Catering Your Training and Tactics to Your Best Athletes
I wanted to write a brief blog entry after listening to a podcast that brought a good concept back to the top of my mind. A couple of years ago, I listened to a podcast by Mike Boyle where he talked about how we tend to ruin our “superelite” athletes by trying to fit them into our training boxes and systems. Boyle explained how these athletes often get mislabeled as “soft,” or “injury-prone” when in reality, our programs and training models are what cause the injuries. Today, I was listening to the Pacey Performance Podcast with Cam Josse (strength and conditioning coach at Indiana University, works with football), where he talked about this same concept and it made me think back to the Boyle podcast from a few years ago.
I wanted to write a brief blog entry after listening to a podcast that brought a good concept back to the top of my mind. A couple of years ago, I listened to a podcast by Mike Boyle where he talked about how we tend to ruin our “superelite” athletes by trying to fit them into our training boxes and systems. Boyle explained how these athletes often get mislabeled as “soft,” or “injury-prone” when in reality, our programs and training models are what cause the injuries. Today, I was listening to the Pacey Performance Podcast with Cam Josse (strength and conditioning coach at Indiana University, works with football), where he talked about this same concept and it made me think back to the Boyle podcast from a few years ago.
As a general rule of thumb, I try to steal information and practices from people who are smarter than me, and figure out how the underlying concepts fit within my system. When multiple experts share a particular view on the topic, it means I should probably listen.
I thought a little bit deeper about it and want to share my thoughts. First, when Mike Boyle talks about “superelite” athletes, he’s referring to the 1% of the 1%. The athletes who are physically breath taking to watch perform, and transcend even the most elite athletes (think Adama Traore, pictured left). Most coaches will never be in the position where they will get to work with these athletes on a regular basis. In my entire career, I’ve only been fortunate enough to work with one of these athletes, and he was genuinely a walking type II muscle fiber. Due to their physiological makeup, these athletes are more prone to injury than your “average” high-level athlete. Boyle argues that we should be individualizing our training programs around these players, and Josse takes it one step further when he claims we should be building our team tactics around these players. I think they are right.
The player I had the short opportunity to coach was a game-breaking player in 15 minute bursts. When utilized correctly (such as during the last 15 minutes of each half), he was devastating for the opposition, averaging a goal a game playing 1/3 the amount of minutes of his peers. If I had tried to make him into a 90 minute player, then I would have taken away the rare ability that made him so special, and frankly, I probably would have gotten him hurt.
Now obviously, when you have an athlete of this caliber, the answer should be simple, unfortunately, it’s just not. Our most elite, game-changing athletes are still getting mislabeled and injured in our care. David Epstein wrote a brilliant little book called, “The Sports Gene,” where he references and explains this phenomenon. And even if it was simple, the question gets a little more challenging when the athlete becomes less athletically-gifted. Josse argues that in this case, your tactics should reflect the athletic strength of your players, and I would agree, to an extent.
I think that our jobs as coaches are to put our players in the best position to succeed, which would include athletically, while simultaneously building a system of play where everyone is bought in and pulling in the same direction. I think your team has to have general principles of play, but are principles that allow for your best and most athletically gifted players to have the freedom to impact he game when the time calls for it. If you want an example of a professional team that balances this brilliantly, watch Real Madrid play. I think they are the perfect balance of system and freedom, with all of their players being put in positions that accentuate their strengths, but their impactful players still having the freedom to make plays to win them games.
This post turned into a little bit of a brain dump, but I think that’s OK. Part of my vision for this blog is to throw ideas out that stimulate thought and spur action. What I really wanted to throw out was the idea of building your training programs and style of play around your most athletically-gifted players, rather than trying to fit those players into a predefined system, and I think I’ve done so. I also wanted to get across that our most athletically-gifted athletes should not be getting injured in our care. I hope this idea spurs thought and leads to action for some people.
Thanks for reading,
-Jer
The Importance of Unilateral Load
In a previous post, I highlighted some of the benefits of a high-quality strength and conditioning program for soccer players. In this one, I’d like to explain one of the core principles of my training approach/philosophy: Pushing Unilateral Load.
In a previous post, I highlighted some of the benefits of a high-quality strength and conditioning program for soccer players. In this one, I’d like to explain one of the core principles of my training approach/philosophy: Pushing Unilateral Load.
Soccer players tend to be averse to loading heavy. This stereotype stems from the professional level, where the focus is on fitness, and the fear of loading is widespread. These players (and coaches) have a lack of understanding of what load is and worry that loading heavy will make them slower and lead to injury. They perceive load as lifting as much weight as possible in the “big three” lifts (barbell squatting, deadlifting, and bench pressing), and I would agree. Lifting like a power-lifter will likely diminish their performance and lead to injury, as they are not replicating the demands of their sport. We have thankfully evolved from the early-ages of strength and conditioning, and when I say “pushing unilateral load,” I mean something entirely different than what they think.
I want my players to lift in a way that replicates the demands of the sport, thereby leading to an increase in transferability, and actually impacting and improving their performance on the field. Soccer players (and all athletes with the exception of rowers), “play” on one leg. Running, jumping, cutting, passing, shooting, etc., all occur on one leg and under intense force. Therefore, in order to reduce the rate of injury and improve performance on the field, we should safely and progressively replicate this off the field. The best way to accomplish this is through sprinting (which also occurs on one leg), and pushing unilateral load.
With this in mind, I shifted my programming, eliminating most bilateral lower lifts, and making unilateral lifts primary exercises rather than accessory exercises. This change has made a tremendous impact on the health and performance of the athletes I serve, and has become a staple of my programming approach/philosophy. My athletes get all the benefits of lifting heavy, without the wear and tear, risk, and other drawbacks of bilateral lifting.
Interested in experiencing this for yourself? Try replacing your lower bilateral primary lift with a unilateral equivalent for a month, and I guarantee you will feel an immediate difference and reap the benefits it provides. Better yet, schedule a meeting with us and start training in a way that will actually make a difference to your performance on the field.
Until next time,
-Jer
Playing Tip: Body Positioning/Receiving the Ball on the Half Turn
Soccer is a game played at an incredibly high pace. Decisions are made quickly, forcing players to often react rather than think about and calculate their next move. While soccer isn’t black or white, and there is no “one size fits all” solution to every situation, there are certain fundamental skills that should become habitual and automatic in order to slow the game down and take the decision making out of it. One of those skills is a player’s body position when he or she receives the ball, which should (almost) always be on the half turn.
Soccer is a game played at an incredibly high pace. Decisions are made quickly, forcing players to often react rather than think about and calculate their next move. While soccer isn’t black or white, and there is no “one size fits all” solution to every situation, there are certain fundamental skills that should become habitual and automatic in order to slow the game down and take the decision making out of it. One of those skills is a player’s body position when he or she receives the ball, which should (almost) always be on the half turn.
Receiving the ball on the half turn means receiving it in a position where half the player’s body is turned towards the field of play. Doing so allows the player an extra heartbeat of time before being pressed (an eternity in soccer), gives the player more options (making it harder for the defender), and lets the player to see the entire field (helping them make the best decision). Start to look for this as you watch professional soccer. Pep’s teams do this the best, however, it’s a foundational pillar of all the elite teams because receiving the ball on the half turn is imperative to building in possession.
Building this habit requires a lot of hard work. The technical skill itself is not hard to work on: Simply find a partner or a wall and pass the ball back and forth receiving the ball with your hips and body half opened towards the field of play. Translating the skill to the game requires a little more focus and hard work. It requires players to both think and move proactively; to move early and often to put themselves in a position where they can get on the half turn before receiving the ball. Eventually, the skill will become automatic and the benefits will be immense, giving players a competitive advantage over their opponents and helping them stand out amongst their peers.
If you’re interested in working with us to build this game-changing skill (and others) into your game, then please contact us HERE.
3 Strength Training Benefits for Soccer
Historically, strength training in professional soccer has been looked at as detrimental to performance. Aerobic fitness is king, and myths such as, “strength training makes you slower,” “strength training leads to injury,” and “I never strength trained and I had a successful career,” prevail across the culture in the professional world. While these are just myths, and the history of this issue deserves a blog post in it of itself, thankfully the professional level is slowly crawling out of the stone ages, and the benefits of this shift in mindset is trickling down to the high school and college levels. With that in mind, I wanted to share three benefits of strength training for soccer players, particularly at the high school, college, or even older middle-school level, as this is a prime time for development where strength training can be extremely advantageous.
Historically, strength training in professional soccer has been looked at as detrimental to performance. Aerobic fitness is king, and myths such as, “strength training makes you slower,” “strength training leads to injury,” and “I never strength trained and I had a successful career,” prevail across the culture in the professional world. While these are just myths, and the history of this issue deserves a blog post in it of itself, thankfully the professional level is slowly crawling out of the stone ages, and the benefits of this shift in mindset is trickling down to the high school and college levels. With that in mind, I wanted to share three benefits of strength training for soccer players, particularly at the high school, college, or even older middle-school level, as this is a prime time for development where strength training can be extremely advantageous.
Resiliency. No, I’m not talking about mental toughness. Philosophically, I don’t believe in using exercise as a way to build mental fortitude, as exercise should be used as a tool to spur physiological adaptation. One of the best adaptations strength training provides is an increased muscular resiliency, which leads to a decreased risk of injury. Think about it logically, when an athlete plays soccer (or any sport), he or she is putting his or her body under immense stress. A proper strength training program will slowly and progressively apply stress to prepare the body for the stresses that it will endure during play, and should eventually surpass those forces, leading to a substantially lower risk of injury.
Improved Movement. A proper strength training program will be built upon fundamental movement patterns, which will both teach athletes how to move properly, and also increase how smoothly/seamlessly they move; it becomes automatic. Consider how complex a sport like soccer is. Athletes are asked to jump, sprint, run, shuffle, jockey, dribble, shoot, pass, tackle, and cut (just to name a few), and are asked to do all of this across a 90 minute game while making the appropriate decisions, it’s pretty neurologically taxing. What a good strength program will do, is take the fundamental movements associated with those maneuvers, and practice them over and over again, to the point where those movements become automatic and no longer have to be thought about. Next time you are at a high school or college soccer game, observe which athletes are smooth and seamless with their movements, and which athletes are clumsy and clunky with their movements, I’d be willing to bet that one is practicing those movement patterns in a strength training program, and one is not.
Improved Performance. An athletic player and team will always have a competitive advantage against a less athletic player and team. Strength training is a core component to any holistic athletic development program. Beyond the aforementioned movement and resilient benefits, a proper strength training program will also develop muscle mass, make an athlete stronger (obviously), and teach them how to properly engage.
As you can see, proper strength training should be integrated into any training program where the goal is to maximize athletic performance. I think strength training gets a bad wrap because it is so often done improperly. Yes, a BAD strength program will lead to injury. Yes, a BAD strength program will make you slower. Yes, a BAD strength program will be detrimental to your performance. Thankfully, the bad programs are becoming easier and easier to spot, and you’ll never have to worry about that if you train with us.
Until next time,
-Jer
3 Quick Tips to Improve Dramatically
Yesterday, I was asked by one of my players if I could provide him with three tips for players who want to improve rapidly and give themselves the best opportunity to play at the next level. I thought about it for a minute and wanted to share what I shared with him.
Yesterday, I was asked by one of my players if I could provide him with three tips for players who want to improve rapidly and give themselves the best opportunity to play at the next level. I thought about it for a minute and wanted to share what I shared with him.
My first tip is to compete. Of course, we want to have fun and we want to enjoy playing soccer, but if you want to improve quickly and give yourself the best opportunity to play at the next level, then you have to shift your mindset to a competitive one. You have to compete in every game, compete at every practice, compete in every exercise, and compete on every play. Truly competitive players, players who will sacrifice anything to win, are rare. These players stand out amongst their peers and a team full of competitive players will wreck havoc in any league, regardless of the level.
My second tip is to watch soccer. Many of the players I coach do not actually watch soccer, and it shows. Watching soccer allows you to gain a perspective and understanding about what you should do whilst you are on the field. And while you’re at it, don’t just watch, analyze it. Don’t just follow the ball or watch highlights, watch the players who play the same position as you, and analyze what they do when the ball is in a certain part of the field, or with a certain player. Watch how they move, watch when they step, watch when they drop, watch when they attack, watch when they defend, when they take players on, and when they move the ball around, you get the idea. Doing so will improve your knowledge of the game, and will dramatically improve your movement, decision making, and positioning on the field. In fact, we have brain cells called “mirror neurons” that fire both when we watch someone perform an act, and then when we perform it ourselves, physiologically indicating that we can improve at something by simply watching it.
My last tip for rapid improvement is to practice the skills you are able to outside of practice, outside of practice, and practice them at game speed. Doing so will allow you to maximize the time you spend at practice learning and competing. It will also help you stand out to your coaches and earn more playing time. Practices should not be spent working on the technical skills that are within your control, those skills are your responsibility to develop on your own. Skills like passing, receiving, shooting, pulling the ball out of the air, dribbling, etc., are all simple to train on your own and should be habitual actions at practice. And practice them at game speed. Doing so will increase the likelihood of the skills translating when you are under pressure on the field. Improving these skills on your own will maximize your ability, and allow you to use practice to improve the skills that are a little harder to work on yourself, such as tactics or decision making.
So, in summary, if you are trying to improve dramatically, and give yourself the best opportunity to play at the next level, my three best tips (at this time) are to compete, watch soccer, and develop your technical skills outside of practice.
Thanks for reading,
-Jer
Introduction/Pilot
Thank you for taking the time to view my site and read this blog. Welcome to entry 1, Introduction/Pilot. In this blog, I hope to share a little bit about me, my vision for LPC Soccer, and what to expect out of this blog going forward.
Hello LPC Visitors,
Thank you for taking the time to view my site and read this blog. Welcome to entry 1, Introduction/Pilot. In this blog, I hope to share a little bit about me, my vision for LPC Soccer, and what to expect out of this blog going forward.
First, a little about me. My name is Jeremy Longchamp, I’m 26 years old, and I live in beautiful coastal Maine, in a soon-to-be not so little town called Biddeford. I graduated from the University of New England in 2018 (which is also located in Biddeford), where I was a member of the varsity soccer program, and studied Applied Exercise Science with a minor in Coaching. While at UNE, I was lucky enough to obtain a couple of very high level internships, one at a local performance center, and one at an atypical small-group training gym. These internships sparked my passion for maximizing athletic development, and showed me the impact a coach can make on his/her clients or athletes. This discovery was eye-opening for me, and steered me away from a career in medicine, and towards a career in athletics. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a plethora of athletes across a multitude of settings. I’ve worked full-time in the collegiate setting, at both a high and low level, coaching athletes on the field and in the weight-room. I’ve coached soccer at the club and Olympic Development level, with the ages of my athletes spanning from 10-18 years old. And all the while, I’ve even been able to obtain my master’s degree in Sport Coaching, allowing me to focus less on WHAT I’m coaching, and analyze HOW I’m coaching and WHY I’m choosing to do so. All of this information is shared to paint a picture of who I am and the experiences I’ve had. I am by no means an expert in my field, but I hope to be so one day, and am learning a little more each day.
I started LPC Soccer with the intention of providing high-level soccer camps to the Southern Maine youth. There are about 15 towns within easy driving distance from Biddeford, and not a ton of options for the local community. I hope to be the go-to person for soccer and soccer-specific strength and conditioning in this little bubble. In the future, I’d also like to provide this same area with high-level club soccer opportunities. Each town offers some sort of travel team, but my hope is to unite these areas to bring them all under one club with a systemized approach and holistic philosophy. For this club, my goal is to get every single player recruited to play at the college level. I’d like to be the club in the Maine area that college coaches go out of their way to see, and send my players all over the country to play competitively.
Lastly, I’d like to share my thoughts and expectations for this blog itself. I hope to use this blog as a way to express my thoughts and ideas in a formal and permanent manner. I have ideas constantly running through my head, and felt like this would be a good medium to get them out and develop some clarity about them. I hope that in doing so, I’ll be able to look back in 5, 10, 15, 20 years, and reflect on how far I’ve come. I also hope that by throwing my thoughts out to the world, that others may learn a thing or two, or it may spark their creative gene and provide the inspiration they need to take action or cultivate their own ideas. I have no idea when or how often I’ll be posting, but I hope to do so on a fairly consistent basis.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this blog entry.
All the best,
-Jer