General physical preparedness, or GPP, is an athlete’s ability to compete at a certain level on a given day.
It is a foundational component of training and is determined by an athlete’s fitness level. GPP training methods are meant to provide a balance between all the fitness components such as flexibility, strength, muscular and cardiovascular endurance, speed, and other factors.
Dr. Yuri Verkoshansky states in his book The Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sport that GPP serves to:
• To form, strengthen or restore motor skills, which play an auxiliary, facilatory role in perfecting sports ability.
• To teach abilities developed insufficiently by the given sport; increase the general work capacity or preserve it.
• To provide active rest, promote restoration after strenuous loading, and counteract the monotony of training.
By building up general fitness qualities, an athlete gives themselves a stronger foundation in which more sport specific skills can be built upon. An individual’s fitness must be at a certain level if they are to maximize their sports skills.
For the athlete, resistance training, conditioning drills, and flexibility exercises are all forms of general physical preparation that allow them to get the most out of their sports practice sessions and drills.
For example, a stronger, more powerful athlete will be more explosive when performing drills or when executing assignments in game situations. An athlete who possesses adequate flexibility will be able to get in proper positions more easily and therefore be able to maximize their leverages and mechanics. These are just a couple examples that illustrate how building up general fitness qualities can have a large impact on athletic performance and should not be ignored.
There are many methods and tools at the athlete’s disposal and it is to their advantage to utilize them to get the most out of their abilities.
Josh Power, CSCS
References:
1. Tate,D. Drag Your Butt Into Shape-General Physical Preparedness: Westside Style. March 2001
References:
1. Tate,D. Drag Your Butt Into Shape-General Physical Preparedness: Westside Style. March 2001
