What if all you need is a reminder that you don’t have it all figured out? You can be an excellent athlete and still be a student of the fundamentals of movement; and, I would argue, you should. The same 10,000 hours that it takes to gain mastery can also gain you some degree of complacency if these 10,000 hours are not matched by a commitment to, and constant circling back to, the basics.

Think of it this way: how many times have you been reminded by your coach to keep a neutral spine in the deadlift? 100? 1,000? Maybe 5,000? And while you may in the moment feel irritated that you’re being reminded of this simple movement pattern that you “already know,” there’s a reason you’re being cued: it still needs work. Of course after a few years of consistent training under the watchful eyes of a good coach you can probably rattle off the basic textbook points of performance for most of the movements you frequently see, but that doesn’t mean that they deserve any less attention in your athletic endeavors. This is why every athlete needs a coach. It’s not a matter of “knowing” what qualifies as good movement and then you’re set for life. It’s a matter of constant attention, assessment, reappraisal, and moving the needle.

If you’re approaching things the right way, you should need to be regularly reminded to keep your spine neutral -- not because you’ve forgotten that this is how to deadlift, but because you’re regularly working at the fringes of your capacities.

Get a fresh set of eyes and don’t be afraid to circle back to the basics. It’s why you’re here.

- PS

2/19/18

• Handstand walk skill work

• Record max distance

Then...

• 4 rounds for reps:

• Max strict HSPU

• Max strict pull-ups

• Rest as needed