So why do you want athlete-centred coaching by a professional coach?
Hopefully you’ll agree that we’re all different and have all got to where we are today on different paths in life. So why would you want to do an exercise or training plan that’s not designed specifically for you? Or one which doesn’t even consider your training history, life commitments, or current fitness state?
I’ll agree that a plan is better than no plan, especially if it is progressive. However, I see too many people following numerous routines that will leave them either fatigued, injured, or back at ‘square one’. Athletes with a view of “this worked for my mate, so will work for me” or coaches with a view of “this works for this type of athlete”.
One Google search for a training plan for any sport will result in thousands upon thousands of hits but how many are actually any good for YOU? The best plans, for all levels of ability (beginner to advanced), are those that are devised specifically for each individual in real time as relates to their specific situation (i.e. athlete-centred). That is because they would usually consider the person’s training history, current fitness state, work patterns, lifestyle, emotional condition, other commitments, injury history, and ultimately THEIR specific goals and capacity for training.
There is much more to the training delivery that makes for athlete-centred coaching. There are a myriad of coaches advertising their services on the internet as individual. Some coaches are qualified and experienced to deliver this, some are not. Some are simply re-hashing plans from another coach for their athletes with no real consideration of the impact on the individual. They assume that the training equation will work this time, because it did before. Recording your training and personal comments, including life factors and emotional responses in a ‘training diary’ to monitor your progress will also go a long way to identifying if things are working for you, especially over the longer term. Being open and honest with your coach assists them in developing your plan week by week in the right way for you.
At KI Coaching we have the experience and necessary qualifications to help you. We only work with a small number of cyclists, triathletes and runners at any one time in a truly athlete-centred approach. Knowing you helps us guide you towards your goal. Although you may choose to work with us as individual coaches you have access to the range of knowledge and experience we have between us. We have worked with a range of competitors from Age-groupers, ‘weekend racers’ and National Champions, those new to a sport, and those with decades of experience, those who are time-crunched and life pressured, to those with the luxury of a train any time lifestyle.
“Ultimately, the more coaches understand and connect with people they coach – by observing, noticing and communicating – the more they will be able to support them and help them thrive.” [UK Coaching]
Remember it is about a balance that enables you to succeed.