School of Strength Class Requirements

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Our training sessions, while very fun and challenging, are also very tough and demanding. This isn't the kind of environment you will find in your local health club or gym. The workouts prescribed and implemented in our system of training are: 1) highly organized 2) short in duration and 3) extremely intense. Every workout is timed on the clock and ran just like a practice. We are not here to socialize, we are here to train.


Success in the School of Strength means for you to achieve your physical potential and reach your personal goals. To accomplish this you will have to make a long term commitment to training and attempt to perform each and every workout with maximum effort and focused concentration. Our members have to be mentally tough to stay intense, focused, and committed to the training system throughout the entire year. It's a strong mind to muscle connection that provides amazing results. You're guaranteed to sweat, but you'll love the way you feel after each workout.


To be a member of the School of Strength you must be willing to do the following:


1. Work hard: The best way to build the human body is through hard work. This system works if you are willing to work. It will toughen you up both physically and mentally. What is hard work? It is constantly challenging yourself. My athletes work at such a high level they truly believe that our opponents have never worked one day like we are willing to work every day! We are willing to pay the price to outwork our opponents in every area. We will never let our strength and conditioning be the reason we are defeated! We must use our strength and conditioning to wear down and dominate our opponents.


2. Have perfect technique: Athletes in the School of Strength must strive for perfect form on every repetition. We never sacrifice form to lift heavier weight. Our athletes spend time “practicing” their technique before being allowed to take on heavier weight. After they have mastered their technique with light weight they are allowed to try the next weight up. If the form is perfect then they are allowed to start training with that weight. We never lift to failure. If the technique starts to break down we always stop.


3. Be consistent: One of the hardest things for young people to do today is to stay committed to something for a long period of time. When I talk about commitment to my athletes it’s not in weeks or months, it’s in years. Some people stay with something for a few weeks and they think they are really committed. Most people who attempt anything difficult usually quit and give up. You must be totally committed to the program and determined to be a champion. At the School of Strength we stress being consistent every rep, every set, every lift, every day, every week, every month, every year, year in and year out until we reach our goals. You must have an iron will to succeed. It goes without saying that you must never miss a workout. Champions are great every day, not just once a week. I have had many high school athletes who have never missed a training session in four years.


4. Be intense: Training in our system demands total body involvement as well as complete mental focus. Every repetition completed requires complete focused concentration. My athletes focus on performing every rep with the same intensity as they would their one rep max. I have seen people get really intense and focused when they are going for a new personal record on a lift. I require my athletes to give that type of intensity on every repetition. We are not just mindlessly going through the motions. If you are not lifting, you are either coaching or encouraging your partner. Everything is done on purpose with a purpose. There is no sitting and there is no socializing when our teams train. Our workouts are designed for the hard-core athlete. When you want maximum results, you need maximum effort.


5. Set goals: How do athletes in the School of Strength stay intense and committed year round to this hard style of training? They must set meaningful goals. Everyone in the program has to have at least one important goal, but most athletes have more than that. The training is much more enjoyable and fun if everyone has a goal they are working toward. I share my personal goals with my athletes and they share theirs with me. Your athletes will get to the point that the harder the workout is, the more enjoyable it becomes because they have moved one step closer to reaching their goals. I often have athletes come to me at the end of a grueling workout, drenched in sweat, and they will shake my hand on the way out of the weight room and say, “thanks coach.” You must write your goals down on paper and look at them every day. You must have a burning desire to excel at your sport and you must be obsessed with reaching their goals. We never get discouraged if we have a “bad” workout. There are no bad workouts. If we don’t perform at our all-time best in any given workout, then we have just laid the groundwork for future strength gains that day. Success and strength is coming, but you must be patient. You can and will achieve your goal!