There is always a “GAP”
No I’m not talking about the commonly referred to “sexy gap” that must only be discussed between male mates. The topic of discussion today is the performance gap that athletes face. Its the gap between where you are in your results compared to where you need to be.
Its likely you are reading this and nodding your head because you know exactly what I am talking about. There are certain areas of your fitness and sporting performance that need to significantly lift and the good news is, the first step is acknowledging that there is indeed a gap, otherwise there is nothing to solve. So Congratulations on having the awareness and being the kind of person open to learning, and committed to getting better.
In my opinion personal development is the key to an inspiring life journey personally and also in your ability to serve and contribute to others, so what is next?
Well, you know there is a gap. So what is missing?
First and foremost if there is a gap and you haven’t already solved it, it means one of two things. You need to:
A/ Get educated and or; B/ Get to work
As athletes, sports professionals or high performers we are inclined to take on the typical approach of more is better and get to work on our weaknesses on top of our current approach to training. Action in terms of more work load is rarely the first approach I encourage people to take in order to create the sporting results they desire. Ive found that it is our lack of education that most often leads us to over-training, under performing, repeating poor patterns of behaviour and poor programming that delaying overall progress. So, What does this lead us to?
A new approach! Get educated.
In order for us to know there is a gap we had to first have the capacity to identify a level of weakness a missing piece of the puzzle. Maybe it was something as simple as losing a match, or letting down your teammates when they counted on. This event gave you the learning that your level is not up to scratch. So without the learning you would not have the opportunity to solve and it is often said, the more we know, the more we realise we don’t know. This is what I call the learning gap. The reason you a re only as good as you are is because you are only as good as you believe you can be and are capable of being with your current knowledge, engine, skill set and support network that is working for for you. So get educated and get around more educated people.
I am going to say until the day I die, From the great strength coach Louie Simmons, when you think you know all the answers you’ve got to change all the questions. Isn’t that the truth! When you think you know it all the learning stops and so does the progress, so not only is a gap important, so too is a constant thirst for education. The first things I identify when screening new athletes are strengths, weaknesses and areas of restriction on a physical level. As I get the athletes to compete in our regular workouts we also get to see how the athlete handles pressure and how they respond to mental and emotional stress.
Tristan Enright Performance Coach
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