Please review this.

Expert Discussion Planning and Periodization
1

I hope this is clearer - thanks Rupert.

The coaches association I belong to has a regular article written by a local coach. This month it is my turn. My article has to be on pre-planning!

I have shown my current draft below. I would appreciate any feedback

The association has had some comments from some of our coaches about planning. Not what we do, but how we go about planning athletes training.
What this article intends to do is give a brief description of what is required to plan, before you even sit down and write the plan.

According to Brent McFarlane there are ten steps to designing an annual plan (The Science of Hurdling and Speed, pg 237)

  1. List Performance Goals and Training Objectives
    These should be performance based
    Realistic
  2. List Peak Competitions
  3. Install Time Lines
    Determine training length
    Enter all training and competition dates
  4. List other known competitions
  5. Set Macrocycles
    Defined as the season.
    Cross Country and Track Seasons are 2 macrocycles
  6. Set Periods
    Preparation
    Competition
    Transition
  7. Set Phases
    General Preparation
    Specific Preparation
    Pre Competition - optional
    Competition
    Transition
  8. Set Mesocycles
    Generally 2 to 6 weeks in length
  9. Set Weekly Microcycles Patterns
    Is generally a weeks training
  10. Set Sessions and Training Units
    A session is made of training units

To plan a programme there are questions that need to be asked, some of the athlete, some yourself, some of previous years training and the event the athlete does.

These questions use the 5 W’s (What, Why, When, How and Why)

As a coach, you develop your own philosophy. This philosophy is the framework of your coaching, but within this, you should consider the following
Event,
Age of athlete (in chronological and training),
Conditioning of athlete,
Technical aspects of event, and
Development pathway.

The article has not intended to lead you through what the whole concept, as that, would lead to people to believe there is only one way to plan a training year. This is, obviously, incorrect.

The information in the article has been taken from the branch library, If you are interested in getting any reading material let the secretary know.

2

DMA

Who is the secretary?

Thanks…

Rupert

3

I has come to my attention that I haven’t explained myself very well.

The article is in a draft.

If possible I would welcome feedback, comments on it.

The article is about pre-planning and is meant to be basic. It is kept to 2 pages.

The articles is done for nothing.

Pleae help

Rupert - the secretary is the secretary of the association for whom the article is written for.

4

Where is the budget? How can you plan meets and training camps without first assessing the needs of the plan and the means to fund it. For example- A top athlete in Canada needs 2 to 3 warm weather training camps for a duration of 4 to 5 weeks, 5 to 7 competitions against appropriate level athletes at sites conducive to needed performance standards and within program timelines before major peaks. There is no mention of therapy requirements.
Try constructing a plan for a specific known individual with available resources and post it (no name required).

5

Good point about the money issue…that’s the biggest challenge more then microcycles.

6

How about the athletes personality and coping with his/ her needs both on and off the track. Living environment, food, housing, money, any problems that might occur. Class schedule, work schedule, how to budget the athletes time correctly. How to become an efficient problem solver,how to set up an effecient hs or college program, how to control the ego of members on the team (posting times ect ect), how to organize a team practice successfully when dealing with a large number of athletes. Discipline of the athletes. Specific training programs to tailor to the needs of each athlete. Caring for the athletes, relating to the athletes. Coaching style? one on one, dictator ect. Which one works and why? Periodic meetings with the athlete to check up on progress/training ect (let the athlete voice his/her opinion. How to come up with successfull financing plans for athletes. Also what resources does the athlete have available to him/her and how adjust. (example: Athlete doesnt do recovery at all you have to adjust there training program by cutting back) Besides that the article looks to be set up very well. Good luck!!!

7

Thanks Charlie good points re: budget and travel requirements.

Tim alot of that is philosphy and coaching style itself. But the time restraints need to be addressed.

Also with travel requirements I personally liked having a few days before comp (major ones) in the city of the competition whilst my training partners liked a week or the same day. Travel on the East coast of Australia.

8

I see its meant to be basic sorry for that extra info, its too bad this article wasnt longer. Goodluck.

9

Yeah you are right.

Give me 20 pages and it still wouldn’t be long enough, also I would have too many coaches tell me my programming ideas are wrong.

I get that now.