Football Sports Performance at The University of Cincinnati. Brady has been featured in several ASAP Videos from his previous strength coaching stops at Kentucky Wildcats, Mississippi State Bulldogs and Ohio State. His hyped up enthusiastic style is right out of the "Marotti-Court-Oliver & Lambrinides" Handbook. When Luke Fickell accepted the Cincinnati Bearcats head football coaching assignment, he grabbed Brady Collins for the ride down I-71. Booom!
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An interesting addition to this year's clinic was when Uhlenhake tabbed OSU physical Therapist Adam Stewart who gave a really interesting talk and explanation of the Buckeyes' approach to Functional Training. Again, practical information that one can take back home and use! Also, strength intern Jimmy Rodenberg, emerged as a very good demonstrator of proper form coach!
Coach Phil Matusz covered the psychological aspects of training with his "Mental Approach to Training Under the Bar" session. University of Toledo Rockets' Director of Football Strength & Conditioning discussed and explained some effective methods to overcome budget and staff restrictions. Just about everyone can use information like Brad described!
Video Highlights
ASAP Clinic Wrap-up by Ed Cicale