Are You a "Hybrid" Athlete?

Hybrid Athletes?

Have you spent any time in older athlete-themed Facebook groups? They tend to be heavily loaded with bodybuilders. While that's ok for some, many over-50 athletes are better defined as hybrid athletes. That means that movements and forces we ask of our bodies are more of a blend of strength, endurance, anaerobic power (fast force and intermittent, often multi-directional sprints), mobility, and balance than strictly loading for muscle size and strength.

As part of the continuing education requirements to maintain my CSCS (NSCA Strength and Conditioning Specialist) certification, I watched this video yesterday on training considerations for the hybrid athlete. What he discusses is not specifically aimed at aging athletes, but applies to our community. My experience is more with multi-sport and lifestyle athletes (those less structured with their sport activities), so I want to share my thoughts on the information presented here.

First, there's no downside to understanding the benefits and drawbacks of the hybrid athlete training template. It's ideal for athletes like rock climbers, basketball players, racquet sports athletes, soccer players, obstacle course athletes, and martial artists, to name just a few. It's less appropriate for long-distance endurance athletes, powerlifters, and competitive bodybuilders. What's probably obvious is that there is a continuum of training approaches for this wide range of athletes. And while endurance and strength complement each other, theoretically, they can interfere with each other depending on your particular performance capacity goals.

So, what's the magic formula for you?

It's best to get guidance from a qualified and seasoned professional who has experience and objectivity about where you sit on the continuum, what's realistic to expect based on your training availability, and to get a clear picture of where the combined benefits of training types start to produce diminishing returns. It's critically important, both for performance goals and to minimize injury risk, that your training program avoids those mode-specific interferences and general overtraining as well.

If you're not sure you can do that on your own, then you know the next step.

I teach mature athletes how to eat and train to perform and look their best for the rest of their lives. The 50+ Hybrid Athlete subscription program provides daily, weekly, and monthly guidance through an exclusive private Facebook Group, weekly wisdom (video tips, demos, and expert interviews), a monthly newsletter covering hot topics, and value-packed quarterly bonus products for older athletes.