o you’ve nailed training, you’ve got a
good idea about nutrition and your
next fi tness challenge is just around
the corner. But are you really ready
for it? Sometimes our competitive
edge can compromise our rational
mind into thinking we‘ve got all our
ducks lined up.
PsychologistSander van der Linder said, “Competitivenessis a biological trait that co-evolved with the basic need for
human survival,” and while this can be used in any context,
it explains why so many of us are always in search of the next
challenge, and the next achievement. We record our training
sessions and use the numbers as validation that we
are progressing.
But while being driven is a positive trait – helping usto roll out of bed and lace up our trainers – it can be a little
like walking a tight rope. Stay balanced and you will reap
the rewards, but push too far and that same trait can become
dysfunctional, leading to increased risk of injury and potential
longer term health consequences.
So how can we truly know that all the so-called good work
we put into our fi tness regimens and dietary choices is really
working? And can we really use how we feel as an indicator of
optimal health and performance?NOTHING TO CHANCE
How you feel, combined with how you perform, is of course
a fairly reliable indicator, but anyone who takes their training
seriously can also benefi t from monitoring. If you really want
to get the most out of someone’s performance, you have to
understand how their body is responding to their training load- only then you can provide them with appropriate nutritional
interventions. Strength-based testing is one method, as is
monitoring sleep. I also encourage athletes to rate their energy
levels (although this is subjective) and their motivation to
train. Doing so can tell us a lot about their physical and
psychological status.