What Determines "Sport-Specificity"?

We hear this term all the time in our industry: "sport-specific". This is a very broad term that can be interpreted many different ways through a wide audience. To some, they think sport-specific means performing a movement with an implement from their respective sport. To others, they think sport specific means using exercise to enhance an athletic skill.

Read that last sentence again...

Using exercise to enhance an athletic skill. BINGO! This is the true definition of sport-specific.

Often times, people get athletic qualities confused with athletic skills. Our job as Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists is to enhance an athletic skill by manipulating certain athletic qualities that the athlete possesses.

Now that we better understand the definition of the term sport-specific, let's dive deeper into each specific category to develop athletic qualities.

Speed

These are where we receive this type of questions:

- "My daughter struggles getting around the defender, are there any specific agility drills to help?"

- "My son doesn't have the greatest first step when stealing a base, would we be able to show him the proper way to start his sprint?"