Wray Watkins

Wray Watkins is the director of strength and conditioning at MVP Sports Centers in Lake Forest, Calif. He has worked with athletes from the NFL, MLB and MLS, as well as several Olympic Gold Medalists. Watkins also runs an international internship program through MVP. He received his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from San Diego State University in 2002.

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3 Sports Performance Training Myths Debunked for Parents

April 26, 2013 | Wray Watkins

Despite the growth and evolution of sports performance training, several "old wives tales" still exist around the gym. As parents, we want our athletes to succeed. But to help them achieve success, we need to address certain issues. Here are three...

Weight Room Crossover: Lifting Exercises for Speed Training

April 9, 2013 | Wray Watkins

You train hard primarily so that all your effort in the gym can be transferred to the field. For field sports, speed remains the most coveted of athletic traits. Yet speed exercises are left out of many weight room routines. Reaching...

What Makes a Good Plyometric Workout?

March 29, 2013 | Wray Watkins

Plyometric training is a great addition to any strength and conditioning program. However, to create a good plyometric workout, you need to address three areas—structure, safety and synergy. Plyo Workout Structure To be useful, every program needs to start with some sort...

3 Best Plyometric Drills for Speed

February 10, 2013 | Wray Watkins

Athletes can achieve top speed by maximizing their power production. When designed and implemented correctly, plyometric training is an effective and efficient way to increase the power produced in an athlete's stride. (See Speed Phase Drills: Training for Complete Speed Development.) However,...

3 Questions To Ask Before Starting a Youth Sports Training Program

January 23, 2013 | Wray Watkins

There are many misconceptions about youth sports training programs. All parents want the best for their children, and nothing makes them more proud than seeing their children reach their full potential in sports. But when guiding their kids into athletic...

4 Ways to Sabotage Your Training

December 26, 2012 | Wray Watkins

The main reason why you spend hours in the weight room is to improve as an athlete. However, making progress can sometimes be difficult. If you are failing to reach your training goals, it's time to reassess. You may need...

Low-Cost Speed Training Gear

November 26, 2012 | Wray Watkins

You don’t need fancy or expensive gadgets to get faster. In fact, many top speed coaches use surprisingly low-tech equipment to help their athletes shave seconds from their sprint times. While you can make dramatic improvements just by learning proper technique...

3 Key Hamstring Stretches for Athletes

November 5, 2012 | Wray Watkins

The typical sports career is fleeting, weighted heavily on an athlete's youth. Injuries mean spending valuable time in the training room rehabbing instead of on the field making plays. In many sports today, injured hamstrings are all too common. Hamstring muscles...

3 Speed Ladder Drills to Improve Sprinting Technique

October 4, 2012 | Wray Watkins

A countless number of sports performance training tools are available today. One of the most versatile is the speed ladder. A speed ladder can be used to improve balance, coordination, quickness and neuromuscular efficiency. It can also be used to...

Plyometric Exercises for Volleyball Players

September 26, 2012 | Wray Watkins

Volleyball by its nature depends on quick and explosive movements. For that reason alone, plyometric exercises are especially valuable to volleyball athletes. They enhance muscle elasticity and help athletes maximize power production. When designing an effective plyometric program for volleyball, you...

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