Interesting blog title, eh? Well, I was talking with a Team EMC athlete today at functional strength and conditioning practice and got to thinking which sparked a blog idea. This triathlete is also a firefighter and I have had the pleasure of assisting him with his nutrition plan leading up to his half Ironman earlier this month. Of course, as I always do, I addressed his daily nutrition first before his training nutrition.
As I am sure you can guess, I implemented a metabolic efficiency nutrition plan that was periodized to support his energy expenditure from training needs. With his feedback, we eliminated all grains and increased fruits and vegetables as well as his fats. Many athletes are asking about how to implement a high fat diet but in all reality, what forward thinking sport dietitians are doing now is approaching athletes from a nutrition periodization perspective and controlling carbohydrates to support training and health needs. So, where he was at in his training cycle at the time of our first nutrition meeting, it made sense to lower his carbohydrates and increase his fat intake to support his goals.
What happened? Well, it worked. Plain and simple. He shed body fat, became leaner, had more energy, was able to sustain better energy levels throughout the day and had a positive impact on his family also. Oh yeah, and he smashed his half-Ironman time! His wife and kids also adopted some of the principles of metabolic efficiency with similar effects (most notably increased energy levels and better moods).
The point of this blog is not to share his success story (although it is fantastic!). The point is to look beyond the athlete where implementing metabolic efficiency nutrition plans could have even more benefit. Where? In you, your parents, kids, neighbors. Whomever. But specifically what made me think a bit more about this topic was the fact that this triathlete is a firefighter in Colorado. We have a very active fire season coming up that is often characterized by these guys and girls being deployed in mountainous areas with little resources and working around the clock to keep the public safe. They are on the line in shifts and often cannot fuel themselves as adequately as say, athletes, can during a training session or race. Very similar examples can be found in police officers and our military.
So, I pose the question..."is metabolic efficiency training really just a fad that is used in endurance athletes?". I think not. In fact, I know not. This triathlete/firefighter told me that he has begun teaching the firefighters at his station how to become more metabolically efficient and they are having great success so far as measured by body composition changes and energy levels. These are the guys and girls who protect us and in the case of our military, provide us the freedom that we enjoy.
Perhaps we should begin looking outside the box a bit more and utilizing the concept of metabolic efficiency with those individuals and groups who are required to be more efficient with their nutrition plans.
Just a thought to ponder...
Coach Bob
Email
Website
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Racing Weight?
There has been quite a bit of talk in the endurance athlete and coach arena regarding racing weight and I have been experimenting with this during my higher fat, controlled carbohydrate nutrition experiment. First off, I think it is important for me to explain a few things before getting too much into the body of this blog.
Point 1: There is no such thing as an "optimal" weight. As a Sport Dietitian, I work with athletes to find that weight that supports good health, a strong immune system, quality and uninterrupted sleep patterns and for females, regular menstruation. As athletes, do we sometimes give and take a little in these categories? Of course! But that is the important part of experimenting with your individual body to see what is right for it. Do not compare yourself to others from a quantitative (scale number) or qualitative (aesthetics) point of view. What is important is the point at which your body weight and body composition supports optimal health and performance (read: the combination of both is utterly important). Now, I have seen many athletes get too low in their body weight and while they may run well, they start to get sick more often or they cannot recover as fast. There is no secret equation that professionals use to determine if your weight should be different during race season versus the preparatory or pre-competition training cycles. This is a journey that you must explore on your own and I recommend keeping good quantitative and qualitative data to help you in this process.
Point 2: If you are a triathlete, too low of body weight and fat (while it may be aesthetically pleasing), may actually compromise performance. You should not measure your racing weight (if there is such a thing for your particular body) in terms of the number on the scale. Rather, you should look at your quantitative performances for the swim, bike and run. You can use your 100 yard/meter time or a field test such as a 3x300 time trial set for the swim. The run can be a threshold test done in the field or in a performance center to measure velocity and lactate levels and having a power meter on the bike for field testing in or out of a lab is crucial to determine threshold power movements. It is these data that will help you quantify if and where your body weight and composition should be for optimal performance.
Point 3: If you aren't healthy, you cannot perform. Far too many athletes try to get their body weight or fat levels so low that they compromise health and get sick. If you are sick, you can't train. If you can't train, you can't race. If you can't race, you don't have a season and thus you cannot really be an athlete. Take care of your body and think of improving and supporting good health first.
Back to Coach Bob. As I have been navigating this higher fat with controlled carbohydrate nutrition plan with higher intensity short course triathlon training, I have been playing with my body weight and composition as an experiment. Interesting what I have found. I noticed that I initially lost about 8 pounds on this nutrition plan and while I was pretty lean, I also noticed that I was not swimming well and had a hard time generating power on the bike. My run was great but as a triathlete, that is only 1/3 of the game.
So, I started shifting my body weight and fat a bit while measuring my performances (quantitatively as noted above). What I found was that my body was not efficient in generating power in the swim or bike when my body weight was too low. I have noted that, at this point in my training (very important to consider due to nutrition periodization), that my quantitative performances and recoveries are enhanced when my body weight is only about 4 pounds lower than my "normal" (meaning when I was not eating higher fat and controlling my carbohydrates) body weight.
Interesting data so far and even more fascinating since I am soon entering my triathlon race season. As I continue to dial this in and experiment with my swim, bike and run numbers, I will report back my findings in hopes that you too can learn more about your body and at what physiological markers it is most efficient.
Until next time...
Coach Bob
Email
Website
Point 1: There is no such thing as an "optimal" weight. As a Sport Dietitian, I work with athletes to find that weight that supports good health, a strong immune system, quality and uninterrupted sleep patterns and for females, regular menstruation. As athletes, do we sometimes give and take a little in these categories? Of course! But that is the important part of experimenting with your individual body to see what is right for it. Do not compare yourself to others from a quantitative (scale number) or qualitative (aesthetics) point of view. What is important is the point at which your body weight and body composition supports optimal health and performance (read: the combination of both is utterly important). Now, I have seen many athletes get too low in their body weight and while they may run well, they start to get sick more often or they cannot recover as fast. There is no secret equation that professionals use to determine if your weight should be different during race season versus the preparatory or pre-competition training cycles. This is a journey that you must explore on your own and I recommend keeping good quantitative and qualitative data to help you in this process.
Point 2: If you are a triathlete, too low of body weight and fat (while it may be aesthetically pleasing), may actually compromise performance. You should not measure your racing weight (if there is such a thing for your particular body) in terms of the number on the scale. Rather, you should look at your quantitative performances for the swim, bike and run. You can use your 100 yard/meter time or a field test such as a 3x300 time trial set for the swim. The run can be a threshold test done in the field or in a performance center to measure velocity and lactate levels and having a power meter on the bike for field testing in or out of a lab is crucial to determine threshold power movements. It is these data that will help you quantify if and where your body weight and composition should be for optimal performance.
Point 3: If you aren't healthy, you cannot perform. Far too many athletes try to get their body weight or fat levels so low that they compromise health and get sick. If you are sick, you can't train. If you can't train, you can't race. If you can't race, you don't have a season and thus you cannot really be an athlete. Take care of your body and think of improving and supporting good health first.
Back to Coach Bob. As I have been navigating this higher fat with controlled carbohydrate nutrition plan with higher intensity short course triathlon training, I have been playing with my body weight and composition as an experiment. Interesting what I have found. I noticed that I initially lost about 8 pounds on this nutrition plan and while I was pretty lean, I also noticed that I was not swimming well and had a hard time generating power on the bike. My run was great but as a triathlete, that is only 1/3 of the game.
So, I started shifting my body weight and fat a bit while measuring my performances (quantitatively as noted above). What I found was that my body was not efficient in generating power in the swim or bike when my body weight was too low. I have noted that, at this point in my training (very important to consider due to nutrition periodization), that my quantitative performances and recoveries are enhanced when my body weight is only about 4 pounds lower than my "normal" (meaning when I was not eating higher fat and controlling my carbohydrates) body weight.
Interesting data so far and even more fascinating since I am soon entering my triathlon race season. As I continue to dial this in and experiment with my swim, bike and run numbers, I will report back my findings in hopes that you too can learn more about your body and at what physiological markers it is most efficient.
Until next time...
Coach Bob
Website
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Intensity
Hello world. It's been a while. I apologize for the long lag time in between posts but I have been doing a bit of "body inventory" as I have been ramping up my short course triathlon training. If you recall from my posts in late 2012, I began implementing a controlled carbohydrate nutrition plan where my daily carbohydrate intake ranged from 60-80 grams per day. I saw tremendous results in metabolic efficiency, body composition and blood work. The holidays went by along with the new year and I go the flu. My exercise program did not exist and I had a rough go about with my nutrition plan. Sometimes I ate, sometimes I had no hunger response or urge to eat anything. That went on for 5 weeks so definitely a bit of a set back.
I have spent the last month really trying to rebound from the after effects of the flu and while it is almost out of my system, I still notice a bit of burning in the chest as my intensity goes above my threshold for a sustained period of time. It was also pretty cold in Colorado and I attribute the cold response to part of my chest burning response. Luckily, I have turned the corner and am about 90% now and have been introducing some very good intensity.
Of course, you are wondering about my nutrition...when coming off of the flu, I tried to get food in my stomach and the higher fat foods were not appealing to me for a few weeks. I didn't not go crazy with carbohydrates but I included more frequent breads and trail mix to my daily plan. While I did not meticulously log my daily nutrition, I estimated my daily carbohydrate intake between 120-160 grams per day on most day. Thankfully, I put an abrupt halt to this higher carbohydrate intake but not before having blood work done. I was curious what adding roughly double the amount of carbohydrates to my daily nutrition plan would do to my blood lipids. I had a much more comprehensive blood analysis done, one that looked at the particle size of my LDL and HDL, among other things.
Here's a quick snapshot of my bloodwork changes when I added more carbs into the plan:
I have spent the last month really trying to rebound from the after effects of the flu and while it is almost out of my system, I still notice a bit of burning in the chest as my intensity goes above my threshold for a sustained period of time. It was also pretty cold in Colorado and I attribute the cold response to part of my chest burning response. Luckily, I have turned the corner and am about 90% now and have been introducing some very good intensity.
Of course, you are wondering about my nutrition...when coming off of the flu, I tried to get food in my stomach and the higher fat foods were not appealing to me for a few weeks. I didn't not go crazy with carbohydrates but I included more frequent breads and trail mix to my daily plan. While I did not meticulously log my daily nutrition, I estimated my daily carbohydrate intake between 120-160 grams per day on most day. Thankfully, I put an abrupt halt to this higher carbohydrate intake but not before having blood work done. I was curious what adding roughly double the amount of carbohydrates to my daily nutrition plan would do to my blood lipids. I had a much more comprehensive blood analysis done, one that looked at the particle size of my LDL and HDL, among other things.
Here's a quick snapshot of my bloodwork changes when I added more carbs into the plan:
- My total cholesterol went up
- My LDL went up
- My HDL stayed the same
- My triglycerides went up
- While I have never had my particle size assessed before, my HDL particle size is fine but my LDL particle size is high in the small dense particles (promoting a higher risk for heart disease)
- Aside from blood lipids, my testosterone was fine, cortisol and DHEA normal, iron level good but my vitamin D levels were extremely low (low for athletes)
Taken altogether, this indicates that my body responded poorly from a blood lipid standpoint with adding more carbohydrates into my daily nutrition plan. Coincidence? I think not.
Guess what I am back doing again? And yes, in the heat of high intensity training for sprint and Olympic distance triathlon training. My fitness is improving and in my next blog, I will discuss my dietary nutrient timing strategies and thoughts regarding following a controlled carbohydrate nutrition plan for high intensity endurance training.
Stay tuned! It's just getting good.
Coach Bob
Monday, March 25, 2013
Prehab not rehab
I coach a limited amount of athletes so I can provide a high quality coaching experience to each one. With this comes methodical athlete monitoring of each to ensure that my training plans are working in their physiological adaptation process. As you read in my last post, balancing stress with recovery is very important but another aspect that is often overlooked in the athlete equation is allotting time for prehab.
Prehab, or better known as pre-habilitation, introduces an opportunity for athletes to reduce the risk of injuries by introducing specific movement pattern exercises that improve muscular balance and typically introducing the concept of myofascial release. I would be willing to bet that one of the reasons that contributes to injury in endurance athletes is the lack of planned prehab exercises. These exercises are usually not deleted on purpose from the training plan (like, say, strength training is) but are simply not included due to a lack of knowledge pertaining to the efficacy and the "how's" and "when's" of implementation.
There are many ways to fit in prehab exercises but what I have found works best for most time crunched endurance athletes is scheduling 5 minutes upon waking each morning and using something like a foam roller (I'm a big fan of the TP Therapy Grid) to do a few exercises to improve tissue tolerance and implement myofascial release. The latter will help break up muscle adhesions and scar tissue that is common among endurance athletes along with improving blood flow.
Take 5 minutes each morning and roll the following areas, each for about 5-10 seconds and repeat throughout the 5 minutes (if you have more time, even better!):
Prehab, or better known as pre-habilitation, introduces an opportunity for athletes to reduce the risk of injuries by introducing specific movement pattern exercises that improve muscular balance and typically introducing the concept of myofascial release. I would be willing to bet that one of the reasons that contributes to injury in endurance athletes is the lack of planned prehab exercises. These exercises are usually not deleted on purpose from the training plan (like, say, strength training is) but are simply not included due to a lack of knowledge pertaining to the efficacy and the "how's" and "when's" of implementation.
There are many ways to fit in prehab exercises but what I have found works best for most time crunched endurance athletes is scheduling 5 minutes upon waking each morning and using something like a foam roller (I'm a big fan of the TP Therapy Grid) to do a few exercises to improve tissue tolerance and implement myofascial release. The latter will help break up muscle adhesions and scar tissue that is common among endurance athletes along with improving blood flow.
Take 5 minutes each morning and roll the following areas, each for about 5-10 seconds and repeat throughout the 5 minutes (if you have more time, even better!):
- Gluteals (maximus, medius and minimus)
- Hamstrings
- Calves
- Quadriceps
- IT band
- Lower and upper back
Do this once and you will feel good. Implement this on a consistent basis and you will be on your way to reducing your risk of injury!
Coach Bob
Saturday, March 9, 2013
OPT
OPT: Optimal Performance Training. It's a term I utilize when coaching athletes. Every athlete wants to achieve optimal performance but how one athlete goes about it is always different than another. What is fairly consistent though is how athlete's recover (or should recover!). My OPT term can be explained by the following equation:
Stress + Recovery = Adaptation
The stress part of the equation is relatively easy for athletes to attain through training and career, life, and social stressors. However, the recovery aspect is often misunderstood by athletes. While many believe taking a full rest day from training is recovery, it is often filled with chores and other tasks that really do not promote recovery. Unfortunately, it is fairly impossible for age-group athletes to devote a complete day to do nothing due to life demands. Thus, the importance of implementing recovery strategies, sometimes instead of complete rest days, is an important piece of the OPT equation.
Recovery opportunities are endless and include things like ice baths, massage, nutrition, hydration, compression socks and my recent favorite: sequential intermittent pneumatic compression (SIPC). I have had my eyes on similar technology for years but it wasn't until recently that I decided to take the plunge and see exactly what the benefits may be. There are a few companies who provide this type of technology through compression boots but the system of compression is different among them. The Recovery Pump system and boots are my choice of technology due to the SIPC. As I sit writing this blog, I have my Recovery Pump boots on and the four distinct compartments provide this SIPC so that compression is initiated in the feet and moves up to the upper legs, which allows for maximal venous return and improved circulation.
The recovery opportunity can be used immediately after a training session, later in the day after getting home from the day's activities or before a training session as a type of dynamic warm-up. It is very functional and requires nothing more than devoting 30-60 minutes of relaxing with the boots on while they do their job to enhance and speed recovery.
I have been putting the Recovery Pump boots (see the photo below) to the test for 2 weeks, before and after many different types of workouts including very aggressive strength and conditioning sessions that produce a great deal of delayed onset muscle soreness. What have I realized in the last 2 weeks? Well, I have not experienced any muscle soreness after using the boots and have been able to do 2-3 quality session days in a row without any compromise in performance.
No matter the recovery opportunity utilized by athletes, it is important to 1) make recovery a priority, 2) utilize recovery opportunities on a daily basis and 3) respect the recovery part of the OPT equation so the body can experience enhanced physiological adaptation.
The Recovery Pump system is a great recovery opportunity and is simple to utilize on a daily basis.
Until next time...
Coach Bob
Email
Website
Stress + Recovery = Adaptation
The stress part of the equation is relatively easy for athletes to attain through training and career, life, and social stressors. However, the recovery aspect is often misunderstood by athletes. While many believe taking a full rest day from training is recovery, it is often filled with chores and other tasks that really do not promote recovery. Unfortunately, it is fairly impossible for age-group athletes to devote a complete day to do nothing due to life demands. Thus, the importance of implementing recovery strategies, sometimes instead of complete rest days, is an important piece of the OPT equation.
Recovery opportunities are endless and include things like ice baths, massage, nutrition, hydration, compression socks and my recent favorite: sequential intermittent pneumatic compression (SIPC). I have had my eyes on similar technology for years but it wasn't until recently that I decided to take the plunge and see exactly what the benefits may be. There are a few companies who provide this type of technology through compression boots but the system of compression is different among them. The Recovery Pump system and boots are my choice of technology due to the SIPC. As I sit writing this blog, I have my Recovery Pump boots on and the four distinct compartments provide this SIPC so that compression is initiated in the feet and moves up to the upper legs, which allows for maximal venous return and improved circulation.
The recovery opportunity can be used immediately after a training session, later in the day after getting home from the day's activities or before a training session as a type of dynamic warm-up. It is very functional and requires nothing more than devoting 30-60 minutes of relaxing with the boots on while they do their job to enhance and speed recovery.
I have been putting the Recovery Pump boots (see the photo below) to the test for 2 weeks, before and after many different types of workouts including very aggressive strength and conditioning sessions that produce a great deal of delayed onset muscle soreness. What have I realized in the last 2 weeks? Well, I have not experienced any muscle soreness after using the boots and have been able to do 2-3 quality session days in a row without any compromise in performance.
No matter the recovery opportunity utilized by athletes, it is important to 1) make recovery a priority, 2) utilize recovery opportunities on a daily basis and 3) respect the recovery part of the OPT equation so the body can experience enhanced physiological adaptation.
The Recovery Pump system is a great recovery opportunity and is simple to utilize on a daily basis.
Until next time...
Coach Bob
Website
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Training vs. Coaching
A little off the nutrition path for a blog or two so excuse me but many things have been entering my mind as of late. I suspect this increase in thought process is happening due to my slowly increasing training load coming off of the flu. I always think better when I am training and thus, here you have my latest "think tank" installment. Enjoy!
Training vs. coaching. Not many people know the difference or understand it for that matter. I teach new triathlon coaches around the country about exercise physiology and athlete monitoring and the first thing I like to bring up is the question, "are you training or are you coaching?". The answer, while not right or wrong, helps new coaches set their business models and services. But I digress. I am not writing this blog for coaches. This time it is about the athletes so listen up and take note of what comes next...
Many people can be deemed a coach. There is no licensure, accreditation or even standards to become a coach. For the most part, in the US, a person can pay a registration fee for a coaching clinic (many offered throughout the US), attend either online or in-person, take an exam (usually open book) and receive their coaching certification in the mail shortly thereafter. Does this mean they are a coach? Yes. It says so on the piece of paper. Does it mean they know how to coach? In some cases, no.
Like any other profession (yes, coaching is a profession), it takes years to accumulate enough knowledge and experience to be able to properly provide coaching services to athletes. Unfortunately, athletes do not take the time often to interview potential coaches to determine if they have the skill set to assist in reaching their goals. I often tell new coaches at clinics that I cannot teach them how to coach but I can give them the tools that they can use in their journey of becoming a coach. It is up to them to continue their learning and identify mentors to learn the actual coaching process.
I hear far too often from athletes that they fired their coach because the coach wasn't communicating well with them or they couldn't explain why they were giving them certain workouts. While it is a two way street, I can honestly say that some coaches simply do not coach. They provide training plans. Training plans range from 4 to an unlimited number of weeks of set training that specifies the mode, time, intensity and goals of each workout. Some athletes require only this to be successful. However, I would argue that these athletes simply following a training plan are missing the full benefits of what coaches provide. Coaches coach, we know that. But what does coaching really mean?
Some of us grew up playing sports and if you are like me, I had some very good coaches and some that I have done my best to forget. The more positive coaching influences I had growing up were due to the communication strategies the coach used with me. Some of my coaches simply didn't care. "Go out on the field and play." While others helped me understand the game, the tactics the "why" behind what I was doing so I could be a better athlete, person and role model for my younger teammates. It is these type of individuals that we must surround ourselves with as athletes.
Providing training plans, which some coaches do, offer just that: a plan. What is missing is the communication, the monitoring piece of the puzzle. Monitoring training is the most important thing a coach can do for an athlete. A coach is the objective person who looks at the data gathered from training sessions and puts them under the microscope. He or she continually strives to be better by always asking questions. "How can I help my athlete adapt better to make them faster, stronger and attain their goals?". "How can I do my job better through asking the right questions when I interact with my athlete?".
Athlete monitoring, whether subjective when a coach asks you how you are doing or objective, when they study your times, zones, power or running velocity data, biomechanics, nutrition, psychological preparedness and life balance, are the key ideals that make a coach a coach and separate them from those who simply provide training plans.
I do believe coaches who provide training plans without much communication or athlete monitoring are doing a positive service to the athlete. However, athletes, please remember that this is not coaching and you get what you pay for.
This is my 20th year in this industry. When I first started coaching, my going monthly rate was $75/month. While many things have changed in 20 years, one thing still puzzles me. Why is it that I am seeing these similar rates from coaches 20 years later? The answer is simple. These coaches are either 1) funding their hobby and are not putting much time or effort into their athletes, or 2) providing training plans only with no athlete monitoring. Athletes: please remember that when you are hiring a coach, you are receiving their knowledge, experience and more importantly, their ability to help you objectively monitor yourself in order to achieve positive physiological adaptation while reducing the risk of injury and overtraining. Coaches: please remember that coaching is a profession and before setting your business structure, ask yourself if you want to train or coach athletes. When you do not respect the profession and the financial commitment necessary to do the job well, it devalues the services all of your colleagues provide.
In the end, most athletes find their way to the coaches whom will suit them and their goals the best. However, athletes can certainly shorten their learning curve by first seeking the right qualities in the coach that will work best for them.
And with that, I will now get off my soapbox...
Be on the lookout for my next blog which will be about recovery (a very important piece of the athlete monitoring puzzle)!
Coach Bob
Email
Website
Training vs. coaching. Not many people know the difference or understand it for that matter. I teach new triathlon coaches around the country about exercise physiology and athlete monitoring and the first thing I like to bring up is the question, "are you training or are you coaching?". The answer, while not right or wrong, helps new coaches set their business models and services. But I digress. I am not writing this blog for coaches. This time it is about the athletes so listen up and take note of what comes next...
Many people can be deemed a coach. There is no licensure, accreditation or even standards to become a coach. For the most part, in the US, a person can pay a registration fee for a coaching clinic (many offered throughout the US), attend either online or in-person, take an exam (usually open book) and receive their coaching certification in the mail shortly thereafter. Does this mean they are a coach? Yes. It says so on the piece of paper. Does it mean they know how to coach? In some cases, no.
Like any other profession (yes, coaching is a profession), it takes years to accumulate enough knowledge and experience to be able to properly provide coaching services to athletes. Unfortunately, athletes do not take the time often to interview potential coaches to determine if they have the skill set to assist in reaching their goals. I often tell new coaches at clinics that I cannot teach them how to coach but I can give them the tools that they can use in their journey of becoming a coach. It is up to them to continue their learning and identify mentors to learn the actual coaching process.
I hear far too often from athletes that they fired their coach because the coach wasn't communicating well with them or they couldn't explain why they were giving them certain workouts. While it is a two way street, I can honestly say that some coaches simply do not coach. They provide training plans. Training plans range from 4 to an unlimited number of weeks of set training that specifies the mode, time, intensity and goals of each workout. Some athletes require only this to be successful. However, I would argue that these athletes simply following a training plan are missing the full benefits of what coaches provide. Coaches coach, we know that. But what does coaching really mean?
Some of us grew up playing sports and if you are like me, I had some very good coaches and some that I have done my best to forget. The more positive coaching influences I had growing up were due to the communication strategies the coach used with me. Some of my coaches simply didn't care. "Go out on the field and play." While others helped me understand the game, the tactics the "why" behind what I was doing so I could be a better athlete, person and role model for my younger teammates. It is these type of individuals that we must surround ourselves with as athletes.
Providing training plans, which some coaches do, offer just that: a plan. What is missing is the communication, the monitoring piece of the puzzle. Monitoring training is the most important thing a coach can do for an athlete. A coach is the objective person who looks at the data gathered from training sessions and puts them under the microscope. He or she continually strives to be better by always asking questions. "How can I help my athlete adapt better to make them faster, stronger and attain their goals?". "How can I do my job better through asking the right questions when I interact with my athlete?".
Athlete monitoring, whether subjective when a coach asks you how you are doing or objective, when they study your times, zones, power or running velocity data, biomechanics, nutrition, psychological preparedness and life balance, are the key ideals that make a coach a coach and separate them from those who simply provide training plans.
I do believe coaches who provide training plans without much communication or athlete monitoring are doing a positive service to the athlete. However, athletes, please remember that this is not coaching and you get what you pay for.
This is my 20th year in this industry. When I first started coaching, my going monthly rate was $75/month. While many things have changed in 20 years, one thing still puzzles me. Why is it that I am seeing these similar rates from coaches 20 years later? The answer is simple. These coaches are either 1) funding their hobby and are not putting much time or effort into their athletes, or 2) providing training plans only with no athlete monitoring. Athletes: please remember that when you are hiring a coach, you are receiving their knowledge, experience and more importantly, their ability to help you objectively monitor yourself in order to achieve positive physiological adaptation while reducing the risk of injury and overtraining. Coaches: please remember that coaching is a profession and before setting your business structure, ask yourself if you want to train or coach athletes. When you do not respect the profession and the financial commitment necessary to do the job well, it devalues the services all of your colleagues provide.
In the end, most athletes find their way to the coaches whom will suit them and their goals the best. However, athletes can certainly shorten their learning curve by first seeking the right qualities in the coach that will work best for them.
And with that, I will now get off my soapbox...
Be on the lookout for my next blog which will be about recovery (a very important piece of the athlete monitoring puzzle)!
Coach Bob
Website
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Intentions....
After coming back from Brazil, I had the best intentions of doing another Metabolic Efficiency Assessment to note any changes in my metabolic efficiency immediately after pacing my athlete during the Brazil 135 ultra-run. I was also scheduling my comprehensive blood work analysis to get a more clear picture of my blood lipid and stress profile. However, a minor setback (aka-The Flu) had other plans for me.
I have been down and out for 9 days. Seven of these days were absolutely miserable and sidelined me from even leaving the house. I had to clear my entire work schedule. Training was out of the question and even more alarming to a person who loves cooking and experimenting in the kitchen: I lost all taste senses! Noooooo. The horror!
Anyway, it is day 10 and I am going to attempt my first training session tomorrow morning at the Team EMC swim practice led by Coach Susan Williams. I, of course, will be adapting my workout quite a bit and will swim down a lane in order to keep my efforts aerobic and ease my way back into health.
From a nutrition perspective, I completely lost my appetite the first three days and slowly regained it back. I tried to stay on my controlled carbohydrate experiment as much as possible but to be honest, higher fat foods did not sound good at all. I enjoyed a few nutritional speedbumps through this illness as I listened to what my body wanted. Mostly, it called for soups, crackers (almond crisps) and fruit. Very strange but I fed my body what it wanted. I am happy to report that I am back 100% to my controlled carbohydrate experiment now.
As I add in my training, very slowly, I am eager to note how my body bounces back from this illness of which I have not had since I was a kid. Stay tuned...high intensity triathlon and plyometric training is coming!
Coach Bob
Email
Website
I have been down and out for 9 days. Seven of these days were absolutely miserable and sidelined me from even leaving the house. I had to clear my entire work schedule. Training was out of the question and even more alarming to a person who loves cooking and experimenting in the kitchen: I lost all taste senses! Noooooo. The horror!
Anyway, it is day 10 and I am going to attempt my first training session tomorrow morning at the Team EMC swim practice led by Coach Susan Williams. I, of course, will be adapting my workout quite a bit and will swim down a lane in order to keep my efforts aerobic and ease my way back into health.
From a nutrition perspective, I completely lost my appetite the first three days and slowly regained it back. I tried to stay on my controlled carbohydrate experiment as much as possible but to be honest, higher fat foods did not sound good at all. I enjoyed a few nutritional speedbumps through this illness as I listened to what my body wanted. Mostly, it called for soups, crackers (almond crisps) and fruit. Very strange but I fed my body what it wanted. I am happy to report that I am back 100% to my controlled carbohydrate experiment now.
As I add in my training, very slowly, I am eager to note how my body bounces back from this illness of which I have not had since I was a kid. Stay tuned...high intensity triathlon and plyometric training is coming!
Coach Bob
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