I asked this question in a forum last fall but made the error of doing so prior to an actual football season. Trying again in peak offseason (looking at you DD twitter thread) in the hopes of more information/discussion.
2 part question:
1. Can anyone provide an idea of what actual workout schedules look like for the VT football team? I am curious about what a typical week looks like in offseason when they (I assume) are trying to bulk up. How much cardio, what types of exercises, how many reps etc... I know there are some former football players here, as well as other college athletes, so feel free to chime in. Would love to see a spreadsheet or something if that were possible.
I love to work out, and like to mix it up so it doesn't get boring, and am always on the prowl for new ideas so lets see what you come up with.
2. What are people doing now to work out? I am going to put my man card at risk here and say that I have joined my wife in doing Jillian Michaels workouts 6 days a week. She is not a joke. I also subscribe to the 'Dexter workout'. You can google it. Its pretty tough. Would appreciate any insight from you folks. Thanks for any infor you provide.
OT:Weight lifting, weight training, college football style/covid style
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P90X is legit. Beachbody on demand is probably a pretty good investment during this crap. You get access to every workout they have ever made, so you can mix it up.
I am still just jogging as good as a fat guy can.
Home gym has been paying off in spades the past two months. I know this doesn't really help answer your question though.
Awesome setup man!
Love those Hokie weights!
I wanna start buying stuff for a home gym so bad but I'm a little weary about spending money on stuff I don't need right now . I have a few dumbbells (nothing over 35s) and a jump rope. So I'm doing full body workouts with that stuff plus doing the Insanity Max 30 program 3 days a week. I miss really pushing weight and feeling that pump. The workouts are good and I'll be sore but it's just not the same as loading up some barbells and gettin after it.
Go onto IFTTT and set up some searches on Craigslist. When I moved to Maryland we were able to find someone selling 230lbs of barbell weights, a bench and stand, as well as 5-50 lb dumbbell sets with a stand for $300. I later found a set of 10-45lb bumper plates for another $200 with a Rogue bar. People are often selling things like that at a HUGE discount.
When was this? Because everywhere I look now people are selling things at outrageous prices.
Yeah the market is out of control right now with second hand workout equipment
I have no clue what the sports teams are doing, but can say what I do. Before anyone laughs at me, remember I'm probably a lot older than most of you. Basically, just have 2 exercises:
Walk at least 4 miles per day
Bicycle at least 10 miles per day
Do one of these two at least 50% of the days each month. This month I have been successful about 60% of the time.
Can't wait to get back to the gym. I have bursitis and tendinitis in the shoulder. Need to do exercises for the upper back and back of the shoulder or it can flare up badly. Thankfully it has not happened yet. Would love any suggestions for back of the shoulder exercises you can do without equipment.
Had a major event a few years ago. Looked it up and it carries a 12% survival rate - treat every day as a blessing. Never once took any oral pain medication after discharge despite multiple surgeries and the visiting nurse who could not believe that they sent me home with only the moderate-level pain killer they did. But it just did not hurt much. Never took any of it.
Fast-forward a few days or weeks and the shoulder blew up. I was - literally - writhing in pain. Tried stretching and my wife's tiny hand weight exercises (did nothing). Tried OTC meds (did nothing). Tried the prescription pills (did nothing). Tried brandy (helped, but not enough). Tried begging the cardiologist to let me go back to the gym, but he said no. Eventually I just went back against medical advice. He's not big on cardiac patients lifting weights.
Get some bands and you can do things like face pulls, band pullaparts, lat pulldowns to strengthen the upper back and back of your shoulder. No equipment at all, angel wings exercise and y, t, i raises. Hope this helps some
That you 3rd gen. And, I had some of those bands years ago. Basically they were thick rubber strips that the PT people gave me when I went in for the shoulder pain the first time. Like an idiot, I tossed them assuming I would not need them since they taught me the weights and stretching exercises to do. Now I don't have access to the weights. Will look to see about ordering those bands.
Yep, i got mine from elitefts like this https://www.elitefts.com/pro-mini-resistance-band.html. I'm sure there are plenty of options on amazon as well for cheaper.
Oddly enough, I found my 1998 EHC offseason workout plan that the coaches gave us.
Can........can we see it?
Is this asking me?
Yes, sorry. I would be interested to take a look at it if you are willing. Thanks.
So for the summer of 99, here is the workout for May 17-May 22
May 17
Squat 3 sets 10 reps with 70% of max
Power Cleans 3 x 5 70%
Push Press 3 x 10 70%
Calf raises 3 x 15
Lunges 3 x10
Leg Ext and Curls 2 x15 each
Straight leg dead lift 2 x 15 (45 pounds max)
Jump rope 3 x 100 both, 3 x 100 alt, 2 x 50 r, 2 x 50 l
Crunches 2 x 50
Back Hyperextensions 2 x 15
Tuesday May 17
Bench 3 x 10 70% of max
Incline 3 x 10
Military press 3 x 10
FLR (Front Lateral Raises) 2 x 10 each
Shrugs 3x 10
High pulls 3 x10
Triceps Ext 3 x 10
Dips 4 x 5
Same jump rope, crunches, and back hypers
Wed May 19
3 x 50 Dot Drills
10x 20 yard sprints
10 minute run
Same ropes as Monday
Thurs May 20
Squats 3 x 10 70%
Cleans 3 x 5 70%
Push Press 3 x10 70%
Leg Ext & Curl 2 x 15 each
Lunges 3 x 10
SL Dead Lift 2 x 15
Step Ups 3 x 10 each
same as Monday ropes, crunches, and back ext
Friday May 21
Bench 3 x 10 70%
Incline 3 x 10
Military 3 x 10
Lat pulls 3 x 15
Bent rows 3 x 10
One arm rows 2 x 10 each
Pull ups 3 x 5
Shrugs 3 x 10
Same ropes, crunches, back as Monday
Sat May 22 repeat Wed workout
Week 2
May 24
Squat 3x8 75% max
Cleans 3x5 75%
Push press 3 x 8 75%
Calf raises 3 x 15
Lunges 3 x 10
Leg ext curl 2 x 15
SL Dead lift 2 x 15
Ropes 3 x 100 Both, 3 x 100 alt, 2 x 50 RT and LT each
Crunches 3 x 50
Back hyped 2 x 15
Tues May 25
Bench 3 x 8 75%
Incline 3 x 10
Military 3 x 10
FLR Raises 2 x 10 each
Shrugs 3 x 10
High pulls 3 x 10
Tricep ext 3 x 10
Dips 4 x 5
Same ropes, back, crunches as Monday
Wed May 26
Ropes same as Monday
Dot drill 3 x 50
Sprints 10 x 30yd
11 minute run
Thursday May 27
Squats 3 x 8 75%
Cleans 3x5 75%
Push press 3 x 8 75%
Step Ups 3 x 10
Lunges 3 x 10
SL Dead Lift 2 x 15
Leg Ext and Curls 2 x 15 each
Same ropes curls and crunches as Monday
Fri May 28
Bench 3 x 8 75%
Incline 3X 10
Military 3 x 10
Lat Pulls 3 x 15
Bent rows 3 x 10
One arm rows 2 x 10 each
Pull ups 3 x 5
Shrugs 3 x 10
Same as Monday for ropes and crunches
May 29 Sat
Wed workout
I can do more. Generally it goes high rep to low reps higher weight. Constant body shock, while increasing ropes and footwork pace
And, as you can see our coaches did not believe biceps mattered. They called it "Beach muscle."
OL specific, we were supposed to do stance and start and pulling drills daily.
We did maxes the last week of July, and then did light weight high reps the week before we reported for two a days.
So what were French's max numbers?
Did each player have to handle his own workout or was it more organized?
I am tired just reading it all.
The people who were around for summer classes worked out in the King Center. Usually veteran players led workouts. We never saw the coaches during the summer in any official capacity.
We did rep maxes. If I remember right, my bench max figured around 440, but I couldn't do a single rep with 405. That summer, when we had to do 5 x 5 I was using 335. Before wrecking my ankle in a hunting accident about a week after my last HS game, my squat max was 495. I never came close to it again because I couldn't get enough range of motion in my ankle.
Push press is something I wouldn't recommend anyone do. You had to have 3 spotters. Basically, you would have a squat bar across your neck. You would explode with your legs, drop your butt, and press the weight over your head. I was much stronger with it than squats, but it was a very dangerous lift. I saw one guy start spitting blood out of his nose trying to rep max a huge amount of weight (it was at least 495- insane.)
And for the record, it would take an act of the Almighty for me to bench press 185 pounds now. I started having shoulder issues around 2006, so I switched to incline. My gym closed in 2011, and I stopped doing anything besides light dumbbell work. Granted, I couldn't whip butter with a churn now.
Thanks for sharing. That was kind of you to put all that out there.
This reminds me a lot of the "bigger faster stronger" series we did at Blacksburg High back in the early 2000's, although our routines worked biceps as well.
I have a copy of a work out from Mike Gentry. It was given to us at the football camp I went to. Now where it is? I'll probably never know. If I find it in the next five years, I'll pass it along.
Grab some bands or 20-30 lb dumbells and go look up Cory Gregory. His site is only $8 and has sooooo many workouts
I've been doing some Athlean-X workouts. They are tough though . I can barely get through his beginner level at home circuit.
I made an at home cable machine with luggage straps, a pull up bar, and a backpack. Got the idea from the arm workout in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNOl3sLzakM&t=1s
I got some straps I use on the back porch since I rent and don't have a garage or basement for an actual home gym. Throughout the work day I'll do push ups, rows, curls, reverse butterflies, hugs, squats, pistol squats and other things with them weather permitting. Walk the dog a few times a day. Bike when it isn't raining and straight garbage out but that has been not often recently. I try to mix it up with other stuff included but it is mostly an attempt to keep active and not get sloppy during all of this until gyms open back up and I can start lifting again (which I had only recently started doing anyways).
A fellow Hokie and dear friend of mine who does fitness consulting put together six different workout plans (body weight only or minimal equipment, each at three different intensity levels) at Lockdown Homebody. It's a 90 day workout plan and comes with nutrition info and other stuff.
My roommate left behind an adjustable dumbbell set when he went to quarantine with his family, so I've been using that.
I've got a great (horrible) 30 min workout that will destroy your legs. Learned it from a friend.
40 air/body squats
30 sec wall sit
38 squats
30 sec wall sit
36 squats
30 sec wall sit...
Continue until you reach 0 squats to do. You end up doing 420 squats and 10 minutes of wall sits.
Sounds like doing pyramids of dumbbell curls. Start with a set of 10 reps on each arm, then 20, 30, 40 then 50 reps and back down 40, 30, etc. Shit will fry your arms.
Step 1: Find a hill
Step 2: Run up that hill
Step 3: if 2 was easy find a steeper hill
Step 4: run up and down steepest hill for an hour
Step 5: If that is easy find a rock, and run up and down the hill with a rock.
Step 6: increase rock size until you have to roll it up the hill while running. (note: do not run back down the hill with said boulder, gently control the boulder down the hill)
I've been working on this as well and here's what I've come up with:
1. Running. I was training for some Spartan races anyway but now with the gyms closed I try to get out more. I enjoy the Nike running app for their workouts and it's all free. I'm working my way through their half-marathon guide.
2. Before the lockdown I started watching a lot of Ryan Humiston's videos on Youtube. No nonsense, gets to the point, and had me rethinking my gym training before they all closed. He's been doing a bunch of videos on how to train at home with bodyweight and/or less weight to really target the muscles. Highly recommended during and after the lockdown.
3. I made some TRX straps out of ratcheting tiedowns, some PVC pipe, some carabiners, and a little bit of rope. You can find tons of DIY videos on Youtube. Great workout and kind of fun to get outside where I've tied it to a tree in the backyard. Nearly every exercise requires a lot of extra stabilizer muscles so it turns into quite a workout.
There's a few things I haven't been able to replicate without proper equipment like deadlifts, good squats, or even shrugs. My next step is to fill some 5 gallon buckets with water and get going with those. I'm assuming gyms will be some of the last things to open but I'm making do for now.