American Fitness Professionals & Associates

Ok, in high school you were a pretty good athlete.  Now you want to be able to play a game of pick up basketball or a round of golf and not be shot the next day.  Maybe you feel a little “tight” and just want to move a little better.  Well lets face it, if you don’t train like an athlete you’ll most likely never move like an athlete and certainly will never look like an athlete.

The principals of athleticism can teach us a lot about functional training.  Many of today’s best conditioning coaches have already written extensively on this topic.  These principals can and should be applied to athletes training for sport as well as mothers, business people and the mature exerciser trying to retain his or her independence.  Once you look at the movement that takes place naturally in our unpredictable world, as well as on the playing field, it will be much easier understand this approach.  The following concepts are universal to most sports and physical activities.  Interestingly enough most characteristics are inter-related in some way.  In other words there will be a training overlap.  Train your core and your balance will probably improve.  Train on one leg and your core will become more engaged and resilient.  I think you get what I mean.  If you need to work on specialized training for a specific sport or  purpose that can be accomplished as well.

Characteristics of Athletic Movement

These are the principles and concepts that you must be familiar with if you want to train athletes (for fitness professionals) or train like an athlete.  They are universal and I have written and spoken about them in the past.  These principles guide me every time I train a client, whether an athlete or not. 
Emphasize the Core-by nature athletic movement emphasizes the core musculature.  In fact most movement will be inefficient without a strong core that is integrated into a movement skill.  A strong core helps connect the upper and lower extremities and helps prevent force leaks.

Multi-planar-We are not meant to move in only one direction.  We have the ability to move straight ahead, go left and right and to rotate.  Our training should enhance this ability and emphasize all three planes of motion. 

Multi-joint-Pick up something off the floor and notice how many joints are moving.  Training should emphasize the use of more than one joint to be functional.  A squat will have much more impact on ones ability to pick something up and to walk up stairs than a leg extension machine.

Ground-based-Most of us spend a lot of time dealing with the effects of gravity.  When we train standing up the transfer to everyday activities is greatest.  We have to worry about our core muscles and spinal stabilizers or we will fall down.

Balance dominated-Multidirectional movement requires balance, which in turn requires not only a strong core but also sufficient skill and coordination to execute.  Practicing various static and dynamic balance exercises as appropriate will greatly enhance ones overall body control and kinesthetic sense.
Single limb-Most sport skills are performed with one limb at a time.  Most of us also perform various tasks throughout the day with only one hand, try brushing your teeth with two hands and see how efficient that is.  Training with one limb at a time can be an effective way to build strength and coordination.  Single leg squats and push-ups are two challenging examples and great strength builders.
Alternating limbs- Running and walking by nature are performed by moving our feet in an alternating manner.  Training in this manner will enhance our natural movement patterns and can improve overall strength, coordination and performance.
Activity specific-As stated previously everything is about specificity to some extent.  If you are working a soccer player don’t train him or her like a marathon swimmer.  Understand the needs of the activity and select the best exercises and resistance levels to meet those needs.
Speed specific-If you want to be fast then it important to train fast.  If you are looking for static control then slower speeds may be more appropriate.  Many exercise modalities are useful to achieve these needs.  Plyometric training, Olympic Weightlifting, sprint and agility training can all help improve different elements of speed.
Once you apply these principles to your training you will notice a difference. You may have some trouble at first but give it some time.  If you love bodybuilding-type workouts try to integrate just one or two changes into your sessions for a limited period of time, just to mix things up. 
If you are a fitness professional you are most likely familiar with these concepts.  If you are new to the field then make these principles part of your training toolbox now.  You will be glad you did.
Jeff Fields MS ATC CSCS, is an expert at combining traditional and unconventional training methods to help his clients reach their peak potential.  He is a nationally recognized presenter in the areas of functional training and martial arts conditioning techniques.  Jeff is also a consultant to personal trainers, conditioning coaches, world-class athletes and international competitors, both in the US and abroad.