3 Tools to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Summer Training Program

Summer training is one of the most crucial times for an athlete, and one of the busiest times for a strength and conditioning coach. Here are 3 tools to get the most out of your program this summer! 

Push/Pull Sleds 

Push/pull weight sleds are ideal for general conditioning, sprint and speed training, and posterior chain development.

Premium construction withstands intense summer training drills

For general conditioning, users perform sets of sled pushes at moderate to light loads (less than 30% of bodyweight) for extended distances or periods of time with shorter rest intervals.  

Speed training has athletes use light loads (less than 10% additional weight), while sprinting short distances with full recovery between sets.  

For strength development, drag the sled with heavy loads (greater than 20% bodyweight) and moderate recovery will allow the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and erectors to fully contract and stimulate growth. 

Agility Ladders 

Agility ladders are one of the most versatile pieces of training equipment you can own. Ladders improve acceleration, coordination, foot speed, ability to change direction, reaction, and more. 

Durable construction won't break if stepped on. Ladders are great for summer training programs.

Consider the following when choosing your ladders: 

Size

Ladders can be as short as 10’ and as long as 30’. Ladders also come in single-, double-, and multi-lane configurations. Different ladder sizes conform to athletes of all calibers as they participate in speed and agility training. 
 
Rung style 

Users are less likely to get hung up on flat-rung ladders indoors. Cylindrical-rung ladders usually lay flatter on grass and are less expensive. 

Flat-Rung Single Ladders benefit beginner athletes, with rungs that lay flush with the ground for easier traversing.  

Round-Rung Single Ladders are meant for experienced athletes, with slightly raised rungs that require higher footwork for clearance.  

Extra-Wide Single Ladders are designed to help more high-level athletes increase lateral stride reach, and are ideal for more dynamic drills.  

Flat-Rung Double Ladders also add a new dimension to training by enabling more complex agility drills and sport-specific footwork movements. 
 
Adjustability 

Adjustable rungs allow you to move the rungs closer or further from one another, adding variety to drills. Some ladders can be configured for change-of-direction, zigzag, or multiple-user drills. 
 
Color 

Consider the surface the ladder will be used on and pick a high-contrast color. Some ladders have multi-colored rungs. 

Timing Systems 

Velocity-based training is a current hot topic in the strength and conditioning community, and for good reason. Multiple research studies and strength coaches back up this training approach.

Dashr Timing Systems for summer training programs

It may be hard to justify the need to spend money on technology for your program, but there are many benefits to having a timing system that can track your athletes’ performance. 

Athletes can quickly jump into agility training and generate useful performance data with professional-level accuracy. This unveils a performance baseline to evaluate against for honest, no-excuses improvement toward their full potential. 

Use these 3 tools to get the most out of your summer training program!

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