Are we even doing this correctly?

How many youth coaches are training their players to be slower? 

How many want their kids to move like a sloth and then get absolutely juked out of their shoes as the opposing player runs right by them?

How many infielders want to have the range of a step and a fall? 

Certainly there are not any coaches who want their players to be SLOW. But many are unintentionally making their players slower!


You see the nervous system is a very plastic thing. Plastic is a fancy word. it's true. When something is plastic, it changes to take on the characteristics of its mold and then holds onto those traits.


So when the human neuromuscular system is considered plastic, it will take on the traits of whatever stress is placed on it. Most of us want our players to be fast. In order to do this we need to make sure that their movements are fast each and every time. Otherwise the neuromuscular system will begin to operate in the speed range of whatever speed is most often used.


Right now many of you are envisioning telling your players to constantly move fast. You're envisioning them moving faster than lightning and envisioning them doing it for the entire 90 minutes of your practice.


But there is a problem.


The human body cannot move as fast as possible for very long. And by very long I mean any longer than about :10. After that fatigue begins to set in. How do we combat that? By giving more than enough rest. So many coaches are of the mindset that kids are not making progress unless they are about ready to fall over from exhaustion.


If you want them to be great at running slowly for 90 minutes straight, then sure. keep them going. But you aren't going to get very good work out of them. Think about it. The team is running for "conditioning." They aren't moving very fast and they are doing hundreds, if not thousands of repetitions at less than maximal contraction speed. 


What exactly is this TRAINING them to do? Because that is what is being done. Just like we train horses how to run, jump and canter, we train kids bodies to move at a certain speed. Whether we intend to or not, it happens. So with every step, they are getting slower and slower.


To make athletes faster, you MUST present a stimulus that requires them to move as fast as possible (while still in control). Then give them plenty of rest so they can come back and give you another rep with 110%. 


This is something that we have developed over the past 5 years through research and through practical experience. We practice this in our FAST Forward and Movement First Programs. Don't believe me? Come try either class out for a week on me.


We start next week, August 30! Do not wait to sign up, we will only be taking 8 athletes for each of these groups. For more information, visit our website www.pairmarotta.com/fitness.

Send me an email at Aaron@pairmarotta.com and we will be sure to get you setup for a free week of workouts!