As we did to kick off 2017, the HMMR Podcast and the GAINcast join forces to co-host the first episode of 2018. As the new year gets underway we chat about the state of training for sports together with GAINcast host Vern Gambetta. Our discussion covers a variety of topics like recruiting, whether athletic development is still undervalued, functional training, doping, and more. Read more
October is coming to an end, and with that our theme of “back to the basics.” We are saving the best for last and this weekend we released our latest webinar. Through a new joint venture with Vern Gambetta and GAIN, we are bringing members video world-class presentations from GAIN, starting with sticks and straps from Steve Myrland. Read more
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Hey I was thinking about something that you said in your last Podcast. You said that at an elite level, nothing that is done in the weight room has very much positive correlation, which is of course one of the first things that you notice when you read Transfer of Training. Obviously, although there isn’t significant correlation of any single exercise once you reach an elite level, the thought must be that the entirety of the experience has some positive correlation or that there are benefits of weight training that are more indirect but still important. Is that the case? –Coach Dan Read more
To thrive in the performance arena demands a versatile highly adaptable athlete whose training reflects the demands of the sport and the needs of the individual athlete. We must recognize that for the body to execute movement, whether it is a sustained endurance activity, explosive bursts or fine motor skill that all parts and systems need to work together in harmony. Movement is a symphony not a solo. Read more
Functional training is a label for a concept. As with any label it is subject to various interpretations. I originally conceived it as multi lateral training integrating various training modalities (medicine ball, stretch cord, weight training, dumbbells, body weight etc.) to produce significant adaptation in specific performance parameters. It trains all systems of the body while recognizing and respecting the wisdom of the body. Read more
How can you expect an athlete to excel at the highest level if they are physically illiterate? You would not think of asking someone to write a book if they can’t spell, punctuate or construct a correct sentence. That is what we are asking our athletes to do. Know the basics of movement; combine the basics into more complex movements, but never stray far from the basics. Simplicity will yield complexity. If you try to go too fast too soon without mastery of fundamentals then you are building a house of cards. Read more
These are the principles that I use to guide me on journey on the Functional Path: Read more
When Martin and I outlined Bondarchuk’s approach to periodization at our seminars in December we received a few comments that, while it sounds great in theory, it could not be implemented in a high school or college setting. College coaches are under pressure to produce results fast, the argument goes, and traditional methods work better over the short-term. Others said that this may work for elite athletes but that high school athletes need to build a better base before moving on to a more complex method that includes emphasis on specific exercises out of season. Last month Derek put together a great comparison of different approaches to periodization, but one thing he didn’t address were arguments like these. Read more
The body is a link system; this link system is referred to as the kinetic chain. Functional training is all about linkage – it is all about how all the parts of the chain work together in harmony to produce smooth efficient patterns of movement. Most conventional academic preparation in Exercise and Movement Science focuses on studying individual muscles based on classical anatomy. This is where the confusion begins as to what is functional movement. Read more
