My Sport Coaching business is devoted to the coaching and training of competitive athletes. My focus
is on athletes who are new to intermediate in competition and/or racing. What I
want to accomplish with these athletes is twofold: First, introduce them to the
concept of periodization; second is to teach them how to train based on
intensity levels and training zones.
Many
individuals who are new to training and racing tend to spend far too much time
training aimlessly, and end up with sub-par results when it comes to their
racing. This is where periodization has a dramatic impact. The purpose of
periodization is to divide a training year into distinct periods, which allow
the development and improvement of the physical, technical and psychological
aspects of the sport. And most importantly, recuperation time is built in
throughout the program.
So for many of my clients, my sport services would entail gradually introducing them to a regular training schedule using a custom-made, periodized plan which incorporates heart rate training. As they progress in their conditioning, we concurrently work on both the technical and psychological aspects of the sport, in addition to developing a strength training program that fits the sport they are participating in.
Necessary for constructing a periodized training schedule is incorporating into it levels of intensity. One of the best ways to determine training intensity is by tracking heart rate and/or power (for cycling). Recent technology has made quality heart rate monitors accessible to the general population. Using this device allows the coach and athlete to carefully determine the level of intensity during a workout and/or race. We will use this method, often referred to as "zone training" when we build the periodized training schedule. Another way to determine training intensity is with the use of Power meters for cycling. Though still on the pricy side, power meters are nonetheless very valuable tool to monitor workload.
