Author: Vernon Gambetta
Identifying Training Porn
Training porn is seductive and addictive. In this difficult time when we are stuck online there is more training porn that ever. Here are few thoughts to filter out the porn from the useful information. Look for good information that makes sense. Has it stood the test of time and been proven in the competitive arena? What are the foundational principles that underlie it? Can you clearly identify a system? Are there clear progressions and regressions? What are the origins of the ideas? What are they selling? Is credit given? There is nothing wrong with new ideas and divergent thinking but remember if it smells like shit you don’t have to taste it to find out.
Shapes
Looking at shapes will give you a different perspective on viewing, analyzing and effecting change in movement. Look closely at the shapes your athlete must make in the course of performing in their sport. Then look at the shapes they can make. Then look at what they have to do to reconcile the shapes they have to make with the shapes they can make. How quickly and efficiently can they change shapes? What is limiting their ability to make the required shapes – it is strength, flexibility, lack of body awareness or something else? With the young developing athletes making shapes has become an emphasis. I make it playful and set up tasks that require them to make as many shapes as possible and the challenge each other to change shapes almost like a big improvisational dance. It is very FUNdamental. For the mature senior athletes, I am now structuring a three to five-minute session of “shapes’ where they have to challenge themselves much like the junior athletes. I find myself increasingly speaking the language of shapes – big, little, tall, small, round, wide – It has given me a better perspective on reconciling coordination with sport skill. No more robots, just a dance of connected shapes!
Easter Thoughts
Obviously with the lockdown I have had more time to think, to think about the past and the future after we emerge from this. It seems that more often than not my thoughts turn to family, my wife and children. I think a lot about my parents who passed away thirty years ago. I think of how they would reacted what they would have done. I think of how their love and sacrifices gave me the life that I have. Most importantly they give and continue to give me, and my family is the gift of love. My parents were immigrants without any education to speak of, yet they were two of the wisest people I have known. They came to the US for the American dream and in many ways achieved it, but they never lost their old country values from Switzerland. My mother was very religious and put her faith in God. My dad went to church but was a skeptic. I like to think I got a bit of both from them. On this Easter in very troubled times I am thinking of my friends, my family and thanking my parents for giving me the tools to cope and thrive like they did through the great depression. Reach out to those you love and tell them you love them. Thanks mom and dad and give all of us some of your strength to make it through this.
Announcement about GAIN 2020 Conference
The highlight of my year is connecting with the athletic development community at the annual GAIN Conference. In light of our current public health situation, we have decided to reformat GAIN 2020. We are planning to transform this year’s gathering into a digital format to be presented in July. While we’re sad to lose the chance to gather in person, this represents an opportunity to bring the ideas and insights of GAIN in a new format. I have always believed that adversity yields opportunity, this affords us an opportunity to do something that will get all of us out of our comfort zone. We’ll announce more details about the new GAIN experience and how you can attend. Check the website for updates https://thegainnetwork.com/ And we are already looking forward to seeing you in person again at GAIN 20201. This is one of the most difficult posts I have written. GAIN is dear to my heart and such a special experience. We all will come back stronger and better.
Two Books and a Movie
Physical Intelligence – The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Though Life by Scott Grafton is one of the best books I have read in quite some time. Very well written in a style that makes a complex subject very understandable without dumbing it down. If you are coach, teacher or therapist this is a must read. I wish I would have had this book years ago, just clarifies mind body relationships and the things we do every day in coaching to improve athletes’ movements. Another enjoyable book I just finished was Chasing the Bear – How Bear Bryant and Nick Saban Made Alabama the Greatest Football Program of All Time by Lars Anderson. Having played college football in the sixties when every coach was trying to be like Bear Bryant there were many scenes in the book that brought back memories both good and bad. There are good insights into what takes to be the best. Worth reading. Also recommend a very good documentary by one of my favorite musical groups, The Band. Not sure if it has made to Netflix yet. It is called Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band. Terrific footage of their day in Woodstock, maybe one of the most creative periods by a group in music history. Sad and uplifting at the same time. Some great insights into the creative process. Actually, prompted me to go back and watch The Last Waltz, a documentary of their last performance together.
GAIN 2020 Status
It has been an extremely stressful time as we watch COVID-19 continue to spread and impact more and more people globally. As an international community, I've spoken with GAIN members around the world and heard the many different ways their lives have been affected. Naturally, we are also assessing how to proceed with GAIN 2020. Our highest priority and concern is for the health and safety of everyone attending. Rice University has cancelled on-campus classes and events until the end of the current term (April 28), but due to the rapidly changing nature of the situation it is not clear how the University and local health officials will recommend handling events taking place this summer. We will continue to monitor the situation with these organizations. With 3 months to go until GAIN, we still do not have enough information to determine how GAIN will be affected, but we hope to reach a final decision by the end of March in order to allow everyone to plan accordingly. If you have already registered for GAIN, we will be in direct contact to let you know how we proceed as soon as we reach a decision. If you have not yet registered, continue to monitor our website for details.
Greater Than Sport
We are obviously in a time of worldwide crisis. As coaches and citizens of the world we need to recognize that this transcends sport. Lives are at stake, the fact that sporting events are being cancelled seems trivial. Certainly, I feel for the athletes who have sacrificed so much and had their competitive opportunities taken away, but we must think about the big picture. Let’s do everything in our power to prevent the spread of this virus. The sooner we act and get out ahead of this then the possibility of some sort of return to normalcy is increased. Although we should all recognize that post corona virus there will have to be a new reality that we all must understand. All of us need to be proactive and take all steps necessary to prevent further spread of this virus.
Champions Choice – Know the Way
Becoming a champion is a journey. Just like any journey you need a current map and a working compass to guide you. It is very important that the compass be oriented to true north. You are starting on a journey that many other have travel. It is a journey with a high rate of attrition. Many lose their way and fail to reach their destination – the podium.