Do you believe in ______ (Fill in the blank)? Do you use
kettlebells? Do you do Olympic lifts? Do you squat? Do you static stretch? Do
you periodize your training? Do you lift heavy? And on and on – you get the
gist of this. The answer to all of the above is a succinct yes. I do all of the
above and more. Those are all attempts to label and pigeon hole someone into
one camp or another. As far as I am concerned all methods and modes of training
are on the table. The key to all of this is do you know why you do what you
do when you do it and with whom. Knowing why you choose to use a particular method
is essential, it so much more than blindly following some ideology or school of
thought. Good coaching demands an eclectic approach. You choose methods that
fit your system and adapt and blend accordingly. This is why I think it is so
important to be a generalist so that you can have a firm grasp on the bigger
picture and how it all fits together. Effective training is so much more that an exercise, a method or a
mode of training. My own system is a careful blending of many varied influences
that have evolved over the years. I have made the mistake of getting locked into one method or selection of exercises; the result was stagnation not adaptation. Don’t allow yourself to be pigeon holed. Just
as you want your athletes to be adaptable you also must be adaptable. Know why, how and when to use different training methods that fit the athlete and sport you are working with.
