What Is Sports Performance?

We like to make things simple: If I program hang cleans, the athlete will get more explosive and perform their sport better. Boom. It’s as easy as that, right? It is more complex and multi-factorial. 

Sports Performance is governed by a complex interaction of variables.

Trainers/Coaches should explore knowledge of how psychological, physiological, biomechanical (Human), and environmental (Environment) factors interact with the performance outcome/result (Task/goal).

• A holistic/interdisciplinary approach of sports performance should include education to athletes.
• Provide them with the tools to succeed outside of exercise (with the illusion that they have knowledge of the exercise they are participating in). – Talk about sleep, nutrition, stress, social connections (interactions with other players), intent, skills for crucial conversations, creating a successful environment
• Constraints within these variables/categories can create limitations and barriers (ex. fatigue, anxiety) Small-scale changes may have large-scale impact.
• Talk about resources for mental health, show that you care outside of how much weight they can lift, set an example of behavior/habits
• Show awareness that other factors exist besides your block periodization plan.
• Don’t take things too personally when an athlete comes in and isn’t excited to do your epic 5-3-1 rep scheme that day. Maybe they just failed an exam, were up until 2am studying, found out that their parents are getting a divorce, just broke up with their significant other.
• Maybe they perceive you as a jerk and don’t want to do your program. *create a welcoming training environment and try to be a good person.
• Performance needs to factor in all aspects of stress load, exposure, and avenues of interventions because they all matter. The whole matters, not just the parts. 
• Reducing the number of constraints within each category/component can improve the number of possible configurations that a complex system can adopt in respects to contribution to performance (collective output).