142 Consistency and Athletic Progress

Send us Fan MailSkill-intensive sports vs. Training-intensive sportsSkill-intensive sports (e.g. golf, basketball)Competition conditions are less predictable (nearly impossible to replicate perfectly in training)Performance is more difficult to quantifyPerformance depends on precise motor control under pressureGreater physiological capacity and effort do not always translate into better resultsPerformance in training not as predictive of performance in competitionTraining-intensive sports (e.g. strength sports, endurance sports, fitness sports)Train and compete under consistent conditions Performance is quantifiablePerformance depends highly on effort and trainable characteristics"Did you see what he/she just did in training?"Performance in competition will closely resemble performance in training"How do we become trained?"Biological organisms adapt slowlyThe human body is a biological organism, it changes slowly over long periods of time.When it comes to the body, meaningful change is measured in months and years, not days.This consistency over long periods of time is what creates noticeable athletic progress.Whatever keeps us from training consistently is what stunts athletic progress.Injury and sickness: the killers of consistencyWe've all felt the disappointment of lost potential due to injury.Whether it's a minor setback that forces you to modify training for a week, or a major surgery, we've all felt some degree of that frustration. The same goes for sickness. We've all had to step back from training at some point whether it's due to a common cold or a chronic disease. Many of you have probably had a major, 6-12 month setback. At times, the feeling of lost potential has been enough to bring me to tears.This makes me fascinated by preserving consistency. If we can minimize our risk of injury and sickness, we can maximize our long term athletic progress.Rules of ConsistencyTrain just beyond your current ability.Only increase training load by ~5-10% per week.Prioritize financial security.Remember you don’t have to do this alone - invest in supportive relationships.Prioritize sleep and circadian rhythm.Ensure adequate nutrition and hydration.Practice food and sleep hygiene.Get sun exposure daily when possible.Downregulate (breath, stretch, read).Focus on what you can control.Accept that you can’t control everything.Resources[1] A Biopsychosocial Model for Understanding Training Load, Fatigue, and Musculoskeletal Sport Injury in University Athletes: A Scoping Review​https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2024/06000/a_biopsychosocial_model_for_understanding_training.24.aspx​[2] Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review​https://karger.com/pps/article-abstract/90/1/11/294736/Allostatic-Load-and-Its-Impact-on-Health-A?redirectedFrom=fulltext​[3] Exercise and gene expression: physiological regulation of the human genome through physical activity​https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2290514/