What's Holding Back Your Play? The Limiting Factors in Athletic Movement
A primary job of a sport coach is to help the athlete move optimally. What in the world does optimal mean? How do we define optimal movement. Offensive and defensive linemen should define it as power and stability through the whole range of motion of your body.
Do you have the hip mobility in the bottom of your squat? Core stability? Do you have the strength and power to drive out of the bottom of the squat? These are the type of questions coaches should ask when working on how to better your athletes. What is the limiting factor in their movement? Once you find a limiting factor, address it. You will need to work with your athletes where they are.
Most of the athletes who have played or trained under me, the number one limiting factor has been core strength. A number of issues that surface on the playing field can be attributed to the lack of core strength. Crumbling on contact, losing body position during a block are just two examples of poor core strength.
The different types of limiting factors in poor movement:
1. Core Strength - The ability to stabilize your body in position , to stop somebody else's force, and create force through turning and torque. Examples of Poor Core Strength; Losing Body Position, Crumbling on Contact.
2. Hip Mobility - Most coaches call it the ability to bend with the knees. The ability to sit and move in the bottom of your squat. The Key is being able to move in the bottom of your squat. Examples of Poor Hip Mobility - 'Waist Bender' , leans on contact
3. Shoulder Mobility- The ability to be stable and strong with your arms fully extended. This goes with every angle your arms can move. Example of Poor Shoulder Mobility, losing on the punch, can't finish tackles
4. Power & Strength - None of this matters if you are not strong. This is the ability to move mass quickly.
Over the next few days, we will talk about these different limiting factors in your play and movement, and what to do to address those issues. Without hesitation, you'll return to your team as a brand new player.
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