Why coaches should adapt training for all ability levels
Many endurance athletes grapple with the challenges of self-directed training. While some may believe that coaching is reserved for elite competitors and athletes, personalised coaching can significantly enhance performance for athletes of all levels. In this article, coach Philip explores why all coaches should personalise coaching approaches to the athlete and how this goes far beyond a standalone training plan.
One of the most significant advantages of working with a coach is an accelerated learning curve. Due to the objective guidance coaches provide, coached athletes often learn more quickly than their uncoached counterparts. Athletes who lack a coach may struggle with biases that cloud their judgment or miss “low-hanging fruit,” whereas a coach can offer invaluable insights and answers to pressing questions. Athletes can regularly get distracted and miss the opportunity to work on their genuine needs. A common misconception about coaching is that it’s only for elite and high-performing athletes. In truth, athletes of all abilities can benefit from coaching. Regardless of an athlete's starting point, the right coach can facilitate faster development and provide tailored support to enhance performance.
What works for one athlete may not work for another. Recovery rates, endurance capabilities, and responses to intensive training sessions vary significantly among athletes. A tailored approach ensures that each program considers these differences, moving away from a one-size-fits-all mentality. Coaching extends beyond just training programmes; in our experience, the training plan is a small part of the benefits of working with a coach.
Coaches often assist athletes in overcoming challenges stemming from life outside of sport, providing support that can profoundly impact performance. This holistic support is essential, as many athletes face difficulties that affect their training and overall well-being. A coach can help them navigate these difficulties and ensure that athletes juggling many balls keep them all in the air. A coach helps keep them honest and keep the plan real.
A coach plays a vital role in helping athletes set realistic and achievable goals. They guide athletes in creating ambitious yet obtainable objectives based on their current circumstances and external commitments. Sometimes, this means advising athletes to step back, allowing for adequate preparation before pursuing a new challenge. Other times, it is about giving them the nudge towards self-belief. A coach significantly contributes to an athlete's mental resilience and motivation. They offer perspectives that help athletes navigate challenges and provide a sounding board for testing new ideas. This supportive environment fosters quicker improvements and greater confidence and helps avoid negative thought spirals. Additionally, coaches help athletes keep the main thing the main thing.
Coaches utilise quantitative metrics—such as recovery, sleep, and training data metrics—to ensure that training programs remain appropriate for the athlete's needs. They also pay close attention to qualitative feedback, observing how athletes express their feelings and experiences. This combination of data and personal insight allows for effective monitoring and adjustments to a training programme to ensure genuine progress, which takes into account all aspects of an athlete’s life, not just training data, to ensure that the plan is specific to the athlete in front of them.
Good coaches can play an essential role in recovery and injury prevention. They ensure that recovery metrics are incorporated and that athletes recognise when to rest. Many athletes may push themselves too hard, neglecting the importance of recovery within their training plans, which may lead to burnout or injury. Coaches can also help athletes respond to niggles before they become genuine injuries.
If you are considering working with a coach, seek someone who aligns with your values and approaches. Look for a coach who has successfully worked with athletes similar to you. Meeting with several potential coaches can ensure a good match for you. You can make certain that their coaching style meets your needs and preferences. Often, there is very little separating the top coaches in what they can set, so the relationship you can foster will be the crucial aspect of that relationship.
Philip is the founder of Tri Training Harder LLP. He’s a British Triathlon Level 3 coach, and has been coaching for over a decade and is involved with mentoring and developing other coaches.
Philip has have coached athletes to European and World AG wins, elite racing, many Kona qualifications, IRONMAN podiums and AG wins.
Alongside the conventional development through many CPD courses, he has also been fortunate enough to work alongside experts in the fields of Physiotherapy, Strength and Conditioning, Nutrition, Psychology, Biomechanics, Sports Medicine. Putting this knowledge into practice he has worked with thousands of athletes to various degrees, from training camps in Portugal and around Europe, clinics in the UK and online coaching.
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Tri Training Harder are one of the leading Triathlon coaching providers in the UK, using our wealth of experience to unite scientific and technological research with already well-established and successful best practices, to create a formula for triathlon and endurance coaching that works.
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