The magic bullet for speed and agility is....

I recently read an article by one of my favorite strength coaches, Mike Boyle. I have a handful of his instructional DVD's as well as his most recent book "Advances in Functional Training." 

In his article he stated that so many people are looking for the "magic bullet" to speed and agility. Some people think it's the speed ladder. I mean, it isn't called a speed ladder for nothing right?

While the speed ladder does improve coordination and rhythm, it isn't the magic bullet.

Still other coaches thought that the key to speed and agility was the resistance parachute. So these became all the rage. And for good reason. They provide resistance, but not so much resistance that it changes an athletes running mechanics. But alas, the speed chute was used, but players did not become more agile.

So what is the "magic bullet"? The magic bullet is a quality training program that addresses:

• Ankle, hip and thoracic spine mobility
• Knee, low back and shoulder stability
• teaches basic movement patterns such as a lunge, squat, push, pull, and hip rotation
• Corrects muscle tightness and poor posture
• Teaches the body to move quickly with minimal self-imposed resistance

Basically training athletes is like working on a car - adding a new engine won't give the car top performance if the suspension is horrible. Likewise a new suspension won't do as much as if the tires were improved. And last but not least, if the driver is not competent, then the car won't drive well no matter what you do.

Developing a quality athlete requires development of all skills, not JUST those used in a specific sport. Think about the last post I wrote about the multi-sport athlete. The multi-sport athlete is a rare specimen these days. Yet, they are often the most coveted athletes by scouts, coaches, colleges and pro teams.

The magic bullet is activity. Let your kids play and play a lot. Oh yeah, and let them play with minimal interference from coaches, parents and a ton of rules. Let them make their own rules and settle their own conflicts on the field. They need it to grow not only physically, but also emotionally and psychologically.

The magic bullet is really a toolbox filled with tools that is used to tune the car. When you add tools to the box, you become much more valuable and usable. 

In addition, when a player has a toolbox full of tools, they can attack any problem and be successful. Isn't that what you want for your kids?

Don't hijack your player

Remember growing up and being the athlete who played a sport in the fall, another in the winter and another in the spring?

What happened to that athlete?

When did an athlete become a baseball player? And why do we encourage athletes as young as 8 to be single sport all-star's? 

The other day I was talking with an athlete who usually plays baseball, but wanted to play football and is now prepping for soccer. He said he really enjoys playing all of those sports but because there are so many factors involved, he was going to stick with one sport. 

What are some of these factors?

• Coaching pressure
• Peer pressure
• Parental pressure
• Niavity

Face it, coaches can be a bit demanding. Others still are very demanding and have the potential to place an unusual amount of pressure on players. They sometimes say silly things like, "If you don't play for our team this fall, you won't be able to play on our team in the spring." I've heard it from some of our athletes. 

Now sometimes things like this are said because coaches don't want to lose the player. But sometimes the coach says this to manipulate the player into staying. Essentially saying, the only way the player's position is secure is if you don't leave. So what is a 14-year old to do?

They stay. They give up the fun the used to have playing multiple sports because they have just been "caged in" by the coach.

Other ways that players are manipulated is by peer pressure. They want to stay on the club team because their friends are all on the club team. If this is the case, then it should be the coaches responsibility to give the team some time off - a minimum of two months spread out through the year (weekends don't count!).

Parents sometimes add to the pressure by constantly talking about scholarships and college and the "pride they feel" that their child is playing on an "elite" team. Sometimes the kids don't even have to be near. But if a mom tells her friend that her 11 year-old son is planning on playing baseball in college and that comes back around to the child, there is pressure now that the child does not want to disappoint the parent. 

If you are one of these parents, make sure you let your child know that your pride in them and love for them is not based on how well they do in sports or whether or not they go to college on a scholarship. You may think your kid knows that you love them regardless of sport. But I've never seen a kid struggle with a sport because their parents say "I love you" too much. And don't just say it after a game. That's bad timing. Tell them you love them in their worst moments and in their best. Tell them always.

Kids need security. A secure child will develop an internal love for the sport if they are secure in their standing with their parents. Emotional need have to be met. Otherwise a child will play a sport simply as a means to get some attention from the parent. 

Coaches should do the same. Make sure your players know that you care about them, their future and their well being. They will be much more likely to respect you and play hard for you. One way to show them you care about their well being is to mandate some time away from the sport. 

A club coach came to me one afternoon and told me he mandated that his team take 1-month off after a heavy summer tournament season. He said the players actually didn't want the break. But he made it a requirement. A month later he said his team came back hitting better than ever. 

Why? 

They were able to decompress and unload all the pressure that had been building on them over the summer. When his team resumes practice, you can bet his team will come back hitting better than ever. 

Give them time off. Time time away and time to do something different. They will return with the vigor you saw when they first started.

Get big or die tryin'....

This is the weight room motto that so many high school coaches live by. They think if their players aren't getting huge, then obviously the kids are failing, not putting in enough effort and will never end up as quality athletes.

But what is this telling the kids who enjoy working out, who enjoy seeing themselves get stronger (but maybe not bigger) and who really like playing sports but happen to be a "late bloomer"? It is at this point where I think many high school coaches who supervise a weight lifting program, tend to lose their focus.

The first goal of any strength and conditioning program should be keeping their players safe and in full function. Yet so many lose focus on the fact that squatting is not JUST about lifting as much weight as possible, but is instead about TEACHING a solid movement pattern, and then slowly and progressively loading it to stimulate muscle growth.

Far too often coaches are saying, I don't care how you do it, just squat it! I have a freshmen baseball player who is working out in the mornings with his coaches and I can't believe the exercises that I am hearing they do and also the loads/weight they are using.

At such a young age, players need to develop quality movement skills instead of focusing on "getting huge." Yet coaches everywhere are concerned with their players not being big enough. Hypertrophy (increase in muscle size) is difficult to come by for even grown men. So to put that much emphasis and pressure on younger athletes is something that should not be done. 

Body builders usually have poor flexibility, chronic injuries of the shoulders and knees and are not very well equipped for sports other than posing on stage.

Encourage young athletes to get stronger, but don't be surprised if they don't get a whole lot bigger. Strength comes from the muscle(s) functioning better as a unit. Hypertrophy may be a side effect, but it should not be the outright goal. Training for muscle size has its own sport: body building.