How do you train for....?

I get this question a lot.

How do you train for (enter particular sport or event here)?

And without going into the particulars with specific sports or events, I start where all sports or goals should:

Balanced training

What I'm referring to here is creating a balance between energy systems as well as a balance with variety of training.

Don't get me wrong, certain sports require different training modes. But when individuals come to me, they are looking for a starting point. I give them what I know will work and translate across the board no matter what sport or event they wish to participate.

Essentially when it comes to training there are two things that all athletes can do to enhance their training and performance:

Energy System Work (ie Intervals)
Weight Training

There are definately other factors involved but it gets a little more specific depending upon which sport or event training for.

Those two training methods are known as Anaerobic conditioning which is used at some capacity in all sports. But that isn't why I mention those two methods.

The reason is that when you train your Anaerobic System, your Aerobic System benefits tremendously. That's right, when you train the Anaerobic System, your Aerobic System becomes more efficient.

But it doesn't work the other way around.

Distance Running, swimming, and biking will not enhance your training (unless that is your sport and then should be reserved for practice not for training).

Short Burst training, or interval training will go great lengths to enhance your training no matter what sport. Just make sure your intervals are specific to your sport (longer distance events or sports will use longer intervals and short distance explosive sports or events will use shorter more frequent intervals).

And please, please, don't ignore weight training. Alwyn Cosgrove has written about this recently on his blog and I want to reinforce this fact:

Great athletes and average athletes are not separated by their ability, rather by their strength.

If you take two athletes of the same size and ability, the stronger one will perform better 100% of the time.

How do you get strong? Weight Training.