Beware The Snake Oil

 

So I was visiting a fitness-based message board yesterday, enjoying the various posts, threads and exchanges between my colleagues.

I don’t frequent or post on message boards that often, myself.

Not because I have particularly negative feelings or problems with message boards per say, I just always get the feeling that the bravado and ‘big talk’ some of the frequent posters ‘put on’ in their messages is more a reflection of there internet personas than it is a true indication of there real-life personalities or abilities as a trainer.

And one of the posts I came across yesterday added a great deal of fuel to that fire.

This particular post was centered around the tremendous results that this trainer had endowed onto a few of the young athletes in his care.

That in-an-of-itself is not a big deal.

I am always happy to see professional trainers taking a passionate stance with respect to the work they do to improve the lives and athletic prowess of their young athletes.

But as this post went on, it started to stink of insincerity and a general lack of true understanding.

And that’s what has prompted me to write this warning to you today.

You see, as the post went on, the trainer started to reveal that his magical methods of athletic development had gleaned a full 5 inch vertical jump increase and allowed his young athletes to standout head and shoulders above both their teammates and competitors.

O.K… no warning signs yet.

With dedicated force production and mechanical aptitude training, increases in vertical jump are not hard to achieve.

But than this trainer claimed the enchanting words that always make me shutter:

“And I’ve only trained them 6 times”.

Bingo…

My ‘BS’ meter starting ringing instantly like a tornado warning siren in the plain states.

In less than 6 hours of devoted time with these kids, this trainer had managed to increase their vertical power production by a full 5 inches and allowed them to stand out and be recognized as better and more complete athletes than all others around them?

In the immortal words of ‘80s fitness icon, Susan Powders…

“STOP THE INSTANITY”

I write this not as a stab or off-putting view of the trainer who made these claims, but as a warning to all parents and coaches.

Athletic development takes time.

I have written about this consistently for the past 4 years and lectured about it for even longer.

Training young athletes is not magical.

Improving the athletic ability of youngsters and teenagers is not mysterious, secretive or baffling.

Trainers who claim to have ‘hidden treasures’ or ‘hush-hush’ styles of creating incredible, superhuman levels of speed, strength, power or athletic ability in the young athletes they train prove one thing to me…

…And one thing only…

…They have no idea what they are talking about.

Training young athletes is about finding the gentle balance of promoting athletic ability while reducing the potential of injury.

It’s about understanding the art of coaching and being able to dynamically add exercise stimulus into the life of a young athlete while considering the nutritional, mental/emotional stress and other athletic demands currently being placed on them.

So for parents and coaches looking to hire trainers to work with their young athletes, I offer this warning to you –

Beware the Snake Oil.

If the talk is about quick gains, vast improvements and unsurpassed abilities (especially in a short period of time)… run.

Run away because the trainer you are talking to has no idea what it takes to truly develop a young athlete.

Let me put this into practical terms.

How much would you trust these professionals? –

“I see you have cancer, Mr. Smith” says the doctor.  “Not to worry, with my new revolutionary cancer fighting system, I will have you cured and disease-free in 7 days… Guaranteed”.

How about this one –

“You are correct, Mrs. Jones, grade 2 should take a full school year for your son to pass, but with my cutting-edge teaching system, I can have your son in grade 3 by next week”.

On that note, I recently chatted about this with Mike Boyle.

Mike is considered the very best conditioning coach in the world and for good reason.

His 25 year career has included work with countless Olympic, professional AND high school athletes.

Just read what some of the most gifted athletes in the world have to say about him –

"I wouldn't have had the success I had without Mike Boyle” – NHL superstar, Chris Drury

"Mike Boyle has been training me for my whole career, he has given me the edge I need to compete at the highest level, without his guidance I wouldn't be where I am today. Any High School or College athlete that lives in the area should take advantage of training at Mike Boyle's" – NHL Veteran, Hal Gill

"I owe much of my desire to succeed, confidence, and success to you and your amazing conditioning program. I cannot emphasize enough the impact you had on my life" – Ross Malory, College standout

I interviewed Mike for my Youth Training Secrets collection.

Here’s one of the exchanges we had on CD #2 –

Brian: Often coaches just don't let the process happen. I think they're doing that because of exactly what you said. They're selling their services in six weeks, and they're looking to make a 15% increase in a squat total or a 10% decrease in the 40 yard dash, and they're thinking, "Geez, the time's running out, I'd better load this kid now." And that's part of the problem.

Mike:  Exactly. I used to talk to coaches all the time. I do not care if this kid gets any stronger the first 12 weeks he's here…

I DO NOT CARE IF THIS KID GETS ANY STRONGER THE FIRST 12 WEEK’S HE’S HERE.

No 5 inch vertical increases in 6 training sessions…

No monumental decreases in the 40 time in just 3 weeks…

No snake oil.

So parents and coaches, a final word of caution…

If it sounds too good to be true, it almost assuredly is.

‘Till next time,

Brian

P.S. – Enjoy hearing what training young athletes SHOULD look like from a group of professionals who get real results for a living and will tell you EXACTLY how it’s supposed to be done.   Visit Youth Training Secrets now and put an end to the snake oil salesmen in your area.

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Issue 147 - June 5, 2007

brian@developingathletics.com - www.DevelopingAthletics.com

(c) Developing Athletics Inc.

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Brian J. Grasso

email - brian@developingathletics.com

address - 109 White Oak Ct., Schaumburg, Illinois, USA