UConn Weights Program

[Clockshop]

I realize that we have a guard heavy team, but too often while watching college basketball I cannot help but notice that we pale in comparison to other teams strength wise. Watching Arizona last night, they looked like grown men, even though they are made up of a majority of FR/SO. Does anyone know who does the weights program at UConn? I wish with would've kept Andrea Hudy (Now at KU). I have to think this has some affect on rebounding.

Travis Illian

http://cw.ua.edu/2013/02/21/patterson-credits-strength-coach-for-teams-power/

I wonder if there will be changes though since Jerry Martin is gone w/ Diaco hiring MSU's S&C coach Matt Balis

http://cdispatch.com/msusports/article.asp?aid=30232#ixzz2pvWBepNM

 

[kansashusky]

Marcus Paige is 6-1 and 170 pounds and looks basically like he did in high school. Ryan Boatright has changed his body more than he has. What a truly bizarre example, unless there's another Marcus Paige you're talking about. Also, Thomas Robinson was built nothing like DeAndre Daniels in high school. I have no idea who Nnanna Egwu is.

Marcus Paige came into college weighing 151. Can you name a UConn player that has gained 20 pounds of muscle? I can't. Thomas Robinson was 6-8 just like DD and although not quite as skinny, he gained crazy muscle at KU. Nnanna Egwu is the center at Illinois.

 

[tcf15]

Noticed that Josh Pastner fired his (brother-in-law) strength & conditioning coach, Ray Matrisciano. The guy is supposed to be one of the best trainers in the business, having worked with Zach Randolph & Blake Griffin, but seems to have a problem with taking direction.

Other articles on him: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/frank-matrisciano-trainer | http://www.businessinsider.com/frank-matrisciano-hells-trainer-2011-10

This is to kind of piggyback off of Clockshop's thought that maybe changes will be coming with a new strength & conditioning director.

 

[kansashusky]

You do realize that our players spend the majority of the year on campus and go through a supervised weight training program, right? It's not some willy nilly thing where Ollie tells the players to go hit the weights on their own and the lazy ones go home instead.

There are certain body types that are just never going to add significant muscle mass. Unfortunately we have a lot more guys with the Kevin Durant body type than the Lebron James body type. Somebody mentioned Alex Oriakhi - he was built like a man when he was 17. Amida Brimah's built like a high school soccer player.

Kevin Durant added strength not at Texas but in the league. I realize its a specialized weights program. But the work the players put in is up to the player. I am not complaining about Amida Brimah, I am curious about TO, DD, OC, PN.

 

[Horatio]

A weight program can only do so much, when you recruit skinny players you start behind the 8 ball. We need to recruit some muscle more of Lubin's type and then work them through the weight program.

I've been noticing this issue for years and our players always seemed smallish
Compared to other programs.... But we won a lot of games and three championships. I do think that from now on, KO will make sure that our BIGS are big and our guards are 6'2" and up.

 

[Sportsman5]

food intake has a lot to do with muscle gain. some people just can't eat enough during the day. base metabolisms vary and how the metabolism responds to food intake and exercise varies a lot. its so much more complicated than most people realize. the media would have people believe that weight gain and loss is simple when it is not. Thomas Robinson vs DD? they have such different body types it is almost mind blowing. rRobinson has very full and round muscle bellies and is extremely genetically gifted compared to DD.

 

[James]

Boatright got big. Giffey as well. Remember hilton his freshman year? Dude was broomstick, ended up a lotto pic because of his athleticism and size. Also, jeremy lamb anybody?

 

[imno1]

Here is the thing DD would benefit from t

Kevin Durant added strength not at Texas but in the league. I realize its a specialized weights program. But the work the players put in is up to the player. I am not complaining about Amida Brimah, I am curious about TO, DD, OC, PN.

I think Phil has and Omar have put on some muscle. But that is not their big problem.

 

[freescooter]

Ask and you shall recieve. Picture of our new Weights Program.

 

[BoatShow]

Lamb definitely put a lot of muscle on in his two years. Boatright isn't quite Ben "His Muscles have Muscles" Gordon but the's got good muscle tone and added good weight. Bazz and Olander seem to have just put on typical weight someone puts on during college. Neils got bigger, even by the end of the year last year Nolan had added a bit of size. It's a guy to guy basis.

DD could just be one of those high metabolism can't add weight types (seriously screw those guys.)

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Thomas Robinson was 6-8 just like DD and although not quite as skinny, he gained crazy muscle at KU.

That's the point though. The fact that they're the same height is completely irrelevant. You can look at DD and see he's a classic hard-gainer. Robinson did not look like that in high school. Facey, to me, looks like a kid that's going to pack on a decent amount of muscle in the time that he's on campus. I would expect him to look pretty different as a senior.

Obviously Armstrong, Adrien and Okafor come to mind as guys that put on solid weight at UConn, but looking at Boatright I'd be surprised if he's not 20 pounds heavier than he was coming out of Aurora. Olander too, but I don't think a beer gut counts.

 

[Goat]

In August 2013 the Men's hoop team switched to Travis Illian for strength and conditioning. He has a PhD and was at Alabama. They play football there, but Illian was the S&C coach for women's gymnastics and women's soccer. He replaced Chris West who is still listed as #2 in S&C at UConn. Amore wrote in the Courant that West was moving to soccer.

FYI, I think Phil Nolan is visibly bigger and more muscular since preseason and that he got bigger since September than he did 9/12 - 9/13. Gaining strength and size in season is no easy task.

There is talk on the Football forum that the Jerry Martin who runs the S&C program for all of UConn may be replaced, at least for football.

There is a true science to eat this, lift that and there is another at play in off-season motivation and discipline. I am biased toward cutting edge theory here and encouraged that our AD and/or HCs see that S&C, including nutrition, it is another way to help win.

This is a link to a story about Illian's impact at Alabama - http://cw.ua.edu/2013/02/21/patterson-credits-strength-coach-for-teams-power/

 

[dsturdy5]

Ran into a former student of mine the other day, a d2 player. We were at the gym and he looked noticeably more cut than when I saw him before he left for school in the fall. He said he isn't lifting or eating any differently during this, his soph season, than he did during his freshman year. The difference was they added a flexibility/yoga component to the training regiment. He said the s&c coach promised them it would allow for the muscles to stretch and create more lean muscle. He thinks he actually has lost about 4-5 pounds but is faster and stronger. All teams in their small school are using some form of this training and with great results.

Given UConn's new S&C coach and his background, I wonder if there isn't some sort of similar change to UConn's program. Some players look bigger, more cut, whatever and it could be due to the change. Other athletes may not respond the same way and things are still being figured out.

 

[huskymedic]

There is talk on the Football forum that the Jerry Martin who runs the S&C program for all of UConn may be replaced, at least for football.

Official announcement from UConn via John Silver: http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/uconn-names-balis-strength-coach/

>>STORRS, Conn. (January 10, 2014) — Matt Balis, who has served as the head strength coach at Mississippi State for the past five years, has been named the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator/Football Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Connecticut. In his position at UConn, Balis will coordinate the strength and conditioning program for all 24 of the sports teams. He will design and develop all facets of the strength and conditioning program for the Husky football team.<<

More info on experience in full story.

 

[formerlurker]

Official announcement from UConn via John Silver: http://snyuconn.com/uconn/football/uconn-names-balis-strength-coach/

>>STORRS, Conn. (January 10, 2014) — Matt Balis, who has served as the head strength coach at Mississippi State for the past five years, has been named the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator/Football Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Connecticut. In his position at UConn, Balis will coordinate the strength and conditioning program for all 24 of the sports teams. He will design and develop all facets of the strength and conditioning program for the Husky football team.<<

More info on experience in full story.

I like the hire, he seems to fit the Diaco mold.

****WARNING**** This will be the most boring 17 minutes of your life

http://www.hailstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=205502217

Has a UCONN strength coach ever been interviewed?

 

[uconnfan68]

You can have the greatest weight training program in the entire universe and Amida Brimah and DeAndre Daniels will still be skinny.

I'll take a wiry, but strong, guy with a non-stop motor any day... one of those guys is missing his motor, and neither are very strong.

 

[uconnfan68]

Ask and you shall recieve. Picture of our new Weights Program.

Whatever you do, don't look up!

 

[sledog]

Ask and you shall recieve. Picture of our new Weights Program.

Better hope she didn't have Tex-Mex for lunch.

This guy must have REALLY needed the schollie.

 

[boog204]

one thing that was noticeable is how some of our bigs had chicken legs. AO, especially was built up top but seemed to have no leg strength. this led to him being unable to finish (that and he was a wuss) from a standing position. I remember JC calling out Adrien for having no lift one year and questioned if he could even dunk. Then last game, probably due to fatigue, but Brimah was barely elevating on rebounds. Amida was a high jumper in HS, so he obviously can jump, but he lacked any lift. Daniels is the same way from a standing position.

 

[BUHusky]

Well UCF's starting 5 consists of 5 full grown, muscular dudes. So it is possible, even for an AAC team

 

[upstater]

Well UCF's starting 5 consists of 5 full grown, muscular dudes. So it is possible, even for an AAC team

Yeah, now that football season is over, they are trying their hand at basketball.