There is no substitute for quality repetition when it comes to creating competitive success! You must embrace The Grind!
No amount of confidence, determination, motivation, desire, wishing, etc can outweigh quality repetition when it comes time to perform under pressure consistently. 
Confidence stemming from a belief in one’s capabilities will fall short of confidence bred from consistent performance of a skill. Motivation to begreat in the moment will not suddenly create strength or endurance where it has not been conditioned into the body. No determination to be great can suddenly create “muscle memory” to perform time and time again. Any of these tools may create success once or twice but cannot be considered reliable when faced with multiple opportunities to compete or perform. I was once advised that you will always revert to the average of your practice quality and consistency. No truer advice could have been given. This is where The Grind comes into the equation!
I’m reminded of a favorite quote from Robert Schuller, “Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.”
The Grind – We see it in others around the industry and we appreciate it. We value it and we respect it. We can identify it just by watching a warm-up or a single workout. There is something particularly pleasing about watching a well trained athlete perform at their best. The Grind doesn’t need to be painful, torturous, mean spirited, cruel… The Grind simply means that there needs to be detail-oriented, hard-working coaches and athletes working together through tedious and sometime monotonous practices. It means that when you are tired and a little less motivated walking into the gym one day, you still decide to give your best that day. You show up all the time and avoid frivolous missing of practices/training sessions.
The Grind implies a simple willingness to sharpen your axe everyday.
The Grind doesn’t mean that gymnastics is the only thing you think about… it doesn’t mean that your identity is completely wrapped up within the sport and performance alone. But it absolutely signifies a willingness to go above and beyond the normal expectations. The Grind, means being a student of the sport and being willing to give a little more time and focus to the ancillary pieces of the sport. Learning how to tape an ankle, proper rehab and prehab exercises to help assist the health of your athletes over the course of time. Understanding strength training principles. Study coaching philosophies, techniques and strategies. The Grind implies a desire to get curious and be accountable… Why are my athletes performing well? Why are they performing poorly? What injuries do we have? What injuries have we avoided this year? How is our strength and endurance looking at the beginning of season versus the end? Using these answers to constantly develop and amend your program year after year.
The Grind requires repetition; It demands detail; It is only satisfied by a high level of commitment.
Time to return to the first statement in this blog, “There is no substitute for quality repetition when it comes to creating competitive success.” Be willing to spend time creating quality repetitions. Be quick to back up and drill basics so as to avoid negative or detrimental repetitions. Detail and explain expectations to allow yourself and your athletes a greater likelihood of creating what you desire. Ultimately understand that undertrained athletes have a higher risk of injury, poor performance and burnout.
