This is the start of a new series I like to call “Practical Performance” in which I will share simple yet effective exercises that you can incorporate into your training as well as your athletes training to help improve performance.

As a coach you often hear your athletes complain about their wrists hurting when in a front rack position. Being pain-free and proficient in this position is important if you plan on programming cleans with your athletes. Using the straps to accomplish this front rack position WHILE you continue to improve their wrist mobility is a win-win in my book. Eventually your athletes will be able to toss those straps to the side and get after those front squats and cleans with no pain! Thanks for viewing and create a great day!

-Coach Thom

The TRX can play a pivotal role for newer clients lacking strength and athletes coming back from injury.  With the TRX Suspension Trainer, you’re able to un-load certain exercises, which allows the client/athlete to progress gradually. Doing so builds strength and confidence in the process.

I’ve often found my new clients to be:

1.  Afraid of the gym
2.  Out of shape and weak
3.  Lacking confidence

The last thing these clients need is a personal trainer throwing weight on their back and setting them up to fail.  If they aren’t physically or mentally ready for certain exercises, that’s ok! Simply scale it down and build them up.  I love showing my newer clients how much fun training can be with the right exercises performed at an appropriate level of difficulty.  The following  is a list of my top TRX “Building Block” exercises I like to incorporate with my new clients:

            1.  TRX Low Row 3-4 reps x 10 sets

2. TRX Squat 3-4 reps x 10 sets

3. TRX Elevated Step-Up 3-4 reps x10 sets

4. TRX Chest Press 3-4 reps x 10 sets

5.  TRX Side Lunge 3-4 reps x 10 sets

6.  TRX Y-Fly  3-4 reps x 10 sets

Staying in the 3-4 reps of 10 sets range ensures a good amount of volume, which will give your clients plenty of practice with the exercise.  The more sets your client completes, the stronger they’ll become.  And with improved strength, you will notice a distinct increase in confidence.  As their strength and confidence grows, your clients will start to view the gym as a place where goals can be accomplished, rather than a place where failure is inevitable.

Similar to working with new clients, injured athletes need positive reinforcement by experiencing success in the weight room.  This is possible by progressing gradually and using the TRX to un-load specific exercises.  I like to incorporate isometric and eccentric principles in these exercises to expedite strength levels and body awareness.  This is a list of my TRX  “Back at It” exercises:

1.  TRX Squat and TRX Single Leg Squat with a 5-0-1 eccentric tempo (5 seconds on the descent, 0 sec hold, and 1 second return to start position), progress to wearing a weight vest 3 reps x 5 sets
2.  TRX Squat Jumps with Isometric 2 count hold upon landing 3 reps x 5 sets
3.  TRX Speed Skaters with Isometric 2 count hold upon landing 3 reps x 5 sets
4.  TRX Low Row with Isometric 2 count hold at contraction point, progress to wearing a weight vest 3 reps x 5 sets
5.  TRX Step-ups with a 1-0-5 eccentric tempo, progress to wearing a weight vest 3 reps x 5 sets
6.  TRX Seated Pull-Up with Isometric 2 count hold at contraction point, progress to wearing a weight vest 3 reps x 5 sets

We want to keep the volume on the lower end of the spectrum here since the exercises are using eccentric and isometric principles which will be more demanding on the athlete’s body.  As the athlete becomes stronger and more confident with these exercises, you can then adjust the sets and reps, thereby increasing the overall volume.

My intention for these exercises is to help build up your athletes and clients, as well as put a smile on their face for the fun workout you just put them through!

About Coach Thom:

Scott Thom recently completed his second season with the Washington State University men’s basketball program as the team’s strength and conditioning coach/player development.  He served in the same capacity at California the previous four years. Prior to joining the staff at California, Scott coached basketball and taught physical education for seven years at Vintage High School in Napa, Calif. Scott received his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Chico State in 2002, a teaching credential in physical education from Sonoma State, and a masters in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University. He is certified through both CSCS and USAW.  Scott writes articles for STACK and Harbinger Fitness.

Instagram Account- @CoachScottThom

The Exercises

1. Hamstring Hold x10 seconds

*Position your heels in the foot cradles of the TRX. Legs are straight, triceps and elbows are flush with the ground and can provide stability, slowly press heels into straps, slowly raising lower body off the ground, and hold in a straight line.

2. Hamstring Curls x10

*Heels stay in the foot cradles of the TRX, triceps and elbows are still flush with the ground and can add stability as you slowly elevate lower body, and bring heels under your glutes. Important to keep hips extended throughout the movement, this will help to really isolate your hamstrings.

3. Hip Thrusts x10

*Place balls of feet in the foot cradles of the Suspension Trainer, knees are bent at 90 degrees, press feet into straps, raising hips up and down, focusing on the high hamstring (where the hamstring meets the glute).

Give this hamstring circuit a try at the end of your next leg day, and smoke those hamstrings!

Coach Thom- Create a great day!

About Scott Thom:

Scott Thom recently completed his second season with the Washington State University men’s basketball program as the team’s strength and conditioning coach/player development, after serving in the same capacity at California the previous four years. Prior to joining the staff at California, Scott coached basketball and taught physical education for seven years at Vintage High School in Napa, Calif. Scott received his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Chico State in 2002, a teaching credential in physical education from Sonoma State, and a masters in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University. He is certified though both CSCS and USAW. Scott writes articles for STACK and Harbinger Fitness.

Some reasons for knee tendonitis:

Lack of VMO strength

Lack of Mobility in ankles and hips

Lack of proper knee tracking in squat portion of jump

Lack of deceleration strength

In this article I’ll focus on lack of VMO strength (the muscles on the lower thigh that surround the top of the knee), which I think is the most common factor in knee tendonitis, especially for players making the jump from high school to college.  These muscles are key being able to decelerate and jump, as well as absorbing force while landing.   I often get hoopers from high school that are extremely explosive and can jump through the roof but, they can barely squat a 45 lb. bar with good form, and without knee pain.  This is a recipe for disaster, as their bodies can create a ton of upward force but, when they land all of the impact goes to the knee.  Over time this creates knee tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons around the knee) and, there’s nothing worse than seeing a young athlete hobble around the court hearing, “coach my knees are killing me”.   It’s my job to get those legs strong so their bodies can handle the jumping, cutting, and overall demands of the season. The goal before season starts is to squat 1.5 to 2x your body weight for a 1 rep max going slightly past parallel.  This ensures me that their legs are strong enough to handle the demands of the season.

Building Blocks:

For those explosive freshman that have trouble squatting, I like to front squat them until they can squat their body weight (on the bar) for 6 reps.  I do this because front squats are a great tool to reinforce proper squatting mechanics, forcing you to keep a vertical posture because if your elbows drop so does the weight.  It’s easier for athletes with tighter hips to get lower in a front squat than a back squat and the repetitions done in the front squat phase will actually work in opening their hips up.  This way when they transition to back squats they’ll be smooth and solid.  It also helps to keep the weight lighter.  It’s easy to back squat heavy weight with bad form but, it’s almost impossible to front squat heavy weight with bad form.  This ensures me that we are building the blocks slowly and deliberately, one rep at a time.  Once they can front squat their body weight for reps then I’ll transition them to back squats and we will start the climb to squatting 1.5-2x their body weight.  This is just one example of what goes into our fall training phase.

After our fall lifting and conditioning phase, which is usually 6-8 weeks of 4 days a wk lifts, 2 days a wk conditioning my guys are strong and in shape, ready to take on the season.   The next challenge is to maintain this strength throughout the season, especially for your big minute guys 30+ a game.  It’s all about finding a balance of workload to recovery.

Proper Recovery to me means:

Rest-Getting 8 hrs. of sleep a night. TV off, iPad off, social media off, just solid good ole fashion sleep.

Hydration and Eating healthy-Staying hydrated, half your body weight in ounces of water daily, making healthy eating choices, “if you eat potatoe chips you’ll play like potatoe chips”.

Treatment- Using cold tubs after long practices or games, getting massages, foam rolling and stretching.

Maintenance Lifts-Getting lifts in at the right time of the week ensuring proper recovery before games.  Keep lifts simple in season and if you do change the lift know that your players are going to be sore until their bodies adapt to the lift.

Preventative Maintenance and Activation Exercises- Done daily before practice to help muscle activation.  Movement prep exercises done daily to keep potential problem areas under control.

If there isn’t a balance then eventually your players will “under recover” and flare ups with knee tendonitis and breakdowns will begin which will lead to losses.

Which brings me to my 5 preventative knee tendonitis exercises that done in season, will help to prevent knee tendonitis from flaring up, maintain leg strength, improve activation, and will keep your hoopers from saying, “coach my knees are killing me”.

My 5 In Season Knee Tendonitis Relief Exercises

1. Backwards walk on the incline treadmill 1×20 steps
2. Reverse sled drag 1×40 ft.
3. Knee band pressouts 1×20 ea.
4. Small rom leg press 1×20 ea.
5. Eccentric leg extension 1×20 ea.

Players that have a history of knee tendonitis should do this routine daily, the closer it is done to the start of practice the better.  This will ensure that the muscles around the knees are warm and ready for the demands of the game.

As you can see there are many factors that can create knee tendonitis in your basketball players but, if you take the time in the preseason to become stronger, make a conscious effort for recovery, and use these 5 exercises, I feel confident that your players knees will feel better, stay strong throughout the season, and overall help your players to keep playing at a high level all season long.

Thanks for reading

Create Greatness!

*Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds
*Mobility exercises are 5-10 reps
*Do circuit on off days or before workouts to get you ready to Crush!

Knee Prehab:
MB Leg Extensions (tempo= 2,1,2) 3×10
One Legged Box Squat 3×10 each leg
Treadmill back pedal on incline, 8 minutes

Drill: Down and Back 8-10 Feet
-Pogo Hops (legs straight, focusing on pushing the balls of the feet in the ground)
-Alternate Flips (flipping the sand up, working the opposite of Pogo Hops)
-Zig Zag (almost as if your mogul skiing, really push down into the sand with your feet)
-In Out (point your feet in, then out, constantly forward, then as well when going backwards)

Create a great day!!!!!! -Coach T