Developing muscular endurance in Youth is so important. In this video, IYCA Ambassador & Coach shares some insight. Head on over to our youtube channel to check it out! We love hearing from you, comment below one take-a-way from this video! Sports performance is a game of adjustments, we must be educated so we can adjust when it counts! Learn more about the resources that can help you get educated at iyca.org/store Use the CODE: MVIOLET15 to get 15% off your entire cart!
Enhancing In-Game Performance in Soccer Athletes
Enhancing In-Game Performance is incredibly important. In this blog we will discuss integrating speed with soccer skills and ultimately enhancing performance on the field. In the fast-paced world of soccer, speed is an important factor that can mean the difference between a good and a great player. However, speed in soccer is more than just how quickly a player can sprint. It’s about how well they can combine their speed with ball control, dribbling, and tactical awareness to improve their game performance. This article seeks to assist coaches and soccer parents with information on how to effectively combine these aspects… More »
Soccer Speed Part IV: Applying Speed Training to Soccer
Transference and Applying Speed Training to Soccer is the goal of parents, coaches and athletes alike. Speed skills must transfer and show improvement in on-field performance. My previous blogs expand on the Principles of Soccer Speed, Different Types of Soccer Speed, Developing those types of Soccer Speed and now, Applying Speed Training to Soccer. Here’s how to apply these concepts to soccer: Integrated Training Although it is vital to focus on each type of speed separately, the most effective training regimens incorporate all components of speed. For example, a drill may ask players to rush to a ball (physical speed),.. More »
Training Athletes Who Never Have An Off-Season
Have you ever wondered how to train athletes who never have an off-season? You aren’t alone, we received a great question from one of you, and we want to address it. In this blog we will dive into, Training athletes who never have an off-season For this one, we called on Periodization Expert, Karsten Jensen, to share his decades of experience working with over 27 different sports through the Olympic Levels, in a blog just for you! (And there will be more to come as he expands on the concepts he speaks about here) Here is what he had to.. More »
Dynamic Football Warm-up and Sample Workout
Join IYCA Certified Coach, Efrain as he shares his Dynamic Football Warm-up and Sample Workouts! We believe that collaboration is the key to unlocking potential, not just in ourselves but in the kids we coach! There is no single ‘right way’ but together we can find the best way to serve the kids we work with. Below is a warm-up series for middle & high school football athletes. General Physical Preparation, Flexibility & Mobility Run an easy lap around the track or field Glute bridge – Lay supine on a mat or field with heels on the ground and toes.. More »
Soccer Speed Part III: Developing Different Types of Soccer Speed
Developing different types of soccer speed is important. In my last two articles spoke about The Principles of Soccer Speed and the Types of Soccer Speed. In this article I will go deeper into how to develop the different types of soccer speed. Developing Physical Speed Improving physical speed entails a combination of strength training, plyometrics, and sprint-specific activities. Strength training, particularly for the lower body, can increase a player’s power production, resulting in faster acceleration. Plyometric workouts like box jumps and bounding can improve explosive power. Sprint-specific training, such as flying sprints and hill sprints, can boost both acceleration.. More »
Soccer Speed Part II- The Different Types of Speed
There are different types of speed when it comes to training soccer athletes. In my last article I spoke about the Principles of Soccer Speed. We know, that in the fast-paced world of soccer, speed is an important factor that may make or break a player’s success on the pitch. However, soccer speed is multi-dimensional. Soccer includes several types of speed, each of which contributes significantly to a player’s total performance. This detailed tutorial will go over the many types of speed required for soccer, how to increase them, and how to use this knowledge to improve performance on the.. More »
Ditch the Line in Youth Sports
Coach Jim tells us to Ditch the line in Youth Sports if we want our athletes to get better. If you are a youth sport coach, teaching skills… then take a listen to what he means by “Ditch the Line” Jim Kielbaso Jim Kielbaso is the President of the IYCA and Owner of Impact Sports Performance in Novi, MI. He has authored multiple books, articles and training products and has spoken at events around the world. He holds a BS in Exercise Science, an MS in Kinesiology and has gone through multiple certifications through the IYCA, NSCA, NASM and more… More »
3 Massive Benefits of Warm-Ups
Warm-Ups, why bother? Great question! In this blog I share 3 Massive Benefits of warm-ups. In my last blog, Effective Sports Practices: Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach I spoke about the importance of YOU preparing for practice. Consider this your ‘warm up’. Now, let’s talk about the athletes and how we can help make their practice more effective, starting with the warm-up! I have been told many times that “warm ups are boring and monotonous” or “I don’t have time for that”. Well, to be fair- that may be true. But then I’d say, it’s also boring sitting on the bench.. More »
Power Development for Athletes
In this article we are discussing power development for athletes. What is power? How can you increase power output? How can you test for power? What is Power Development: The equation for power is Power= Force x Distance/Time or Power=Force x Velocity. Power Development can be described as the development in the ability to exert force in the shortest period of time leading to the ability to produce higher velocities against a given load. The ability to exert large amounts of force in various directions, within a shorter time period, is a vital skill for athletes to develop. How to.. More »
Every Sports Coach Needs to Know These
Every sports coach wears a number of different hats, and it’s important to know how these three components measure up, if you hope to improve your young athletes! Every sports coach should know these three components and in this video, IYCA CEO, Jim Kielbaso shares them: Once you review the videos, we would love to hear from you! What sport do you coach and what component do you feel you need to pay more attention to? We look forward to hearing from you! Jim Kielbaso is the President of the IYCA and Owner of Impact Sports Performance in Novi,.. More »
Effective Sports Practices:Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach
Are you looking to run effective sports practices? If you have ever coached a sport, even for just one season- you know the juggling act. From parent communications, logistics of leading a team, understanding the skills & drills, to the actual coaching mechanism- it can be daunting, not to mention…exhausting. We want to do our best to make your job as easy as possible. We also want to make sure that your athletes’ are getting what they need through the process. This blog series is made to be a game of throw-and-catch! Be sure to provide your feedback and thoughts.. More »
Rotational Power Development for Hitting & Throwing Sports
Rotational Power Development for Hitting & Throwing Sports can be overlooked but it is extremely beneficial for sports like baseball, softball, football, track, basketball and many others. In this blog we will cover four movements to develop rotational power. Rotation movements help to develop coordination in young athletes by learning how to use the kinetic chain (whole body) to develop force. The ability to develop more ground reaction force and transfer that force to the other side of the body, is a beneficial skill to develop. Typically movements are performed with a lighter percentage of weight (Barbell, Cable, Medicine Ball).. More »
Strength and Conditioning strategies for Large Groups
As High School Strength and Conditioning coaches we often deal with larger group sizes, with only a sport coach or two to assist implementing our programs. With this in mind, it is critical to put time into planning every aspect of your program to ensure that workouts flow efficiently and are effective at the same time. Challenges with larger groups include lack of understanding from the athletes, lack of space, lack of equipment, athletes waiting for an exercise, and inability to coach every athlete individually. Here are 4 strategies for addressing these Challenges: Ensure Athletes have an understanding of each.. More »
Four Exercises to Increase Vertical Power-Lucas Mayo
Increasing vertical jump height, force production, and reducing ground contact time is important for many sports. There are several main points of emphasis when coaching vertical power exercises. First, we are working to train triple extension of the hips, knees, and ankles driving up through their toes. Second, creating full extension within shorter periods of time to increase power. Third, we want athletes to execute movements with great intent and speed. When an athlete executes a countermovement jump, we want to emphasize the ability to snap down quickly and transition back to triple extension quickly as well. Lastly, we need.. More »
IYCA Zoom Workshops
IYCA Zoom workshops bring the craft of coaching, science of sport, long term athlete development, psychology and nutritional principles to your business, organization, school or institution. Our workshops are accessible education & resources for Sports & Governing Organizations, Institutions & Schools, and Sports Performance businesses. Are you Interested in more information about our workshops? Contact the IYCA at theiyca@gmail.com SUBJECT: WORKSHOPS Below are the following topics we have available for Sport Coaches & Performance Coaches For Sports Coaches: If you are an association, organization or school that has sport coaches, these topics are for you and them. You can pick.. More »
Soccer Speed Part I: Principles of Soccer Speed
In soccer, speed is a multidimensional skill that goes beyond mere running speed. There are principles of Soccer Speed, that when applied, can be highly effective. It is an essential element that has the power to separate players at different skill levels and have a big effect on how well they perform on the field. As a seasoned strength and conditioning coach with a focus on youth soccer fitness, I am aware of how critical it is for young athletes to develop their speed. This article, the first of four, will examine the many types of speed needed for best.. More »
The Five Pillars of Athletic Development-Cole Walderzak
Over the past couple decades, we have found ourselves in an exponential shift from developing total athletes to developing “specialist”. Younger and younger it seems that kids are moving to being single-sport athletes and becoming specialists to particular a position. While this is not necessarily a problem, since many athletes might just enjoy that one sport, it has opened the door to a world of training toxicity and misinformation. The world has become so engulfed in sport-specific training that we cold-shoulder total athletic development. It’s no wonder we are where we are now…an athletic community of exponential over-use injuries and.. More »
The Power of Play: A Guide for Play Every Day
Did you know that PLAY in and of itself has incredible health an cognitive benefits? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “research demonstrates that developmentally appropriate play with parents/caregivers and peers is a singular opportunity to promote the social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills that build executive function and a prosocial brain. Furthermore, play supports the formation of the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with all caregivers that children need to thrive.” Play is not frivolous!! It’s essential to development and even as adults, we need it! Below you will find easy ‘printable’ concepts and tips to keep handy.. More »
Acceleration Drills for Athletes
Acceleration can be defined as the rate of change of velocity in a movement. In coaching terms, it is how quickly an athlete can increase speed over a short distance (5-10 yds). So how do we get our athletes to be able to develop improved acceleration? We look at 3 major aspects to broadly focus on and then make smaller more specific changes as we work with athletes. Angle of the shin/torso A main component of acceleration is the angle at which you are driving out to accelerate. The optimal angle to be at is around 45 degrees with the.. More »