Fresno State Athletics
In Excellent Condition
11/5/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 5, 2001
By Chris Ramos, Fresno State Media Relations
Part of the preparation football needs to go through before the season is the summer strength and conditioning program. Rich Tucker is in his third season as strength and conditioning coach for the Bulldogs and is responsible for Fresno State's summer workout schedule. The summer workout schedule not only consists of physical exercise but academics also. Along with the strength and conditioning the student-athletes enroll in summer school at Fresno State.
"All of our programs are integrated into the team philosophy," explains Rich Tucker, "and the first responsibility we have is academics."
Before summer strength and conditioning begins, however, football goes into late winter and spring workouts to ready them for the summer. At this time they will start a three-day weightlifting schedule which is not as demanding as the regular workout is. A light running workout of about 35 minutes or less accompanies the weightlifting regimen.
Once the team gets into March and April, spring football begins. During this period weightlifting is cut down to two days a week and running exercises are kept the same.
When spring football is over and school ends the student-athletes go through a break period in which they settle into their new housing and prepare for the summer.
"The players have a couple of days to get arranged in their new places and then they know they have to be ready for the summer workouts," says Tucker.
The early stages of the summer strength and conditioning program consist of two-hour weight lifting sessions. They go on for four weeks before slowing down towards the fifth week. At this time the team takes a two-week break period. During the two-week rest period the players are given a list of light exercises to maintain conditioning upon returning.
"When the players are on their own it's really important for them to continue to work out, " explains Tucker. "If you just sit around for a week or two then there is some detraining going on and over a period of time that long it could be dramatic."
After the players return from their two-week break the strength and conditioning workouts reach their peak. The student-athletes go through several drills in power development and strength training to help them for the fall.
"It's a long haul at this point," describes Tucker, "but it gives us a push on the year."
Along with the power development and strength training, football also has a speed training session that is integrated with the rest of the workouts. The players go through a series a sprint drills that are preceded by warm-ups and stretching exercises.
Another aspect that accompanies strength and conditioning is adjusting. Not only do players have to adjust but also the coaches. When Rich Tucker and his staff lay out a workout schedule they can never predict how the student-athletes will react to it physically.
"Adjustments are a very key element in designing a workout plan," explains Tucker. "We know we're going to have to adjust according to the improvements or fatigue of our players."
The improvements talked about by Tucker can be seen primarily in the younger student-athletes. Tucker explains how the younger players improve faster than normal. A strength and conditioning coach usually sees a curve of improvement that a student-athlete follows as they get stronger.
"The younger guys make that quick jump and they get excited," says Tucker. "It's something we like to see but it usually flattens out as they get older and keep working out."
Although the workout program adjusts from time to time, continuity must be kept for the most part. From one year to the other no more than 15 percent of the original schedule will be changed. While change and variety help, Tucker likes to stick with the basis of training that has worked in the past.
"We believe that there is some stuff we always have to concentrate on," says Tucker. "We always want to squat heavy and deep because that's the base of all strength, we do Olympic lifts and speed workouts."
These three phases of the strength and conditioning workout is what keeps the student-athletes in prime physical shape and an important part that goes with their success on the field. This season the Bulldogs are off to 6-1 start and are showing how their preseason workouts have paid off. The powerful offensive line has helped quarterback David Carr and running back Paris Gaines pile up career-high numbers so far this season.
"We've come out of the gates fast this season and we're very pleased," says Tucker. "We know that when we see success on the field we have done a good job in our preseason summer workouts."
