How much?

I’m the kind of guy that enjoys sports and I appreciate the athleticism that is displayed. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into a successful athlete and team. It isn’t just talent that makes a great player. There is also a great deal of mental toughness as well. The investment an athlete makes to improve their strength, size and speed can pay dividends in the long run.

For most of us older folks we weren’t fortunate enough to have much of a weight room or even a few free weights around. Working on the farm we had plenty of heavy things to carry around each day and interestingly enough we became stronger because of it. So we worked hard and the benefits were having a roof over our head and three great meals a day plus toning our muscles.

Today’s schools have nice weight rooms and it’s great to see them being utilized by those kids that are playing in season and those athletes preparing for a different season. I guess I could be jealous of these kids because we didn’t have a nice weight room but I think it’s great that so many young athletes are working out after a long day in school. They certainly understand the benefits of strength conditioning. Success has a price tag so to speak and these workouts build friendships and team building. I remember seeing a sign painted over the entrance of one school’s weight room. It said, “The Road to Success is Paved with Iron.” I can’t argue with that.

Nothing in this world comes easily for everyone. There are a few folks that have it made in the shade so to speak. But I do know that those that work hard for their fortunes have more appreciation for that success.

Now let’s take that strength conditioning and work on the skills it takes to be a better player athlete. Brute strength isn’t going to automatically make you a better football, basketball, wrestler or baseball player or any other sport athlete. Each of these sports have certain techniques that need to be worked on each day of practice, game day or in the off season. I was once told that great basketball players are built between April and October and great basketball teams are built between November and March.

For coaches in any sport, a lot of the building is done on paper. What players will be returning? Which players are getting taller and stronger? What player will need to be moved to a new position? Which players are developing leadership skills? The last one isn’t one that is developed in the weight room, typically. Unless, of course, that one person is getting the others into the weight room to build camaraderie and having fun working out together and influencing success.

Young people need to find their niche. Maybe they aren’t athletic but want to get stronger and be able to do a lot of things that needs muscle. Some jobs will ask you if you can lift 50 or 75 pounds. If you have been weight training then I’m sure the answer will be yes.

I’ve been coaching middle school sports for the last ten years now and I love to see the kids that I coached 4-5 years ago and see how much they have grown. Kids I used to see eye to eye with in 7th and 8th grade are now 6’0 – 6’4” and every time I talk with them my neck hurts. When I put my hand on their arms I can feel the muscle they have built up and some these kids that were a bit skinny have filled out nicely. It’s not just here but everywhere you go the kids are bigger, stronger and faster than we were.

So how much has changed in the last 50 plus years? With good nutrition and a quality weight room kids can really improve themselves not like some us old fogies that had to move sprinkler lines, buck bales, run around a quarter section of a field hoeing weeds or lift a bunch of heavy equipment around the farm. I’m glad my mom was a good cook so I had the meals to look forward to each day.