What Exactly are you Training?
Maybe it’s me but it seems like YouTube and Facebook are packed with more and more fitness videos that are proving to be more circus oriented than quality driven. I truly feel sorry for parents, athletes and coaches who don’t have the background to properly analyze what they are watching. Just because someone posts a video that they say works a particular physical aspect or because they are skillful at producing a video does not mean it is of quality. I recently came across a video that had a young athlete bouncing and jumping over hurdles in order (I think) to train for better agility. Now for a parent or sport coach, this “may” have looked interesting and perhaps functional. Let’s say that the drill was providing some type of element for better movement, but the way this young athlete was performing it was without a doubt completely wrong. Legs flopping to the side when going over the hurdles, improper landing technique and a lack of coordination because this athlete was not prepared for this type bombardment.
So next time you come across a video you find interesting and may want to implement into your fitness training, I have a very easy way to evaluate it for you. Ask yourself why? Why would you use it? What outcome will it provide for you whether you are a coach, parent or athlete? Does it fit into your scheme of what you are presently coaching?
Exercise need not be complicated. The complexity comes from the simplicity. I once read that simplicity + consistency = success (thank you Brian Grasso). I found this to be true of most things, not only within the training world. Create a stable and strong foundation for the athlete and then proceed to construct a building that can not only perform at a high level but also withstand the constant rigor of competition and training. Always think quality over quantity when training. Get great at the simple things and the rest will follow. You may not look like to coolest person in the gym but I’m pretty sure that when competing, your solid foundation and training will take you a long way.
by Dean Hollingworth CSCS, CTPS, MTPS
Director of Fitness and High Performance
Club Côte-de-Liesse, Montreal, QC
[email protected]
Maybe it’s me but it seems like YouTube and Facebook are packed with more and more fitness videos that are proving to be more circus oriented than quality driven. I truly feel sorry for parents, athletes and coaches who don’t have the background to properly analyze what they are watching. Just because someone posts a video that they say works a particular physical aspect or because they are skillful at producing a video does not mean it is of quality. I recently came across a video that had a young athlete bouncing and jumping over hurdles in order (I think) to train for better agility. Now for a parent or sport coach, this “may” have looked interesting and perhaps functional. Let’s say that the drill was providing some type of element for better movement, but the way this young athlete was performing it was without a doubt completely wrong. Legs flopping to the side when going over the hurdles, improper landing technique and a lack of coordination because this athlete was not prepared for this type bombardment.
So next time you come across a video you find interesting and may want to implement into your fitness training, I have a very easy way to evaluate it for you. Ask yourself why? Why would you use it? What outcome will it provide for you whether you are a coach, parent or athlete? Does it fit into your scheme of what you are presently coaching?
Exercise need not be complicated. The complexity comes from the simplicity. I once read that simplicity + consistency = success (thank you Brian Grasso). I found this to be true of most things, not only within the training world. Create a stable and strong foundation for the athlete and then proceed to construct a building that can not only perform at a high level but also withstand the constant rigor of competition and training. Always think quality over quantity when training. Get great at the simple things and the rest will follow. You may not look like to coolest person in the gym but I’m pretty sure that when competing, your solid foundation and training will take you a long way.
by Dean Hollingworth CSCS, CTPS, MTPS
Director of Fitness and High Performance
Club Côte-de-Liesse, Montreal, QC
[email protected]
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