Growing up… I was typically one of the kids that knew the game but struggled with certain aspects of the physical side.
I was a bit slower. I was a bit smaller. And I was a bit weaker.
I knew the schematics of sports well and it usually allowed me to get plays and put myself in advantageous positions! When I went to combines… I was always underperformed in comparison to my teammates!
I have grown to love the process of developing the physical prowess athletes need to succeed.
ONE MAJOR ONE…. I NEED MY KID TO GET FASTER.
There are many factors that go into getting an athlete faster. To keep the equation simplified, I will use the famous car analogy (I am not a gear head so my analogy will make general sense) and give THREE HACKS to CREATING A FASTER ATHLETE.
1.Tune up the CPU
2.UPGRADE THE MOTOR
3.The final piece…. Maintenance work
I do not know much about cars…. But I do know you can tune the motor to get the car to drive faster or accelerate faster.
The TUNE UP for the human body is simply fine-tuning sprint mechanics. This is one way that may yield immediate benefit to your son or daughters speed and performance. Majority of athletes can make small adjustments to sprint mechanics and yield immediate benefits.
Important note here: it takes time and attention in a training environment for this to transfer to competition. Once athletes are on the field, they won't think about how they are running… this means they must consistently rehearse proper running mechanics.
I love this one… if you want the car to drive faster; upgrade the engine!
Strength is the upgrade the human body needs (done the right way) to help someone generate more power and ground force production to enhance that speed.
This also takes time; but once the athlete has obtained the strength, they will unleash it on the field with more minimal thought!
They don’t need to think about being stronger while playing because they will innately draw upon it during competition!
Some of the athletes we have worked with have actually came back after an offseason and had to readjust to their new physical ability because they were closing distance too fast (leading to some early season yellow cards, a good problem to have once they learn how to control it).
That newfound Lamborghini is nice and shiny… but what’s the utility of it if you can’t drive it!
There is a premium put on working hard… so it is pivotal athletes take care of their body accordingly.
Myofascial release, stretching, properly warming up and cooling down!
Athletes MUST match their work with adequate recovery!
We will be diving more into that in the articles to come!!
Dedicated to your athlete’s success on and off the field,
Coach Travis Bewley
