I had a high school girl who was one of the better shooters on her team. Tall, long, way bigger than most defenders she faced. For a while that covered everything. She could catch, take her time, pause at the top of her shot, and still get it off because nobody could reach it anyway. […]
Your Shot Has a Traffic Jam In It Read More »
She came in because she had no time. Working constantly, and when she wasn’t working she was too drained to function. Sitting at a computer most of the day, same position for hours, barely moving. Somewhere in the middle of all that her wrist started hurting. So she dealt with the wrist. Brace, rest, ice,
Stop Playing Whack a Mole With Your Body Read More »
I had a high schooler who was one of the most detail-oriented players I’ve ever worked with. Every rep had to look right. Every footwork pattern had to feel clean before he’d move on. If something broke down mid-rep he’d stop, reset, and start over. He was putting in serious work. In practice he looked
You Can’t Train for Speed by Going Slow Read More »
I want to start by saying I have nothing against pickleball. I feel like I need to establish that upfront because I’m about to say some things and I don’t need a mob of retirees with paddles showing up at the gym. Pickleball is fun. It gets people moving who weren’t moving before. The social
Pickleball Is Not Your Fitness Plan Read More »
[photo: player attacking downhill, low and decisive, not slowing down] I had a player who would start her drive and stop after one dribble. Every time. She’d initiate, take one dribble, pick up the ball, then stand there holding it looking stuck. The defense hadn’t done anything. No help cutting her off, no wall of
Stop Waiting to See What Happens (Your First Move Is the Whole Point) Read More »
[photo: someone mid-lift, focused, serious effort] I had a client who trained with me every week. Showed up, worked hard, did sessions on his own in between. Real commitment. The kind of commitment most people say they want but then absolutely do not have. He was also gaining weight. Which sounds insane until you see
You’re Really Good at Half of This (And That Might Be the Problem) Read More »
Had a middle schooler argue with me last week about whether this skill even matters. Full disagreement. Arms crossed. Completely convinced he already had everything he needed. “I can already shoot. Why do I need to learn a new way to get into it?” Valid question. Wrong answer. But valid question. This is a very
Your Shot on the Move Looks Like a Car Crash. Here’s Why. Read More »
I went over to train my dad a few weeks ago. Before we even started he had a question. “What’s the best exercise for triceps? I’ve been doing overhead extensions.” I had him try skull crushers instead. Started him lighter than he thought he needed. He looked at the weight like I’d insulted him. It
Don’t Make It Harder Than It Has To Be Read More »
I had a young girl a few years back. Elementary age. Working on finishing. Started doing underhand layups. Her parents pulled me aside. “Why would you teach her that? She’s never going to do an underhand layup in a game. That’s a waste of time.” She wasn’t strong enough yet to finish overhand consistently. Didn’t
That Weird Drill Might Save Your Season (Even If It Looks Useless Right Now) Read More »
I had a guy a few years ago who worked all the time. Forties. Desk job. In meetings constantly. Sometimes for hours at a time. Commuting an hour each way. Couldn’t lose weight. Dealing with lower back pain that wouldn’t quit. “I don’t understand,” he told me. “I’m doing everything right.” Here’s what his “everything
The System Is Rigged Against You (And How to Fight Back) Read More »