Now is the time for change!

Variety IS the spice of life…and well training too. I’m always blown away by how coaches get into a rut of doing the same thing year in year out. After a while training cycles start to look exactly the same and guess what…the results are exactly the same. After about a year and a half the athletes begin to stagnate in their progress and instead of seeing constant growth at something most of them will hit a giant plateau.

Just imagine for me that you are Peter in the movie Office Space. Every morning Lumberg walks in with his matching tie and suspenders and huge cup of coffee. He then proceeds to ask you the same boring question, “Umm…Peter have you finished those TPS reports?” I don’t know about you but if I was Peter, I’d beat the crap out of Bill Lumberg just for wearing the suspenders, not to mention the same boring routine that he has to endure everyday.

Training is the same way! If your nervous system is not stimulated in new ways it will learn to function at one level or one speed…which is not what we want. Sport is about change and it requires a dynamic training approach. Hey, we all having training templates that we like to use, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t use different exercises or rep/set schemes to accomplish what we need to get done.

So, if you are looking for a curve ball for your program try using the Dynamic Method Effort (DE). If you don’t know what DE is then check out the following article http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459671 In his book Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods, Christian Thibaudeau discusses the process of reverse neural recruitment which occurs during DE training. Because of the low force component of DE movement and the high level of acceleration, high threshold motor units are recruited prior to slower oxidative motor units. This preferential recruitment occurs because of conduction velocity and the threshold of recruitment. Wow, isn’t this what we want in the first place? If you don’t believe me that this works, then get off your “Mental Butt” and try it for a four week cycle…oh and if you are getting really adventurous try using a band.

What the take-home point from all of this? Change is necessary to grow! If you aren’t changing things you’ll always stay in the same place and you’ll never adapt. For more insight into how change is necessary for personal growth check out my friend Andy Ellwood's website at http://www.andyellwood.com/