| Let me ask you a few questions. How does Tiger | | | | not improve your performance, in this case, as a |
| Woods consistently play his last hole as strong as his | | | | Lacrosse player. However, "your" speed, endurance |
| first? How is it that Michael Jordan could consider a | | | | and agility ratings fall below the ideal for Lacrosse. |
| comeback in the NBA, and play successfully, at an | | | | Therefore, the majority of your sports-specific |
| age when most professional athletes are stuck in their | | | | Lacrosse conditioning program should revolve around |
| armchair counting their pension checks? Three words. | | | | improving those ability scores to achieve optimal levels. |
| Superior physical conditioning. | | | | 4. Identify current muscle imbalances you currently |
| Compare two athletes in any sport. Given equal talent | | | | have. Muscle imbalances are the main culprit when |
| and skill, the player with superior physical conditioning | | | | talking about injury. Most injuries occur because there |
| will win every single time. | | | | is a significant imbalance between antagonistic |
| If you're serious about your sport, you must know and | | | | (opposite) muscle groups. To compete at optimal |
| live by these 7 principles that I call the 7 Secrets to | | | | levels there must be a balance throughout your entire |
| Developing the Complete Athlete | | | | body.For example, let's say that your pushing muscles |
| 1. Identify the abilities of the ideal athlete in your sport. | | | | (chest, shoulders and triceps) muscles are far stronger |
| The easiest way to initiate this part of the process is | | | | and tighter than the Pulling (upper and mid-back) |
| to picture the top athlete in your chosen sport. Ask | | | | muscles. That means you have a common imbalance |
| yourself what abilities they possess that make them | | | | between these two muscle groups and you are likely |
| the best at what they do. Abilities are things like | | | | to hurt your rotator cuff (common shoulder injury).So |
| flexibility, strength, endurance, power, balance, reaction | | | | what do you do about it? What you have to do is |
| time, coordination, speed, and agility.Don't confuse | | | | stretch the pushing muscles and strengthen your pulling |
| abilities with skills that are specific to the chosen sport. | | | | muscles to create a balance between the two muscle |
| For instance, a basketball player must be able to | | | | groups, producing less stress on the shoulder joint |
| dribble while running up the court. That's a | | | | resulting in an INJURY FREE Shoulder. Now this |
| sport-specific skill, not an ability. The abilities are what | | | | example is quite basic but you should get the point. It |
| underlie each skill. Now, examine each ability more | | | | doesn't matter how strong you are in one movement, |
| closely. Think of the extreme of each ability and rate | | | | it matters how strong you are as an entire unit. |
| that level of ability a 10 on a zero to 10 scale. For | | | | 5. Identify and train in the energy system used in your |
| instance, if you are examining flexibility, who are the | | | | sport. This is probably the biggest flaw in training and |
| most flexible athletes in the world? | | | | conditioning programs I see. To do this correctly, you |
| Gymnasts! So gymnasts require a number 10 level of | | | | must understand the physiology of the main energy |
| flexibility for successful performance. Olympic | | | | systems and how they are used in your chosen sport. |
| weightlifters would be a 10 for power. Power lifters | | | | Let me use two examples. A marathon runner and an |
| would be a 10 for strength and so on for each ability. | | | | Olympic Sprinter. A marathon runner relies very heavily |
| Next, take your chosen sport and compare it to the | | | | on the aerobic energy system to provide energy over |
| extreme. Let's use Lacrosse as an example. Does | | | | 26.2 miles of running in about two and a half hours. A |
| lacrosse require the same level of flexibility as | | | | Sprinter uses primarily the ATP/CP system to provide |
| gymnastics? Of course not! But, lacrosse does require | | | | energy to run as fast as possible over a very short |
| some pretty significant amounts of flexibility in the | | | | amount of time. So how much distance running and |
| spine, shoulders, and hips. | | | | endurance training should a Sprinter do? Minimal, |
| So while it may not require a level of 10 in flexibility we | | | | assuming our Sprinter has plenty of gas left in the tank |
| can estimate the ideal level of flexibility as a 7 or a 8 | | | | after his short race. Get it? |
| out of 10. At this point don't worry about trying to be | | | | Take basketball for example. It sure looks like a lot of |
| exact when establishing the ideal abilities of a lacrosse | | | | running, but it's not marathon-style running now is it. It's |
| player (or any other athlete for that matter) as your | | | | actually a whole lot of repetitive sprints followed by a |
| best estimation will not vary much from the ideal | | | | lot of standing around and occasionally some light |
| unless you really have no understanding of a lacrosse | | | | jogging. Research shows that basketball actually relies |
| player's needs (or your specific sport). Repeat this | | | | most heavily on short-term energy sources (85% ATP |
| process for each ability to create your ideal athlete, in | | | | CP and anaerobic glycolysis) and a little from |
| this case a Lacrosse player. | | | | intermediate energy systems (15% aerobic glycolysis). |
| When you finish you should have a chart that looks | | | | In other words, if your coach is having you run laps for |
| something like this. Keep in mind that the scores will be | | | | conditioning you are wasting your time. |
| different for different sports. | | | | 6. Identify and train the type strength used in your |
| Optimal Abilities for Lacrosse; Strength - 6 Power - 8 | | | | sport. Most athletes equate strength or being strong to |
| Speed - 8 Coordination - 8 Endurance - 8 Reaction | | | | maximal strength. In other words, how much weight |
| time - 8 Flexibility - 7 Agility - 8 Total Score - 61 | | | | can you lift? However, there are many different types |
| 2. Realistically assess your current abilities. Here's the | | | | of strength such as maximal strength, starting strength, |
| hard part. Now you have to be honest with yourself. | | | | explosive strength, speed-strength, strength-speed, and |
| It's time to compare your current abilities with those of | | | | strength endurance. |
| each extreme. You may or may not be a strong as a | | | | Focus on the wrong type of strength training may |
| power lifter. It doesn't matter. BE HONEST! You gain | | | | improve performance in the weight room, but it does |
| nothing by overestimating or intentionally | | | | very little toward improved sports performance. For |
| underestimating your own abilities.In fact, overestimation | | | | instance, it doesn't take a 300-pound bench press (high |
| or underestimation of your abilities will promote | | | | levels of maximal strength) to drive a golf ball 300 |
| absolute failure of your sports conditioning program. | | | | yards, but it does take higher levels of speed-strength |
| When you've rated your own abilities, you should end | | | | and explosive strength than the norm. Most of a |
| up with a chart that looks something like this. | | | | golfer's strength training should, therefore, be designed |
| Your Current Abilities Ability your Score Strength - 6 | | | | around increasing levels of speed-strength if the goal is |
| Power - 6 Speed - 5 Coordination - 8 Endurance - 3 | | | | to increase driving distance. |
| Reaction time - 5 Flexibility - 5 Agility - 5 Total Score - | | | | 7. Hire a professional sports performance coach to |
| 43 | | | | design your individualized program. If you haven't |
| Identify your weak points compared to the ideal. This | | | | realized by now, proper design and implementation of |
| part is easy. Simply put your abilities up against what | | | | a sport-specific conditioning program is not as simple |
| you determined to be the ideal for your sport. Then | | | | as it seems. Each individual athlete brings a unique set |
| just highlight those abilities that fall below your | | | | of abilities to the table, so "cookie-cutter" programming |
| estimation of the ideal level for your sport. | | | | doesn't work. |
| 3. Now, design an individualized training program to | | | | Each sport has very specific needs for optimal |
| focus on your weak points. I think this is one of the | | | | performance. Only those who are trained to identify |
| most common areas where athletes make mistakes in | | | | these abilities and needs can truly provide you with an |
| their sport-specific conditioning program design. It is a | | | | optimal training program. Without proper guidance, your |
| waste of valuable time to focus your conditioning | | | | conditioning program becomes a "crap shoot". By the |
| program on your abilities that are already at optimal | | | | way, a poorly designed sport-specific conditioning |
| levels or higher. Look at the example. "Your score" for | | | | program can actually reduce your ability to perform at |
| strength was 6 out of 10 but the optimal score only | | | | your best on game day. If you have learned anything |
| requires that you possess a strength ability of 6 for | | | | from this special report, consult with a professional |
| successful performance. So how much time and | | | | sports performance coach or strength and conditioning |
| effort should you be spending on strength? Enough to | | | | coach to make every play your best. |
| maintain your current levels. Any more than that will | | | | |
