The Release Technique

I have seen many track and field coaches engage in what I describe as robot coaching. They insist that an athlete in an event looks visually like someone else doing the same event. Usually that person is the current champion in that event or the best athlete a coach has worked with in that event.

While we should look for consistency in our approach to coaching we can often fall into the trap of trying to makes all of our athletes styles the same.

For example, I know which athletes are coached by a particular discus coach without asking because all of his athletes throw exactly the same way. Yet as coaches we do not coach robots engineered to exact standards so why should this be?

Are we coaches of track and field events or stylistic guru's who press our athletes into an strict stylistic model instead of an efficient technical one?

Style vs. Technique

The interesting thing is that many coaches treat these two terms exactly the same. The reality is that there may indeed be one technical model but many styles and interpretations of it.

Technique is skillfulness in the command of the fundamentals of a movement. If technique is the mastery of fundamental movement then the technical models a coach utilises must be based around these fundamentals. Therefore technical models should be a biomechanically based exemplar of fundamental movements that must be present to execute that event efficiently.

Style is how an athlete individually interprets that technical model. This changes from athlete to athlete as a result of their build, changes in strength, speed and power levels, mobility and other factors.

Implications for coaching

These two statements above has considerable ramifications for the track and field coach. Coaches must work with an athlete to develop a style that suits them while ensuring that all biomechanical principles are adhered to. This would mean that in an event several athletes coached by the same person could look different in their movements, almost as if they were coached by different coaches.

To copy the current world champion in any event without recognising this may mean the athlete will never achieve their full potential as the focus may be on their stylistic points rather than a technical one. The world class athlete has developed a style that meets their needs but also achieves the underlying technical principles. As a coach you must support this journey with your athletes.

Be sure you are giving technical input not style advice. Not every athlete should look like a copy of a world champion or indeed your best athlete in that event. They should however have mechanical principles that are always present but interpreted and delivered in that athletes own style. Supported, guided and encouraged of their biomechanically knowledgeable and highly technical coach.

About the Author

Ed Griss is a level 4 coach with UK Athletics in several events.

Starting his coaching career in the throwing Ed has acted as national coordinator for shot and discus with UK Athletics. He has also been involved in coaching at UK multi event national squads for several years and has acted as a Great Britain team coach on several occasions.

Coaching Track and Field Athletics

http://www.coaching-track-and-field-athletics.com

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