Ashley Jones, Author at Getstrength - Strength Training Programs for Beginners to Elite Athletes

The Need to Increment Resistance during Strongman Training

Last Updated on September 7, 2019

The Need to Increment Resistance during Strongman Training

By Dr. Daniel Baker
Strength Coach, Brisbane Broncos,
Level 3 Strength & Conditioning Coach
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association Master Coach of Strength & Conditioning

Strongman training is growing in popularity for athletes such as rugby league and union players. Advocates of it suggest that it is more “specific” than other forms of strength training. This article is not going to argue the case one way or another on that issue, but suggest where limitations in the application of the overload during this form of training can be improved.

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May the Force be with you!

Last Updated on September 7, 2019

May the Force be with you!

Ashley Jones & Luke Thornley

Rate of force development (RFD) is a key factor in sports performance. RFD has been described by Santana (2000) as “the ability to generate the greatest amount of force in the shortest time possible.” In the book, Sports Speed, Dintiman, Ward and Tellez (1998), define starting strength which is a component of RFD as “the ability to instantaneously recruit as many muscle fibres as possible,” and explosive strength as “the ability to keep the initial explosion of a muscle contraction going over a distance against some resistance.” After an exhaustive review of the literature, the leading Australian strength and conditioning coach, Damian Marsh, identified Explosive Strength as “the firing of muscle fibres over a longer period of time after initial activation.”

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Speed Sessions with Weights

Last Updated on September 7, 2019

Hi Ashley,
As the title suggests can you give me some examples of how to incorporate speed sessions into my training program. I want to get stronger and faster together with the CV fitness to last the whole game (openside flanker).
I devote a lot of time to my training and usually work on 4 weights a week, 2 upper, 2 lower and to be honest I tend to mix up the reps on every session, ie form 2 up to 20 reps, because I think the game demands everything from power all the way to endurance!
I normally carry out sprints after leg workouts on a Tue and a Thurs with a general beasting session on a Sat. trg programme is like this
Mon- Upper Body (mix of reps bu normally between 4-8 with different rest periods) 5 exercises
Tue- Lower Body 4 exercises (again but normally higher end of reps 12-20) and then sprints after this
Wed- Rest
Thurs- Lower Body Heavy 4 exercises (3-10 reps various rest intervals) followed by sprint session
Fri- Upper Body- Mix of high reps
Sat- Interval Session on rowing machine with periods of farmers walks and curcuit type exercises.
Sun- Walk the dog and chill:-)
I always stick to Bench, Bent over row, Squat, DL and SLDL with variables of them.
I normally feel fudged after the weight session but don’t really know when to put my speed sessions in and the sessions tend to drag on a bit.
I was thinking about doing 4 weeks of smashing myself in the gym with no cardio and then 8 weeks away start to add cardio in, but unsure of the best way to put it all together!

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Nice Little Finishing Hybrid Movement – Ashley Jones

Last Updated on September 7, 2019

Author Ashley Jones

As most of you know by now I am a firm believer that you get a stronger core by lifting as heavy as you can with good form on basic movements, throw in some strongman exercises and that just about does the trick.

Also delving back into the past you can come up with some core specific movements which are part of full body movements as well, these are great finishing exercises for your overall workout. They also provide strength challenges of their own to progressively work against.

Exercises like Samson’s side bend and the Jeffries side bend and pick up (see www.strongerman.com) and Turkish Get Up are just a few of these, also by combining movements you increase the complexity of the movement and get more muscle involvement as well.

I would like to detail two such hybrids that are now mainstays of our finishing movements.

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In Season Training – Ashley Jones

Last Updated on September 7, 2019

Author Ashley Jones

In season training is often problematic with trying to fit in all elements of a strength & conditioning program and the added effects of coming out of one game and preparing for the next game often with a seven day or less turn around period.

The following is based on a full week period from game to game, there are a lot of options in it to ensure that player’s needs and individual preferences are catered for. What is listed below is for a healthy player, there are a number of options for player’s who are damaged but the one I like most to stress is that an injury should not stop you from training. By this I mean that if you have one limb that can not be trained then in most situations you can still get an effective other limb workout. Also by training the uninjured limb you will get some neural cross over effect to the damaged limb and thereby not lose all your gains on that side as well.

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