The Evaluation
If you want to build a fast race car then you need to know what parts of the car make it fast, what make it turn well, what are the best brakes etc. You get the idea.
Human beings are no different and without a standard of what good is, you will never be able to improve what isn’t so good. You need to understand what role the body’s parts play in running fast, jumping high, and throwing hard if you are going to try and improve performance in any athletic endeavor.
For instance, in running the shoulders need to have a certain range of motion posteriorly and anteriorly in order to swing freely and in the correct biomechanical angle. The hamstrings need to have not only the proper flexibility but also the right amount of power combined with the gluts to maximize vertical jump. The core of the body (abdominals, back, obliques, hips) need to have enough stabilization strength to allow for the production of power from the limbs. The limbs have to have something stable enough to stretch against to maximize power output. The ankles need to have the appropriate range of motion to generate maximal force in running as well as the needed strength with the feet to pus off the ground as in running and jumping.
The inability to move well laterally can be traced to weakness in the hip adductors, abductors and rotators and once solved produce tremendous improvements. The appropriate sport specific biomechanics need to be analyzed and broken down so the athlete not only understands the proper technique needed to run faster, jump higher or throw harder but he/she can also implement those changes. Cardiovascular capabilities need to be maximized sport specifically as the needs of a marathoner and basketball player are very different and need to be trained accordingly. Lastly, sport specific skills have to objectively be quantified in order to determine the training priorities. Often times athletes biggest gains will come from mastering the skills needed in their sport.
To achieve an elite level in any sport all aspects have to be taken into consideration. Nothing can be missed!
