Athletes' summer includes regular workout sessions
• Summer workouts
• Fall evaluation performance criteria
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
 |
| University of Hawai'i volleyball player Margaret Vakasausau works out under the supervision of conditioning coordinator Tommy Heffernan.
Richard Ambo The Honolulu Advertiser |
Every student-athlete at the University of Hawai'i has some type of summer conditioning program. For Rainbow Wahine basketball, softball and volleyball, it comes in the form of a 60-page bound book entitled "Summer 2002 Total Package Training, Hawai'i Strength." It includes everything from the "Icky" and "Ali" shuffles to day-by-day plans for the entire summer.
Tommy Heffernan, UH's strength and conditioning coordinator, wastes no words. His opening letter is two paragraphs. The first tells athletes how much they will lift and condition over the summer, and how they will be evaluated when they return. The second details weight room hours.
Add to those few hours a day time to play, which usually takes up more time. Those lazy, hazy days of summer are suddenly not so lazy, and quickly disappear. But complaints are rare.
Some, like volleyball setter Margaret Vakasausau, savor the summer. She works out early every weekday, plays up to four times a week and runs on her own three nights. When there's no teammate to work out with, she finds a football player.
"I run with the offensive linemen," Vakasausau says, "because I'm not that fast."
She's added cross-training this year, biking to work.
"Margaret is probably the hardest worker in the summer that I've ever seen," coach Dave Shoji says. "It's just the way she is. She has a tremendous work ethic.
"A setter is like a quarterback. You don't want them to be the strongest on the team, but I think Margaret might be. One thing Margaret has to worry about is putting on too much muscle because it hurts her vertical. (Lauren) Duggins could use some of Margaret's muscle."
Making huge strides
Basketball coach Vince Goo puts senior center Christen Roper near Vakasausau and BJ Itoman — his summer workout fiend — when it comes to conditioning. The 6-foot-5 Roper has made huge strides every summer; the progress coming exponentially each year.
Roper is in school this semester. She usually goes through her two-hour conditioning program with volleyball players and some of the six teammates who are here. Then she plays pickup with "any of the random people who walk in the gym" and works individually on her footwork, moves, balance and shooting.
"It's simple stuff, repetitive stuff you only learn by doing it every day," Roper says.
Soon, she'll go back to California to attend her second Tall Women's Camp. At home, she practices against her father and sister — both 6-1 — and plays against guys. For four years now, she has also worked with a personal coach who, for $15 an hour, conditions and works on specific skills.
"Summer might be the same quantity and quality as the season, but it's not as intense as team workouts," Roper says. "Those are real intense. We're all after the same goal. When you're all after the same thing, the motivation level goes up five steps.
"At home, I play in men's leagues. Some guys are real good, but nobody else is out there to win the game they've got Nov. 25 against UConn."
Enjoying and enduring
It has taken three years and a serious shoulder injury that basically ended her junior year, but UH catcher Michelle Mumaw is a summer-conditioning convert.
This is the first time she's stayed in Hawai'i for the summer. She and pitcher Sheri Oronoz run and lift three times a week. They "play" softball at least another three, Mumaw working on throws and her release and Oronoz her change-up. Both also work out in the pool as part of rehabilitation.
Does she enjoy it, or endure it?
"Kind of both," Mumaw admits. "There are days you just don't want to be out there. But now I'm in the habit, and if I don't do it, I feel like I'm missing something. So I don't miss."
Besides, there's always the thought of that first Friday after school starts, when softball players run a timed mile and dive into preseason.
"You would die if you didn't do anything over the summer," Mumaw says. "You wouldn't make it. You wouldn't make it to tomorrow."
Last chance
Vakasausau's final season is closing in and her motivation is peaking. She took over as starter last season and, heading into her final year, the Rainbows have three potential All-Americans and a realistic shot at their fifth national championship.
Half the team is here now, training with other athletes. The other half will be back next weekend. Vakasausau is looking forward to working with them and — with her summer school over — having more time to train.
"I love it, love to work out," she admits. "Probably the saddest thing about not being part of a team is not being part of a group that works together toward that common goal. I'll be sad next year because no one else pushes me like my teammates, or the strength coach or the volleyball coaches. I'll be sad when they don't hand me that summer workout book. I'll never have another. I thought about that when he handed it to me."
Vakasausau stopped and grinned. "I shed a tear," she said.
Maybe not, but she is definitely volleyball's poster child for postseason incentive. She has always seen the carrot at the end of the strength and conditioning stick. Her adrenaline coming into camp is contagious.
"Our most fun day is media day, when we look great in our uniforms, we're not tired, we're excited," Vakasausau says. "All the hard work we've gone through — running in the morning and 'abs' in the afternoon and lifting all this damn weight has paid off. We look good and feel great. We want to show it off, show everybody we're fit and we're volleyball players and we're going to kick some okole. That's the big payoff."
• • •
Flexibility:
Before and after all workouts: 21 stretches for pectorals, triceps, shoulders, quadriceps, abdominals, adductors, lower back, hips/gluteals, hamstrings, calf, hip flexors.
Strength
Approximately 10 different lifts (3-4 sets, 5-25 repetitions) each day plus abdominal and jump work.
Conditioning
Form running (for example back pedal, shuffle, high knee) daily. Agility/quickness drills at least twice a week, for 15-40 minutes; repetitions last 5-15 seconds, at maximum effort. Also, court/field work, games or various runs (shuttle, hill, 110-yard repetition to 2-mile).
Duration
- Volleyball: four times a week for 12 weeks.
- Basketball: three times a week for 14 weeks.
- Softball: three times a week for 12 weeks.
• • •
Fall evaluation performance criteria
Returning University of Hawai'i athletes will be tested in the following categories to determine whether they have attained their summer workout goals.
Basketball
- LiftsiBench press, back squat, power cleans, push press
- Sit-ups and push-ups (1 minute each)
- Vertical (standing and approach)
- Mile run (guards 6:40 or less, posts 7 minutes or less)
Softball
- Mile run (8 minutes or less)
- 60-foot sprint (3 seconds or less)
- 20-yard shuttle
Volleyball
- LiftsiBench press, back squat, power cleans, push press
- Ropes (1 minute)
- Sit-ups (1 minute)
- Mile run (7 minutes or less)
- Vertical (standing and approach)
- 20-yard shuttle
