I write this latest instalment in between keeping an eye on the action on the first day of the world athletics champs in Doha. I have fond memories of attending the event in London two years ago as part of the New Zealand team. This time around I will be following the performances of a mixed contingent of kiwis, Brits, Canadians, and a couple of Americans who are coached by friends in the sport. Certainly less spectators in the crowd, but it does look a little warmer there than I recall it being in London…

This week’s offering centres on strength training, which is part of the provision for most of the Prepared ATH clientele.

ON STRENGTH TRAINING…

Strength training is an integral part of the support provided to athletes in each of the respective streams (Develop | Prepare | Return).

Whilst many athletes are referred to me seeking to work on their movement mechanics, strength training is an integral part of this process. Strength training is likewise a key modality for those who are managing injuries or trying to break the cycle of recurrent injury. Finally, strength training serves a crucial role in supporting the physical and athletic development of young athletes, and facilitating improvements in athletic performance for athletes seeking to take the next step in their level of competition.

Physical preparation can be described in terms of three ‘C’s, and strength training has a role to play in each of these outcomes. Strength training is the primary means of building capacity, both in terms of force-generating capacity of respective muscle groups, and the capacity of bone, connective tissues, and muscle to tolerate stress. Strength training also has a role to play in developing capability, which can be thought of as the ability to express the athlete’s capacities during movement, and includes aspects such as mobility. Exercises in the weights room also provide a means to create context and thereby support skill acquisition, by placing the athlete in relevant postures and developing the feel for relevant movements under load.

Practically, the process for devising the strength training programme for each individual involves first getting into whatever facility they plan to use for their training, and then coaching them through relevant exercises using the equipment that is available. Some clients have a gym in their home or at their office, whereas others are members of a club that has strength training equipment. Once we have been able to go through the relevant techniques using the available equipment I am then able to provide a strength training programme. Happily, moving forwards the three facilities I plan to partner with have all the equipment we might need, and even personnel for supervision on site, which will provide Prepared ATH clientele with great options as alternative locations for their ongoing training.

A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE WEEK THAT WAS…

This week saw the return of Sophie, the poster girl for the Develop stream, after a week long hiatus as we transitioned to a new schedule to accommodate the practice schedule for her basketball team. This week’s session began with variations on movement dexterity and plyometric drills in different directions, which included some dynamic stabilisation work (i.e. transitioning from motion to come to a halt, ‘sticking’ the landing in single leg support). In the latter part of the session we moved into some multi-direction acceleration work, adding some progressions to execute accelerations in different directions from a backpedal rolling start, to emulate the transitions that occur on court.

To give a flavour of the diversity of the Prepared ATH clientele, the selection for this week includes two of our more mature athletes.

Continuing this week’s theme, Masters triathlete Diane had an initial session at her home gym to programme her homework sessions to develop mobility and stability through hip girdle and lumbar and thoracic spine. You notice here I did not say core stability, as that term is too vague to be helpful (this will be the subject of a future rant/post). Whilst triathlon is clearly an endurance sport, once again strength training can play a crucial role in supporting performance (for instance output on the bike and running economy) and mitigating risk of injury. To some extent this week’s session was essentially the forerunner for introducing a more comprehensive strength training programme in the near future.

Finally, recreational runner Andrew continued his return to running after being troubled by soft tissue injuries over the past two years. Once again this week featured running drills and modified running patterns, which we were able to use to transition into full-blown (and discomfort-free) running. Andrew continues to work hard off the track, and just this morning I provided him with a menu of bike conditions sessions to provide some much needed variety and stimulation!

I look forward to updating again next week; I wish regular readers a great weekend, and a warm welcome new readers to the Prepared Blog.

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Readers who are local to Vancouver can also enquire to find out more about the coaching provision on offer, and how to arrange an initial assessment via the ‘Enquire’ link at the top of the page, or email us direct at PreparedATH@gmail.com.