Master control before speed

Whether you are learning to drive a car, skiing for the first time, or playing a game of tag with your friends it is important that you master control before you increase your speed. For example there is no benefit from skating faster if you are not in control of your body, because when required, you will not be able to change your direction or your speed effectively.

 

Introducing whole body activities, requiring coordination and balance, to young children (3 to 6 years) is a critical step in their physical development. These activities can be in the form of gymnastics, or simple fun games including team sports. The young children will learn to control their body and become more aware of what it is capable, or not capable, of performing. After developing body control these fortunate athletes can then begin to practice more complex movements at greater speeds. The athletes should be exposed to increasingly complex activities between six and ten years to further enhance their physical development.

 

There is still hope for athletes that were not exposed to good foundation of coordination and balance in their younger years. They also need to learn control their bodies before attempting complex movements. All functional (sport) movements require basic elements of balance and coordination, in conjunction with strength and flexibility for the more advanced activities.

 

When you are starting a new sport or activity, you should not be expected to perform it at high speeds or in complex movement patterns. Learn how to perform the movement in a controlled manner. If needed break down the movement into smaller parts. Learn each part at slow and controlled speeds, then add the parts together and increase the speed you perform them. Attempting to learn new activities too quickly will develop inefficient motor patterns, that are hard to reverse, and is also very frustrating and unrewarding for the athlete.

 

It is no shock to find out that older athletes, starting an activity for the first time, will take longer to master the movement than younger athletes. The main reason for this is that older athletes have more movement (motor) patterns ingrained in the body, some of which are inefficient and need to be re-learned and fine-tuned to perform the new activity. Whether you are a young/novice athletes or an older/experienced athlete the training philosophy stays the same. This philosophy will guarantee longer term athletic success.

Craig Dalrymple

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