Football - American, Physical Education, Strength And Conditioning
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A Peek on How to Peak: Secrets to Achieving and Maintaining Athletic Excellence
The world is in awe of the recent series of athletic feats – World records, Meet records, World leads, and Winners – all achieved within a single week! This admirable success is driven by athletes and their dedicated coaches, who strive to push their abilities to new, unprecedented levels. So, is it possible to maintain such a rich vein of form for a long stretch, for multiple games and races? Absolutely, and this blog post will give you a peek at how to peak!
Planning Your Peak: It's All About Science!
The technical requirements of most sports activities don't change much. Therefore, to get faster, sharper, and injury-free over a full season requires meticulous planning backed by science. The outcome? Athletes are in better condition and compete at the highest levels for longer periods (Peaks).
The Six Pillars of Performance
Achieving peak performance is tied to six factors: PHYSICAL, TECHNICAL, TACTICAL, MENTAL, LIFE BALANCE, and a good professional COACH/ATHLETE relationship. When combined effectively into a plan, these elements yield exceptional results.
Courtesy Wanda Diamond League
A Guide to Competition Preparation
What does it take to prepare athletes for major games and competitions? The following steps provide an outline:
- Identify the Competitions
- Set Goals
- Design the Training Program
Delving Deeper: From Macrocycles to Units
A whole year's plan lasting up to six months, divided into phases, is known as a MACROCYCLE. This is further broken down into 4-6 weeks plans known as MESOCYCLES, weekly plans referred to as MICROCYCLES, down to SESSIONS, and finally to UNITS. These various phases of training carry both short and long-term targets that need to be trained and tested for tracking improvements.
The Coach's Role in Athlete Performance
The coach is the driving force shaping the athlete's form as they approach the crunch time. It's their responsibility to ensure that after the targets and goals (the recipe) have been agreed on, the training sessions (the ingredients) added into the programs will produce a sumptuous, finger-licking meal (RESULTS).
Understanding and implementing these factors will not only help athletes maintain their form over long periods, but it will also provide them with insight into how to plan their peaks. So yes, athletes can peak multiple times a year and can predict and plan when and where it's going to be. With dedication, a meticulous plan, and a good coach, nothing is impossible!
