Many of us hit the gym with good intentions—seeking strength, energy, and long-term health. We chase six-pack abs, bigger biceps, and heavier bench presses. But if your routine is rooted solely in traditional bodybuilding exercises like curls and crunches, you might be building the wrong kind of strength.







According to Derrick Virassammy, certified sports performance specialist and founder of AGF Performance Training, true fitness isn’t about muscle size—it’s about how well you move, stabilize, and react in the real world.



























From Severely Injured to Bulletproof







Derrick isn’t just a trainer—he’s a survivor. After a devastating car accident in 2014, he had to rebuild his body from the ground up. He knew that aesthetics don’t equal function. What good is a chiseled body if it can’t bend, twist, or stabilize when life throws you off balance? So he had to build himself back up again.







Through this lens, Derrick developed a training philosophy focused on movement, injury prevention, and real-world readiness.















Redefining Strength: It’s Not About Muscles, It’s About Movement







The biggest distinction between athletic training and traditional gym workouts comes down to this: bodybuilding focuses on muscles; athletic training focuses on movement patterns.







Yes, athletes need strength—but it’s strength expressed through motion, not isolation. Derrick breaks down athletic training into three transformative pillars:







1. Stability and Deceleration: Train the Brakes, Not Just the Engine







Many people train for speed and power. But what happens when you have to stop? According to Derrick, injuries often occur during deceleration—when landing from a jump, changing direction, or absorbing unexpected impact.







That’s why “training the brakes” matters. Athletic training builds reactive stability—the ability to keep the body aligned and balanced under dynamic, often awkward conditions. Think squatting with a twist, lunging while resisting rotation, or catching yourself mid-fall.







2. Fast-Twitch Power: Train for Explosiveness, Not Just Strength







Power isn't just about how much you lift—it's about how fast you move. Athletic training activates fast-twitch muscle fibers through dynamic, explosive movements like medicine ball slams, sprint drills, and rapid bodyweight exercises.







Rather than going heavy all the time, this method uses lighter loads with speed, mimicking real-life demands where sudden movement and reaction time matter far more than brute strength.







3. Multiplanar Movement: Train for Life, Not Just the Mirror







Most gym-goers train in one direction—forward and back. But life doesn’t happen in a straight line. We twist to grab the remote, step sideways to dodge a kid’s toy, or rotate to throw a bag in the car.







Athletic training introduces lateral, rotational, and diagonal movements—building strength that is useful in real life.















Why Everyday People—Not Just Athletes—Need Athletic Strength







You don’t have to be a pro athlete to benefit from performance training. In fact, Derrick argues that everyone—especially moms, professionals, and weekend warriors—needs this style of fitness more than ever.







Here’s why:







Reactive Strength for Everyday Chaos