Dear Mark, I apologize.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Coach,
I sincerely offer up my apologies for arguing with you online (forum) as well as disagreeing with you at the Kratos seminar in Chicago concerning HS strength programs. I argued that they aren't all useless and all coaches aren't the dopes you make them out to be. I also said most are intelligent and open to reason concerning the strength field. I now concede and give up trying to stick up for the HS coach (of which I used to be a member of that profession). I offer up the following Twitter conversation I had with a HC at a large school in Ohio:

Original Tweet from him: Can we prevent ACL tears? No. Can we significantly reduce them with proper training? Yes. Deceleration, landing mechanics, change of direction and 1-leg strength are all key.
ME: Why "1" leg strength?
Him: Removing the second leg removes the crutch that aids balance. Loss of the crutch forces you to strengthen muscles, tendons, ligaments associated with the joint that maintain balance.
ME:But can't you move more weight, therefore gaining more strength, with 2 leg vs 1? A stronger posterior chain and "leg" musculature will certainly lead to better strengthening of all of the parts you listed, as well as improve balance.
Him:Focusing on force production and neglecting balance and joint health is like having a Lambo engine with Craigslist brakes. Not saying 2 leg squat should be replaced, its an amazing lift, but 1 leg and balance movements should play huge part in what you do.
ME:As the muscle grows and strengthens, so do all associated connective tissue. Single leg movements at sub maximal weights will not improve as much as reg squat. Also, in 90% of programs time is an issue. Time spent on force prod will have better ROI (imo)
Him:it's your world man, you can do whatever you want. I've spent my career researching this and this is what I believe in
At which point I inserted the GIF of Will Ferrell from Anchorman "Well, that escalated quickly"

Sorry, it won't happen again.

NFL had 51 players tear an ACL in 2017 – ProFootballTalk

So it looks like being on the "cutting edge" of modern day strength and conditioning isn't exactly working.

[Mark Rippetoe]

While I wouldn't say single-leg training is always useless, saying the second leg is a crutch strikes me as very odd. Does your sport not use both legs? Because if it does, then you'll have that "crutch" while you're performing whatever you're training for, so why would you need to take it away in training?

How does one train on one leg, Sean?

[Sean Herbison]

How does one train on one leg, Sean?

Strength train? You don't. Well, not effectively anyway.

Maybe I should have said single-leg "work" or "practice" instead of" training" there, but my mind was in the throwing arena at the time, not the barbell arena.

[David Lee]

I'll just throw this in here for conversation if Mark will allow:

Bill Wallace (martial artist) - Wikipedia

Imagine what he could have done with two good legs.

[tfranc]

Addressing the hs coach’s final tweet - there is no room for “belief” in this pursuit. I can believe that shoving a banana up your ass while deadlifting makes you stronger than without it. I can believe whatever I want. So many coaches are unable to parse hype and the thrill of cutting edge “science” from what actually makes sense. There is no room for belief. Go to church if you want to believe in something.

[GammaFlat]

Yeah, it's pointless. The argument he believes is too seductive, and he can't reason his way around it. Use your time more wisely.

I don't completely disagree with the OP or Mark but I'm willing to press forward for the sake of the kids...

The wider topic is sub-optimal strength training in high school football programs. I think there are a combination of reasons that work in concert that make coaches not willing to consider strength systems different than their own. Coaches won't budge because....

• By definition, coaches are defensive about their methods. Any success, however small (having a strong kid or a good season), becomes justification for defending the system in its entirety. The last thing you want is a line of people at your door with new and better ideas when you already think you're pretty good. Committees don't build winning programs. Football coaches are magically deemed experts - otherwise they wouldn't be there.
• Coach: "It is the system we use, it's what we've always done - change is bad. What we've got works for us. Now go away."
• No matter what you say, here's what the coach will hear: "So you are telling me about some article you read about how I should change my strength training?".

Thoughts on how to approach the problem:

1. Site success stories: Every enormously successful high school football team has behind it an enormously successful strength program. For example, Amherst High School in Amherst Wisconsin (thanks Karl Schudt!) and De La Salle High in Concord California (See "When the Game Stands Tall"). How strong are those guys and how strong are our guys? hmmm?!
2. Debate whether strength is important. Can a kid be too strong? Drive the conversation toward "how much strength is desired?". The answer, of course, is "as much as possible". If you are this far, you've made amazing headway. Be ready for the arguments that "raw strength" isn't the goal and "explosive strength" or "functional strength" is desirable. This is where Rip's explanations and definitions come in very handy.
3. Build an example: "Have you seen Bill the Sophomore? He's doing that Starting Strength thing and he's easily the strongest kid in the high school..." Kids talk about strength a lot. They know who the strongest kids are. They know what the strong kids are doing differently. The kids will be an easy sell. Keep them involved in the conversations. They can become ready allies.
4. Get parents on board. My experience is that parents want their kids stronger. This is another place where having an "example kid" available is priceless. Approaching a staff with the help of other parents is good. Other parents may be willing to volunteer to help (see #8).
5. If you want to win an argument, argue the future: With this strength program, we will be conference champions within 2 years. We will be State Champions within 3 years. The parents and kids from a school delivering average performance or less will not be able to contain their excitement about this. Average programs are understandably not making these projections internally. Kids and parents want hope! Give it to them. It also makes sense to understand whether the current staff really wants a championship team. If you determine they don't, Rip's advice holds.
6. If all else fails, start an underground movement. Most high schools have a lifting program that is sort of compulsory - usually 3 days. Depending on the program, SS can be implemented at least partially during regular lifting periods. High School coaches or designated strength coaches have their hands full just keeping track of who showed up. Monitoring what each kid actually does every lifting session is likely not done - YMMV. Where necessary, lifting days other than those designated by the football staff may be needed at the high school or elsewhere. If this strategy fails, Mark's advice on sandbagging so you can go home and do your lifts properly is indicated but very hard on the kid. If you think it's hard to get a kid to eat correctly, try to get them to perform sub-maximal lifts in front of their friends.
7. Now it's time to talk about how... We need the best methods for getting stronger most efficiently. This can be proven through logs posted on this site or to bring it closer to home, use the "example kid's" logs and results. Throw down the challenge that there is no better way to do this. The recipe book is SS3.
8. Lastly, Volunteer. How the hell can you propose a new strength training program with no skin in the game? "I, John Smith, SSC (or other certification), volunteer my time from 3pm to 5pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to manage the strength training program". Please don't kill me for saying this but certifications that are much easier and cheaper to get (but woefully less useful in the weight room) will be more compelling than being a Starting Strength Coach. I am not saying don't be an SSC. I am saying other certs buy more credibility and they're often just a weekend and 500 bucks away. You're looking for perceived credibility.

This path requires a lot of planning, time and effort... and Rip may be right: "use your time more wisely". I'm willing to gamble and invest for the benefit of a bunch of kids I greatly revere.

This is my current world. Thoughts and critiques are very welcome.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Who are you suggesting these options to?

[GammaFlat]

Who are you suggesting these options to?

Anyone who's trying to influence high school football coaching staffs in regards to strength training programs. In my particular case, I have previously coached the kids (including my son) that are now in a high school football program.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Anyone who's trying to influence high school football coaching staffs in regards to strength training programs. In my particular case, I have previously coached the kids (including my son) that are now in a high school football program.

I tried this for years. Maybe now I'd have more success, since my arguments are better honed, more articulate, and more concise. Actually, the sad part is that increasing the logic of the argument might make it even less effective.

[Jeff Leonard]

GammaFlat,
My original post was simply showing what kind of conversation you can expect when you DON"T tell someone they are wrong or misguided (according to SS followers), but simply ask a question of their process. It shows what can happen when someone like me legitimately asks a question. I asked "Why 1 leg", that's it. I feel I gave a reasonable response to everyone of his responses until he ultimately remarked about it being "my world", in other words, I'm the dumbass.

I am more convinced now then ever that the best way for a HS athlete to get strong is to train outside of their school sponsored program. I hate that. So much good comes from the "shared suffering" that the weight room provides. The comradery and team chemistry gained in the weight room is a real thing, so that is why I hate to see a kid resort to an out of school gym just to get strong to play their sport, however it really is the best option. My question for the coach was based on my experience. I never had more than 6-8 weeks to train my players so time was of the essence. Why work a 1 legged exercise, which would take time away from the acquisition of strength, when a properly performed squat was the best thing for what I was trying to accomplish. Unfortunately he got the red ass and shut it down...

One more example, I recently bought a load of equipment from a local high school. Plates, racks, leg press machine, dumbells and more. I bought this stuff in early January, the typical off season for HS football weight training. I asked the coach if he wanted to hang on to everything until his new stuff showed up in March and he said no, he only works on "speed" until about May/June, then they start lifting for strength! I said what about the wrestlers, "They don't lift" WTF!! When we left, my oldest son made the remark "High school strength programs are a joke". That is when I gave up.