Finding the keys to opening the door of a successful season in 2019.
The off-season months of December and January, is my chance to review and reflect on my season and that of the Athletes that consistently followed my programs.
I find it’s really a perfect time to reflect on what went well during the season and what could be improved, it’s much easier to do this without the pressure of heavy training or upcoming races.
I have been doing this for a many years with my programs and some of my athletes, and have noticed some similarities with those who tend to achieve their Goals and those who just fall short.
Advanced Preparation
As athletes we try to complete 90% of our planned training Volume and look to the key Interval sessions, as the ones we best be prepared for.
The Athletes that sit down and review their training plan a few days in advance, will know exactly what is excepted and when, and don’t lose time achieving those targets each Interval and each session.
The better prepared you become, the bigger the Adaption you will get from each session.
Focusing Time
Once it’s training time, it’s time to Focus on the process of simply training. Focusing on the process of training is a direct flow on from Advanced Preparation and the understanding of what needs to be achieved in the session. The Athletes that can flick the switch away from the everyday distraction of life and social life/ media life are the ones that gain the most consistently and achieve their Goals every year. They know their numbers for each session and they zone in on them. That focus shouldn’t just be restricted to training but being able to prioritizing your goals and your personal life will help your support crew feel included in your journey to success.
Ego is not a Training Zone
A big downfall I see in our training group and hear World wide is training above intensity in the lower Training Zones and not having the endurance to maintain intensity in the Higher Training Zones.
The key element to how these athletes complete their training is not being distracted by the training of those around them. Again it comes down to knowing their numbers and the objective of each individual session/Training Phase and once again Advanced Preparation and Focusing on the process are all the keys to success.
Athletes who show this self-restraint are the ones waiting for their Ego driven training partners at the finish line.
Good Time Management
We all know that there is only 24 hours each day, so we have to be smart about how we share it between work, family and play and if your training time isn’t your play time you might have it all wrong from the start.
The most effective athletes are those who manage training efficiently and already understand they need the keys of Advanced Preparation, Focus and checked their Ego in the car park before training.
Essentially, effective training involves maximizing your own personal time management efficiency while keeping the training load less impactful to the support crew. You don’t want to come home late after work and try to squeeze in that training or gym or swim session you missed that morning on low energy/motivation while your family wonders where you are.
A well-constructed Progressive training plan will give you the motivation and time management to fit everything into your 24 hours.
Self-awareness
Successful athletes have the ability to listen to their bodies and if it is sending them any signal. This can be as simple as fatigue levels or mood indicating they need another rest day to avoid overtraining and injury. This also ties into being able to park the ego. Taking a rest day is not a sign of weakness!
When doing your 2019 season planning, it’s worthwhile to consider how the above keys or habits could make yourself and your training more effective.