Paths to Performance

There are many paths to performance. Note that it is plural, paths not path. There is no one way, in fact it is highly individual. This is perhaps the biggest conundrum in coaching: how to fit/tailor the training to the individual athlete to achieve each athlete’s optimum performance level. There are fast responders, slow responders and a few non-responders. Each athlete brings their individual qualities to their sport or event. We must recognize and account for this. You can have the wired explosive athletes and you can have a slower less explosive athlete – they can achieve very similar results in competition but must take different paths.

Athletic development is a process not a model. Certainly, not driven by an algorithm. It is nonlinear although at times somewhat predictable. The actual components are clear and well defined, however the means of developing those components is fluid and dynamic. No secret sauce, just a well-defined adaptable plan and a lot of smart work.