500 Words a Week - The Forgotten Training Variables

This blog post is highlighting some of the key points Dr John Kiely discusses in his recent podcast on the Just Fly Sports Performance Podcast with Joel Smith.

Much of what we are taught is that through the manipulation of certain training variables (volume and intensity), we will achieve certain outcomes or responses. That there is a direct correlation and exact relationship between what we programme and the outcomes or adaptations that are achieved. Kiely makes some wonderful points about how we must look beyond this. The forgotten training variables are coaching communication, your presence as a coach, and what an athlete believes about a certain session which will have far more impact than our precise set and reps’ scheme at x percentage. Our athlete’s beliefs are also greatly influenced by our attitude as a coach. Are we shedding a positive light on the session, or are we negative and miserable? This substantially regulates the resources that are released by brain and body to adapt to the training stimulus.

If our athletes are anyway unsure of what we have prescribed or are asking them to do, the system shuts down. Trying to produce outputs that will lead to any positive adaptation is near impossible. The body will shut down the amount of adaptative resources available to the athlete.

If we shed a positive light on the session, we communicate the intentions of the session and how this relates to the athlete, the athlete believes in the programme, the difference in adaptations is immense.

We need to be better at having conversations with the athletes we work with, so that they can see a straight line between what we are asking them to do and the goals they want to achieve. We need to foster a safe environment where the athlete trusts that we have their goals in mind, and everything we ask of them is to help them on the journey to achieving their goals. At times, we can get too caught up in our programme. We worry about impressing peers by attempting fancy programming modalities or are too worried about what others think of us that we forget all about the athlete. We forget to treat the athlete as the person they are.

Find out what your athlete believes will help them. Find out their concerns and worries. Work with them on building a programme they believe will move them forward, ensure they know you are taking their insights and thoughts onboard.

Good S&C coaching should be viewed as a partnership, not a hierarchical relationship.