Athleticism is being highly competent and coordinated at performing the foundational movement elements. Basically, you are really efficient at moving quickly and fluidly, squatting, pulling, pressing, sprinting, lateral directional changes, force/power production and rotation.
Getting good at everything on this list won’t make you “elite”, but you’d certainly have a respectable baseline of athleticism that would apply to most sports and recreational activities.
1. Prowler Pushes
This movement is basic, it teaches total body force production through acceleration It also teaches efficient sprint mechanics by default Strength, muscle, endurance, power, it does it all, and there many ways of doing it depending on the effect you want
2. Sledgehammer or Woodchopping
Total body movement that trains the whole body as one piece to produce rotational POWER. Especially the CORE/Hips Strong core and hips = athletic power. For any kind of striking this is critical, and almost every sport demands this ability
3. Front Squats with DBs, Barbell, Kettlbell, etc, all work
Front squats engage the core and train the legs through a fuller ROM than back squats. In contact sports resistance is in front of you. Doing these movements for reps gives you muscle, core strength, and strength endurance
4. Incline Bench Press
Incline Bench press trains the chest shoulders at a more approximate angle to When grappling/striking/wrestling/throwing, as you are never at a perfect 90 degree angle. For contact and combat sports, this has more functional carryover than flat bench
5. Pushups
BASIC movement. Nothing too fancy with this, pushups get your chest shoulders arms stronger, and if you get knocked down you can get back up, if you grapple/wrestle, you better be good at these. Easiest way to strength upper body pressing, no excuses
6. Pullups/Chinups
Lat strength. Lats play critical role in pressing and pulling, and a strong back is an advantage in practically any sport If you cannot do pullups/chinups, you’re too fat and your back is weak
7. Jump rope
FOOTWORK. Being light on your feet and having the coordination to shuffle, hop, direction change quickly is a hallmark of great athletes Jump rope trains your cardio, trains quickness, and teaches you how to relax while also being agile and explosive
8. Broad Jumps
Vertical jump gets the attention, but broad jumping reveals and trains posterior chain power and sprint ability more readily, most sports you’re not jumping up so much as accelerating & moving forward & side to side Also trains DECELERATION, important skill
9. Lunges
If you cannot lunge, you’re shitty at moving. I have NEVER assessed a good athlete that could not lunge easily and fluidly. Every “bad” athlete and untrained individual though? Could not lunge for shit, hips were too tight, legs were too weak. Get good at lunges
10. Trap Bar Deadlifts
Joint Friendly movement that EVERY size of individual can do, trains total body strength and can be used to develop maximal strength, submaximal strength, and power. Great tool because it’s so adaptable; anyone can use it, easy to measure and progress.