Running Back-Specific Training: From the Weight Room to the Field

The idea of sport-specific training has gained great popularity over the years. Inevitably, every coach wants to ensure that he/she is attaining maximal transfer with the strength training programming that is being practiced among the athletes in the weightroom. There is some truth to this thought and approach. First, the all-too-familiar SAID Principle (Specific-Adaptations-to-Imposed-Demands), has been proven time and time again in both research and training. This principle states that training is most effective when resistance exercises prescribed are similar to the target activity. Also, every training method will elicit a different (and specific) adaptation response in the body. Essentially, we must train the way that we want to play.

If we want to enhance the on-field movement performance ability of our highest level of athletes, we must get more detailed than simply chasing a greater squat or clean one-rep max increase. Because of this, many of the world’s most famous sports scientists in history understood and proved that we must also go beyond many of the traditional training schools of thought if we were to enhance athletes’ performance as they moved up in levels of mastery. This is where the concept of Special Strength Training (SST) was introduced.

Though SST can have its limitations, if incorporated correctly (both with the most optimal means/methods as well at the right time of the year for the right athlete), SST can serve the athlete as the ultimate level of physical preparation. SST has actually been incorporated for decades in athletes in other countries but this has occurred mostly in Olympic sports. SST has only been used on a limited basis by a few trainers in the football world and can open up Pandora’s Box as it pertains to the degree of training transfer.
 
Objectives in Training

Because of the unique nature of the RB’s training objectives, our approach must directly reflect our acknowledgement of these aims. The following complexes, designed in a Conjugate Sequence System fashion, are designed for the enhancement of the specific strength qualities needed for the execution of a specific movement task (this is the entire point of SST methodology). This increase (of these physical qualities) will also transfer to the improvement in other movement tasks as well, but the majority of their impact will be found in the movement tasks outlined below.

Because of the complex nature (multiple exercises performed in sequential fashion) and the possible potentiation effect (where the nervous system could acutely enhance the contractile properties of the muscle resulting in greater movement speeds), these kinds of complexes are highly intense in nature. Thus, both optimal power output and aspects of motor learning are to be stressed. Because of this, the work should not be viewed as conditioning and optimal rest periods should be given at all times. It is also recommended that each phase be incorporated for relatively short durations in the overall view of the training cycle.
 
Sample Complex for
RB-Specific Acceleration
 
Exercise 1:
Isometric Lunge Hold (Local)

Prescription: Perform 1-2 sets of 4-6 seconds each leg.

Execution: This is one of my favorite applications used for developing co-activation between both the agonists and the antagonist muscle groups at hand. I have found great increases in rate of force development in 1st and 2nd steps attributable to the way strength is being expressed in this exercise.
 
Exercise 2:
Single-Leg Squat with Band Overspeed
Eccentric (Local)

Prescription: Perform 1 set of 6 to 10 reps (3-5 reps on each leg) in a single response fashion (brief period of time between reps to reset and focus on the task).

Execution: Many progressing athletes spend a great deal of time increasing their squat strength but it is usually performed in a bilateral fashion (2-leg) which will limit the carryover to unilaterally-dominant movement patterns (such as acceleration or other linear speed movement actions). After attaining sufficient bilateral strength, I strongly advise prioritizing unilateral strength in the form of a single-leg squat or lunge pattern. Either one of these will work here as long as the explosive speed-strength qualities of the exercise are emphasized.
 
Exercise 3:
1-Leg Horizontal Jump (Local)

Prescription: Perform 1 set of 2-4 reps with each leg with 6 to 10 seconds between reps.

Execution: Developing horizontal ground reaction forces (found in acceleration) are much different than vertical ground reaction forces. Not only is the direction of force application considerably different but so are the muscle synergies utilized. Jump for maximum effort off of the working leg and then landing on both legs in a parallel stance fashion for greater control and stability.
 
Exercise 4:
10-yard Acceleration Start (Global)

Prescription: Perform 2 repetitions with a 10% load (as a percentage of one’s bodyweight) or 2 falling starts followed by 2 repetitions with 0% load. Separate each with single-explosive effort with maximum rest to ensure that the next one is completed with maximum intensity.

Execution: During this exercise task, the coach/athlete should work on specific technical movement considerations. Due to specific RB movement task considerations, I will typically have the athlete begin the drill with a 2-3 step ‘read’ period before they hit maximum acceleration in as few steps as possible.
 
Rest 4 to 6 minutes and repeat the cycle through 2-4 times.
 
Sample Complex for RB-Specific Change of Direction
(Lateral w/Power Cut)
 
Exercise 1:
Lateral Wall Push with Explosive Isometric (Local)

Prescription: 1-2 sets of 6-10 reps on each side with sufficient rest between sides.

Execution: This exercise will allow the coach and athlete to fine-tune the action of performing a power cut without the wear and tear that often comes along with performing a large quantity of reps in an all-out execution of the global task (i.e., the actual full drill).
 
It is important to forcefully push vertically and horizontally to change the explosive characteristics of the neuromuscular system in a biomechanically-applicable fashion. At the bottom of each rep, hold for a brief isometric period (2-3 seconds) before exploding to the completion of the rep (and into full extension at the knee and the hip). Using the stability ball will allow the athlete the ability to push laterally into the wall and still maintain his balance.
 
Exercise 2:
Side to Side Squat (Local)

Prescription: Perform 1 set of 6 to 10 reps (3-5 in each direction) with light resistance.

Execution: Traditional squatting methods typically have less carryover to a lateral change of direction movement actions than it does to other movements. This becomes more true as an athlete progresses. This type of squat can be used to strengthen the muscles in a frontal plane to a much greater degree. The execution of the movement is much more important than the load utilized. In fact, the load should be kept relatively light so an athlete can be forceful throughout the entire extension phase of the exercise and can attain the necessary positions that will correspond to those found when the athlete performs a power cut laterally.
 
Exercise 3:
Russian Plyo Bound (Local)

Prescription: Perform 1 set of 6 to 10 reps (3-5 in each direction).

Execution: This exercise will work to more fully charge the neuromuscular apparatus to recruit musculature in the global exercise to come (in this case, the Zig Zag). The emphasis should be on both the explosiveness of the takeoff leg jumping action as well as the efficiency of the landing leg as this landing will greatly impact the subsequent takeoff to come. Work to develop greater stiffness through this landing mechanism so the movement action takes place in shorter periods of contact time.
 
Exercise 4:
Zig Zag Slalom Drill (Global)

Prescription: Perform 1 repetition going each way with a 10% load (as a percentage of one’s bodyweight) followed by 2 repetitions with 0% load. Separate each with single-explosive effort with maximum rest to ensure that the next one is completed with maximum intensity.

Execution: During this exercise task, the coach/athlete should work on specific technical movement considerations. That said, the focus should be on the proficiency displayed in the drill (especially the cutting action) rather than the speed being utilized or the time it takes to complete the drill.
 
Rest 4 to 6 minutes and repeat the cycle through 2-4 times.
 
About the Author: Shawn Myszka is an Athletic Performance Director at Explosive Edge Athletics in Minneapolis. He can be reached at either the company’s web site – www.explosiveedgeathetics.com – or his email – shawn@explosiveedgeathelteics.com.