A
High Quality Coach (cont.)
Presents Options
A coach will
give you variety with your training while you are on a structured
path to success. After all, most of you are competing in
triathlons because you enjoy the training, racing and camaraderie
in the sport. With the assistance of your coach, you can
select a race schedule that will fit your goals. Using the
“sounding board,” you will see if one race will
affect another race or that the recovery from one race will
affect another race three months later. With racing, I believe
the client has the final say, but my job is to help the
client see the cause and affects of each race and how it
will affect the training plan.
Perspective
A coach who has
been there and done that can offer a perspective other coaches
can’t who have not participated at certain races, distances
or climates. Coaches in the same age category as your self
can also offer advantages relating to training, racing and
possibly work and family. A coach is also good for tightening
the reins of the athlete. Typically, we triathletes are
self-disciplined and self-motivated. Having such attributes,
we have a tendency to train too much. This can be detrimental
such as my seven-week stint described above. A coach should
take into account not just your training, but also work
and family time to make sure you don’t over reach and
diminish these areas of your life. A coach who works with
athletes of all abilities is a good indicator that the coach
understands the basic concepts of training and performance.
Validation
When you have
achieved short-term objectives, such as a breakthrough workouts,
or long-term goals; a coach is there to offer congratulations
for accomplishing the objective. You dedicate a lot of time
and energy to the sport and often, it takes someone else
to tell you congrats!
History of
the Coach
Retired professional
athletes, current pro athletes, sports scientists and age-groupers
are advertising themselves as a triathlon coach. Do you
choose between a retired triathlete with a distinguished
career who obviously has experience racing and training
or an exercise scientist, who has the academic background?
Elite athletes have the extensive knowledge of the type
of training that worked for them, but this doesn't necessarily
mean they know what will work for others to achieve their
goals. This is the opposite for the scholar who has little
experience with triathlon. Also, experience as a coach is
important for understanding how to effectively communicate
with athletes. Veteran coaches have the opportunity to enhance
and refine their philosophies and styles of coaching. This
brings up one of the fundamental principles of training
for triathlon, the concept of individuality. Ideally, you
want a coach who has experience in the sport and who is
knowledgeable about training methodologies.
Coaching Credentials
A coach’s
credentials can be in the form of a degree in a related
sports field, such as exercise physiology, kinesiology or
sports psychology that shows a coach’s academic past.
However, just knowing what to do doesn’t mean a coach
can convey the message to the athlete. Coaching credentials
can be in the form of a certification by a country’s
triathlon federation. While this looks good on paper, these
certifications shouldn't be the primary factor when considering
a coach. Internationally, the standard of what requirements
exist to be certified at each level varies greatly. Some
countries require extensive coaching education programs;
others have a less strenuous process that only requires
attending a weekend course. The US triathlon federation
does have multiple levels of coaching certification that
helps a coach with the knowledge of triathlon training and
racing systems. The athlete and coach should also take into
account the communication and personalities of both individuals
to have a successful relationship.
If you are looking
for a coach, base the coach’s success on if their athletes
achieved their personal goals. Get references from some
of the coach’s clients and ask their opinion of the
coach’s abilities. The best way to improve in triathlon
is to work with an accomplished coach who is knowledgeable,
experienced and communicates well, regardless of your ability.
With a high-quality coach, you should enjoy improvement
with the expert guidance. Without such care there is a lot
of wasted time and energy. You need to have confidence in
your coach and that the program is right for you. Competing
in triathlons, you are making a great investment in both
time and money; use a coach to help you utilize both to
your advantage in reaching your goals.
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