Archive for “Franchisee” Tag

Youth Conditioning Programs Using Ropes & Tires

Posted on: July 30th, 2012 by IYCA 1 Comment

IYCA Expert Dave Gleason Explains How To Develop Youth Conditioning Programs Using Unconventional Methods

As long as your programming has developmental justification that points pack to the required elements of the IYCA system…everything is in bounds!

This includes tires and battle ropes. Many of our AR franchise partners are co branded or are also a Fitness Revolution Franchisee as well. That said, many of our trainers and coaches have experience with large tractor tires and battle ropes. With safety mechanisms in place, very effective and fun activities can be implemented in your youth conditioning programs for 6-9 (Discovery) and 10-13 (Exploration) sessions.

Here are a few examples of youth conditioning programs to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Team Tire Flip.

Even with a 500+ pound tire if you orientate your young athletes well and put yourself in a position to effective spot this activity, this is a very safe team building and exercise. Systemic strength, object manipulation, and cooperation are all aspects of this fun drill.

Have your athletes form a semi circle around the backside of the tire. Cue them to keep their toes close to the tire, and keep their eyes up as they place their hands underneath the tire. “On a count of three we all lift and drive the tire forward.”

2. Team Tire Drag (Pull).

This systemic strength pulling activity is an adventurous variation of tug o war.

Place a battle rope through the middle of a large tire so there are two equal lengths of rope to pull on. Place your athletes evenly on each length of rope. On your command your athletes will pull and drag the tire to a designated area or length.

You can add variation and problem solving by experimenting with how many athletes you can take off of pulling duties to sit on the tire with the remaining athletes still able to move the tire. Then experiment with different kids on the tire vs. pulling.

3. Angry Monkeys.

This super fun exercise is a battle rope wave drill masked by as silly name and animation during the movement. Straight from the brain of Autism Fitness Expert, Eric Chessen, the set up virtually the same depending on the age and size of the athletes. Your 6-9 year old athletes will do well with a single rope wave. A mature 12 or 13 year old will handle a rope end in each hand with no problem. A 40 foot, 1.5 inch in diameter, rope works very well.

Instruct your athletes to act like an angry monkey with the rope end in their hands while making a wave in the rope. Let them make “angry monkey” noises. 10-20 seconds of work is optimal depend on the age of the athletes in your group.

4. Battle Rope Relay.

Object manipulation, cooperation, spatial awareness systemic strength and kinesthetic differentiation are included in the benefits of this game.

Lay out a battle rope in a straight line on the ground. Form two lines of athletes, one line at each end of the rope. The first athlete in each line grabs hold of the end of the rope like a relay baton. On your command the athletes race to opposites ends and hand the rope off to the next person in line.

This is a perpetual race because there is no winner. Give your athletes 2-3 runs each and then give the group a rest.

When ever you can think out of the box and apply some additional fun and adventure into your Youth Conditioning Programs for young athletes you should do so! If something is working well for you please share in in the IYCA Insiders Forum.

Keep changing lives!

Three Quick Ways To Become a Better Coach

Posted on: May 9th, 2012 by IYCA 1 Comment

Become a Better Coach

By Wil Fleming

In the network of coaches that I have met, the most passionate always are other coaches at AR. Every one of the coaches that I have met wants to do the best they can FOR their athletes. As a franchise this sets AR apart from any other that I have ever witnessed (outside of maybe Fitness Revolution!).

The franchisee at the local Starbucks isn’t trying to become better at brewing coffee, the local owner of Chipotle isn’t trying to build a better burrito, but each and everyday the owners of AR’s are trying to be better at developing young athletes.

It is a pretty cool thought when you get down to it.

In light of this, and of a conversation that I had with one of my coaches recently I wanted to talk about my 3 ways to INSTANTLY become a better coach. We can all dive into more continuing education products, and attend live events, but those things take time and it is all about being a better coach today than you were yesterday!

Attend your athletes’ sporting events

We typically see our athletes in the bubble that is our AR, we even evaluate them through the lens of an assessment, but the ultimate assessment is how they perform on the field (or court, or track). See your athletes compete and you will be able to pick out exactly what it is that is holding them back.

In their lateral movement are they applying the principles of deceleration? Are they reacting quickly enough to the visual cues of the game played? Right there you have a blueprint for their next phase of speed training.

Do your athletes start to tire later in the match or game? How exactly is their game paced? If you didn’t already know you know now and you hae a blueprint for designing the conditioning protocols they will use in training.

Lastly, and it has been said 100’s of times, being a presence at sporting events is one of the single greatest marketing tools you have in your toolbox.

Use film to breakdown lifts

This is so simple but sometimes we forget it. Our eyes can only capture so much, and with limited repetitions per training session there are so few opportunities to see your athletes in action while training.

Using film can help you spot errors when you believe that everything is going perfectly. Recently with one of my athletes I was able to spot that the athlete was lacking in complete extension of their hips while doing Olympic lifts, even though it seemed they were reaching this point while in full speed. I was able to notice this by breaking down the lift on film and correct this error for the next lift.

Taking a look at film will sharpen your ability to see things going forward and improve your ability to correlate results (missed lifts, slowing down in acceleration, etc) with particular errors.

For the best breakdown of movements I use the iSwing app available for iPhone and Android (it costs $2.99).

Spend 1 day observing other coaches

This is almost immediate, but just arranging to spend 1 day while around other coaches can help you become a better coach and improve your abilities as well. I am fortunate that at AR Bloomington we have some tremendous coaches that I can turn to so that I can bounce ideas off of them, but even if you are not in this situation find someone in driving distance and go learn from them.

They don’t have to be household names or even strength coaches. Just last week I was able to observe a 2x state champion basketball coach take his team through some off-season basketball workouts. His command and presence resonated with me to be a better leader on the floor of our gym.

The desire to become a better coach is the reason that the members of the AR family are among the best in the world.

Try out these 3 quick tips and see your coaching improve overnight!

A Youth Fitness Success Story – Part 1

Posted on: December 7th, 2010 by IYCA No Comments

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Not only is Dave Gleason the current IYCA Trainer of the Year, he was also the very first Athletic Revolution franchisee.

Dave is in the process of writing a chronicle that explains how he and I met.

How he was highly successful and owned an extremely profitable Personal Training business.

But how the day he heard me make a presentation at a Fitness Conference in 2008 changed his life and business around completely.

How he risked everything… And won.

Read this carefully:

My 17-Year, Incredibly Successful and Profitable Career in the Fitness & Sports Training Industry Took a 180 Degree Turn 2 Years Ago… But My Personal Fulfillment, Bank Account & Future Have Never Been More Glorious…

"I was already making great money," I kept thinking to myself.

My schedule was set and my credibility in the marketplace completely secure.

It wasn’t always like that; I scratched, clawed and stressed for years before I finally hit it big and carved out the career I had always wanted.

But Brian was talking about more than just establishing a career.

He was talking about leaving a legacy.

Empowering a generation.

Becoming a difference maker in the lives of young people.

Shaping the future.

And that’s where the tug-of-war between my common sense intelligence and ‘what it’ emotions started their battle.

"Working with energetic and eager young people everyday," I thought. My eyes now riveted to the stage.

Changing the fortunes and lives of kids who were overweight. Guiding them from a place of isolation and depression into the endless world of opportunity.

Helping young athletes excel. Improve their game. Remain injury free. Obtain an elusive college scholarship.

My emotions started to win and I knew, at very least, that a conversation with Brian was necessary.

Looking back, I think I was actually hoping that this conversation would snap me back to my senses

That’s pretty compelling stuff, isn’t it?

Where until you see where Dave’s story concludes!

I’ll email you that tomorrow.

In the meantime, why not click on the link below and inquire about owning your very own Athletic Revolution?

Between now and December 31, you could qualify for 100% financing – which means NO MONEY DOWN!

Click on the link below and schedule a call with me… It costs nothing to ask questions….

… But it could cost you THOUSANDS not to take advantage of incredible offers like this one.

Here’s that link:

—–> http://www.myathleticrevolution.com/free-report/

Check back tomorrow for ‘Part 2’.

Brian