Fundamentals Before Getting Flashy by: Jon DeMoss, CSCS, USAW

     Some of the innovation that continues to fuel the marketability and exposure of our industry has distracted strength coaches and athletes from the basic fundamentals of movement and athletic performance.  Watch TV or simply search on Google and YouTube and you will find a myriad of training videos of elite athletes displaying impressive feats of athleticism, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment with sensors and gauges, and pushing themselves through intense workouts that would crush mere mortals.  The trouble is that the majority of the audience watching these videos, not to mention the sporting population itself, ARE mere mortals and have trouble understanding that these videos, while exciting and motivational, are just snippets used to market superhuman athlete personas and sell equipment products and apparel.  These videos are not meant to be interpreted as full training programs but sadly they are extrapolated that way by young athletes looking to gain an edge on their competition.  Trust me, elite athletes do not always train like an Under Armour commercial, but no one would want to see the majority of their training footage because it is not sexy to watch someone work on fundamentals.

     Athletes are not the only ones guilty of misguided attachment to bells-and-whistles training programs.  Strength and conditioning coaches look to industry leaders for advice and inspiration to help them direct their own athletes.  Sounds harmless until a young strength coach takes notice of how a seasoned coach works with his professional team and then applies the same programming to their high school team.  It is unfortunate to see high school athletes encouraged to do bench press barbell throws, power cleans with chains, and advanced plyometrics involving bands and landings on unstable surfaces (unfortunately all of these examples are true and occurring more regularly than one might think)!  These practices are not only inappropriate for the level of development and not conducive for the desired training effect, but they are also dangerous.

     Fundamentals might not be the most appealing training components, but they are definitely the most important.  Natural development is based on fundamentals and progression - life limits you from running unless you can first roll over to your stomach, come up on all fours, raise up to a standing position and then locomote effectively.  Yet, many coaches are eager to push their athletes toward flashy exercises and equipment, often times out of fear, apathy, or naivety.  “Other coaches are using the same techniques so I must too” ... “My athletes are going to get bored” ... “These fad programs are gaining popularity so they must be good”.  Be confident that the best way to build up your athletes is with a solid foundation that includes plenty of exposure to clean movement patterns - upper body pushes and pulls, lower body squat and hinge patterns, force development and power moves, and footwork skills.  Take the time to progress your athletes appropriately according to their ability level.  I know it can be tempting to pull out the fancy toys and “fun” exercises as a temporary break from the monotony of training, but they should not distract you from the purpose of your entire workout program.  The best time to take advantage of advanced training techniques is when the athlete is ready for them.  I would rather have my athletes make highlight reels than snazzy workout videos.