In the world of sports, where every second counts, understanding the intricate science behind sports performance training can be the key difference between winning and losing. From the physiology of athletic performance to optimizing training techniques and the role of nutrition, athletes need a comprehensive approach to achieve peak performance. Join us as we dive deep into the core elements that every athlete should know to enhance their performance on the field and beyond.
Understanding the Physiology of Athletic Performance
Building Quality Muscle—Not Just Quantity
Let’s get one thing straight—building muscle for athletic performance is not the same as bodybuilding. While muscle mass plays an important role, how that muscle functions is the real game-changer. Too many high school/college athletes fall into the trap of outdated “bro splits,” training each muscle group in isolation. This approach often results in poor movement patterns, reduced mobility, and an increased risk of injury. Research shows that training focused solely on hypertrophy can lead to improper adaptations in the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC), which is critical for explosive movements (Cormie et al., 2011).
The stretch-shortening cycle is what allows athletes to generate and absorb force rapidly, a key component in sports like football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse and baseball. When training lacks high-velocity eccentric loading and plyometric exercises, muscles adapt to move slowly—a disastrous outcome for athletes whose success depends on speed and explosiveness. At The Movement Underground, we design programs that emphasize movement efficiency over muscle size alone. Our athletes train with multi-planar, compound movements that require high-level coordination, stability, and force production. By integrating velocity-based training, contrast training, and scientifically validated methods like the French contrast protocol, we help athletes unlock their full explosive potential (Suchomel et al., 2018).
Injury Prevention Is a Myth—Mitigation Is the Goal
It’s time to address a common misconception in sports performance: the idea of “injury prevention.” The truth is, injuries in sports cannot be completely prevented. Additionally, anyone claiming injury prevention is withholding a key bit of information…We will NEVER know how many or the nature of injuries “prevented” via any training or treatment intervention.
Athletes engage in high-risk, high-reward environments where variables can’t always be controlled. However, what we can do is reduce the likelihood of injury and ensure that when injuries do occur, the athlete’s recovery is faster, more complete and collateral damage and time lost is minimized.
At The Movement Underground, our philosophy is centered on building resilient athletes who can withstand the demands of their sport. Strengthening tissues through targeted training, improving movement quality, managing training loads, and ensuring adequate recovery from training are critical components of our approach. Stronger muscles, tendons, and ligaments are better equipped to handle stress, and we achieve this through isometric training, controlled eccentrics, and dynamic joint stability exercises. Research supports the idea that enhancing tissue durability significantly reduces the risk of common sports injuries (Kubo et al., 2017).
Equally important is having the right support team in place. Athletic trainers and physical therapists play vital roles in identifying potential issues before they escalate. At TMU, we integrate these professionals with strength coaches to create a seamless, high-performance ecosystem. This collaboration ensures that athletes not only recover faster but are also equipped with the tools to prevent minor injuries from becoming major setbacks. It also allows us to be very nimble with modifying programs for injured athletes…allowing us to continue to train and improve athletic performance WHILE treating any injuries that may be present. It is all too common when an injury occurs, that well intentioned physicians and inexperienced Therapists are quick to “shut down” the athlete. Removing them from all sports and training participation. The intention is good, the outcomes aren’t.
If an athlete sustains an ankle injury, one of the best ways to expedite recovery is EXERCISE. Getting their heart rate up, tissue temperature up, and blood circulating oxygen, nutrients, and healing factors are ciritical and key components to successful swelling reduction and faster recovery.
More often then not, athletes are shut down for no reason other than their therapist, coach, or doctor doesn’t have the time or experience of helping the athlete modify their current training. At TMU, that is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. We aim to optimize every phase of recovery…you should too.
Speed Training: Strength Alone Won’t Make You Faster
One of the biggest myths in sports performance training is that simply getting stronger will automatically make an athlete faster. While strength is a critical foundation, speed development requires its own specific and intentional focus. Sprinting is a skill, and like any skill, it must be practiced regularly to see meaningful improvement.
Scientific evidence debunks the idea that traditional strength training alone is enough to improve speed. Sprint training, resisted sprinting, and plyometric exercises have been shown to be more effective in enhancing sprint performance (Haugen et al., 2019). At The Movement Underground, we emphasize sprint-specific training at least twice per week. This includes working on sprint mechanics such as ground contact efficiency, front-side mechanics, and arm action. Athletes are also introduced to methods like sled sprints to develop strength-speed and overspeed drills to train speed-strength. By balancing force production with technical precision, our programs ensure that athletes move faster, not just stronger.
Nutrition: The Hidden Key to Performance and Recovery
Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of athletic performance and recovery, yet it’s often overlooked or misunderstood by young athletes. At The Movement Underground, we make it clear that nutrition is as important as training itself. Athletes cannot perform at their best if they’re fueling their bodies with processed junk or relying on sugary energy drinks.
A diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and micronutrients is essential. Protein is especially crucial, with research suggesting that athletes should consume between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to support muscle repair and growth (Morton et al., 2018). Carbohydrates are another key player, providing the glycogen needed for high-intensity training. Hydration, including adequate intake of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, is equally important, as even mild dehydration can impair performance. For athletes looking to optimize their recovery, omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fish and flaxseeds can help reduce inflammation and support joint health.
Generally speaking, there isn’t anything “NEW” in nutrition. Fad diets come and go. Social Media gurus are out there spewing non sense, trying to make a buck on people simply trying to find a short cut. There isn’t. Heres the truth supported by decades of evidence:
- Eat as close to a whole food, single ingredient diet as much as possible
- Choose minimally processed over ultra processed foods when convenience is important
- Maintain energy balance: If you’re trying to gain muscle, you need to eat more calories then you burn. If you want to lose fat, you must be in a calorie deficit. Period. If you’re not gaining…youre not eating enough. You aren’t losing, you’re eating more calories than you think. It is that simple.
- Stay hydrated. Water is best, but unsweetened teas, juices, and low sugar electrolyte drinks are fine, if you’re sweating excessively to replace minerals lost in sweat.
Mental Performance: The Edge That Separates Good from Great
In elite sports, physical preparation is only half the battle. The best athletes excel because of their mental toughness. They can remain calm under pressure, recover quickly from setbacks, and maintain laser focus on their goals. At The Movement Underground, we integrate mental conditioning into our training programs to ensure that athletes are as strong mentally as they are physically.
Mental skills training includes visualization, breathwork, and cognitive exercises designed to enhance resilience and focus. Visualization helps athletes mentally rehearse their performance, creating neural pathways that improve execution. Breathwork techniques are used to manage stress and improve recovery between plays or events. Together, these strategies give athletes a competitive edge when it matters most (Beauchamp et al., 2012).
The TMU Difference: Science, Strategy, and Results
The Movement Underground is not your average training facility. We don’t rely on fitness fads or cookie-cutter programs. Instead, we take an evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with real-world experience to deliver unparalleled results. Every athlete we work with receives a customized program designed to optimize their performance, minimize injury risk, and help them reach their full potential.
If you’re ready to stop settling for mediocre training and start working with a team that’s fully invested in your success, it’s time to make a change. Book a Free Strategy Call today and discover how The Movement Underground can take your game to the next level.
