I was watching myself the other night analyzing my performance on a tempo swim, bike and run that I performed last week. I watched some video and studied my times. Since my last similar performance test week prior to my Ironman in Calgary I had some significant increases and improvements in both times and technique. My training these past couple weeks have been what most coaches call "base work," "conditioning," "the first phase." Personally I call it, Laying the foundation, and this particular experience confirms even more in myself that need to lay a proper foundation of strength and fitness to truly reach Optimal Personal Performance.


Laying the foundation should be the first stage or phase of any training regimen because of the importance of developing basic movement strength in the most common prime movers of your body, the chest, legs, core, and back. If these major movers of the body are not adequately prepared for the more dynamic movements involved in your routine, then you will increase the possibility of injury and experience less gains than if you had properly developed the basic strength. 

It seems fairly boring and unnecessary this stage of any program, but it's the most important and essential. For instance, deadlifts are a fairly basic move, but if you don't have enough lower back strength or stability how can you expect yourself to perform a proper power clean? Also like training for a 10k run, how can you expect to run a strong 10k if you can't finish a 5k with proper form? Laying your foundation of strength is necessary to achieve the performance goals that you are after, no matter how advanced at lifting you are, nor how many years you have been competing, you can never be too good for this phase of your routine. 

My most recent training programming has been focused on laying my foundation. Basic heavy lifting, and lots of miles with focus on technique and proper form swimming, biking, and running. I have spent nearly two weeks on very rudimentary training days, and just after two weeks have seen tremendous improvements in my performances upwards around 15% in time reductions. My own experiences are not unique nor limited to just myself. Athletes across the world begin their seasons with these focuses on the basics and their base strength. Athletes gage their improvement by how much stronger their base becomes from the previous season and then they know they can push the more advanced movements and techniques the higher levels because their foundation is that much stronger to stabilize their movements. 

I train all my athletes with the application of laying this foundation. No matter what level or stage of training or at what point they join my classes, they start on a program of base strength development for 4-6 weeks depending on their levels. Heavy focus on Bench Press, Deadlift, Squats, and abdominal work, with appropriate assistance work. Once the athletes have adequately improved their base strength, moving on to dynamic movements and the transforming of their capabilities to be machines becomes that much easier and in greater proportions. Base training is the one stage of training that can have applications and involvement in every stage of the routine. It's uncanny the influence the basics can have on advanced performance. 

Don't take for granted the laying of your foundation. Take it seriously and return to it frequently. Experience the benefits of a stronger base to support for performance!

Every Day... A Little Stronger