Why LA Rams last hired coach may be the most important

The new field of Strength and Conditioning

The field of Strength and  Conditioning has branched out into many new and exciting areas.  It’s not about hitting the gymnasium or the weight room. Now it’s about focusing on cross-training among various disciplines to improve performance. It’s now about coaching “Mental Toughness”. It’s about finding and feeding the competitiveness of professional athletes. It’s even about removing the drudgery of working out and finding the buttons to make it both mentally and physically rewarding.

Gone are the days of “No Pain, No Gain”.  Now, the sciences of physical fitness and conditioning require many different inputs from diverse medical experts.  Not just to bulk up, but to achieve the optimal fitness form to play your best.

But now, above all else, it’s about staying on the field. And there is plenty of scientific studies to help in that area. Sports-related injury is directly related to an athlete’s state of fatigue.  Furthermore, fatigue is thought to be related to an athlete’s anxiety or mild depression.

So the next Director must be an expert in body metabolism and behavioral health? Not exactly. But the next hire must understand how those disciplines affect athletic motivation, performance, and durability. The trouble is that the field is so broad, many can hold similar titles without thinking a single thought about interrelated fields of science and medicine.