WHY PROGRAMME?
The long-term benefits of effective programming are well documented and it is always worthwhile taking the time to set out your athlete’s structured programme prior to starting any physical conditioning sessions. Before you do, there are also various areas you should consider to gain a full view of your athlete’s current performance and function.
THE BENEFITS.
Increased Performance.
This seems fairly obvious but it is worth pointing out that not all athletes improve performance when adopting a strength and conditioning programme. The coach may have chosen the wrong methods to start with, which will see no positive response. Or, the athlete may regress for a period of time as the coach builds up areas of weakness within the athlete before applying the progression. On the whole however, most forms of strength and power training will lead to physical gains for the relevant sports.
Reduced Injury Risk.
Without programming, athletes can easily over train and over stress their body, leading to chronic fatigue and injury. A well thought out programme will ensure the athlete is in a constant state of progression and/or maintenance to coincide with events or goals.
Long Term Career.
All athletes want to have a successful career and if they are professional they will be relying on this career for much more than just athletic success. Having a structured programme can help to sustain the lifespan of performance by ensuring the athlete maintains all areas of fitness, reduces injury risk and doesn’t cause long term damage that could end their career early.
Lowers the Chances of Overtraining.
Overtraining can be detrimental to performance and development. A programme can ensure athletes arrive at an event in peak physical condition and not in a state of repair from overtraining. Athletes often struggle to prepare for events properly and last minute overtraining is common. Meaning they could turn up to the start line not fully recovered and therefore in a sub-optimal state.
Target and Goal Realisation.
Having a programme allows an athlete to set targets and see when they might achieve these. It gives them focus and clarity to see what has to be done to achieve their goals. It can also help when assessing an athlete’s poor performance when questions may be asked of the coach and their methods. A well tracked programme will show the athlete what they didn’t do that could have made the difference.