Ian King

There is a better way – Part 1: Why are you ignoring the message from Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, and Novak Djokovic?

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More athletes are having their athleticism destroyed, their careers shortened, and their long term quality of life threatened because of the way they are being trained than ever before in my lifetime.  The athlete training world has lost the plot.  Not concerned or don’t buy into this statement?  Then you don’t read any further.  There are heaps of more valuable articles on the internet for you to read, such as how to create hypertrophy in the absence of skills, or the exact liquid temperature to consume your glutamine in the absence of any focus on foundational nutrition… For those that resonate with my concerns, I invite you to stay with me.

Is that my opinion or is it a scientific fact? It’s my opinion. Now those who don’t know or don’t appreciate (or don’t want to do either for various reasons) the depth of experience training athletes or track record in identifying limiting factors in sports training and performance and innovating solutions that have led to this opinion – you may be forgiven for discarding my opinion.

However, before you disregard my conclusions on the state of athletic preparation, I want you know you are also disregarding the opinion of a couple of athletes that have also to train differently to what most are doing – Tom Brady, Kevin Durant and Novak Djokovic.

The way we train athletes does more harm than good. That’s the message I have been sharing since the 1990s. And it is not just getting worse. It is reaching diabolical standards.

In fact, I believe that most injuries are actually caused by the way athletes train.  The only injury acceptable is an unavoidable impact injury.   Virtually all soft tissue injuries are avoidable.  But imagine that – training, during which focus is geared towards performance enhancement, may induce most injuries.  Isn’t this ridiculous! [1]

In fact, from my experiences and observation, the greatest effect that I have seen from most physical preparation is to detract from these five factors, not enhance it.  Imagine that – training and being worse off for it.  Well, how do you think the athlete would feel if he/she found out!  Yeah, they’re real fit – to sit in the stands in their team uniform and watch![2]

…from my observations, most physical preparation programs do more harm than good. They may give short term results or confidence to the athlete but result in significant performance restrictions and or injuries long term…. Quite simply, the majority of training programs are flawed from a physical preparation perspective and are causing the increased injuries. [3]

For those not familiar with these three athletes who share my opinion, allow me to provide a quick bio. Tom Brady is the most successful quarter back in American Football history with five Super Bowl Championship rings.  Kevin Durant just won his first championship ring with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA.  And Novak Djokovic has been dominating men’s tennis internationally during the ten years, frequently occupying the coveted No 1 world ranking. He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, with a 80+% match winning rate (the second highest in the Open Era).

So what does Tom Brady have to say?

“I have been blessed to learn the right methods, through my nutrition, hydration, pliability and proper rest. It’s really not that hard if you do the right thing.”[4]

No mention of maximal loading or hypertrophy training.  In fact he apparently stays away from lifting heavy weights, and focuses on flexibility.[5]

What does Kevin Durant have to say?

“All the strength coaches were laughing at me and s—. They were giggling with each other that I couldn’t lift 185 pounds and I was like, ‘All right, keep laughing. Keep laughing.’ It was a funny thing because I was the only one that couldn’t lift it and I was struggling to lift it. I was embarrassed at that point, but I’m like, ‘Give me a basketball, please. Give me a ball.’….I was ranked the last person in camp, drills-wise. I was the worst player, and the first player didn’t get drafted. That tells you a lot about the significance of that s—.”[6]

What does Novak Djokovic have to say?

           ….And I know if I need to spend two hours a day stretching, I’ll spend that time, because I know that’s going to make me feel good.”

The following statement comes from his first coach, Jelana Gencic, who guided him between about the ages of 6 years through to his early teens.

“You know Novak was not too strong a boy,” Gencic said. “You know how he is now elastic and flexible. Do you know why? It’s because I didn’t want to work too hard with him.”…Gencic held up her racket. “This,” she said, “is the heaviest thing he had to handle. We only worked on his legs, his quickness, only fitness on the court, not in the weight room. We stretched and did special movements for tennis, to be flexible, to be agile and to be fast and with the legs. And now he’s excellent, excellent, excellent.”

Djokovic said Gencic’s approach was always long-term.

“Jelena was one of the people that had a huge impact and huge influence on that part of let’s say my profession, being flexible and taking care of my elasticity of the muscles,” he said Saturday. “Because she taught me and convinced me that if I stayed flexible, not only will I be able to move well around the court and be able to recover well after the matches, but also I’ll be able to have a long career……[7]

If you look at how the world is training athletes, its obvious that the majority are disregarding the messages from this dominant sporting icons.  Allow me to acknowledge one of the most likely criticisms. That the opinions of these three athletes do not override the fact that thousands of other athletes have trained more trend like – heavy load, excessive volume, to high levels of fatigue.  I acknowledge this counter argument.  You are right. You can always provide evidence to support both the for and against of any argument.

However allow me to share what I believe is one indisputable fact – that the evidence provided in the case studies of these three athletes confirms that you can become the best in the world without the training proposed by most coaches and engaged in by most athletes. The way most train is not a common denominator with success.  It’s not necessary,  its not optimal, and I suggest in most cases does more damage than good.

I suggest that conforming to the dominant trends will is a common denominator with injuries, reduced athleticism, shortened careers and a lower quality of later life.

The great thing about human life is we get to choose what we believe in. If you as an athlete choose to embrace the mainstream approach, fantastic and good luck.  If you are a coach and also choose to believe in and embrace the current dominant training methods, I trust in the future you take time to reflect upon the outcomes and be accountable.   Visit with your athletes 20-40 years after they have retired and see how they are going. And take responsibility.

For those athletes and coaches who are concerned about the direction of training and want to believe there is a better way – congratulations. There is a better way.  I have spend the last four decades discovering better ways to train, and we teach  these better ways when we work with athletes or coaches.   For example, the KSI Coaching Program aims to provide you with the tools to train athletes and others in their highest and best interests, with no interest in what the dominant trend is or will be in the future.

The training world is now one where you will get a job whether you are great or incompetent – there is simply demand for services. However, if you want to go beyond simply ‘getting a job’, if you want to do the best by the athlete, to fulfill your potential – you are not going to achieve these goals training the way everyone else is training.

What is happening is not good enough, and the athlete is paying the price. The good news is there is a better way. The question remains – will you go there?

 

References

[1] King, I., 1997, Winning & Losing, Ch 5, p. 25

[2] King, I., 1999, So you want to become a physical preparation coach, p. 30-31

[3] King, I., 2005, The way of the physical preparation coach, p. 66-67

[4] http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2686534-in-better-shape-than-ever-at-age-39-heres-how-tom-brady-does-it

[5] http://finance.yahoo.com/news/tom-brady-says-hurting-time-162548454.html

[6] http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/kevin-durant-calls-nba-combine-waste-time-top/story?id=47338234

[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/sports/tennis/djokovic-bends-and-twists-but-doesnt-break.html

 

© 2017 Ian King & King Sports International. All rights reserved.

Ian King

Hoping to catch up to the other schools in strength & conditioning  

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At the end of a coaching session where I was giving back, along with a number of other of former elite athletes in a specific sport, the coordinator introduced me to a young man who he explained was a teacher at a private school who had been entrusted with the task of introducing ‘strength and conditioning’ to his school, with the specific intent of ‘catching up to the other schools in their association as far as strength and conditioning’.

I didn’t want to say anything to the young man, to spoil his eagerness, so I kept a straight face. But inside I cringed – ‘catch up to the other schools in strength and conditioning?’ Why would you want to do that? It should more accurately described as ‘catching down’.

Let me explain.

In the 1970s not many high schools had gyms and in the ones that did have, there was no formal programming and no ‘strength and conditioning’ service provision. Firstly because there was no such thing as a ‘strength and conditioning coach’, as the term ‘strength and conditioning’ was an afterthought by a professional organization with a strength focus that belated wanted to expand their focus without changing their acronym (you can read more about that in my original writings on this subject in ‘So You Want to Become…’). And secondly because organized physical preparation (as I prefer to call it) was not even provided to the majority of western world elite adult teams at that time.

In the early 1980s in Australia the majority of 18 year and older elite athlete that I worked with (and there were thousands) were what I called clean skins. They had never done formal physical preparation. I only had to undo the imbalances that their sport had created in their body. I summarized at that time it usually took three years of solid supervised and individualized training to clean them p to the level of being injury free for the most part for the rest of their career.

Fast forward to the second decade of the 21st century and what’s changed? I inherit broken athletes from the age of 12 upwards. ACL reconstruction, stress fractures of the lower back, shoulder and hip surgery – you name it. So what’s changed?

Many in the respective sports would tell you it’s just the sport – it’s inevitable. I don’t agree, and my experience doesn’t support this. Some will say the athletes are bigger and stronger and the impacts are greater. Really? Aside from non-specific strength tests, my experiences and observations don’t support this. A more recent trendy explanation is that the athletes specialize too early. Sounds good, and it may be a contributor, but for me this also fails to explain the difference. So, what is my conclusion?

In the 1970s and 1980s athletes gaining exposure to formal physical preparation as they entered elite ranks around 20 years of age typically retired at about 30 years or age. So that’s about 10 years. What if that retirement was forced more by physical preparation inducted injury than age or their sport? Now holding that thought for a moment, what if take those same flawed training concepts and applied them to a 20-year-old? They would be out of the sport by about 20 years of age!

And that’s my theory. In fact I go as far as to say if a young athlete is talent identified around 8-12 years of age, and has the (mis)fortune of being exposed to ‘elite strength and conditioning’ – they will be injured by 16 years of age, undergone significant sports-injury related surgery by 18 years of age, and unable to play their sport by about 20 years of age as a general rule.

So, in summary when I see the same flawed training methods applied to adults being applied to young athletes, I fear for their future.

So, what makes me conclude that most training is flawed? During my last four decades of seeking answers and excellence in how to train, I have reached certain conclusions and theories on what it takes to create or avoid an injury.

Are my conclusions the same as the masses? No. Should this be a concern? Only if you are a conformist. If your dominant need is to be liked, and to achieve this you need to be like others, then you would be concerned by the fact that I have reached certain theories that differ from the mainstream. On the other hand, if you realize that to get a different and ideally better result than the masses, you need to train differently – then you would be excited.

In my opinion the only improvements we have seen in training is in the ability to measure it, the technology of equipment, and the technology of the surgery to repair the injuries.

Could it be possible that what the majority – and that probably means you – are doing more damage to good in their training? That is my suggestion. Is it popular? No. Is it easy to discredit? Yes. Does this whatever everyone else is doing approach to training result in the best possible sporting out comes? No.

So’ if I am on track, why do most continue on this path? The answers lie there. Because most do it. And the majority are so insecure about their actions they seek comfort in the masses. Will the get away with it? Legally yes, because the interpretation will be that is what is accepted practice. Should they be able to sleep at night? I suggest not, if they have a conscience.

Why I am I so firm about this? I speak for the athlete. My heart goes out to the legally minor young athlete who has an adult guide them to life-long, career threatening, quality of life threatening injuries. There is a better way – I teach it openly and have done for decades. I believe that perhaps in the next generation, after my time on this earth, what I teach will be accepted as the final stage of truth as described by 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer – ‘accepted as being self-evident’.

But what about the one or two generations of young athletes who paid the price in their ‘strength and conditioning’ training between 1980 and whenever a better way is accepted?

So, did I get excited for the young man empowered to bring his school ‘Strength and conditioning’ program up speed with other schools in their association? Not al all. I felt sad for the by-products of this intent. The young, innocent and trusting athletes. They are not, in my opinion, going to ‘catch up’. They are going to ‘do down’ in their athletic development.’

 

© 2017 Ian King & King Sports International. All rights reserved.

Ian King

Knee injuries – How can you hope to solve the problem using the stimulus that caused the problem?

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As a student of sports training and competition I took up the opportunity to watch the exercise selection from the waiting room at the physical therapists. I was surprised at the amount of quad exercises used over the weeks of my observing.

Later as I lay on a table in the therapy clinic, I listened to a young male client answer the question from this physical therapist.

Therapist: Okay what have we done so far?
Patient: Squats.
My mind: That’s one.
Patient: Wall squats.
My mind: That’s two
Patient: Lunges.
My mind: That’s three.
Patient: Walking lunges.
My mind: That’s four.
Patient: Step ups.
My mind: That’s five.

So far, the workout was 100% quad. I shook my head and said a prayer for the patient. Now to be fair I did see one non-quad exercise being done later. But the first five and the overwhelming majority of exercises being used in the rehab program for what I believe was an ACL surgery patient were quad exercises.

I found this ironic, because it was this very profession some 30 years ago that brought me attention to the risks of ‘quad dominance’ in muscle balance and its relationship with gait and joint integrity. And here I was, some three decades later, and they were creating that exact same condition.

I took this quad dominant concern, along with my own observations, quite seriously and spend a decade or so developing and refining before publishing a concept I called ‘Lines of Movement’ in 1998. You might not recognize the concept title I gave it but you will recognize the terminology by virtue of the prolific unreferenced and uncredited publishing by people who knew better.

In relation to the lower body, I developed the concept to ‘hip dominant’ exercises to counter the concern I learnt from my therapist colleagues about ‘quad dominance’. Now, nearly 20 years after I first published this concept, my theories about the risks of quad dominance have become greater and clearer. I rank the muscle imbalance presented by quad dominant training as one of the highest correlates with ACL ruptures and similar.

If I am track, then the question can be asked:

How can you hope to solve the problem (ACL rupture risk) using the same stimulus that contributed to the problem?

Now I understand that there are many reasons why most will disregard this message. Firstly, and most importantly, because the majority of ‘performance’, ‘injury prevention’ and ‘injury rehab’ strength training does just this – create quad dominance. And to accept this and change would take the emotional intelligence to conclude one is off track and needs to redirection one’s training programs. That’s the biggest reason the message will be ignored.

I understand this. I understand others are waiting for ‘evidence’. I say look at the changing injury landscape. This injury was extremely rare in the 1980s, and even after the surgery became available there was not an instant increase in ACL incidence – so the low incidence was not because the surgery was not available. It was just a rare injury. It is not any more. So what changed? Why are so many athletes suffering from this injury now? But this would take again a degree of commitment to excellence and a detachment from ego that few are committed to.

Evidence is, I suggest, another way of saying I will only do it when I see most others doing it, and when I am doing what most others are doing, I feel ‘right’ and ‘safe’.

What I do say is this – notwithstanding the frequent medical claims I here quoted by patients all too often about how their graft will be stronger than the one their Maker gave them – 50% of all ACL patients will have repeat knee surgery, and 100% will have premature degenerative changes such as osteoarthritis. I would not wish this on anyone. If it was your child would you want this?

So, while the masses wait the quarter to full century it may take for the ‘evidence’ to ‘allow’ them to take note of my conclusions, another generation or more will suffer from life changing injury and surgery such as the ACL.

It does not have to be this way for you and those in your care, however that is up to you.

 

© 2016 Ian King & King Sports International. All rights reserved.

Ian King

I spoke to xxxx (professional) and they said it can’t be so….  

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There is a phenomenon in sport, and perhaps life, where decisions are made about potential, possibilities and peoples lives from a remote, authoritarian and dogmatic perspective.

But who does it serve? Surely it wouldn’t be that humbling to take a less all-knowing approach?

In the 1980s a young national league Australian Rules player suffered what we now call chronic fatigue. The coach told him “I talked to the trainer and there is nothing wrong with you. You just aren’t fit enough.” So they send him off on a special training camp where he paddled in the ocean for hours, ran along beaches for hours, swam in open seas for hours.

Who does it serve? The coach’s and trainers need to be able to diagnose all conditions, the ego of the trainer about more of their services being needed…but what about the athlete? Would it be so demeaning to seek independent unbiased professional advice? To say “I don’t really know why you are complaining about being tired, but lets explore your situation and find out more to help you get over the condition.”

In the 1990s in the lead up to a World Cup, a head national coach put his team through a grueling training session, applying the dominant trend of the time, which essentially ended the team’s hope of winning (and that’s the opinion of some of the athletes involved in retrospect). Faced with a very tired and sore group of athletes, the head coach told the team: “I have spoken with the support staff and they have all told me you can’t be tired, so you are not tired!”

Who does it serve? The coach’s need to be right, the ego of the professional o feeling good about being remotely all knowing…but what about the athlete? Or the team? Would it be so terrible to say “I don’t really know why you are complaining about being tired, but lets explore your situation and find out more to help us win?”

In the 2000s a provincial level rugby playing hurt his shoulder. The coach, supported by the medical staff, decided he was okay, and sent him back on. He damaged his shoulder so extensively later in that game it shortened his career and affected his quality of life forever.

Who does it serve? It helped the team win that game. It confirmed the coach had full control over medical interpretations….but what about the athlete? Would it have been so scary for the team to lose that player for the rest of the game to prevent future surgery? To have said “I don’t like the thought of losing you in this tight game but based on your concerns lets check out your injury and not take risks with you.”

In the post 2010 decade I was working with a young UK soccer player who was recovering unsuccessfully from surgery. He had entered into an agreement to play for a US college on scholarship, but was in no condition to do so. The head college told him “The physical therapist tells me there is no reason why you cannot play and train so I expect you to turn up on Monday and participate fully.” And that was before the physical therapist had even laid hands on the athlete…

Who does it serve? The interests of the college, the ego of the professional…but what about the athlete? Would it be so dangerous to say “I don’t really know why you are reporting pain or concern, but lets explore your situation and find out more?”

Post 2010 I raised a point of concern with a sports coordinator of a high school about injury risks in a training session. The response included “I have spoken to our strength and condition coach and he tells me that the volume of training the athletes are doing does not represent a risk.”

Who does it serve? The interests of the school, the ego of the professional to be right, to be all knowing…,but what about the athlete? Would it be so bad to say “I don’t really know why you concerned about pain, but lets explore your situation and find out more?”

I don’t know what training is going to do. I have a theory or hypothesis and I take it carefully in case I am off-track. If it turns out I missed the target, then I seek to amend the situation, and learn from it. It’s not that hard if you can put aside the need to be all knowing or be right. I even tell the athlete in advance – I don’t know for sure but this is where I am thinking of going, is that okay, and let’s learn from this. Together. It’s not that difficult.

Who does it serve? The athlete.

Ian King

Physical train wrecks  

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It does not have to be this way

Every day I speak with athletes who have more injuries than I believe are necessary or acceptable. The list of injuries is getting longer, relative to the decades past. This may be the trend, however no athlete needs to follow the trend. However for them to buck the trend, they will need to think differently, act differently and have different values than those around them. Because too many in the sports circle now accept, embrace and even benefit from this high incidence of injury.

Todays athlete injuries story – shoulder surgery at 17 years of age, multiple shin stress fractures in the next few years, following by multiple ankle joint and ligament strains in the next few years, followed by a dislocated wrist.

The one before – ACL, torn peck, etc etc.

Now I don’t blame the athlete in the first instance, especially when their first injury was in an age when in other aspect of life society does not deem them legally responsible. Noting that the exposure to ‘strength and conditioning’ was about two years prior to the shoulder injury, I confirm another example supporting my hypothesis that if we were to remove all ‘strength and conditioning’ programs globally, the athlete injury rare would halve or more.

In the first instance the sports administrators, coaches, physical coaches, and commercial sellers of goods and services should take a look at their values and competencies. Coaches – if just getting a job gives you a sense of fulfilment, I hope one day you look for more, including best the best you can be for the athlete. However as that is not likely to occur en-mass, the responsibility must come back to the athlete, especially the athlete 18 years or older.

Athletes – it’s time to wake up. You don’t have to be injured. You don’t have to accept this paradigm. But you are going to need to do something about it yourself because no one else is. Its your call. Accept the smorgasbord of injuries like most do – or be different. Find out what you can do to fulfill your potential through injury free training and competing. It is possible. We do it every day.

Ian King

I never get lost – I’m always being told what I should and shouldn’t do….  

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I’ve a personal joke about never getting lost because in everything I do or go there is always someone keen to tell me what I can or should do or not do!

Here are some of the things I have been told I can and can’t do, or what I am. That I chose to ignore and instead make my own decision about what I should do or be, just as I encourage everyone to do.

You can’t coach!

It was about 1981 and I was doing a sport specific coach accreditation course. I got a ‘C’ for my practical coaching assessment, and it was pretty clear the coach teaching the course believed I could not coach. That coach went on to be the national coaching director amongst other roles. Right or wrong, I keep going, and there are thousands of athletes who would score me a bit higher than a ‘C’ from their personal experiences!

You can’t teach!

I was doing my final year of practical PE teaching and the superving teacher left me no doubt as to his assessment – I could not teach. Right or wrong, I keep going, and there are thousands of athletes and hundreds of thousands in training around the world who have benefitted from and enjoyed my teachings.

You don’t know what you are doing in training!

I was the first Australian to make a living out of training athletes, and yet many who came later were common in their claims that I didn’t know what I was doing. Apparently I had no idea on how to train athletes. Knowing what I now knew about the intentions of these ‘coaches’, I get why Right or wrong, I keep going, and there are thousands of athletes who whose sporting goals were met or exceeded, and hundreds of thousands if not millions whose training has been positively impacted by my training conclusions.

You can’t write!

After I published my first book on bodybuilding (Get Buffed! 1999) I received an email from an established industry writer with professional training in journalism. He went paragraph after paragraph about how bad my writing was. I got the sense he wanted me to stop writing, and knowing his influences, I get why. Right or wrong, I keep going, and there are hundreds of thousands of people around the world if not millions whose training has been positively impacted by my writings.

You can’t present and your concepts are crap!

During a seminar in Boston around 2000 I noted a mass walk out of attendees, let by a local coach who I had never head of before, despite travelling throughout and studying all prominent S&C coaches in North American for the prior decade. Later that day he sent a scathing email to my host telling them my content was really bad, and my delivery was really bad, and threatening what would happen to my host if they dared bring me back. Knowing what I now know about the intentions of this ‘coach’, I get why. Right or wrong, I keep presenting, every year there are thousands around the world who seem to really enjoy and benefit from my presentations!

You are an arse-hole and nobody likes you!

During a presenters dinner at a national level conference about a decade ago I listened to a physical preparation coach embellish their role in the success of an athlete (nothing new about that!). Then I watched them walk into the trap being set by another at the dinner table, who then set about challenging why that had had certain technical limitation. At this stage the embellisher didn’t know which hole to crawl into. I was almost on the floor laughing. It was, at least in my opinion, really funny! I got the obligatory ‘no-one likes you email’ a few days later…

Shortly after than I got an email from a young wannabe who sought direction in relation to his first knee reconstruction. I asked him some direct questions, which resulted in an immediate push back, and that was the end of the dialogue. Within 12 months that same person who could not engage in a straight discussion about why they got injured in the first place has work hard on marketing themselves on having a bullet proof solution on how to prevent or rehab knee injuries….

I get a lot of emails (nothing new about that) most asking for guidance. When I give them guidance, I look at their willingness to help themselves. Are they willing to buy the educational material I suggest, or is their interest limited to if they receive ongoing free email mentoring from me. Sometimes I even ask them what action they have taken in relation to the prior actions that I gave them to do to test their true intentions. Sometimes this doesn’t go down too well, like the one writer who suggested I was an arse-hole for suggesting that there was a limit to my desire to provide free email mentoring in the absence of a commitment to take the actions I recommend….

Right or wrong if you speak BS (there a number of bi or multi-linguals in the industry…English…BS…!) I will laugh. Right or wrong if you ask me send me emails asking for my help I will continue to challenge you in your thinking and (I know, very audacious!) expect you to take action to find your own answers also! If you don’t like it, stop BS’ing or don’t send me emails asking for something when you are not willing to take action for yourself, to reflect on your own paradigms!

I keep answering emails in the same I reserve the right to ask you a question also way. And every year (and there’s been a few years since emails entered our lives) there are thousands around the world who seem to really enjoy and benefit from my responses!

Now I ‘ve give heaps of personal examples. I know you have heaps too. The only question is – will you stand true to your path or be buffeted by the actions of others whose motives are at best questionable? Will you be true to yourself, or feel the need to follow the directions given to you indirectly by those who do not necessarily have your best interests at heart?

We all face these decisions, ever day.

Ian King

Trust and action  

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I speak and present to a lot of people. Ideally to highly pre-qualified people who have my experience and drive to excellence. However in the case of presenting to large groups I understand the need to be give anyone in the audience a chance to be exposed to the lessons I share, knowing some will ignore the message for a variety of reasons.

One of the most common reasons I believe is I teach things that are beyond the current dominant paradigms, things that are not trend yet – so the majority won’t want to do them – but things that once the industry trend-spotters pick up on the groundswell and imminent tipping point they will rush to publish them (even if it means rewriting chapters from previously published book) – just to be seen as the ones who ‘brought this stuff to light’ (one of my favorite BS statements code for we had no idea but realized it was going to be a hit so we wanted to be associated with it’s popularity).

So when I receive feedback from an otherwise lowly pre-qualified seminar attendee who has never heard of me before, never met me before, and never had a one on one consult with me before – they were simply in the audience – that they have taken action and it has opened their eyes to the possibilities and potentially changed the quality of their lives – well, that’s really, really rewarding.

This is exactly what happened when I received this email today:

“Hi Ian, I met you on Saturday afternoon in Perth, I was asking questions about where to start when you’re broken. You recommended a stretching DVD. Was that the Guide to Individual Stretching that you talking about? And is the DVD the same as the video that is available on your site? If so, then I’ll buy the one on your site. I just wanted to be sure it was the correct video that you mentioned.

After the presentation I went searching and found an article that you wrote a few years back on the Lazy Man’s Guide to Stretching.

About four weeks ago I tore my left soleus, only a minor tear, but the second one on that leg in two years (the previous one was a grade 2 tear in the gastroc). After resting for a week my physio said I could walk as much as I wanted as long as the leg didn’t hurt, and not to walk two days in a row so as to give it time to rest in between. Since I don’t have a moderate bone in my body, I walked 12km in the next few days (with the days off in between) at a pace that was only just slower than my running pace. My calf didn’t hurt, but I did end up inflaming both hips and glutes. Since then, for the last three weeks I’ve had a burning muscular pain in my glutes and aching hips. Foam rolling, massage, gentle walking, none of it really helped. It improved a little, but was hurting constantly.

I did the Lazy Man’s stretching last night, and a few minutes after finishing I realized that neither my hips nor glutes were hurting. I had a little bit of an ache this morning when I got up, so did the stretches again and have been fine all day. Three weeks of discomfort and it’s gone with two sessions of stretching.

This is why I’d rather not wait a few weeks for the DVD if I can access it via video now. If a few simple stretches can fix that then I can’t wait to see what a proper full body routine could do! Thanks,”
–M, Perth

To which I replied:

“M – that is the DVD I was referring to – you can get it hard copy here

http://kingsports.net/GetBuffed/dvds/menu.htm

Or electronic here:
http://subscriptions.viddler.com/kingsports

Great to see you dig up an online article! Here are a few more for you:
http://kingsports.net/ksi/articles.htm

When you say:

“Three weeks of discomfort and it’s gone with two sessions of stretching.”

I get very happy! And people wonder why I am so confident about he effective of my conclusions about the best way to train!

To reward you for you willingness to trust my recommendations, to take action, to find ways to heal yourself – I have just given you free 1 month access to the ‘KSI Athletes, Family and Friends section of the KSI E-Video Library – which includes the e-version of the dvd you are going to buy – so that you can get started now! And you will note this section includes so much more incredible (and now free to you) content!

Well done! I am so proud of you!”
–Ian King

Wow! Isn’t it great to impact peoples lives through training, only possible with trust and action!

Ian King

Ian King

NSCA seeks feedback from long serving members  

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I received an email from the NSCA that was unique in my 30+ years of membership. They recognised my long-term membership, and sought my opinion. I don’t recall that ever happening before. So I shared it with them. At the end of the questionnaire there was a box to tick if you were happy for them to share your feedback in an upcoming publication. I ticked that box, but am not holding my breath as to it happening. The questions and and mhy responses are below:

 

Dear Ian,

First of all, I want to thank you for your commitment to the NSCA as an organization through 10 or more years of service. Our Association is only as strong as its members, and you have raised the bar in terms of your commitment to the NSCA and to the profession – thank you!

We hope you can spare a few minutes of your time to complete a short profile of yourself by answering a few questions about your experience as a member and your growth as a professional.

Thanks in advance for a few minutes of your time to share your membership experience with us. We plan to feature several of these responses in an upcoming NSCA Bulletin as well as other channels.

* 1. Tell us a little about your current role in strength and conditioning.
I began coaching in 1980 and founded one of the world’s first athlete preparation / coach education companies in 1986, and continue in this capacity to this date.

* 2. How did you first hear about the NSCA?
I was first introduced to the NSCA in about 1981 by my college professor, who gave me a number of his personal NSCA journals, and I became a member shortly afterwards.

* 3. What are the most significant changes you’ve seen in your line of work since you became a member of the NSCA?
I believe the most significant changes I’ve seen in my line of work is the Internet, and not necessarily for the better. The Internet has provided the opportunity for individuals who lack integrity and experience to plagiarize and promote themselves beyond their competencies. When these same individuals are then giving positions of teaching and influence in professional development such as presented at the NSCA convention, it provides a sub-standard and inappropriate role model to the young members who are seeking direction early in their careers. This has not been a positive step forward in this profession. The losers are the athletes and others influenced by athlete training. We are seeing, in my professional opinion, an epidemic of training induced injuries, largely as a result of publications and teachings by individuals who lack the experience (in some case any experience training athletes) to be teachers.

* 4. What is the most meaningful highlight of your career since becoming an NSCA member?
Helping athletes fulfill their potential as athletes and in life, and guiding coaches to achieve similar results with athletes.

* 5. Why have you stayed with the NSCA these years?
I have stayed with the NSCA as a member for over 30 years because I am thankful for the opportunities to meet with and learn from experienced coaches during the formative years of my career, during the 1980s and 1990s. I have chosen to support and remain loyal for this reason, combined with an optimistic hope that one day the NSCA may return to an organization of values more similar to the early days, rather than what i see now in the NSCA. I have also remained a member despite the NSCA choosing not to take a stand against plagiarism and other blatant ethical breaches, not to fulfill its promise and potential as an organization that sets a high standard of ethics and enforces it. And I have chosen to remain loyal despite the NSCA’s choice to endorse plagiarism and plagiarists by appointing certain speakers to their events knowing they have an extensive track record of unethical behavior. As such you are testing my desire to remain loyal.

* 6. Why did you choose NSCA over other associations?
When I joined the NSCA (early 1980s) there was no other organization. However over time i have noted the NSCA has moved away from its roots of training athletes through strength & conditioning coaches to a greater personal training focus.

7. How can the NSCA better serve you? (optional)
I only ask that the NSCA give consideration to its role in maintaining ethical behavior in an environment, which is in great need of it. I am sure that had Fleck & Kraemers books (or any other prominent NSCA member) been plagiarized to the extend that my books have, that the offenders would not have avoided sanction, and that the offenders would not have been speaking at the NSCA conventions, including the upcoming 2015 convention. This lack of consistency in maintaining industry standards has many pitfalls, i suggest, and is a failing of the NSCA to fulfill it’s potential to provide an ethical environment for all members. I am encouraged and thankful, however, that for the first time in over 30 years, that my long service has been recognized and my opinion sought, although I am realistic, based on the responses (or lack of) that I have received from the NSCA during the last five years, as to whether my message will be heeded.

Ian King

Should I stretch before or after training?  

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Shortly after the ‘stretching before training and games is bad’ paradigm raised up in the late 1990s, a default position was also promoted – to stretch afterwards. Ironic (or tragic) in that in my opinion for the most part, those promoting this position don’t stretch and have low competency and personal scores in flexibility.

I am often asked my position on this topic. The mere fact a person asks indicates they have been influenced in some way by this ‘trend’. Here is typically how I answer this:

The new athlete asked: Do would you recommend stretching before or after training?

Coach King: Stretch before. Stretching afterwards is the default positioned promoted by those involved in discouraging effective stretching, their motive something we could chat for hours on.

Stretching after has the single advantage of having higher body temperature, which in itself, is not a pre-requisite for success or change from stretching.

Stretching after has the following disadvantages:

1. You fail to receive the benefits of pre-training stretching, which include but are not limited to increased joint gap therefore reduced joint wear, reduced compression of nerves, better blood supply, and less pain.

2. You are tired and therefore risk the following – performing the stretching will less quality than if done first and fresh; and not doing it all because you just want to have a shower, meal etc and relax

So if it was a choice, I would always do before.

 

© 2015 Ian King & King Sports International. All rights reserved.

Ian King

Mobility training is fake stretching  

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The new athlete said to me: “I do my mobility work and then I feel good for a while but during the workout I feel all stiff again.”

I said: “Before we go any further I just to make it clear I don’t use the word ‘mobility’, at least not in the way it is currently used.”

Athlete: “Why not?”

IK: “I believe the term mobility is used to give people the feeling they are doing what stretching used to do for them before the ‘stretching inquisition’. In other words it’s fake stretching, and it’s about as effective as a fake.”

Athlete: “Why do people say stretching is bad and mobility exercises are better?”

IK: “Let me share with you my observations over the last few decades. First athletes stretched or they didn’t, depending on their sport historical or their own individual influences. For example, track and field and dance and martial arts and gymnastics were great examples of sports that stretched. But not the only ones. I can remember attention given to stretching in one of my first weightlifting books, and also in other strength books from the 1970s.

There was no judgment – you either did it or not. Then I noted the rise of popularity in stretching and at the same time the rise of individuals and organizations such as academic institutions keen to control sport and leave their foot print.

Now the individuals involved in seeking to be in control for the most part didn’t stretch themselves, were not flexible and no-one had worked out how to make money from stretching.

I believe this is why stretching is being demonized. I suggest that when those who seek to control information and trends find themselves able to touch their toes or make a quick buck, you will be given the green light.

But you don’t have to wait – you can take the benefits of stretching right now.

As for ‘mobility’ warmups – apart from raising body and joint temperature (which are good things) they have no significant impact on flexibility. So stop kidding yourself. Stretch first, and then if you need or want specific warmups, do activities that you are going to be done in load – not some non-specific irrelevant exercise just because everyone else is….

So, if you are training with us, there will be no fake stretching….”