Of the three major areas of importance that should be taken into consideration when attempting to achieve high-level performances - Physiology, Biomechanics and Mental - the elusive and somewhat immeasurable Mental component will be addressed in this issue.

The last installment of The Masters Skater dealt with two sub-components of the mental component -- setting a goal and developing a strategy to achieve that goal. In this installment, we'll take a look at two other sub-components of the mental component of training -- tactics and motivation.

As with the last installment, we'll use my personal experience of completing a recent Ironman distance triathlon as a way to illustrate the application of the concepts of tactics and motivation.

Tactics

For most people, the words strategy and tactics appear to be synonymous. But there are definitely differences. While strategy is defined by Mirriam-Webster's Dictionary as both: a careful plan or method, and the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal; tactic is defined as: a device for accomplishing an end. So you can think of a strategy for achieving your goal as "a broad picture of your training program" and the tactics that you will employ to complete that strategy as "your training schedule and specific training techniques."

Well, that sounds simple, doesn't it? Simply set a goal and set up a strategy as we discussed in the last installment, and do some reading on which tactics you'll employ to "fill in the blanks" of your training program. No problem. Well, actually, it isn't quite that simple.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

There is something to be said for listening to what your parents taught you. Does the message, "If everyone else jumped off of a bridge, would you follow them" sound familiar? Sometimes the most common sense truisms really do work.

Coaches, trainers, researchers, athletes and others have developed a multitude of training programs and training techniques over the years. Plyometrics, fartlek training, wind sprints, powerlifting, base-building, peaking, tapering and others are all terms we've come to know (and sometimes hate). Perhaps the reason so many different approaches have been developed is that no two athletes will respond in the same way to the exact same training program.

Look at a typical high school swimming team, or track team. There may be 3 or 4 athletes who compete in exactly the same event, and train using exactly the same protocol (which may be a mistake), and yet their personal records (PR's) for their event may be significantly different.

Consider your own training. Have you ever gone out for a hard workout with a training partner and found that you recovered much better (or worse) than your partner? Everyone who has worked with a group has experienced that feeling, and it's not a bad thing--if you listen to your body.

Finding the appropriate mix of techniques - or tactics - to incorporate into your training program is not an easy task. But there are some tips that you can use to help guide you. I'll refer back to the Ironman distance triathlon again here as an illustration.

Are we going too hard?

During my parners and my training for the arduous 12-hour plus triathlon, there were times when he would tell me, "I think I'm going too hard" or I would ask him, "Aren't you tired?" Both of these observations were important in terms of re-assessing our tactics. My body was geared more towards strength and power as opposed to endurance, so it simply couldn't adapt to some of the longer duration workouts as quickly as his did. As a result, I was tired for up to two days after a six or seven-hour workout. Likewise, he had more cardiovascular endurance than I did, so when we did intensity-based workouts, they took a bigger toll on his body than they did on mine.

If you find yourself exhausted and unable to effectively perform during your training program, you need to re-examine your tactics. Perhaps your body is not ready to move to another stage of your strategy cycle. Maybe the workouts are too close together. There are a number of tell-tale signs that can be used to monitor your recovery level: resting heart rate, mental stress level (irritable or relaxed), heart rate response for a specific workload, and others.

That does not mean that the only side on which athletes err is the "overtraining" side; sometimes, athletes are too conservative in their training approach. If you find that you are not progressing (while in a progress-oriented phase of your training) or you don't seem to be taxed sufficiently after a hard workout, maybe you need to consider bumping up the intensity or duration of your workouts... employ a new tactic.

Just don't make the mistake of thinking that if you follow someone else's program exactly as they have it set up, that you will achieve the same results. Somehow, I think that trying to follow Chad Hedrick's training program would not make everyone just as fast (or as injury-free or rested and refreshed) as Chad. You need to find out what works for you. Given the current state of sports science, there is no easy way to do that without actually going through the cycle of training, assessing, modifying tactics, training and re-assessing.

Take-home Message

The tactics you use to fulfill your strategy are critical, but not everyone will benefit in the same fashion from the same tactics. Make each training session a learning experience; if you're extremely tired or under-worked from a training session, use that information to modify your tactics so you can fulfill your strategy and achieve your goal.

Motivation

Well, here's a pandora's box. What is motivation? It's a feeling that influences us; it gives us drive; it stimulates us to action. But where does it come from? That's the million dollar question. For some, the concept of moving forward toward a lofty goal is intrinsically motivating. For others, the idea of moving away from a negative feeling is important. For still others, it's some other set of reasons. Whatever the reason, if you are motivated enough to read this article, you have at least some motivation.

Identifying (at least on a very general level) what motivates you can be an important step in helping you acheive your goal. Looking back again on the Ironman distance triathlon example, searching for motivation to put myself through a 12-plus hour ordeal was paramount to me finishing the event (and even completing the necessary training).

My first thought about motivation was, "I know why I'm motivated to do this. It's because it's very difficult, and I love a challenge." But knowing how much time and energy were going to be required, along with the multiple commitments that typically encompass my life, I knew that I digging deeper to find other sources of motivation besides the "challenge" aspect of the event would be prudent. This would be especially true during the base-building phase (the long-hours of training with no observable benefit).

When I came to the realization that I also wanted to do it also as a test of my "youth" (I'm was 40 years old a few months ago when I did the race). Hey, who says that anyone over 40 is old? When I was in my 20's and early 30's, doing 20-40 races a year, I could take quite a bit of physical abuse. But I never dreamed of doing an Ironman triathlon before... it seemed like waaaaay too much work. So, if I could finish one now, at age 40, wouldn't it say something about my physical status? Yep, the "search for the fountain of youth" had led me to an Ironman distance triathlon. Who would've thought...

So for me, at least two of my easily-identifiable motivations were "reaching for a positive" - I could conquer a challenge; and "avoiding a negative" - getting older. These simple thoughts, although they may seem trivial on the surface, were to come in handy later. As training became more intense, and I questioned, "Why am I doing this again?" it was much easier to keep going once I reflected back on these ideas.

You need to do the same thing, if you want to have internally-derived motivation come to your aid in those tough times. Most athletes have coaches at some point in their careers. Do you know what a coach is? An external motivation. Not all of us have the luxury (although I know some athletes who wouldn't use that word to describe the situation) of having a coach. For us, we need to use internally-derived motivation (or a good training partner who is supportive).

As a backup, I always like to have the option of an external motivator. Most often, it's a training partner, spouse or friend who is interested in your progress. It makes things much easier on those "hard to get out of bed at 5 a.m. to skate" days.

So how do you find out where your motivation comes from? Unfortunately, there are no books on the subject that concisely and succintly tell you how to do it. But there are some basic, common-sense tips you can use to find your way.

1. Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" Sounds simple, right? Sometimes, it is.
2. If your first answer has something to do with receiving approval/accolades from someone else, reconsider your position. If that person is hard to please, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Do it because you want to do it.
3. Think about what would need to happen in order for you to abandon your goal. This can help you establish priorities and potentially figure out why you're doing what you're doing.
4. Ask a close confidant - someone who knows you well. They may have insight, and they aren't as close to the situation as you are. If you trust them and they respect you, they can tell you if you're doing it just to prove something that you don't really need to prove.
5. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out. It might be as simple as, "I like doing it."

It's a good idea to figure out at least a basis for your motivation to do something. It can help you when "the going gets tough." For those times when you aren't really motivated, it might help to remember this: The simple fact that you want to be faster isn't enough to make you faster; you must actually do something in order to increase your fitness level and make the change. If you're a practical person, that fact may be enough to get you to strap on your skates and get moving. If you're not so practical, I'd suggest that you have some sort of support system in place for those times when your motivation level may be less than optimal.

Take-home Message

Motivation is a very difficult concept to "get a handle on." If you can identify some of the reasons you are motivated to do something, you may be able to use that information to your advantage when you need it, by reminding yourself of those reasons.

Conclusion

In order to put together a comprehensive training program, you'll need to set a goal and develop a broad strategy for achieving that goal. Once you've done that, you need to "fill in the strategy" with tactics you'll use to complete it, and draw on whatever motivational tools you have at your disposal. As your training progresses and the workouts become more difficult, motivation becomes an increasingly important factor in the success of your program. Just remember that a strong oak tree doesn't grow in a day; it needs the proper circumstances - and time - to develop.

Photos and Text © 2001, Frank J. Fedel, C.E.S.