Why In-Shape People Are Out-Of-Shape

This past weekend I participated in a flag football work out. I was cutting and running routes like I had been playing football for years. On defense, I may as well been Revis for the Jets (at least in my head). I was feeling pretty good moving out there, mind you, I have never played an official game of football. But, studying the movements and breaking down how to cut for the combine tests of the NFL, I felt I knew what I was supposed to be doing to stop and change direction on a dime. This kept going for an hour or two before I had to stop because of all the blisters on my feet now (new cleats are the worst). So I called it a day, because I did not want to overdo myself the first practice. I was definitely not out of breath or tired, and even was better off than some of the other guys out there as far as overall conditioning. Let me tell you, I have never been so sore in my life the days following that 2 hour practice. You name it, groin, hamstrings, calves, ankles, and 2 quarter sized blisters on my heels. I was a mess. I then realized that no matter how in-shape you are, you can still be very out of shape.

In my case, I was in-shape, but not in football shape and that is a very big difference. There is a reason athletes have pre-season training, and if it is anything like we do at Next Level Speed by the time their season hits they are in shape for their sport. Like any good program design you have to start with a strong foundation before you can try and add speed. The first part of the program should be size and strength based. Then, in the time before your season starts you take that size you built and the strength you gained and make it as explosive as you can. This goes hand-in-hand with your movement sessions. First you need to learn the correct movement patterns and strengthen them. Then, you can make those patterns explosive. By the time your season starts, you should be faster and more explosive than you were before the previous season. Now the key, that most people do incorrectly, is to slowly add in specific drills and movements that relate to your sport. If it’s football you slowly integrate cone drills or routes, if it’s baseball you run out a double, or work on shuffle to sprint mechanics. This simple concept will get you from being in-shape to season ready shape, and keep you on the field consistently.

I have since recovered and will be participating in some flag football games this fall. However, I have learned my lesson. Learn from my mistakes. Before you take that first snap or hit that double, be prepared, not only in conditioning shape, but also in sport shape. And don’t forget to break in your cleats.



Matt Otteman, Next Level Speed