One size does not fit all, individualisation is crucial when coaching and designing training programmes in order to help the athlete achieve their goals. Generic training programmes are often good place to start but athletes will generally see a plateau or stagnation of performance after a period. This is simply due to the fact there are so many factors playing a part and once the initial ‘beginners gains’ disappear, it’s hard to pinpoint why you’re not improving. Here’s a few of the factors that could be affecting why you’re not progressing

• Life stresses (work/family)

• Movement quality, how do you produce speed/power.

• Training time

• Injury history

• Sleep quality

• Training environment

I aim to look holistically at the athlete when prescribing training, simply looking at data files won’t cut it. For example, some athletes need to hit their best numbers in training to have confidence leading into a competition, others need to hold back slightly and know they have that extra gear on competition day.  The only way to understand that is to work closely with the athlete to understand how they operate.

When prescribing training I look at the whole picture to understand the athlete better and develop effective training programmes.