rs the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start de

Whenever a mug wants to stop, there should be two phases: deceleration and stopping. Sometimes there’s a third phase: piling into the ground. This last part isn’t so hot for the athlete. Often this face-planting is due to a lack of ability to decelerate. Lacking this skill leads to a continuation of the sportsman’s motion when he has already decided that continuing is not what should be happening. This leads to motion not accounted for, and this controls the athlete rather than the athlete controlling it. Prepare and win.

What if I gave you a Lamborghini? That’d be great, right? Now, there’s only one caveat: no brakes. All of a sudden racing and busting gears seems a lot less appealing. Bodies act in the same way, when pushing the top speed and having no way to stop, an accident is bound to happen. The faster that an athlete can move, the faster she needs to be able to decelerate.

Why Train Deceleration?

The body is very keen on protecting itself. Adaptations to training are a result of this. For example, if a muscle is continually placed under a load, it will grow, because a bigger muscle is able to handle that load with less strain. Another case of the body protecting itself is evidenced by the Golgi Tendon Organs. When these guys sense a stretch happening too fast, they shorten the stretched muscle to protect it. This is the guiding principle of plyometrics, utilizing a pre-stretch to produce greater muscular power. Now, if the body realizes that it can’t effectively stop its motion, it’ll regulate and not go into full acceleration. This means that your own body will hold you back in order to protect itself, and there’s nothing to can do about it. Well, there is: train deceleration. Long story short, if you’re not training deceleration, you’re not training acceleration.

Not all deceleration is stopping, a full stop is just the end result of a full deceleration. Training this way minimizes the energy lost during directional changes. This means quicker, tighter cuts, with less chance for injury. So, just as acceleration needs to be trained in all directions and levels, so must deceleration be trained.

Physics and Technique

Deceleration occurs best with a wide base to support it. Visualize a pyramid. It has a wide, stable base supporting each successive level. Were the structure to be flipped over onto its point, the base wouldn’t be nearly so stable, as the base would then have a very small area compared to the levels above it. The sportsman’s stance should be like the pyramid. In many martial arts disciplines, a stance is also referred to as an “attitude.” An athlete’s attitude should not be static or immobile, immobility is the realm of the losing team. Life moves, the game moves, winners move. Rather than “stopping,” a feeling of “resting motion” should be the foremost attitude while in this posture. The movement may come to a stop, but not the athlete’s mind. Lowering the athlete’s center of gravity towards their base of support increases stability. A stable athlete is less likely to tip. Look at an athlete standing. The center of gravity (COG) is directly over the base of support. As soon as the COG moves from above this base, torque (a turning effect) is produced as the earth pulls downward. The earth sucks. (Get it!?) To fight this torque, an athlete can either go with the flow and perform a breakfall or roll, or try and extend in the other direction to produce an opposite turning effect. We can see this with the windmilling of the arms backwards when attempting to halt forward motion. If it’s enough, balance is restored. If not, gravity wins the battle.

Now torque is bad during a full stop, but what about during directional changes? Ah ha! Here it can help! While we want a “tower of power” while holding position (remember the pyramid), in order to create movement, the center of gravity has to move in the desired direction, away from the base of support. The torque starts pulling, and the athlete is already accelerating, he just pushes off to aid the process and keep it going as long as he thinks necessary. The faster that all this happens, the faster the athlete appears.

Shoving the ass out when sticking a landing lowers the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start dev

ally placed under a load, it will grow, because a bigger muscle is able to handle that load with less strain. Another case of the body protecting itself is evidenced by the Golgi Tendon Organs. When these guys sense a stretch happening too fast, they shorten the stretched muscle to protect it. This is the guiding principle of plyometrics, utilizing a pre-stretch to produce greater muscular power. Now, if the body realizes that it can’t effectively stop its motion, it’ll regulate and not go into full acceleration. This means that your own body will hold you back in order to protect itself, and there’s nothing to can do about it. Well, there is: train deceleration. Long story short, if you’re not training deceleration, you’re not training acceleration.

Not all deceleration is stopping, a full stop is just the end result of a full deceleration. Training this way minimizes the energy lost during directional changes. This means quicker, tighter cuts, with less chance for injury. So, just as acceleration needs to be trained in all directions and levels, so must deceleration be trained.

Physics and Technique

Deceleration occurs best with a wide base to support it. Visualize a pyramid. It has a wide, stable base supporting each successive level. Were the structure to be flipped over onto its point, the base wouldn’t be nearly so stable, as the base would then have a very small area compared to the levels above it. The sportsman’s stance should be like the pyramid. In many martial arts disciplines, a stance is also referred to as an “attitude.” An athlete’s attitude should not be static or immobile, immobility is the realm of the losing team. Life moves, the game moves, winners move. Rather than “stopping,” a feeling of “resting motion” should be the foremost attitude while in this posture. The movement may come to a stop, but not the athlete’s mind. Lowering the athlete’s center of gravity towards their base of support increases stability. A stable athlete is less likely to tip. Look at an athlete standing. The center of gravity (COG) is directly over the base of support. As soon as the COG moves from above this base, torque (a turning effect) is produced as the earth pulls downward. The earth sucks. (Get it!?) To fight this torque, an athlete can either go with the flow and perform a breakfall or roll, or try and extend in the other direction to produce an opposite turning effect. We can see this with the windmilling of the arms backwards when attempting to halt forward motion. If it’s enough, balance is restored. If not, gravity wins the battle.

Now torque is bad during a full stop, but what about during directional changes? Ah ha! Here it can help! While we want a “tower of power” while holding position (remember the pyramid), in order to create movement, the center of gravity has to move in the desired direction, away from the base of support. The torque starts pulling, and the athlete is already accelerating, he just pushes off to aid the process and keep it going as long as he thinks necessary. The faster that all this happens, the faster the athlete appears.

Shoving the ass out when sticking a landing lowers the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start de

els, so must deceleration be trained.

Physics and Technique

Deceleration occurs best with a wide base to support it. Visualize a pyramid. It has a wide, stable base supporting each successive level. Were the structure to be flipped over onto its point, the base wouldn’t be nearly so stable, as the base would then have a very small area compared to the levels above it. The sportsman’s stance should be like the pyramid. In many martial arts disciplines, a stance is also referred to as an “attitude.” An athlete’s attitude should not be static or immobile, immobility is the realm of the losing team. Life moves, the game moves, winners move. Rather than “stopping,” a feeling of “resting motion” should be the foremost attitude while in this posture. The movement may come to a stop, but not the athlete’s mind. Lowering the athlete’s center of gravity towards their base of support increases stability. A stable athlete is less likely to tip. Look at an athlete standing. The center of gravity (COG) is directly over the base of support. As soon as the COG moves from above this base, torque (a turning effect) is produced as the earth pulls downward. The earth sucks. (Get it!?) To fight this torque, an athlete can either go with the flow and perform a breakfall or roll, or try and extend in the other direction to produce an opposite turning effect. We can see this with the windmilling of the arms backwards when attempting to halt forward motion. If it’s enough, balance is restored. If not, gravity wins the battle.

Now torque is bad during a full stop, but what about during directional changes? Ah ha! Here it can help! While we want a “tower of power” while holding position (remember the pyramid), in order to create movement, the center of gravity has to move in the desired direction, away from the base of support. The torque starts pulling, and the athlete is already accelerating, he just pushes off to aid the process and keep it going as long as he thinks necessary. The faster that all this happens, the faster the athlete appears.

Shoving the ass out when sticking a landing lowers the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start de

as the COG moves from above this base, torque (a turning effect) is produced as the earth pulls downward. The earth sucks. (Get it!?) To fight this torque, an athlete can either go with the flow and perform a breakfall or roll, or try and extend in the other direction to produce an opposite turning effect. We can see this with the windmilling of the arms backwards when attempting to halt forward motion. If it’s enough, balance is restored. If not, gravity wins the battle.

Now torque is bad during a full stop, but what about during directional changes? Ah ha! Here it can help! While we want a “tower of power” while holding position (remember the pyramid), in order to create movement, the center of gravity has to move in the desired direction, away from the base of support. The torque starts pulling, and the athlete is already accelerating, he just pushes off to aid the process and keep it going as long as he thinks necessary. The faster that all this happens, the faster the athlete appears.

Shoving the ass out when sticking a landing lowers the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start de

rs the COG as it lengthens the muscles of the posterior chain, this lengthening helps to absorb the impact that could otherwise continue in a turning effect, producing that stubborn torque. Because of this, it is important to train this eccentric portion of the movement. Practicing hitting landings, coming to a stop on a mark, and getting that COG low are all good methods. Stopping in a good athletic position trains the ability to suddenly cut and move. If the muscles are too weak to decelerate and stop the athlete, inertia will fight against the change of direction, slowing the sportsman on his new path. Leave the being slow to the other team.

Get Strong

We now know that training deceleration is important. So how do we do it? First off, since this type of training is rarely mentioned in the literature, there aren’t any standardized methods as of yet. But I’m expecting a call any day now, so that they can get my opinions on the matter. All athletes have to be able to stop and are already doing it in game situations, so we need to start developing this ability as soon as possible. Just as an athlete will never be really fast without being strong, maximal strength should be developed to get the most benefit from decelerative methods. The working muscles are eccentrically loaded enough during heavy training that pure “negative” work in the weight room is unnecessary.

Olympic Lifting Rant

Much has been made of the Olympic Lifts’ ability to develop athletes. The Snatch and the Clean & Jerk are indeed very athletic movements, they train the triple extension of the ankle, knee, and hip, which is fundamental to sporting movement. They stress the posterior chain, an oft neglected area. The Jerk is great for training the vertical jump. Since both lifts start on the ground, inertia must be overcome, just as from a sprinter’s starting blocks. I’m not arguing either for or against these movements in particular, I’m just listing some of the benefits that come from weight training. And this brings us to the value of the Oly lifts to deceleration training: Immediately after all the good stuff listed above happens, the athlete must decelerate the bar. In the Clean, this is during an eccentric front squat. With the Snatch, it is an eccentric overhead squat. Two very athletic movements when performed with enough weight to make it worthwhile. The need for actual weight during weight training shouldn’t be overlooked, ever. Sure, we’re building athletes, not necessarily strongmen, but all athletes benefit from having as much strength for their bodyweight as is possible. The next coach that I see having his athletes lifting light weights for high reps on the powerlifts get my foot in his ass.

What I want to say is this: get strong in order to maximize the effects of all other training. As my wrestling coach said, “Technique is the medium by which we express strength.” That right there is a great thing to keep in mind, I tell you what.

Progression

Just as in all other training, there is a progression method to be followed with deceleration. Begin with less than normal speed into a full stop and then hold. During this phase any glaring weaknesses in technique can be addressed. Make sure that the center of gravity moves towards the base of support and that motion doesn’t continue. This means that if your mugs can’t stop and hold right on the baseline without pitching over, there’s a lot of work to be done.

Next would be slow speed to a full stop. Once the stop is complete, accelerate out of the stopping stance. The full stop again emphasizes correct technique. Following this would be slow movements into a quick transition to acceleration. This is easy enough if the acceleration occurs in the same direction as the initial movement, but a bit more difficult, if say, going from a backwards run to a lateral shuffling sprint.

Once the transitions to acceleration have become natural, the next phase is going from normal speed to a full stop, and then holding again. Normal speed means game speed. So, go fast! It is very difficult to go from a fast break sprint to a full stop and hold. Just try it! Again, once the stop is mastered, go from speed to a full stop and then accelerate from there. The last phase of deceleration training is game speed to a fast transitioning acceleration. Mad cuts are possible, but they take a lot of work.

Common Mistakes

When an athlete first begins focus on deceleration, there is often an excess of flailing and hopping as they learn to stay under control while stopping. As the drill speed increases, athletes start to slow down much too early, anticipating the stop. The deceleration should happen as quickly as possible, while still maintaining good form. What constitutes good form? Clean lines: Elbows in, knees straight, head up, no hunching, and ready to respond at a moment’s notice. Even though athletes will not be using textbook form in a game situation, with obstacles, implements, and other performance factors, during training in a controlled environment we can ingrain the techniques that carryover to the field. If they look sloppy at practice, how do you think they’ll function come game time?

Programming

Unless part of a warm-up, deceleration training shoul