Failing to plan for these 3 common pitfalls can cut your training season short, limit your potential or even take you out of the game permanently
Everyone has that story: training for a big race or competition and everything is going great...until everything breaks down. You end up watching the other competitors from the sidelines and explaining why you didn't get the T-shirt. The odds are, you fell victim to one of these common problems that all athletes face.
Injury: Public Enemy #1
Sustaining an injury is the fastest way to put yourself out of the game. An injury is a little different than being in pain. Top performers expect a certain amount of discomfort - it's when you can't play though the pain that you're injured. The types of injury you for which you might be at risk is a function of how you train. Foot, ankle and lower extremity injuries are very common in distance running, whereas weight lifters or Crossfitters see more injury in the back and shoulders.
A few minutes on Google should reveal a list of the most common injuries for your training style. With that information, you can intelligently plan your training regimen to avoid injury. But, why avoid injury? Shouldn't you just train like hell and hope you don't get injured? Well, no, actually. When you consider the long term, preventing injury is the best investment you can make in training. You'll train and gain more consistently with less pain and setbacks.
A few minutes on Google should reveal a list of the most common injuries for your training style. With that information, you can intelligently plan your training regimen to avoid injury. But, why avoid injury? Shouldn't you just train like hell and hope you don't get injured? Well, no, actually. When you consider the long term, preventing injury is the best investment you can make in training. You'll train and gain more consistently with less pain and setbacks.
Overtraining: When More is Too Much
Good athletes train hard. Great athletes know when to stop. The 'taper' is now part of every runner's marathon training regimen. We understand that we can't keep training harder every day without a diminishing return. At some point, more training can be too much. Once you've arrived in overtraining territory, you're more prone to injury and the body recovers slower, effecting the quality of future training sessions.
Having a plan to avoid overtraining altogether is good but not enough. Elite athletes must be able to recognize the symptoms of overtraining when they arise and address them properly. When combined with proper recovery, small bursts of overtraining can be an asset and help athletes reach new levels.
Recovery: Counter Intuitive but So Necessary
Some athletes confuse 'playing through the pain' with not having an adequate recovery strategy. The temptation to train every day is especially strong for top performers. The old adage, 'when you're sleeping, someone else is training', is ingrained in every competitor. However, those who don't build recovery into their overall training strategy, often plateau and fall short of their potential. Finding recovery methods that allow you to come back and train harder and longer are the goal, not to prove how tough you are.
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