2. Stick to “functional” exercises

Functional training means working out using only motions that your body is designed to perform. The first thing this eliminates are workouts on fixed machines like chest presses and back rows. As a general rule, free weight exercises are more “functional” than those done on machines (cable machines are a type of free weights), and body weight exercises are more functional than free weight exercises (push ups are better than chest presses).

At the end of the day, being a great athlete is about combining speed, power, precision, quickness, and agility. To bring all of these things together, you need a highly trained nervous system. The whole point of practice is to train your nervous system to perform the motions you use in your sport. But your training in the gym affects your nervous system as well. In a nut shell, slow, simplistic exercises like machine based chest, shoulder, and leg presses or rows train your nervous system to move weight slowly along a fixed path, which is determined by the machine. This actually slows your body down and ultimately impairs athletic performance. Dynamic motions like explosive cable rotations, free weight squats (two of the best free weight exercises), and push ups with your feet on an exercise ball stimulate your nervous system to improve coordination, quickness, and power, and translate into improved performance.