Consistency: The #1 Variable in Training
/What people seem to forget is that there are levels to everything we do in life. An athlete who dreams of becoming a professional baseball player needs to, and should train differently than a 50 year old dad who just wants to be able to stay healthy, and play with his kids. We preach human movement at TP, and while both scenarios involve training the human body, the mentality of training is dramatically different between the two.
To elevate your skill set to the next level, you must consider that there may not be a healthy balance between your social life, and your sport life. Hours upon hours must be dedicated to practicing your craft, studying your craft, and actually competing.
One of , if not the biggest portion of our evaluation process is the talk between coach and prospective athlete. In that conversation we ask “why are you here? What our your goals? What are you willing to commit to in order to accomplish those goals?” Those answers alone will tell us how committed the athlete is/ should be. Where athletes fall short is sticking to those commitments, and they don’t even realize it.
If you truly want to earn a collegiate scholarship, or sign a big league contract, the amount of time it takes to get to that level is mind boggling, and sometimes overwhelming. Let’s break it down:
An average in-season high school baseball athlete will have (and this is just in-season)
3-5 games/ week
practice on the days without games
7-8 hours of school (+ homework)
3-5 hours of strength and conditioning
If you are not getting 7-8 hours of sleep per day, and/ or not eating 3-5 meals per day, your body accumulates too much stress, and continually breaks down. Pretty soon, injuries start to pop up, and next thing you know, you’re out of the lineup due to preventable causes.
In the weight-room, our program must be concise and to the point to avoid excessive stress. We plan our in-season protocols around the sports schedule to do just that. Who we can’t help is athletes who don’t take care of themselves, or don’t show up.
What separates athletes who not only survive, but thrive in-season, from those who get hurt from preventable causes is their level of planning. We tell our athletes to build-out their daily/ weekly schedule. Focus on the non-negotiables first, and the rest is easy. For example:
You know you’re getting 8 hours of sleep and/ or relaxation time
You know you have 8 hours of school
You know you have 2-4 hours of baseball/ day
You know you have 3-5 hours of strength training/ week
You know you have to eat, shower, etc.
Now fill in the blanks! Homework, hanging out with friends, etc.
Making time, not finding time, for what is important to your success is the first step in athletic development. This is also the first step that is often skipped over. How much time you dedicate to each area is dependent on your true goal. This refers back to the levels comment.
The vast majority of professional athletes did not play baseball year-round, but when they did, they were prepared to do so, and each rep meant something. Dreams of playing big league ball require a higher level of commitment to your craft compared to an athlete just trying to make the high school team, and that’s how it’s suppose to be! There is a reason why there are so few professional athletes in the world.
High level athletes (genetics aside) find ways to get the job done on the field, in the weight room, in the kitchen, and any extra hurdles they may need to climb over to get to where they want to go.
Development takes time, there is no magic pill that says otherwise. You tell us what you want to do, and we will tell you how to do it. But do not expect us to solve all of your problems with spotty attendance. Commit, stay committed, and success will surely follow.
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