Coach Tip Tuesday: Build a Solid Foundation

And here we are...it's Coach Tip Tuesday!! Like last week, this week I'm sharing one I wrote in advance in preparation for this time frame, but it's still good to share. :)

My coach tip this Tuesday is to build a solid foundation. Would you build a house without one?? I think we all learned as children from "The Three Little Pigs" that that's not a great idea.

Think of your training like a house. Have the patience to do it and build it right, and you'll stay "safe and dry" and reap the rewards for seasons to come. Disregard my advice and you'll find that it's not hard for something (an injury, unexpected life circumstance, etc.) to huff, puff, and blow your house down.

This means taking little steps and allowing them to become habits by consistently taking those little steps. Stretch. Drink water. Work on your weaknesses. Do drills. Build volume and duration slowly. Take rest days (yes, total rest days....I swear I'll preach this until my last breath ;) ). Activate your glutes. Get quality sleep. Do strength training. Eat nutritious food. Start by doing just one of these things, and add in others over time as you become used to them as part of your daily routine.

Good things come to those who wait. Cliché-sounding perhaps, but it's true. Time allows for knowledge acquisition, physiological adaptations, mental-strength building, and confidence. Unfortunately, in my experience, many athletes rush into things for a variety of reasons - impatience, peer pressure (that's the big offender here ;) ), over-confidence - and then they usually pay a hefty price for it (injury, needing to take time off, etc.). While a lot of things are best-learned from experience, trust me. This is a rare exception to that rule.

Lay a solid foundation. Trust the process. Become smarter. You'll inevitably become stronger. And then you'll be faster as a result. And you'll also live happily in your "house" for years to come. :)