You see it in the way a shortstop dives for a grounder or how a rock climber finds a microscopic hold on a granite face. It’s that weird, effortless-looking grace. We call it athleticism, but if you ask ten different trainers to define it, you’ll probably get ten different answers. Honestly, most people think it just means being "good at sports" or having a six-pack.
That's wrong.
True athleticism is actually a massive bundle of neurological and physical traits. It’s not just about how much you bench press or how fast you run a 40-yard dash. It’s about how your brain talks to your muscles while you’re mid-air. It’s the ability to absorb force, change direction without snapping an ACL, and stay calm when your lungs are screaming for air. It’s a survival mechanism that we’ve turned into entertainment.
What Does Athleticism Mean Beyond the Stats?
If we look at the raw science, athleticism is the efficient execution of movement. Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky, the father of plyometrics, basically argued that it’s about "specialized work capacity." This means a marathoner has athleticism, but so does a shot putter. They just express it through different physical windows.
Think about Saquon Barkley. People obsess over his quad size. Sure, the strength is there, but his real athleticism is his proprioception. That’s your body’s ability to know where it is in space without looking. When Barkley spins, hurdles a defender, and lands on one foot while maintaining balance, his nervous system is processing data faster than a high-end gaming laptop.
It’s helpful to break this down into "The Big Five" pillars that scouts and exercise physiologists actually look for:
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- Reactive Power: This isn't just jumping high; it’s how quickly you can transition from an eccentric (stretching) movement to a concentric (shortening) movement.
- Kinesthetic Awareness: Knowing where your limbs are during a chaotic play.
- Dynamic Balance: Staying upright while external forces—like a 300-pound lineman—are trying to knock you down.
- Multi-Planar Movement: Moving side-to-side or rotating, not just running in a straight line.
- Technical Efficiency: Using the least amount of energy to produce the most amount of force.
The "Generalist" vs. "Specialist" Trap
We often confuse being a "specialist" with being an "athlete." A guy who can cycle for six hours is fit. He’s an endurance beast. But if you ask him to play a game of touch football and he trips over his own feet trying to cut left, his general athleticism is actually quite low.
True athleticism is often found in decathletes or CrossFitters, where the demand is to be "pretty good" at everything rather than "perfect" at one thing. The late, great Kobe Bryant used to talk about how his childhood playing soccer in Italy gave him a "footwork advantage" in the NBA. He wasn't just training basketball; he was building a foundation of coordination that translated across sports. That’s the secret sauce.
Modern sports science is moving away from the "meathead" era. Back in the 80s, the goal was just to get as big and strong as possible. Now? It’s about fascial tension and elasticity. The connective tissue (fascia) that wraps around your muscles acts like a spring. Athletes like Tyreek Hill or Simone Biles have incredibly "stiff" springs. When they hit the ground, they bounce.
The Nervous System Is the Real Coach
Your muscles are just dumb chunks of meat. They don't do anything unless the Central Nervous System (CNS) tells them to.
Athleticism is really just a high-functioning CNS. When you practice a skill, you’re not just training your muscles; you’re myelinating your nerve fibers. Myelin is a fatty sheath that wraps around axons, making electrical signals travel faster. An elite athlete has "high-speed internet" in their nerves, while a clumsy person is still on dial-up.
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This is why "old man strength" or "veteran savvy" exists. Even as an athlete loses their raw explosive power (the "fast-twitch" fibers), their nervous system is so well-trained that they can still outperform younger, faster players by moving more efficiently. They’ve mastered the economy of motion.
The Genetics of the Game
We have to be real here: some people are just born with a higher ceiling. The ACTN3 gene, often called the "speed gene," codes for a protein found in fast-twitch muscle fibers. If you don't have the right version of this gene, you’re probably not winning an Olympic gold in the 100m sprint. No amount of "grind" can outwork DNA.
However, the "meaning of athleticism" for the average person isn't about the Olympics. It’s about physical literacy. It’s the ability to go through life—hiking, playing with kids, moving furniture—without getting hurt. It's about being a functional human being.
How to Actually Build Athleticism (Actionable Steps)
Stop sitting on machines. If you want to move like an athlete, you have to train like one. You don't need to be a pro, but you should borrow their homework.
1. Prioritize Unilateral Movement
Life happens on one leg. Sprinting is a series of one-legged jumps. Most people only do bilateral exercises like back squats. Start doing Bulgarian split squats or single-leg Romanian deadlifts. This forces your core and stabilizers to fire, which is the definition of "functional" athleticism.
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2. Train the "Vestibular" System
This is your inner ear/balance. Practice standing on one leg while closing your eyes. Or do slow, controlled rolls on a mat. Improving your balance directly increases your power output because your brain won't let your muscles fire at 100% if it feels "unstable."
3. Move in Three Dimensions
Most gym routines are "sagittal plane" dominant—up and down, forward and back. Athletes move in the frontal plane (side to side) and transverse plane (rotation). Add lateral lunges and medicine ball rotational throws to your week.
4. Jump and Land (Correctly)
Plyometrics are the king of athleticism. But don't just jump high. Focus on the "stick." Land softly. If you can't land quietly, you don't have the eccentric strength to handle the force you're generating. Start with low box jumps and focus on a "ninja landing."
5. Sprint... Sometimes
Sprinting is the most "athletic" thing a human can do. It recruits almost every muscle and forces the CNS to fire at maximum capacity. You don't need to do 20 reps. Do three or four 40-yard sprints once a week. It keeps the "fast-twitch" engine from rusting out.
Athleticism isn't a destination or a specific body type. It’s a spectrum of capability. It’s the difference between being a passenger in your body and being the driver. Whether you're 20 or 60, the goal is the same: maintain the ability to react, move, and explode when life demands it.
The most athletic thing you can do today is simply to move in a way you haven't moved in a while. Crawl. Jump. Twist. Your nervous system will thank you for the data.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Audit your current workout: If 90% of your movements are sitting or lying down (bench press, leg press), replace two exercises with standing, free-weight movements.
- Track your "power" metrics: Instead of just tracking weight on the bar, track your vertical jump or how fast you can cover 10 yards.
- Focus on recovery: Athleticism is demanding on the CNS. If you feel "fried" or twitchy, take a de-load week. A tired athlete is an injured athlete.