|
|
By
Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems |
If not, this might be great timing
for you…please read on.
If you haven't been to our discussion
forum lately (http://www.TeamStaley.com),
you'll certainly notice some significant changes- we've got a new
look and (more germane to this article) a new name:
Charles Staley's Athletic Dominance Protocol.
I've had a lot of questions about
what this means, which isn't surprising, since we made these changes
rather abruptly and without explanation. This then, is the first
in a series of weekly articles I'll be writing in an effort to explain
what "The Protocol" really means, why we developed it,
and what it can do for you.
You Either Have
One, Or You Don't
We all have habits and tendencies.
All of us have habitual ways that we go about our lives, including
the relatively small portion of our lives we spend in the gym. The
real question is whether or not your habits are reactive and spontaneous,
or proactive and procedural.
For example, if, on your second set
of presses you notice a sudden dull pain behind your right shoulder,
do you have a set of principles to help you arrive at the best decision?
Or do you simply make a spontaneous decision, based on nothing more
than gut instinct? Which scenario do you think will most likely
lead you to a better outcome?
That's the difference having a
protocol can make.
Many of us have incomplete protocols-
procedures for certain aspects of their training, while other areas
are left to "fend for themselves." For example, most of
you probably "taper" for important competitions- you take
a "down week" to facilitate complete recovery so that
you'll perform at your best on meet day.
That's a protocol, or at least
a component of one.
If, however, you deal with your post-weigh-in
hydration in a completely sporadic and haphazard way, that's a hole
in your protocol. And that hole may be the one that sinks the ship,
no matter how well-constructed the rest of that vessel happens to
be.
The Rules Are Best Written When You're Of Sound
Mind
Back to that post-weigh-in hydration
issue: If you create that aspect of your protocol right then, while
you're half-dazed from sweating off that last 5 pounds, it might
not be representative of your best thinking.
But what if you'd thought this through
already? What if you'd studied the science, and/or spoken to other
successful athletes and coaches who deal with this procedure on
a regular basis? Then, based on your research, you developed a set
of rules- a protocol for handling your post weigh-in.
Now you've got a procedure that's
presumably a lot smarter than you are in your current dehydrated
fog. Now you've got something you can trust, even when you can't
trust yourself.
And that's really the point of having a protocol.
In all professions where failure
isn't an option, there's a protocol that must be followed. Surgeons
have a very detailed protocol that must be adhered to, and so do
pilots. Likewise for soldiers, lawyers, pharmacists, and accountants.
The greater the potential consequences, the more detailed the protocol.
Now needless to say, all of the aforementioned
professionals are highly skilled, tremendously intelligent, and
thoroughly trained. So why do they need a protocol? Here's a tip-
they don't need it for the times when things are going well. Here's
what I mean:
I've flown a small plane before, as
a student. If you've never had the experience, the amazing thing
is not how difficult it is to fly a plane, it's how easy it is!
What I mean is, assuming the plane's in good repair, the weather
is good, and you have at least a cursory understanding of the skills
required, it's really not that big a deal. As you're accelerating
down the runway, that plane just wants to take off, and that's just
what it'll do, unless you make some type of bonehead mistake.
The problem is, things rarely go
perfectly.
There's bad weather, fatigue, mechanical
problems….all sorts of things can go wrong. And when they do,
it'll be your protocol that saves your ass (provided you have one
of course. Meaning a protocol, not an ass).
Now I've just outlined a case for
the prevalence of specific protocols in high-risk professions, but
they can also be found in any successful profession or industry.
Think about the last time you went to Burger King.
After you said "Hi" to
Phil, the zitty high schooler handing you your 2000-calorie obesity
maintenance kit will probably say "Would you like fries with
that order?" That's because, long ago, the researchers at BK
determined that annual revenues would skyrocket if every employee
asked this question on every order. For those of you who just thought
the kid was being unusually considerate, think again. He'd be reprimanded
if he failed to ask the fries question each and every time.
|
|
I'll end this article
with a question.
Is your training important
enough to have a protocol? Or are you OK with the last 16
weeks of training going down the toilet because you carelessly
make a single stupid decision 2 days before the meet? Are
you satisfied with 65-70 percent results, or would you rather
tease out every last speck of your potential?
If you just deep-down know
that you could be achieving more from your training, stay
tuned…next week I'll be outlining the essential components
of all successful protocols, and I'll also give you a sneak
peak into the Athletic Dominance Protocol, or as we simply
call it, "The Protocol."
|
|
|
|
Got a Website, Blog
or Newsletter?
CLICK HERE to learn how you can republish
Charles Staley's
articles on your site for free!
|
 |
|
About
The Author
|
His colleagues call him
an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients
call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability
to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself
a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout
school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are
ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.
His counter-intuitive approach and self-effacing demeanor
have lead to appearances on NBC’s The TODAY Show
and The CBS Early Show.
Currently, Charles competes
in Olympic-style weightlifting on the master’s circuit,
with a 3-year goal of qualifying for the 2009 Master’s
World Championships.
|
|
Learn
More About
EDT Training!
You can build
muscle and strength and burn fat in as little as 15
minutes, 3 times a week with EDT...it works for EVERYONE
- male, female, young, old...your body simply has no choice
but to get results!
Click
here to learn more
and get your copy today!
 |
|
