Matteo has been an unbelievable trainer for me and I'm very thankful for all the
work he put in. I was hesitant to start training mid-season this year but I
really needed to improve if I wanted a starting position on my university team in
the fall. Matteo was very flexible in allowing our sessions to be lighter before
games and practices and to work me to the bone on off days. The start of our
training consisted of conditioning, and preparing me for the muscle-building
phase. For me, this was the most difficult as I left most sessions barely able to
lift my arms. Although exhausted after many sessions, I was impressed with the
variation of exercises Matteo had for me each day. The muscle-building was a
little less of a struggle as it consisted of higher weights but low reps. The
long breaks gave me a chance to relax enough to go full out for the next set.
I really began noticing a change in my shape around this stage and felt that Iwas
really getting stronger, but I was most excited for the sport specific training
that was to come. The plyometric part of our training was thoroughly enjoyable,
hopping, jumping, and band training was fun and it worked. I was astonished at
the change in my vertical and I plan on continuing the plyo- training on my own
while I go to school. In such a short time I feel I've improved so much and I'm
incredibly confident going into my school pre-season training. Thanks Matteo for
all your help, and I hope to see you in the stands from the field, because that's
where I'll be.

Thanks buddy,
Mike

This is the end....

Time flys when you're having fun. It's August 2nd and Mike and I have officially finished our training for the summer. He is off to training camp in a couple weeks and I will be heading off to Europe. For his last session, I reevaluated Mike using the same testing that we did on the first day. The improvements were mind blowing; just look at the pictures. Remember he was only training for about two months.


Mike Tollis - Final Assessment

Height 6' 2"

Weight
Before 174lbs
After 184lbs

Standing Long Jump
Before 8'
After 9' 6"

Vertical Jump
Before 22"
After 25"

Push-ups
Before 31
After 50

Plank
Before 1:05
After 1:45

Mike also added 2 inches to each thigh and almost 1 inch to each arm.

I wish Mike the best of luck at training camp. I can wait to go to one of his games and watch him dominate the field. GREAT JOB BUDDY!

Matteo Tino, B.Kin., CSCS

Phase 2 - Strength and Power

This phase of the periodization model is, without a doubt, one of my favorites. You can really push the weight and get incredibly strong and powerful in a relatively short period of time.

We are now working with a higher intensity (more weight) and lower volume (fewer reps). Mike is doing 5 sets for 5 reps of each exercise and hits about 5-6 exercises per workout. We want to work within his 4-6RM range; that is, the amount of weight he can lift 4-6 time before failure. I have also started throwing in some Olympic lifts (cleans, snatches and jerks) to work on power development.

The key to a successful strength phase is progression. Starting with his true 5RM on the first day could be disastrous. To help prevent injury and support strength development I started Mike off on two lighter warm-up sets, 12RM and 8RM, for 5 reps each and then moved onto three work sets at his 6-7RM for 5 reps. For his second week on the program we started with only one warm-up set at his 8RM and then moved onto four work sets at his 5RM weight. For his third and final week on the strength phase we will be completing 5 sets at his 4-5RM weight.

Check below for a sample of what Mike is doing.

For the Olympic lifts I prefer to keep the weight relatively light (30-50% 1RM), which is best for developing explosiveness and power. The goal with the Olympic lifts is to improve power output, especially for diving and quick acceleration. Performing Olympic lifts with a super heavy weight will not produce the necessary improvements in power that we are looking for.

Strength/Power (sets/reps x lbs)
Week 1

Snatch 5x55, 5x65, 3/5x85
Squats 5x165, 5x185, 3/5x215
Incline Press 5x95, 5x115, 3/5x135
Pulldowns 5x120, 5x140, 3/5x160
Upright Rows 5x60, 5x70, 3/5x85
Close Grip Press 5x70, 5x80, 3/5x95

Sometimes you need a change.

It's been 1 month now since Mike and I have started and he is improving all around (see previous post). Due to a complicated practice and game schedule last week I thought it would be a nice idea to change things up for his leg workout. We incorporated some plyometrics, reaches, lifts and Superband work. It was a tough workout but Mike survived.

"Check out the video and prepare to be AMAZED!"

Weigh in #2

WOW! Mike continues to amaze me. Not only does he get stronger and fitter with every workout, after our second official weigh in, he is now 184lbs. That is an improvement of 10lbs in just 4 weeks, without any noticeable increase in body fat. Aside from his training at The Studio, Mike continues to play soccer 1-2 x/week and practices 1-2x/week. I can attribute the results to his strict adherence to the supportive eating plan and a work-until-you-drop mentality. This kid cannot be broken. We are now moving onto our Strength Phase (Phase II) and I cannot wait to see what will happen next.

Phase 1 - Nutrition

Proper nutrition is one of, if not, the most important components of a serious strength and conditioning program. If the athlete is not eating in a way that supports their training and daily activities they will find it difficult to accomplish certain goals.
In this phase Mike needs to put on muscle mass, and thus, he will increase the amount of food he eats without compromising the quality of his meals. Mike must eat 5-6 meals per day, with a gap of 3- 31/2 hours between meals. Each meal should consist of a lean protein (egg whites, fish, chicken, turkey, etc), a non-refined starch (whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat rice, etc) and a fibrous carbohydrate (broccoli, spinach, peppers, etc). Mike will also supplement part of his diet with protein shakes. Ideally, Mike should be eating 3000-3300 Calories/day, depending on his level of activity.


The Muscle Builder Shake

I gave the recipe to Mike to assist with the weight gain portion of his training. Currently he is training 2-3/week with me, has soccer games or training 2-3x/week and occasionally plays pickup hockey with some friends. His primary goal at the moment is to put on some muscle mass and to do so he must take in more calories. A good protein shake can be the perfect post workout drink, as well, it makes an excellent meal replacement when Mike is unable to get a real meal.

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, mix and enjoy.

2 scoops high quality Whey protein
1-2 cups skim milk
1 cup yogurt
1 banana
1/2-2/3 cup frozen berries
1 tbsp flax seed oil

Optional:
1 tbsp honey or natural peanut butter

Total Calories: 600-800

Phase 1 - Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy or muscle building is the primary goal of the second part of Phase 1. This section is about three weeks and in this time I expect to see a significant increase in lean body mass. As well, increases in strength and size are expected. The exercises in the hypertrophy portion are similar to those in the conditioning portion. The main differences are in the training volume and intensity. We are now working on 3 sets of 12 reps with about 45 seconds rest between sets. We will eventually move to 4 sets of 8-10 reps with slightly longer rest intervals (about 60s). We will also be using supersets in this portion to reduce downtime and promote muscle growth. A superset consists of alternating between two exercises (usually working opposing muscle groups) with no rest between the exercises. For example, Mike will do a set on the bench press and then go immediately to bent over rows, he rests for 45 s and then returns to the bench press.

Diet is an important factor when trying to build muscle. In this phase many athletes are not getting in enough food. Mike is continuing to increase his caloric intake while still eating supportivly (see Phase 1 - Conditioning).