In any endeavor, sporting or otherwise, keeping metrics are important for tracking progress. However, it is important that the coach and athlete understand which metrics are actually important to track.
It is commonplace to see boards with best weight room lifts for many athletes, however, it must be realized that weight lifting success is not a prerequisite for success in sport (outside of powerlifting and weightlifting). An athlete’s squat numbers may go up, but was it because their output abilities increased? Or because they simply got better at the skill of squatting? If it is the latter, it is important to remember that the skill of squatting is not vital for success in court and field sports. Squats are a part of the training – they are not the purpose of the training.
The weight room numbers shouldn’t be chased for the sake of it. They provide decent metrics, but they can also be easily manipulated. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t be progressing in your general work, but it shouldn’t be done at the expense of what actually matters. Keep it in context.
What are you measuring, and does it matter?
