Using Elite Athlete Training to Inform Practice with Øyvind Sandbakk | Koopcast Episode 156
Episode overview:
Øyvind is the director of the Centre for Elite Sports Research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
His research aims to improve the understanding of sport performance, by investigating integrative physiology and biomechanics, the effects of strength and endurance training, as well as the utilization of new technology to gain further understanding of these aspects in real-life environments. He also teaches these topics in Bachelor, Master and PhD courses, as well as the top coach education program.
Episode highlights:
(31:46) Quality over concentration: an argument against block periodization, examples
(41:02) Koop on targeting athlete weaknesses: takeaways for elite and non-elite athletes
(54:12) Øyvind’s takeaways for athletes: caveats, learning how to optimize key sessions
Our conversation:
(0:00) Intro: The Running Event, elite training, introducing Øyvind and the research
(3:08) Øyvind’s background: cross-country skiing, coaching, the Olympic Committee, PhD
(6:45) Coaching and research: deriving application from research
(7:56) Impetus for the research study: previous studies on mixed sports and distances, cross-referencing scientific literature with lay sources
(11:42) Acquiring training data: challenges, language, doping
(14:33) Making sense of training data: intensity, limitations, highlighting common trends
(17:41) Recap of methods: taking elite athlete data, distilling techniques, comparing with lay literature
(19:59) Research and practice should match: revealing opportunities for better coaching, shortcomings in the research
(22:14) Elite athlete trends: high-volume base period, race specificity period, different methodologies between marathon and track
(24:47) Elite athletes versus literature: Gradual versus abrupt shifts in training intensity
(26:08) Block training and mixed-intensity training: the false dichotomy, applicability to running versus other sports
(28:25) Debating block training versus mixed training: concentrated stimulus, volume versus intensity
(31:46) Quality over concentration: an argument against block periodization, examples
(33:42) Decreasing workout frequency: better quality workouts, improving health and recovery, thinking ahead, chess analogy
(35:59) Research takeaways: high base volume for track runners, evaluating individual athlete weaknesses, less homogeneity in marathon
(39:05) The 3 hard days per week trend: merits of microperiodization
(41:02) Koop on targeting athlete weaknesses: takeaways for elite and non-elite athletes
(43:10) Øyvind on targeting athlete weaknesses: strength training example, Paula Radcliffe example
(45:02) Strength training: injury prevention, energy transfer, muscle strength
(48:09) Heterogeneity in training: strength training, research results, takeaways for coaching
(50:18) Takeaways for implementing strength training: specificity to running, time course for adaptations and maintenance, trade offs
(51:38) Failure of vocabulary: “strength training” forwards different goals with different implementation methods
(54:12) Øyvind’s takeaways for athletes: caveats, learning how to optimize key sessions
(58:34) Koop’s takeaways for athletes: make your training orbit around key workouts, avoid conflicting life stress with workouts
(1:02:50) Restructuring life outside of training: your training philosophy must match your life structure, personality, and mentality
(1:04:31) Listen to your body: do the workout that is right for you on that day, keep training schedules fluid
(1:05:17) Wrap-up: where to find Øyvind
(1:06:19) Outro: recap and takeaways, giving thanks
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