| | | | | often a sense of competition between coaches and |
| Competitive athletes can improve their performance | | | | researchers in the US rather than cooperation. |
| by focusing on the four conditioning goals of | | | | Watch an NFL football game, and then ask yourself |
| athleticism. | | | | some questions. Which team used only free weights? |
| Athleticism is a general term used to describe | | | | Which team used only machines? Which team |
| exercises and games requiring physical skills. The | | | | followed training methods from the "HIT" camp? |
| components of athleticism can be broken down into | | | | Which team used only Olympic- Lifts? Which team |
| four basic conditioning goals: | | | | followed "Power lifting" protocols? Can you tell just |
| *Strength | | | | by watching the game? Does it matter? What I see |
| *Power | | | | are individuals who display some great "athleticism". |
| *Speed | | | | They obviously have trained the four basic |
| *Agility | | | | components at some time during their athletic career. |
| As an athlete it is crucial to understand the | | | | If competitive athletes want an extended |
| importance of each, and how each component | | | | professional career they better pay close attention |
| relates to the others. Having been involved as a | | | | to the components of "strength, power, speed, and |
| competitive athlete and now an active coach for | | | | agility. |
| over four decades, I can see that each of these | | | | So which training program do they use? Which one is |
| four basic components is essential to optimal | | | | the absolute best? What do you the aspiring athlete |
| performance on the field. | | | | want to use? This is what I have learned after four |
| It has been said in training circles, that there are | | | | decades of training. Are you ready for the best kept |
| three topics which will spawn an instant debate. | | | | secret in the world of strength and conditioning? OK, |
| Politics, Religion, and Training techniques. American | | | | here goes...THEY ALL WORK !!!! I know, "you can't |
| strength coaches and exercise researchers often | | | | handle the truth". |
| work independently and often in direct competition | | | | Why did the old USSR/Eastern Europeans dominate |
| with one another. There are different "camps" of | | | | world arenas in Olympic sports, especially in |
| training methods, each working in direct competition. I | | | | strength-power type event? Because Soviet coaches |
| have witnessed extremely heated debates between | | | | worked together with the exercise scientists to field |
| coaches from differing camps. There are a number | | | | test and apply their theories. There was no "gap" |
| of Internet forums that are defenders of the | | | | between the scientists and the coaches as there is in |
| ultimate training program. In the U.S., researchers | | | | America. In addition, the Soviets were firm believers |
| seek publications and compete for grants, often | | | | in coaching athletes to learn basic movements prior |
| keeping their data and ideas to themselves for fear | | | | to teaching them complicated sport-specific skills. |
| that another lab will publish similar studies. There is | | | | |