What seems
to be emerging more and more for me as I gain experience coaching and I watch
and evaluate training everywhere I go is that so much of what is done is “mindless.”
It is just work, the athletes seem to just go through the motions, they are not
engaged. I really think that is why a balanced approach to training that
created athletes that are adaptable is the way to go. If I just sprint or I
just spend time in the weight room then I will become adapted to those environments
and fully adaptable to the demands of the competition that I am preparing them for.
Folks we need to challenge the athletes mentally and physically to get better.
You can’t just do workouts, you must be in the workout to give yourself a
chance to achieve excellence.
3 Comments
Will Kirousis
I think mindlessness is a function of society today.
When I was a kid (I’m only in my mid thirties so that is not long ago) writting a letter was not abnormal. You wrote, mailed, waited, got a response etc. Now you email, v-mail, blackberry folks to death with no, zero, recognition that they may actually be performing other tasks and not able to respond instantly. Part of the result is hyper speed – say nothing – responses.
Articles and presentations are similar. soundbites and a lot of nothing lead the way.
I think this mentality slides over into athletic development. Folks think why cant that happen NOW or why cant we do everything NOW. Coaches fall into the trap and get folks working to ensure they “feel” they are getting something. It is really hard to explain to an athlete why they need to be patient. Why the little things matter. Why being aware and not ipod numb during a workout is important. Real hard.
That is not saying you skip it or avoid it. If your in this field you should clamp down with yourself and work to teach mindful practice to athletes and work to develop that same trait in yourself.
My long winded “point” here is that being mindful takes extra energy. When folks are spread super thin and pulled a million directions as they are today “just doing it” seems to be enough. It allows you to cross the line and say I did that.
Which is great.
But it is very different from thinking “I just did the best I could have done today and really gained something from it”.
Its hard to get out of check list thinking and into systems thinking Vern. We all need to work hard to do it and find a way to make it our path and the path we help others learn.
Simon
Vern,
I check in from time to time, enjoy the outlook and comments on training. Caught the article you were featured in a while back in Outside Magazine, excellent read! I can attest to the “mindless” workouts, regardless of what my coach has prescribed sometimes it is just going through the motions. It is only when I push myself to the end and beyond while being present, fully in the moment, do I feel I have reached what I am in search of from my workouts. Just recently I have begin to look at developing my “form” from a completely different perspective, setting goals that not only push my fitness but my mental strength as well.
I have been looking at the movements of cyclocross to design/develop some functional training exercises. After an entire season on the road the legs and the rest of the body are stagnant. Cyclocross is the most demanding full-body workout out of all the disciplines of cycling. Not only are bike handling skills, power and endurance a necessity so is your upper body conditioning and full-body agility needed for an hour going all out of cycling on dirt/pavement/sand/grass/mud, sprinting, steps, and other obstacles. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. To get a flavor of the craziest sport on a bike: http://ccx.nathanspear.com/
St patrick
There is a constant struggle to keep the training fresh, especially with younger athletes ( under 16), that age group is being ruined by our pop idol culture, of tv fame, and no thought behind the training.