FATIGUE FEEDBACK

What we feel physically often overrides common sense with performance and it is a strange phenomenon considering as humans we are setup to use feedback systems effectively. 

  

Despite having the ability to think and process the information we see and feel, when it comes to training and racing we use the feedback from our body to gage performance. Ninety percent of the time if we feel we are physically working hard and using our strength we positively correlate this to enhancing performance.

  

This feedback acts as a stimulus for us to continue pushing harder for example in a bigger gear, when in fact we may not be going faster but rather our performance is deteriorating and we are entering a stat of fatigue.

  

Training can be used to elicit fatigue some of the time but not all of the time - it is not possible to overcome fatigue, if you keep trying to do so performance actually gets worse. The goal is actually to go as fast as you can for as long as you can by prolonging fatigue.

  

If you train to overcome this fatigue feedback - ie train to feel good form and an effortless state you are really going to improve in both training and racing. This means learning to listen to when your body is moving well and not using all of its effort.

  

For most athletes they already have the speed to race competitively, however the endurance required to sustain it is eludes them,not from a lack of fitness but a poor application to their task. When this is the case you need to learn to become more efficiency with your movements and how you respond to them you'll achieve your best.  

  

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