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Living Fully & Maximizing Performance...

Saturday, 09 May 2015 00:10

Legendary triathlon coach Brett Sutton writes about how a balanced work life may be the key to enhancing your performance on the race course.

By Brett Sutton

One of the predicaments with our sport being such a time consuming hobby is in how we “fit in” those other aspects of life—school, family, friends and work—that make us who we are.

Since starting our age group coaching it has been one of those pleasant synergies we come across, as balance, and getting it right, is crucial to all levels of performance. Yet over the last six months I’ve heard many of our [age groupers] express their envy of our pros who have the freedom to just train and do nothing else.

While it no doubt helps, it may not always be the performance advantage you think it is....

I have documented previously how Nicola Spirig going back to university after the Beijing Olympics was crucial in her subsequent success in chasing London gold. Bob Babbitt also raised the issue with the resurgent Daniela Ryf earlier in the season. Dani followed Nicola’s lead in returning to school and it’s helped her enormously in getting back to her best.

When dealing with people with high achieving mentalities, a sole focus on physical training with no mental stimuli can be anything but helpful. Inquisitive minds don’t sit idle, they turn their attention to thinking about every aspect of their sport. Often to an unhelpful degree. READ MORE