Arriving at: “functional Strength”

For decades, sport specific training has assisted athletes in reaching the top of their game, and in staying there. Many advanced and elite level competitors begin general conditioning in early stages of development, building fundamental skills that set the foundation for specialized sports training later in life.

“Special Strengths” is a concept introduced long ago to describe how different exercises and styles of training are constructed like building blocks for the “finished structure”; skills, or sports mastery. The exercise difficulty, complexity, sequence and strategic mixture of exercises are used to fuel the athlete for the intended outcome of performance.

For example, performance for the sprinter comes in the form of running speed and speed endurance.

For the baseball pitcher, throwing velocity and accuracy are primary components of qualification.

For the football cornerback, backwards speed, rotation and reaction skill are special strengths needed to advance through the competitive ranks.

No matter the unique requirements of the “athletic vehicle”, the entire training plan serves one purpose, and one purpose only: to enhance an athlete's potential to display skill on the field. For the sake of unmistakable clarity, the purpose of a training session or even a single exercise is not to get better at the exercise. Just like fueling a race car in a pit stop, there are minimal, maximal and optimal requirements. 

An 18-wheel mac truck has a very specific job that calls for diesel fuel, and “Gladiator Tires”.

The training for a baseball player is different from that of a football player, golfer, and so on. Thus, a training plan that fuels the athlete according to the “vehicle,” or type of tolerance required is considered “functional”.

In this manual, the phrase, “special strength” and “functional strength” are interchangeable.

The 2 key components to functional strength that this manual will outline: 

1. Movement Control (agility)

2. Force Impulse (muscle contraction and endurance)

Movement control, or agility, can be thought of as a freedom to move in a number of directions from a number of positions. The athlete’s agility is the skill that makes feats of strength and speed appear effortless. 

Force Impulse can be thought of as the amount of energy that can be taken from the ground, and the time it takes to do so. 

Together, movement control and force impulse detail the potential within an athlete, and the opportunity to be competitive long term.

As a general guideline, each series of movement controls and force impulse (pulls) may be practiced in periods of 3 weeks at a time, or even somewhat daily. The intent of the practice is most important. 

Within the training scheme, the athlete is exposed to a number of exercises that are more or less similar to the movements of their sports task. The variety of inputs stimulates an athlete’s overall sense for timing during sport specific interactions.

For example, for the athlete who grapples (on the ground), exercises performed in a back lying, kneeling and half kneeling stance are viewed as a more specific form of preparedness. For athletes who primarily stand, like a baseball pitcher, exercises that involve a stride mimic a movement sequence similar to throwing. Some sports involve holding tension longer before a fast reaction, like a football defender or baseball hitter. Some sports call for a more continuous effort like soccer or basketball. Rest periods vary greatly even within the same sports based on the position an athlete plays. All factors are of equal importance when organizing and executing a long term functional strength program.