Two of my athletes were overheard talking racquetball. They were discussing training and improving but one thing I had not thought that much about was being discussed.
“Each training session he (meaning me) changes the lesson! Did you ever notice that?
“Yes, and each year he changes to work on something totally new.”
There are a few reasons for that.
1. I am always changing what I do because I am always learning something new.
2. For my athletes, once the basics are learned it is a question of reviewing and moving on.
3. Random movement and technique are never mastered but always have to be practiced.
4. I am also studying video to see how my athlete moves to a shot and how they do or do not execute. Then it is up to me to fix it.
5. As each athlete progresses, or does not progress, I have to change the workout to fit the athlete.
Every athlete is different and each athlete receives information differently. Processing that information and translating it into performance is the athlete’s job. Delivering information in a way that is understood and useful to each athlete is my job. When I first started coaching wayyyyy back in the dark ages, I read a book by a track coach. He took a pie chart of an athlete and divided it into skill, strength, speed, endurance and I added a few more such as rhythm of movement and nutrition and later rest. Now the trick is to get the real strong athlete to taper down on what they love to do, get stronger, and ramp up an area they are weaker. Those areas are never solid but always changing for each player.
That is why the message, and delivery is always changing and is never a one way fits all approach.