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3 Reasons Why Isometrics, The Way We Teach It, Is Ideal For Speed Training! The training does not mix endurance or strength training with speed training, so it can focus soley on the factors that make it a pure speed training program.    First, what is meant by muscle contraction speed? Use the biceps muscle in your arm for an example.  When your arm is stretched out straight, your biceps muscle is stretched.  Now move your fist towards your shoulder.  What has happened?  Your biceps muscle contracts thus moving your fist toward your shoulder.   Obviously, the faster your muscle contracts, the… read more

In order to explain what isometric training is, let’s start with the word “Isometric“, first.  This word, ISOMETRIC, is defined as follows: “Iso” means equal or the same, and “metric” means length.  Combining these two definitions we get “equal or the same length”. Isometrics, as it pertains to muscle training, involves tensing muscles against other muscles or against an immovable object while the length of the muscle remains unchanged. For isometric training to be effective, this muscular tension must be maintained over a certain period of time.  Therefore, isometric training is best defined as follows:  The sustained contraction of a… read more

How To Easily and Effectively Train for Speed Speed Training Programs that precisely target the muscles used in an athletic activity and the muscle fiber types responsible for quick and powerful reactions. AthleticQuickness.com is committed to help any athlete achieve their athletic goals of speed and quickness. We are bringing EVERYONE a simple, low cost, yet effective cutting-edge speed training program that is designed to do just one thing — make your muscles fast. You may have used various types of soccer drills, football, basketball or baseball agility drills, or any other drills for speed training; however, the speed and quickness exercise programs developed by Dr. Larry… read more

This is not the isometric training program your parents were taught Today’s isometric training is much more than just helping you get past a sticking point with your bench press. Whenever you ask someone if they include a form of isometric training in their workout, you rarely find anyone who makes time for it. And, if you are lucky enough to find someone who does apply this strategy, you usually will hear them say that they only use it to help them get past a sticking point in their bench press but not much else. The Bench Press Sticking Point… read more

Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Most of the exercises people find themselves in the gym or out on a track or field involve routines that put their muscles through concentric contractions (muscle tension during shortening) or eccentric contractions (muscle tension during lengthening). Exercises in the gym that fit these descriptions are most of your dumbbell exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, and chest presses along with other routines such as rows,… read more

Types Of Muscles   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   There are three different types of muscles: 1) cardiac muscle, 2) smooth muscle and 3) skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle is an involuntary muscle type found only in the heart. It has striated fibers with its sarcomeres packed into extremely organized groups. This type of muscle relaxes and contracts in intense short bursts. You are probably well aware of this fact, especially after completing exercises such as running where you… read more

Muscle Tissues and Contractions   Part 1: Muscle Tissue and Contractions Part 2: Types of Muscles Part 3: Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch Muscles Part 4: Physiological Effects of Strenuous Exercise   Muscle tissue is a contractive type of tissue that can undergo tension by shortening (concentric contractions), lengthening (eccentric contractions) or remaining the same length (isometric contractions). An example of a concentric contraction is performing the first part of a biceps curl where you hold a dumbbell down in one hand down by your side and then flex your elbow upward. The bicep muscle shortens in the process while… read more

How to Get Drafted into the NFL Here are the Two Biggest Secrets to Getting Drafted. Get These Two Right and You Can Make It. By Mark Parson NFL Cornerback   Mark Parson: Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints Cornerback Most people do not know exactly what it takes to make it to the NFL. Well from my personal experience I will tell you how it can be done. First you will need luck, football IQ and great work ethic. So now that we got that out of the way, let me explain how you can give yourself the best… read more

The Glutes – How to get the advantage in a game situation!   The Glutes are often conditioned for pushing and jumping, yet they are mostly under-developed for pulling. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a huge fan of what the hip flexor muscles can do for any athlete desiring speed, power and instant playmaking ability. I am also convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that many athletes unwittingly ignore the power stored up in this muscle group and can go through their entire playing careers never reaching their absolute best. All you need to do… read more

Is Running Steps a Good Idea, or a Bad Idea? An interesting question ….. I love to run steps whenever I get the opportunity.  Years ago when I was in my early 20’s, I was living with my sister and brother-in-law in their condominium in Pompano Beach, Florida. The building we were living in at the time had upwards of 20 floors. This meant the fire escape stairwell had 40 flights of zig-zagged steps, with each flight containing about 10 steps. In Florida, this meant that the non air-conditioned fire escape was extremely warm and got hotter the higher you… read more

Serve With More Speed and Power by Knowing the Mechanics of the Tennis Serve and Which Muscles to Condition   The Tennis Serve consists of three main phases: 1) the backswing, 2) the forward swing and 3) the follow through. Each phase will be broken down for the right-hand player and the most important muscles contributing to each phase will be identified.  However, before any of these phases are performed, getting into the proper stance is required.   Therefore, let’s first identify the basic stance position for the right-handed tennis player. Stance Position Referring to Figure 1, below, notice the front… read more

Why Isometrics with Resistance Band Training  Helps Athletes Beyond the Benefits of Weights   We receive numerous requests from trainers, coaches and athletes of all ages and sports backgrounds asking us to explain how our programs are different from others. We also receive similar requests from developers of other speed training programs and jump training programs to explain the same. In particular, most would like to know how isometric training with the resistance band differs from isometric training with weights.  Most of them don’t see a difference and would like to know.  Their initial gut feeling is that, “they’ve got… read more

Developing Bat Speed and Power in theBaseball Swing   THE BASEBALL SWING:  Part 4 of 4 – The Follow Through Part 1 – The Stance Part 2 – The Loading Phase Part 3 – The Launch Phase Part 4 – The Follow Through After the ball has left the bat, the forearms will extend completely as seen in Figure 1-14a.  This is a function of the elbow extensors.  The wrists will then do a true rollover after ball contact, which means the right forearm pronates, forcing the palm side down and the left forearm supinates, forcing the palm side up. Figure… read more

Developing Bat Speed and Power in the Baseball Swing  THE BASEBALL SWING:   Part 3 of 4 – The Launch Phase Part 1 – The Stance Part 2 – The Loading Phase Part 3 – The Launch Phase Part 4 – The Follow Through When all of the muscles in the body have been properly loaded and stretched, the body is now in the position to unwind or uncoil and release this stored elastic energy to powerfully swing the bat. This is what is known as the launching phase of the baseball swing, and it continues to the point of contact… read more

Developing Bat Speed and Power in the Baseball Swing THE BASEBALL SWING: Part 2 of 4 – The Loading Phase Part 1 – The Stance Part 2 – The Loading Phase Part 3 – The Launch Phase Part 4 – The Follow Through The Loading Phase The loading phase takes us from the stance position to the launching position. There are five noticeable movements that take place during this phase and they are: 1) backward movement of the shoulders and arms 2) backward rotation of the spine 3) beginning of the timing step 4) cocking of the hips 5) cocking… read more