The End of an Era: Moving Past “Bigger, Stronger, Faster”

An Ask Aaron & EJ Podcast

For decades, young athletes have heard the same tired refrain from coaches after a tryout or evaluation: “You need to get bigger, stronger, faster.” It’s presented as the ultimate formula for success, a simple-sounding path to improvement. But what if this common piece of advice is actually one of the laziest, most unhelpful assessments an athlete can receive?
In a recent podcast, performance coaches Eric Johnson and Aaron Thigpen broke down why this phrase is often a conversational dead-end—a polite dismissal rather than a constructive critique. For athletes serious about their development, it’s time to demand more specific, actionable feedback and shift the focus from a vague slogan to tangible performance output.

Deconstructing the “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” Cliché

When a coach tells an athlete they need to get bigger, stronger, and faster, it’s often a way of ending the conversation without providing a real evaluation. It’s the modern equivalent of an old-school rejection: “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
The core problem with this feedback is its complete lack of specificity. As Coach Thigpen points out, a truly valuable evaluation would answer crucial follow-up questions:
  • Bigger how? Does the athlete need to gain five pounds of muscle, or do they need to develop a more powerful physical presence in their position?
  • Stronger in what way? Is the issue raw strength, pound-for-pound power, or durability over a long season? Does it mean hitting the ball harder or having better arm velocity?
  • Faster at what? Is the athlete slow in the 60-yard dash, from home to first, or in their lateral movement on the field?
Without these qualifiers, “bigger, stronger, faster” is just noise. It becomes a catch-all phrase that places the burden of interpretation entirely on the athlete, who often defaults to the most obvious, and potentially incorrect, path forward.

The Common Pitfall: Why “Bigger” Isn’t Always Better

The most common reaction to this feedback is for an athlete to immediately think, “I need to hit the gym and lift heavier weights.” The focus narrows to the word “bigger,” assuming that adding mass is the key to unlocking their potential.
This mindset, however, overlooks the most critical component of athleticism: pound-for-pound strength. An athlete who is strong and explosive for their size will almost always outperform a bulky athlete who has simply added weight without improving functional power.
True athleticism is about how well your body moves and generates force in sync. Simply chasing a higher number on the scale without a clear plan can lead to:
  • Loss of speed and agility.
  • Inefficient movement patterns.
  • An increased risk of injury.

Shifting Focus from Physique to Performance Output

The sports world is filled with examples of elite athletes who defy the prototypical “bigger, stronger, faster” mold.
  • Tony Gwynn: Never known for his chiseled physique, but his body was a fine-tuned machine for hitting a baseball.
  • Tim Lincecum: A two-time Cy Young winner who dominated hitters despite being just 5’10” and 160 pounds.
  • Shohei Ohtani: While he is a large human, his success comes from being a phenomenal athlete, not just a big body. He can run, move, and control his body with incredible efficiency.
These players prove that the ultimate metric isn’t the package an athlete comes in, but their performance output. It doesn’t matter if you’re 5’7″ or 6’4″—if your exit velocity is 110 mph, teams will notice. The focus for any developing athlete should be on measurable results, not on conforming to an idealized body type.

How to Get Actionable Advice and Take Control of Your Development

Instead of passively accepting vague feedback, athletes need to become advocates for their own careers by asking targeted questions. If a coach tells you to get “bigger, stronger, faster,” push for clarity.
Here’s what you can ask:
  • “Could you elaborate on what you mean by ‘bigger’? Are there specific weight or strength goals you think would help my game?”
  • “When you say ‘faster,’ are you referring to my 60-yard dash time, or my agility on the field? What time should I be aiming for in my position?”
  • “What are the most important athletic areas for me to improve on to be successful at the next level?”
If a coach can’t or won’t provide specific answers, it may be a sign that they haven’t evaluated you seriously. In that case, their feedback is less about your potential and more about their lack of interest.

Final Word: Demand More Than a Slogan

The phrase “bigger, stronger, faster” has become a crutch in the sports industry, fueled by the commercialization of performance training that often values looks over function. True athletic development is nuanced, specific, and centered around one thing: improving performance.
For athletes, the goal is to seek out coaches and trainers who provide detailed, personalized plans. For coaches, the challenge is to ditch the clichés and offer the kind of specific, insightful feedback that genuinely helps a player grow. After all, the goal isn’t just to be bigger, stronger, or faster—it’s to be a better athlete.