Inside Redhawks strength & conditioning

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - 9 wins in their last 10, SEMO men’s basketball is having another great season.

Behind that is an equally great strength and conditioning program.

Assistant Director of Sports Performance for the university, Todd Reidel, leads the men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the baseball team in their workouts.

From planning to going through the workout to post-workout and even helping with nutrition advice, Reidel is on the front lines of SEMO’s operation.

That operation, at least inside the weight room, is intense.

“It’s intense in here,” Reidel said. “We get after it... I’m not going to get all fancy and crazy during my lifts, but I will push them, and we will dominate simple.”

The workouts are designed to simulate what’s going on on court, getting athletes’ heart rates high and challenging balance, hand-eye coordination, flexibility, strength, etc.

Lifting is a main component of the team’s overall program, but it’s not just recklessly charging for a PR on bench or squats.

Senior David Idada noted that from early on, when he started lifting, the goals were more similar to a general lifter, but as he’s progressed into a college program like SEMO’s, his goals have adapted.

“I think I started off more so lifting like a bodybuilder, a little bit too much, than like actual stuff I need on the court,” Idada said. “I didn’t do any mobility work. Today we did something to strengthen our knees, stuff like that. It’s not just bicep curling.”

Lifts and workouts are also key to avoiding injury. Marqueas Bell is a clear case, having a career season coming off a torn patella tendon.

“Being able to explode to the rim again, being able to be balanced, being able to feel myself again out there on the floor and not feel pain, being able to be myself again feels great,” Bell said.

For men’s basketball, the players’ physical transformations are quite apparent. Specifically, freshmen make strides in their development, Trace Sadler notably gaining considerable mass in his first year in Cape Girardeau.

“I came here, I was around 203,” Sadler said on his weight when arriving in the summer. “I weighed in this morning at 220.”

Sadler mentioned that he’s significantly upped his calories to help support his frame, along with increased weight lifting.

The full-team lifts are a big point in building chemistry. Bell mentioned that it’s most exciting when the team’s lifting together, helping them all to get through a strenuous workout.

SEMO has a critical doubleheader coming up for both men’s and women’s basketball, Thursday versus Tennessee State.

Fighting to stay in the race to make the OVC Tournament, women’s basketball tips off at 5:15, with the men’s contest set for 7:30; SEMO is hoping to remain at the top of the conference.