by USAT Level II Coach, Mike Ricci
This Program is adapted from Joe Friel’s Training Bible – I have added my own exercises where I thought it was appropriate.
The Exercises
One legged squats:
Try to create a 15-30 degree squat movement (this is much less than the typical parallel squat) rather than focusing on the calf - if you stand in the Pose position (ball of foot on the ground) you'll get the proper emphasis on the calve without turning the exercise into a calf raise - you are trying to duplicate the range of motion actually used in running. This could be done at first holding dumb bells but ultimately you need a machine of some kind to apply resistance or you have to do conventional barbell squats. Some athletes have used the nautilus calf raise machine which allows you to do a narrow range of motion squat pulling the weight stack through a belt around your waist.
One leg squat start and then with slight bend in knee (2)
Two leg squat starting position (left)
Two leg squat finish Position (right)
Bent arm lat pull down (standing)
1 - Standing at the
lat pull down bar, position the bar a few inches above the head.
2 - Place the hands
on top of the bars, 10-14 inches apart, palms facing down, with the
arms slightly bent at the elbow.
3 - While
maintaining high elbow position (just like in the crawl stroke),
push the bar down by rotating the shoulder until the bar is a few
inches below the hip bone.
4 - Return to the
starting position.
Bent arm lat pull down start (left) Bent arm lat pull down finish (right)
Leg Press
This can be done with two feet or one. This is probably the safest of the hip-extension exercises.
1 - Center the feet
on the platform, 10 inches apart, centered. The higher the feet are
on the platform, the more the glutes and the hamstrings are engaged.
Seated Row
Strengthens the core
and lower back
1 - Grasp the bar
with arms fully extended and hands 8-10 inches apart if using a
straight bar. Palms are facing down.
Step Ups
Hamstring curl
This exercise
duplicates the Pose Method exercise whereby you lift the heel to the
butt - you add resistance by strapping on ankle weights around the
lower leg. You can also increase resistance by putting the weight
bearing foot on something elevated either forward or backward. The
focus is on quick foot removal as the ball of the foot touches the
ground, followed by relaxation - just as in your running technique.
Anatomical
Adaptation/AA Strength Phase- This is the initial phase of strength training that usually occurs in
the late fall or early winter during the Preparation period. It's
purpose is to prepare the muscles and tendons for the greater loads
of the maximum strength (MS) phase.
AA Phase
(Anatomical Adaptation)
Total Sessions
12
Sessions/Week
3
Load (% of max
lift)
40-60%
Sets
3-5
Reps
20-30
Speed
Slow
Recovery
1-1.5'
AA Exercises One
or Two leg squats
Bent arm lat
pull down (standing)
Leg Press
Seated rows
Leg Extension
Personal
Weakness (i.e. stretching)
Hamstring curl
MS/Max Strength
Phase-
The purpose of this phase of strength training is to improve force
generation and the ability to teach the central nervous system to
easily recruit high numbers of muscle fibers.
Max Strength
Phase (MS)
Total Sessions
12
Sessions/Week
2
Load
BW* Goal
Sets
3-6
Reps
3-6+
Speed
Slow
Recovery (in
minutes)
2-4
Goal Weight*
Current Weight
(input)
165
1.3% of BW
1.7% of BW
Squats
1.3-1.7
214.5
280.5
Leg Press
2.5-2.9
412.5
478.5
Step Up
.7-.9
115.5
148.5
Seated Row
.5-.8
82.5
132
Standing bent
arm pull down
.3-.5
49.5
82.5
MS Exercises
Leg Press*
Seated rows*
Core Strength
Bent arm lat
pull down (standing)* Two
leg squats*
*Only these
exercises follow the MS guideline. The rest of the exercises follow
the AA guidelines.
Power
Endurance/
PE- The
purpose of this strength phase is to develop the capacity to quickly
recruit most of the fibers for a movement, and to sustain their use
at a high power output.
Power
Endurance Phase (PE)
Total Sessions
6-8
Sessions/Week
1-2
Load
40-60%
Sets
2-3
Reps
8-15
Speed
Fast
Recovery
3-5
PE Exercises
Leg Press*
Seated rows*
Core Strength
Bent arm lat
pull down (standing)*
One legged
squats
*Only these
exercises follow the PE guideline. The rest of the exercises follow
the AA guidelines.
Muscular
Endurance/
ME- The
ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated contractions
for a long period of time while bearing a load.
Muscular
Endurance (ME)
Total Sessions
4-8
Sessions/Week
1
Load
30-50
Sets
1-3
Reps
40-60
Speed
Mod
Recovery
1-2
ME Exercises
Leg Press*
Seated rows*
Core Strength
Bent arm lat
pull down (standing)* Two
leg squats*
*Only these
exercises follow the ME guideline. The rest of the exercises follow
the AA guidelines.
SM/Strength
Maintenance Phase-
This weight lifting phase maintains the basic strength established
in the previous phases of strength training.
SM
Total Sessions
Indefinite
Sessions/Week
1
Load
60, 80
Sets
2-3
Reps
6-12
Speed
Mod
Recovery
1-2
SM Exercises
Leg Press*
Seated rows*
Core Strength
Bent arm lat
pull down (standing)*
Leg Press One
leg squats
*Only these
exercises follow the SM guideline. The rest of the exercises follow
the AA guidelines.
Michael Ricci is a USAT certified coach. He can be reached for personal coaching at
mike@d3multisport.com.
2 - Press the
platform until the knees are almost straight, but the knees do NOT
lock out.
3 - Lower the
platform until the knees are 8 inches from your chest and no lower.
4 - Knees remain in
line with the feet throughout the movement.
5 - Return to the
starting position.
Leg Press Start (left) Leg Press fully extended (right)
2 - Pull the bar to
the chest keeping the elbows close to the body.
3 - Minimize
movement at the waist using the back muscles to stabilize your
position.
4 - Return to the
starting position.
Seated Row Start (left) Seated Row Finish (right) 
Start Position (left) Finish Position (right) 
Hamstring Curl Start (pose method) (left) Hamstring Curl finish (pose method) (right)
The Weight Training Phases