So You Want To Work in Sports Performance?
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Introduction
So you want to work in the exciting world of sports medicine and sports performance? I've had the privilege of doing just that, and it's been an great experience you not only learn about yourself but how to teach effectively with different learning strategies. From working with elite athletes to contributing to groundbreaking research, this field offers a unique blend of challenges and rewards. Some challenges that you might face is unpredictable and late hours, client advocacy, speaking with medical staffs of their respective teams, and other individuals that they might be working with as well ie strength coaches, personal trainers, massage therapists, agents, etc. However, it’s truly rewarding to see your players succeed in their respective sport! I wanted to take this blog post to explain some skills and knowledge you shoulder expect to attain.
Understanding Anatomy and Biomechanics
Working with high level athletes will require high level knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics of the body. Mainly because you have to understand what the human body is capable of doing in high performance. Also, knowing the anatomy will allow you to get creative in developing exercises, this will also allow you to know when to progress, regress exercises when need be, but also for injury reduction strategies.
Understanding the Demands of the Sport
Do you know what the 3 Energy Systems of the body are? Do you know what the Stretch Shortening Cycle (SSC) is? Do you know the difference between Strength, Power, Hypertrophy, and Endurance ? Well, if you do not you need to! All of these concepts are required in being able to develop a high performance training program for an athlete. You will need to perform a Needs Analysis which evaluates the requirement of the sport and also position within the sport.
For example, do you know this about a Women’s Division 1 Soccer Player?
· Requires 1.53-4.24x body mass
· Avg. % HR: ~84%
· Distance Covered: 5-6 miles in match
· High Intensity Distance: 0.80-1.0 mile
· Sprint Distance: ~0.3mile
· # of Changes of Direction (COD): 1400x
· # High Intensity Runs (HIT) Runs: 125-150x
· Sprint Bouts: 26-30x
This just and example the of the knowledge one must have of various sports and requirements to be able to design a training programs that focuses not only on performance but also reducing the risk of injury. I do want to say that no injury is preventable, but you can reduce the risk by understanding the requirements of the sport.
In addition to the above, one must be approachable, have good communication/interpersonal skills, be able to problem solve, and continually learn.
Conclusion
Working in performance offers a unique blend of challenges and rewards. To succeed in this field, you must possess a deep understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, the specific demands of various sports, but also the interpersonal skills that develop relationships and trust. By developing these skills and remaining dedicated to your craft, you can help athletes reach their full potential and make a significant impact in the world of sports.
-Josh
