Complete Speed Training Newsletter #61

Welcome to Issue #61 of the Complete Speed
Training Newsletter

Our scheduling has been thrown off a little bit
lately due to a hectic schedule.

However there are a few things I wanted to talk
about, in particular a must have resource on
program design for track and field, something that
should serve as a foundation of knowledge for
athletes in any sport. You only have until the end
of the day today, so read more about it below.


This week's topics include:

1.) The Importance of Goal Setting
2.) Brand New Program Design Resource for Track
and Field
3.) Fast Workouts for Full Recovery



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1.) The Importance of Goal Setting

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This week I want to digress a bit from our regular
series on program design. Instead I think it's
important to look at goal setting in regards to
the athlete's goals as opposed to setting goals
for the speed program itself.

Whether you coach a team of 50 athletes, just
your son or daughter or run groups at a facility,
getting athletes to both write and verbalize
their goals is an important part of the overall
process. Like any aspect of life, if you don't
know exactly where you want to go, you'll have an
extremely difficult time getting there. So if you
do coach a big team, don't make that an excuse. I
regularly find the time to a 4 - 5 part series of
goal sheets/meetings with a group of over 40
athletes.

You'll be amazed at what your athletes have going
on inside their heads. Many of your athletes, even
the ones who never speak at practice, have
incredibly detailed (and lofty) goals. Some of your
most talented athletes have a surprisingly low level
of self confidence. But if you don't sit down and
assess these goals with your athletes, you'll never
get this inside information.

I believe the coach/athlete relationship is
underrated. Top coaches take the time to learn
something personal about each one of their athletes.
Even if its one small detail, that can make a huge
difference in that athlete's success and life. Your
goal setting meetings are a perfect opportunity to
get to know a little about each athlete.

And you can use that to your advantage. When an athlete
is struggling in a workout, being able to specifically
mention something they talk about in their goal sheets
will have an immediate impact on their psychology. When
athletes feel like you know and care who they are as
people and not just another name and face amongst the
masses, I find they are less likely to goof off, take
short cuts, get in trouble and make excuses. Because
you know what their goals are, they can't escape that
accountability.

So here are my top 3 keys to effectively establishing
seasonal goals with your athletes:

1. Progress from simple to complex (sound familiar?)

Start out with simple goal sheets that only
contain a small amount of information. Most athletes
aren't really sure what their goals are so you
don't want to overwhelm them. By progressing, it
will be easier for them to get clear on what they
want. Many times, kids will be hesitant to state
their real goals because they fear success, not
failure.

Once you meet with your athlete and discuss the
first series of basic goals and expectations, you
can give them the next goal sheet where they have
to analyze their goals and get more specific. It's
up to you how many goal sheets you want to give.
Often I will only use 2 sheets with my young athletes,
where my experienced athletes will sometimes
complete 4 or 5 sheets. And believe me, some athletes
take this very seriously. I've had the hardcore ones
write 7-8 pages papers on their goals. I'm not sure
if this is good or bad, but I can't count how many
times an athlete has said, 'I spent more time on
this than any paper I've ever written for a class.'

I'm never sure how to respond to that!

2. Make them accountable

Our goal meetings are an important part of the
process so I expect it to be take seriously.
Therefore I have certain parameters that must
be met before I will accept one for review.
First, all responses must be typed and in complete
sentences. I accept sheets and set up meetings on
a first come, first serve basis. This is great
because there becomes a feeding frenzy of athletes
trying to get their sheets turned in. Star athletes
want to be first to have their meeting because,
well, they want to be first in everything. They'll
even compete for who writes the longest goal list.
Everyone else looks at it as an opportunity to
show commitment and effort and earn points with
the coach. So when I post the order of meetings,
no one wants to be down at the bottom of the list.

Athletes who don't turn in sheets or try to hand
me a hand written sheet get put on the 'Incomplete'
list, the team equivalent of being in the leper
colony.

3. Follow up

I have a lot to do so doing hundreds of goal
meetings a season is a challenge. But its worth
the effort. But nothing undermines that like
expecting athletes to be accountable, then not
finding the time to hold meetings. My goal meetings
have to be short, I limit most to 5 minutes. I'll
grab kids when I can. Maybe a meeting will be in
the weightroom, another at the track or on the field.
I do it when it works out, but I make sure to do it.

In these meetings you're going to learn a lot
more than how many touchdowns Johnny wants to
score or how Mary wants to be league MVP. You're
going to learn personal information and get glimpses
into who the kids are as people. It is critical that
you use this information to your advantage.
Sometimes I'll use it publicly, sometimes in private
conversations. But I always make sure that I try and
say something relevant to that specific athlete as
often as possible. I carry all the goal sheets
around with me in a big purple 3 ring binder. It's
one of my most important coaching tools.

So use these tips with your athletes. It's going
to help you develop your team into a family, and
give your individual athletes specific things to
shoot for each and every day. When they forget,
you'll be there to remind them and then they'll
do anything for you.

So now that your athletes know where they want
to go, click here to make sure you have the tools to take them
there.

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2.) Brand New Program Design Resource for Track
and Field

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Over the past 12 months I've been involved in a
project with the absolute best track and field
coaches in the world.

Our goal is to bring the most comprehensiveseries
of program design informational resources
in the history of track and field to coaches at
every level of the sport. By providing *all* coaches
with the proven training design techniques of world
class coaches, you will be assured that your program
will be taken to levels you never thought possible.

My problem with many track and field program design
resources is that they are geared toward collegiate
and post collegiate coaches and athletes. I love
this series because its easy to understand for the
the high school coach, the middle school or youth
coach.

Until midnight tonight, Monday October 30, we're
holding the world wide launch for this series of
resources. All of our authors have earned the
distinction of being USA Track and Field Master
Coaches. This is the highest level of recognition
in the sport.

Now, we're only selling 500 copies as part of our
launch deal so you'll have to move fast if you want
to get a copy. That may seem like a lot of copies,
but when you consider how many athletics coaches
and athletes there in this world, you'll understand
it really isn't.

Click here to visit
the site,
where you can sign up to receive a sample chapter
from each event group book. Even if you don't coach
track and field, the techniques in these program
design resources will still teach you about the
demands of designing training for your own sport.
After all what is more fundamental to most sports
than the ability to run, jump and throw?

At least go sign up for the free chapter from each
book.

Check out Complete Track
and Field Conditioning today!


*NOTE: This launch was originally exclusive to
members of our Complete Track and Field sites.
But because of its relevance to the lead topic
of the Newsletter over the past several weeks,
I want to open it up to you as well. However,
the end of the launch is tonight at midnight.
To save 20% on our launch offer,
you must order today, October 30.
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3.) Fast Workouts for Full Recovery

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As we've stressed many times, recovery from
workouts is just as important as the workouts
themselves. On top of that, as the season wears
on, sometimes you just want to get your athletes
in and out of practice as quick as possible. You
both need a mental and physical break from the
rigors working out and program modification.

When you're looking for fast, effective workouts
that will help speed up your athletes' recovery,
here is your answer.

In fact, even if you're looking for a
subsititute for going to the gym because you
simply don't have the time, this is a great
solution to that ongoing problem.

Men's Fitness Magazine calls this 2 DVD
program "...the FASTEST workout that produces
REAL results."

Click here to learn more.