Today I want to talk about a topic that I discuss, or at least go over, with every single one of my Elements athletes.
You know, the more I think about it, this topic may be one of THE most important topics I could discuss.
It may not seem like it’s that important at first, but realistically this topic will help you avoid getting injured, allow you to make progress, faster, and in the end make you a better athlete.
You should ALWAYS prioritize technique above all else.
Here’s how it should go:
Technique -> Speed -> Strength
When I talk about technique, I’m not necessarily talking about the minute details about the squat clean. What I am talking about is everything, from the basic movements to the minute details.
When we start, we must first master the basics, or what we call the Elements. Going over the large, overall points of performance for the major movements.
To me it doesn’t even matter if these are slow, mechanical, and choppy. I would rather an athlete have the components down, then try and move fast or go heavy.
Here’s why…
If you master the basics, at light weight, with slow movement, then everything else comes easy after.
If you try and go fast first, things get sloppy. Sloppiness leads to injury.
Try and go heavy first, now you’re just asking for injury.
But if we keep it light, go slow, and master the basics first, speed comes easy after. Consistency breeds smooth, and smooth leads to strength.
It’s the same thing when an athlete comes to me and says, “why can’t I make any progress on my clean?” My response is always, “let me see your clean.” 95% of the time the athlete hasn’t mastered the basics of the clean, which is why they are plateauing. So the answer is, drop weight, go slow, and master the basics. Then progress will accelerate at an exponential rate.
So remember, technique comes first, ALWAYS. Everything else comes after.
Want to learn more? Schedule a No-Sweat Intro.