So what makes an Olympic or Paralympic Champion? What makes one athlete better than the other? What allows an athlete to achieve such great success as we are seeing at present at the Olympics and Paralympics. Is it the suite, is it the mindset, is it the conditioning that has been done, has it been better planning, was one person just more hungry than another? There are so many factors that play a role and hopefully I can outline some of these! It amazes me the sporting feats that we watch! How athletes are able to push themselves and achieve great success.
Many factors play a role in performance and here is a simple list. Often we try and complicate things, make them more difficult than they are and seem. These include:
· Proper Planning
· Good Attendance to training sessions
· Ensuring optimal recovery
· Ensuring optimal Nutritional strategies
· Appropriate use of Volume of training, both large and small
· Following of a complementary strength program dependant on the requirements of the sport
So here are some tips on how to utilise the above mentioned factors:
· KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)! Don’t overcomplicate and under deliver
· 90% attendance is a minimum requirement if we want to see performance improvements!
· Punctuality to training sessions (“5 minutes early is 10 minutes late”)
· Plan & Periodisation (“Failing to Plan is planning to fail”)
· Complex is not always better
· Strength is good but ensure the focus is always first on the specific demands of that sport. Focus on building the work capacity!
o Try and follow ‘the laws’ of strength training (as outlined by Tudor Bompa – Periodization Training fro Sports)
1. Develop Joint Flexibility
2. Develop the Tendon Strength
3. Develop the stabilisers
4. Develop the Core Strength
5. Train Muscles not Movements
· Establish NON-NEGOTIABLES with your athletes. These need to be set up at the developmental ages and reiforced through the elite levels
· Follow a Pathway of development and success. Ensure that the long term development plan meets the requirements of the sport, the individual athlete, the coach (involved with the athlete) and the needs analysis.
· A well known recovery specialist from the AIS, Angela Calder, says that Work hard + Rest well = Best Performance. It is important to ensure that the supercompensation curve is followed, always looking at quality, load managed, smart training and ensuring even better recovery processes are being utilised continously.
· Choose a good Octance fuel! Make sure you are putting in quality pertrol into the tank. Always ensure optimal levels either prior to, during and after training and competition.
· Quantity vs Quality. Quantity is not always better, but makign sure you are using appropriate (sport required) volume (quantity) that never looses the quality is paramount at all times.
So hopefully I have provided some food for thought, some ideas on what is needed to make an Olympian. So keep trying and always make sure you are doing the best you can.
Steven
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