In a physical point of view
As sports evolve, the physical demand grows, and we have to be faster, stronger, etc.
We see that with every top athlete, they follow programs that lead to develop physical qualities. This work is one of the key elements making the difference, as well as taking more pleasure in our sport and being healthy, but what are the elements that we would like to develop ? What are the qualities that define an athlete ?
We can list at least 5 physical abilities :
- Endurance → muscular and cardiovascular capacity to sustain an activity for an extended period of time (we could also talk about mental endurance).
- Strength → the muscle’s ability to overcome resistance by applying a high amount of force.
- Speed → being able to make a movement in the shortest time. (sprints, changes of direction, etc.)
- Flexibility → muscle’s quality of bending without breaking.
- Coordination → the connection between muscles and the brain that makes complex movements possible.
I think those are the 5 physical pillars that determine our athletic level. We could also add reactivity or agility but I consider them to be components of other qualities. Reactivity is just the ability to reach your maximum speed shortly after a certain trigger. Agility is the combination of speed and coordination. We could also say that mobility is the active aspect of flexibility.
Now that we know what the main abilities are to develop an elite physique, we have to know that they depend on a lot of things:
● genetics (height, morphology, etc.)
● specificity (what sport, what position, etc.)
● How often do we use them
The more you train them, the more you will develop your “athletic.” abilities.
At first, we should seek the qualities we think we really need or want and take pleasure in the progression without forgetting the mental, technical, and tactical aspects of sports, which I will talk about soon.