It’s an exciting time to be an athlete. The 21st century provides an athlete with unlimited amounts of information - including drills, fundamentals and exercises from the past and present. Today’s athlete also has access to state of the art facilities, next level technology and all the benefits of modern day Sports Science.
In yesterday’s blog, “Physical Training, Part I - History, Pioneers and Manual Labor,” we discussed the importance of physical fitness and the value of incorporating lessons from generation’s past into a modern day regimen. They say, “Never forget your past because it’s your best teacher." We won't forget, now lets look at modern day opportunities.
MaxBP is on the opposite end of the training spectrum. Athletes from multiple sports, including: baseball, softball, cricket, lacrosse, hockey and even water polo, have found that MaxBP’ is a modern day game changer. With MaxBP Reaction Training an athlete has the opportunity to get more reps than ever before and greatly improve their vision, hand-eye coordination and reaction times; However, that doesn’t mean that simply purchasing a MaxBP will lead to excellence.
There is a lot of information regarding hitting and physical training on the internet these days, including the blog/news section of MaxBP.com. This provides the modern day athlete with a unique opportunity in their pursuit to improve. With the click of a finger an athlete can find unlimited drills and fundamental development. This requires an athlete to delve a little deeper into their craft, but the results and the joy that comes with that knowledge and development will be well worth it.
This proactive approach toward physical development goes well beyond MaxBP Reaction Training. An athlete should always be looking at ways to improve their training and find new drills. This includes the implementation of “tried and true” exercises of generation’s past and the unique training opportunities using modern day technology and training methods.
In the past, many athletes improved their athleticism and physical performance by participating in multiple sports throughout the year; however, in today’s day and age multi-sport athletes aren’t as commonplace. Many modern day prep teams are opting for year-round programs, making it difficult for athletes to participate in a variety of athletics. It may seem like a logical idea for a player to focus on one particular sport; however, it may actually be detrimental to their athletic development.
ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian once said that he had never met a hall of famer who wasn’t a multi-sport athlete in high school. Kurkjian and others believe that learning multiple skills in a variety of sports helps a young athlete reach their full athletic potential. By participating in multiple sports with different coaches and training regimens, an athlete will become multi-faceted. The exposure will allow an athlete to work on different skills, train different muscle groups and use different training methods, which translates well in the long run.
Imagine an athlete who plays multiple sports, trains in a variety of ways (mixing modern and classic methods) and doesn't shy away from physical labor. Now consider another athlete who plays one sport and fulfills their training with the same drills everyday. There is no doubt the athlete who focuses on one thing will be incredibly skilled at that task, but do they run the risk of becoming burnt out? How will they handle adversity?
When considering which player will be more successful in the heat of battle with the game on the line, I’ll take my chances with the well rounded athlete. I believe their life experiences and diverse skill set will have them better prepared for real life competition.
Sports Science has come a long way in the past century, and athletes should take full advantage of modern day opportunities. MaxBP Reaction Training and other modern day technology provides an athlete with better training and more reps than ever before; however, a player should never forget the valuable lessons we’ve learned from our predecessors, which included a second to none work ethic and grit.
The ballplayers from generations past who worked manual labor jobs in the off season, would claim that “going to work” was as productive, if not better, than any workout you can find in a gym. Modern day ballplayers should consider incorporating this ideal into their own lives. It’s a great way to help out with the family chores, develop some new skills and utilize new muscle groups. Never fear a little manual labor for physical training, that’s where an athlete develops that “Man Strength.”
It’s a very opportunistic time to be an athlete, those willing to put forth the effort have the chance to develop like never before. If an athlete wants to prevail in a sports landscape that is more competitive than ever, they need to be proactive and take ownership of their physical development. They should be encouraged to play multiple sports and fully embrace new technology, while incorporating traditional strength training and physical labor methods from the past.