Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/79325
RAISING THEBAR and discovers a whole new way to build elite athletes PSU scraps its machines this year, primarily did weight training on machines. One set, each machine. To exhaustion. But now they're doing squats for the first time since arriving on T campus, learning the power cleans and jerks used by Olympic weightlifters, and flipping tires around – all in the name of func- tional strength training, which coach Craig Fitzgerald instituted when he arrived in January. "It's just a lot more fun," Cadogan said. "You can really get your whole body into it." The players have other reasons for enjoying the new program, in which they do multiple sets of each exercise. Linebacker Gerald Hodges said that when he runs and cuts, he feels more explosive. Offensive lineman Bryan Davies has lost 70 pounds (with some diet help, too). Center Matt Stankiewitch, ac- cording to his teammates, developed enough muscles to size up to a XXXL T-shirt. (Asked to confirm, he laughed… but he didn't deny.) "I think it's going to pay great dividends for us," offensive lineman John Urschel said. "When you switch up your training regimen, you see great returns. Not saying that one way is better than the other, but I believe you just see great results when introduced to some- thing." That may be true. But strength-training experts say there are | he best feeling, offensive lineman Nate Cadogan says, is when the floor shakes. His teammates heartily agree, and they talk over each other as they describe what it's like to max out on a squat or a power clean, and then drop the heavy barbell on the floor and feel the vibrations. That's a new sensation for Penn State players who, until