There is nothing better than my Mother’s home made Thanksgiving dinner, 4000 calories of turkey, gravy, stuffing, salad, and enough pumpkin pie to feed a small army. In order to make it through without passing out, it’s mandatory to eat one bite at a time. Failure to do so can cause some serious indigestion, nausea, and a quick trip to the men’s room.  Indigestion can also occur in the weight room. Although our athletes don’t fill their bellies with turkey dinner, they do fill their minds with auditory, kinesthetic, and visual cues. Take home point: Don’t over coach! Repetition is the mother of success. If your athletes spend more time listening to muscle insertion points and the finer hip angle of the hang clean, you need some ex-lax because indigestion is just around the corner.

 

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                                  Where’s the Ex-Lax?

 

“The greatest holiday feast is eaten one bite at a time. Gulp it down all at once and you get indigestion. I discovered the same was true in teaching. To be effective, a leader must dispense information in bite size, digestible amounts”                                                                    -John Wooden

 

Right, Wrong, Right: 25 seconds or less

Athletes need repetition to master movement, not flapping jaws. “Practice simplicity with constant repetition” (Wooden) is part of the right, wrong, right philosophy.   In order to proceed practice simplicity!

KISS: Keep It Short and Sweet (I stole this acronym from Mark Verstegen’s lecture on barefoot training)

Step 1: Demonstrate the exercise with proper form.

Step 2: Demonstrate the exercise with poor form (the wrong way) pointing out what NOT to do.

Step 3: Reinforce the exercise with proper form.

KEEP THIS UNDER 25 SECONDS

 

Lets take a look at the Right, Wrong, Right philosophy in action!

 

Hang Clean

 

Bench Press

 

Trap Bar Dead-Lift

 

Slide Board

 

KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) is an acronym used in the strength and conditioning filed when we feel the need to make simple ideas complex. I believe it has multiple meanings. KISS (Keep It Short and Sweet) is vital for cuing and allowing athletes and clients to master through repetition not verbal diarrhea. Remember indigestion causes confusion, nausea and a trip to the restroom, these are NOT the qualities we want to pass onto our populations. Throw away the ex-lax, keep it short and sweet and remember: Don’t over coach!

 

Anthony Donskov, MS, CSCS, PES, is a former collegiate and professional hockey player, founder of Donskov Strength and Conditioning Inc., (www.donskovsc.com) and Head Instructor/Director of Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning for Donskov Hockey Development (www.donskovhockey.com). He can be reached at info@donskovsc.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

 

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