Author: Vernon Gambetta
The Podium Set
Mr. Kuehl, my high school basketball coach used to tell us that we do the whole the whole practice to get the last the last two minutes because that was where the games would be decided. He emphasized that it was the last two minutes that we worked for, that is when we were tired and we had to execute. It was the time to find that little bit extra. This idea has had a huge influence on my thinking over the years. Today I call it the Podium Set – the last set in the weight workout, the last run of an interval workout, or the last play in a team practice. Everything in training leads to that moment. This is where the practice really counts; it is where you execute when you are physically and mentally fatigued. This is where you draw on the foundation of technique and that you have established. The Podium Set should put the exclamation on that days training. It is setting you up for the next session. It is what your body remembers – make it count! This is where you practice what it takes to stand on the podium.
More Training Do’s and Don’ts
Know your strength and weaknesses as a coach. Accentuate your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Define yourself do not let others define you Design training sessions that foster and encourage discovery. Do not create robots or athletes completely dependent on the coach. Do not try to reinvent the wheel, chances are that if you do your homework someone has done something similar before and you can build on that. Never lose sight of the fact that training is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Training is preparing to compete. In season training is essential. To train extensively in preparation and not train in-season can be worse than no training at all You are never ready, put it on the line. How else do you know where you are? Test yourself. Without risk there is no reward.
Thinking About Strength
In athlete development, with the obvious exception of the preparation of a weight lifter or a power lifter, strength training should be a means to an end. At times it will be the absolute focal point of training and at other times it will play a subservient role. It is important to be constantly aware of where it fits and how it supports and interacts with other training components. In order to see things differently it is imperative to broaden the focus and be constantly aware of the concept of the spectrum approach to strength training. The spectrum encompasses a range from very heavy and slow movements to light fast ballistic movements. As the athlete moves through the spectrum the goal is strength that the athlete can use, strength they can apply to their respective sport. It takes at least .6 of a second to generate maximum strength. Most sport performance takes place in less that .3 of a second. The main goal is to reconcile the difference. Sometimes this is very measurable in terms of pounds lifted, number of reps, etc.; at other times it will manifest itself in less tangible ways. In order to develop appropriate applicable strength requires a vigilant approach so one does not get caught up in one method. It requires a thorough understanding of the demands of the sport from strength and power perspective, the pattern of injuries and the qualities of the individual athlete.
The Big Picture
We see what we are trained to see. The message here is to learn to see with different eyes. Broaden the perspective. Work to eliminate bias. Always keep the big picture in mind. Once the big picture is lost then it is very easy to lose control of the whole process. The training then becomes a ship without a rudder. Big picture thinking demands that everything always be kept in context. Use the analogy of the symphony. All sections must be in harmony and that is the key to effective functional path training. No global motor quality can stand-alone; it must be supported by the others to achieve results. Trying to work on a component or quality in isolation will ultimately limit the ability to develop that quality to its fullest extent. All physical qualities are related and in many respects interdependent. Take full advantage of that interdependence to develop the optimum training program.
Training – The Process
Training and preparing athletes for competition is a process. It is not a framework, model and definitely not an algorithm. Each athlete is a case study of one. There is no set formula for preparing the athlete, there are principles and guidelines, but the process demands coaching, being there with the athlete or team day by day, session by session to make adjustments and refinements to keep the training on track toward the ultimate goal. The training plan is a guide that must be constantly adjusted. Training accumulates from session to session, day-to-day, week-to-week and month-to-month. Each athlete will adapt at different rates, some are fast responders and other are slow responders. The coach must guide the process with input from all members of the performance team with the most important feedback coming from the athlete. Invest in the process and the results will come.
Some Training Do’s and Don’ts
With the young developing athlete – Keep it very FUNdamental. The can do and want to do are quite different, do not be a hurry. The female athlete – Recognize the differences and coach the differences. Training is an accumulation of prior work both positively and negatively With the elite athlete – Recognize what got them to that level and build upon that. Recovery is important only if the training that has been done is stressful enough to necessitate recovery Work with purpose and direction Train fast to be fast. Use it or lose it – Law of Reversibility
Thoughts on Function
Function is meaningful movement, it is not an isolated event, and it is movement that is leading toward something not an end unto it self. Movements that are less functional are movements that repeat themselves and are isolated. For example the leg extension or leg curl repeat themselves, they are essentially an end in themselves. Contrast this to the lunge that is progressive and can lead to many variations. The body is a link system and movement involves the timing of the movement of the links of the kinetic chain. It is helpful to visualize the process as total chain training moving from toe nails to fingernails. The outcome is functional sports training which incorporates a global systems approach to training & rehabilitation. In many ways function defies a strict definition because it always must be defined in the context of the end result. We certainly can see it and feel it. Common sense will direct us to activities that are related to what we are ultimately training for. Since it is about movement it should be instinctual. Unfortunately in the search for quantification and technological advancement we have, at times, outsmarted ourselves. I look at relatively simple criteria; if I am getting too far away from the body and fundamental movement then in all probability what I am doing is not highly functional, it won’t transfer.
Factors to Consider when Developing a Plan
Here are some factors to consider when developing a comprehensive training plan. This is not rocket science, but each factor must be carefully considered and factored into the plan. Demands of the sport and the position or event The qualities of the individual athlete Pattern of Injuries relative to the event “24 Hour Athlete” Concept – What are they doing when they are not training? Gender – Female athletes must have different training programs The time frame available to execute the plan Specific goals of the training program Developmental Level Novice/Beginning Emerging/Developing Advanced Elite Current state of fitness Current level of technical development Competitive Schedule Qualifying Format Championship Format Recoverability Adaptability Fast Adapter Slow Adapter