powerline

What! No Distance Running?
This summer is different because of the coronavirus, so I’m offering some advice to football strength coaches as they resume activities. Most athletes have had a long layoff from structured, organized training. As schools are allowed to return...

Powerline: Dangerous Dog Days for Student-Athletes
As I’m writing this column for the June publication, no one is sure when training athletes will resume at colleges and high schools. When schools take the locks off weight rooms and training does resume, strength coaches need to be especially caref...

Powerline: Health & safety in conditioning programs
[caption id="attachment_28677" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Photos: Ken Mannie[/caption] Without question, the top priorities in athletics are the health, safety and welfare of our student-athletes. This responsibility is shared by administrator...

Powerline: Why all athletes must strengthen the neck
I learned about the importance of training the head and neck musculature early in my career. As a high school coach in the mid-1970s, our staff attended several spring football clinics at Penn State University. Dan Riley, who was the head strength an...

Powerline: 5 nutritional tips for training and recovery
The area of sports nutrition is as vital as any component in the organization and administration of a successful strength and conditioning program. At Michigan State University, we’re fortunate to have the professional expertise and services of Rob...

Powerline: Staples in strength training
Information overload is the new normal, and we have to deal with it on a daily basis in all aspects of life. The influx of data on safe, productive and sensible strength training is certainly no exception. There’s no dearth of research, suggestions...

Powerline: Reminders for the winter strength training program
January marks the beginning of the offseason training program for many fall sports, thus prompting me to offer some suggestions for planning it in this Powerline installment. Depending upon postseason play, many programs start their winter trainin...

Powerline: Returning to action after a layoff
There have been some unfortunate incidents involving collegiate student-athletes related to conditioning procedures. Several of these occurrences took place after the athletes returned from an extended break. The return point from a long layoff is...