Re: Being Secretive?

December 13, 2003

Group:

I agree with Steve Plisk in that I feel no obligation to make available to

any coach all of my thoughts, ideas, and planning in terms of program

design. I spent a lot of time putting my programs together, I spend just as

much time tweaking them to make them better. What obligation do I have to

then turn around and provide all of this free of charge to anyone who asks?

I am certainly willing to share my ideas, I do a lot of publishing on what

we do at the Air Force Academy and will gladly speak to any coach who calls

and has questions. However, we have made it a staff policy to not provide

copies of our workouts to coaches. In my view a coach who calls and asks

for a copy of our workouts is simply not motivated enough to put in the work

himself to design an effective training program.

With respect,

Hedrick

U.S. Air Force Academy

Colorado Springs, CO

Being Secretive?

> Colleagues,

>

> I've never had the opportunity to meet Coach Schroeder, so these comments

aren't

> directed at anyone in particular. Just offering a few thoughts about the

whole

> secrecy issue.

>

> First, I have read a few articles written by Jay. He also seems willing to

discuss

> his methods with people he knows well and trusts, based on some recent posts

to

> this group. So apparently he doesn't have an issue with sharing his ideas to

some

> extent.

>

> I can't help but think about the way NFL/MLB coaches run closed practices,

conceal

> the signals they send to their quarterbacks/pitchers during games, etc. Surely

> they can't have any secret plays or pitches, and after all it's just sport.

But in

> reality, this is big business and careers are on the line.

>

> Jay makes his living training athletes, and probably uses some strategies he

feels

> are unique. I would like to think I do as well, and others probably feel the

same

> way. At any moment you won't see me using any secret/proprietary exercises or

> workloads, but believe I have structured them into a playbook comprising a

unique

> system. In my experience, the elements of one's game plan don't have to be

> original for the plan itself to be worth protecting from " corporate

espionage " .

>

> Unfortunately, many coaches (and even more wannabes) think borrowing others'

> programs is good practice. Some also have no concept of whether something

they see

> others doing might be developmentally appropriate for their athletes; they

simply

> covet what they don't have. I believe we're all standing on the shoulders of

our

> predecessors and am all for exchange of professional ideas, but the degree to

which

> one shares their program with others is a matter of personal discretion.

Having

> had my programs pilfered a few times - and a few others ditched by team

coaches who

> suddenly valued someone else's program more because they had to steal or pay

for it

> - I'm not quite as altruistic about this as I used to be.

>

> Apologies if this is starting to sound like a rant. I haven't even had my

morning

> coffee yet!

>

> Plisk

> Velocity Sports Performance

> Fairfield County, CT

>

> --- KennyCrox@... wrote:

> > I agree with what you are saying. Jay Schroeder is

> > very secretive with his training. From people I have

> > talked to and have visited him always say the same

> > thing. He will tell you some of the things he does

> > but he never tells you everything. To me this sets

> > off the red flag. If what you are doing is so great

> > then do not be afraid to share it with others.

> >

> > Rick Lytle

> > Cleveland, Ohio

> > rlytle2000@...

December 16, 2003

Greetings, and group

I respect your choice in not sharing specific programs, though I

disagree... I'll give anyone anything, even my worthless advice...

***grin***... Here are my program and parameters:

I coach high school football players off season strength program.

I get them every other day, so it's a two week minicycle essentially:

MWFTTh

I have squat, bench, deadlift, powerclean, incline.

I have 45 minutes.

I lift 30 kids at a time, in three man groups.

I'm on a four workout cycle right now...

#1: 3 x 8 @ 75%, without deadlift

#2: 3 x 6 @ 80%, without deadlift

#3: 4 x 4 @ 85%, without powerclean

#4: circuit drill: 30 stations, 30 seconds per station, 10 seconds

between.

On non weight days, they're doing running and agility drills outside

with other coaches.

Thoughts?

Bear Guinard

FT Worth, TX

December 16, 2003

All:

I have to agree with both Steve and as well. I learned the hard way

that there are ugly people in our industry, when I was thinking out loud or

brainstorming with a colleague who then took my idea and manufactured it and

now has " rights " to this aquatic workout toy.

After that, things tend to come with a price tag. I too am published and

present.

I am willing to share broad thoughts and ideas, but am not willing to do the

work for someone else.

Meg Stolt Johannessen

New York, NY

December 18, 2003

Hi Group,

In my personal opinion, none of us should be expected to provide the details

of our plans for a few reasons.

1. The majority of us who are worth more than we get paid do spend hours

upon hours on our program designs and their constant tweaking.

2. These programs are tweaked according to how our athletes react to them.

No two groups of athletes are the same therefore they will all react

differently to a specific program according the their abilities and the

cumulative stresses placed upon them.

3. My programs are written and tweaked around my base of knowledge and

experience, my ability to adjust as necessary is what makes my programs

work. Without this base of understanding and ability, a bunch of numbers on

a page are useless.

4. Because of the reasons above, a full description of what I do would be no

more than entertainment for those that would read it, not to mention the

fact that I will be doing something different tomorrow anyway.

I hope that this was enlightening for those concerned,

J s, MS, CSCS, USAW, NSCA-CPT

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach

College of ton

(843)953-1424

(865)405-2136

jjacobs24@...

30 Str.

ton, SC 29424

" Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to

reform " Mark Twain

" Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change