OVERVIEW

VIEWPOINT© by IAAF NSA Roundtable 28:3/4; 7-18, 2013 Combined Events

he combined events are currently ex- their views on the developments and trends periencing a golden age in the pub- we are seeing. T lic eye and, in the men’s events, the highest performance levels ever seen. First is Toni Minichello, who has worked with Ennis’s from the age of 11; guiding her to Euro- In 2012, heptathlete Jessica Ennis, Brit- pean and world titles and personal best scores ain’s poster girl for the Olympics in , every year except one from 2004 to 2012. overcame media and public pressure to win her country’s first athletics of the Then we have Harry Marra, the American Games, the whole process attracting unprec- coach of both and Brianne edented attention to the event for both her per- Theisen-Eaton who previously worked with formance and her star quality. Also in London, 1996 Olympic Champion and four-time World Ashton Eaton of the USA capped what was ar- Champion (three outdoors, one indoors) Dan guably the best year ever by a male combined O’Brien (USA) and the 1992 Olympic bronze events athlete by following up his earlier world medallists Dave Johnson (USA). records and world championships in both the and the indoor heptathon with a hard Jitka Vinduskova, PaedDr, CSc, is a Vice fought victory over countryman . Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at Charles University in Prague and Chair Eaton won the decathlon again at the of the Methodology Committee of the Czech 2013 IAAF World Championships in Athlet- athletics federation. She has supported that ics in , strengthening his claim as the country’s system for developing the combined event’s greatest of all-time, and if the Moscow events as both a coach and administrator, in- was missing Ennis due to injury and cluding work with Rudolf Chovanec, Zdenek the performance level was slightly down, it still Vana, Dalibor Kupka, coaches who in turn had a good competitive field and a wonder- worked with Czech decathlon greats, Robert ful story line as Brianne Theisen-Eaton (CAN), Zmelik, Thomas Dvorak and Roman Sebrle. Ashton’s wife of just a few weeks, took the sil- ver medal behind (UKR). Last but not least, we get an athlete’s per- spective from the 2000 Olympic decathlon To add some context to the attention cur- champion Erki Nool of , who during his rently focused on the combined events, NSA career also won European indoor and outdoor asked IAAF Coaches Commission member titles in the combined events. Frank Dick, himself the coach of two-time Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thomp- NSA: What is your assessment of the com- son (GBR), to speak with experts with special bined events competitions at the IAAF World perspectives on the combined events to get Championships in Moscow? Are there any

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trends you see in the heptathlon and or de- defines skill and what Moscow showed us is cathlon in recent years? that today’s decathletes are by and large much better athletes than their counterparts in the Minichello past. As for the heptathlon, we saw that six The absence of the top five placed heptath- of the first seven placers in Moscow achieved letes from the previous year’s Olympics was total score personal bests. This was great for bound to affect the results, so it comes as no their development. Not having the top finishers surprise first that the top score in Moscow was from London in the field afforded these ladies the lowest ever to win the world title. In fairness the chance to step up without the pressure of to the athletes, however, the results at world going against the likes of Ennis, Chernova, etc. championships the year after an Olympics are And they did in fact step up. always lower for a number of reasons (moti- vation, retirements, etc.). In comparison with Vinduskova previous editions of the championships, the The decathlon in Moscow was one of the scores for positions three to eight in Moscow highest quality competitions in world cham- were average and about what you would ex- pionships history. Seventeen athletes scored pect. In terms of possible trends in the hep- over 8000 points, there were ten personal tathlon, I noted several points. First, a number bests in the top 20, a world leading score and of the athletes were faster in the hurdles. At two national and area records. The heptathlon the same time, however, they were not car- results were also pretty good, with seventeen rying over this speed into gains in the 200m. competitors over 6000 points, seven with new Second, the 800m was very quick and com- personal bests and two national records. Per- petitive. This was likely because of many com- sonally, I very much appreciate athletes that are petitors being in contention for medals going able to come close to or score a personal best into the final discipline together with the strong at the major competitions. We are not sure if it pace set by Rath (GER), which forced the top is a trend, but we believe that there will grad- competitors to respond and the others to just ually be an overall increase in the number of be dragged through to fast times. Third, we 8000-point decathletes and 6000-point hep- see that since the 2005 World Championships, tathletes competing at any given time, which more and more heptathletes are jumping high- means the competition just to be at a major er in the high jump, which means a 1.80m+ event will be tougher. Another thing we are no- performance is required to remain competi- ticing is that fear of injuries and lingering health tive. Finally, analysis of the throws shows that issues are making it so that the majority of in Moscow these disciplines on average (using athletes are choosing both their individual and percentage) contributed less to the scores of combined event competitions more selectively. the top eight placers. If we think that the top heptathletes are better in the hurdles, possibly their 800m running is better and there is a real and generalised improvement in the high jump, we have to ask if coaches are putting less em- phasis on throws training.

Marra Moscow was a very good and very well run competition. From a coach’s point of view, ac- cess to all the event sites was easy. Looking at the performances, the decathlon was the very best in any combined events competition I have ever seen! The pole vault Jitka Vinduskova

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Nool Marra My impression from Moscow is that we are There is no such thing as optimal performance seeing a strong new generation in the decath- profiles in athletics! It is such a cop-out that it is lon. There might be a little stagnation in the top ridiculous, and those looking for such profiles are three or four but the second level, say fifth to barking up the wrong tree. You must coach to tenth is getting stronger and will be pushing the athlete’s needs. There are, of course, funda- Eaton and anyone who wants to be on the po- mental movement patterns that must be under- dium. I have to say I am impressed with the in- stood by the coach and athlete, applied to the crease in the standard of the German athletes. athlete’s movements and (this is the critical part) From a technical point of view, the results in the adapted to the needs of each athlete. You must field disciplines of the combined events, espe- fully understand what each discipline is asking cially the pole vault, are more stable but at the the athlete to do, learn the physics behind each same time the average level in the 400m is not skill and then put that knowledge into common so high as it was 10 years ago. In the heptath- sense words so you can teach the individual. lon, the scores were a little low at the very top, The idea is to coach the athlete. but this has a lot to do with the fact that the two best from the previous year were missing. The Vinduskova overall scores in the second level were okay, We believe the most relevant factor (when nothing that indicates a trend for me. considering a healthy competitor) for achiev- ing optimal performance in a combined events NSA: There is much talk of optimal perfor- competition is the athlete’s ability to be in and mance profiles in sport. These cover anthro- stay in a state of “flow”. Elite combined event pometric, physiological and psychological athletes will produce their best results in a factors. What do you consider to be the most combined events competition as opposed to relevant in a heptathlete/decathlete? single event competitions they might do during the season. Performance effectiveness (PE) is Minichello an indicator that we use to identify and monitor To be honest, as coach to a heptathlete who most young combined events athletes. is considered by some to be too small to be a credible contender, I tend now to put little store decathlon performance by anthropometric guides. The things I look for PE = ------. 100 % are excellent running speed and a good high personal best sum jump; if you have those two basic elements the rest can be taught. The downside is there are a Nool lot of quick athletes drawn to the sprints when For me, a strong will is the most important they should be in the combined events where predictor of top-level success, without that you they would have a real future. I think a lack of are going to be limited in how far your physi- patience on the part of athlete and coach could cal talent will take you. An athlete can train to be one of the reasons this happens and it shows be stronger psychologically and develop self- an important psychological side of the athlete belief, especially if he or she has a good coach, and the coach that is necessary for success. but it really helps to start with the will to win Patience and a systematic and progressive ap- already there in the individual. From the physi- proach to developing the athlete are important, cal side, flexibility is an essential characteristic but we also have to deal with expectations. In to start with and it must constantly be worked Great Britain, few are able to work long enough on in training. A combined event athlete needs to create a future, preferring to judge themselves this so he or she can learn and develop tech- or their personal coach on results or on funding. nique in all the disciplines, avoid injuries and recover from those that do occur. I think as a coach I would also look to see that the athlete’s

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muscle groups are strong and balanced. This Vinduskova is more important in combined events than in We believe coaches must be flexible with the single disciplines where specialisation, and core technical model for any discipline when thus the importance of certain muscles and implementing it with combined events athletes. muscle groups, is normally the key to success. Each individual athlete has certain biomechani- cal predispositions and, therefore, the techni- NSA: While it is true that there is a level cal model should be adjusted to the needs of of compensation in each athlete’s technical the athlete. Once basic technical factors are model(s), there is also the sense of a basic core developed, the model should be individualised model. What do you consider acceptable/not to fit the athlete’s strengths and limitations. De- acceptable when it comes to variance from the cathletes must be able to master three varying core technical models? preparation strategies for take-off and take-off preparation in the jumping events, three varying Minichello strategies for the greatest velocity production “You can’t beat biomechanics” is the first during the release in each of throwing events, point. A good technical model leads to a con- and to be fast during flat sprint and hurdle rac- sistency when trying to produce results. I must es. Whether the athlete is capable of this, will in fairness say it is easier for heptathletes to be evident during specialised training, when the have better technical models as they have few- athlete is between 19 and 22 years of age and is er events and can spend more time on the de- attempting to score over 8000 points. velopment of each one, compared to decath- letes. There are messages that crossover the Nool events and when you are coaching, emphasis- Combined event athletes will always have to ing these is key. It is also important to use the compensate technically because their bodies same descriptions, as it helps the athlete make and conditioning are never going to be perfect the links. For example, in the throws it is impor- for any one of the disciplines without detracting tant to develop a sense of timing through the from one or more of the others. Moreover, it movement, like the use of the legs, the trunk is rare for a combined event athlete to be able then the arms, and not try to shorten the move- to develop his/her technique to the same level ment with tension. of the specialists in any event; they just don’t have the time to work on the special training re- Marra quired. The practical effect of this depends on Core models are important. Maybe better the athlete, in some events they will be closer to stated would be core concepts! Here’s a clear the ideal model and this is necessary in some example, and maybe it will put to rest all the talk of the disciplines in order to be close to the top. about why Ashton Eaton uses the shuffle in the What the coach and athlete have to try to do is shot put. You get three throws, not six, in the minimise the number of events where the ath- decathlon. What an athlete is trying to do is to lete is far away from the ideal model you might get to a functional power position in each throw see in a specialist. But you have to be careful. in order to apply the correct forces required to I found that in the years when I did lots of work deliver the implement as far as possible. The on my weak events I did not get much improve- shuffle puts Ash in this position nine out of ten ment and the cost was that my strong events times and we then let his athleticism take over. become unstable – it took a lot to get the feel- His personal best of 15.40m this year tells us ing back, longer than before. we are correct in this thinking. Furthermore, you drive out of the back on your left leg with the NSA: How do you structure the annual pro- shuffle. It is the opposite leg with the glide. Ash gramme of training cycles and competition? takes off his left leg in all jumps and the hurdles. Can you give a general description of these This is what I mean by coaching the athlete. cycles in terms of objectives?

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Minichello exercises at submaximal intensity, competi- I tend to use a single periodised year broken ton preparation – for individual disciplines and into a simple first phase of 13-16 weeks length, combined events). During the indoor season the taking us from the start of training through to the objective of some coaches in our country is to first of January. A second phase of similar length devote 35-45% of training to the Preparation from the New Year until about April is broken Phase, thereby creating a strong base for the into four- or five-week blocks. The length and entire season. Increased work capacity is the structure of a pre-comp phase and additional basic building block of our preparatory periods. blocks of work depends on when we will have the first competition and the championships or Nool the focus for that year. The indoor season usu- In my career, I used what could be called ally gives a five-week block of high intensity low standard cycles but I still tried to maintain com- volume training associated with competition be- petition-like intensity to a certain extent through- fore going into the second phase. The number out the year, so the structure of my programme of combined events competitions that an athlete was perhaps not so clear as for other athletes. will do depends on their ability to recover follow- In the autumn I emphasised general fitness and ing a competition. The longer it takes then the stability (through lots of running, jumps, strength less competitions you will be able to fit in, as I training with lower weights/more reps) in order am looking for progress of some kind from one to build basic condition. But I would still sprint competition to the next. occasionally and throw with competition-like in- tensity. In the winter I kept up the conditioning Marra work but the strength training was a mixture of I have outlined the weekly programme we low weights/many reps and increasingly heavy used starting in late November 2012. (see page weights with few reps and I added technique 14-16). This was designed with safety in mind. work in all the disciplines. I would have a short And, as it works out, it gave us the number of competition period to assess where the focus reps each week with each skill that the athletes should be in training to come. In the spring I require to develop to their full potential. did a lot of technique work, even if I still might have needed additional conditioning work. I did high-quality technique work for the field disci- plines and speed training for the running events (short distances/long breaks) and my strength work was mainly heavy weights/low reps. The emphasis was guided by the weaknesses I had identified. The summer was the competition period, so the training was mainly focused on technique work at competition intensity levels. But I also did strength training at least once in every two weeks.

Harry Marra NSA: Coaches build training units around Vinduskova training and activities that are general; related; Two macrocycles (Indoor/Outdoor) are di- or competition specific. The “related” covers vided into periods (Preparatory/Competition). those that involve similar motor patterns or fit- These comprise phases (General Preparation, ness characteristics to the specifics of an event Specific Preparation, Pre-Competition, Com- discipline. You will have your own variations. petition) and mesocycle themes (work capacity, Are there any that you consider to be funda- general strength, aerobic system, Special Work mental to providing a platform for the “competi- Capacity, Technique Coordination, perfecting tion specific”?

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Minichello Nool I follow very similar patterns to the competi- The correct rhythm is what makes some- tion structure, so hurdles are followed by high thing competition specific for me. I think com- jump then shot. I also avoid pairings so I don’t bined event athletes need to work on key have athletes doing both shot and javelin, or events where you can’t afford to lose the feel- and high jump on the same days. I ing of the rhythm of the event at competition think it is important to be as fresh as possible speed. In my view, they must do training that when doing jumps or specific technical work. simulates this all year round, at least every two Training with fatigue I think risks injury and dam- weeks. For me, the keys were the 100m train- ages confidence in an athlete. I have one day ing (shorter distances at competition velocity) a week within the programme that is specifi- and the throwing events. The years when I cally dedicated to lots of conditioning elements, didn’t follow this idea I concentrated on dis- which will also contain low-level movement drills cus and shot in the autumn but didn’t do the such as skipping or hurdle walkover drills, the fast work in running. I found that I improved sort of work that develops co-ordination as well. the throwing events but when I started my I think also time has to be planned for covering normal running training later than usual I had any re-hab / pre-hab exercises that have been lost a certain feeling, which took a long time prescribed by the medical team, as in my ex- to get back. That’s why I think you have to do perience these seem to slip out of the training. something at competition-like intensity for all the events all year round. Marra The most important fundamental in this NSA: What performance controls and de- area that I can suggest is to be absolutely cer- velopment monitoring processes do you have tain that the very first movement in any skill is in place through the annual programme to exact, correct, consistent, and can be carried learn faster and make timely adjustments? out in all situations (training, warm-up, compe- tition, under pressure, etc.). Here’s why…spin Minichello a top on a table, starting it incorrectly. There I do tests regularly during the year using a is no way it is going to correct itself during that combination of lifts in the gym (cleans, snatch, rotation; it will only get worse. The same ap- etc.) some power tests (standing long jump plies to any athlete. I can’t emphasise this as- overhead shot) and some event specific tests pect enough. It is the core of all that I teach. (javelin off three steps etc.). I find having worked for athletes for a while through this you gain a Vinduskova sense of how they are progressing or what they During the Specific Preparation Phase need to achieve in order to know they are ready and Pre-Competition Phase in the spring we to compete. During the winter or in the lead up recommend training the individual events ac- to competitions we use few choice track ses- cording to the order they follow in a combined sions that give an indication of what may need events competition. Sometimes the training or- to be added. However, athletes love to com- der does vary depending on the time availabil- pete and test themselves. Even the most ex- ity of the event specific coaches. We consider perienced insist that personal bests are all that the placement of the hips and pelvic girdle to matter. This can make things difficult for me as be an important technical factor and improper a coach if these are not achieved. position at take-off/release will be detrimental to the result. This is emphasised in every tech- Marra nique-related activity or training unit. I use multi throws (OHB, UHF, DL HOP and PUSH) as a specific guideline to let me know the explosive component of the athletes I coach. It’s as simple as that. These skills are

12 New Studies in Athletics · no. 3./4.2013 NSA Roundtable Combined Events done periodically throughout the course of advice on how that is done and how they can any training cycle. To learn faster, I employ the be brought into effective action in competition? use of shadows in each event. I know enough about motor behaviour to understand that Minichello there is a direct cross transfer in pathway de- Everything can be developed. It is so easy velopment if in fact you are doing the drills/skill for athletes to put together wishful scores base in a part/relaxed method. We do these shad- on accumulation of personal bests and future ows often and get this transfer accomplished personal bests. As a coach you have to man- without the risk of overuse injuries. age expectations about what performances can they really achieve based on the levels of fatigue Vinduskova the event creates. Mental toughness comes We use baseline testing approximately four from understanding how an athlete works psy- times per year (2x indoor, 2x outdoor) along chologically during a competition and knowing with continuous video recording analysis and when to say something or not. You should try pre/post training mental state questions, in or- to build self-reliance and at the same time try der to track improvements and make adjust- not to transfer your own expectations and anxi- ments when needed. eties on to the athlete. I have spent time with a psychologist to first understand myself and how Nool I come across in pressure situations and then Monitoring is very important but it should understanding the athlete and how we behave be specific to the athlete. I had some standard as a partnership. There are many psychological things I used myself, but I would not think it would and management models out there and finding be the same for every decathlete; everyone has a few that work for you, I think, is of great value to find their own way. The important thing was to any coach and athlete. that I compared results to what I had done pre- viously in order to get indicators of where I was Marra and what I needed to do. You know from ex- Yes, these qualities CAN be developed in perience how things feel as much as from the athletes…and in fact, MUST be developed if objective results. I knew from the standing long they are to be successful as a combined event jump test that if I could do three metres I was in performer. Ashton is a very good athlete, but good shape for explosive events. For strength many others are also very good athletes. I be- I would see how much I could snatch - 100kg lieve Ashton’s success is directly linked to his being a good indicator. Later in my career I start- abilitiy to deal with all the nuances that sur- ed testing my strength with weight lifting even round a combined event competition. An im- in the summer. For running and speed I would portant role for the coach is to assist the ath- do 30m with flying start, 6x60m with flying start lete in developing the mental and psychological and 250m every two weeks starting in Decem- aspects of the combined events in addition to ber and closer to the season going to once per teaching the skills. It is critical for the outcome. week. Another thing I always did was a maxi- mum bench press and 800m run on Christmas Vinduskova day. This was good for me mentally. I used to Most personality traits are developed during think everyone else was resting that day, so I childhood and adolescence and are a result would get something special done. of environmental (external) and psychological (internal) stimuli during that period. Because NSA: Among other things, resilience, re- of this great variance in personalities, and the sistance, patience and will to win are parts of fact that athletes of many different personali- what sets combined events athletes apart in ties reach successful performance results, we terms of mental toughness. Can these be de- are not sure trying to change individual as- veloped in athletes? If so, do you have some pects of mental toughness is effective. Instead,

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Harry Marra’s 2013 Winter-Spring TUESDAY Weekly Training Plan for Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen-Eaton AM Session Warm-up: MONDAY 1. Treadmill/jogging 2. Medicine ball wall AM Session 3. Sprint drill warm-up Warm-up: 4. On-offs Ashton: jog a lap, Brianne: 3 Progressive 5. Medicine ball multi-throws or jog a lap. Then both do: 6. Flexibility 1. HH stretch 7. Pool runs & arms 2. Full medicine ball programme 8. etc. 3. Mirror sprint arms with weights 9. Finish with Shot Put shadow (Re- 4. Light striders on/offs (Stretch after view from yesterday, 5-6 minutes each) max)

Skills (Video each skill): PM Session 1. Shot Put: Short, specific warm-up, Warm-up: 4-6 throws full, drills/shadows after 1. Jog one lap 2. Hurdles: Full DS sprint warm-up, 2. Medicine ball wall 6-8 minutes con- plus wall drills, sides, tops, blocks tinually 3. HH stretch for 10 minutes (IT & 11:30 – 14:00 Groin emphasis) Lunch, sleep, fluids, relaxation 4. Bubkas and Rope-ups (2 sets)

PM Session Skills (Video each skill): Warm-up: 1. Discus: Mirrors, shadows, rhythm, Secondary warm-up plus 10 minutes stands, fulls, outdoors/indoors stretching 2. Javelin: Stands, mirrors, single cross, approaches (coach to out- Skills (Video each skill): line specifics) 1. Shot Put ( if not done in AM ses- sion ) Day Wrap-ups: 2. Sand Shock Plyos prior to start of 1. Aggressive multi-throws outdoors HJ practice and or pull-up/chin-up circuit 3. High Jump: Drills, skills, jumps 2. Bubkas (Ashton) / Rope (Brianne) (short and full approach) 3. 30 ABS, Chins, 40 ABS, Pull-ups, 4. Weight Training: Monday pro- 40 ABS, MB Chest, 30 ABS – 5 gramme minutes recovery then repeat 5. 400m: Typically 100m runs in a variety of modes Recovery: 1. Pool runs Lafayettes with jets (12- Recovery: 14 seconds , 5-6 times) 1. Pool runs and warm-down 2. Contrast, bugs, stretching 2. Contrast, bugs, stretching 3. Massage

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WEDNESDAY Skills (Video each skill): 1. Pole Vault: 4’s, 5’s, 6’s, lead-ups AM SESSION include rope-ups, Bubkas, etc., Warm-up: drills/fulls 1. Jog one lap 2. 400m: Variety of 150s, 200s, 2. Light stretching 250s, 300s, etc. 3. HH mobility X’s 6 HH with medicine ball Recovery: 4. Medicine ball slam exercises chest 1. Pool running or treadmill running wall, slam downs, OHB both ways 5-6 min run at 8 kph 5. Mirror sprint arms with weight (so LJ 2. Contrast, bugs, stretching/fluids/ approach is timed up) food 6. Sand pit shock plyos (for specific warm-up of legs prior to LJ practice), THURSDAY *****RECOVERY DAY***** DLKTC, DLHTB, Standing LJ, etc. 7. Accelerations (to finalise warm-up AM SESSION for the LJ) on-offs or 30m accel- Warm-up: erations (using LJ format of run) or 1. Jog one lap falling 20’s/30’s, etc. 2. Light stretching 8. 3-4 x LJ short take-offs on to HJ mat 3. Striders (stretch after each one) (with landing) Time it up! Place T/O 4. Medicine ball wall 6 minutes con- marks at 2.5m and 3m from the pit. tinuous 5. HH stretch 10-12 minutes Skills (Video each skill): 6. Mirror arms sprint drills with weights 1. Long Jump: 3-5 x full approach and take-offs (and/or step offs) followed Skills: by 68 x 4 L’s shorts with landings 1. Shot Put: Shadow 6-10 minutes either in LJ pit or on HJ mat (maximum) 2. Javelin: Shadow 6-10 minutes 11:30 – 14:30 (maximum) Lunch, sleep, fluids, relaxation 3. Weight training: Thursday pro- gramme PM SESSION 4. Multi-throws with medicine ball or Warm-up: outdoors with 6.8kg shot (Ashton) Secondary warm-up specific to meet or 4kg shot (Brianne) – ABS x 200 the needs of the events to be practiced, (do between weight training and should include the following: throws exercises) 1. Sprint accelerations 5. PNF stretching afterwards 2. Lower body stretching 3. Rope-ups Recovery: 4. Pole runs off to side 1. Pool run (jogging, emphasis place 5. Bubkas on the word “recovery) 6. etc. 2. Contrast, bugs, stretching/fluids/ food

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FRIDAY ****Skill day…SHADOWS AND SATURDAY / OR FULL**** Warm-up: AM SESSION 1. As need for the events to practised Warm-up: but will definitely include: 1. Jog one lap 2. PNF 2. Light stretching 3. HH Stretch 3. Full DS sprint warm-up programme 4. Full medicine ball 4. Medicine ball with wall & rolls 5. etc. 5. Mirror sprint arms with weights Skills: 6. HH stretch 10 minutes 1. Events to be decided according to 7. Striders or some form of running individual needs and how the ath- chosen by the athlete to be certain letes feel at this point in the week. they are loose band ready to run 2. Weight training: Saturday pro- hills in the PM gramme 3. DS sprint warm-up drills plus striders Skills: 4. Block reacts and fulls as final 1. High Jump: Approach work only prep for hill training (if not done on 2. Discus (Asthon): Drills, starts, Friday) stands, rhythm (No full throws 5. 200-400m hills (if not done on Friday) today unless legs feel amazingly 6. If no hill, sand shock plyos (con- great. Remember, it’s Friday) trolled volume) 3. DS full sprint warm-up drills plus 7. ABS x 200 striders in spikes **** 4. Block starts / reacts 20-30m x 3-4**** Recovery: 5. 200-400m hills **** 1. 15 minutes group stretching fol- lowed by a debriefing of the week *****Each of the above can be moved 2. Contrast to Saturday (see below) Recovery: SUNDAY 1. Pool running 2. Treadmill running 5-6 min run at 8 1. Rest and relaxation kph 2. Group stretching at 19:30 3. Contrast, bugs, stretching/fluids/ food 4. Massage

Brianne Theisen-Eaton Ashton Eaton

16 New Studies in Athletics · no. 3./4.2013 NSA Roundtable Combined Events we believe the mental training and prepara- I think, for emotional recovery. There are of tion for achieving an optimum arousal state, course the rest periods after competitions that or “flow” state, is extremely important for the are a very necessary part of training. athletes’ development of performance enhanc- ing mental factors. In these hurried times, we Marra often see young athletes who are not able to We train for the running events 100m to be patient, and with quick increases of specific 1500m as much in the pool as we do on dry loads they actually decrease their stamina from land. Yes! The pool is also used for form run- both a health and psychological point of view. ning skill development with each athlete. Just The foundation is to explain to the athletes that prior to Ash’s 100m personal best (10.19 sec) point increases of approximately 100 points are he spent 20 minutes in a swimming pool do- an indicator of proper “growth” and that large ing relaxed form runs… he will tell you directly point improvements are difficult to repeat. that he attributes his fast time to those pool runs. In addition, we always warm down in a Nool pool, especially after Day 1 of a competition. Many young athletes have to learn that the We also use contrast (hot/cold) baths for re- decathlon is only done when you get past the covery. Some athletes just like cold but Ash finish line in the 1500m. They have to develop and Brianne both prefer the contrast. At the the ability to concentrate on the discipline at end of the season we also take at least eight hand and forget the previous event, good or weeks fully away from all athletics related ac- bad, much like a golfer has to forget the previ- tivities. I do not communicate with the athletes ous hole. It is the same thing in the heptathlon. and vice versa. We all need our own space/ You have to focus on what you are doing and time to re-charge for the rigors ahead in the only that; if you think about what the others are coming year. Too many coaches over coach doing you will have trouble. In training I would and are nit picking their athletes to do this, do sometimes do five events in different orders that during the off-season. Let it alone….relax. and combinations going from one to the next without a specific warm-up but trying to do the Vinduskova best I could in each. The idea was to improve It is important that combined event athletes concentration by blocking out everything else find a balance between training work and the that could have been right or wrong about final result. This is because, more training does what I was doing. Over the years I developed not always mean better results and quite often the ability to find my best on the third attempts. we witness an improvement in one event at the I know some athletes used to recalculate their expense of another. The basis is to know how to possible end scores after each event. Doing rest and regenerate, because everyone knows that helps keep down emotions because you how to work hard! For active recovery we use are looking ahead and know what is possible yoga, meditation, regeneration (massage, cryo- rather than dwelling on negative aspects. booth, sauna, therapy), swimming, fartlek. For passive recovery we use regeneration or a com- NSA: Can you please give examples of plete off-day. Mental and emotional recovery is what you build into the programme for active worked on continuously during regular training or passive recovery and do you develop tech- and through specific conversations about vari- niques for mental, physical or emotional recov- ous aspects of the competition. Competition ery during the competition itself? stories from older athletes significantly help to develop the proper preparedness of the young- Minichello er developmental athletes. In our country, our For physical recovery we use massage, advantage is that we have a history of great de- jacuzzi and steam room. Building a number cathletes and therefore young athletes believe of rest periods into the training plan allows, that under these conditions they can achieve an

New Studies in Athletics · no. 3./4.2013 17 NSA Roundtable Combined Events

elite level. Finally, the competition schedules for Marra combined events must be closely coordinated Four years of coaching Ash and Brianne here to promote recovery. in Oregon have exacted a great toll on me as a coach. It’s understandable…expectations for Nool outcomes were high. Ash has improved 1000 When I was a young athlete, the focus was points and Brianne nearly 500, so we can say on sleeping enough. As odd as it sounds now, the expectations have been met and then some! even in training I practiced sleeping so that I This year, I will take three full months of rest and could rest properly between the events. I would relaxation before we start for 2014. I need this. fall asleep with keys in my fingers and when the I had little to no downtime after the Olympics in keys dropped down it was enough and I would London because of many circumstances. be back to work. In terms of the whole training cycle, training camps in warm weather gave me Vinduskova more energy. It was always good to be sitting Mentally, I read a lot of expert research by the pool after training and on days off. I usu- work on the combined events, participate in ally trained six day per week, taking Sundays conferences and communicate with combined off. In the winter after the competition period events coaches and athletes-students (Dvoѓák, I would take one easy training week and after Karas, Ptáčník, Kupka,Ćerný, Perun, Svoboda the summer season I would take two weeks – Klučinová, Lukáš). I also continually teach vacation at the end of the year, but it was still coaches who specialise in both basic training active – swimming, running, diving, tennis. It (for 12 to 15 year-old athletes) and in the com- was enough for me. bined events. Physically, I do swimming, home gymnastics, bike tours in the summer, downhill NSA: So how about you? What do you cur- and cross-country skiing in the winter and I get rently do to refresh your own knowledge and physiotherapy and massage. Nutritionally, it is even further improve your effectiveness, and healthy eating (no fast food!), no smoking, red what do you do to manage your own well-being wine only rarely and otherwise no alcohol. in terms of exercise, nutrition and regeneration? Nool Minichello I am now a father, a member of parliament I am constantly reading and talking to in my country, I run a private athletics school coaches for insight it to how they organise and and I have number of positions in national and plan their training routines. More and more I am international sport administration, so you can looking to see what can be learned from other imagine time is tight for me. With that said, I still sports and what is new. In terms of my own manage to take care of myself by training regu- well-being, it is more a case of “not practising larly – mostly running and some strength work. what I preach” I play social basketball and a A few years back I appeared on the Estonian little golf as they offer a competitive challenge, version of Dancing with the Stars, which was I rarely run or go to the gym. I took my a break actually a physical challenge. I have even kept from training for the first time in seven seasons up my tradition of doing an 800m time-trial on this year. Not an example to follow. Christmas day.

18 New Studies in Athletics · no. 3./4.2013