Functional Path Training

Training Do’s and Don’ts #2 – Hard/Easy

I was first introduced to the concept of Hard/Easy at the first clinic I attended in January 1968 by Bill Bowerman, the coach at University of Oregon. The Hard/Easy concept was a cornerstone of his program. It essentially consisted of a hard training day followed by an easy training day. He was very strict in its application. It made sense so when I started coaching the next year, I began to apply the concept. However, I quickly found out that some athletes needed a hard day, followed by a medium day and then easy and others needed two easy days after a hard day. Regardless the concept was applicable, and it is something I try to observe to this day regardless of the level of athlete and the sport.

What I have seen over the years and especially of late is that too many people make the hard day too hard and depend on external means of recovery to get them “recovered.” Thinking they can cheat the body’s natural adaptive response. Conversely the other pitfall that I see is that the easy days are not easy enough.

So how do you define hard and easy? I think of it as a ten-point scale of perceived exertion with a ten being very hard, essentially a competitive effort and a 1 being a complete rest sitting on the couch watching TV. The range of hard workouts should fall in the 7,8,9 range and easy should be in the range of 2,3, & 4. So essentially there needs to be a real contrast between the hard session and the easy session to allow the body to recover. Occasionally it is necessary to go two hard days in a row to simulate competition.

The biggest pitfall is to get caught in the middle on easy days by doing work in the 5 and 6 range that does not allow for recovery and negligible training effect beyond making you tired. I call this the messy middle, it is where not much good happens. So, the message is to make the hard days hard and the easy days easy and don’t stuck in the messy middle.

Training Do’s and Don’ts #1 - PAL Paradigm (Running Technical Model)

Training D0 - Base your training on a sound technical model and then adapt it to your athletes. The PAL Paradigm is my interpretation of the technical model necessary to run with good mechanics regardless of the distance. That technical model is based on what must be done to sprint at top speed, it can then be adapted according to the distance. Running skill is a motor task! Like any motor task it is teachable and trainable. The system that I have evolved over the years to improve running mechanics is the PAL System™.  PAL is an acronym for Posture, Arm Action, and Leg Action.

The objectives of the system are fourfold:

1) To provide a context to running mechanics.

2) A systematic step-by-step teaching progression.

3) A context to direct training based on the needs established in the previous steps.

4) A criterion based progressive approach toward getting someone back to normal gait pattern after an injury.

Posture is the position and alignment of the body - especially the head and trunk. Posture is dynamic, it changes with each step from the starting position on up to and through top speed. Posture should reflect the alignment of the body from the point of foot contact to the top of the head. The reference points for this alignment are the head, trunk, hip, knees, ankles, and feet

Arm Action is the position and amplitude of movement of the arms and hands. The arms help to produce force and aid in balance so that force is properly applied against the ground. During acceleration, the emphasis is on driving the arms down and back to apply force against the ground.

The optimum Leg Action is for the foot to contact the ground as close under the Center of Gravity as possible with a piston action from the hip. This is the most efficient stride. The amplitude of the leg action will vary with the speed of the run. Good running mechanics requires an optimum interplay between stride length and stride rate (frequency). During flight phase the knees are farther apart than the feet. In stance the swing leg knee is even or slightly of stance leg. Each person has an optimum stride length in relation to their leg length and the distance they are running

Food for Thought?

When you are planning your training program or evaluating your program, I have found it very helpful to ask the following simple and very basic questions:

Strong for What?

Fast for What?

Fit for What?

Supple for What?

Drill for What?

Ultimately, what are you training for?

Common Training Mistakes Relating to Poor Planning

It does not have to be hard to be good - Each workout is part of a larger picture. If you put their backs to the wall in each training session you will quickly lose sight of the big picture. Everything must be in context. Remember that different physical qualities adapt at different rates, so they need to be stressed differently. One workout cannot make an athlete but can break an athlete.

Too much, too soon - You can’t hurry the adaptive process. The younger athlete can handle a lot both in terms of volume and intensity, but if you lose sight of the big picture, it is important to remember that by not following proper progression and individualizing can stifle long-term development.

Overloading the spine, too often and too young - Even with the mature athlete the spine just cannot take the heavy repetitive loading that is imposed on it by too much heavy back squatting and dead lifting. That does not mean you don’t use those exercises, just use them wisely.

Too many exercises or drills in a training session - This just leads to confusion from an administrative perspective and poor adaptive response on the part of the athlete. This results in a loss of focus. They get tired but they do not get better.

Repetitious Exercises - This usually overloads one area or one component; the result is a poor training response. I always say hunt with a rifle, not a shotgun.

Training to failure - This leads to failure. Each workout becomes an end unto itself, and the athlete starts holding back anticipating the failure thus dulling the ultimate adaptive response.

Over reliance on one exercise or training method - This creates a one trick pony. Highly adapted instead of fully adaptable. You are what you train to be.

Reliance on a machine in training or a modality in rehab - You adapt to that environment; it is an artificial “safe” environment but not the environment you need to perform in. Sport performance occurs in an information rich dynamic environment.

Quick fixes - There are none! I have learned that a quick fix is an easy come, easy go proposition.

Crash programs - Crash programs eventually crash, probably sooner rather than later you can’t hurry the process. Adaptation takes time and the time frames for the various components are quite predictable.

Consequences

For every exercise, drill, and training session there are intended consequences and unintended consequences. Often it is the unintended consequences that you don’t see or can’t predict that come back to haunt you or even sometimes yield surprise benefits. Try to be aware of all consequences to get optimum return from training.

Some Thinking about Thinking

I have been thinking about thinking lately. There is a time to think and time to do. I learned this lesson from my high School basketball coach almost 60 years ago. I wanted to be good, so I internalized every bit of instruction and would process and analyze it to the point where sometimes I was so into my head that I was not executing. One day is practice stopped me and emphatically implored me to STOP thinking. He stood me outside the baseline and said you can think here. Then he had me step onto the court and said this is where you do – no thinking just execute! Nothing more needed to be said.

Step by Step

Adaptation to various training stimuli take time. You can’t force adaptation to happen faster than the athlete’s current level of trainability and physical capacity. You must be willing to go step by step Sometimes it is small baby steps forward, sometimes there are steps back and sometimes there are giant leaps forward. Have a system that defines the process, then trust the process and take it step by step.

GAIN 2022

GAIN is back in person in 2022! Applications open today for GAIN 2022, taking place from June 14 to June 18 at Rice University in Houston Texas. Space is limited, so apply soon to secure your space. Some key details are below and you can learn more and register at: https://thegainnetwork.com/events/gain2022/

When is GAIN? June 14 to June 18, 2022

Where is GAIN? Rice University in Houston Texas.

How do I apply? Submit your application at: https://thegainnetwork.com/events/gain2022/ Please be aware enrollment is limited. We will let you know within ten days if you are accepted.

What is GAIN? GAIN is a community of professional’s eager to learn and willing to share ideas and information. GAIN is not about more exercises, sets, reps and training methods it is about passionate people who pursue excellence with honesty, integrity and respect to make a difference in the lives of the people we coach and teach. It is open to Strength & Conditioning/Athletic Development coaches, Sport Coaches, Physical Therapists, ATC’s, Chiropractors, Doctors and Physical Education teachers. You can learn more about GAIN our this week’s GAINcast (https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/01/gaincast-episode-235-its-gain-time/) as well as the 2019 State of GAIN presentation (https://thegainnetwork.com/video/state-of-gain-2019-gambetta/).

GAIN Mission - To focus on the possibilities for enhancing human movement with no limits or limitations and emphasize connections and links between all disciplines in the same manner we emphasize connections and linkages in the body.

How much does GAIN cost? Tuition is $2299 for new attendees and $1299 for returning attendees. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, and lodging at Rice University, as well as access to the GAIN Library, GAIN Master Class Series archives, and HMMR Plus membership.

Why do I have to apply? Can’t I just sign up? Having people apply is part of what makes GAIN special. It would be easier to make it open for anyone to enroll, but that is not what GAIN is about. We are looking for people willing to share and challenge themselves and others to grow professionally. The people in the network with you are as important (maybe even more important) than the faculty experts. The connections and inspiration you get from those around you have a significant impact on the experience.

Who are the faculty? Our full faculty is listed on the GAIN website. We’ve chosen a faculty that has a tremendous breadth of experiences and a record of excellence in across all fields of sports performance from skills coaching to athletic development, to sports medicine and physical education.

Where can I learn more about GAIN? Visit our website (https://thegainnetwork.com/events/gain2022/). You can also call us at 941-378-1778 or email Vern Gambetta at [email protected]

What is Sports Science?

What I see today with the use of this generic term “sports science” being thrown around alarms me. I see so called "sports scientists" directing programs, making crucial decisions on athlete’s trainability based on algorithm derived numbers telling coaches that athletes cannot practice because they are too tired or too sore. Many so-called sports scientists have little or no practical experience outside of academia or some sterile training center environment where they have no real athletes to work so they can sit around theorize all day.

Sports science must be clearly defined, the so-called sports scientist needs to understand that they do not drive the bus. They must be at training sessions and actively involved with the coaches. They need to understand the culture of the sport and get to know the sport they are working with. They must help the coach to use the data they derive (Assuming it is valid data) by giving the data context. Applied sports science can be a valuable resource, let’s get back to where it needs to be - a resource that is on tap not on top.

Connections

Optimizing human movement is about enhancing connections. Connections within the body, connections to the environment and to the sport. It is mentally convenient to isolate out parts of the body or positions in movement. Mental connivence - looking at segments and parts does not optimize performance; it has the opposite effect. Breaking movement into parts and ignoring connections leads to robotic mechanical movements that do not allow the body to adapt and optimally solve movement problems. The body is smart, as coaches we must learn how to better tap into that intelligence. When we connect movements it all become a big dance characterized by rhythm and flow. Enhancing connections will result in a more robust adaptable athlete.