Smith Coaching: Balance training

Ah balance! Not always easy to reach. This concept can be overlooked when training. Doing too much or not enough are typical symptoms in our Quebec training culture. 

Whether you are a high-level athlete or an amateur, structuring your training is essential to notice a progression and to achieve this balance. A four-phase structure allows you to train in a balanced manner and enjoy excellent fitness all year round without the fatigue. Since the province has four wonderful seasons, using them becomes a simple, logical and effective way to plan a year of training

Dividing the training according to the seasons allows to adapt it to the external elements which have an incidence on motivation and performance. For example, since there is less sunlight in the fall, the energy level might be lower. Spring, on the other hand, promises beautiful weather and ramps up the motivation. The weather also has an incidence on training, more specifically when it comes to warming the up muscles. In winter, joints are a little more tense which means the warm-up period will be longer. These elements should all be taken into consideration when planning your training program and setting your goals. 

In order to train better without overtraining, the planning is divided into four 12-week phases. This strategy allows you to set different objectives for each period depending on your preferred sport. Whether it is a summer or winter sport, the priorities will be different depending on the season. However, each phase includes strength training, strengthening, muscular endurance and cardiovascular exercises.

Training Structure for Summer Sports 

• Summer: Maintenance period, so you want to maintain your skills while practicing your sport. It runs from June to August.

• Fall: The colourful season is made to correct the structural imbalances of the body. The period extends from September to November.

• Winter: During the winter season, from December to February, the priority is to develop muscular strength and endurance.  

• Spring: The time has come to reach peak fitness to be able to keep what was acquired for summer. From March to May, sport-specific athletic development is the order of the day.

Training Structure for Winter Sports 

For winter sports - downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding - the planning is done in reverse. Winter becomes the maintenance period, spring is used to correct imbalances, summer to develop strength and finally fall to reach the maximum physical capacities to reach your peak.

Training in addition to the practice of the sport in question is definitely essential to progress. The maintenance period is often underestimated, although it is THE most beneficial period. Training less but more efficiently is the key to success. 

Curious about what would change in your sport if you used specific training to correct your weaknesses? Check out the Smith Coaching web site. Have fun training!