Training Tip: Get In That Pool

This article is authored by Doug Scott. Opinions expressed may not be that of SMARTER Team Training, STT sponsors or constituents. Coach Scott has been a member of the Pingry faculty since 1999 and has served as a Physical Education teacher and Strength and Conditioning coach since that time. Doug designs workouts for both male and female student athletes competing on a variety of Varsity and Junior Varsity athletic teams, including many county, state, and conference championship teams. Listen to Doug’s podcast on iTunes by clicking here.

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Most articles related to strength training have to do with specific exercises or methods to get the most out of your workouts. While your time spent in the weight room is important, it is only one part of the equation. The other part is the time you spend away from the gym recovering. Your work in the weight room is merely a stimulus signaling the body to change and grow stronger, the actual process of “getting stronger” occurs when you’re not training. Many strength enthusiasts forget about the recovery aspect and spend far too much time in the weight room. While their dedication is admirable, it is actually slowing their progress.

Pools and Recovery
The next time you go swimming I want you wait until the water is still and calm, then, jump into the deep end. Notice that while the splash is biggest where you jumped, the ripples travel everywhere in the pool. Next, get out of the pool and wait until it returns to a still, calm state again. What will happen is that stillness in both the deep end (where you jumped) and the shallow end will occur at basically the same time.

The human body works the same way, as one functional unit, not isolated parts. So if you are performing an exercise for the arms, you are actually causing a stimulus to the entire body to change and synthesis proteins. This is true with all exercises, so the more demanding the exercise, the greater the “ripple effect” to other body areas. This means you must allow the body to recover as a single unit and is the reason why the recommended training of 3 times a week, every other day is so effective. So, dive right in and stick to the basics of equal parts, hard work and rest and you will get stronger.

Doug Scott believes that strength training is a “means to and end” and should be a part of every athlete’s lifestyle; and it’s the coaches job to facilitate learning and put the athlete in the best position to get the most out of themselves and ultimately succeed. Mr. Scott has also worked as a personal trainer and has written a number of fitness-related articles and chapters. Coach Scott is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and hold the title of Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. You can contact him at dscott@pingry.org.