So You Want to Be an Elite Athlete…
Q: I want to ask for some advice on transforming my body so that I can become an elite athlete.
Current Stats :
Age – 17
Height – 193cm
Weight – 85kg
Gender – Male
My goals are :
– Increase speed and vertical leap
– Get bigger and stronger
– Increase flexibility and range of motion
– Improve endurance level
– Keep body fat percentage low
– Improve basketball skills (eg shooting, passing, dribbling)
The sport that I compete in is basketball. I do MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) as training and for fun as well.
What sort of training should I do considering what my goals are and what sports I am doing?
I have done lots of research on athletic improvement but there is so much information out there and it is hard to know what information I should use. None of the countless number of training books and programs I have bought tailors specifically to what my goals are either; I’ve read DeFranco, Cosgrove, Ferruggia, and Baggett.
A: 1. Recognize that you cannot ride two horses with one saddle. It’s very difficult to develop endurance and maximal strength/power simultaneously, but at your age, it’s still likely a possibility. Strength endurance is dependent on maximal strength, so if you get stronger, you’ll automatically improve endurance-wise regardless of what endurance-specific activities you do.
2. There are many ways to skin a cat. DeFranco, Baggett, Cosgrove, and Ferruggia are all good friends of mine and all of them get results. Additionally, there are hundreds of other coaches getting results – and all of them are using unique programs. What you’ll find is that we all agree on the 90% and play around with the leftover 10%. And, what you’re also find is that no matter how well written a book is, it’ll never cater to your specific situation perfectly.
3. A large portion (probably 75%) of my athletes are your age, and I have an appreciation for what it takes for you to compete at the next level, if that’s of interest to you. Right now, focus on becoming a better ATHLETE before you work overtime becoming a better basketball player, MMA fighter, etc. Can you jump rope? Can you do a clean push-up? Can you even skip? How about sprint mechanics; are they good? If you’re like most of the kids who walk into Cressey Performance on Day 1, the answer is NO – and we need to backtrack a bit.
If the answer is YES, you need to take into account your injury history and some performance testing. In my Off-Season Training Manual, I talk about tests to determine whether you need more strength, more reactive work, or a combination of the two. Generally speaking, basketball guys are a lot of the strength component with some lower volume reactive work at strategic points in the off-season.
Eric Cressey
Archives:
