The Athletic Skills Model: A Synopsis

The Dutch approach to youth athlete development and movement education

This post will be similar to the one highlighting excerpts and nuggets from Dr. Joe Baker’s ‘The Tyranny of Talent’ as I will again summarize a twitter thread from my reading of the book ‘The Athletic Skills Model’.

Overall, this book is an inside look into how the Ajax Football academy conducted its world-class youth/long-term athletic development program. Here is my summary of key aspects of the ASM (Athletic Skills Model).

The Basics of the ASM (Chapter 1)

A key tenet is on all-around movement, or what has also been called ‘multilateral development’, especially between 7-12 years of age, given that this is often referred to as the “golden period” of motor development. Much of this discussion on ‘multilateral skill development’ comes from the Eastern bloc/Soviet sport school model (see T Bompa. From Childhood to Champion Athlete or Total Training for Young Champions).

This also involves the diversification of movement experiences pointing to the disadvantages of early sport specialization.

In addition, the focus should be on general athletic development rather than competition with this statement taken from the book per Balyi & Hamilton (2004) - “An over-emphasis on competition in the early phases of training will always cause shortcomings in athletic abilities later in an athlete’s career” ...and this is where we are going so wrong! ASM suggests that we currently have 'basal movement poverty' - or physical illiteracy!

The 3 Building Blocks of the ASM, each which will be covered below, are the 1) Basic Movement Skills, 2) Coordinative Abilities, and 3) Conditions of Movement. As youth progress through the system, there is either more or less emphasis on the Basic Movement Skills and Conditions of Movement with a steady exposure throughout to the Coordinative Abilities.

The basic approach of the ASM was also explained via The 6 Motor Development Phases.

1. having fun with movement at an early age

2. having fun in a multifaceted movement environment (multilateral development)

3. understanding that being a competent and confident multifaceted mover makes a good athlete

4. the multifaceted mover and athlete begins to specialize during adolescence

5. the athlete becomes a specialist

6. and finally, the specialist is a (resilient & robust) athlete ... who moves well and has fun!

Building Block 1: Basic Movement Skills

The photo below of Table 5.1 shows the 10 Basic Movement Skills of the ASM with recommendations for % time allocation by age/stage (Basic (5-9 yrs) /Transition 10-14 yrs) /Performance 15-18 yrs). Note the emphasis on balance.

The ASM also mentions the varied environments and patterns that the Basic Movement Skills can be expressed, which reminds me of the Movement Wheel.

These basic movement skills can easily be microdosed during the warm-up for practices and training. Some may ask “is 5 minutes enough?” How about his micro-dosing analogy to drizzling rain. It might not make you immediately wet, but over time you will be soaking wet.

Building Block 2: Coordinative Abilities

All Basic Movement Skills are implicitly connected to all of the elements of coordinative abilities listed below:

• adaptability

• balance

• coupling ability; synchronize

• kinetic differentiating ability

• spatial orientation

• reaction

• rhythm

Adaptive ability is one of the key elements in the ASM. The motor system needs to deal effectively with all different circumstances in movement & sport. Thus, variation is key! This should include variation in materials, resistance, environment, surface, etc. Again, think Movement Wheel!

As mentioned with the Basic Movement Skills and again with Coordinative Abilities, is that Balance is a key aspect of the ASM. Without static & dynamic balance, many of the other physical qualities cannot be expressed fully. This involves the development of proprioception (knowing where body & limbs are in space & time without having to look) and kinesthetic awareness.

Along with Balance comes Falling. Athletes who cannot fall (with confidence or competence) will hold back in certain actions. Knowing how to fall allows more options for creative movement skill strategies in complex actions (and may reduce injury risk). Thus, we need to train falling (tumbling, rolling) skills as well.

The Coupling Action speaks to me about general athleticism. It describes the athlete who can get into and out of positions and movements smoothly/efficiently.

Building Block 3: Conditions of Movement (COM)

Again, all 3 Building Blocks of the ASM (BMS, CA, COM) operate across all ages. As a youngster masters the Basic Movement Skills and is post-PHV, more of an emphasis can be placed on the Conditions of Movement - or what many may call the classic physical qualities of agility, flexibility, stability, power and endurance.

Besides the classic strength & conditioning approaches, the ASM offers two unique aspects of agility/balance/stability training. These include: 1) barefoot training and 2) trampoline. Barefoot training can be used to enhance haptic information; promote a natural landing on the mid-fore foot; and also develop functional stiffness. The trampoline enhances Kurbet-actions, coordinative abilities, and falling.

Two additional examples of flexibility training include mastering the deep overhead squat position, and practicing the sun salutation.

Another important note on flexibility is that an often overlooked point is that proper resistance training can aid in improving flexibility. They should ideally go hand-in-hand, if range-of-motion is being emphasized throughout the resistance training movement.

Two key aspects of stability in the ASM are: the athletic stance and core stability. The athletic stance is the starting position from which all muscles can optimally act & react. In my personal opinion, more attention needs to be given to it during youth training sessions, especially when performing resistance / strength training movements.

The philosophy of Power (Strength x Speed) development may go against many (U.S.) S&C coach approach given the following statement: “The local hockey trainer introduced strength training to a youth team. I said: 'That's nice. Now they can miss with more force when they shoot at the goal!'“

With that said, consider the following statement; “Help the child first learn to hit the head of a nail with a small hammer...before you start using a bigger hammer when you are older. In the end, you want your athletes to be able to hit the nail explosively, possibly with an even bigger hammer”; and furthermore, "optimum performance is not about max strength, but about the way the athlete can optimally couple (coordinate) strength to speed, resulting in high levels of power".

The Athletic Skills Garden

Most of us think of training young athletes on a field, court or weight room with standard strength & conditioning-type equipment. ASM turns this on its head and provides a playground approach to enhance all facets of their athletic development model. They have now taken the original Athletic Skills Garden and created custom-designed environments in public spaces for versatile sports, play and exercise - for young and old. Check out all the Skills Gardens/Parks on the website and YouTube

Visit the Athletic Skills Model website for more information.