Primed to compete with the will to train

Two of the most common perceptions about Yale athletes are that they always seem to be "together" and "in motion." Athletes, for some reason, appear to travel and gather in packs; instances of players taking the "jock walk" to the gym, grabbing dinner at Commons after practice, or even enrolling in courses together are everyday realities. Further, these athletes convey an aura of constant activity, as they dart from gym to class to practice. Both descriptions exemplify the team unity and up-tempo pace of Yale athletics, and both contribute to the wide-ranging success of the Bulldogs, whether on the field, on the water, or on the courts.

Of course, the dynamics of solidarity and perpetual motion do not apply exclusively to the Elis' performance in competitions. They also sit at the core of the workout and training programs implemented by various teams. From football to crew to field hockey, teams focus on improving unit cohesiveness in workouts while executing a rigorous training regimen that will lead to physically primed players. This unified, driven atmosphere fosters a desire within Bulldog players to become lean-mean-fighting machines, not for themselves, but for their team. But it takes more than just desire for these Yale athletes to maintain their top form year-round.

FOR MOST BULLDOG SQUADS, THE primary goal is to maximize the utility of the limited time players have to work out and condition; players must balance the needs of the athlete in the weightroom with the requirements of the student in the classroom, and both roles are full-time jobs. Teams traditionally practice and work out six days a week during the regular season in preparation for their competitions. Football players practice in full pads on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, in addition to 45-minute unpadded practices on Fridays, games on Saturdays, and pool and weight- room training on Sundays. During the course of a week, varsity players must find a few additional hours in their schedule to lift one more time on their own, while JV players must hit the gym two additional times.

Variation within training sessions is critical for the football team, according to Director of Sports Conditioning Steven Plisk, who coordinates the football team's workouts. Considering the limited amount of time players actually spend in the weight room, strength and conditioning programs must be flexible and well-rounded. Everyone on the team follows the same workout routine, which usually includes a combination of multi-joint free weight movement (such as lifting) and structural movement (such as squats and dead lifts.) "The key here is to generate the kind of explosive forces that improve athleticism, especially the players' running and jumping ability," Plisk said.

While all players share a common weight room routine, it is on the field that the individual positions differentiate themselves. Plisk noted that practices often target position- specific techniques and movements; players simulate game-like situations in order to emphasize the explosive actions needed at each position. Surprisingly, these game-like scenarios are some of the only situations in which position players train differentially. Kyle Metzler, JE '02, admitted that while the offensive line will occasionally "do some supplementary things on our own," training remains basic, regardless of whether one lines up on the line or in the backfield on Saturday. Any differences that do arise relate to the physical nature or build of the players themselves. Head Coach Jack Siedlecki noted, "Strength is more of a factor for the defensive front and interior offense, and speed is more important for offensive skill players and perimeter defensive players."

Though Plisk associates body types with distinct sets of skills among football players, he feels that the same basic training regimen is responsible for all of these skills. "Regardless of whether you spend most of your time blocking people or running and changing directions, everyone needs the same basic thing: more power, especially in the hips and legs," Plisk said. "And so a little simplicity goes a long way."

Another Yale team that emphasizes group cohesiveness and variation within its workout sessions is the lightweight crew team. In addition to their six practices a week on the water at the Gilder Boathouse, the rowers attend six one-hour practices that include two sessions each of weightlifting, yoga, rowing on ergs, or computerized rowing machines. According to Dave Vavrichek, MC '04, the team continually changes its daily workouts, so as to alternate between power, technique, and endurance training.

The field hockey team divides its workouts between strength, speed, and endurance training. The players' weekly training regimen, which includes two weightlifting sessions and on-field practices, also encourages unity and team building. Still, goalie Krissy Nesburg, CC '04, admits that there are some minor differences within players' exercises, depending upon their position. "Goalies have similar workouts to field players, but we do focus more on anaerobic conditioning and short, explosive bursts of speed," she said.

EVEN WHEN SPORTS TEAMS MAINTAIN BALANCED and effective workout strategies, there nonetheless emerges an undying need to become better, faster, and tougher. Teams constantly seek new methods of gaining an advantage on their competition through new and different training methods. Lightweight crew Captain Ian Malloch, SM '02, claimed that his team's new yoga program is meant to increase the rowers' core strength, flexibility, and balance, all of which may also prevent injuries. The football team similarly initiated a new method of training over the summer. In the off-season, players flipped tires weighing anywhere from 300 to 400 lbs., mimicking the "World's Strongest Man" competitions. Both Captain Tim Penna, BK '02, and Jeff White, SY `02, admitted that this flipping, which targeted muscle groups that regular weight lifting can ignore, enabled the team to acquire the explosive strength so crucial to football.

The men's lacrosse team also altered its strength and conditioning practices this season by running in the mornings during the off-season, which leaves more time in the afternoons to work on plays. Due to these changes, Ryan Taylor, DC '04, claimed, "My agility has improved drastically this fall, as the team rarely had a chance to hone these skills before this year." He also noted that while the training has worn the players out slightly, no lasting injuries have resulted in the process. Yet Michael Anastasio, DC '04, feels that only time will tell if these changes prove beneficial. "The workouts have certainly helped me, but we'll have to wait until the spring to see if the increase in intensity has any adverse effects," he said.

OFTEN WITH A HEAVY FOCUS—AND MAYBE EVEN AN overemphasis—on conditioning, teams may find themselves injury-prone during the season. Field hockey Captain Caroline Thompson, CC '02, admitted that "when you're practicing as much as you are, your body tends to break down." Many of the injuries suffered by members of the team, from pinched nerves to neck injuries, can be attributed to situations in the weight room. However, she also described preventive measures that the team has recently taken to reduce injuries, such as modifying programs to fit specific body types.

Plisk's message to football players is that injuries are a necessary evil that all athletes must face. He affirmed that the best way to deal with injuries is to search for alternative movements and programs that will target uninjured areas "so the athlete doesn't completely de-train." Barton Simmons, MC '04, added that athletes must learn to work around injuries, even if that means only strengthening one leg or arm at a time. "Even with injuries, it's important to get all of your workouts in so that you don't lose strength during rehab," he said.

Aside from the risk of injury, athletes face added pressure from coaches and teammates to attain ever-higher levels of performance. Often, athletes train independently in addition to their team workouts, in an effort to gain an additional step on opponents. Yet lightweight rower Evan Gibson, MC '04, pointed out that coaches do not pressure the rowers to conduct extra practices. Rather, he believed that the rowers who do condition more do so out of "their own desire to excel."

Like Gibson, heavyweight Andrew Brennan, TD '04, hasn't felt the pressure to train apart from his teammates, particularly since crew relies upon a collective team effort for success. "On the water, rowing is the quintessential team sport—eight bodies working in unison towards a common goal—and as such, it can't really be done individually," he said.

This commitment to team excellence remains the driving force of Yale athletics. Players push themselves to the limits through running drills, weight training, and even doing yoga. Yet they work not only for their individual success, but also for the good of the team. "Like all Yale students, we are extremely driven, but we have simply chosen to focus our energy in the pursuit of athletic excellence, and excellence requires dedication," lightweight rower Andy Liverman, SM '02, said. "To paraphrase the great distance runner Haile GebreSelassie, `You do not need the will to win, but rather the will to train.'"

Kenneth Hammond, Kevin Tran, and Kathleen McKeegan contributed to this article. Graphic by Eugene Wong.

Back to Sports...