We’ll never stop saying that coaching athletes is an art — yet, it’s not an undefined art; to put it another way, it’s not devoid of structure — at least, it shouldn’t be. Indeed, coaching athletes requires the application of several different scientific fields, such as physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, and sports psychology. However, the key to optimize performance is to combine the above scientific practices with endurance performance analysis software.
How do we know this? Being coaches ourselves, we know firsthand that, if you don’t get organized, educated in scientific disciplines and equipped with technology tools, coaching can easily turn into a nightmare.
Especially in endurance training, coaches must consider many factors that are crucial in boosting the performance of an athlete. Nonetheless, as you may already know, coaching does not always improve an athlete’s performance. That is to say, sometimes, coaching is not effective at all — and with good reason!
To elaborate, some trainees get worse after following an unstructured training plan, or a very poor monitoring process; or even, an excessive training load that their bodies cannot adapt to on time, and the list goes on.
Top tools of endurance performance analysis software
To start with, we’ve created Endogusto with a strong and clear vision: to make endurance coaching as easy as possible; to highlight, for both managing and coaching tasks. Without further ado, let’s explore five basic endurance performance analysis software features that will help you enhance your athletes’ performance.
1. STRess
STRess describes the internal load that training brings to the athlete. Imagine the same person running a 10k at race pace on Tuesday and an easy 10k run on Wednesday. For both days, the external load was the same (10k), but the internal load was superior in race pace.
If you don’t monitor stress, your athletes will probably either undertrain or over-train. Why? Because the external load may mislead you. For this reason, in Endogusto, we calculate STRess using the Edwards method; which is based on the duration an athlete spends at each training zone.
2. Fitness or Chronic Training Load (CTL)
Fitness, or Chronic Training Load (CTL), is typically the 4-week (28 days) acute workload average value. This value is important, as it provides a clear indication of an athlete’s training path; that is, up to their current training, or even race day. Therefore, we commonly view this as an indication of the athlete’s fitness level.
It’s an exponentially weighted average of the last 28 days of STRess; consequently, reflecting the results yielded from the overall training execution, during these 4 weeks. In essence, workouts executed 10 days ago will impact Fitness levels more than workouts executed 20 days ago. With this index, you have a clear indication of what your athletes have achieved; that is, up to the present training session or race.
3. Form or Training Stress Balance (TSB)
Training Stress Balance represents the balance between training stress and recovery. In Endogusto we use the Banister model; although, it’s a bit more complex than the traditional TSB — mathematically speaking. For one, this model uses exponential decline, to model the effects of training stress.
The main limitation of the TSB model is that it usually shows when training reduces performance; but it doesn’t show how to improve it. Hence, the TSB model only indicates a performance improvement when training is reduced. So from the available models, Banister’s is the most experimentally validated.
4. Fatigue or Acute training load (ATL)
Fatigue or Acute training load (ATL) is an index that measures the workload performed by an athlete within a week. We calculate this as an exponentially weighted (moving) average of daily STRess, with a default 7-day time-frame constant. With this index, coaches can monitor and compare their athletes’ weekly stress and re-adjust if/when necessary.
5. Readiness
The acute chronic training load ratio pinpoints an athlete’s level of readiness or “freshness”. The actual value coming from this ratio has a practical significance; by that we mean that with careful planning — and due alteration — it can help reduce the risk of injury. In a nutshell, its values and indications are as follows:
- < 0.80 (Under-training and higher relative injury risk)
- 80 – 1.30 (Optimal workload and lowest relative injury risk – “The Sweet Spot”)
- > 1.50 (Over-training — “The Danger Zone” and highest relative injury risk)
Endurance performance analysis software: Making your life easier with Endogusto
In conclusion, endurance performance analysis software, like Endogusto, can help coaches achieve better results for their athletes; while, saving them time, to expand their own coaching skills. Making the most of the Endogusto features, coaches can:
- access, and act upon, their athlete’s performance data
- improve organization, as far as training and managing go; and,
- establish smooth communication with their athletes
If anything, we designed Endogusto with the modern coaches’ needs in mind, empowering them to excel in their art. Want to find out more about how Endogusto can make a coach’s life easier?