I am always in shock with how abundant information is, both good and bad, yet still, when left to their own devices, sport coaches are implementing crazy, stupid, BS "workouts" for their athletes.
I know this article and video will hit a nerve with coaches. In fact, I know of Coaches who threaten their players that if they DO train at The Underground Strength Gym, they will be reprimanded. How's that for caring about the kids?
It doesn't take much work to research what is safe and appropriate for training high school athletes. And, with the schools being closed since March, the state sports organizations have heavily shared "return to play" guidelines.
Those guidelines should be taken quite seriously.
As a father of 2 kids who are close to entering high school, I have ZERO time or energy to hear about dangerous, stupid "workouts" for my kids to follow.
My friends over at Power Athlete call this Battle the Bull Shit.
The kids deserve better. That being said, if you're a Coach of ANY type and you are taking on the responsibility of running the weight room and / or implementing physical preparation methods, then it is on YOU to build your knowledge.
Laziness is NOT an option.
The details matter BIG time in training / coaching.
The progressions / regressions we teach in The Underground Strength Coach Cert are paramount here.
In every group, there are individual differences being addressed. NOT everyone is benching with the bar. Some are performing push up variations, others are dumbbell benching. Everyone is PRESSING.
In every group, NOT everyone is ready for squats. Heck, NOT everyone is ready for bodyweight squats. When you've trained thousands and thousands of athletes, this shocking truth IS a reality. Kids unable to perform a bodyweight squat? Correct!
Some kids are squatting with the bar. Others with a dumbbell or kettlebell for goblet squats. Others are performing slow tempo bodyweight squats. There's possibly some NOT squatting. Instead, they are performing walking bodyweight lunges.
It's time for you to dig into these videos. Understand how the small details can make BIG differences. When the small details are either ignored or simply the Coach can NOT identify these details, we get lackluster results and / or injury. Often times, BOTH. It's only a matter of time.
I get fired up for a few crucial reasons:
1) The kids are the priority. If you're taking the responsibility to train and lead kids, then you damn well better be prepared with excellence. Good Enough is the Death of Greatness. Good Enough is unacceptable.
2) There are no excuses in our current time for being uneducated. There is an abundance of information that can be researched freely. If you're uneducated and hurting others, it is 100% on your shoulders.
3) There ARE many qualified Strength Coaches looking to help sport coaches. MOST sport coaches refuse to even answer an e mail when help is offered free.
NOTE: Do the first "help" session free. After that, be a professional and get paid.
4) Mediocrity is a Choice. If your training program sucks, that is again, ALL on you.
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Recommended Resources
The Underground Strength & Sports Performance Cert
High School STRONG
The Underground Strength Academy
Kids deserve the best.
It's that plain and simple, cut & dry.
Until the next time.....
Live The Code 365,
Z
