Start basic, use sound, proven scientific training principles coupled with best practice- then you can add complexity as needed and necessary to achieve the desired training objectives. Remember simplicity yields complexity; you don’t have to try to make it complex. This has been a fundamental training guideline for me ever since I can remember. I know that when I needlessly added complexity that is when training did not work. It seemed the objective was lost in the shuffle. For example I can’t be too concerned if it is myofibrilar or sacroplasmic hypertrophy, that is a level of complexity that will take care of itself if I focus on the need to do activities guided by my training objectives. The Ultimate Goal is to design and implement an effective, practical training program that produces measurable and visible results in the required time frame.The essential elements of simplicity in a training program are:5S’s + R, that is Speed, Strength Stamina, Suppleness, Skill plus Recovery. All these elements must be trained at all times with different emphasis depending on the athlete’s level of development, training age and the phase of the training year with recovery planned to insure adaptation. Then be sure to account for the 3M’s, what you do must be Manageable, Measurable and Motivational. Last but not least follow the 3P’s, Practical, Personal and Proactive. You can take these simple concepts and ideas and get as complex as you need to be to help your athletes solve every movement problem as they encounter. It was Leonard Da Vinci who said: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
