Were the Best Athletes Born to Be Great? | Genetics vs Environment in Sports

[@adelali3393]

Most underrated channel ! Thank you very much..

[@bobbyerico9962]

It’s both nature and nurture. This has been asked a million times already in almost every field from athletics to academia and anything in between. When you look at the top violists or pianists for example, there are thousands of kids that start at a very young age but some are destined to be the lead violists due to their innate genetic capacity. Same with athletes and academics who may have a significant physical or cognitive advantage over others to the extent that no one else can catch up to them regardless of how much they train/study/practice. Nurture might get you into the top 1%, but ultimately, what sets apart the 1% from the 0.01% (professional athletes, nobel laureates, etc.) is the genetic component.

[@simbadooo9055]

"The Idea of a sports gene that determines an athletes abilities is a myth"-0:55 That isn't true, there are lots of gene polymorphisms that determine things like limb length, muscle fiber type and tendon length that all determine the potential ceiling of how well you'll do.

[@shreedesai4684]

I am a 17 y/o goalkeeper and 175 cm tall which is very short for a goalkeeper. I didn't start playing football till 10, no family influence and yeah I am at a genetic disadvantage because of my height. I am at a disadvantage at every point you talked about 😂

[@masteryblueprint_]

10 is a fine age for goalkeeper since few motor skills need to be mastered. Fast twitch muscle fibers (explosiveness) is very important though

[@shreedesai4684]

@@masteryblueprint_ one of my coaches said almost the same thing. That your explosiveness should be better than any tall gk. Do you think this height is enough to reach the top though?

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@shreedesai4684 There are goalies have made it to professional level at that height and shorter. So it has been shown to be possible. It is going to be way more difficult, absolutely. Impossible? No.

[@shreedesai4684]

@@masteryblueprint_ professional level doesn't cut it for me, I meant the highest level

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@shreedesai4684 I don't know. If you want I could make a video - "What is the Ideal Body to Become an Elite Goalie" I don't have an answer right now, but I could add this to the list of topics if you want. That being said, using basic reasoning, it seems like a goalie who is taller and has longer arms and other anatomical dimensions would have an advantage since they cover more of the net.

[@ryant5979]

The truth is its both hardwork and genetics! Everybody can get good or certainly improve! The person who puts in hardwork and has the genetics will always beat the person who works hard and doesnt have the genetics! Bodybuilding is a definite example in this! We dont really know where are talents are unless we put in the hardwork and see if we have the genetics for it! Now if u just wanna do it for fun or dont wish to compete at the highest level genetics dont really matter! If you wanna become the best and compete at the highest level yes genetics absolutely matter! Hardwork, positive mindset, and realistic expectations thats how i look at it! We re all gifted in something!

[@ridorock6]

Wow. Great video! Do you think that there is a specific gene that we’ll find one day to be the one that’s most indicative of success in any individual sport? For example, abundance of gene 543B is found to be the best indicator of success in middle distance running.

[@hawleygriffin1800]

World class athletes are borne THEN made. If you don't have innate ability, the top level coaches are not going to waste their time on you. "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." I ran 400 and 1600 relay in school. I was an extremely dedicated grinder and was a steady 52 second 400 runner. Our team's best runner almost never showed up for practice. Had been arrested multiple times for marijuana. Had been kicked off the team multiple times for infractions At the end of my senior year he won conference running 48.10 He also won the 100 at conference running a 10.3 Everything came so easy to him in high school that he didn't need to try, and put zero effort into it. World class athletes are born with this guy's natural ability but also have a work ethic to develop it. You need both. I had the work ethic, but didn't have the genetic gifts. Jake had all the gifts but zero work ethic.

[@AlamedanBreezyRep]

So legit. I played soccer so much and got pretty good but I just never had the it factor that the properly good players had. There were things I could do that were as good as them but they just had the combination of attributes to stand out. It was actually a bit demoralising because football was everything to me and all I wanted to be was a standout player even in a local environment. Never got there. I was good though. Like you at track. 52 is phenom for most people but you're not comparing yourself to most people

[@viktorwiid912]

Genetics do play a role. we humans have a gene called ACTN3 which codes for protein alpha-actinin-3. Its the protein that are found in the fast twitching muscles (type II). around 8% of people have the "bad" variant of the ACTN3 which stops the production of the protein. It can lead to more muscle damage and slower recovery.

[@Jackiscool471]

Love your videos

[@gomez3357]

So how can I improve temperament focus and enjoyment?

[@masteryblueprint_]

Sure, but I don't think that's a good use of time. The goal should be to focus on optimizing for the training you do. Temperament, focus and enjoyment are simply a precursor to more training as a child. If you are disciplined enough, maybe you just focus on creating elite bulletproof habits to optimize your training instead of having to rely on focus, temperament and enjoyment.

[@masteryblueprint_]

But to answer your question - mindfulness meditation. Priority if your time should be on building elite training habits. Meditate when you are recovering from training if you have time

[@masteryblueprint_]

I had to re-upload this due to some issues with the audio. I know there were a few comments here that I had not yet responded to. Feel free to comment again and I will respond to all. Thanks! Like and subscribe to support the channel.

[@judahjayson684]

Sorry for asking, but I think soccer needs more talent than basketball. Because in soccer you need the technical ability of a chess player, the endurance of marathon runner and the acceleration of sprinter while basketball you need only the height.

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@judahjayson684 Height can't be trained. Technical skills, endurance and speed can be trained.

[@judahjayson684]

@@masteryblueprint_ I will ask you a hard question , who do you think has more talent in their respective sport Messi or LeBron James.

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@judahjayson684 Good question, have to think hard about this

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@judahjayson684 I think Messi is more talented. Why? Given that around 35% of the world population is around 5 foot 7 (perhaps the ideal height for agility) and around 1% of the population has autism, and even lower percentage has functional autism (high performing). I believe that combination is more rare than being the height of Lebron James. It is still easier for the average person to make it to the professional in soccer than basketball though.

[@LeroyAvila-nj8ll]

I have a autosomal recessive Myotonia, meaning both of my parents had to have the same faulty chromosome and they do have the both of them, that is super rare and about 25 years ago I had my blood sent somewhere to the east coast by Boston Massachusetts that showed the proof but what was not understanding to me was my Dad had an athletic elite variant! Through me off my Dad and 5 brothers were all great at performing at track meets.know one else in my family have myotonia, and there are three myotonia muscle diseases and the fainting goats 🐐 have a recessive or dominant myotonia!

[@tylerjohnson4]

I don't think sports that "require more cognitive skills" are any less genetic dependant than ones like track/swimming. Cognitive function is genetic too, imagine someone with 80 IQ trying to beat Magnus Carlsen in chess, it's just like someone with almost all slow twitch fibers racing Usain Bolt. Cognitive intelligence can be a gift you can use to your advantage, but it's just like being blessed with good physical genetics for a sport.

[@masteryblueprint_]

Cognitive skills are more malleable than physical skills. The best chess players in the world often have slightly lower IQ than slightly lower ranked players. Read deliberate practice by Anders Ericsson

[@nineballjunky]

@masteryblueprint I agree with tylerjohnson on this one. His point was that even with cognitive skills there must be a standard deviation curve. Cognitive skills are malleable, but still EVERYONE has a maximum potential. Including someone like Magnus Carlsen.

[@masteryblueprint_]

@@nineballjunky Cognitive malleability is not the limiting factor for individuals trying to reach a higher level.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

Great comments! There's certain intangible skills that are hard to identify, isolate, and train. Take Tom Brady for example. He is not physically athletic. He's can't run. Can't jump. Does not have great agility. But what he does have is the ability to quickly scan, read the field, and efficiently process the information he sees, and make good decisions in mere seconds. You have many other quarterback who are much more athletic than Brady, but they just cannot make their reads as quickly as he can.

[@flyingknee23]

Yes in combat sports, skills matter 1000% more. Demetrius Johnson, Saenchai for EX.

[@Axqeus]

in combat sports you can improve yourself much easier

[@outieeee]

DJ is a super athlete it doesn’t matter that he’s small because he fights people in the same weight class as himself

[@Only1Kizz]

Genetics play a little role in combat sports. Some people have a longer reach, some people punch harder and are faster, and some guys have crazy cardio and can take a punch better, those from what I believe are genetic.

[@Mk.Stackss]

Heavyweights are not skilled

[@ultimatetutorials197]

Saenchai is a genius with high ring IQ

[@ThomasZheng-jw6dx]

They were born with the potential they had to work to reach it

[@surferxblood]

Hard work…and genes. But hard work over everything. And absolutely guidance & support system.

[@user-sg8kq7ii3y]

Genetics is more important than hard work

[@bigmal921]

They were born. God gifted them with those abilities to be athletic when they were born

[@BlackKingEnt]

Jordan, Hakeem the Dream, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, and tons of others didn't train until they were teenagers. Several NBA players like Fred Vanfleet are short and slow. Might want to revisit the topic. Most pro athletes I know (basketball and football) didn't take it serious until high school. Yes they are over 6 foot but not over 6'6".

[@pachoparra7189]

I got it 😅