Special Article
High Tech Strength Training
By Collin Agee
The offseason offers umpires a break in their game schedule and time to focus on strength and conditioning. This year, I tried The Exercise Coach in Oakton.
I was very skeptical going in, because the exercise sessions are only 20 minutes, twice a week. They offer two free, one hour introductory sessions. After those, I was convinced that their technology-based approach is actually quite efficient and 20 minutes is a reasonable time. (Because of the prevalence of muscle failure, it would actually be hard to go much beyond 20 minutes). So I bought an initial membership.
I’ve done a lot of lifting in my adult life (I know it doesn’t look like it), to include being the test bed for the first Nautilus systems as a member of the Army baseball team in 1976. What is different about this system is that it keeps optimum resistance on each isolated muscle group through the entire range of motion, and that resistance is highly variable across the range of motion. The resistance is displayed on a computer screen, so you attempt to keep in the optimal training zone visually throughout the exercises, which are just eight reps, both positive and negative, and sometimes a second set. I can tell you that I was a bit sore after each session, in a good way that tells me I achieved muscle failure.
They particularly focus on the inevitable loss of muscle mass due to aging, which happens to all of us starting at age 30 (except Anthony Mayer…). Their clientele is in the age range of most of our umpires. In addition to the strength training, there is a little bit of aerobics, but it’s focused on the quick fire muscles, with intervals of 30 seconds of very intense activity with 15 second recovery periods.
The coaching is one-on-one, and that is needed for the specificity of the exercises and the equipment. The machines must be set for each individual’s workout, positioning, range of motion, and resistance. My biggest obstacle is always time, particularly during umpire season, so it’s very attractive to need only 20 minutes twice per week.
I am going to their gym in Oakton; there’s also one in Centreville.
I suggest that you give this a try by signing up for the two free introductory sessions. There is no obligation and they do not pressure you to buy a membership after those two sessions. If you decide to join, manager John Hagan has offered NVBUA a 10% group discount.
Here are additional details and contact info for the manager:
