This article appears in the November edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. Don’t get the mag? Join US Lacrosse today to start your subscription.
John Galloway, the gold medal-winning goalkeeper for the U.S. national team and co-MLL Goalie of the Year for the Dallas Rattlers, is the only active men's professional lacrosse player who doubles as an NCAA Division I head coach.
Galloway led Jacksonville to the precipice of an NCAA tournament appearance last year, finishing just shy of that goal with an overtime loss to Richmond in the Southern Conference final. He incorporates the Dolphins’ strength and conditioning program into his own regime.
Barbell Box Squat
Helps With: Trunk and lower body strength.
I Do: 150-200 pounds for 6-10 reps.
Step 1: Center yourself under the bar and place it on your upper back and shoulders.
Step 2: Squeeze your hands in tight on the bar to provide a stable surface.
Step 3: Unrack the bar and step back to the box.
Step 4: Set your feet outside the width of your shoulders, with your toes slightly pointed out.
Step 5: Begin the squat by pushing your hips and butt back, lowering the bar until you sit firmly on the box.
Step 6: Squeeze the entirety of your lower body and push through the ground to stand back up with the bar.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Helps With: Builds single leg strength in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings and proves to be beneficial in total body stability, mobility, and flexibility.
Step 1: Start with the bar resting firmly on the upper back/shoulders.
Step 2: Front foot should be elevated on a two- or three-inch stable surface.
Step 3: Take a long step back into the split squat position.
Step 4: Begin the movement by dropping the back knee straight to the ground, squeeze your glutes and front quadriceps hard and bring the knee back to starting position.
Step 5: Control the knee down to the ground and explode up.
Band Assisted Bench Press
Helps With: Build upper body strength in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Lacrosse is a highly physical sport and the shoulder joint takes a toll and becomes injury prone, so this helps gain a full range of motion in that joint.
Step 1: Hands placed a thumbs length from the knurling (rough edge) of the bar.
Step 2: Un-rack the bar from the catches.
Step 3: Bring the bar down to the lower portion of your chest.
Step 4: Squeeze your chest, shoulders, and tricep muscles and push the bar off your chest back to starting position.
Step 5: Be sure to have a spotter and clips on the barbell.