I recently had coffee with Coach Extraordinaire, Antonio Gonzalez of Tri Town Bicycles.  One of the many topics we chatted about was our early influencers – the people, books & ideas that we feel shaped us as coaches.  It’s an interesting mind game to pinpoint the things (or people) that impressed you enough to push your thought process into new directions.

For me, I credit The Outdoor Athlete:  Total Training for Outdoor Performance by Steve Ilg as one of my most important influencers.  I found this book back in 1990 as an athlete new to the “new” sport of triathlon (many consider 1982 as the year that triathlon really took hold in the U.S.).  The book was already in its 3rd edition (the 1st published in 1962, the 2nd in 1987 & the 3rd in 1989) & the ideas in it took me by storm.

I had just stepped into the multi-sport world which was so new there was little consensus on how to effectively train. The pages of Triathlete magazine (the 1st real mag published for multi-sport athletes) were filled with workouts for swimmers, workouts for cyclists & workouts for runners…but very few workouts for triathletes! Much of the training advice was volume-based – simply go long & go longer. Strength training was non-existent.

Enter The Outdoor Athlete. This book talked about what it meant to be “an athlete”. It talked about mind-body connections. It talked about strength training as a crucial component for improving any athletic endeavor. It talked about wholistic training to empower the entire athlete – mind, body & soul.

Here’s an example of how this book reads:

“Strength, in whatever form, must become the preeminent tool, a function of one’s self which lingers on for seasons waiting to be freed. Strength for the outdoor athlete can only justify its value as a permanent, individual, behavioral trait.”

Ilg, The Outdoor Athlete: Total Training for Outdoor Performance, 1989, p. 8

And then he goes on to quote Theodore Roosevelt. I was, in short, blown away!

In hindsight, many of the key concepts that I now preach as a coach got their start from this book. In looking back through the book as I wrote this article, I clearly recognize the thought kernels that wedged their way into my brain only to grow into critical components of my coaching philosophy. Here are a few of the concepts from the book that are now on regular rotation in my discussions with my athletes.

1. On Time – We all lead full lives. The question is not can I find the time. Rather it is a matter of creating the time.
2. On Resistance Training – Resistance training provides the foundation from which athletes then build upon. It improves energy levels, sense of self & the ability to dream bigger. Without strength work, there is no “athlete”.
3. On Training Quality – Focus on elegance & concentration are at the heart of all athletic pursuits. Athleticism comes as a result of high quality training. Forcing it, chasing it, pushing it only results in disappointment & injury.
4. On Patience – Similar to #3, many athletes sabotage their training by…too much training. Training is a patient process which requires continual self-examination. Two questions to ALWAYS ask yourself are:
   1. Will this training session improve me?
   2. How much I do really need?
5. On Recovery – As we train, we should constantly evaluate the productiveness of the workouts. If you are training hard & not getting results, your body is letting you know that it is over-stressed. Stress effects are cumulative. So, the way we balance out training stress is with recovery. Prioritize…
   1. Rest Days – When training volume and/or intensity are high, more rest days are needed.
   2. Sleep – Bodies regenerate & repair themselves in sleep. Get more of it…get better quality.
   3. Nutrition – Food provides the building tools our bodies need to repair. Eat high-fiber, minimally processed, get enough protein, remember that food is your friend (lower the drama).

It’s been very interesting to go back through this influential book. I found myself saying “yes” & “exactly” & “absolutely” & “right on” as I read various passages. Although we all develop our own style as we go through life, I do feel it’s important to acknowledge those that came before us, those that molded us into who we are. So thank you, Steve Ilg! At the time that I read your book, I had no idea that it would become the foundation of my coaching life!