Peak Preparation

It has been sometime since I last entered HBF stadium in Perth, Western Australia. Yet as I descend the ramp down to the gymnasium I am hit with nostalgia. An all too familiar smell, scent and feel arises, which until now has been impossible to describe. In its rawness the scent is stuffy, sweaty, chalky and salty. The scent has been years in the making but it is not just time. Hundreds of thousands of minutes, yes, but it is more than that. It is hundreds and thousands of skills, of heart beats, of blisters, of tears, of hugs, of injuries, of falls and of high fives. Here bodies were pushed and spirits were lifted in the pursuit of dreams. Commonwealth and Olympic medalists and World Champions were created in this gymnasium. Millions of moments felt and remembered in this scent that has hit me for the thousandth time but that has only been defined now. The scent is the scent of preparation.

Gymnastics is just one sport I have had the pleasure of working with during my career as a Sports Scientist. I have travelled nationally and internationally with teams and with some of the world’s best athletes. I have watched hundreds of training sessions and I have watched performance at its finest. I can conclude that peak performance is not possible without peak preparation and elite athletes prepare better than anyone else on the planet.

My ‘Peak Preparation’ is about unlocking potential and cultivating greatness for individuals to achieve their true potential. I believe that success is what happens when peak preparation meets knowledge. ‘Peak Preparation’ was born somewhere along the Camino de Santiago as I hiked 1700kms across France and Spain. When I boarded a plane to France in 2018 to set off on the Camino with nothing but an 8kg backpack, I had never heard of the Camino de Santiago. I was running away from Australia and from recent personal tragedy. Armed with nothing more than a sense of adventure and nothing to lose I would simply follow the red and white markers along ‘the way’ and find accommodation when I got tired. I averaged 28kms a day and I suffered in ways I have never suffered before – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I learnt many things on ‘the way’ but what I really learnt is this. Performance is NOT something you deserve. Performance cannot come before preparation. Peak performance takes time and peak preparation takes longer.

Preparation for athletes is not as simple as it might seem. Preparation is not just about eating your greens, getting 8 hours of sleep a night and turning up to practice. Preparation is more than just repeating a skill a million times until it can be performed without thinking. Preparation is calculated, deliberate and planned. Preparation is the consummate sum of the body, mind, and spirit. Preparation is about competence, confidence, connections, character and caring. Preparation is a process. The definition of preparation is ‘the process of getting ready for some occasion’. When we talk about preparation and how it relates to human beings, we are dealing with something entirely different. Ever since we learned to write, we have documented how special we are. The Philosopher Aristotle marked out our differences over 2,000 years ago. We are “rational animals” pursuing knowledge for its own sake. We live by art and reasoning, he wrote. Through art, our language-learning abilities were gradually developed and “switched on”.

In the same way that birds developed feathers before they could fly, human beings had the mental tools for complex language before we developed it. As human beings we tell stories, we dream, we imagine things about ourselves and others and we spend a great deal of time thinking about the future and analyzing the past. Humans are complex beings, elite athletes are finely tuned machines, the very best of the best. Unlike a finely tuned computer system however, we cannot just ‘input’ the end result and ‘hope’ for the best. In the world of elite sport, athletes constantly strive to break records and achieve what no other human being has achieved. We set ridiculously high benchmarks such as breaking the 4-minute mile barrier and breaking the 2-hour marathon barrier. The latter, a feat that has only been achieved by one man, Eluid Kipchoge in very recent years. The thing is that these end results roll off the tongue so seamlessly that we are forgiven for forgetting the ‘inputs’ required to achieve them. Hundreds of thousands of minutes, yes, but it is more than that. Elite athletes are not just athletically gifted. It is hundreds and thousands of skills, of heart beats, of blisters, of tears, of hugs, of injuries, of falls, of high fives. It is hundreds of thousands of minutes of ‘Competence’, ‘Confidence’, ‘Connections’, ‘Character’, ‘Caring’ (Lerner, et al., 2005). Once developed as the 5 C’s of positive youth development I have taken this concept and made it my own. I have called it the 5 C’s of ‘peak athletic preparation’.

My matrix for Peak Preparation, therefore looks like this:

Let’s pull this matrix apart and have a look at each of the 5 C’s in more detail.

Competence can be defined as ‘successful and efficient accomplishment through knowledge and learning’. Elite athletes are hungry for knowledge and hungry to learn. In an elite athletic space ‘Competence’ involves Leadership, Conflict Resolution and Sports Science. Athletes who have knowledge in these key areas will be well on their way to achieving ‘Competence’ and one step closer to being optimally prepared. Leadership is the ability to inspire and influence, to motivate and cultivate change. In the words of Henry Kissinger, “the task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been”. One elite athlete who has recently shown incredible leadership is Eileen Gu, a Chinese, American-born freestyle skier and two-time Olympic gold medallist. Gu opted to represent her birth mother’s home country of China to influence more people. Gu claimed she had achieved success even before she claimed her first medal at the recent winter Olympic Games in Beijing, that is, to help inspire young girls in China to compete in skiing. ?

Conflict Resolution can often feel uncomfortable however it is essential for success and good relationships. Business leader Orrin Woodward describes conflict simply; “Conflict is like a fire. Easy to snuff out when small but nearly impossible to handle when not dealt with quickly.” Not addressing conflict immediately and directly isn’t a good plan if you want to maintain relationships and success. "Bo" Hanson?is a four-time Australian Olympian in rowing and a three-time Olympic medalist. Bo was part of that Olympic final which saw just 1.37 seconds separate all podium finishers?including 5-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Steven Redgrave. No stranger to conflict within teams, Hanson doesn’t see conflict as the downfall of a team or even a crisis, but instead as a by-product of the diversity within a successful team.?Now Senior Consultant for ‘Athlete Assessments’, Bo says, “people’s outlooks, ways of doing things and ultimately opinions, must be different, as frustrating as this may be at times.”

Sport Science is the study of the long-and short-term effects of training and conditions on athletes. A Sport Scientist optimizes human potential and sporting performance using scientific knowledge, methods and applications. A Sport Scientist evaluates the research and advises on the technical and practical aspects of training; injury prevention; technique; nutritional supplements; performance and recovery practices. The foundations of Sport Science, including anatomy, physiology, psychology, biomechanics motor control and testing prescription, are at the heart of human optimization on all levels. Swimmer Michael Phelps holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals, Olympic gold medals in individual events, and Olympic medals in individual events.?Phelps has said that he would sleep at least?8 hours per night, and take a 2-to-3-hour nap during the day. “Sleeping is a crucial part of my everyday life.”?

Confidence can be defined as a ‘clear headed feeling of self-assurance from an appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities.’ ‘Confidence’ involves Positivity, Decision Making and Routine. Athletes who are positive, who make good decisions and who follow a daily routine are generally well on their way to achieving ‘Confidence’ and are thus one step closer to being optimally prepared. The tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude goes hand in hand with sport. Elite athletes compete to be the best, to come first, to break records and to win medals. Achievement is essentially impossible you don’t have a positive mindset and don’t believe you can win. Many athletes recall previous sporting success as a way of staying positive under pressure or arm themselves with self-affirmations to bring about a positive mindset in times of stress. Muhammad Ali, nicknamed The Greatest, is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. Frequently ranked as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, Ali was known for his positivity and belief “I am the greatest. I said that before I even knew I was”.

In sport, the decision-making process often occurs in milliseconds. ‘Breath-taking’ decisions that leave spectators in awe. ‘Breath-taking’, yes but ‘unbelievable’, no. They have been practiced over and over again in training and in competition. They have not occurred out of thin air. They have been tried and tested and failed and refined and tried again hundreds of thousands of times so that when it comes to crunch time, with a fraction of luck on side, a breath-taking play is what spectators ‘see’. Decision-making is closely linked to problem solving.?So, by taking responsibility, understanding the reason a decision was made, unpacking the process, and identifying areas for targeted practice, future decisions can be improved. Excellent decision-making results from ongoing practice in the training environment, where athletes can refine and hone their ability, weigh their options, make decisions, and make mistakes. Decision-making improves when athletes are?consciously constructively debriefed so mistakes don’t reoccur in the future and brilliant play is replicated. There is no greater example of brilliant play than the Gatting Ball by late Australian spin bowler Shane Warn on his way to becoming the greatest cricketer of all time.

Routines are one of the most important aspects of sport that athletes can develop to improve their training and competitive performances.?There is no world-class athlete in any sport who does not use routines as part of competitive preparations. The fundamental value of routines is that they?ensure total preparation in athletes’ efforts. Routines enable athletes to be completely physically, technically, tactically, and mentally ready to perform their best. Routines also allow athletes to make their preparation more predictable by knowing they’re systematically covering every area that will influence performance. They enable athletes to plan for every eventuality that could arise during a competition. If athletes can reduce the things that can go wrong and be prepared for those things that do, they’ll be better able to stayed focused and relaxed before and during competition.

Connections can be defined as ‘the linking together of two or more people’. Connections on and off the sporting field are important for humans as we are innately social beings. We like to be surrounded by friends and we like to share our personal experiences with others. ‘Connections’ involves ‘Communication’, ‘Expectations’, and ‘Listening’. Athletes who have knowledge in these key areas are well on their way to achieving ‘Connections’ and one step closer to being optimally prepared. Communication is the foundation upon which a coach builds their team. In the words of James Hume an author and former presidential speechwriter; “The?art of communication is the language of leadership.” Effective communication is often cited as the critical element of success in athletic teams. Team members must learn how to communicate with each other both on and off the playing field so they can become one cohesive unit and ultimately increase their chance of success. Communication from the coach must be articulated in a fashion that the athletes not only hear, but instantly understand. Joe Torre, former Major League Baseball manager who led the New York Yankees to four World Series titles, emphasized that “communication is the key to trust, and trust is the key to teamwork”.

Dealing with high expectations is almost inevitable when athletes are striving for peak preparation. Athletes need to be aware and educate themselves on how to deal with these expectations. I remember growing up with the quote ‘Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars’. Unfortunately, athletes with this mentality heap?excessive demands?upon themselves believing this method will result in personal best or optimal performances, which rarely occur. When expectations are high, so is the?pressure?to meet those expectations. 2022 American Olympic figure skating champion Nathan Wei Chen is no stranger to high expectations. At only 22 years of age he is the only man in history to land 5 quads in an Olympic final. Despite his love for the sport he has had to learn to deal with stress, nerves, and the inevitable unknown that comes with being at the top. “It's easy to get stuck thinking about what could go wrong.” he says. So, instead of worrying about not landing a jump, Chen has learned to trust his talents and hard work. “Spending so much time training, honing our craft, it would be a disservice if we don’t trust ourselves.”?These days, he prefers to focus on “having as much fun on the ice as possible”.?

‘Listening is the language of leadership’. When we take time to listen to another, in-depth, until they feel understood, we are communicating to them, their worth and their potential. Good listeners strive to fully understand what others want to communicate. Active listeners show curiosity by interpreting verbal messages and nonverbal cues, like tone of voice, facial expressions, physical posture and asking questions.?Great athletes listen intently to gain new perspectives and new insights. They listen to their coaches and support staff. They listen to their team mates, opponents and to their fans. Listening to others enables athletes to solve problems and see new opportunities. Take Michael Phelps, considered to be the greatest Olympic swimmer of all time. As a child, Phelps suffered from ADHD. People with ADHD suffer from restlessness, impulsiveness and a very short attention span. However, they also have an incredible capacity to remain hyper-focused on an activity they are passionate about. Phelps was able to use this with enormous success. By channeling his energy, listening and focus, he exploited the positive side of ADHD.

Character can be defined as ‘mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual’. Athletes who succeed are the ones that have done so by remaining true to who they are. Their pursuit to be the best hasn’t come at the cost of changing who they are. ‘Character’ involves ‘Core Values’, ‘Resilience’ and ‘Self-worth’. Athletes who know their ‘Character’ and ‘Self-worth’ are those who are one step closer to being optimally prepared. A core value is a principle or belief that a person views as being of central importance. Once you identify them, core values help you with decision-making and provide the building blocks for your character. There are the guideposts for your actions and decisions. For example, if one of your top values in life is courage, you’ll likely seek out new challenges so you can act in spite of the fear that comes when you’re faced with the possibility of failure?or rejection. The Swiss values and work ethic are well known. Drive, commitment, passion and sacrifice are essentially national traits. Roger Federer’s, hard work and single-minded devotion to tennis is so often hidden from public view and his unique brand of magic on the court can fool the casual viewer into thinking it is "effortless" or just "natural talent."?Federer’s success is very much linked to his core values and how he embodies these on a daily basis.

Resilience is ‘the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to challenges that threaten the function, survival or future development of the system’. In short, resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Take the story of Kieran Behan OLY, an Irish artistic gymnast, who represents Ireland internationally.?At the age of 10 and following the removal of a cancerous tumor from his thigh, Kieran was told that he would never walk again and was confined to a wheelchair! Up to then, he had been crazy about gymnastics and was determined to become an Olympic champion. Kieran was adamant he was going to defy the odds and started the long road to recovery. Within just a few a months of returning to the gym he slipped from the high bar and sustained a terrible head injury. He experienced frequent blackouts and missed a whole year at school. However, this still did not deter him. He had to retrain his brain to return to school and regain his co-ordination to return to the gym. It then took him three years to get back to where he had been before snapping his knee just after he had been selected for the European Championships. He never gave up?and succeeded in qualifying for the London 2012 Olympics.

Self-worth can be defined as?the internal sense of being good enough and worthy of love and belonging from others. For an athlete to succeed they have to be able to identify their positive traits and see these, irrespective of performance. For many athletes, performance is strongly tied to feelings of self-worth. Multiple instances of high-level success in an athlete’s career can offset the negative impact of one or two losses. However multiple negative instances can impact deeply on feelings of self-worth. It takes a very grounded athlete to be able to separate feelings of self-worth from being worthy and feelings of self-worth from performance. Dylan Alcott, AO is?an Australian former wheelchair tennis and basketball player. Long before he was an award-winning Paralympian and celebrated disability advocate, Alcott was a child filled with self-hatred and doubt. This year, the tennis star made history by becoming the first Australian of the Year with a physical disability. The seven-time Australian Open champion has been very open with sharing what was vital in transforming his perspective that he could have a fulfilling life. “I had the best friends and family who told me I was worthy, and I was allowed to be loved.” Alcott said as soon as he became proud of his disability, everyone around him did too.

The final ‘C’ on my matrix of peak athletic preparation is ‘Caring’. Caring can be defined as ‘caring actively for others through displays of kindness and concern’. ‘Caring’ involves Gratitude, Mindfulness and Compassion. Athletes who understand and incorporate these key areas of ‘Caring’ into their lives are one step closer to being optimally prepared. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; it is readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. At its most basic, practicing gratitude can start to 'reorganize' our mental focus. Practicing gratitude increases happiness and creates a shift from resentment, jealousy, and other negative emotions. Individuals who regularly practice gratitude sleep better, express more compassion, feel more alive, have stronger immune systems and have a more positive outlook. Gratitude is also related to higher levels of optimism, life satisfaction, and well-being, and a greater likelihood of engaging in enriching behavior. Gratitude helps us to focus on what really matters and is the foundation of sportsmanship.

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention in the present moment without evaluation, and can be developed through meditation.?Mindfulness and meditation are all about training and soothing the mind - entering a freedom and self-awareness mode that induces relaxation, joy, patience, emotional balance, and love. Surfing is great example of a sport where athletes have adopted mindfulness and meditation as a way of perfecting their craft. Surfers are always looking to achieve perfect synchronicity - with nature, the ocean, and with the waves. Surfers of all levels constantly need to build concentration, focus, and attention so that they are in tune with the elements and most of all, themselves. Robert Kelly Slater, an American professional surfer, is best known for being crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times. Slater is widely regarded as the greatest surfer of all time and is famously quoted for saying, “It’s all about where your mind’s at.” Learning to develop a practice of mindful awareness helps athletes reach their optimal potential under pressure in competition.

Compassion is what helps you overcome the impulse to judge another harshly.?You put yourself in their shoes and you’re open to what they have to say and slow to assume they’re in the wrong.?You want to understand them more than you want to be right.?If you were to cultivate a compassion code for yourself, it might look something like this: “I make compassion the foundation of my behavior and thoughts toward others.” After a very close and intense 2005 Ashes cricket match between England and Australia, England came out in an extremely narrow two run victory. While the crowd and team all leapt to their feet in celebration, Freddie Flintoff had spotted Australian player Brett Lee slumped over in defeat, and, instead of immediately joining his own team to celebrate, walked over and offered a consoling handshake. This gentle act of sportsmanship has now become one of the most famous sporting photographs of all time, and this seemingly small gesture has had a massive impact on the players and those that witnessed it.

When I first registered my business name, ‘Peak Preparation’, people questioned. I was a Sports Scientist who had been working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes for many years. Surely with my background and skill set my business name should be, ‘Peak Performance’. I believe that success is what happens when preparation meets knowledge. Performance, can only be achieved once preparation and knowledge have been achieved. Performance cannot come without preparation. My purpose is to unlock possibility and cultivate greatness for individuals to achieve their full potential. I can’t guarantee performance but I can guarantee that if you get up on the morning, put your shoes on and follow the 5 C’s of ‘peak athletic preparation’, you will reach your destination.