If you haven’t had the chance to pick up The System, by Johnny Parker, Al Miller and Rob Panierello, you are missing out. This is one of the best books that I have come across on periodization and program design that is very practical for the strength coach. It covers a lot of territory (I will give a complete “book report” on it very soon), but one of the points that it noted was that sport specific training really means skill specific training. In other words, use weightlifting to develop strength, power and other overall athletic abilities, but don’t try to get too “sport specific”. Leave that up to the sport coaches to utilize the strength and power they have developed while on the field or court. I do a lot of strength training for athletes and I always make clear from the start that I will make them bigger, faster and stronger from the training we do, but their sport coaches will make them better at their given sport.
