Invisible movements are harder to train. Do you know what they are?
There are a number of factors that go into a movement. The one factor that is not seen, and often neglected in training, because there is no movement associated with the contribution to the movement, is the anti-rotation or trunk and joint stability component of a movement. The super athletic individual can create fast movements without any other points of contact. In other words in mid-air they can change the direction of their bodies. How do they accomplish this without any points of contact and make it look easy? This movement is accomplished without any contact to a solid surface by the ability of the body to utilize other muscles that create a point of contact that is unseen to the observer. Much of this is accomplished through trunk stability and anti-rotation. I define this as the current that is running underneath the surface of the movement. It is invisible, but it is one of the greatest components to great movement by any athlete. It is also the glue that allows for great force and power production when there is a stable point of contact.
When I look at improving power I look at the entire kinetic chain that allows power to develop. I tell cyclists that I coach for strength that I could outsprint the greatest sprinters in the world if they would take their hands off their handlebars. In other words the kinetic chain from handlebar to pedal is responsible for the power developed in a wicked sprint. If a cyclist has an elbow injury then the power to the pedals is going to be compromised. If they take their hands off the bars the power drops dramatically. My job as a strength coach is to determine where they may be scrubbing off power in this movement and correct or improve it. Most people think of core as the mid-section. Core is your body’s ability to transfer power from a point of contact to a desired movement. So when you are looking at improving your power do not neglect these invisible muscles. The exercise in the video (https://youtu.be/3EPMUTwS0Og) is an excellent one that can be done with a resistance band as well as a weight stack.
Truth in Fitness,
Jacques DeVore, CSCS