As a Fayette county native, I've been watching the growth and development of our athletes over the last decade. We have a remarkable number of college and professional players emerging from our county.
I am hearing more athletes (teens and adults) talking about prioritizing performance training. They want to focus on building a solid foundation while progressing into their specialized skill.
As an athlete (or a parent to one) I think its important to understand what separates performance training from sport-specific training.
Many of the athletes I work with are team-sport athletes (soccer, football, lacrosse). And when a team practices, the focus in on the growth and development of the team, so the team will perform well in competition.
When we think about performance training vs sport-specific training, we need to view it from the individual athlete level. Ensuring every athletes training plan is tailored to their body, sport, team, and position.
One major aspect that separates performance training from football (soccer) training is the individualized approach, ensuring that every athlete's training plan is tailored to their sport, team, and position.
Individualized Training for Peak Performance
Training for elite performance is never a one-size-fits-all approach. Each athlete has unique needs depending on their sport, position, and individual strengths and weaknesses. Performance training must be specific to avoid overtraining and ensure that each athlete maximizes their potential.
There are three key building blocks that serve as the foundation for any athlete’s success: mindset, nutrition, and evaluation and planning.
- Mindset: Mental resilience is a core attribute for any elite athlete. The right mindset pushes athletes through adversity, helping them manage stress and stay focused. A strong mental game translates directly to peak performance on the field, in the gym, or during competitions.
- Nutrition: The fuel athletes put into their bodies is critical for recovery, muscle growth, and sustained energy. Proper nutrition ensures that athletes are ready to handle the physical and mental demands of training and competition.
- Evaluation and Planning: Effective performance training requires continuous assessment. By evaluating performance over time, trainers can tailor an athlete’s program to their current needs, making adjustments for progress or injury prevention. The long-term planning ensures the athlete develops at the right pace, preventing burnout or overtraining.
Lets break down "Evaluation and Planning" even further and talk about the 7 training concepts that should be incorporated into every performance training plan.
1. Pillar Strength: The Core of Performance
For any athlete, strength training is essential, but the way strength is developed must be sport-specific. "Pillar strength" refers to the key movement patterns that form the foundation of an athlete’s strength and power, which are then translated into their sport. In soccer, for example, this means training for balance, agility, and endurance. For other sports, the key movements may vary, but strength training is always centered around these core patterns.
Athletes need to focus on compound exercises that mimic the movements they perform in competition. Whether it’s squats for lower body power or upper body pulls for shoulder stability, the key is to develop functional strength that translates to improved sport performance.
2. Movement Preparation: Priming the Body for Action
Movement preparation, commonly known as warm-up, is a critical aspect of performance training. This involves mobility drills and dynamic warm-ups that target the joints and muscles athletes will use in their main workout or sport-specific training.
Mobility helps maintain flexibility and joint health, while dynamic warm-ups elevate the heart rate and activate the muscles needed for heavier lifting or intense competition.
A good warm-up might include exercises like walking lunges, hip openers, or arm swings. These movements prepare the body for the more strenuous activities to follow, helping to prevent injury and optimize performance.
3. Plyometrics: Building Explosive Power
Plyometric exercises are essential for developing explosive strength and speed. Plyometrics involve quick, powerful movements like jumping, bounding, and sprinting, all of which help athletes improve their ability to generate force quickly. For example, box jumps or depth jumps are excellent exercises that translate to greater agility and power on the field.
Plyometrics are particularly beneficial for athletes involved in sports requiring quick directional changes or sudden bursts of speed, like football, soccer, or basketball. These exercises not only build power but also improve coordination and balance.
4. Movement Skills: Prepping for the Big Lifts
Before jumping into heavy compound lifts, athletes can benefit from light, task-specific movements to prime their muscles. These movements prepare the neuromuscular system for larger, more complex exercises. For example, performing a light set of kettlebell swings before deadlifts or lateral band walks before squats helps ensure the right muscles are engaged and ready for action.
These lighter movements set the stage for optimal performance during the heavier, more demanding exercises that follow.
5. Strength and Power Development
Strength and power are two essential components of athletic performance. Strength refers to the ability to exert force, while power is the ability to exert force quickly. In performance training, these two elements are often developed through compound movements like deadlifts, squats, and presses.
It’s crucial to manage fatigue during these workouts. To truly build strength and power, athletes must avoid burnout by taking adequate rest periods—usually between 90 seconds to 3 minutes between sets. This rest allows the athlete to maintain maximum intensity during their working sets, translating to greater gains without the risk of overtraining.
6. Energy System Development (ESD)
Every sport demands a different kind of energy system. Energy System Development (ESD) focuses on training the energy system most relevant to the athlete’s sport. For example:
- Soccer relies heavily on anaerobic conditioning, as players need short bursts of high-intensity effort.
-Long-distance running, on the other hand, depends on endurance or high oxidative conditioning, requiring the athlete to sustain moderate effort over an extended period.
By identifying and training the appropriate energy system, athletes can improve their stamina and overall performance in their specific sport.
7. Recovery: The Missing Ingredient for Many Athletes
Recovery is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of training, but it’s one of the most important. Without proper recovery, even the most intense training programs will fail to produce the desired results. Recovery includes everything from stretching, nutrition, and most importantly, sleep.
Many athletes focus on their workouts but neglect recovery, which is where performance truly improves. Nutrition plays a key role in recovery by providing the body with the nutrients it needs to repair muscle and replenish energy stores. Sleep is equally critical, as it allows the body and mind to fully recharge for the next day’s training.
The Right Professional Guidance for Elite Training
To truly excel as an athlete, it's essential to not only follow a well-rounded training program but also seek guidance from a trained professional.
Whether you're an adolescent just starting your athletic journey or an adult looking to refine your skills, a customized approach is the key to success.
At The Mobile Athlete, located in Peachtree City, GA, we specialize in creating individualized performance programs that cater to your specific needs and goals. Let us help you build the mindset, strength, and skills necessary to reach the next level in your athletic career.