A “How-To” guide to progress your training

 

In order to make real progress that is sustainable over a long period of time, we need a framework – a long term overview – of what it takes to go from a novice or “beginner,” to experienced and ready to explode our potential!

This page and the accompanying video provides that framework.

PHASE 1 – STEP 1

Mastery of the Basics and Fundamentals:

Skill-building – Restoring Balance.

  • Most of this starts with a willingness to learn.
  • Individual joint health/function/Range-of-motion.
  • Least amount of training “freedom,” e.g. stick to the script and be accountable to the progressive basic skills.
  • A beginner mindset.
  • The 80/20 rule.
  • The foundation for everything else that follows.
  • This is where strict adherence to form/technique is critical, as we are building a basic SKILL set that will help us progress safely and effectively.
  • Prior injury increases risk; this first phase becomes even more important.

PHASE 2 – STEP 2

Progression of Basic Skills:

“Dancing on the Edge of Our Ability.” 

  • Increased dynamic challenge; increased loads; increased stress.
  • Step by step, inch by inch.
  • The 1% rule: this means 3800 % over the course of a year. Massive gains from tiny steps forward consistently.
  • This is how our brain “learns.”
  • To continue to be able to increase dynamic loads and take training to a higher level, two things need to be addressed continually:  1. Address individual limiters.  2. Try to reduce asymmetry between sides/patterns.
  • Increased “freedom” to explore, experiment, and step outside the “box” of defined movement skills to explore capabilities.

PHASE 3 – STEP 3

Continued Progression:

Compare Potential Rewards with Possible Risks. Risk/Reward.

Choose wisely!  

  • As dynamic challenge increases, the risks associated with it also increases. Does the
    potential reward makes the risk worth taking?
  • Massive potential to lift training (strength and power) to new heights, but ALSO along with it, comes a potential increase in injury risk.
  • Rinse and Repeat!
  • It’s a journey, a moving target. Racing and aging impact our need to return to basic skills on occasion to “reboot” and reset.
  • 80/20 basics and fundamentals, to everything else. Returning to those basics routinely gives back 80% of the potential benefits and keeps the risk low.
  • Onward and upward.  🙂

In the 18-minute long video below, I take a sit-down DEEP DIVE into all of the above bullet points. Grab a cup a joe and join me.  It’s taken a lot of years to learn all of this the hard way! 

– Coach Al

  • The goal isn’t perfection, only “better.”
  • If you’re not nailing basics, the next steps aren’t nearly as productive – in fact, what often occurs is some kind of injury. 
  • Once you demonstrate you’ve mastered the basics, you get lots more freedom. Of course, you’re always free to do what you like. 🙂 
  • The 80/20 rule applies. The basics are most of what we all need to excel in S/B/R or in any other sport. The question becomes, what are your goals, and why do you do this? Those are always good questions to ask…
  • I AM constantly encouraging you to do BOTH of these things: 1. master the basics. 2. progress your training! That’s the point of “dancing” – to encourage you to push the envelope. The greater your mastery of the basics, the better you’ll be able to progress.
  • If you find you’re injured frequently or not progressing as you want to, you’re getting hung up on Steps 1 and 2. That is, you haven’t mastered the basics, or, you haven’t challenged yourself to progress.
  • Read the prior bullet again. 🙂