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).

Phase 1 - Conditioning

Mike has just completed the conditioning phase. generally this phase is a minimum of three weeks; however, given Mike's current level of fitness and quick adaptation I have shortened this phase to only two weeks. Even in the span of two weeks, there have been noticeable improvements in strength and muscular endurance. For the second week of conditioning we were limited to only two workouts because of an extremely busy soccer game schedule. Some modifications were also made to the workouts that week so the training would not interfere with Mike's performance on the field. On both days we limited the leg workouts to light plyometrics and reaches. The upper body exercises remained the same and some overload (gradually increasing the intensity) was applied.

Aside from the actual workouts Mike has begun to alter his nutrition so it supports his training goal for Phase 1, weight gain. He is eating 5-6 meals per day or every 3-4 hours. Each meal consists of a lean protein, starchy carbohydrate and a fibrous carb. In addition, Mike is adding some extra calories to his diet with at least one 'loaded' protein shake per day. The shake contains about 700 - 800 calories per serving and is a combination of whey protein, milk, honey and fruit. Shakes are consumed within one hour of completing a workout or after soccer practice. On non-activity days the shake replaces one of his meals.

The next part of Phase 1 is Hypertrophy (muscle building).

Phase 1

This part of the program is the initial conditioning phase which will soon carryover to the muscle building phase. We are sticking with basic exercises, but minimizing the use of machines. For the first to weeks Mike will be doing a full body workout 3x/week. He is doing 3 sets of 15 repetitions with only 30 seconds of rest between sets. I was very impressed with the amount of weight he was able to work with during his 1st day on the conditioning program. I expect to see great results.

The Program - Mike Tollis

We initially went through some baseline testing (see previous post). The testing gave me a general idea of Mike's abilities, strengths and weaknesses. His program will consist of three main phases, based on his goals and the amount of time to training camp.

Phase 1 (4 weeks): Conditioning/Hypertrophy
Purpose: Get the body moving in different directions and stimulate the muslces and nerves. Build some muscle, especially in the upper body.
Activites: free weight exercises, reaches, medicine ball training

Phase 2 (4 weeks): Strength and Power
Purpose: Increase overall absolute and relative strength and develop explosivness in the lower extremities.
Activities: Olympic and power lifts, plyometrics, free weight exercises, band and medicine ball training

Phase 3 (2-3weeks): Power/Sport Specific Training
Purpose: Develop skills required by a soccer goalkeeper; lateral movement, jumping, diving.
Activities: advanced plyometrics, low intesnity olympic lifts, balance training, footwork drills

Mike Tollis

I met Mike Tollis through my club soccer team - Hamilton Sparta. Mike is 20 years old and going into his second year of Environmental Business at the University of Waterloo. He is a natural athlete and in high school played Basketball, Football, Hockey and Soccer. In 2006 his high school soccer team, St. Thomas More, won the Hamilton and Regional Championships. In his first year Mike made the Waterloo Varsity Men's Soccer team as a Goalkeeper, however, he was not been able to break into the starting lineup. Going into his second year, Mike has an opportunity to establish himself as the starting goalkeeper. Before he goes to training camp, there are a few aspects of his game and fitness that he wants to improve on. We have 10 weeks to get him ready for training camp in August and ensure that he makes the team.

Photos













Measurement and Evaluation

Height 6' 2" Weight 174lbs Age 20

Chest 37.5" Hips 39.75"
Waist 30.5" Arms 12.75"(R) 12.75"(L)
Thigh 20.25(R) 20.25(L)

Pusp-ups 31 Vertical Jump 22"
Plank 1:05 Standing Long Jump 8'

Max Squat 210 Lbs Max Bench N/A

Notes: Needs to increase lean muscle mass. Lower body power and strength are excellent. Upper body strength and power needs work. Muscular endurence is not a major concern at the moment.