“Clowns to the left of me! Jokers to the right! Stuck in the middle with you.”
The middle can be a happy and safe place.
But, when you are stuck in the middle. Now what? Coach Dan John has this to say.
“Take care of the fundamentals and the special situations. The rest takes care of itself.”
Polarising your position is a powerful tool. Black and white provide contrast. Shades of grey not so much.
Special situations could be training when it’s snowing. Scheduling a practice with 1 minute to go and 2 players down. The idea is to create experiences that inform.
On the other end. Fundamentals are about taking care of the basics, doing them well, and doing them often.
The stuff in the middle, that’s a distraction.
I’ve met plenty of athletes and coaches who chase PB’s each and every time. It is certainly one option to try to keep standards high. Set the bar high. Aim for the clouds and you might hit the trees. You get the gist.
When you want a focus on process, consistency, showing up each day. Then polarising your training or your work is powerful. At the bottom end, low intensity, trust the process. At least 80% of the time. Then occasionally, see what is under the bonnet, risk it for a biscuit.
Shock is the upside to this approach. Training for a multi-sport event. I went on a surprise training run in the Brecon Beacons. Progress across the Fan Dance route was way quicker than expected. I went in blind, with no expectations, and came away delighted. A shock to the system and a chance to recalibrate.
The downside to this approach is the discipline required to keep yourself “undercooked”. Walking away to come back tomorrow. Never really knowing how much progress you are making. Spot tests help you keep an eye on your progress and special circumstances training help keep things fresh.
The thing that holds you back is usually you. And or your coach. We pluck standards out of the air, like Goldilocks porridge. Sometimes just right, but often too hot or too cold. And in doing so we get in our own way.
The challenge is to find ways to encourage clients to slow down. To trust the process. Nasal breathing while exercising is just that. A form of autoregulation. The body’s way of telling you, where you are right now, is just right. Not too hot and not too cold.
And since you are in control. You can now take care of the basics. Do them well and do them often.
If Goldilock’s story is about being curious. Then polarising the situation, to provide consistency, contrast, and surprise. Is just right.