The Athlete Maker Blog

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Basketball: Tennis Ball Rebounding Drill

With Basketball season in full swing, I hope your team is playing well and improving every day. I wanted to send you one of my favorite basketball specific plyometric drills. I love this drill because it incorporates hand eye coordination and explosive plyometric training. It requires the athlete to work on a quick second jump which is so important for basketball players when they get an offensive rebound. This is a great way for your athletes to continue to stay strong and explosive throughout Read more [...]

Friday, January 19, 2018

2 EXERCISES FOR IMPROVED HIP MOBILITY

To be explosive, move well, feel good AND have a great vertical, an athlete should have good hip mobility. Many athletes, especially basketball players, have tight hips. Tight hip flexors present a disadvantage for athletes. Tight hips can hinder an athlete's use of his or her glutes. The glutes are one of the most important muscles for running fast and jumping high. In addition, tight hip flexors can prevent an athlete from being able to explode into triple extension. Triple extension is what Read more [...]

Monday, January 15, 2018

3 REASONS WHY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS SHOULD RUN TRACK IN THE OFFSEASON

The quickest way to impress a college coach is to be the quickest guy in a 40-Yard Dash. "The 40" is probably the most closely-watched drill at any combine, and posting a head-turning time can mean the difference between having multiple scholarship offers and fighting for preferred walk-on status. But running track won't just help you run a faster 40 or help with recruiting. It will make you an all-around better athlete, improving your on-field football performance in three ways. 1. You'll Read more [...]

Friday, December 22, 2017

Happy Holidays From The Athlete Maker LLC

I hope you all have a great Holiday! Keep working hard, enjoy time with your family & friends and may you reach heights in 2018 as high as these Oak Hill guys jump!! I'd love to hear about your success stories, feel free to send me videos or a short note about any improvements you've seen. Enjoy! Also be sure to subscribe to our youtube channel for highlight videos and workout tips! youtube.com/allamericanath Come See Coach Kurtz Speak Read more [...]

Friday, December 15, 2017

Coach Andy Hallett: The Pre-Season Before The Holiday Is It Wasted Time?

Many of us high school coaches wonder what to do with our baseball team during the holiday break. We have seen great results with our pre-season strength training throughout the fall and we are now halfway through our pre-season throwing/arm care program. We have also begun our tee work and fundamental skill work. And, while we don’t want to lose momentum, we also want to respect our players’ family obligations and avoid burning them out before the season even starts. So now every Read more [...]

Sunday, December 10, 2017

3 TIPS TO STAY ON TRACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The holiday season is upon us and it’s a great time to spend with family and friends. The older and busier I get, the more I cherish these times. However, the holiday season can also be a time that offers many distractions that may make it harder for us to reach our goals. Whether you’re an athlete that is in season and wants to perform at you’re absolute best, or you’re an out of season athlete training for your upcoming sports season, or you’re an adult that is trying to be healthy Read more [...]

Friday, December 1, 2017

Off Season Throwing Program For Baseball Players

Baseball season is right around the corner here in the south and it is time to “knock the cobwebs off” and start the process for our spring season. With that upon us, it is now time to resume our baseball activities. Once the summer season ends, we take a full 90 days off from all baseball activities, no throwing, no hitting, and 100% rest from all baseball related activities. We hit the weight room, put our time in on flexibility, spend time on agility progressions and push our core Read more [...]

Monday, November 27, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving & Check Out This Dunk!

5'8" High School Senior Shows Off Impressive 44" Max Vertical I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! Enjoy your day and enjoy your families! I wanted to send you a video of one of our athletes very impressive dunks! He is blessed with some great genetics, but he also is a very hard worker in the weight room and on the court. I hope many of you are enjoying the rewards of improved athleticism. I'd love to hear about your success stories, feel free to send me videos or a short Read more [...]

Monday, November 20, 2017

Guest Post by 6X Baseball State Champ Coach Andy Hallett

As baseball season approaches I will begin sending more on my training programs for baseball athletes. Also Coach Andy Hallett will be a regular contributor to our mailing list. Coach Hallett has been the head baseball coach of AC Flora High School for the past 20 years. He has coached the Falcons to 4 out of the last 6 South Carolina baseball state championships and has won 6 state championships during his tenure. Over the past 19 seasons the Falcons have compiled a 416-163 record for a Read more [...]

Monday, October 30, 2017

Podcasts

For the past year or so I have been really getting into listening to podcasts. I like to listen to them for entertainment, for strength and conditioning education and for business education. Some of my favorites are: The Staley and English Show featuring Coach Kurtz https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-staley-and-english-show-podcast/id1287792428?mt=2 Obviously, I am biased about this podcast because I am a regular on it. However, I think it hits on a lot of topics that Read more [...]