Message from Coach Beason

Bisons,

First of all, I felt like we tested as good as we could have for where we were in our training last week. So, good job! Are we "there" yet? No way!

I felt it important to explain to you something about the bench press testing. Please don't let this sound like an excuse for you, but it is a valid piece of information. I just want to help educate you a little more. Several of you felt like you did not test as well as you would have liked. Let me give you a few reminders:

1. We don't want to be our strongest in February. We don't play until August. Our focus on the first part of this off-season was NOT on strength. It was on Hypertrophy (this means gaining muscle mass). I feel like we have been successful in getting most of you guys "set-up" to now get stronger. Our sets, reps, and rest intervals have been set up to gain muscle mass. Now that we have the muscle bigger, we will get it stronger. Doesn't it make sense that a bigger muscle has the potential to get stronger than a smaller muscle? Besides one week, our first 6 weeks were sets of 6 reps or more using dumbbells.

2. We will do a lot more BAR bench press for the next few weeks of workouts. That is how you get better at the bench press.....by bench pressing with a bar. The dumbbells are great for helping to maximize flexibility and to gain muscle mass. That is why we have used those so much.

3. We have 3 weeks of spring ball practices plus another 3 weeks to work on speed work and strength after spring ball. It would be IN YOUR BEST INTEREST NOT TO LIFT VERY MUCH (IF ANY) OVER SPRING BREAK. Your body has got to take a break if you want it to make big gains. Some of you, no doubt, know how to work your tails off. Now you need to couple that with working smart. I have seen several guys over the past few weeks doing chest work on our non-chest workout days. Your body will not make as big of a gain without being able to recover between workouts.

4. Obviously, rest and nutrition have a huge impact on your strength and conditioning. Take these areas very seriously.

5. Finally, when you test, make sure that you have a "successful" test at a weight you know you will get before moving on to a higher weight. Some of you wore yourselves out because you started too heavy and did not warm-up to the weight you tried to test at. You don't go out and time a 40 yard dash by just stretching your hamstrings, so don't ask your pecs to be at their peak by just doing a set or two to "warm-up."

Overall, I think the first phase of the off-season was very successful in what we wanted to accomplish. Let's be great during spring ball and then end the semester faster and stronger than when we started it!!! Go BISONS!