Coaching and Training

By Allistair McCaw

Simple advice but still a rarity today in coaching and training: mastering the fundamentals and  basics first before adding on. Something we see in today’s age, especially in the social media department, is trainers and groups posting strength or movement video’s of their kids or athletes performing drills and exercises. The problem with this, is that people take and copy these drills and exercises without understanding the WHY, HOW, WHEN and WHAT. Just this morning I saw a video of a 12 or something year old kid being tied to a harness resistance rope and performing a movement drill. This kid could not even maintain a proper posture or decent balance. He was all over the place.On top of it, we hear the coach shouting – “FASTER”!

Coaches and Trainers need to understand this: IF YOU CAN’T MASTER THE BASICS AND FUNDAMENTALS FIRST, DON’T PROGRESS THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL. I get this all the time; “Hey Allistair, where can I buy a harness, where can I get a speed bullet?” etc..etc.., but then I see that their athletes don’t even know how to run properly or lateral shuffle! What happens is that a rush of blood goes to the head with the coach or trainer thinking “Wow, that looks cool, that’s what we are doing at practice this week!” When it comes to adding any form of equipment or speed harnesses, I need to make sure my athletes can do the basics first. Heck, even some of my elite and world class athletes I don’t put a harness on!!!!!!! If fact, in my method, athletes need to be able to perform a variety of exercises and movements exceptionally well, before they are allowed to go near any form of added speed resistance. Simple is better.

Adding on and doing what ‘the pro’s do’ is not going to help your 12 year old. They need to learn how to run properly, stand on one leg, catch and kick a ball well on their weaker side, etc… Fancy equipment, flashy video’s and hyped music might catch out some of the people, but the one’s who understand the WHY, HOW, WHEN and WHAT, know better.It may look cool, it may fool a few, but in the end it’s doing an injustice to the athlete.