After having studied Maffetone, Galloway, Daniels, Vigil, Lydraid, and a score of lesser knowns in as much detail I could over the last 6 weeks I have gotten more confused then ever. Everyone has their ideas and supports these ideas with research, graphs, poorly written books and testimonials that are too fantastic to not be believed. The experts and their armies tell me how right they are and how the other guy is wrong. So what have I learned?
Study and take the parts you like and try to customize them to what you think will work for you.
Agreed. After seeing several “experts” and world-reknowned coaches in person, on webinars or seminars, I have noticed the same. One guys says do this & the other guy says absolutely not a good idea. Basically find what works best for you as an athlete & your athletes (if a coach), play with it & then decide if you subscribe to the science or theories yourself. Some may not have any more education or knowledge than you, but they have a book & hold a position that may put them in the eye of the public. Sure they may have a “record” or stable of athletes that are awesome & may in fact know a helluva lot more–but then again, until that is all put to the test (whatever that may be), call it even & go with what works best for you.
I would like to make a special note about BarryP. I have been using him as a sounding board, probably much to his annoyance, and do not put him with the “experts” I was talking about. The big reason is that he isn’t trying to sell us anything and another is that he seems to focus on solid basics rather then some grand scheme.
Barry thank you so much for tolerating me and my horribly worded questions.
I think there is a good point to be made here and that there needs to be a balance between the ART and SCIENCE of coaching/trainning. We live in a world where in the broadest terms the ‘art’ of something has become marginalised in favour of the science of a product or service and I would group economic factors in normalized scenarios firmly in the science camp. If we can understand that there is a artform to most things in life, and as a result a difference in subjectivity as either a starting point or within the core principles of a product or service then we can accept diversity of outcome which is the lifeblood in the development of mankind.
By their nature the majority of slowtwitch partcipants on these boards come across ‘very strongly’ to me as standing with ‘both feet’ firmly in the scientific camp. I am sure this has a lot to do with the sport in general but also there are a lot of cultural factors in place here. I believe that the cultural upbringing of an individual will have a developmental effect on how they see things, it is for this reason why Italian influences within the cycling industry are so important in that they bring to the table enormous cultural and with it artistic flair for the bicycle.
Experts by their very nature will in the main highly scientific in their approach to both their work and their lives in general. There is nothing wrong with that we are who we are. As individuals it is up to ourselves as you rightly point out to take their advice and knowledge and to incorporate it into our own lifestyle as we see fit. For me this has to includes are large amount of creative input. If it is a fantastic day and I feel like a run in the hills then for me it is a case of tearing up the scientific rule book for a while and running off my emotional energy. At times this can cost me physically but it feeds my emotional enrgy reserves for the more difficult days ahead.
I feel at times we expect too much from the scientific/coaching community and fail to look at ourselves for the pieces of the triathlon jigsaw to complete the picture in our own distinctive ways. I feel the reason is that often the answers are in our more creative psyche and for many of us that is a weakness in our make ups and something we struggle to recognise within ourselves. I watched a post event interview of Mark Cavendish after the BBC’s sports personality of the year award. In it he said ‘I really don’t do that science stuff, I simply like to ride my bike’. He went on to say ‘I am out with my mate on my mountain bike tomorrow’ when pushed without ever mentioning the word trainning. I know it is the off season for him but I do think it underlines that a balanced approach is often the rigth path to success and we would do well to follow his example.
Thanks for the special note. I think you captured me pretty well. I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I’ve put in a lot of time training, coaching, and reading the experts. I do the best I can to explain them in practical terms that people can understand…at least I try.