by Kyle Jacksic MS, CSCS, USAW
In what now feels like a post-Covid world, we are starting to see the negative impacts in athletic development after the majority of our population was ‘stuck’ inside their homes for long periods of time. Because of the lockdowns and limitations, the motor development of some key qualities for many student-athletes––especially to those approaching or just beginning puberty––came to a screeching halt. The majority of coordination is developed during the pre-adolescent phase due to the plasticity of the brain. Coordination can be dictated by balance, kinesthetic differentiation, movement adequacy, and spatial awareness. If we boil all of that down to one term, it would be “rhythm.”
Rhythm, specifically in performance, is how timing can be expressed. The better the timing, the better the movement, and then hopefully the better the athlete performs.
The practicality of rhythm’s effect in sport is far-reaching: a linear sprint requires a well-timed sequence of cross body contractions in order to project forward. If there is a kink in that system, the velocity of movement is drastically limited. Better yet, if an athlete changes direction and there are disconnections in their system, not only will the quality of movement be negatively impacted, but it could lead to injury.
So, how do we train it? We can categorize ‘rhythm-based’ exercises into four categories and can progress them in simple succession.
The first is simple. These exercises are non-locomotive and can be considered basic for most athletes. Examples of these are rudiment jumps, like a wide variety of pogos that can be done in different directions, different heights, and different sequences or timing.
The second is an enhancement of the first category. This basically takes these simple exercises and begins to progress through added locomotion. Where simple exercises could be single-sided or alike sequences, enhanced exercises are more like playing hopscotch games. Think that our athletes may consider themselves ‘too old’ for this, but why would we stray farther away from our developing brain? Skips for height or distance, bounding, and galloping can all help the athlete progress their rhythm in this category.
The third category involves disruption. With this category, you add constraints or objects that the athlete has to have some sort of reaction to. Setting hurdles out and having athletes run, jump, skip, and change direction––creating more of an obstacle-like course environment––will challenge the brain to find the most efficient way possible to complete the task. This can be done even without equipment. You can use exercises like alternating fast legs, triple jumps, and reactive drills that require the athlete to change the type of exercise they’re doing as well as possibly the direction. For example, we like to do a crossover run to sprint back to challenge our athletes.
Finally, the last category involves complexity. This is training the body to move in as many vectors as possible. This utilizes movement-based games, open-pace drills with a partner, and even having an athlete play their sport. If we’ve built a proper base in the first three categories, the quality of their movement will continually progress. The better the mover, hopefully the better performing athlete you have.
Kyle Jacksic has served as Director of Strength & Conditioning at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte since January 2022. Outside Ardrey Kell, Jacksic serves as the North Carolina State Director for the NHSSCA, and coaches and consults with local sports teams and clubs through his LLC: JAX Athletic Performance.
