If you’re an athlete trying to improve, you’ve probably seen all kinds of training online — complex periodisation charts, colour‑coded spreadsheets, elite‑level routines that look like they belong in a lab. It’s easy to think that the more complicated the training looks, the better it must be. But here’s the truth I want you to hear clearly: Great coaching isn’t about making training complicated. It’s about making training work for you . That’s exactly what modern coaching principles — including those used in UK Athletics — reinforce. Why your training might look simple — and why that’s a good thing When you’re still developing (as we all are) — physically, technically, and mentally — the most powerful thing you can do is repeat the right skills consistently. That’s how your body learns. That’s how your technique becomes automatic. That’s how you build confidence. This is why I often rotate just one, two, or three core sessions across a training block. It’s not because I’...
As a self-confessed "obsessive researcher" of running science, I eagerly awaited my copy of The Norwegian Method Applied by Dr Marius Bakken. My goal was to see how it complemented the Norwegian Singles approach by James Copeland (Sirpoc) that I’ve been implementing earlier this year. While both authors advocate for a similar threshold-driven strategy, Bakken’s deep dive into the physiological nuances has given me several "lightbulb moments." Here is how I am refining my own training—and my coaching—based on these new insights. 1. The Power of the 'Cut-Back' Week Bakken reinforces the necessity of recovery, but he also suggests that a "week" doesn't have to be seven days. I’ve realised I’ve been training quite close to my limit lately. To stay on the right side of the injury line, I am introducing structured cut-back periods. Instead of a full calendar week of rest, I’m experimenting with a "mini-taper" approach: Wednesday: Reduced...