Testing & Measuring: Seeing the data

For the coaches who collect no pre or post-data, or the parents that don’t care about the data or what it means, this article probably isn’t for you. For the coaches that are invested and want the best for their athletes, let’s talk.

Sometime around eight years ago at a previous facility, I remember we had an athlete who competed in the shot and discus. Based on our assessments and the style of training we provided with a lack of individualization, he was on paper by our standards, a very low-performing athlete. One issue with everything, he ended up setting several high school records and then continuing on to throw in college. It wasn’t that he was a low-level athlete, we weren't looking at what he truly needed and instead lumped him into what we had molded as “athletic.” At the time, I knew something was wrong with the formula, but little did I realize that it was me.

This article is out of observation, questions, and frustrations. A friend of mine who coaches recently attended a conference where they discussed if there is a larger need for a fast athlete or a strong athlete. My first thought was, “Is this really still where the discussion is?” There is no doubt that athletes at the top of each sport are both faster and stronger than previous generations. This is not a one or the other discussion, but rather a discussion should be made of how strength compliments speed and how speed can complement strength, and how they both play into flexibility, mobility, game speed, and psychological advantage.

For the coaches who do utilize some testing for their athletes, let’s talk about how to use the data to tell if athletes are prepared for their sport. We will use baseball and softball as an example. There are a handful of tests that should probably never be used for these sports because they're focused on the wrong energy systems, power output and demands.

• 300 Yard Shuttle - An aerobic test with more volume at once than an athlete will move in an entire game at a lower intensity.
• Mile Run - Low Intensity, high volume, low power output
• Timed Circuits - Baseball/Softball plays don’t last 30-45 seconds. Therefore finding athletes that are good at these circuits is cool for the workout but likely does not mean much towards on-field performance.

Here are some test indicators that have given us a great correlation to how the athlete will perform on the field:

• Squat - A traditional barbell back squat. We have found great on-field results for softball players who can squat around 1.5x Bodyweight. For example 150lb softball player able to squat 225lbs for 1 rep. For male athletes, our numbers point toward double bodyweight or more in their one-rep max squat.
• 5/10/5 - This is a quick change of direction drill that we have seen have great carryover because the lateral speed needed in softball and baseball. Better times with this are usually correlated with higher percentage squats for athletes
• Pull Up - Stronger lats and grip have never been a bad thing for anyone. With throwing athletes being better at pull ups, generally leads to increased throwing velocity with less elbow and shoulder pain
• 20 Yard Sprint - A basic linear sprint. This is correlated strongly with performance in the other testing.
• Plank - Athletes who can do a 2-minute plank have a lower chance of injury. This is what our data has shown us. A simple exercise that can tell you a lot as a coach if you're looking for the right things.

Nick Showman

Showtime Strength & Performance

www.showtimestrength.com