Neck Training - Part 1

NECK STRENGTH WORK WITH HARNESS AND BANDS

       I.  Set up  –Healthy Neck

A. Neck Harness

B. Low Anchor Point

C.  Bands - 2 Light - 1 Monster Mini (This is a good starting point) Adjust to age and experience of  the user!

          II.   Basic Starting Point – Healthy Neck - Start with 1 set of 10 good reps 

        A.Facing anchor point of bands - start with flexion - move to extension

           1. Start with chin to adam's apple - then move towards sky - start with contracting muscles

           2. Chin to chest - move to sky - start with contracting muscles 

                B.Facing away from anchor point - – Start at extension and move to flexion

                    1. Chin to sky, move to adams apple - contract muscles hard - hold and repeat

                    2. Chin to the sky and contract to the chest - hold and repeat 

KEY COACHING POINTS

1.       Proper posture - use military key points - scapulas pulled back - no space between them - toes slightly turned out - heels together - pressure into inside of heels

2.       Contract and attack the neck musles - force of contraction is more important than just whipping around weight  - bands help to keep constant resistance 

3.       Total body ground base involvement - all muscles at work

Coach what TO do, not what NOT to do!

Coaching points - " Learning is what you do after you think you know everything" John Wooden UCLA
I was listening to a Coach on a recent TV Pre-Season Preview  and heard "Don't do this, and shortly after,  Don't do That!"
1. Coaching is teaching at it's Best! Leave the negative reinforcement to others!
2. Coach what TO do, not what NOT to do. Great coaches use positive imagery to create positive memory connections!
Examples - make the play - get your mind right!
3. Coach with content.  Be specific as to what part of the fundamental the player is not getting.
Examples - Face up, move the right foot 6 inches, or eyes on the ball and look it in to the tuckaway!

Note: Figure out what to say to make each athlete perform in the fray!

 

BEST,  COACH JAKE

COACH LIKE YOUR HAIR'S ON FIRE !

Stop Stagnant Workouts!

Key Foundations of  dealing with stagnant workouts


1. Stop the whip workouts! 
    Start by reducing weight and increasing reps

    Use the weight, do not let the weights use you!


2. Stop bad posture!
      Start to restore posture
      to increase power 
      to increase integration 
      to increase performance!


3. Stop the anterior chain
    only workouts!
      Start - Posterior chain work        
      is the heart of efficient athletic    
      movement . 
      Posterior only workouts! 
      Head,Neck, Traps,  Rhomboids, Rear 
      Delts, Erectors, Glutes, Hams        
      & Calves 

4. Stop the limited movement!
      Start - total body movements ie  
      Ground base work mentality
      Total integration = power

5. Stop wasting time!
      Start moving all the time 
      No waiting in line -
      Keep moving the whole time!
      No time to waste if we want to 
      be great!

Summer Workout

Summer Workout Profile
Step One - Seeing is believing - You get what you teach - Set written goals for each player!
1.Pics of Each Player - Front-Back-Side
2. Body Ht___ Body Wt____ Re-Check Each Month
3. Body Measurements - Goals for Each Month
1/2 to 1 Inch A. Neck ___
1/4 Inch to 1/2 inch B. Biceps Rt___ Lt___
1/4 Inch C. Forearms Rt___ Lt___
1/4 Inch D. Wrist Rt___ Lt___
1 to 2 Inches E. Chest ___
1 to 2 Inches F. Waist ___
1 to 2 Inches G. Hips___
1 to 2 Inches H. Thighs Rt___ Lt___
1/4 to 1/2 Inches I. Calves Rt___ Lt___

Step Two - Growth is a function of Smart, Intense Work + Variety of Stimulation + Diet = Positive Growth
1. Intense Contractions of muscle or groups of muscles is the key - Reps only significant when hard contractions are involved
2. Variety can be accomplished by - Full Body Workout 3 times a week or Split Work Outs 4 times a week - Many other simple ways to do this!
3. Diet - Most neglected part of training
A. Diary - Each player should establish an eating and workout diary - Written goals are 60% more achievable than unwritten goals (Bo's law)
B. Basal Metabolism established with 3 days of normal eating!
C. To Lose or Gain - Increase 500 Cals up or down 500 from the Basal Metabolism
D. Balanced Meals - Minimum junk food - Most junk food/fast food has a lot of hidden sugar content
E. 5 to 6 meals a day - Balance Fruit-Vegetables-Dairy-Meat-Fish-Vegetables!!!
4. Rest - Need a minimum of 8 hours a night to Grow Right!

Step Three - Proper warm-up! Get overall body warmed-up. All joints! All muscles!
1. Dynamic Stretch - refer to Jump Stretch Flyer
2. Dynamic Movement - Use position specific movements
Note - Use One 50 lb light (Jump Stretch) band purple or two 25 lb mini bands red

Step Four Strength Workout - Total Body - Refer to Videos (Coach Bill Jacobs on YouTube or http://www.coachbilljacobs.com/) Posture + Integration = Performance
1. Neck - Flexion and Extension - Scapulas Back
2. Neck - Triceps - Scapulas Back
3. Traps - Biceps - Scapulas Back
4. Shoulders - Push Press - Power Clean????--Scapulas Back
5. Chest - Bench - Inclines - Declines - Scapulas Back
6. Back - Bent Over rows - Scapulas Back
7. Back - Deadlift - Scapulas Back
8. Legs- Squats - Quads - Glutes - Hams - Scapulas Back
NOTE - Home work Assignment - Learn to contract muscles of the body - Contraction + Integration = Power
NOTE - Use one 25lb mini red band or 10lb micro orange band for Upper Body. Use two 25lb or one 50lb for the lower body
Note - Start with 3 sets of 6 reps and work to three sets of 10 reps

Step Five - Resistance Training - two light bands together - 50lb purple
1. Running Form Forward
2. Lateral Shuffles Rt and Lt
3. Running Form Backwards
4. Hip Turns Forward & Back - Right to Left

Contact me at http://www.coachbilljacobs.com/ with questions or for equipment needs

Back to the Future - Neck Training!

click to view my latest video - 4 Way Neck Harness Training

What has been the biggest clinic topic of the last year and a half? The Importance of Neck Training!

Types of training used most today

1. Manual neck training with partner or coach

2. Neck Machines - Most common neck machines - Nautilus, Hammer, Pendulum, Power Lift seated and ground based

3. Plate loading neck work

4. Band resistance

NOTE -How many muscular 20 inch plus necks and great upper traps do you see today at any level??

Think of the players of yesterday - Butkus, Nobis - They had great necks!

Types of training done yesterday

1. Neck Harness

2. Neck Bridging

NOTE: Ever see a wrestler with no neck or traps?

Tips to go with my latest instructional video on Neck Harness Training (shown above)

1. Start with a good leather neck harness- Best to be able to adjust it so multiple athletes using it can have their own towel over their head and then the harness.

2. Weight resistance - minimal resistance, maximum reps. Start with light weight and high reps (25 or better)! Note - work up to 50 at least before raising weight.

3. Exercises to concentrate on:

A.Up Right Scapulas back - chin chest to ceiling - middle -right - left -fatigues - finish off with the first 10 degrees of chin movement

B. Athletic - i.e. football position - proceed to repeat the above process!

COACHING POINTS

1. Scapulas re-tracked in all positions

2. Chin only is moving. If the body is moving you have too much weight /no ballistics

3. When you can not do any more reps full range - do another 3 to 5 moving the chin as much as possible.

4. Search for muscle involvement from

A. Head & Neck - Muscles

B. Traps- Upper & Lower

C. Back - Lats - Rhomboids - Erectors

D. Glutes & Hams

Shoulder Prehab & Rehab

Current information is showing a great increase in Shoulder Issues!!!

The Reasons are Multiple

1. Change in Lifting and/or Exercise Techniques taught or not taught - particularly where hands and arms are involved

2. Overuse - Improper maintenance

3. Lack of variety of movements. For example - Very few people do actual physical work, and have little to no participation in sports or physical activities.

4. Lack of Proper Training Protocol - Most programs are still, after all these years, Anterior Chain Dominant!

5. Training is resistance focused, not movement focused

Areas of Movement Development for Shoulder Prehab & Rehab

1.Scapula -Rotation and Retraction - Note* Thumbs Up, In, and DowN

2.Deltoid Development - Anterior, Medial, Posterior, Note*Thumbs Up , In and Down

3.Shoulder Rotation Inward and Outward/Up & Down - Down & UP- Note*using multiple planes - Note* Use Arm and Hand Rotation

4.Trapezoids- Elevation and retraction Note* variety of shrugs and upright row movements- Note* Multiple Planes

5.Neck –Flexion-Extension-Rotation - Spiral!

6.Lats –Retraction, Flexion & Extensions!

7.Stretching & Tractioning of the Shoulder

8. Compression for Circulation

KEY COACHING POINTS

1. Movement Patterns - Remember Body moves in Converging - Diverging Patterns as well as rotational and spiral Note * Use Them!

2.Integrate muscle groups - Search for the muscles that work in a movement - Make them all Work!

3.Powerful and Perfect Reps - Not Momentum and Ballistic moves to get a rep!

4.Muscle Growth Occurs when Variety is used and Resistance is used and Increased. **Note*** Proper eating must feed the growth!

NOTE! IT IS NOT ABOUT THE WEIGHT ! IT IS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE WORK !

Training the Neck & Biceps using Jump Stretch Bands

COMBO TRAINING OF THE NECK AND THE BICEPS - USING JUMP STRETCH BANDS

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO
1.Target Areas

A. Triceps area - Focus on contraction of all three heads: inner, outer, & medial heads of the tricep!

B. Neck Area - Static contraction of the neck while doing tricep extensions - Use your power center (i.e. core) to stabilize!

C. Total Body Activation - Drive through the inside of the heels - keep the scapulas retracted - push through the stomach - pull through the glutes!

2. Actions - Contract as hard as possible (regardless of the resistance)

A. Static - Hold neck back - scapulas back - tricep extension - thumbs in - thumbs out - palms up - rotate thumbs

B. Rotate head, neck, & torso to the right and left - tricep extend - thumbs in, thumbs out, thumbs rotating

C. Rotational - trunk rotation right and left - when rotated tricep extend - use all thumb positions

3. Variations - Alternate tricep extensions right arm, left arm!

4. Key Coaching Points
A. Hold at full contraction and double set the full contracted position

B. Return to starting position slowly and under control

C. Move through the movement stopping and starting at different positions of contraction

D. Measure the neck before and after to see results of your full effort!