What a joke!!

http://www.velocitysp.com/willowbrook/articles?news_id=86

I love the concept that trainers and facilities are now going to put a guarantee on athletic improvement. Take a look at this article and I'll be glad to point out the flaws.

1. Testing---These tests have no real value in determining long-term athletic success. If the tests can't determine athletic success, how can you put the guarantee of athletic improvement on the program?

2. "If the test scores improve, they will improve on the field." So skill development has nothing to do with it? The most successful athletes are the ones that are athletic AND highly skilled at executing skill in their particular sport.

3. "After 24 sessions we post-test the athlete to show the parents and athlete their improvement." If the athlete does 24 sessions on a 3x-per week schedule, that's two months worth of training. According to NORMAL physical development, as athletes age and go through puberty, they naturally develop the ability to run faster, jump higher, etc. Each and every parent that signs up for these types of programs is being DUPED by this guarantee. Kids get faster as they get older! An average child will run faster at 14 years than they did at 13---it's NORMAL human development. Now these "experts" are trying to take eons of evolutionary common sense and put a guarantee on it. What's next?? 10 year olds running faster than 25 year-olds after this "guaranteed results" program.

Parents, coaches, and athletes need to put a little more time and thought into where they turn to for their training needs. Last night during a training session, a female volleyball player commented on how she's been training at another national training franchise located here in Chicago. She asked what my opinion of it was---My response: "they are a major reason behind many of the youth athlete injuries and youth sport dropout rates we see today". "Not only is the high speed treadmill-based programming dangerous and a poor way of developing movement economy, the 'run till you puke' mentality is nothing short of negligent abuse." Moreover, this athlete's parents have spent a fortune on this program that she's been training under for quite some time. She has no movement or strength skills to speak of...she can't even squat properly. It's a shame that this athlete's family wasted thousands of dollars on athletic development and have gotten nothing in return.

That is the reason why myself and a few others have adopted a long-term athletic development approach with our athletes. We actively seek out parents, coaches, and athletes that understand that athletic development is a lifelong process. Instead of guaranteed speed for a 12-year old, we work with the natural progression of development to set the foundations for greater athletic success when that athlete reaches physical maturity. Instead of the mantra of, "speed guaranteed", as I saw on this companies t-shirt--- my mantra is "Always looking for good kids".