Troubleshooting a Nonresponder: Guidance for the Strength and Conditioning Coach

Abstract

Ideally an athlete would continue to improve performance indefinitely over time, however improvement slows as the athlete approaches their genetic limits. Measuring performance is complex—performance may be temporarily depressed following aggressive training for multiple reasons, physiological and psychosocial. This reality may be vexing to the strength and conditioning coach, who, as a service provider, must answer to sport coaches about an athlete’s progress. Recently an evaluation mechanism for strength and conditioning coaches was proposed, in part to help coaches establish their effectiveness within the organization. Without formal guidance and realistic expectations, if an athlete is not bigger, leaner, stronger, etc. as a result of training within a specified timeframe, blame is often placed upon the strength and conditioning coach. The purpose of this article is to explore possible causes of what may be perceived as athlete non-responses to training and to provide guidance for the coach on how to handle those issues within their domain. A process of investigation is recommended, along with resources to assist coaches as they consider a broad range of issues, including enhancing existing testing methods, improving athlete behaviors, and adjusting processes designed to bring about performance improvement.

Applying Sport Scientist Roles Within Organizations

“…Willingness to make a demonstrable commitment to optimizing processes is indicative of a high-performing organization and reflects the coaching parlance cliche ´that championship teams strive to get "the little things" right. In line with current performance management concepts, some amount of objective confirmation that an organization is actually getting things right requires substantial measurement and analysis across a number of complex factors to demonstrate effectiveness for leaders (19,22,23,55,57).…”

“…A faculty SS serving in this way strengthens the organization's technology vetting process and may help engineer effective and longstanding processes to enhance organizational decision-making. In addition, a faculty SS may maintain a footprint within a college athletic department or professional team, providing services for athletes and coaches (e.g., seminar education), providing rapid data return for ongoing projects, communicating the results of acute observations to coaches, advising coaches on current evidence supporting training strategies, guiding innovation and assuring quality in processes, or overseeing development of junior coaches and SS professionals (22,26,51,54,64).…”

“…Organizations filling the HPM role may find seeking an experienced S&C coach an advantageous strategy, as the S&C coach may be wellprepared to excel in the role (58). Because S&C coaching involves extensive task-based people coordination, relationship-building, professionalism, communication, collaborative work with peers, decision-making in clear or unclear situations, and a variety of administrative tasks, many skills may transfer to the HPM role (22,34,43). In principle, well-educated senior S&C coaches and experienced SSs may provide an excellent pool of candidates for the HPM role.…”

“…As a result of hasty decisions, aggressive sales pitches, or perhaps technological limitations, sports organizations may select less valid or reliable tools to collect data in favor of efficiency (14). A clear responsibility of the SS is to evaluate limitations of the technologies the organization is using or considering purchasing and keep error in context (22,55). A faculty SS serving in this way strengthens the organization's technology vetting process and may help engineer effective and long-standing processes to enhance organizational decision-making.…”

Factores Epigenéticos y Práctica Deportiva

“…Surge entonces la siguiente pregunta ¿cuál es la evidencia reportada sobre factores epigenéticos que influyan en un desempeño deportivo? Entonces, para poder conducir a un atleta hacia un óptimo desempeño, se revisó la información sobre los siguientes factores que conllevan una carga epigenética, como lo son: el Efecto de la Edad Relativa (RAE por sus siglas en inglés) 2,4,5,14,18 , características del tejido muscular 14 , entrenamiento con salto pliométrico (PJT, por sus siglas en inglés) 17 , resistencia y rendimiento atlético en clima frío 21 , deportes como fútbol soccer 10 , voleibol 17 y tenis 6 , microbiota intestinal (MI) 9,11,15 , ingesta de omega-3 20 , Vitamina D 13,19 , Grosella Negra 3 , Betabel 1 , y cafeína 8,16 ; así como desempeño de los entrenadores 6,7 .…”