If anyone knows the importance of "future-proofing" your body, it's professional athletes and the coaches who help them stay in shape. Pushing your body to the absolute limit week after week can take a serious toll-especially if you're running long distances in heavy padding or constantly jumping and landing. After years of playing in pro leagues, athletes often deal with issues ranging from hip and knee pain to ACL injuries and beyond.
That's why John Shackleton, MS, CSCS, a performance coach with over 20 years of experience training athletes like Mikal Bridges, says keeping your body strong and healthy-even outside of your typical movement patterns-can help it stay resilient as time goes on.
"To me, future-proofing means building a body that's durable, adaptable, and ready for whatever demands life or sport throws at it," he says. "It's not just about peak performance, it's about staying in the game longer. For everyday athletes, this means fewer setbacks, less time spent nursing injuries, and more consistency in training. If your body can't absorb force, stabilize under load, or recover quickly, your progress will always be limited."
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Future-Proofing 101: Coach Shack's Go-To Moves
Coach Shack's go-to movements fit into three key categories: unilateral lower body, bilateral lower body, and upper body pull. Here's what he relies on consistently to build long-term durability across all levels of athletes:
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
Start with your back foot resting laces down on a bench and your front foot positioned to allow a vertical shin at the bottom of the squat.
Holding weights at your sides, lower under control, keeping a slight forward torso lean and your front heel grounded.
Once your front knee hits 90 degrees, drive through the midfoot on your front foot to return to standing.
Spending three to four seconds on the eccentric portion of the movement is great for building control and joint integrity.
Pro Tip
"I often use a floating heel variation where the heel hovers slightly off a plate or box to challenge foot stability and activate the intrinsic foot muscles," Shackleton says.
Pullups
Pullups Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
Start from a dead hang with your core braced and legs slightly in front of your body to avoid swinging.
Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down and in, not just yanking with the arms.
Control the descent and keep your shoulders from creeping up into your ears.
Pro Tip
"Rotate through grip types, pronated for upper back and lats, supinated for more biceps involvement, and neutral for a joint-friendly option," Shackleton says.
Trap Bar Deadlift
Trap Bar Deadlift Beth Bischoff
How to Do It
Step inside the trap bar with your feet about hip width apart.
Hinge at the hips and bend at the knees to grip the handles while keeping your chest tall and spine neutral.
Engage your lats, brace your core, and drive through the floor to lift the bar with your hips and shoulders rising together.
Lock out by standing tall, don't lean back.
Control the eccentric portion and reset between reps to keep positioning sharp.
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