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Please Help - Training for College Athletics

If you already play two sports that involve a lot of running and jogging and don't want to lose sprint speed I really think you shouldn't mess with anything like the p90x/insanity etc stuff. You should look at some of the stuff Charles Poliquin has written on the subjects you brought up. Here's an article he wrote a few years back about conditioning for soccer: Poliquin Performance Center - Chicago (PPC-C)

Basically he's recommending strength training with compound movements like squats and saying that the aerobic component in soccer is way overstated, it's more about intermittent sprinting than low quality aerobic work. He states that squats- which are no doubt the king of muscle building exercises- are almost universally done by the most successful speed athletes and should be done by soccer players.

I haven't read his opinion on p90x type training but I've seen him talk about similar ideas like CrossFit, stating, "If you only have one ass you can't sit on two horses."

He also states that it's a myth that soccer players shouldn't do upper body training also. So all around, as far as aesthetics and keeping your speed I'd say that the other posters are very much on the right track. If you did the 3x/wk split and wanted to fill in some of the other days I'd imagine sprinting on those days would be your best bet.
 
I'm assuming the 3 day workout would just be the first of the 3 workouts you posted, would that be in a row, or with a break between each day than a rest on weekend? Like I said, I have access to a very nice facility less than half a mile away in my neighborhood so commitment to going is no problem. However, I am not familiar with all the lift types/names/machines so should I just look on the internet for pictures of machines?
As I said above, the program I recommend for you is called "Starting Strength" or "Rippetoe's." It's a 3x5 work sets routine (+ warmups). You do it on 3 nonconsecutive days, for example, monday wednesday, friday. Doesn't have to be those days specifically just any 3 days which are not touching each other. Nearly ALL questions you may have can be answered by reviewing this website: Starting Strength Wiki. To reiterate it's:

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press
5x3 Power cleans

Workouts A and B alternate on 3 non-consecutive days per week.


Along with the SS routine, and a excel spreadsheet to calculate the weights you should lift, there are three other similar novice programs on this specific page: The Starting Strength Novice/Beginner Programs - Starting Strength Wiki.


I recommend sticking powercleans in the routine somewhere since you are an athlete and they are good for speed/vertical jump/explosiveness. Regardless of which you choose, make sure you warm up every time you lift. For you, that probably means doing 1-2 sets with the bar, then increasing the weight by about 10-20 pounds until you get to your work sets.



Ideally, you should have a coach (or other knowledgeable person) who knows what they are doing show you how to do the lifts (even if its for 1-2 sessions). Don't get hurt doing things incorrectly. It may, however, be very difficult for you to find such a person. In that case, that site I linked to has instructional videos for all of the lifts in the program, found here specifically: Video - Starting Strength Wiki. You should watch the videos regardless of whether you find someone to coach you. If anything someone tells you significantly differs from something you see in those videos, that individual is probably wrong and/or full of shit. Just because someone is a coach/trainer, doesn't necessarily mean they know what the hell they are talking about, especially at a commercial gym.


Additionally, if you can somehow video your lifts and then post them here, we can comment and help you improve your form.

IN REVIEW:
>Where can I found out exactly what the named lifts are? [Machines at my Athletic-Club aren't titled]
>What days of the week should the 3 workouts be done?
>Since i'm doing 3, what days should speed/agility be done? [I'm not going to do a full speed routine, just some basics to make sure I don't lose anything. Plan on eating more those days to catch up with cal-loss]
>At what point is starting a p90x/insanity routine feasible? I am really trying to get not only into top shape on the inside but I would also like to improve aesthetics greatly, to a typical post-p90x look

1. Answered this above, you won't need any machines for the workouts we are discussing, just a barbell, a squat rack of some sort, and a bench (and possibly a bar you can do pullups from).
2. Answered this above, basically any three days of the week that aren't directly following each other. M/W/F, T/TH/Sat, Sun/Tues/Thurs, anything like this.
3. You have a few choices for the speed/agility. You can either do it A) in the morning before you do your weights, B) on your off days, C) on Saturday (assuming you're working out M/W/F), or D) some combination thereof. Basically, you want to do it so that it'll negatively effect your workouts the least (or none at all ideally). You may have to experiment a bit with this. Don't make too many decisions based on weeks 1-2 that you do the weights, because you're probably initially going to be sore as shit all day every day for the first two weeks until you adapt.
4. No F-ing p90x!! I told you before, the only way to "look better aesthetically" as you keep saying is to lose fat or to gain muscle. P90x is essentially a fat loss/cardio/body weight routine marketed mainly for men. You're doing shit like pushups, pullups, burpees, etc. What do you think will build up your chest more? Doing some pushups and some jumping jacks or benching 150 (or whatever) for 3 sets of 5, twice a week? The only people who are going to even gain muscle off that program, or programs like that, are probably completely untrained individuals (or recovering from surgery/an injury), in which case they can probably put on muscle from cycling a bike or doing almost anything. It's mostly oriented toward fat loss. As we already discussed, you don't need to lose fat at this time. Doing the SS routine and adding several inches to your chest/arms/legs will make you look better aesthetically.

But does overeating in terms of calories damage the routine? I feel like I may be in situations where I reach the calorie intake but not the protein intake, in this case is it ok to just hit some protein powder to fill the protein need for that day?

It's most important to get in the 3k calories. You don't need exactly 2x bodyweight grams of protein to grow, but the more you can eat, the better, and the more you'll probably grow. Protein powder is absolutely fine, just don't rely exclusively on protein powder to get in your daily intake. Eat meat. Don't worry too much about becoming an expert on nutrition right off the bat. It's more important to stick to general concepts and principles and you can learn the nitty gritty details over time.
 
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Here's an excerpt from the link flexmanning gives above which is particularly pertinent to you, given some of the things you've said (and yes I realize soccer isn't lax, but this applies regardless):

Soccer Training Myth #7: Strength Training will make you Slow

Tell that one to Olympic Gold medalists in bobsled, speed skating, track and field sprinting. Setting the drug issue aside, at his prime, Ben Johnson was respected by competitors not only for his lightning starts but his performance levels in the weight room and his well-developed thighs. Ben's leg training revolved around the squat. Since then, the training of World Class has shifted to greater volumes of work in the weight room. Increased strength will improve your ability to overcome inertia, and therefore will improve your short-term speed. By overcoming these myths you will become a better soccer player.
 
Great stuff Cato and flex . Op you have your answers. Squats, Deads, and presses. Go heavy get strong and get the physique you desire period.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App
 
Thanks man! Assuming I took all your guys' comments the right way, here is what my plan is, and the goals to review.

Main sport: Lacrosse
Level: NCAA
What I want: Much more aesthetically pleasing form, and competitive edge
What I don't want to lose: Speed
What I plan on eating: 3000 cals per day, 300g protein per day, low to no junk food, period.
What I plan on doing: 3-day workout per week, breaks between. Small agility courses/low level sprints on one or two offdays per week, but nothing extreme on offdays. [Workout: As prescribed in earlier post, the 3 day split one]

I am doing this with a friend as well who is in the exact same position as me actually, both sizewise and goalwise so we will both be doing this.

What I said look about right?
 
Yes. Looks good. Good idea to write your goals down also. Keeps you focused and your head on what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Don't shit a brick if you miss those diet numbers by a little bit once or twice or whatever. Also don't worry too much about having junk food on occasion. At your level of bodyfat it's not a huge deal, but it'll be tough to hit your desired macros and make good progress in strength and weight if you dont eat mostly good stuff. Just try to hit those numbers as best you can (or even exceed them if you're feeling hungry that day).

If you haven't gained any weight/gotten bigger after 4 weeks, then you are doing something wrong. Probably not eating enough, assuming you do the program as written with the sprint/agility work you have included.

You can use a scale and a tape measure to track your progress.
 
Holy sh*t you guys are helpful... Thanks, I can tell you that I really do appreciate all this and the time you guys have put into commenting! I have one final question, just one, and its sort of stupid but oh well. I understand that doing the 3-day split routine with some agility/speed routine here and there will increase strength and size, etc. but will the muscle that is coming in be just size, or will it come in toned and defined as well? I guess what I'm saying is will I need to do more toning AFTER I get the size packed on with the 3-day split?

Once again you guys are f-ing helpful, thanks!
 
If anyone is curious by the way, the schools i'm looking at right now to play for: University of Miami, University of Washington, Colorado University at Boulder [1st lacrosse, 2nd soccer]
 
Holy sh*t you guys are helpful... Thanks, I can tell you that I really do appreciate all this and the time you guys have put into commenting! I have one final question, just one, and its sort of stupid but oh well. I understand that doing the 3-day split routine with some agility/speed routine here and there will increase strength and size, etc. but will the muscle that is coming in be just size, or will it come in toned and defined as well? I guess what I'm saying is will I need to do more toning AFTER I get the size packed on with the 3-day split?

Once again you guys are f-ing helpful, thanks!

No you won't have to do anything else. If you work that 3 day like Cato said you will add quality lean mass. Try it for 12 weeks. Take a pic of you now and then another after working hard in the gym for 12 weeks. You will be amazed at the results with an honest effort.
 
Hey guys, unfortunately I had to go on visits to schools and than stayed in Florida for a while so I am just now getting home. I'm starting the Rippetoe's 3-Day on monday, and tomorrow/sunday just going to go in and work on lift technique. I got some protein supplements, any suggestions on foods I should eat to hit the 3k cals and 300p? I just don't want to be eating food i'm not supposed to in order to hit the benchmarks ya know?
 
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