So when an athlete has a season ending or career ending injury in practice without contact, what does the GPS report say? I know several coaches who have emailed each other after my expressions of the limits of GPS technology, and it looks like research validates my observation. GPS is not effective for reducing injuries more than TRIMP is, as most soccer programs barely lift anyway. What is going to change on the Bosu ball and TRX workout sheet? Do less? What are the interventions? Everyone is surprised my value of GPS data is limited, being I love technology and get the gadgets first. I do think the data is emerging but are we doing the following.
Professional Warm-ups- How long, how well executed, and how effective are the warm-ups. If the video was public would we be embarrassed or proud. Would we make excuses? Do we compromise so we are not the bad guy?
Lifting Weights Systematically- Do we show up and put a good effort and have athletes trying to do the right thing. Is progress obvious? Attendance an issue? Spend your 200,000 on motivational speakers to get guys in the weight room and doing something. GPS with bad lifting habits is like getting a new sound system for a teenager with speeding tickets and a bad report card with attendance at school.
Rest- Not just sleep, are guys killing their resources with driving around doing stupid business projects (mink farms are a major cause of bankruptcy with pro athletes!) and albums? Pro athletes with families need to focus on training that includes rest.
Nutrition- We have 350 pound guys drinking out of dixie cups during practice and have no water bottle before and after. Yet how many people download the study posted on amino acids from twitter to sound smart but athletes are not doing the basics?
Testing- Test speed, power, conditioning, and flexibility. If you are not measuring the raw data, how can one filter the noise out of the chaotic data?
I am happy Martin Buchheit is doing research and sharing the limits to the technology. Let’s add advancements in GPS and not replace the basics.
Carl Valle
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