Why the Resistance?

In the sports performance and athletic development world, resistance is everything.  We use resistance for gaining strength and developing power by using dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, cable systems and anything with mass.

However the resistance I am talking about is one within our own brain.  When someone says something you disagree with or say in your head "Oh no freakin' way!"  What is that resistance?  Have you ever paused and asked yourself where it comes from and why?

I have debated numerous times about whether talent is developed or are you just born with or without gifts.  While sometimes I sway people towards the development idea, I still get the feeling of, "lets be real, some people are born with natural gifts for certain skills." Recently, I've pondered on why is there such extreme resistance to the debate of genetics vs. hard work for those who are deemed successful?  Isn't it to our favor that we have the ability to drastically improve any skill we so desire?

So I ask, why the resistance?

I think a major reason is that we only see the end result instead of the process.  Would you rather watch pre-season training camp or the playoffs?  The end result is fun and exciting, where the process is a struggle and not inherently enjoyable.  Unfortunately we only see these amazing athletes, musicians, etc at the end of the process, usually for 10 years, 10,000 hours (A. Ericsson). 

Another argument is the factor of the unknown.  We still don't know a lot about how we develop as athletes.  I believe primitive reflexes that deal with how we develop as babies have a lot to do with athleticism as we get older.  Also hitting the windows of opportunities for speed, strength, and motor skills are starting to be proven a major determinate of future potential.  This is just not completely proven, yet. So in the mean time I think many just feel it must be genetics.

One last point I want to make is that there are many factors that are just uncontrollable as genetics that people label as innate.  If you were born at high altitude, as the younger sibling, or live by the ocean or mountains (surfing and snowboarding), this is just as uncontrollable as how tall you will be but is NOT genetics. 

If you still don't believe me, that's fine but ask yourself why are you so resistant to this idea of talent is not innate? Have an open mind and read one of the 'talent' books that I posted in My Bookshelf at the top of the page.  It may just open up a part of your brain that will lead to new opportunities.

Also check out this website for a man who is trying the 10,000 hour rule with Golf at age 30. Check out his progress.

The Dan Plan

Applying Delibrate Practice to the Weight Room

There is a belief in the athletic development world that strength is a skill. I personally agree because strength is developed over long periods of time with LOTS of practice. No baby is born into the world strong or powerful. Developing skill takes practice, and also comes with frustration over how optimally to improve that skill.

If you're an experienced weight lifter you know all about the plateau. You try and push through by doing more weight, less weight, or try doing something a body builder told you about in Muscle and Fitness. We end up plateauing often because of poor long term programming, trying to much weight too early, or not adequately regenerating our body through diet, sleep, and recovery.

Our body also loves to adapt to what it's doing. That's why after living in San Diego for four years not, it's hard for me to go back to Vermont on the days when you spit and it will freeze before it hits ground. This (adapting not spitting) is called the SAID principle, Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands, fancy way of saying our body and mind try to adapt to our environment. That's why all the great strength coaches will changes phases with regards to volume, intensity, and tempo.

In Daniel Coyle's book The Talent Code, he talks about how great athletes, musicians, and performers go into deep/deliberate practice by either slowing the task down or speeding it up. This always for the brain and body never to become comfortable or completely adapted. By either slowing it down or speeding it up, one also becomes incredibly engaged and aware, focusing all energy towards improvement. Depending on what your trying to accomplish one might be better for the other, but for many skills, using both is a viable option that can be programed.

Lets apply this to the weight room. Even with guys who are trying to get stronger, many consistently stay in a comfort zone that labels them to their sport. Getting out of this comfort zone helps develop skills. In this case its strength and power, two concepts that all athlete's look to improve.

Deliberate Practice: Power
Power is often developed through Olympic lifts, plyometrics, med ball throws, and kettlebell swings. If we looked at the two options of deliberate practice, undoubtedly speeding it up would have to be the best option. You really can't move powerfully, slowly. It's so awkward that you can't even say it in a sentence correctly. A great way to make sure you bust through a power plateau is to reduce the weight and focus on the speed of the bar. Put your feet through the floor and make the bar move with purpose! Program this in early on, but don't be afraid to periodize a "light" week within a heavy block.

For example, in a 4 week phase that is going from 80-87.5% into another 4 week phase that goes into the heavier 90-95%, it might be smart to go back down to 60-75% in the last week in between phases. I heard Bill Hartman talk about how they accidentally stumbled upon this technique that works wonders for them at iFast (though their %'s may differ).

Deliberate Practice: Strength
We can use the same technique as above by reducing the weight and moving the load faster. Especially on the concentric phase, letting go of some of the weight and really working on the speed of movement has helped me and my athletes get through plateaus that we hit.

Another option is to slow the tempo of the weight, especially on the eccentric phase. Often coined eccentrics or negatives, be prepared for some serious DOMS. Again you must reduce your weight especially when going for 5-10 repetitions. Many strength coaches will include this as an eccentric phase for 3-4 weeks. Slow concentric movement is usually frowned upon, but if it's only for 3-4 weeks it might not be a bad idea to try controlling the bar on the way up as well.


What really makes this interesting is relating deliberate practice, which is proven to improve skills over time, to increase power and strength. These techniques that many strength and conditioning coaches use to progress physical tools, it also may be influencing cognitive connections as well with our ability to learn the movement more efficiently by focusing on it in a completely different way. I don't have any research to back this up (yet?) but my guess is we would see some pretty cool brain activity going from these different phases. That's just the geek in me.

These techniques can also differ from person to person. If a linebacker has been benching in the 85-95% range since they were in high school, I will put down a lot of money that taking some time in a lower percentage and speeding up/slowing down will improve there power and strength. If you took the opposite, a female XC runner, who only uses dumbbells under 20 lbs for 15-25 reps, it maybe time to change the speed or weight of the movement to create progression in the body and brain.

Note that these phases do not need to be long term, but are useful for creating new avenues in the body and brain for strength and power to be developed. Maybe I'll coin it muscle confusion......HAH!