Legendary coach Troy Jones, known for coaching legends in various sports leagues, shares insights on teaching speed deceleration and the right mindset for success. He discusses drills to improve athletes, the importance of foot and ankle control, customizing cues for individuals, teaching hip range of motion and glute activation, and the significance of preparation and rest for optimal speed. The hosts also explore Troy's dedication in working with baseball players and engage in a lightning round of questions. They end with a casual conversation about Baltimore and their love for crabs, and Troy discusses personal topics and his upcoming education system.
Speed is a skill that can be improved by identifying weaknesses and strengths of athletes and addressing specific areas of improvement through drills and exercises.
Emphasizing force production, maintaining proper position, and developing stiffness are crucial in improving initial acceleration and power of athletes.
Staying within the push phase longer and focusing on force production help athletes achieve proper acceleration during the transition phase, leading to improved speed.
Proper mobility, pelvic control, and posture contribute to the efficient production of force and development of stretch reflex, optimizing torque and enhancing speed.
Deep dives
Importance of Understanding Speed as a Skill
When teaching speed, it is crucial to understand that speed is a skill that can be improved. By identifying an athlete's weaknesses and strengths, coaches can develop a plan to address specific areas of improvement. Assessment protocols, such as force plates and acceleration profiling, help identify areas of weakness and exposure to specific drills and exercises that focus on projection, orientation, and stiffness. Teaching athletes to focus on force first, rather than rushing to run, allows them to stay within the optimal range for acceleration and transition.
Building a Strong Foundation for Acceleration
In the early stages of acceleration, it is important to emphasize pushing the center of mass forward and rolling the hips and knees forward to achieve the desired projection angle. Core stability, trunk control, and foot ankle stiffness play crucial roles in maintaining the proper position and generating horizontal force. Utilizing drills like wall drills, hex squats, and sled pushes help athletes develop the necessary stability, strength, and motor control. By training specific patterns and developing stiffness, athletes can improve their initial acceleration and power.
Transition from Force to Power
In the transition phase, athletes often struggle with rushing and trying to run before the force is properly applied. Emphasizing force production and staying within the push phase longer allows athletes to achieve proper acceleration. Tools like acceleration tapes, asymmetrical drills, and video analysis help athletes understand and focus on their center of mass projection. By training the body to apply torque and generate force in a controlled manner, athletes can enhance their transition and improve their speed.
The Role of Mobility and Torque in Transition
Proper mobility and pelvic control are essential in creating torque and generating force during the transition phase. Understanding the path of the air and feeling the torque within the pelvis allows athletes to time their switch and maintain rhythm in their sprint cycle. Good posture, range of motion, and pelvic stability contribute to the efficient production of force and the development of stretch reflex. By focusing on proper position and posture, athletes can optimize their torque and enhance their speed.
Importance of Warmups in Teaching Athletes
One of the main ideas discussed in the podcast episode is the significance of incorporating warmup exercises that teach athletes specific movements and sensations. The speaker emphasizes the importance of putting athletes in positions during warmups that help their brains learn and understand the desired movements and feelings. Examples of warmup exercises mentioned include glute bridges, single leg glute bridges, and dynamic glute bridges. These exercises aim to send messaging to the brain and teach the body how to properly activate and control the glute muscles. By layering exercises and gradually progressing, athletes can better understand the desired movement patterns, enhancing their performance.
Teaching the Concept of Range of Motion and Hip Extension
Another main idea discussed in the podcast is the concept of teaching athletes the range of motion and hip extension. The speaker describes using single-leg hip bridges to cue athletes to focus on the range of motion and the feeling of hip extension. By initially isometrically holding the maximum range of motion in the bridge position, athletes activate their glutes and learn to lock their pelvis for more stability. This teaches the brain and body how to coordinate and execute the movement properly, leading to improved performance.
Layering Exercises and Progressing Towards Dynamic Movements
The podcast episode also highlights the importance of layering exercises and progressing towards dynamic movements to teach athletes various concepts and skills. The speaker explains the process of starting with basic glute bridge exercises and gradually incorporating variations such as single-leg glute bridges and dynamic whipping actions. The goal is to teach athletes the necessary movements and sensations required for optimal performance. By layering and progressing exercises, athletes can better understand the concepts and experience the desired feelings, leading to improved performance in their respective sports.
Legendary coach and coach of legends, Troy Jones highlights how to teach speed deceleration and shows the mindset needed to find success in and on any field. With humility and knowledge as his hallmarks, Troy talks of ways in which sports PTs can accel and describes in detail drills to make your athletes better. Troy has forthcoming education on developing your athletes and can be found at coachtroyjones.com and @coach_troyjones
As always, share the pod, leave us a review and reach us @truesportspt to tell us what you loved, what you didn’t and what you want more of!
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