My NFL Draft Experience

Whew! What a weekend that was! Last Wednesday my wife and I travelled to New York City for the 2009 NFL Draft. This year was a special year for me as my client Eugene Monroe was invited by the NFL to be there. Eugene and his agent Sunny Shah of 320 Sports invited my wife and I up to take it all in.

We arrived Wednesday in the afternoon, settled into the hotel then went downstairs to see Eugene, and another one of my clients Josh Vaughn, a RB from Richmond. We met up with them later at a nightclub called TAJ where 320 Sports was having a pre draft party. It was a fun night and a pleasure to meet Eugene, family and friends.

Thursday and Friday we poked around NYC taking int he sights which was highlighted by a dinner at TAO. If you have never been to TAO you need to go there at least once, it is awesome.

Before I knew it the big day was here, we all met down in the lobby at 11am to get our credentials and tickets for the draft, then went to the westin to have a family and friends lunch with Eugene and all the other invited players put on by the NFL. After lunch we were shuttle to the Radio City Music hall for the draft to begin.

The atmosphere at the hall was awesome. There were crazy fans yelling running around with their teams jerseys on. It was cool to see ESPN's Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Chris Berman, Chris Mortensen along with NFL Network's Mike Mayock, Jon Gruden, and other tv personalities. we found our seats and the draft started.

There was not much suspense for the first pick Matthew Stafford, as he had already reached a deal with the Lions. The 2nd pick was St.Louis whom I thought might take Eugene, but they passed and selected Jason Smith of Baylor. Then came the out of the sky picks of Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) and Heyward-Bey(Raiders) which threw a wrench into things. Then the Jets moved up for Mark Sanchez, and finally with the 8th pick Eugene was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

When the Commissioner made the selection and said Eugene's name I was very happy, excited and proud. He had worked so hard to make this happen, I was happy he had his family and friends there to share it with. He was speechless, excited and emotional. His journey for now is over. He has a new home in Jacksonville.

A new chapter begins this Thursday, when he has mini camp. Knowing Eugene, nothing will change he will still be the hard working, grinding athlete he has always been.

Later that night I was at dinner and I got a text that my other OT prospect Sebastian Vollmer was selected in the 2nd round by the New England Patriots. This is another great story as he was born and raised in Germany, and started this season as a Free Agent rated prospect. In my next post I will tell Sebastian's story.

Got to run, that's all for now.

The Pro Agility Shuttle

Yesterday I was poking around online and found a video on a high school football combine website that made me scratch my head. Let me tell you why…

They had a coach/trainer/timer (not sure his specific title) miked up coaching some high school players through the pro agility shuttle. He was telling them to do everything they should not do!!!

If you have watched my new DVD “The Combine Freak” you will know what I am talking about as I point out some techniques that others teach that are killing your time and I show you how to fix them.

He was actually adding 4+ tenths to their times with his techniques. Adding steps, the turns, foot placement, everything he said was NOT what they should be doing. And what happened? At the end of the video clip they showed the first athlete run the shuttle, he was all over the place, slipping in the turns, and adding steps here and there. He almost ran over the guy timing because of these techniques (maybe he did it on purpose!).

In addition the worst thing to do right before you test is to have some trying to coach you up. Perfection takes time.

I am the first to be open to new techniques and must admit that my training techniques are the accumulation of years of learning from others and dissecting video myself. Point is that my technique works.

Don’t waste your time and effort practicing the wrong way to perform the shuttle, when with a click of a remote control you can learn the right way.

Get the Combine Freak Combine preparation DVD today before your testing day has come and gone and you are left there on the field saying I should have listened to Mike.

www.combinefreak.com

How to Train for the Football Combine Tests

How an athlete performs at a football combine can be critical in their football career. Football combines consist of the following tests: 40 yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, pro agility shuttle, three cone agility, and 60 yard shuttle. The better the athlete can perform in each of these 7 tests the better their chances of playing football at the next level whether that is high school to college, or college to the NFL.

Football combine performance enhancement is twofold. The athlete needs to train to enhance their raw strength, speed, agility power and flexibility. The athlete also needs to master the proper technique for each test, ensuring that the test is performed in the most efficient manner. This will lead to a knockout football combine performance.

Football Combine Training

Training for the football combines obviously is different than training for the sport of football. The athlete needs to be a polished blend of speed, agility, power, quickness, and athletic fluidity. Training must reflect these qualities.

Movement skill training, encompassing speed, agility, quickness and foot speed are major areas of focus when training to test at a football combine. These components can be enhanced with training using ladders, speed chutes, speed resistors, and various cones drills. This will allow the athlete to move more efficiently allowing the athlete to perform the tests with better technique.

Developing and enhancing explosive power is also a very important aspect of an athlete’s combine training. Plyometrics are a training method that I use when preparing athletes for the NFL Combine. They help enhance the vertical jump, broad jump, and the 40 yard dash.

Strength development is important as it is a component of increasing explosive power. For the bench press test, both max strength and muscle endurance training should be performed to increase reps performed.

Flexibility training should be performed daily to help increase range of motion. An increased range of motion will enhance speed, agility, and power development.


Football Combine Technique Training

Regardless if you trained to enhance your speed, agility and power, technique training specifically for the combine tests can greatly lower testing times and increase jump height and bench press reps.

Specific test technique cues can limit extra steps and decrease times. By working and refining the specific proper technique for each test you will perform the test more efficiently.

When training the technique for each test, breaking the test up into phases and refining each phase is the best way to make the biggest gains to the whole test. Perfect each phase the move to the next.

Having a systematic step by step protocol for each test is essential to performing at your best. This decreases your nerves as the test becomes a routing that you have repeated hundreds of times during training.

Mental thought processes prior and during each test can limit nerves and increase performance. One two or three simple thoughts provide focus and helps block out negative thoughts and distractions.

By working on the physical and mental technique cues, perfection in each of the tests can be achieved.


Football combine training is twofold. For a knockout combine performance both training and technique refinement should be performed. By training both of these areas you will ensure that you are fully prepared for the biggest test of you life.


NFL Combine training expert Mike Gough, CSCS specializes in 40 yard dash training and football combine test preparation. Mike has just released his football combine training DVD entitled "The Combine Freak" and is available at http://www.combinefreak.com where you can signup for his free 40 yard dash and combine training newsletter.
For more information on Mike Gough's NFL Combine Training Program please visit his website at http://www.procombinetraining.com

The 40 Yard Dash... Like Riding a Bike???

A funny thing happened the other day. Jon Corto who was the "Combine Freak" in my new DVD had a workout with the New York Giants on Tuesday. He and two other safeties were brought in to get a look. Surprisingly Giants Head Coach, Tom Coughlin conducted the workout.

Jon said they put him through 45 min. of positional drills then out of the blue Coughlin said, "get on the line to run a 40 so we can see how fast you are". Now Jon has not run a 40 yard dash since last March when he lit up the Syracuse Pro Day. So he was taken off guard and said he panicked for a second and scramble to focus on the proper technique. The other two players at the workout were even more stressed, as on was a 13 year vet who has not had to run a forty yard dash in a long, long time.

The panic for Jon did not last long. he got his head into it worked through a couple of starts then hit a decent 40 yard dash in the high 4.5's. He said that all the training with me, ingrained the technique cues into his memory, and he said when he is 50 years old he will still remember my 40 yard dash technique.

Jon told me later it is was "just like riding a bike" executing a close to perfect 40 yard dash.

If you want to learn these powerful 40 yard dash technique cues that will soak into your brain and allow you to run a great time, get the Combine Freak DVD .

Train Hard,

Mike Gough


About the Author: NFL Combine training expert Mike Gough, CSCS specializes in 40 yard dash training and football combine test preparation. Mike has just released his football combine training DVD entitled "The Combine Freak" and is available at http://www.combinefreak.com/ where you can signup for his free 40 yard dash and combine training newsletter.
For more information on Mike Gough's NFL Combine Training Program please visit his website at http://www.procombinetraining.com/

How to Run a Faster 40 Yard Dash at Football Combines

How to Run a Faster 40 Yard Dash

The 40 yard dash has become the gold standard of football tests and can make or break an athlete’s football career. It is one of the most popular tests performed each year at the NFL Combine.

Many football players are looking for ways to improve their 40 yard dash time prior to attending football combines. By improving specific technique aspects and performing the proper training, 40 yard dash times can be greatly lowered.

Technique for the 40 Yard Dash

By refining the specific technique for the 40 yard dash, times can be greatly improved. Technique cues such as starting stance, first step length, countermovement, arm action, and breathing are some of the key factors in improving the 40 yard dash.

The starting stance of the 40 yard dash is extremely important as it is the foundation for a great time in the 40 yard dash. Each athlete should try to limit countermovement off the start as the timers go on first movement, so if there is countermovement valuable time is given to the timers.

After the start the first step is vital to get an explosive start to the 40 yard dash. The step must be the right length and the right angle for a great start.

One of the most important techniques cues for the 40 yard dash is the breathing technique that is used. A specific breathing pattern will ensure the athlete does not tighten up leading to a great time and technique.

The more technique flaws that can be corrected the more efficient the athlete will run.

Training for the 40 Yard Dash

The other aspect for improving the 40 yard dash is using training methods to increase speed, acceleration, power and flexibility.

Speed and ultimately acceleration training are key methods to enhance a 40 yard dash result. Speed training emphasizing on forward body lean, stride frequency and stride length will improve times.

Flexibility is one of the most over looked aspects of 40 yard dash enhancement. By increasing flexibility in the hips, legs and upper body speed will be enhanced.

By focusing on both the technique and training aspects of the 40 yard dash, a great time can be achieved. The athlete must become a student of the 40 yard dash learning and practicing perfection.

NFL Combine training expert Mike Gough, CSCS specializes in 40 yard dash training and football combine test preparation. Mike has just released his football combine training DVD entitled "The Combine Freak" and is available at http://www.combinefreak.com where you can signup for his free 40 yard dash and combine training newsletter.

For more information on Mike Gough's NFL Combine Training Program please visit his website at http://www.procombinetraining.com

How to Stretch for the 40 yard dash

Although I have covered this topic in past newsletters, I am getting countless e-mail about how and when to stretch.

The Journal of Strengh & Conditioning Research this month had many studies examining the use of static stretching versus dynamic stretching.

More benefits were shown with a Dynamic flexiblity routine over static streching. Studies also showed that vertcial power was increased with dynamic stretching prior to a vertical jump, than with static streching.

So make sure to perform dynamic stretching just like my Dynamic Stretching protocol found in Mastering the 40 Yard Dash (www.Masteringthe40YardDash.com)