Maximizing Athletic Performance

There is no easy way

Work ethic dominates talent in successful outcomes

Until you can “do consistently”, worrying about “what you do” is pointless

 

 

Define the Event

  1. Duration
  2. Critical Success Factors
  3. Pitfalls
  4. Physical Demands
  5. Mental Demands

 

Define Performance

  1. What is the athlete seeking to achieve?
  2. Why are they seeking to achieve it?
  3. How much are they willing to commit?
  4. Is there purity of intent?
  5. Is there alignment of commitment?

 

Goals

  1. Goals without work are dreams
  2. Harmony with life situation
  3. “One Thing”
  4. Success is a habit, not a destination

 

Coaches and Mentors

  1. An effective plan can make a difference
  2. Athlete is the true differentiator
  3. Value lies in objectivity
  4. What is the client buying?
  5. Hazards

 

Hazards (Both Ways)

  1. Blind spots
  2. Vicarious living
  3. Control and Consistency biases
  4. Misalignment of interests
  5. Projection of “idiosyncrasies”
  6. Desire to please impairing honest communication
  7. Role as honest advisor vs. friendship

 

Performance & Goals

  1. Meaningful living
  2. Ethical living
  3. Clarity of mind

=>The true elements of athletic achievement, not relative performance

 

Virtuous Traits

  1. Persistence
  2. Patience
  3. Optimism
  4. Humility

=>Encouraged daily

=>Practiced relentlessly

 

Building Successful Habits

  1. Routine
  2. Simplicity
  3. Focus
  4. Stability

 

Routine

  1. Weekdays dictated by life situation
  2. Weekends driven by event selection
  3. Life goals dictate structure & volume
  4. Basic week

 

Simplicity

  1. Probability of success
  2. Probability of distraction
  3. Ease of communication

 

Focus

  1. What is truly scarce in our lives?
  2. What matters?
  3. Long term planning
  4. Short term execution
  5. Flexibly & intelligently stubborn

 

Stability

  1. Location
  2. Program
  3. Financial
  4. Emotional Life
  5. Coaches/Mentors/Training Pals

 

The Four Pillars

  1. Nutrition
  2. Aerobic Stamina
  3. Strength & Durability
  4. Economy

 

Nutrition

  1. Simple, not easy
  2. Small, short term choices
  3. Long term results vs. short term gratification
  4. Role of “The Persuaders”
  5. Incremental, long term change

 

Fatigue

  1. Primarily goal of endurance training
  2. Not fatal
  3. Often emotional
  4. To be managed & embraced, not feared

 

What is Ironman?

  1. A very long day
  2. A long swim then…
  3. A long bike then…
  4. A marathon

=>Increasing fatigue

=>External and internal stressors

=>Result?  Low cognitive abilities

=>Large opportunity for effective race execution

 

Phases of Ultra Endurance Training

  1. Keep moving for anticipated race duration
  2. Steady-state for individual race legs
  3. Steady-state for anticipated race duration
  4. Tolerate pace changes to increase average speed
  5. Tolerate pace changes to improve strategic abilities

 

Stamina Based Programs (Phase 1 to 5)

  1. Focus athletes on race day benchmarks
  2. Give experience with race day mental sensations
  3. Build consistent, deep fitness
  4. Train ability to process calories and hydration

 

Threshold Oriented Programs (Phase 5 to 1)

  1. Focus athletes on non-race day physiological markers
  2. Optimize non-specific mental skills
  3. Increase risk for injury & lack of consistency
  4. Fail to train race specific metabolism

 

Effective Race Execution

  1. Pace Judgment
  2. Arousal Control
  3. Medium of Movement
  4. Mental Toughness

=>Cognitive ability under stress & fatigue

 

Pace Judgment

  1. Relative to fitness
  2. Relative to mental strength
  3. Relative to threshold
  4. Relative to external conditions

=>As they pertain to ourselves, not others

=>As they pertain to actual reality, not desired

=>Considered for races, training blocks, seasons and years

 

Arousal Control

  1. Joy and Despair
  2. Quiet Power vs. Anger
  3. Impact on clarity of thought
  4. Source of self-knowledge

 

Medium of Movement

  1. Water
  2. Fast moving air
  3. Slow moving air

=>Effort to speed

=>Effort to discomfort tolerance

 

Mental Toughness

  1. Patience
  2. Humility
  3. Fortitude

=>The event is hard enough even if we race correctly

=>Honor in effective execution vs. overcoming self-imposed detonation

 

Illness & Injury

  1. Socially acceptable times to rest
  2. Consider root causes
  3. Athletes seldom acknowledge reasons to self
  4. Athletes rarely acknowledge reasons to coach
  5. Driven by fatigue, not externals

 

Sleep

  1. Role in performance enhancement
  2. Role in quality of life
  3. Wake-up time
  4. Use of naps

 

Time Management

  1. Saying No
  2. Mental Junk Food
  3. Friends & Social Engagements

 

Training Vacations & Focus Periods

  1. Single Sport and/or Specific Overload Camps
  2. Training periods without work, family or other stressors
  3. Most effective short-term method to lift fitness

 

www.gordoworld.com

draft 19 August 2006