Author: Vernon Gambetta
Feeding the Beast
The beast – The Internet, cable television, YouTube all have an insatiable appetite for training porn. There is no filter, no checks and balances. Quote a scientific study out of context and you have the “evidence based” research needed to validate the misinformation. The fundamental training principles that I learned over forty years still hold true. We need to follow them – not some wacked fad based pseudo scientific training that hurts more people than it helps. For validation look at results that are consistent over time, methods that top coaches and athletes have used to win medals and set records. Those things do not happen by chance and by chasing Internet training fantasies. Certainly we should innovate and challenge conventional wisdom, but start with a clear understanding of the basics and build from there. Let’s stop feeding the beast, except at prescribed feeding times, much like the animals at the zoo.
The Coaching Classics & History
Today in my post on today on "Professional Development" I mentioned knowing the coaching classics and history. Below is a list of some of the books I consider classics that every coach must read (I have posted this list before, but think it is worthwhile to post again) The Inner Athlete by Bob Nidefer Problem Athletes and How to Handle Them by Tom Tutko and Bruce Ogilvie Psychology and the Superior Athlete by Miroslav Vanek and Bryant J. Cratty Scientific Principles of Coaching by John Bunn What Research Tells The Coach About Sprinting by George Dintiman Track & Field Omnibook by Ken Doherty Modern Track & Field by Ken Doherty Modern Training For Running by Ken Doherty The Science of Swimming by James E. Counsilman The Mechanics of Athletics by Geoffrey Dyson Better Athletes Trough Weight Training by Bob Hoffman Hidden causes of injury, prevention, and correction for running athletes by John Jesse Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia by John Jesse Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation: Patterns and Techniques by Dorothy Knotts and Margaret Voss Scientific Principles and Methods of Strength Fitness. By Patrick O’Shea Total Body Training by Richard H. Dominguez and Robert Gajda Kinesiology by Gene Logan and Wayne C. McKinney Skill In Sport by Barbara Knapp Acquiring Ball Skill – A Psychological Interpretation by H.T.A. Whiting The Thinking Body by Mabel Todd Run Run Run by Fred Wilt How They Train by Fred Wilt Mechanics Without Tears by Fred Wilt No Bugles, No Drums by Peter Snell The Unforgiving Minute by Ron Clarke with Alan Trengove Run to the Top by Arthur Lydiard Franz Stampfl on Running by Franz Stampfl The Jim Ryun Story by Cordner Nelson Another Hurdle by Dave Hemry Run To Daylight by Vince Lombardi and W.C. Heinz Track and Field Dynamics by Tom Ecker Championship Track and Filed by Tom Ecker Biomechanics of Athletic Movement by Gerhard Hochmuth Sports Physiology by Edward L. Fox Interval Training – Conditioning for Sports and General Fitness by Edward L. Fox and Donald K. Mathews Biomechanics and Energetics of Muscular Exercise by Rodolfo Margaria Biomechanics of Sports Techniques by Jim Hay Introduction to Biomechanic analysis of sport by John W. Northrip, Gene A. Logan and Wayne C. McKinney Principles of Sports Training – Introduction to the Theory and methods of Training by Dietrich Harre Fundamental of Sports Training by L. Matveyev Sports Training Principles by Frank Dick Training Theory by Frank Dick Track Speed – Hurdles, Sprints and relays by John Le Masurier Track and Field – Textbook for Coaches and Sports Teachers Edited by Gerhardt Schmolinsky Olympic Track And Field Techniques by Tom Ecker, Fred Wilt, and Jim Hay So You Want to Be A Sprinter by Bud Winter International Track and field Coaching Encyclopedia by Feed Wilt and Tom Ecker Track in Theory and Technique Edited by Thomas P. Rosandich The Hurdlers Bible by Wilbur Ross Mechanics of the Pole Vault by R.V. Ganslen The Triple Jump Encyclopedia by Ernie Bullard and Larry Knuth Tendinitis: it’s Etiology and Treatment (First Edition) by Sandra Curwin and William D. Stanish The Sweet Spot in Time by John Jerome Weight Training In Athletics by Jim Murray and Peter V. Karpovich Weight Training in Athletics and Physical Education by Gene Hooks Circuit Training by Manfred Scholich Circuit Training by R. E. Adamson and G.T. Morgan The Miracle Machine by Doug Gilbert The System of Physical Education in the USSR Edited by G. I Kukushkin The Soviet Road To Olympus – Theory And Practice Of Soviet Physical Culture And Sport by N. Norman Shneidman 1000 Exercises d’ Athletisme by Kurt Murer and Walter Bucher Winning Volleyball – Fundamentals, Tactics and Strategy by Allen E. Scates The Pursuit of Sporting Excellence – A Study of Sport’s Highest Achievers by David Henry The Athletic Revolution by Jack Scott Meat on the Hoof – The Hidden World of Texas Football by Gary Shaw Out of Their League by Dave Meggyesy
Professional Development
Continual professional development is a necessity. I encourage you to honestly answer the following questions to see what path you are on with your professional development. Where and how are learning and growing professionally? Do you know the classics and know history? How influenced are you by fads and instant information? Are you addicted to Internet training porn? Do you have a mentor who is a guide not a guru, preferably someone who has been there before?
GAIN 2013
The sixth annual GAIN Apprentorship program (Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network) will be held from June 11 to June 15 at Rice University in Houston Texas. The program is open to sport coaches, conditioning coaches, physical education teachers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors and doctors. This program is intense, intellectually challenging and demanding. We combine theory and practice in a residential coaching school format. This is an opportunity to observe, participate, question, and explore the application of the Gambetta Method – Systematic Sport Development Model of training, teaching and injury rehabilitation. The coaching school represents a beginning. The graduates of the program can continue to participate via the secure web site, and continue to attend the GAIN coaching school for the duration of their careers if they so choose for no additional cost. Our faculty is experienced professionals who combine their knowledge, experiences and passion for teaching to help guide you. They are leaders who are in the trenches working in the field of athletic development. Enrollment is limited to apply please complete the following: What do you do in the Athletic Development field? (Please be as specific as possible) What is your personal mission statement? What do want to learn from the GAIN program? What or how will your participation contribute to the GAIN Network on an ongoing basis? Please attach a professional resume’ Send your application to: Gambetta Sports Training Systems – GAIN Apprentorship PO Box 50143 Sarasota, Florida 34232 or Email to: gstscoach@gmail.com Professional tuition is $3,800 and scholastic tuition is $1900 (High school, junior high school, elementary school teachers and coaches are eligible for the scholastic tuition). Tuition includes breakfast, lunch and dinner each day and room. For more information please go to http://tinyurl.com/3jwyo6q or call me at 941-378-1778 or email mail me at gstscoach@gmail.com Join us for GAIN VI apply now to advance yourself as a professional. For those who have attended it has been a career changing experience.
Talent
Talent does matter don’t fool yourself. It does not take much if you are willing to do the work to exploit the talent you have. The key is what you do with the talent you have and how you develop your talent to it's fullest extent. I could fill a book with stories of athletes that I have seen in my career with abundant talent who never came close to achieving what they were capable of based on their talent level. The willingness to consistently push to the edge and sometimes beyond physically, psychologically and emotionally means so much more than innate talent. Talent can be a curse or a blessing. Those that excel take the blessing and build upon it to be the best they can be and leave no doubts that they have exploited what talent they have to the fullest extent possible.
Trainability
Trainability is determined by the athletic profile (Combination of Physical Competency Assessment & Performance Indicator tests) and extensive review of training and competition records. The key is to determine what the athlete can do, where they can start the training. Every athlete will not start training at the same level. Select modes and methods of training appropriate for the athlete’s current level of trainability. I want to emphasize again – stress what the athlete can do, build on their strengths and minimize weaknesses. This will insure that the training suites their current level of development. It will also insure a level of quality in the training.
Dave Brubeck (1920 – 2012)
Yesterday Dave Brubeck died one day short of his 92nd birthday. Without a doubt he was and is my favorite musician. I was trying to think when I first really became aware of his music; I think I was around fifteen years old. I know one of the first albums I bought was The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall. He certainly defined the genre with his iconic signature piece Take Five. As I followed his career and learned more about him what impressed me the most was his desire to continually learn and innovate and above all his passion for music and entertaining. One of my biggest regrets is never getting to hear him in concert. Dave Brubeck will be missed. Thanks for all the enjoyment you have brought us all through your wonderful music.
Be A Kid Again
If you want to improve your athlete’s movement skills take an hour and go watch children play unsupervised. See how freely they move, how uninhibited they are, how quickly they solve any movement problem presented to them. Then go back to your athletes and do everything you can to incorporate that same freedom of movement and spontaneity into their training and see what happens. It takes courage because some of the movements won’t always look “correct” but it may redefine what we think is correct. Movement should be flowing and rhythmic, not rigid and programmed. Keep challenging your athletes with increasingly difficult movement problems that continue to test their limits. When you were a kid you never paced, you raced on land, in the pool on bikes. When you were a kid you just jumped, you ran as fast as you could, you threw rocks and everything you could get your hands on for hours. You imitated the big guys – you learned through mimicry and observation. Get them to be kids again stay FUNdamental that will allow you to explore the outer limits of performance.