Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Benno's coaching program......and more ;-)

I have decided to begin my own coaching program that I feel best represents not only what I can offer as a coach but also what is in the interest of  a good demographic of riders.  My focus is to provide clarity to those that are struggling with the intricacies of the sport.  I have been through the system very much on my own so I can empathise with those not understanding the next best step to take.  My program is suitable for anyone that wants to improve in the sport and have fun. 
So what does this all mean?  Well it means that I can assist in many different ways.

Let's get dirty

-Put fun first!
Let's be honest here, we are on this planet for a very short amount of time.  There is no point in taking something that is supposed to be fun and turning it into a big chore.  That is your fastest ticket out of the sport and won't leave you with too many fond memories.  There are a few main themes to maximising your success and enjoyment in the sport.  Obviously having fun is a huge part of the package.

-Be yourself
Hey there is nothing wrong with being competitive, wanting to win.  Inversely there is nothing wrong with being a passive participant.  I’ll take the time to figure out your style, there is no magic solution but there is a different solution for every type of rider.

-Alleviate stress (by having fun, duh)
Stop polluting your fun time by making it some big pile of stress.  Lets figure out what you enjoy about the sport and focus on those aspects.

-Build confidence
Whether it be your technical approach to riding a trail or your physical approach to training.  Your confidence is fuelled by the knowledge of knowing exactly what you are doing.  Bring the control back to your riding.

This is only a quick sampling of the different themes I have developed and continue to develop during my time as a coach, instructor, rider, racer, and athlete.

Breakdown of the program
-Daily online training plan utilising Training Peaks
-Analysis of heart rate files
-Unlimited Emails
-Unlimited text messages

Cost
The complete price for this program is $50/month.  You can pre-pay or post-pay within 6 months of the current date.  You can pause your program for a maximum of 2 months per year.  Any longer than 2 months and your spot will be back “up for grabs”. 

Suggested supplemental training tools
-Download-able heart rate device
-bicycle computer with cadence
-Indoor trainer
-private lessons are available at my normal rate of $25/hour.  Athletes of the program receive priority for booking lessons.
-blood lactate testing and analysis is also available

Training Peaks
Training Peaks is a very user friendly program that allows me to communicate with you very easily and efficiently.  You won’t get bogged down in a bunch of useless data, but it can also be as precise and in-depth as we want it to be.
Training Peaks is free or you can chose to upgrade your account to Premium status which gives a little more freedom (like planning future workouts, though even with a free account I can still plan future workouts for you).  Go and check it out for yourself www.trainingpeaks.com
What we do is link your account to my paid coaching account (linking is free for you) and that way I have access to what you have been doing.  I will also post future workouts so you know what you need to do for the day.  The cost for Training Peaks for the rider is minimal to zero.

My Training
-Community Cycling NNCP coaching course
-NCCP Into to competition Part A and B
-FACT level 2 certified
-Hardwood DEVO high performance coach for 2 seasons
-Hardwood instructor for 3 years, beginner to advanced
-I am also committed to furthering my technical education by participating in as many NCCP coaching courses as possible.

Requisites
You must maintain consistent feedback of workouts provided.  That doesn’t mean you have to do all the workouts, it just means you have to tell me what you did that day and why.  I am currently limiting the program to 20 people in order to spend the necessary time with each rider.  I reserve the right to dismiss any rider from the program who fails to maintain communication with myself.  It is impossible to prescribe a useful program without feedback from the rider. 


Joining the program
Best way to get started is to send me an email, text, or give me a ring.  Just like any new relationship it takes time to establish a connection but don’t worry it will all make sense eventually ;-)

Contact 
Ben Dawson
mmmbenno@gmail.com
705 229 6923 - Text or call