Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball. Offensively, the objective of the game is to use the lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball in an effort to score by ultimately hurling the ball into an opponent’s goal. Defensively, the objective is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to depossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact or positioning. There are three main versions of the sport: men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse and box lacrosse.

Strength of the entire body must be developed properly for structural support and motor function. This will not only increase protection of the body upon hard contact, but will also maintain balance during impact and preserve performance after the fact. Power development is also crucial in order for the lacrosse athlete to abruptly change directions, launch cannon shots, deliver defensive body checks and perform rapid sporting maneuvers like evading a defender with an “outside roll.” Players also need confidence at the face-off, where quickness often determines which team gets the ball. Examining the energy systems and force outputs fueling lacrosse will highlight how and why HyperStrike developed a solid strength and conditioning program for the lacrosse athlete. During the game, the goalie, defensive players and attackers get 80 percent of the energy needed from the body’s ATP-PC system, which is a source of quick, explosive power. The other 20 percent is generated from anaerobic glycolysis, the source of intense muscular action. A midfielder would be the exception. Because of wider-range responsibilities, he or she may derive 60 percent of his or her energy from the ATP-PC System, 20 percent from the anaerobic glycolysis and the remaining 20 percent from the aerobic system, a source for lower-intensity, and continuous muscle actions like running. The force outputs required of lacrosse players are primarily explosive. Defined by power, these outputs are expressed typically during abrupt acceleration, deceleration and cutting, as well as body-checking, goal shots and face-off actions. Regardless of position, players should display high maximum power, mean power and total work outputs. In fact, absolute power outputs in lacrosse players are even higher than those of elite rugby and soccer players.
The Lacrosse Workout:
Lacrosse challenges athletes to be quick and explosive. The HyperStrike lacrosse workout program concentrates on exercises that exploit these motor qualities in all players. Important fitness qualities such as anaerobic glycolysis and aerobics are also addressed. Power-generating exercises in the Hyperstrike lacrosse program include cleans, power cleans, hang cleans, clean pulls, box squats, band squats, squat jumps, box jumps, power jerks and medicine ball throws. Maximum strength exercises in the program include back squats, front squats, chain squats, deadlifts, standing presses, bench presses, and pull-ups. Speed and agility exercises include acceleration sprint work, foot work, ladder work, cone drills, plyometrics, etcetera. Additionally, because the center face-off requires the athlete to huddle into a low crouch before producing power and speed from this position, players should use a full range of motion in leg exercises, such as the squat. A strength and conditioning program should take into consideration an annual plan, broken down into meso-cycles, better recognized as off-season (summer), pre-season (fall/winter), and in-season (winter/spring) cycles. In the off-season cycle, the training goal is to maximize strength and increase some muscle bulk (especially in defenders). A conjugate method, in which power is trained simultaneously with maximum strength, is used here. The focus during pre-season is tuned to power as well as speed, agility and some aerobic conditioning to increase specific metabolic and biomechanical fitness for the up-coming in-season. This training design, which employs several motor qualities at once, is considered a complex method. For in-season training, a linear program emphasizing the maintenance of strength and power is assigned so athletes can focus the majority of their time on specific-skill acquisition and game strategies. Practice and competition cover the rest. Optimal physical preparation for lacrosse is a necessity. A scientifically-based training program emphasizing the key skill set of strength, power, speed, agility and endurance will not only maximize athletic performance, it will also go far to decrease the risk of injuries.
The weather in Florida is perfect for this outside sport and there are several Lacrosse clubs in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca and Delray.

Directory of recommended vendors and lacrosse clubs:

Miami Lacrosse Association

Greater Fort Lauderdale Lacrosse Team

Fort Lauderdale Lacrosse Club
4801 Johnson Road, Suite 5
Coconut Creek, FL 33073
President: Rich Barba at: Rbarba6@aol.com
The FLLC is a Post-Collegiate Mens Lacrosse Club which practices on Thursday nights from 7-9 pm at Central Broward Regional Park from October through March.  In addition to holding practices each week, the FLLC also fields a competitive team which plays in the Florida Lacrosse League.  The FLLC also sponsors the Flamingos Lacrosse Academy which takes place each December and benefits local youth lacrosse programs in Broward County.
Contact Treasurer Jason Scarberry at: jlee1909@yahoo.com

University of Miami Lacrosse Club
The club competes against other Universities and Clubs. The Club has plans for a few tournaments for both Men’s and Women’s teams. The lacrosse club is open to all students who want to play lacrosse and all skill levels are welcome. There is a men’s and women’s club. No experience necessary.
Women’s Lacrosse
President: Kristen Avvento  518-423-5919
Advisor:Rhonda DuBord  305-284-6523
Tuesday’s and Thurday’s 5:30-7:30pm  Yaron Field, Dues $125 per year
Men’s Lacrosse
President:  Michael Angarsky  516-724-7313
Advisor: Rhonda DuBord  305-284-6523
Instructor:  Alex Schultes  703-980-1269
Mondays and Wednesdays 5pm, Yaron Fields, Dues: $375/year