Window of opportunity: development from junior to senior swimmers: some physiological principles! MJ Truijens Friday September 7th 2018 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 2002 Master Degree Human Movement Sciences • Focus: physiology and biomechanics 2012 PhD Human Movement Sciences • Focus: altitude physiology and performance Trainer/Coach 2005-2006 head coach TZA 2006-2012 head coach NZA 2006-2016 national team coach 2012-2016 head coach Amsterdam (RTC/NTC) Inge Dekker, Chantal Groot, Femke Heemskerk, Sebastiaan Verschuren, Joeri Verlinden, Nick Driebergen, Moniek Nijhuis, Lennart Stekelenburg, Tessa Brouwer, Esmee Vermeulen, Elise Bouwens, Robin Neumann, Tessa Vermeulen, Joost Reiijns, Manon Van Rooijen, Bas van Velthoven, Ben Schwietert, Saskia de Jonge, Tamara van Vliet 2017-… head coach NTC København (Danmark) Pernille Blume, Rikke Moller Pedersen, Emilie Beckman, Viktor Bromer, Mie Nielsen, Signe Bro Together they won over 70 international medailles at European, World and Olympic Games. Kayak: Robin Koenders 2009-2012: Finalist at World and European Championships Handbike: Monique van der Vorst 2007-2010 Bejing 2008: road competition, Bejing 2008: time trial. European and World champion triathlon 2009, World Championships 2009: road competition, World Championships 2009: time trial, World Championships 2007: road competition What are we talking about? P e e v n i p m A Win or loose? The differences: Nr 1 vs Swimming Nr 1 vs Nr 2 ‘slowest’ finalist 100 vs men* 0.59% 3.08% 100 vs women* 0.67% 3,53% *All Olympic Games after the 2nd World War Trends in the development of international elite swimming: • The differences between athletes are getting smaller • The margins of performance improvement are getting smaller Secrets of success! • Luck • Genetics • Preparation Athlete centered – coach driven - team supported Process driven, result oriented Physiology and the individual Genetics • male/female • initial condition • training response Trainingsstatus • law of diminishing returns • training is always multi-disciplinairy and integrative This causes -> • larger inter-individual variation in response to training, • training optimalisation = personalised learning. Adaptations to training: Training goals: • Generate more power • Deliver power more efficiently • Physiology, biomechanica • Maintain power longer Adaptation stimuli: • Protein synthesis (HIF-1, IGF) Task (distance/time - stroke): tactics pacing Recruitement of motor units Motor neurons Muscle fibres strength and velocity energy/fatigue Psychology is everywhere Competition Training Train the brain Athlete Development: ?? – ?? yrs: find your passion ?? – ?? yrs: Technique ?? - ?? yrs: Physiology ?? - ?? yrs: Specialisation ?? - ?? yrs: Competition Scouting ?? • Learn to swim programs • Club • Swim school ?? – ??: find your passion • Fun is the key word: create a child-centered, playful environment since we learn by playing • present a multi sports experience, based on the development of general motor skills • Work with exercises using their own body weight • Physiology is not realy relevant yet – most likely all training is a stimulus • From 3-6 times a week ?? – ?? yrs: Technique In the water: • Think long and small focusing on minimal resistance • Play with minimum strokes and maximum speed • Play with accelerations and decelerations On drylands: • Learn to jump, learn to roll • Learn to control the limbs from the core • additional training to further develop conditioning could still be done on drylands ?? - ?? yrs: Physiology Learn to train In the water: • Focus on holding #strokes and pace • Push the limit • Play with aerobic intensities, thresholds etc. • Find the limits and push them • Play with hypoxic training variations (breath holding (active and passive)) • Play with stroke rythms On drylands: • Start strength training • body weight: coordination and control • Weights: technique first Periodisation of training adaptations • Training effectively: • Fine tuning the training impulses in time: • Frequentie, Intensitty, Time (duration of training impulse), Type • Optimize training impulse with regards to training goals (specificity principle (SAID)) • Performance oriented (specific), progressive overload, individual • What’s the best combination of FITT to achive the training goals? • Concurrent training (interference principle): Training for two different training adaptations can result into conflicting adaptation stimuli and therewith limited (incomplete) adaptation • eg. Strength training vs endurance training • Variation is important! • Remember: “if you don’t use it, you lose it – quickly”. (reversability principle) • Remember: Training TOO much and TOO hard might be the biggest mistake of trainers and athletes Think outside of the box • specialisation • coaches • programs ?? - ?? yrs: Specialisation Train to compete (and win) • Training is highly sports-specific in this phase • Find out in which event you want to specialize • Further optimize physical and technical capacities • Further develop tactical and mental capacities • Further optimize pre-race routines e.g. nutrition, warm up, taper etc • Focus on recovery/regeneration ?? - ?? yrs: Competition Compete to excel • Keep challenging the areas to improve and be creative. • Avoid frustration projects • Perfect the execution of the race plan • Optimize performance reliability • Deal with pressure (expectations) Coaching task: How to sell the message? • Intrinsic motivation • Training plan • Daily training • Self responsibility and accountability • 12*50 @ 1’00 6 all out, 6 easy • 4000m aerobic set in 60 minutes: determine your own fractions and rest • Design your own warm up to get ready • Less is more: quality versus volume; meet the standard set by the coach and the number of repetitions drop • Positive thinking and feedback • Open and willing • Unexpected assignments • Ask for the extra repetition (you can do better) • Find out what really drives them forward and use it to your advantage • eg. team dependency, recognition .