Changes in BYU's Strength and Conditioning

Looks like Bronco and Omer have used some of the ESPN money to bulk up the S&C staff and hopefully make the big guys bigger and the fast guys faster:



http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700139736/BYU-football-program-doing-its-best-to-get-bigger-faster-and-stronger.html?pg=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



....but no mention of yoga.

this looks very positive.

It's about time. This may one of the best changes in BYU football since Bronco took over in 2005.

where is taekwondave on this? HE has been a huge proponent of this approach for a while now. Great to see it has happened, and that BYU has entered the modern age in training. Look forward to seeing more speed on the field where it is needed.

This was very good news to me. I had thought that with the new money that BYU had it woudl be only filtered down to the other BYU sports and not used for improvements exactly like this, so this was enlightening. This approach is was brings us in line with the other BCS programs that can have only so many coaches just like us, but they can have more nutritionists, trainers, etc., people that professionally can have an impact on improving these players individually. This is the type of practice that makes us different from non-AQ programs and where we will start to distance ourselves because our players are better and the recruits have to notice that if they go with the programs that have the resources to better prepare them that their opportunity to garner an NFL career improves. If you have the exposure issue and the facitilites and support mechanisms, that should improve your ability to land the top LDS recruits and some non-LDS ones as well. Good stuff.

About time we start something like this. Last season was a huge wake up call to Bronco and I think changed his entire outlook on the football team. The recent conference shakeups seem to have left a huge impression of the BYU brass. Recent success counts more than past glory and going 10-2 on our good years isn't enough anymore. Gotta love Bronco it may take a lot to get him going but once he starts he's goes the distance.

Finally we will be back on an even playing field. Being more intelligent wasnt good enough.



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In years past the program could look at the lack of speed etc. and shrug their shoulders and say "Meh, we recruit character first, so we're going to be a bit slower."



With the recruits coming in, that excuse doesn't carry any water any more.

snoscythe wrote:
In years past the program could look at the lack of speed etc. and shrug their shoulders and say "Meh, we recruit character first, so we're going to be a bit slower."



With the recruits coming in, that excuse doesn't carry any water any more.

It is not just that though. In past years, former players like Kehl, Vaikapuna, Tonga, and others looking to get ready for the NFL Draft have gone to private trainers(Stroshine, I believe) to reach a higher peak, because they were more up to date than what BYU gave them. Basically, it was an admittance that BYU was behind the times of elite training, which is more than just strength and basic stretching. Glad to see we have caught up, because this will help recruiting and improve top performance, decrease injury, assist with quicker recovery on minor injuries. It also shows kids BYU is serious about helping them reach a peak level in their sport, which really matters to 18 year old kids.

Lawboy wrote:

In years past the program could look at the lack of speed etc. and shrug their shoulders and say "Meh, we recruit character first, so we're going to be a bit slower."



With the recruits coming in, that excuse doesn't carry any water any more.

It is not just that though. In past years, former players like Kehl, Vaikapuna, Tonga, and others looking to get ready for the NFL Draft have gone to private trainers(Stroshine, I believe) to reach a higher peak, because they were more up to date than what BYU gave them. Basically, it was an admittance that BYU was behind the times of elite training, which is more than just strength and basic stretching. Glad to see we have caught up, because this will help recruiting and improve top performance, decrease injury, assist with quicker recovery on minor injuries. It also shows kids BYU is serious about helping them reach a peak level in their sport, which really matters to 18 year old kids.

I don't think that was much of an indication of where the program was at. Every college athlete who preps for the combine goes to these professional trainers and sees a marked improvement. Reggie Bush commented at his pro-day at USC that he thought he was a full .10 seconds faster in the 40 than he had even been in his life. That wasn't an indictment of USC's training staff, it was just the fact that he had never trained for 3 months on how to run a faster 40-yard dash.



That's not because the college trainers weren't doing their jobs. It's because the college trainers have the job of getting the guys ready to play football (not run 40-yard dashes) with a limited amount of time to do it. It's because the athletes now have unlimited hours per week to train for 8 specific tasks. When they are in school, they only have 20-ish hours a week for football, and that time is spent in film rooms, position group meetings, and drilling plays with the strength and conditioning sprinkled in. Training for the combine is much different than training for football.

About time.



Having receivers do the same training as linemen is just irresponsible.



I liked that Bronco tapped the shoulders of the track and volleyball teams. If BYU can take slow white guys and turn them into track champions then the expertise certainly exists at the school.

I still think that a month of daily Bikram Yoga for the RMs (injury prone) would be a good way to work out the kinks, toughen up the mind (1.5 hr in humid 105 degree room) and reduce risk of injury when they start strength training. It kept Kareem Abdul Jabbar going all of those years. I have heard that some NFL players do it in the off season. I can't really see much down side to it.

I think we've already overachieved the last 6-7 years, and I've spoken to pros (like Troy Edwards) that said they owe Jay Omer for their NFL careers, BUT the more money spent in doing it the right way is always a plus. It helps in recruiting and it will help on the field.



I would like to see actual results on the field and in numbers though before I call it a success and a drastic improvement from the past. It seems like a serious improvement, but I need to see the results. Hopefully they're coming and they're tangible. We'll need it to handle the front-end of the schedule.

Dwight wrote:
I still think that a month of daily Bikram Yoga for the RMs (injury prone) would be a good way to work out the kinks, toughen up the mind (1.5 hr in humid 105 degree room) and reduce risk of injury when they start strength training. It kept Kareem Abdul Jabbar going all of those years. I have heard that some NFL players do it in the off season. I can't really see much down side to it.

There was a Bikram Yoga place across the street from a place I used to work at. They had a gigantic front window so you could see all the people in there doing their yoga. Saw one too many guys stretching in mini spandex shorts for my taste.



Yoga, I think would be a good idea. Before the Yoga crazy you'd hear of professional athletes doing ballet during the off-season to increase flexibility, balance and strength. At the very least all BYU football players should Yoga for the Wii. :D

You get only about 20 hours a week with the players. You want to devote 7.5 hours of that time to yoga?



That's the biggest problem--there are hundreds of ways that players could be better trained, conditioned, made faster, stronger, etc. etc., but the coaches only have limited time with the players, and strength and conditioning is only one part of what they do in practice.



Until coaches are given access to the athletes for more than 20 or so hours a week, strength and conditioning is going to be an imperfect exercise at the college level.

snoscythe wrote:
You get only about 20 hours a week with the players. You want to devote 7.5 hours of that time to yoga?



That's the biggest problem--there are hundreds of ways that players could be better trained, conditioned, made faster, stronger, etc. etc., but the coaches only have limited time with the players, and strength and conditioning is only one part of what they do in practice.



Until coaches are given access to the athletes for more than 20 or so hours a week, strength and conditioning is going to be an imperfect exercise at the college level.

Right, so put the text book on the floor and turn on a Yoga DVD.



My wife was an athlete at BYU and that's how they did it. They'd take their text books and put them on the tread mill or stationary bike rests and kill two birds with one stone. While sitting in cold baths rather than chit chat, they'd go over their notes or flash cards.



I hear you, though, these kids only have so much time. It's why players go through huge transformations before the combine; they suddenly have more time to devote to training. That said, motivated players can find 20 or 30 min in their day to squeeze in some off campus training. Hall, Collie and Pita would do it.

Gunk wrote:

You get only about 20 hours a week with the players. You want to devote 7.5 hours of that time to yoga?



That's the biggest problem--there are hundreds of ways that players could be better trained, conditioned, made faster, stronger, etc. etc., but the coaches only have limited time with the players, and strength and conditioning is only one part of what they do in practice.



Until coaches are given access to the athletes for more than 20 or so hours a week, strength and conditioning is going to be an imperfect exercise at the college level.

Right, so put the text book on the floor and turn on a Yoga DVD.



My wife was an athlete at BYU and that's how they did it. They'd take their text books and put them on the tread mill or stationary bike rests and kill two birds with one stone. While sitting in cold baths rather than chit chat, they'd go over their notes or flash cards.



I hear you, though, these kids only have so much time. It's why players go through huge transformations before the combine; they suddenly have more time to devote to training. That said, motivated players can find 20 or 30 min in their day to squeeze in some off campus training. Hall, Collie and Pita would do it.

Exactly. The driven players will do it. All players should do it if they want to excel at their craft. But the coaches cannot make them do it. Maybe they should create a handbook for RM players telling them how they can help themselves in their free time if they want.

Poop, it's what's for dinner.

Yoga is only a small part of the changes. Diet and training table changes will be huge, along with specific training regimens for different positions on a weekly basis. Yoga is just one of many changes. And as far as yoga goes, 1 session a week for 1.5 hours does wonders over time, along with stretching on other workout days. Does not need to be multi times a week at all. I challenge any of you to do P90X yoga once a week over a 3 month period, and then tell me that you do not feel lighter on your feet, quicker, etc. A little goes a long way over time.

snoscythe wrote:
You get only about 20 hours a week with the players. You want to devote 7.5 hours of that time to yoga?



That's the biggest problem--there are hundreds of ways that players could be better trained, conditioned, made faster, stronger, etc. etc., but the coaches only have limited time with the players, and strength and conditioning is only one part of what they do in practice.



Until coaches are given access to the athletes for more than 20 or so hours a week, strength and conditioning is going to be an imperfect exercise at the college level.

Just to be clear, I think Yoga would be good for the 1st month back off of the mission, then onto the regular training. You would see a lot fewer hamstring issues (remember Mcay Jacobson).



As to men in tight clothes, it is true, and hilarious. There is a OBGYN doc that sometimes attends the class I go to. He wears a Speedo (1960's version). I thought that was bad until he showed up with his cell phone holstered on the side. Maybe I'll ask him to pose so I can post it on this blog. Oh well. I'm convinced that Bikram is good stuff. I know quite a few competitive marathon runners that do it as well.