Since presenting all over the country, it is safe to say that many to most don’t know what manual resistance is as it relates to strength and conditioning, a tool in the training tool box, or a resource to work around limitations both equipment wise or physically. The first question that I ask is “What are your rules when implementing a rep with weights in your traditional program?” The second question is, “What are your rules for manual resistance?” And the conversation is then lead with “What are your expectations of the lifter and spotter?”

Mike Gittleson and Dan Riley took the lead when it comes to expectations when implementing manual resistance in a strength program. They wrote down the “Rules of Manual Resistance”. If you don’t know them, then you need to up your strength game. If you don’t have rules in your traditional strength program, you need to. The first question I ask when consulting or visiting a program is directed to the client or athletes, “What are the rules of each rep on this exercise?”

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How do we as coaches, teammates, or individuals hold ourselves and those around us to a higher standard of expectations if we don’t know what is expected? Please don’t just walk through your “workouts”… EVER! Have a goal. A well-defined expectation that you can hold yourself to. “Lift. Hold. Lower.” “Control each rep.” “One more rep than last training session.” These are three quick and easy coaching terms that lead to incredible results when they are the daily expectation.

Use the video below to learn from Rick Court, Assistant Athletic Director and Strength and Conditioning Coach of Football for the University of Maryland, and how he uses manual resistance to training the head, neck, and upper back areas of his athletes.

Learning what has worked for others is always invaluable. Seeing it first hand is priceless. Learn from incredible professionals from around the country at the professional development clinics and our annual conference on STTEvents.com.

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