Everyday Performance
Performance can mean a lot of different things. Most of the time people think of performance as elite level athletes playing sport at the highest of levels and training to maintain that. However, performance is really what each person makes it. Yes, if you are a professional level athlete then to you performance is all about what you do on your field of competition. Performance for the weekend warrior looks a lot different, its more about are they physically able and ready to perform their favorite activity by the time Saturday rolls around. It is being able to physically do what you want when you want. Hike this weekend? No problem. Move that heavy box? You got it. Hit the mountain to ski? Prepared. Play with the kids? All day. Tee time? No back pain here. Regardless of what you are trying to do, you are prepared and your body is ready to go.
As a strength & conditioning coach and performance coach, to me performance all depends on the individual goals. With my professional baseball players, it is completely about having their bodies ready to play at the highest level each and every day. But for the everyday golfer, or hiker, or skier, its different their performance comes with how often they are participating in this activity and having their body ready for that. Everyday performance is all about being ready to participate in your desired activities, at your desired level, when and wherever.
Too often, Saturday morning comes around and the everyday athlete has not done enough throughout the week or last few weeks to have their bodies in a position to be able to safely and effectively perform their favorite hobby. No prep work has been done and thus during the activity things feel ‘tight’ or ‘stiff’ initially but then things feel OK. But it’s generally exactly that, just OK. Is OK really what we want here? No. Not at all.
So, what needs to be done. First there needs to be this mindset of being prepared. Having some sort of physical activity routine that develops strength, stability, mobility, and conditioning. Nobody likes hitting the trails and realizing that this hike they’ve done multiple times before is suddenly way harder than it used to be. Everyday performance is all about having our bodies prepared for whatever we throw at them. As a coach and trainer, this is a passion of mine. People enjoying the things they love and being able to do them at a high level. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, if you love it, why not be able to do it a level that your dream of.
Take this approach of being an everyday athlete. Bring everyday performance to what you do. Train with a plan, think about your goals and dreams. You can get there and you can achieve them! There is no reason when you hit the slopes this year you can’t be hitting runs like you never have, all you have to do is be prepared, be ready.
-Tyler Grisdale, MS, CSCS, RSCC, CES, TPI