How is Coaching Different?

How is Coaching Different?

Chris Palmquist

December 3, 2019

Many area runners just completed a marathon while raising money for a charity (bravo!). As a perk for their fundraising efforts, the charity provided them with a “coach” during the training process. Each runner had one or two phone conversations with a coach, then the coach assigned each of them one of three possible levels of training plans based on their running experience and fitness. The runners then followed the training plan with little interaction with their coach. The runners believed that they had a coach guiding their training, but I would argue that they did not. Let me explain by defining the different options that athletes have to guide their training and achieve their goals.

Basic: The Generic Training Plan

There are three general options for organizing one’s training for a seasonal goal.  At the most basic level, many athletes “coach” themselves. Their training may be random - simply running, biking and swimming when and where they wish during each week. Or the self-coached athlete might pick up a magazine, website or book-based training plan and follow it to the best of their ability. The pros of self-coaching include the ability to control your own schedule and the low cost. However, this athlete is less likely to reach his or her full potential. They are more susceptible to lose motivation or to become injured. Using (or not using) a training plan that was never tailored to the athlete’s goals, strengths or weaknesses will drastically limit results. And more importantly, the athlete has no-one overseeing his or her progress with an expert, caring eye. This can lead to burn-out, injury or lack of success.

There are some situations and athletes for whom self-coaching can work well. An athlete with significant prior experience might do well by following a generic or self-built training plan if they know when and how to modify it to avoid injury and experience the correct amount of training stimulus. This requires knowledge and confidence.

Intermediate: Custom Built Training Plan

The intermediate training option is when an athlete hires a coach to create a custom training plan tailored to the athlete’s specific goals, training objectives, strengths, limiters, energy and available training time. In this scenario, the coach and athlete conduct an extensive interview where the coach learns all the above characteristics of the athlete. Then, the coach designs a customized plan for several months of training for this unique athlete. The coach hands over the training plan, then the athlete takes the plan and “runs” with it independently from the coach.

The benefits of a custom training plan are that the athlete gets a unique, tailored plan at a low cost from an expert coach. The disadvantages to this scenario are that once the plan goes to the athlete, the coach will no longer be there to modify the plan, oversee the athlete’s progress, adjust for fatigue/illness/injury, give ongoing advice or to help with answers to all the questions that inevitably come up during training and racing. Even with the disadvantages, custom training plans are a big step up from a generic plan.

At Cloud 10 Multisport, we call these Custom Built Training Plans. Find out more here:  https://www.cloud10multisport.com/custom-built-training-plans

Advanced: Performance Coaching

The best way to train successfully and attain your goals is to hire a personal coach. A good coach will learn everything about you, your goals, restrictions and your abilities. The coach will work with you to set goals and training objectives that will lead to success. Based on frequent communication and analysis of your workout data, the coach will design and prescribe training for you that will fit into your life, push your limits, rest you when needed and progressively work towards building your peak skills and fitness. A good coach will do everything possible to limit burn-out, illness and injury. When your work or family schedule suddenly changes, a coach will modify your training accordingly.

A good coach understands both the art and the physiological science needed to bring out your best. Most importantly, a good coach cares deeply about your achievements – working as your partner every step along the way. At Cloud 10 Multisport, we call this Performance Coaching. More information can be found here: https://www.cloud10multisport.com/coaching

Invest in your passion, reach your goals

The charity runners thought that they had a “coach” guiding them through their marathon preparation. In reality, they were just following a semi-custom training plan – a very different experience from real, one-on-one coaching. Although, they all enjoyed being part of the charitable mission together, they may have had more success in their races if they had a personal coach helping them with the daily questions and challenges that always occur on a training journey.

If you are serious about your goals and want to match your efforts with the proper training, answers and caring that you get from a real coach, make sure that you hire a personal coach. The investment that you make in true coaching will be worthwhile.

Getting a training session started is the hardest part

It’s going to be so cold for those first 10 strokes…

Getting a training session started is the hardest part

By Chris Palmquist

Your alarm goes off. Now is the critical moment. Will you turn it off, roll over and sleep another hour? Or will you stiffly get out of bed, put on workout clothes and head out for that training session?

Your brain is skillful at firehosing messages to sway your resolve

It is dark. This is not normal human behavior. I need sleep. My back aches. I think I might have a sore throat. I don’t really care that much about getting faster. It might be icy. The pool is freezing this week. I have an important meeting later and should rest for it. I haven’t run in 3 months, why start now?

If you work from home like I do many days, you might have the whole day (even evening) to get in that workout. This is not helpful! It is amazing how many things you think you have to do before you head out to train.

You are not alone. I know a few people who are AMAZING at getting in their workouts every morning before dawn without fail. But they are the exception. As for the rest of us, it is hard for any of the following reasons:

• You have important work to do first.

• You hate those first few swim strokes when the water shocks your body with COLD.

• You are coming back from a long layoff and feel uncoordinated and clumsy.

• Your body is sore or stiff and you know that it will be uncomfortable until you get warmed up.

• You don’t really believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goal.

• Your partner discourages your training.

• You don’t want to leave your dogs home alone. (Guilty)

• You are too hungry. You are too full.

• The kitchen floor needs sweeping.

• You are stressed out and just don’t need more stress.

• Fill in blank here ________________

These are valid and important feelings and reasons! It is easy to understand why we procrastinate from starting or skipping workouts entirely.

BUT, we are endurance athletes and we know these truths. If we start the workout…

• We will finish the workout.

• We will feel awesome after we train.

• “Motion is lotion” - our achy joints will often feel better.

• Our stress levels will lower with exercise.

• We will know that we gave ourselves a gift of health and that knowledge will help the whole day be better.

• We will get stronger. We will make progress towards our goals. We will start to believe.

Effective solutions to the workout procrastination problem

Amanda Leibovitz (Certified Mental Performance Consultant at www.epicwellnesswa.com), my good friend and frequent collaborator, is finishing her PhD in Sports Psychology and is working with injured service members, athletes and sports teams. She recommends the following tools to crush your tendency to put off that next workout.

• Use “Whypower” instead of willpower. Know why you want to achieve your goals. Imagine a memory or experience that you will be proud of if you train and accomplish your goals. Know your “WHY.”

• Take action rather than thinking. We are over-thinkers. It is not helpful in this situation. Stop it! Turn your brain “off” (mostly) and just get going.

• Review your your reason why, then state, “I will (get out of bed, dive into the pool, take the first pedal strokes, start my run, etc.) after I count down from five.” Then, say it out loud, “Five, four, three, two, one…GO.” Read the Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins for more.

Counting down from five may seem a little silly. But I can attest, it really works. Find your Whypower, turn down your over-thinking, countdown from five and let me know how it goes.

Let’s GO!

Small Changes

As I pedaled through my first indoor trainer ride of the season this morning, my bike saddle and I were not agreeing. After suffering for a few minutes, I dismounted and checked out the seat’s alignment. It was rotated about two degrees to the right. I straightened it out. Then, because my knees had informed me that it was about 1/3 cm too far back, I moved it that small amount forward and hopped back on the bike.

Two degrees and 1/3 of a centimeter. Very small changes and yet they made all the difference. I was able to ride for 90 minutes and get day #2 of my 2020 preparation back into drive.

My plan to get back into racing fitness will require many, many small steps. This past year, I put training near the bottom of my priority list as I started a new business, pursued some other projects and recovered from my 14-year push to finish Kona as a Legacy Athlete last year. I am currently in the worst shape of my life. It is time to begin the comeback. But if I try to tackle it in large leaps, my body will rebel either physically or emotionally. Instead, I need to take small steps each day towards my 2020 goals. Focusing on consistency. Trusting the process of getting someone into shape that I know so well.

Small changes matter. Heading to bed 10 minutes earlier. Setting an appointment each day to train. Employing friends to meet for workouts. Adding more vegetables throughout the day. Committing to strength training. Remembering mobility work. Including progressive training within all of the energy systems. Believing. I’ve guided this process for hundreds of athletes and seen their successes. Now it is time for me.

As you plan for big 2020 goals, remember that most of the battle is just showing up each day. Build your training plan to be full of small steps and tiny changes. This is where you will find your magic. Let’s go!