It was a great night for Spain and those that worked hard to prepare the team for neutralizing Germany and controlling the Dutch Boys. During the World Cup it was great to watch Paul the Psychic Octopus predict winner after winner. Basically winning a coin toss 7 times in a row is not a reason to start believing in magic or super powers but it did make me think of what the future will hold in the Sports Performance world. What the good news is that some positive change will happen in the profession. Here are 8 predictions for those in the iron and speed game made by some good coaches:
(1) Information will be more substance than hype- The internet created a big influx of garbage products but the internet and technology will enable great coaches to share products more easily. I am looking forward to some of the materials being released later this fall from some world class coaches that are using some simple solutions to create information products based on years of refinement instead of near plagiarism of books they read last month.
(2) The Kettlebell and TRX will die off in favor for more trends- Great tools but is it your trusty hammer and screwdriver or tuning hammer for a piano and left handed star wrench? The body hasn’t changed just the culture, and gravity, time, and energy is the same as it was years ago with most athletes. The conventional exercises had a brief renaissance with Starting Strength, but like most things that involve hard work and time the easier and hyped information will be more lucrative and inviting.
(3) The Neuroendocrine System will be the next big thing – Fascia, functional anatomy, core and stability training, and machines will be left behind like the cowboy from Toy Story. There will be a smooth talking expert that will share rather enlightening information on what happens during training. Some Romanian triple jumper will not attend the lecture and will train the same way they did years before and still dominate. The information will be fascinating but will make virtually no impact in training like foam rolling, tai chi, and indian clubs.
(4) Corrective Exercise will Rendered nearly obsolete- Better programming and Physical Therapy will make a comeback after equipment and evidence based medicine shows that clamshells and super stiffness kettlebell swings will do absolutely nothing to help D1 Football players. Coaches will use remedial exercises and carefully designed and customized GS work. The approach, not the exercises will be king.
(5) Spider Tech will be the next Breathe Right- Research will show that the Chiropractors that use it as a primary tool will be looking like chelated vitamin dealers of the past. I am not saying that kinesiotape does nothing, I think it has some small sensory reeducation benefits with locomotion but I don’t expect big things putting straps of various patterns on people.
(6) Bret Contreras’s LVT will be refined into a useful resource- I predict in one year his value and engineering perspective will help put training in better perspective. I like his work and his approach but my fear is that the market may not bear something that is not hype and sensationalized. I am not saying it’s ground breaking information as it’s not new, but the way that information is taught is usually the most influential.
(7) The Functional Movement Screen will be replaced with a better option- Remember the Kinetic Chain Evaluation? Great resource but didn’t have the momentum because of marketing and timing. The FMS is being slowly replaced by frustrated coaches because they are not seeing the statistical impact of it and the corrective strategies show very slow progression.
(8) The Olympic Lifts will have a rebirth- One of my favorite reads is Denis Reno’s weightlifting newsletter that is mail order only. Made by hand with photos, this resource shares really good information and results from the sport. It’s also an example of why the olympic lifts are not marketed well and will likely get more attention as the technology to produce information products expands.