Athleticism

Athleticism
Skill of the body
-From 5 years old Playing to the Olympic Games Competing
Waldo van Heerden
Biokineticist, CSCS
Where has all the Athletes gone?
What is Athleticism?
ath·let·ic (th-ltk) adj. 1. Of or befitting athletics or athletes.
• 2. Characterized by or involving physical activity or
exertion; active: an athletic lifestyle; an athletic child.
• 3. Physically strong and well-developed; muscular: an
actor with an athletic build. See Synonyms at muscular.
• ath·leti·cal·ly adv.
• ath·leti·cism (-lt-szm) n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
What is Athleticism?
• Athleticism is the ability to execute athletic
movements at optimum speed with precision,
style and grace - Vern Gambetta
• It is certainly not a very complicated definition
• It is easy to see when someone has it.
Why did athleticism decrease?
Early Specialization
Athletic development
Quick performance improvement
Slower performance improvement
Best performance achieved at 15-16 years because
of quick adaptation.
Best performance at 18 and older, the age of
physiological and psychological maturation.
Inconsistency of performance in competition
Consistency of performance in competition
By age 18 athletes are burned out and quit the
sport.
Longer athletic life
Prone to injuries because of forced adaptation.
Few injuries
Performance Pyramid
Sport-Specific skills
Skill
Skills demonstrating sport specific
movement patterns
Functional performance quantity
Function
General, non specific performance demonstrating gross power,
speed, endurance, and agility
Functional movement quality
Foundation
Basic fundamental movements that demonstrate full range of motion,
body control, balance, and basic stability
Cook, 2005
Foundation of Athleticism
• According to Drabik (Children & Sports Training) the coordinative abilities
are:
• Balance – Maintenance of the center gravity over the base of support, it is both a static
and a dynamic quality
• Kinesthetic Differentiation – Ability to feel tension to in movement to achieve the
desired movement
• Spatial Orientation – The control of the body in space
• Reaction to Signals – The ability to respond quickly auditory, visual and kinesthetic cues
• Sense of Rhythm – The ability to match movement to time
Synchronization of movements in time – Unrelated limb movements done in a synchronized
manner
• Movement Adequacy – Ability to choose movements appropriate to the task
SPEED......a skill of distinction!
‘FASTER’
•First Step Quickness
•Agility and acceleration
•Stopping and starting
•Technique adjustments
•Explosive Power
•Reaction Skills
EXPLOSIVE
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Explosive Power
X-Factor ‘The Contrast Affect’
Plyometrics
Lateral Speed
Overspeed
Skills and Drills
Innovations
Variety
Efficient Technique
Stop wondering, Start doing!
Q&A