I’ll admit - I’m a bit of a misfit. Who am I professionally? An academic? practitioner? strength & conditioning coach? sport scientist? pediatric exercise scientist? professor? Probably a little bit of each - a jack of all trades. And by default, a master of none. But I’m OK with it as David Epstein wrote about Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World in his book Range.
Over the past year, I’ve gotten to know another misfit (with all due respect) - or perhaps a better term is ‘disruptor’. Someone who challenges the status quo in the field of strength and conditioning/sport science/athletic development (or whatever the hell you want to call it). Someone who I aspired to be as a 23 year old college baseball player about to complete a degree in physical education and health. I remember reading an NSCA article on speed development written by the Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox in 1993. As a baseball player and aspiring strength and conditioning coach/sport scientist, I wanted to put my knowledge, experience and passion to work in this exact area.
The person who wrote that article and has shared lunch with me several times over the past year is Vern Gambetta.
I appreciate Vern for a few reasons. First, as mentioned he challenges the status quo in general; and more specifically, he challenges the pseudoscience of our field. He does this because he has a well-grounded education in Kinesiology/Physical Education/Exercise Science (or whatever you refer to the broader discipline). No matter what you call the field it entails the study of human movement (the word kinesiology comes from a Greek root word, kinesis, "motion or movement.") He understands human anatomy, human physiology, psychology, applied and functional anatomy, biomechanics, physiology of exercise and sport, motor learning, basic statistics and research methods, measurement and evaluation, and physical education pedagogy (coaching). And moreso, he understands and has a vast experience in the application of these core areas in practical settings, such as strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, sports training and the like - basically, a master of the science and practice of human movement.
Vern is also an athlete for life. He’s been following the principles of long-term athletic development not only as a coach but also as a person. These days he stays active with his daily walks. Like some others on social media, he has turned this walk into an opportunity to reflect and share his thoughts and ideas. I encourage you to take a look on his Facebook or Twitter account. Some of the topics include: The Process; Comfort Zone; Complexification; Be an Informed Skeptic; Curiosity; It’s not Easy; Could you, would you, should you?; Weight Room aka The Black Hole! … and more
I think Vern also exemplifies the far right of the Dunning-Kruger curve - this is what happens when one becomes well-educated and well-experienced (many experiences not the same experience over and over again). He has admitted to me over lunch that he can be grumpy at times while taking people to task on social media, but I think he’s worth a follow and a listen. He has vast knowledge and experience and there’s no reason to reinvent the wheel (or complexificate matters or come up with new jargon) but instead to follow a tried-and-true path towards athletic development and human movement.
My dad told me if someone is doing good things then make sure to let them know. Today’s post is an expression of gratitude for a lifetime of work put together by Vern Gambetta. It’s also a statement to be well-educated in the foundational courses of human movement and to gain practical experiences that apply the essential concepts.
And one last thing - if someone is doing good things then make sure to let them know. And reflect and be grateful for something in your own life every day.