24.05.2017
Seldom are the days that people do not ask me whether I still participate in competition. No, no endurance races any more. Yes, tennis tournaments at the lowest level. Competing in triathlon or other sports in which the physical component is a determining factor for performance requires your priority. Performing at your very best (i.e. realizing your fullest potential) at a desired point of time (i.e. peaking) is not a matter of having time. It’s even not a matter of making time, it’s a matter of making time at the right time relative to the race. For most months of the year it requires a daily schedule that is organized around the training sessions: sleeping, eating, and all ‘other’ appointments. The actual preparation of the race consumes a lot of time and organization during the last week, to avoid unnecessary stress in the day and the hours before the event. I followed a careful planning in the last days, including a bike check by my mechanic, to leave the least possible to chance. I still think that such a routine is critical to ‘transcend’ yourself, to be able to exceed your average level, to exceed the average level. However, at a certain moment in life, you are no longer willing to make those ‘sacrifices’. In every life priorities change. In case of the athlete, work or family – and no longer training – dictates the daily schedule. Which does not necessarily mean that you do not have the time for training any more. But the difference between ‘doing sports for the fun of training’ and ‘doing sports for the fun of winning’ is HUGE, although maybe not noticeable for the outside world.
Not only ‘training or not’, also ‘what kind of training’ is a question of time management. ‘Training right’ is not so much about the ‘what’ but rather about the ‘when’. This holds true for the ‘lifestyler’ (don’t always do the same, avoid monotonous training), but it is vital for the competitive athlete. Periodization of the training process – doing the right kind of training in the right ‘period’ of the year – is the prerequisite of peaking.
Time management in general, is about ‘importance’ and ‘urgence’. Some things may be important for you, but may not be urgent (eg., reading my blog). Some things may be urgent but not so important. Some things are both, some things are neither. Swimming is less important than cycling for a long-distance triathlete, so priority to swimming can be given during winter but not in spring. Resistance training is important for a swimmer, but it is clear that swimming in itself has a bigger impact on race performance. Playing matches is a great occasion for a tennis player to train tactical and mental skills, but in the general preparation period matches may be subordinate to physical and technical training, because especially physical training requires continuity to make progress.
Choosing is always a little bit of losing, but wanting it all not seldom results in achieving nothing at all.
Kind regards,
Karel
#TrainHardButSmart
Not only ‘training or not’, also ‘what kind of training’ is a question of time management. ‘Training right’ is not so much about the ‘what’ but rather about the ‘when’. This holds true for the ‘lifestyler’ (don’t always do the same, avoid monotonous training), but it is vital for the competitive athlete. Periodization of the training process – doing the right kind of training in the right ‘period’ of the year – is the prerequisite of peaking.
Time management in general, is about ‘importance’ and ‘urgence’. Some things may be important for you, but may not be urgent (eg., reading my blog). Some things may be urgent but not so important. Some things are both, some things are neither. Swimming is less important than cycling for a long-distance triathlete, so priority to swimming can be given during winter but not in spring. Resistance training is important for a swimmer, but it is clear that swimming in itself has a bigger impact on race performance. Playing matches is a great occasion for a tennis player to train tactical and mental skills, but in the general preparation period matches may be subordinate to physical and technical training, because especially physical training requires continuity to make progress.
Choosing is always a little bit of losing, but wanting it all not seldom results in achieving nothing at all.
Kind regards,
Karel
#TrainHardButSmart