May/June 2020 - 21

Speed & Agility Training
" [Student-athletes] are all in the weight room and want to be strong, but we need
athleticism and power. They all want to get bigger and stronger. I tell them to be faster
and more athletic. "
- Chris Barry, ATC, CSCS, Massachusetts Maritime Academy
in the trenches, operating at a high level in a small space is
imperative for success. Getting a strong initial burst off the
line and maintaining that power until the whistle is blown
can be the difference between pancaking a defender and
turning into a modern-day matador.
" Everything [for offensive linemen] happens in a very
short distance - in a five-yard box, let's say. If they can
do their job in that frame, then they've done what we've
asked, " Barry said. " They don't have to run miles to get in
shape or even 40-yard sprints. "
So if not jogging or wind sprints, how does Barry build
speed in his student-athletes? By utilizing drills that will
simulate a lineman's in-game motions.
He goes back to that five-yard box example and has his
linemen complete different types of movements - ranging
from shuffles, sprints, and backpedals, among others. To
manufacture that off-the-line burst, the Buccaneers trainer
equips his players with weighted vests or has them hold
medicine balls and complete a series of squat jumps. With
the added weight, Barry said, the squat jump alone won't
translate on the field when lining up opposite a 250-plus
pound athlete. He even pointed out the now-viral video
of Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, the 320-pound firstround
NFL Draft pick of Tampa Bay, doing a clean jump out
of the shallow end of the pool - a clear sign of simulating
the burst of raw power and speed that is needed in
dominating at the highest level.
Footwork is also a pillar of focus in building speed and
can utilize various drills using agility ladders or even tires
to sharpen this skillset.
" There's a science to [building speed in athletes] for sure,
but it's not rocket science, " Barry said. " It's about getting
down to the bread and butter and finding ways to succeed
in a five-yard box.
The results speak for themselves, as the Buccaneers
finished with their best record this century and sent four
linemen to the Massachusetts State College Athletic
Conference (MASCAC) first or second teams. MMA also
training-conditioning.com | 21

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