When we all start as coaches, we want to show our stuff. We give the athletes everything we know in the first 10-minutes of a practice or training session- ha-ha! Been there, done that! Authentic coaching comes when we start to realize less is better. What does less mean? It’s about giving one thing to …
We often speak of athletes who need to accomplish a skill based on the task in front of them and the environment it exists in. Wait… What does this really mean when it comes to training athletes? The definition of task is defined as being assigned to do a specific job or work. In sports …
All kids should learn to throw and kick. As kids grow and develop through play, they naturally develop strategies to move in both acceleration and deceleration pathways. This occurs as their strength levels develop, their body and spatial awareness develops, and their desire to compete rises so does the demand to be able to move …
What’s a Rep? When defining a repetition (rep), we might define it as the completion of an action. The definition describes what a rep is. It doesn’t describe the quality of that rep. As strength coaches, we need to define the quality of what a rep is in order to have a model of movement …
Body control is a broad subject due to the fact it is governed by so many systems in the body. To keep it simple stayed with the exercises that help the athlete control posture, body angles, and mass and momentum. Plus, these are exercises and tools we know to most coaches. Some of the key …
Are we learning the principles of athletic movement from the right people? Bet you are wondering where I am going with this one. This isn’t the first time voicing my opinion about this topic. It is important to understand that we need to use our athletes as our guiding light. They are trying to tell …
We are becoming an assessment happy industry and that is a good thing. The more we know about our clients (within reason) the better we can address their goals. Questions to First Ask When Assessing Speed Are we qualified to assess properly? Do we really know what we’re looking for when assessing speed? Understanding Assessing …
Thoughts to Consider with Body Weight Exercise There is a reason gymnastics is NOT easy. Body weight exercises are hard. It is kind of odd, but I agree and disagree with this statement. On one hand, the merit of performing body weight exercises positively influences correct patterns of movement through control of the body. On …
When coaches evaluate sprinting mechanics, what should they look for? Here is a simple template to use when working with multi-directional sport athletes during sprinting. When working with sprinters in track, because this is the track athletes’ skill, be more particular. They don’t decelerate or change direction. They need to maximize linear speed only. Tips …
When I first began coaching basketball, I developed a set of basketball conditioning drills for my players. I called them the “Final Four” of basketball conditioning drills. There are four drills that are completed on a time frame which somewhat mimic basketball speed, but are slightly longer in duration compared to a normal sequence of plays, …
