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Acceleration and mental preparation
Last week you read about the pitfalls of not adopting a proper workout structure and too little variety in your workouts. Now let’s look at two pitfalls that will help you train more effectively and think about mental preparation for the big event.
9. Not enough focus on acceleration or recovery-based training methods
Another concept we talk about at our weekend clinics is that there are really different types of speed. Training therefore encompasses methods for developing proficiency under various race-specific circumstances. Acceleration - and the ability to recover from a surge in speed - is an absolutely critical ability for any inline competitor, regardless of skill level. In fact, this is probably even more accurate for novice skaters because the lack of experience in a pack environment causes numerous changes in group tempo. This ‘slinky effect’ consists of compression and then elongation of the paceline as skaters struggle to maintain an ideal draft position. This inevitable characteristic of pack sport means that training should focus heavily on the ability to deal with such minor accelerations. For higher level skaters acceleration is an essential skill because breakaways serve as the basic tactical unit for team skating. So any way you cut it, acceleration training should be a key priority!
What this means is that a significant portion of your skating should simulate the dynamics of pack skating. Skating at the same speed, regardless of what speed it is, does nothing to improve your acceleration skills. A great workout is to skate for 40 minutes at a moderate pace, and every 2 minutes accelerate hard for 7-8 seconds, maintain that speed for a handful of strides, then come back down to your base speed. This not only improves the physical requirements of changes in speed, but will dramatically enhance the technical aspects of acceleration.
10. Lack of Mental Preparation
For all of my life I have been a big fan of cycling! Without doubt the grand tours, such as the Tour de France, are among the most physically and mentally challenging events on the sporting map. Success on the bike is not only about fitness, but mental toughness. As commentator Phil Liggett once said, “to win you have to learn how to suffer!” This remark attests to the power of the mind, and it is equally true for skaters… perhaps even more so because the nature of ‘pain’ in skating is so localized. i.e. burning legs as opposed to burning lungs. The faces of skaters in the final kilometers of a race say so much. You can tell who is hurting and who is not, who is about to crack and who is motivated for the final sprint, who is strong and who is weak.
Mental preparation consists of three primary elements: Positive thinking, imagery, and motivation. These processes begin well before you step to the start line, but must be maintained through the pain and suffering of competition, all the way to the finish line. The victor isn’t always the one who is the strongest, but the one who wants it the most!
opyright © 2004 Barry Publow. All Rights Reserved.
