Obstacle Mud Runner - issue 10

obstaclemudrunner.co.uk ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners 28 26 finding the correct approach RACE : TRAINING Unbreakable athlete James Burton has been with the project a full year now and is now seeing some great performances as a result of tweaking his training in accordance to his season. Athletes goals and objectives When I work with an athlete, regardless of their age or ability, whether they’re recreational or elite, I’ll meet them where they’re at, not where I would like them to be so fundamentally I’ll be looking to develop any weaknesses (as well as their strengths too). No drama, just data. We’ll go through a thorough grading process where the athlete grade themselves across every training component from technical ability, strength, strength endurance, speed, speed endurance, mental strength, commitment, injury/ sickness avoidance, competitiveness & ability to control lifestyle issues (e.g diet, sleep). From these results, and based on where we think they need to be to become a world class obstacle racer, I’ll devise a bespoke seasoned training plan which includes some key performance benchmarks for them to hit so that they can strive to reach their highest sporting potential. Type Of Goal Description Examples Outcome Goal The athletes outcome depends on the performance of others n Podium in pro-division n Top 20 in age category Performance Goal Used to improve an athletes individual performance n Run a sub 17 minute 5k n Increase dead hang to 3 mins Process Goal Used to improve the execution of a skill to help them achieve their performance goal n Improve Vo2 max n Improve strength n Improve mental toughness A strong athlete over obstacles is way more likely to prevail over a weak athlete ...continued Phase Description Example General Preparation / Off Season Training of general physical qualities to prepare for more intensive loads during the SPP cycle. Ironing out any muscle imbalances & strength deficits. Anatomical Adaptation / Endurance / Sling System work/ Movement skills. Progressive aerobic capacity drills. Specific Preparation / Pre OCR season Training more specifically for the demands of the sport. Strength & Power, Sports specific drills. T.U.F conditioning. Competition / In Season Maintaining fitness qualities developed in earlier phases. Strength & Power, Sports specific drills. T.U.F conditioning. Transition / Recovery Period Allow recovery and regeneration from the demands of training and competition. Rest, swimming, x-training. (NOT obstacle course racing!) Here at Unbreakable we coach our athletes through 4 training phases during a competitive season James Burton SamWinkworth is the head coach at the Unbreakable Project, designed to develop obstacle racers who want to podium on a world stage. He is also the creator of OCR Virgin designed to help athletes train & prepare for their first/next OCR. For more info check out @theunbreakableproject on Instagram or OCR Virgin on Facebook.