Jarwarski Beckum has been hired

[BlackSailsDawg]

Been waiting on this!!

[Medic601]

Our S&C portion of the staff appears to be solid.

[EdwardDrayton]

Been waiting on this!!

And of course we'd have to call him Jaws Beckum.

[BlackSailsDawg]

Our S&C portion of the staff appears to be solid.

Yep. He's the best speed coach in college! And a MSU graduate

[starkvegasdawg]

Yep. He's the best speed coach in college! And a MSU graduate

Thought they always said you couldn't teach speed.

[EdwardDrayton]

And while genetics limit the ceiling of course, strength and technique training absolutely can improve speed. This is a vital coaching position, especially in the SEC.

[EdwardDrayton]

Thought they always said you couldn't teach speed.

Can be taught to a certain extent.

[BlackSailsDawg]

Thought they always said you couldn't teach speed.

It can be trained, but all bodies have limitations.

[War Machine Dawg]

And while genetics limit the ceiling of course, strength and technique training absolutely can improve speed. This is a vital coaching position, especially in the SEC.

How many other SEC programs have a speed coach? Also, this is correct. Speed can be improved to an extent through technique, but you aren't ever turning a 4.7 guy into a 4.4 guy if he doesn't have the genetics for it. You might take 4.7 to 4.6, in a more realistic example. It's only the genetic freaks that already had the capacity for elite speed but poor technique that will see huge increases.

[Really Clark?]

Elite hire! Glad it's finally announced

[BlackSailsDawg]

our Coach
SCIENCE
Increasing speed: Is it all genetics?
Sprinting
If you aren’t born fast, how can you become it? Find out what’s behind speed and how you can work towards becoming the fastest version of yourself here.
SEANA7 YEARS AGO
2 min read
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Some say that sprinters are born and marathon runners made. But this isn’t quite the truth. A lot of work goes into both. But if you aren’t necessarily born fast, how can you become it? Find out what’s behind speed and how you can work towards becoming the fastest version of yourself.

There are hundreds of millions of skeletal muscle fibers in the body. These are made up of so-called “slow-twitch” and “fast twitch” muscle fibers. Slow-twitch muscle fibers use lots of energy overall, as they use energy slowly over a longer period of time before becoming fatigued. This makes them essential for endurance performance and sports such as distance running. Fast-twitch fibers use comparatively less energy overall, because they are more explosive but get tired much more quickly. These are important for activities such as sprinting. It is because this type of muscle fiber can grow in size that sprinters often have bigger, stronger-looking thigh muscles.

Are Athletes Born With Speed?
Most people have an even amount of both, but some may have more of one muscle fiber type than the other. Having more fast-twitch muscles would genetically make someone more suited to sprinting, whereas more slow-twitch muscle would be make a better marathon runner. There are ways to train specific muscle types: sprints, weight training and high intensity interval training will help develop fast-twitch fibers and cardio (especially long distance runs) will help develop slow-twitch muscle fibers.

But anyone can increase their speed, no matter what their genetics. Even just improving your technique will help – for example using arms properly during running. Coordination and mobilization exercises will also improve your technique and thus your speed. Interval training will increase your maximum speed, so keep practicing sprinting! Building and strengthening leg muscles that propel you forward will also help to increase your top speed. Becoming faster also requires some work on neuromuscular coordination. This works on two levels: intra-muscular coordination and inter-muscular coordination. Intra-muscular coordination involves optimizing the units within a single muscle and this unleashing its full potential, whereas inter-muscular coordination means optimizing the interaction between muscle groups. These aspects can be improved through strength training and coordination training respectively.

[Westdawg]

How many other SEC programs have a speed coach? Also, this is correct. Speed can be improved to an extent through technique, but you aren't ever turning a 4.7 guy into a 4.4 guy if he doesn't have the genetics for it. You might take 4.7 to 4.6, in a more realistic example. It's only the genetic freaks that already had the capacity for elite speed but poor technique that will see huge increases.

This is true?.but also not true. I?ve had a LOT of players over the years who would time at 4.85 - 4.9. Give them two years in a great HS conditioning/weight training program, and they are sitting at 4.6-4.65. Then make the jump to a college program with great trainers, and they move it on further down to 4.5-4.55. It?s amazing how much genetics does?..but it also astounding how much nutrition, weight and condition training can impact a person?s potential. SOOOOO many HS athletes, especially in rural/poor areas, do not get any of those things, then when they get somewhere that can provide those amenities and they BLOW UP.

[CaptainObvious]

How many other SEC programs have a speed coach? Also, this is correct. Speed can be improved to an extent through technique, but you aren't ever turning a 4.7 guy into a 4.4 guy if he doesn't have the genetics for it. You might take 4.7 to 4.6, in a more realistic example. It's only the genetic freaks that already had the capacity for elite speed but poor technique that will see huge increases.

Snap your fingers really quick. That is the difference in 4.7 and 4.5. Technique is why 4.7 Jerry Rice was faster than 4.5,DBs.

Look at the 100 meters now and how close the 10.4 guy is to the 10.2 winner. He can reach out and touch him with both hands. Again with football players it he technique. If a 4.6 receiver gets 5 yards on a 4.5 defender and catches it in stride that 4.5 guy ain't catching him if technique is good.

[War Machine Dawg]

This is true?.but also not true. I?ve had a LOT of players over the years who would time at 4.85 - 4.9. Give them two years in a great HS conditioning/weight training program, and they are sitting at 4.6-4.65. Then make the jump to a college program with great trainers, and they move it on further down to 4.5-4.55. It?s amazing how much genetics does?..but it also astounding how much nutrition, weight and condition training can impact a person?s potential. SOOOOO many HS athletes, especially in rural/poor areas, do not get any of those things, then when they get somewhere that can provide those amenities and they BLOW UP.

You actually made a point I forgot to make but made in a group chat with my buddies a few minutes ago. I'm really interested to see how much our team speed can be improved. As you point out, a large number of our recruits come from rural MS, AL and other areas of that nature. And let's be really honest: MS HS coaching doesn't measure up nationally. It's exposed every time one of our "elite" MS HS teams plays an out of state HS. Almost without exception, the MS HS team gets absolutely blown out by the out of state team. Get these guys a couple of years of proper S&C and speed training and we might see our program benefit from this type of coaching more than most. It's definitely an intriguing possibility.

[EdwardDrayton]

And there's a distinction between burst speed and top end speed. My son did not have great burst speed but won a state championship with top end speed.

[Todd4State]

You actually made a point I forgot to make but made in a group chat with my buddies a few minutes ago. I'm really interested to see how much our team speed can be improved. As you point out, a large number of our recruits come from rural MS, AL and other areas of that nature. And let's be really honest: MS HS coaching doesn't measure up nationally. It's exposed every time one of our "elite" MS HS teams plays an out of state HS. Almost without exception, the MS HS team gets absolutely blown out by the out of state team. Get these guys a couple of years of proper S&C and speed training and we might see our program benefit from this type of coaching more than most. It's definitely an intriguing possibility.

There were rumors that our S&C declined under the last staff. Not sure who was at fault- probably the coaches.

[Todd4State]

This is true?.but also not true. I?ve had a LOT of players over the years who would time at 4.85 - 4.9. Give them two years in a great HS conditioning/weight training program, and they are sitting at 4.6-4.65. Then make the jump to a college program with great trainers, and they move it on further down to 4.5-4.55. It?s amazing how much genetics does?..but it also astounding how much nutrition, weight and condition training can impact a person?s potential. SOOOOO many HS athletes, especially in rural/poor areas, do not get any of those things, then when they get somewhere that can provide those amenities and they BLOW UP.

I used to think that you were just "born" fast. That's only partially true. The training helps people get to their peak- meaning you can be trained to be faster.

It's pretty fascinating. I actually participate in a program where we do strength training as well boot camp training and even in my older age I have gotten a lot stronger and more flexible and athletic in my mid 40's. Speed training is a small part of what we do- but not the focus.

[Todd4State]

We see this in baseball too with pitchers throwing harder after training- sometimes controversially too much too soon.

This is the reason why we see more pitchers throwing 100+ than ever before and why our baseball team basically has almost all pitchers throwing 89-92 on the low end with a couple of exceptions who are more arm angle/deception guys.

[William Tecumsah Sherman]

It also has a lot of getting each players weight at an ideal range for them to maximize speed and strength

[PGHBulldogBG]

This is a great hire and probably my favorite one so far. Our S&C clearly decline after Leach left so we really need to get that back on track.

[Randolph Dupree]

This is true?.but also not true. I?ve had a LOT of players over the years who would time at 4.85 - 4.9. Give them two years in a great HS conditioning/weight training program, and they are sitting at 4.6-4.65. Then make the jump to a college program with great trainers, and they move it on further down to 4.5-4.55. It?s amazing how much genetics does?..but it also astounding how much nutrition, weight and condition training can impact a person?s potential. SOOOOO many HS athletes, especially in rural/poor areas, do not get any of those things, then when they get somewhere that can provide those amenities and they BLOW UP.

This. I was a 4.9-5 guy sophomore year. By the time I was a senior I was a 4.55-4.6 guy. Went from just being a linebacker to also returning kickoffs (I was an undersized linebacker FWIW).

[TheLostDawg]

Nature vs nurture. Most agree that there is a combination of both. The extent (topic variability) is what's debated most.

These kids in rural areas are the best example I agree.

[Churchill]

This program sounds like something that could have helped Will Rogers.

[Bothrops]

This program sounds like something that could have helped Will Rogers.

Nah, but wish him the best.

[phatdog]

Efficient movement tech can be taught and increase speed.