3 Factors More Important Than the ‘Workouts’ You Write

Posted by Latif Thomas



Obviously the ‘workouts’ we prescribe are important to the success of our athletes.

But, I’ve said it countless times:

My ability to ‘write workouts’ is absolutely not why I’m successful at coaching.

I think that’s particularly evident these days.

Today I want to share 3 new (and excellent) posts that will make coaches and athletes better, even though they’re not about energy system demands or physiological response.

Even better, I love the dichotomy between authors. Because we have a DI sprints coach (and #CTFClinic Sprints Group Leader), elite level HS distance coach, and an emerging professional athlete and DIII National Record Holder in the 400LH.

I hope you’ll take the time to read and share these posts with your colleagues and athletes.

-Latif Thomas

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  1. The Training Environment: The Forgotten Stimulus @CoachGSanders (Boston University)

The training environment, depending on the situation, lies on both ends of the spectrum of control and influence we as coaches have on a practice session. The real art is managing the environmental factors that are both active and passively affecting what is taking place and what is being produced during the session. What can you do to maximize or create positive influence of the training environment? Conversely, what can to you do to minimize or dismiss negative influence of the training environment? Before tackle these questions, there are a couple things we need to actively, not passively, acknowledge…

 

  1. Goal Setting for Middle Distance Runners by Scott Christensen (Stillwater HS – MN)

Athletics is a great example of an activity in which humans set goals. Unfortunately, many of these so-called goals are nothing more than unreachable dreams that the athlete soon realizes are unattainable so they lose motivation for the activity. One of the most important roles that a coach has in athletics is to direct and help their athletes set goals for the sport. This is a dicey proposition in middle distance track and field because virtually all the goals are quantitative rather than qualitative. Setting a goal of “feeling better” while running is much different from a goal of…

 

  1. Your Honest Best by @shantelittle_ (Professional T&F Athlete – World Athletics Center)

So, I fell. My first 400H race as a professional athlete and I fell. Initially, I wanted to write this post about trusting the process – what I dubbed “the key to surviving this sport” after a long conversation with World Athletics Center sprints coach, Chidi Enyia. But given the circumstances, I figured this was the perfect time to sit down and really think about what it means to give your all. How many of you (I’m talking specifically to you, athletes) have finished a workout or a race with that feeling in the pit of your stomach? You know the one; the one telling you that you could have…

shadow-ornament

 

 

 

 



Latif Thomas - Latif Thomas owns and operates Complete Track and Field and serves as the Co-Director of the Complete Track and Field Clinic at Harvard University, the largest track and field clinic in the United States. A popular speaker and presenter at some of the largest coaching clinics across the country, Latif has true passion for the sport and it definitely shows. Over the past 19 years, he has coached more combined League, Division, All-State, and New England Champions in sprints, hurdles, and jumps than he can count. Follow @latif_thomas on Twitter.

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