The name, Arthur Lydiard,
translates exactly to the pursuit of supremacy based on the hard-work ethic with
no compromises - you either shape up or ship out - sound logic and the
application of physiological and mechanical fundamentals.
Lydiard perfected these over nearly a decade of trial-and-error experience on
himself as the guinea pig.
Lydiard's systematic approach to athletic conditioning produced New Zealand's
greatest track athletes, and propelled New Zealand to the top of world
middle-distance and distance running. His success is without parallel.
Fifty years on, his training systems , correctly applied, continue to produce
stunning results worldwide with successes not just limited to athletics.
In addition to devising the foundations of modern athletic conditioning, Lydiard
popularised and promoted easy distance running for the everyday man and woman at
a time when a quiet sedentary life that avoided stress on the heart was the
prescribed medicine for many health ailments.
Arthur's profound influence on a small nation spread into a worldwide phenomenon
- jogging. It all started, led by Lydiard, within a small group of business
people in Auckland, New Zealand.
The concept was then passed on by Lydiard himself to Bill Bowerman, co-founder
of Nike, who spread the concept of jogging to the entire US and across the
Pacific to the rest of the world.
The East Germans were so impressed by both Lydiard's intensity of purpose and
the logic of his jogging philosophy as expressed in his seminal book, "Run For
Your Life", that they established a nationwide health and fitness programme that
doubled sports club membership in a mere six months.
They called the programme "Run for Your Life". The method of building up
physical fitness by gradually increasing stamina is a simple one, today used by
millions of men and women worldwide as part of their everyday health and fitness
regime.
Arthur Lydiard formulated
his systematic training methods during the 1950s, perfecting them over the next
several decades. His methods work whenever applied properly.
While Arthur Lydiard is arguably the greatest middle and distance running coach
and his name has near universal recognition among sports fans there is not a
viable structure in place to continue and develop his work.
Additionally, Lydiard has little control over what others claim to be in his
name. It is easy to blame Arthur's methods for the ensuing failures, due to
faulty application.
New Zealand sport was renowned for its ability to consistently punch way above
its weight in sports that relied on combinations of speed, power, endurance,
fine skills and do-or-die determination.
Hockey, kayaking, rowing, rugby, middle, and long distance running are sports
that come to mind. Recent decades have seen New Zealand lose its consistency and
aura of invincibility in these sports.
Why does it seem we have lost our ability to perform with consistency? A
significant part to the answer is that we have lost our way with the physical
preparation of our athletes and the ability to bring them to a competitive peak
and to hold that peak for long enough to bring home the trophies.
The solution is Lydiard's coaching system. His system is logical and fundamental
- the very thing that is lacking in much of today's training.
Additionally, Arthur Lydiard's work promoting health and fitness and the methods
he applied, are more relevant today, due to the changing nature of illness and
disease and their close association with modern lifestyles, obesity and an
ageing population.
Arthur Lydiard's training methods are even more relevant today in the areas of
sports, health and fitness than they were yesterday.
More than ever, the professional athlete has to time his or her performance peak
to perfection, sustain that peak for longer, then build on that peak without so
much as a stutter and go straight back into building for the next round of
competitions.
In the fierce competition of today, it is necessary to fulfill one's potential
to its maximum, which is precisely what Lydiard set about doing. Lydiard
provided the framework and the discipline that comes with it to allow this to
happen with breath-taking consistency.
The torrent of information on modern athletic conditioning threatens to inundate
even the most enthusiastic athletes, coaches and sports scientists. The task of
filtering and analysing the mass of information and ideas on diets, training
methods, exercise regimes and latest high technology devices can be
overwhelming.
Most may claim scientific validation and, on closer examination, each would
appear to have merit. However, the athlete can do only so much during training
and most definitely not everything one reads of in the textbooks, newsletters
and popular magazines. It is much better that the athlete does a few things very
well, rather than many things to a lesser quality.
Lydiard's framework is
periodisation perfected. He maps out the sporting season and systematically goes
about developing the energy systems that produce the Work of athletic
performance. Sound exercise physiology fundamentals underlie his system.
These will never change. Indeed, our increased understanding of the complexities
of the inner workings of these exercise physiology fundamentals merely serves to
validate and reinforce the training systems that produce the awesome athletic
power of the Lydiard-trained athlete.
This flood of technical information, plus the advent of the specialist advisor
e biomechanist, the sports nutritionist, the recovery expert, the exercise
physiologist and the sport psychologist - has inadvertently served to undermine
the role of the coach.
Disempowered, the coach merely implements the expert advice prescribed as part
of this development programme or that one. The 'Art' of coaching, also known as
the 'X' factor is lost.
Coaching is by prescription much like one might crudely paint by numbers.
Despite all we know, despite the wealth of resources now at our disposal and
despite the eager talent pool to draw on, many coaches feel lost and pressured.
They are under constant pressure to embrace the latest and greatest fad to come
out. This expert pulls them to the left, and then that expert pulls them to the
right. They are uncertain of how to produce consistent winning performances.
Invariably they cling to 'panic training' or 'quick fix' solutions and resort to
speaking in incomprehensible riddles.
They may produce seemingly improved performances but it only destroys young
talent by overworking them. They will not achieve their real potential. Athletes
will not perform to their potential if coaching is confused and untidy.
The Lydiard system places the coach at the helm and firmly in command. The
sports scientist and other specialists provide service to the coach - not the
reverse.
The Lydiard system gives the coach the confidence that is inherent when there is
a clear course by which to navigate a long and difficult journey. In so doing,
the athlete is inspired and guided to success.
Fifty years on and Lydiard's system continues to produce gold medals and world
champions in sports as diverse as running, figure skating, swimming, cycling,
kayaking and even grid iron football.
When applied with patience and discipline, countries like New Zealand, Finland,
Mexico, the USA, Korea and Japan have enjoyed stunning success on the stages of
the sporting world. Key components of Arthur Lydiard's system are:
- How to set out seasonal training schedule;
- Understanding aerobic and anaerobic training;
- Value of long term planning;
- Developing an aerobic base;
- Hill training and plyometrics/resistance work;
- Track training, or event specific training;
- Art of peaking;
- Balancing speed and endurance;
- Coordination of all the skills developed;
- How to motivate athletes;
- Proper equipment (shoes, clothes, etc.);
- Recovery;
- Nutrition;
- Injury prevention, including stretching and strengtening exercises and
programmes.