Saturday, June 11, 2011

John Davies,pt.2

If you haven't had the chance to read last Sunday's post about John Davies then I would encourage you to do so. A great runner and coach he was, today is part two of what John called his "Training Considerations." As I said before, it's very clear as to who influenced his training philosophy.Here goes: "#13. Evaluate everyday's training and train by daily reactions,using the schedule for guidance." They call it listening to your body. The athlete has to be thoughtful and motivated enough to understand the benefits gained from evaluating your training on a daily basis. "14. Balance in training must be maintained between aerobic/anaerobic and speed development. 15. It is a fallacy that anaerobic training develops speed. It in fact counteracts speed. 16. Training can be done too fast or too slow,too much or too little,at right or wrong times." Another reminder that you should know the hows and whys as it relates to your training. John also stresses this point later. Arthur Lydiard said and wrote many times that if a coach can't give you an explanation as to why you are doing a particular workout then you need to get another coach. The same goes for the books and schedules you may buy. "17.Understand the how and what of training as well as why each day's training is important physiologically and mechanically. #18. Co-ordination of training is important. #19. All middle distance and distance athletes require: a. A high aerobic threshold. b. Anaerobic development. c. Speed,and d.Co-ordination. One development follows another. Training needs to be systematic. #20. No one can determine exactly what an athlete should do in anaerobic training. The athlete should determine that in each session and not train to hypothetical figures. #21. Anaerobic development requires volume training, i.e. longer repetitions, not short sharp ones or short intervals. After three weeks of heavy overload anaerobic training, the athlete needs to decide whether to back off during the fourth week and start the shorter sharper workouts. This is to maintain the fourth week and start the shorter sharper workouts. This is to maintain the anaerobic development achieved but not sacrifice good condition at the same time." To all of the above I say, Runner, know thyself !

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