I know everybody thinks they do sensible training. What do I
mean by 'sensible training'?
-
Does your current or planned training, have
reasoning and well thought-out planning behind it? Also, is the training
reinforcing correct and efficient movement patterns? Are you training your body
to be economical?
Can you answer yes to all these questions? Really and
honestly?
Let me break this down a little more, with some examples: I
will be using swimming examples because these are the often right in front of
me and so many people are in a small area. I have been working as the Swim Trainer
for Tri Team Hochrhein for a year now. All the swimmers who come regularly have
got better. I work on both technique and endurance. When I go to swimming pools
I often see groups and individuals swimming. Due to working as an instructor I
can’t help myself looking at the way people swim and thinking of where they
could improve. So often I see athletes do the strangest stuff in the water! One
time I saw this group bashing up and down the pool, training really hard! I
mean really hard - they swam with motivation and determination, and getting it
all wrong. They were doing drills and other sets, the hand paddles were on and
off. Yet one thing became clear to me very quickly was that they didn't understand
or know why they were doing it at all, and it was just stuff in the plan they
had to do. After a while I couldn’t take any more! I had to ask why they were doing a crazy
looking drill, the answer was “this is what I was told to do”. Ok, so you were
told why you should do it? “No…. We just do it”. I didn’t have a follow up
question, I was little lost for words.
And herein lies the problem with so many sports. People have
lost the understanding of why they do something. I have seen so many athletes
(And I am the same), get into little habits that creep in and can affect the
quality of your training and therefore performance. When I was bike racing I
spent the early part of the season not only busting my arse training hard, I
also always spent time working on my pedalling technique to make sure I set up
the right muscle action right at the start of the year. Now when I get on my
bike after years of not doing much my pedal action, it's a long way from where
it was, yet it is still ok.
This needs to be done with all sports. There are so many
people out there willing to teach (yes, not all instructors or trainers are
equal) so try and get some help. I look at swimmers so much at the moment and while,
at the beginning of the new season, everyone wants to swim fast this is the time
to focus on technique. Get technique better and it will pay off in the long
run!
Regards
Cameron
