A key element in determining and defining the process of improving physical performance is to understand the six abilities, what they are and what they mean in a bigger picture of an athlete’s career. Clear your mind of preconceived notions here before you go on. All six abilities are closely related. The generational athlete will rate high in all six qualities. The normal athlete will be stronger in some and weaker in others. Eventually we want to design a physical development program that Laurent Meuwly (coach of Femke Bol) said achieves the task of “Strengthening weaknesses without weakening strengths”. This is an ongoing challenge as the athlete progresses through their career. It is all dependent on the understanding of the six abilities as an evaluative tool to guide and direct training.
The process begins by clearly defining the six abilities that make up athletic performance:
Trainability –The ability to do the appropriate training necessary to prepare for the demands of the sport and the position or event
Adaptability – The ability to apply the work done in physical preparation to meet the physical and technical demands of the sport
Recoverability – The ability to recovery from the work to maintain a level of consistency in training and competition
Durability – The ability to bounce back and perform as needed over an extended period of time.
Availability – The ability to perform in competition. The outcome of previous factors.
Coachability – The ability to be fully engaged, accept and internalize coaching.
This results in a profile of the athlete’s abilities. This is a starting point that begins to direct the process for an individual athlete.