5-3-1

Jim Wendler's 5-3-1 is a great program to use.  There are 4 core lifts Overhead Press, Deadlift, Bench Press, and Squat.  I would replace Overhead Press with Push Press and Deadlift with Powerclean.  I am not going to share Jim's Percentages you will have to buy the book. Each core lift is done once a week and the last set is a rep max.  The great thing about 5-3-1 is that the goal is to increase 5lbs every cycle for upper body and Olympic lifts and 10lbs for lower body lifts. These gains don't seem like a lot, but lets run the numbers.


7th grader Bench 65lb and 95lb squat max November.

8th grader Bench 125lb and 215lb squat max November.

9th grader Bench 185lb and 335lb squat max November.

Sophmore Bench 245lb and 455lb squat max November.

Junior Bench 305lb and 575lb squat max November.

Now mind you that the athlete totally buys in and does summer strength and conditioning and barring injury.  

Week 1 Cycle 1

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

2 sets of 5 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 2

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

2 sets of 3 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 3

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

1 set of 5 reps

1 set of 3 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 1 Cycle 2

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

2 sets of 5 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 2

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

2 sets of 3 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 3

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

1 set of 5 reps

1 set of 3 reps

1 set to failure 

Week 4

2 warm-up sets of 5 reps

3 sets of 5 reps

Repeat cycles 1 & 2 every 7 weeks  

Concussion Reduction

As a football coach it worries me that my 6 year old son might not have the opportunity to play this great game of football.  Football is under attack it is a real problem that us as football coaches need to change our philosophy of practice planning, the way we teach tackling, and use some of the new technological innovations that have been developed.

Philosophy

John Gagliardi had some innovatie ideas and with 30 conference championships, four national titles and a record 485 wins.

http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2012/09/08/john-gagliardi-football 

You cannot argue with his success and his unique approach I as a coach wish he was still coaching  would really enjoy going up there and see exactly how they practice.  

My last job offense  coordinator job our JV would not give us a good look in practice.  We would scorch the earth on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and have trouble on Friday Night Games.  So we worked our Zones without the JV half line vs, the other side starting offensive line and they gave us great looks since we two platooned(and offensive line men in their heart of hearts think they are first big skill guys then next defensive linemen).  We would work all of our 3 step, Quick Screens and 5 step pass vs our starting defense with a quick whistle. We would run or Power Schemes and slow screens vs our JV and towards the end of the season our Varsity.

I believe offensively the chances of a concussion can almost eliminated completely by the way you sent up your practice schedule and run your practice.  Now defensively is where a lot of changes must be made.  

Tackling

By its nature defense must use more team and inside so the linebackers and safeties can make their run fits.  The Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll have implemented the Rugby style of tackling.  Where the head is totally taken away from the tackle.  It changes the across the bow tackling that coaches have been emphasizing from the 1920's to if you are an force player you are still going to use your inside arm and shoulder to tackle the ball carrier and if your are a leverage player you are going to use your outside arm and shoulder to make the tackle.  

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Technological Innovations

 The Athletic Director and Head Football Coach I currently work for had purchased three of these tackling dummies called Shawdowman.  These are really easy to use can replace that JV backfield that is too scarred to give a look behind that very scared JV offensive line who if thay had all the tools to block the varsity defensive linemen they would be on varsity too.  www.shadowmansports.com

Conclusion 

We have to remember as coaches the if we don't change and regulate ourselves as coaches we may-not have a sport left.  Football is one of the last developers of men that exist in our society we can protect it and preserve the total institution or keep on doing the same things lose this great sport then what will happen to the Michael Orr's of this world.