5 Observations from 5 Years of Coaching
Cookie-Cutter doesn't cut it
“When you encourage others, you in the process are being encouraged because you’re making a commitment to that person’s life. Encouragement really does make a difference.” Zig Ziglar
I guess that’s a pretty deep way to start this week’s article :)
But now that I’ve got your brain activated, let’s talk coaching. Where it all started for me, what I love about it, and what I’ve observed in my clients.
My coaching career started in 2018 under the tutelage of my good friend and mentor Dougal Allan. I was sub-contracting for Dougal’s coaching business DA Endurance. Dougal’s such a good guy, he gave me his time, and knowledge and invited me to the team training camps. He handed over the reins, allowing me to run my own sessions and gain confidence in this group setting. We had some amazing times with camps in Queenstown, Wanaka, and Gore. I loved seeing the wider DA team come together. Being amongst it, gave me massive amounts of motivation. The positivity and drive that our athletes showed in wanting to improve, made me feel like this coaching thing was definitely something I wanted to continue doing.
So after a couple of years taking valuable lessons from Dougal, I took the training wheels off and started my own coaching business. Now almost 3 years in I’ve had the privilege to coach athletes ranging in ability from weekend warriors to competitive athletes looking to podium. However, no matter what the athlete’s level is, each is seeking to achieve their own personal goals and to get the most out of themselves. This diversity in goals and people means that “cookie-cutter, doesn’t cut it”. There’s a real responsibility to understand each person.
People allow you into their lives. They trust you with their health and wellness. They confide in you on feelings, thoughts, and personal matters.
Coaching involves taking the time to build relationships, so the athlete feels comfortable in sharing these thoughts and of course how they are coping with the training. Having trust between coach and client is crucial as it creates better communication, which is essential for getting the most out of each other.
So without further ado, here are all my client’s most kept secrets…
Or better yet, maybe I leave you with 5 observations I’ve made over the past 5 years coaching
1. Individuals respond differently to training.
A big part of coaching is working out the type of training and the training load that works best for each individual athlete. People respond differently to the stresses of training. What may work for you may not work for someone else and vice versa. It’s therefore important to communicate with your coach on how you feel training is going. That way adaptations can be made to your training to help.
One key thing to focus on is you, and not try to compare yourself to others. The timing of improvements can be different from one person to the next. The key thing is to build a training routine that involves a consistent stimulus of training. In this way, your body realises it has to change and you’re not taking no for an answer.
2. Niggles and Injuries
Catching a niggle early and respecting it is one way to stay on track to achieve your goals. Often times niggles are a result of imbalances. Mobility and strength work are a great way to prevent things progressing further. But you also need to consider pairing this up with rest, a few days rest can save a few weeks or months out injured. Sometimes we become slaves to the prescribed training plan which can be detrimental.
3. Back your base fitness
If you’ve built up a good base through consistent training your fitness will stay, even if a niggle turns into something a little more, and you need a couple of weeks to take care of the issue. When I was training for my first road marathon I had an amazing build-up where everything had gone right. Two weeks before Gold Coast my knee started playing up. I couldn’t run without severe pain. There wasn’t a lot I could do but rest up for an enforced taper with no running. This wasn’t ideal. But, I got to the start-line, trusted in my fitness and the base I had built, and performed a respectable 2:20:05 on debut. Perhaps without the little knee issue, I could have broken 2:20. But I came away happy with the result, and it is nice to have that knowledge and experience of a less-than-ideal final couple of weeks in case it happens again in the future.
4. Recovery is as important as training
Recovery comes in many different forms and they all slot in nicely together. Sleep is one of the most important factors of recovery. But it can look so different from one person to the next in what is achievable. I track my sleep with Coros Apex 2 Pro and aim for 8 to 9 hours a night. However, an athlete with a young family may get only get 6 hours average so they could set a goal for getting 20 minutes more a night.
Nutrition is also a big factor in training and recovery. We need to ensure energy needs are met for training, racing and muscle repair. We can also supplement our normal foods. I use CurraNZ to aid with recovery and performance. I also use protein powder to make sure I’m getting enough support for muscle growth and repair. Like training if you can be consistent with your sleep, nutrition and other recovery protocols your body will respond in kind.
5. Train consistently
I touch on it in the points above but I’ve learned that consistency trumps all. If you zoom out, and look at your habits and training over a long period of time, that is what your success will be based on. You’re not going to become a champion from completing one-off hero workouts or smashing out one 200km week before getting injured. You’re going to reach your goals by laying down a solid foundation. Turning up day after day. Clicking off one or two solid workouts each week, complemented by consistent base training. When you zoom out, you should see solid months or even years strung together. It may feel like a sacrifice but that trust in the consistency will leave you in a great space.
Happy training!
Something more you’d like to know? Reach out in the comments below and join us in going a little deeper into detail with the monthly Ask Me Anything session.
If you’re looking for some personal coaching to help you with some race goals, I’d love to hear from you: Dan Jones Coaching
