November/December 2024 - 15

S
ince my early days in
coaching, technology
has transformed the
profession, both in our
access to information and
the analysis of athletic
performance. Credible
research that was once
paper-bound, requiring leg
work to chase down, is now
just a few taps away. Gaining
knowledge from trailblazers
in the field meant making
phone calls, traveling for site
visits, and attending camps and conferences.
Today, social media offers instant access to their
wisdom. Real-time, digital video analysis of athletes'
movements, has replaced camcorder footage and the
naked eye.
This ease of access to knowledge has contributed to
significant advances in our field. Like any coach, I enjoy
the wow factor of eye-popping feats of athleticism in a
shared video. But in this flood of information, which
often focuses on results over process, young coaches
still need to take the time to build a sound foundation
of program layout and design.
Early in my coaching career, I was blessed to work
with Terry Hoeppner, who often said, " Have a plan.
Work the plan. Plan for the unexpected. " In other
words, preparation is king. The purpose of this article
is to help young coaches plan out their core
framework, an organized programming vision that will
help them filter information, and create more
consistent programs, that will equip their athletes for a
better chance of sustainable success.
THE PLAN: MACRO, MESO & MICRO-CYCLES
(VISION, COMMUNICATION, ACTION)
I often talk with young professionals who scribble
down some novel ideas that don't capture a broader
plan of attack. Then, once you get into the daily grind,
the larger vision gets lost. I recently read an article
written in The Daily Coach entitled, " The Biggest
mistake with coaches is they wing it. "
Below, I lay out a general plan that helps coaches
avoid the temptation to wing it and organize information
in such a way that preserves the larger vision for their
program. While my perspective is that of a strength and
conditioning coach who works with team staff, this
model is applicable to other stakeholders, such as
dual-position coaches at any level.
MACROCYCLE - OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN
(GIVING FORM TO THE VISION)
* Meet with sport staff to establish goals for the
athletic calendar year. Think broadly about where to
place certain types of work, marking out big events.
A theme or mantra can help keep primary goals
front of mind.
* Map out the general thoughts for training blocks/
phases that have their own goals (e.g. 8 -12 weeks
summer block of hypertrophy and/or strength, with
general running).
MESOCYCLE - CLOSER LOOK AT TRAINING
BLOCKS/PHASES: (SUMMER, WINTER, PREAND
POST-SEASON)
* Break down larger phases into manageable units
(such as 4-6 weeks) that have their own goals (e.g.
Amount of work volume, conditioning, recovery,
mobility, stability, etc.)
* Plan for special equipment needed to accomplish
these goals (e.g. Special bars or Tech etc.)
* Calculate how many training days per week, what
time in the day-alongside length of training session.
Also account for pre- vs. post-practice training,
testing dates, etc.
* Maintain focus on the larger vision through theme
weeks, motivational talks about persistence,
nutritional needs, etc.
MICROCYCLE: FOCUSED INTENTION - (THE FUN
CYCLE, " LET'S GO TRAIN " )
* Build the actual daily worksheets, with session
goals, individualized training & weekly evaluation,
proper order of exercises to manage fatigue,
motivational talk to remind athletes of the vision, etc.
* Plan the use of spaces and equipment to limit
bottlenecks and establish proper order of exercises
* Account for setup and breakdown of the facility,
nutrition product distribution, and other logistical
factors
* Facilitate the session (Tempo, energy, etc.)
* Create consistent training habits through skill
instruction, correction cues to watch for, etc.
THE TRAINING SHEET
In this field, there is such an interesting marriage of
science and creativity. The human body can take multiple
routes as it adapts and changes. This allows for a wide array
of training strategies. Your training sheet can have a variety
of looks and will evolve as you set and achieve goals.
COACHAD.COM 15
http://www.COACHAD.COM
November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2024
