Concept2 Forum

I came across this recently and thought forum readers might find it amusing. <br /><br />Mike Caviston<br /><br />Source:<br /><br />Smith, David J. “A Framework For Understanding the Training Process Leading To Elite Performance” <i>Sports Medicine</i> 33:1103-1126, 2003<br /><br /><b>1.5 Types of Athletes</b><br />Although training aids every aspiring athlete at any level, there appears to be two broad categories of athlete who perform at the highest performance level. It seems, on the one hand, there are the genetically talented, and on the other hand, those with a highly developed work ethic, with a system guiding their effort. From a physiological perspective, every athlete possesses capacities of speed and endurance. Pyne[61] has suggested that while the concepts of developing fitness and speed in isolation are under- stood by coaches, an integrated approach is preferred for more complete development of these factors. He has proposed four categories of athlete, using the analogy of horses:[61]<br /><br /><b>1. Wooden Horse</b> – low fitness/low speed: athletes who are just commencing training or returning from illness or injury.<br /><b>2. Bolter</b> – low fitness/high speed: athletes who have natural speed and may not find it necessary to do the same volume of work as their team mates. This athlete may have short-term success, but long-term progress to elite competition may be limited.<br /><b>3. Workhorse</b> – high fitness/low speed: these athletes are training specialists who are extremely dedicated and consistent in their workouts. However, they struggle to lift the quality of their efforts when in a competitive situation. This may be due to excessive training loads, insufficient recovery or inadequate speed work.<br /><b>4. Thoroughbred</b> – high fitness/high speed: the athlete with a combination of developed fitness and natural speed is likely to have the greatest chance of success and improvement in the long term, when in association with skill and tactical awareness.<br /> Some coaches would argue that although thoroughbreds are a necessary ingredient for a successful programme, workhorses are also important as training partners or to push the squad training envelope and pull the thoroughbred along with them enduring periods of training overload. By ensuring that appropriate training is provided to suit the requirements of each individual athlete, the chances of making a workhorse more like a thoroughbred are increased and with correct peaking, a workhorse may also be highly competitive.[61]<br /><br /><br />

And then there's me:<br /><br /><b>5. Dogmeat</b>

And Me...<br /><br />6. <b>Horses Arse:</b> - Self explanatory...

What about the <b>old fart</b> who never tried any competitive sport until he was nearly age 40?<br /><br />What about the folks who didn't like the team sports (soccer, rugby) so got chucked off the school field by the games master? [I used to get sent in to go swimming instead. Me and my twin were always the two kids that were last to get picked for the team. I was always crap at running and had to find the short cut for X-country runs.]<br /><br />I'll aim for <b>workhorse</b>, that'll suit me.

I can't decide whether I'm <br /><br /><b>7. DOG FOOD</b> <br /><br />or<br /><br /><b>8. GlUE</b>,<br /><br />both of which happen to the knackered.

Let's not forget a few others.<br /><br /><b>9. Hobby Horse<br />10. Clothes Horse<br />11. Dark Horse</b><br /><br />And my favorite:<br /><br /><b>Horse Power</b><br /><br />Then there are always the <b>Seabiscuits</b> of their day.

<b>12. Horse of a Different Color</b><br /><br />Guess I'd have to classify myself as either a Wooden Horse or Workhorse depending on how reckless I'd been at any particular time.<br /><br />Regularly daydream of being a Thoroughbred though.

I'm heading for the "Out To Pasture" catagory!<br /><br />GW

<b>13. Horse play</b> - what I do when not training<br /><br /><b>14. ...and the horse you rode in on</b> - my daily thoughts of the erg

<b>15. Cray Bait.</b><br /><br />I think I'd have to be Workhorse at the moment. Early days yet <br /><br />Michael

<b>16. Zebra</b> Not wanting to be in any horse category

If you have some horse sense and stop with that horse-shit; you may find the time to break that horse (erg) or is the erg breaking you <br /><br />I go for the workhorse, but I want to go for the stallion <br /><br />Hennie

<!--QuoteBegin-gw1+May 25 2005, 01:57 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gw1 @ May 25 2005, 01:57 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I'm heading for the "Out To Pasture" catagory!<br /><br />GW <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Perhaps "Out to Stud" would be better...

Though it may not be a horse proper, we mustn't forget . . .<br /><br /><b>17. the ass</b><br /><br />Will

in any race I would definitely be the<br /><br /><b>18. dark horse</b><br /><br />and if I were to finish any position but last I am sure I would have a <br /><br /><b>19. horse throat</b>