Chapter 14: Weekly planning to maximize readiness and response:
Getting the most fitness "bang" for your training "buck"!
In the previous chapter, we delved into the process of evaluating an athlete's readiness for training. We explored various methods through which a coach can gain insights into the intricate connection between an athlete's morning metrics and how these metrics correlate with their capacity to safely undertake a specific type or volume of training.
In Chapter 9, we looked at the complementary aspect. Here, our exploration revolved around investigating the fitness response that an athlete derives from their training regimen.
Essentially, every training session can be thought of as a balance between these two forces. Every training session bestows a measurable "reward" upon the athlete. However, it also carries along a quantifiable "cost," which has an impact on the athlete's "financial reserves" available for allocation to subsequent training sessions.
As an athlete progresses and fortifies their aerobic foundation, their reserves naturally expand. Consequently, they amass a greater pool of potential resources that can be strategically "spent" across a variety of training modalities. This growth in reserves not only translates into improved performance but also offers a more diversified training portfolio.
Moreover, these "financial reserves" at the athlete's disposal are not static; they experience daily fluctuations in accordance with prevailing "market conditions." While the athlete has control over certain factors influencing these conditions, there are others that remain beyond their influence.
In essence, by understanding the intricate interplay between an athlete's readiness for training, the outcomes derived from their training efforts, and the dynamic nature of their "financial reserves," like a financial advisor advising a client, coaches and athletes can collaboratively navigate the training landscape to optimize performance gains while minimizing potential setbacks.
Figure 14.1: A good coach is like a stockbroker, carefully watching the market conditions to determine the best investment to be made on any given day.
Photo 52270392 | Stock Exchange © Joe Sohm | Dreamstime.com
In the upcoming chapters, we will take a deeper look at the various factors that influence readiness and response that the athletes can exert some degree of control over. These include essential aspects such as nutrition, sleep, and managing life stress. However, for now, our primary focus will center on the pivotal role of the coach – specifically, the intricate task of how to go about optimally allocating the athlete's available energy resources on a daily basis.
That is, now that we have identified athlete readiness & response, how can we manipulate the training to maximize the response while keeping the athlete in the “green” when it comes to readiness?
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