My biggest takeaway from this episode though? That they don't allow their top level athletes to back squat. They have a big discussion about humans training as intended as bipedal beings - and that single leg strength can match 90% of both legs, and that the sheer force on the spine of a back squat makes it not worth the risk.

When you remove the obligation to try to get your athlete to complete a specific movement, you unlock an infinite number of scaling options, gamifications, or other ways to engage with your athlete. Our goal isn't to get them to perform a specific exercise, our goal is to get them to perform a variety of movement patterns.

This is the simplest breakdown of patterns in a way that covers every muscle in the body. The more experienced you get, the more you can begin to break this down into muscle groups and other details - but to start, learn to understand the major patterns of the body rather than trying to memorize specific exercises.

Not everyone can squat, but almost everyone can perform SOME type of 'Lower push' exercise. If you can walk up stairs, sit on the toilette, or even just bend your knees through any range of motion - then you're able to perform the lower push pattern.

The goal isn't exercise for the sake of exercise, the goal is to accomplish a broad variety of movements and to work just 10% harder than they want to or have before. With this approach, there is an infinite number of ways to engage your athlete in a way that is fun rather than a chore.

The best workout for your athlete is the one that they do. Don't overcomplicate it or set the bar unattainably high. 30 minutes once a week is 1,000x better than nothing, and 30 minutes 2x / week consistently over an extended period is enough to make some major life changes for athletes of any age or ability.

Exposing our body to stress in a controlled environment, whether physical or emotional, is how we adapt and grow as human beings. Teaching regulation to athletes through their physical body is MUCH easier then trying to get inside their heads, but as they learn physical regulation, the emotion regulation follows right behind.

If you're working with an athlete who spends a lot of time already doing a specific sport (or movement pattern) then if you remember our goal of ensuring athletes complete a broad range of patterns - then our most effective use of time to ensure a balanced and health athlete is to train the ones they're not already doing.

The goal is long term progression, not short term goals. Don't scare them off by making it too hard. As long as you can get your athlete to do 10% more than they wanted to, or have before - then the workout was a win. Maintain this approach over extended periods of time, and the results will speak for themselves.

My SCHOOLS.FIT web-app of Resources

Check-out the full list of resources, with on demand workout videos, movement demos, workout builders and more coming soon on my web app I'm building specifically for educators, parents, and anyone who works with youth.

SCHOOLS.FITA resource from coach Thor for parents, educators, and anyone who works with youth.Raincity School Resources

Ok, so we have established that the number on the scale can depend on any number of variables and therefore heavier does not always mean bigger (Muscle vs Fat). Now, lets talk about the fact that bigger is not necessarily a bad thing. If you have been eating well, and hitting cardio and strength at the gym you are going to get stronger and your body composition will most likely change. If you have transformed your legs from soft and weak to firm and strong you are going to feel and look significantly better, so why does it matter if your legs are a little bit bigger? Instead of worrying that your legs/butt/insert body parts of your choice are getting bigger, be proud of the fact that you are getting fitter, stronger and look amazing as a result.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE

The other day I put on an old pair of jeans and guess what, they were a bit snug on the thighs and butt, but here’s the thing…

Over the past 7 months, I have dramatically stepped up my training, picked up a new sport (Olympic Weightlifting) and gotten significantly faster and stronger. Yes, I did gain about an inch on my thighs (yep I measured) but I took my backsquat from 195lbs to 240lbs and my deadlift skyrocketed from 215lbs to 295lbs, two achievements that make me way happier than fitting into size “x” jeans.

I know that having read this some people will still be uncomfortable with the idea that heavier and bigger can be a good thing and may look better, but don’t flat-out reject the possibility just yet. It’s a common fear (especially among women and people trying to ‘slim down’) that weightlifting will make them to bulk up, which can lead to an exercise regime that avoids strength training like the plague and focuses solely on cardio (very ineffective but I’ll get to that another time). I also know that while I love being strong and muscular not all women want to be a weightlifter and there is nothing wrong with that, but this is not an excuse for to avoid weights. Yes my legs, arms and butt got a little bigger this summer, but I was doing some seriously heavy lifting several times a week, sometimes moving upwards of 10,000lbs in a single session. Without training sessions of similar intensities/loads it is extremely difficult to bulk up (and keep in mind, even I didn’t bulk up that much), especially for women since we simply do not have enough testosterone in our bodies to support muscle growth on that scale.

I know it is unrealistic to expect everyone to ditch their scales, start lifting weights and ignore the fear of getting bulky, but I do have 2 requests.

1. I want you to take time to think it over, let the idea settle in, and rewire your thought process from bigger and fatter, to stronger and fitter
2. Lift weights. If you already are that’s great, lift more, lift heavier.If you aren’t lifting weights, start. Don’t worry about looking silly or not knowing what you’re doing, google a new movement, or ask someone to show you. We all had to start somewhere and if we never did anything for fear of looking like an idiot we wouldn’t get very far in life.

Check out the full article here.