The difference between elite athletes and the ‘almost’ greats is their internal drive to overcome adversity a new study has discovered.
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The research found elite athletes approached training with a “never satisfied” attitude, whereas ‘almosts’ might avoid challenging training exercises, while following an injury or a failure to perform, high performers were determined to get back to their sports, stronger than ever. Low achievers, on the other hand, often expressed surprise at their failures, telling how they lost enthusiasm after such incidents.
Despite these differences in the athletes’ attitudes, there was surprisingly little variation in the nature or number of the challenges themselves. All had roughly comparable traumatic incidents during their careers. More than the challenges themselves, the differences came down to how the athletes reacted to these obstacles and the champions’ positive, “learn from it” attitudes.
“We’ve found that there are universal psychological characteristics amongst those who are aspiring to get to the top,” says lead author Professor Dave Collins from the Institute of Coaching and Performance at the University of Central Lancashire. “We have a good idea of what makes people excellent and how we can help them reach peak performance.”
Through interviews Collins and his team sought to find distinguishing characteristics between the best of the best, the good, and those that didn’t quite make the cut. For each participant, they collected information about career trajectory, perceived challenges and the participant’s reactions to such obstacles. Interview questions also explored participants’ commitment to their sports and their interactions with coaches and families.
“From our research, we’re assembling a set of rules to guide what a coach should be doing and what skills an athlete should end up with,” says Collins. “Furthermore, these characteristics hold true for other fields as well, from sports to music to any environment.”
While challenge may be integral on the path to success, this research suggests that challenge is not sufficient in itself. An aspiring athlete’s attitude towards challenge is what most distinguishes the champions from the rest.
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Related:
10 tips to develop a positive mental attitude and stay focused
How to prepare mentally for the challenges of triathlon
Race fatigue: how to beat it mentally and physically
Sports psychology: less thinking equals better results
The difference between elite athletes and the ‘almost’ greats is their internal drive to overcome adversity a new study has discovered.
Advertisement
The research found elite athletes approached training with a “never satisfied” attitude, whereas ‘almosts’ might avoid challenging training exercises, while following an injury or a failure to perform, high performers were determined to get back to their sports, stronger than ever. Low achievers, on the other hand, often expressed surprise at their failures, telling how they lost enthusiasm after such incidents.
Despite these differences in the athletes’ attitudes, there was surprisingly little variation in the nature or number of the challenges themselves. All had roughly comparable traumatic incidents during their careers. More than the challenges themselves, the differences came down to how the athletes reacted to these obstacles and the champions’ positive, “learn from it” attitudes.
“We’ve found that there are universal psychological characteristics amongst those who are aspiring to get to the top,” says lead author Professor Dave Collins from the Institute of Coaching and Performance at the University of Central Lancashire. “We have a good idea of what makes people excellent and how we can help them reach peak performance.”
Through interviews Collins and his team sought to find distinguishing characteristics between the best of the best, the good, and those that didn’t quite make the cut. For each participant, they collected information about career trajectory, perceived challenges and the participant’s reactions to such obstacles. Interview questions also explored participants’ commitment to their sports and their interactions with coaches and families.
“From our research, we’re assembling a set of rules to guide what a coach should be doing and what skills an athlete should end up with,” says Collins. “Furthermore, these characteristics hold true for other fields as well, from sports to music to any environment.”
While challenge may be integral on the path to success, this research suggests that challenge is not sufficient in itself. An aspiring athlete’s attitude towards challenge is what most distinguishes the champions from the rest.
Advertisement
Related:
10 tips to develop a positive mental attitude and stay focused
How to prepare mentally for the challenges of triathlon
Race fatigue: how to beat it mentally and physically
Sports psychology: less thinking equals better results
A single minute of very intense exercise produces health benefits similar to longer, traditional endurance training researchers have found
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“This is a very time-efficient workout strategy,” says lead author Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada. “Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective.”
The team of scientists set out to determine how sprint interval training (SIT) compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). They examined key health indicators including cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity, a measure of how the body regulates blood sugar.
A total of 27 sedentary men were recruited and assigned to perform three weekly sessions of either intense or moderate training for 12 weeks, or to a control group that did not exercise).
The McMaster team has previously shown that the SIT protocol, which involved three 20-second ‘all-out’ cycle sprints, was effective for boosting fitness. The workout totalled just 10 minutes, including a 2-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool down, and two minutes of easy cycling for recovery between the hard sprints.
The new study compared the SIT protocol with a group who performed 45 minutes of continuous cycling at a moderate pace, plus the same warm-up and cool down. After 12 weeks of training, the results were remarkably similar, even though the MICT protocol involved five times as much exercise and a five-fold greater time commitment.
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“Our study shows that an interval-based approach can be more efficient — you can get health and fitness benefits comparable to the traditional approach, in less time.”
A single minute of very intense exercise produces health benefits similar to longer, traditional endurance training researchers have found
Advertisement
“This is a very time-efficient workout strategy,” says lead author Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada. “Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective.”
The team of scientists set out to determine how sprint interval training (SIT) compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). They examined key health indicators including cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity, a measure of how the body regulates blood sugar.
A total of 27 sedentary men were recruited and assigned to perform three weekly sessions of either intense or moderate training for 12 weeks, or to a control group that did not exercise).
The McMaster team has previously shown that the SIT protocol, which involved three 20-second ‘all-out’ cycle sprints, was effective for boosting fitness. The workout totalled just 10 minutes, including a 2-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool down, and two minutes of easy cycling for recovery between the hard sprints.
The new study compared the SIT protocol with a group who performed 45 minutes of continuous cycling at a moderate pace, plus the same warm-up and cool down. After 12 weeks of training, the results were remarkably similar, even though the MICT protocol involved five times as much exercise and a five-fold greater time commitment.
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“Our study shows that an interval-based approach can be more efficient — you can get health and fitness benefits comparable to the traditional approach, in less time.”
Jan Frodeno, the current World Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Champion, will take the start of Ironman Lanzarote on May 21st 2016.
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Frodeno is only man to have ever won both the Olympic gold medal and the Ironman World Championship, and also won another honour last week with the Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, the first triathlete to receive a Laureus Award. He is also reported to be going for the for long-distance world record at Challenge Roth
“I’m looking forward to heading back to my old training grounds. I’ve spent many weeks on the island, and at Club La Santa, with the German team, preparing for the summer and always enjoyed its hospitality.”
Frodeno will join more than 1800 registered athletes from over 60 countries, including our staff writer Jack Sexty. Reckon you can take him on Jack…?!
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Related:
Jan Frodeno’s 10 top tips for stepping up to iron distance
Jan Frodeno, the current World Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Champion, will take the start of Ironman Lanzarote on May 21st 2016.
Advertisement
Frodeno is only man to have ever won both the Olympic gold medal and the Ironman World Championship, and also won another honour last week with the Laureus Action Sportsperson of the Year Award, the first triathlete to receive a Laureus Award. He is also reported to be going for the for long-distance world record at Challenge Roth
“I’m looking forward to heading back to my old training grounds. I’ve spent many weeks on the island, and at Club La Santa, with the German team, preparing for the summer and always enjoyed its hospitality.”
Frodeno will join more than 1800 registered athletes from over 60 countries, including our staff writer Jack Sexty. Reckon you can take him on Jack…?!
Ronaldo, Gerrard, Mansell, Baird… the shortlists for the 2016 Cross Sports Book awards have been announced, with two triathlon titles on the list.
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Our features editor Matt Baird’s debut book Triathlon! (Aurum Press) has been selected for an Illustrated Book of the Year nomination, while Lucy Fry’s Run, Ride, Sink or Swim (Faber & Faber) has been selected for the Freshtime New Writer of the Year gong.
Featuring chapters on the greatest triathletes in history, Triathlon! covers the men and women who have made the sport their own, inspiring thousands to follow in their footsteps.
Alongside the athletes that have made their mark on the sport, Triathlon! profiles some of the world’s greatest events, from classics such as Challenge Roth and from Alcatraz, Brit races The Outlaw, Slateman and more, to the far-flung challenges of the Norseman, Challenge Wanaka or Ironman 70.3 Bintan.
Triathlon! also explores the evolution of triathlon gear – the bikes, aerobars, tri wetsuits, GPS devices and nutrition developed to give triathletes the edge against their competitors.
CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS
The 2016 awards will be presented by Sky Sports news presenter Mike Wedderburn and Test Match Special’s Alison Mitchell which takes place at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 1st June. An hour long highlights show will be shown on Sky Sports with multiple repeat shows on June 4th and 5th.
After the individual category winners have been announced on 1 June, each winner will then be promoted in a media and retail campaign with an online public vote determining the Overall Cross Sports Book of the Year.
The list of full nominated titles:
Illustrated Book of the Year
Matthew Baird ‘Triathlon! A tribute to the world’s greatest triathletes, courses and gear’ Aurum Press Paul Connolly ‘Richie Benaud: Those Summers of Cricket 1930-2015’ Hardie Grant Books ‘Tour de France 2015 – The Official Review’ Vision Sports Publishing Bob Martin ‘1/100th – The Sports Photography of Bob Martin’ Vision Sports Publishing Roger McStravick ‘St Andrews in the Footsteps of Old Tom Morris’ St Andrews Press Mark Platt ‘This is Anfield’ Carlton Books
Freshtime New Writer of the Year
Emily Bullock ‘The Longest Fight’ Myriad Editions Ed Caeser ‘Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon’ Viking Lucy Fry ‘Run, Ride, Sink or Swim’ Faber & Faber Martin Hardy ‘Touching Distance’ DeCoubertin Books Lizzy Hawker ‘Runner – A short story about a long run’ Aurum Press Anne Lauppe-Dunbar ‘Dark Mermaids’ Seren Books
Cycling Book of the Year
Peter Cossins ‘Alpe D’Huez – The Story of Pro Cycling’s Greatest Climb’ Aurum Press William Fotheringham ‘Bernard Hinault & the Fall & Rise of French Cycling’ Yellow Jersey Press Ian MacGregor ‘To Hell on a Bike’ Bantam Press Dave Millar ‘The Racer’ Yellow Jersey Press Edward Pickering ‘The Yellow Jersey Club’ Bantam Press Geraint Thomas ‘The World of Cycling According to G’ Quercus
Cross Autobiography of the Year
Steve Davis ‘Interesting’ Ebury Steven Gerrard ‘My Story’ Penguin David Lloyd ‘Last in the Tin Bath’ Simon & Schuster Nigel Mansell ‘Staying on Track’ Simon & Schuster AP McCoy ‘Winner’ Orion Max Mosley ‘Formula One and Beyond’ Simon & Schuster
The Times Biography of the Year
Guillem Balague ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ Orion Andy Bull ‘Speed Kings’ Bantam Press John Cross ‘Arsene Wenger’ Simon & Schuster Donald McRae ‘A Man’s World’ Simon & Schuster Richard Tomlinson ‘ Amazing Grace: The Man Who Was W.G.’ Little, Brown Luke G. Williams ‘Richmond Unchained: The Biography of the World’s First Black Sporting Star’ Amberley
Littlehampton Book Services Cricket Book of the Year
Scyld Berry ‘Cricket: The Game of Life’ Hodder & Stoughton Stephen Chalke ‘Summer’s Crown’ Fairfield Books Steve James ‘The Art of Centuries’ Bantam Press Tim Lane and Elliot Cartledge ‘Chasing Shadows: The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck’ Hardie Grant Books Simon Lister ‘Fire in Babylon’ Yellow Jersey Press Richard Tomlinson ‘Amazing Grace: The Man Who Was W. G.’ Little, Brown
Barclays Football Book of the Year
Guillem Balague ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ Orion Michael Calvin ‘Living on the Volcano’ Century John Cross ‘Arsene Wenger’ Simon & Schuster Andrew Jennings ‘The Dirty Game’ Century James Lawton ‘The Forever Boys’ Wisden Ronald Reng ‘Matchdays’ Simon & Schuster
Blink Publishing General Outstanding Sports Writing Award
Darren Barker with Ian Ridley ‘A Dazzling Darkness: The Darren Barker Story’ Floodlit Dreams Ed Caesar ‘Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon’ Viking John Daniell ‘The Fixer’ Saltway Willie Finnegan ‘Barbarian Days A Surfing Life’ Little, Brown Richard Moore ‘The Bolt Supremacy’ Yellow Jersey Press William Skidelsky ‘Federer and Me: A Story of Obsession’ Yellow Jersey Press
Cross International Autobiography of the Year Award
Dan Carter ‘Dan Carter: The Autobiography of an All Blacks Legend’ Headline Didier Drogba ‘Commitment: My Autobiography’ Hodder & Stoughton Michael Lynagh and Mark Eglinton ‘Blindsided’ HarperSport Marco Negri with Jeff Holmes ‘Moody Blue: The Story of Mysterious Marco’ Pitch Publishing Ronda Rousey ‘My Fight, Your Fight’ Arrow Mark Webber ‘Aussie Grit’ Pan Macmillan
Arbuthnot Latham Rugby Book of the Year
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Tony Collins ‘The Oval World: A Global History of Rugby’ Bloomsbury Stephen Cooper ‘After the Final Whistle’ History Press Tom English ‘No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland’ Arena Sport Stephen Ferris ‘Man and Ball’ Transworld Ireland Adam Jones ‘Bomb: My Autobiography’ Headline Phil Larder with Nicholas Bishop ‘The Iron Curtain – My Rugby Journey from League to Union’ Pitch Publishing
Our features editor Matt Baird’s debut book Triathlon! (Aurum Press) has been selected for an Illustrated Book of the Year nomination, while Lucy Fry’s Run, Ride, Sink or Swim (Faber & Faber) has been selected for the Freshtime New Writer of the Year gong.
Featuring chapters on the greatest triathletes in history, Triathlon! covers the men and women who have made the sport their own, inspiring thousands to follow in their footsteps.
Alongside the athletes that have made their mark on the sport, Triathlon! profiles some of the world’s greatest events, from classics such as Challenge Roth and from Alcatraz, Brit races The Outlaw, Slateman and more, to the far-flung challenges of the Norseman, Challenge Wanaka or Ironman 70.3 Bintan.
Triathlon! also explores the evolution of triathlon gear – the bikes, aerobars, tri wetsuits, GPS devices and nutrition developed to give triathletes the edge against their competitors.
CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS
The 2016 awards will be presented by Sky Sports news presenter Mike Wedderburn and Test Match Special’s Alison Mitchell which takes place at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 1st June. An hour long highlights show will be shown on Sky Sports with multiple repeat shows on June 4th and 5th.
After the individual category winners have been announced on 1 June, each winner will then be promoted in a media and retail campaign with an online public vote determining the Overall Cross Sports Book of the Year.
The list of full nominated titles:
Illustrated Book of the Year
Matthew Baird ‘Triathlon! A tribute to the world’s greatest triathletes, courses and gear’ Aurum Press Paul Connolly ‘Richie Benaud: Those Summers of Cricket 1930-2015’ Hardie Grant Books ‘Tour de France 2015 – The Official Review’ Vision Sports Publishing Bob Martin ‘1/100th – The Sports Photography of Bob Martin’ Vision Sports Publishing Roger McStravick ‘St Andrews in the Footsteps of Old Tom Morris’ St Andrews Press Mark Platt ‘This is Anfield’ Carlton Books
Freshtime New Writer of the Year
Emily Bullock ‘The Longest Fight’ Myriad Editions Ed Caeser ‘Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon’ Viking Lucy Fry ‘Run, Ride, Sink or Swim’ Faber & Faber Martin Hardy ‘Touching Distance’ DeCoubertin Books Lizzy Hawker ‘Runner – A short story about a long run’ Aurum Press Anne Lauppe-Dunbar ‘Dark Mermaids’ Seren Books
Cycling Book of the Year
Peter Cossins ‘Alpe D’Huez – The Story of Pro Cycling’s Greatest Climb’ Aurum Press William Fotheringham ‘Bernard Hinault & the Fall & Rise of French Cycling’ Yellow Jersey Press Ian MacGregor ‘To Hell on a Bike’ Bantam Press Dave Millar ‘The Racer’ Yellow Jersey Press Edward Pickering ‘The Yellow Jersey Club’ Bantam Press Geraint Thomas ‘The World of Cycling According to G’ Quercus
Cross Autobiography of the Year
Steve Davis ‘Interesting’ Ebury Steven Gerrard ‘My Story’ Penguin David Lloyd ‘Last in the Tin Bath’ Simon & Schuster Nigel Mansell ‘Staying on Track’ Simon & Schuster AP McCoy ‘Winner’ Orion Max Mosley ‘Formula One and Beyond’ Simon & Schuster
The Times Biography of the Year
Guillem Balague ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ Orion Andy Bull ‘Speed Kings’ Bantam Press John Cross ‘Arsene Wenger’ Simon & Schuster Donald McRae ‘A Man’s World’ Simon & Schuster Richard Tomlinson ‘ Amazing Grace: The Man Who Was W.G.’ Little, Brown Luke G. Williams ‘Richmond Unchained: The Biography of the World’s First Black Sporting Star’ Amberley
Littlehampton Book Services Cricket Book of the Year
Scyld Berry ‘Cricket: The Game of Life’ Hodder & Stoughton Stephen Chalke ‘Summer’s Crown’ Fairfield Books Steve James ‘The Art of Centuries’ Bantam Press Tim Lane and Elliot Cartledge ‘Chasing Shadows: The Life and Death of Peter Roebuck’ Hardie Grant Books Simon Lister ‘Fire in Babylon’ Yellow Jersey Press Richard Tomlinson ‘Amazing Grace: The Man Who Was W. G.’ Little, Brown
Barclays Football Book of the Year
Guillem Balague ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ Orion Michael Calvin ‘Living on the Volcano’ Century John Cross ‘Arsene Wenger’ Simon & Schuster Andrew Jennings ‘The Dirty Game’ Century James Lawton ‘The Forever Boys’ Wisden Ronald Reng ‘Matchdays’ Simon & Schuster
Blink Publishing General Outstanding Sports Writing Award
Darren Barker with Ian Ridley ‘A Dazzling Darkness: The Darren Barker Story’ Floodlit Dreams Ed Caesar ‘Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon’ Viking John Daniell ‘The Fixer’ Saltway Willie Finnegan ‘Barbarian Days A Surfing Life’ Little, Brown Richard Moore ‘The Bolt Supremacy’ Yellow Jersey Press William Skidelsky ‘Federer and Me: A Story of Obsession’ Yellow Jersey Press
Cross International Autobiography of the Year Award
Dan Carter ‘Dan Carter: The Autobiography of an All Blacks Legend’ Headline Didier Drogba ‘Commitment: My Autobiography’ Hodder & Stoughton Michael Lynagh and Mark Eglinton ‘Blindsided’ HarperSport Marco Negri with Jeff Holmes ‘Moody Blue: The Story of Mysterious Marco’ Pitch Publishing Ronda Rousey ‘My Fight, Your Fight’ Arrow Mark Webber ‘Aussie Grit’ Pan Macmillan
Arbuthnot Latham Rugby Book of the Year
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Tony Collins ‘The Oval World: A Global History of Rugby’ Bloomsbury Stephen Cooper ‘After the Final Whistle’ History Press Tom English ‘No Borders: Playing Rugby for Ireland’ Arena Sport Stephen Ferris ‘Man and Ball’ Transworld Ireland Adam Jones ‘Bomb: My Autobiography’ Headline Phil Larder with Nicholas Bishop ‘The Iron Curtain – My Rugby Journey from League to Union’ Pitch Publishing