🏈 Dr Rhea: "Impressive workmanship from our machinists to create a custom flywheel platform for our large athletes. Literally #builtbybama"

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

Hat tip here.

 

[BamaFan334]

What is the purpose of this? Help with knees when lifting weights instead of being on a hard floor or what?

 

[TerryP]

What is the purpose of this? Help with knees when lifting weights instead of being on a hard floor or what?

Free weights versus flywheel training...all about eccentric force versus concentric. I read about Rhea's approach on this somewhere ... can't recall where. It may have been linked in the thread announcing the hiring of both men.

 

[OldPlayer]

What is the purpose of this? Help with knees when lifting weights instead of being on a hard floor or what?

Focus directly on the muscle/muscle group rather than stabilizing the weight on a bar. Notice how he's easily able to shift his position to vary which muscle group is being worked?

 

[TerryP]

Focus directly on the muscle/muscle group rather than stabilizing the weight on a bar. Notice how he's easily able to shift his position to vary which muscle group is being worked?

It's more than that...specifically, as best as I can recall, the training on the muscles is different with the latter being enlongated versus free weight as the opposite...there was some "scientific talk" in the article that was a bit above my pay grade.

 

[BamaFan334]

Focus directly on the muscle/muscle group rather than stabilizing the weight on a bar. Notice how he's easily able to shift his position to vary which muscle group is being worked?

Do stabilizer muscles not help tremendously too? I would imagine being able to stabilize the weight would be an attribute. Of course I'm not the doctor or strength coach.

 

[OldPlayer]

Do stabilizer muscles not help tremendously too? I would imagine being able to stabilize the weight would be an attribute. Of course I'm not the doctor or strength coach.

Absolutely. But if you want to focus on a muscle, don't waste energy on other muscles. This piece of equipment is directed to "the big guys." Big guys can handle heavier weights. Heavier weights require more stabilizer muscles and effort. I guarantee you that they have new exercises and approaches to balance the workout and focus on the other muscles.

 

[OldPlayer]

It's more than that...specifically, as best as I can recall, the training on the muscles is different with the latter being enlongated versus free weight as the opposite...there was some "scientific talk" in the article that was a bit above my pay grade.

There are a number of benefits, too many to give a quick response. It all comes down to the hows and whys. Bottom line: This is good for our guys.

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

Do stabilizer muscles not help tremendously too? I would imagine being able to stabilize the weight would be an attribute. Of course I'm not the doctor or strength coach.

Of course they do. They aren't doing away with free weights. This machine is not replacing the various types of squatting, but it does provide different functionality as some mentioned below. It lengthens the amount of time on the concentric while the force required doesn't diminish during that phase. It also takes out the stretch reflex which pretty much every elite athlete that's an Alabama football player will be great at.

These guys are training the athletes beyond the generic approach other S&C programs do of only working on strength, and only approaching that work in one basic way.

 

[BAMAneck]

Looks like the design is explosion off the line for big men in the trenches .

 

[TerryP]

This video came out this past weekend with Jon Allen squatting almost 600 lbs. When I saw this I forwarded it to an S&C guy I know and his response was interesting to me. He mentioned the guy was doing quarter high squats (I think that was the term he was using) but also mentioned the form was ALL wrong.

How so? According to what he told me you can see Jon isn't parallel in his form and that puts an undue amount of burden on the lumbar and ... KNEES. Knees, for god's sake.

I'm not S&C guy but going back to what we were discussing when Dr. Rhea posted his video ... it seems to me the flywheel would take that strain off of the knees and lumber because it forces the body to maintain a parallel position to the ground.

How off am I ... I do wonder.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

but also mentioned the form was ALL wrong.

How so? According to what he told me you can see Jon isn't parallel in his form and that puts an undue amount of burden on the lumbar and ... KNEES. Knees, for god's sake.

I'm not S&C guy but going back to what we were discussing when Dr. Rhea posted his video ... it seems to me the flywheel would take that strain off of the knees and lumber because it forces the body to maintain a parallel position to the ground.

How off am I ... I do wonder.

My wife is a personal trainer for years & she said the same thing. I showed her the machine that UA Engineering made & she just gawked at it & said this is game changer not only in form but also safety in lift execution.

All I keep seeing is how many LB's we lost over the last 4 years due to blowing out knees & how this should make a BIG difference.

 

[TerryP]

My wife is a personal trainer for years & she said the same thing. I showed her the machine that UA Engineering made & she just gawked at it & said this is game changer not only in form but also safety in lift execution.

All I keep seeing is how many LB's we lost over the last 4 years due to blowing out knees & how this should make a BIG difference.

Nice insight.

Here's the video of Jon...forgot to embed it on my earlier post.

 

[BamaFan334]

Nice insight.

Here's the video of Jon...forgot to embed it on my earlier post.

I was going to mention as well he isn't getting parallel as well. He looks in amazing shape though and more ripped up that pudgy. Mr. Allen got it going on. Hope he can keep pushing!

 

[OldPlayer]

This video came out this past weekend with Jon Allen squatting almost 600 lbs. When I saw this I forwarded it to an S&C guy I know and his response was interesting to me. He mentioned the guy was doing quarter high squats (I think that was the term he was using) but also mentioned the form was ALL wrong.

How so? According to what he told me you can see Jon isn't parallel in his form and that puts an undue amount of burden on the lumbar and ... KNEES. Knees, for god's sake.

I'm not S&C guy but going back to what we were discussing when Dr. Rhea posted his video ... it seems to me the flywheel would take that strain off of the knees and lumber because it forces the body to maintain a parallel position to the ground.

How off am I ... I do wonder.

I think Rhea's and Ballou's approach is counter to what everyone has traditionally done. That doesn't mean it won't/doesn't work.

 

[XXL TideFan]

I keep telling you guys that toolmakers and machinists make the world go ‘round.

 

[TerryP]

That doesn't mean it won't/doesn't work.

I assume you're talking about using free weights.

 

[OldPlayer]

I assume you're talking about using free weights.

I'm talking about Rhea and Ballou's approach. They aren't focusing on raw strength. They focus on maximum power at the point of impact.

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

I'm talking about Rhea and Ballou's approach. They aren't focusing on raw strength. They focus on maximum power at the point of impact.

They focus on speed without ignoring power. They aren't abandoning free weights and back squats. But what they emphasize on each lift (eccentric phase/concentric, or bar speed) varies throughout their programming. They are analyzing tons of data to tell them what is working and how much it is working, and getting specific insight into each player so programming can be tweaked.