6. The Vorsprung Element

‘Break-it-down’!

Too often we look at situations, tasks, jobs, races, training as one big event. But, if you break-it-down into its constituent parts (elements) everything becomes so much more manageable, doable and achievable.

In Vorsprung’s running group we teach athletes to look at the manageable chunks. Don’t see 6 x 300 metres as, a 300 metres slog. If it is a speed session, break-it-down. The end result is, that, we need to see a line of times depreciated from the first to the last. The first 300 metres should be the fastest. Never think you have to ‘save yourself’ for the other five: they don’t matter. What matters is this first one.

However, even in the first one we can break-it-down. Athletes are taught not to see it as 300 metres, but, as two 150 metres. Think of it as 150 metres full-tilt: hit-it-hard and hang-on. The second 150 metres is all about holding form. Hold form and you will lessen the depreciation of speed.
If you have the proper Vorsprung training behind you, you will be surprised how much more you have in your body to complete the first 300 metres at speed and even the following five 300 metres.

The brain will allows fool you. It is like water. It will take you on the easiest route. Even if that means being lazy. It will dictate to you and influence you to be lazy and mis-judge what your body is really capable of.

So, at Vorsprung, we think of every activity we perform as a collection of actions. Not as one whole, which can appear daunting, over-whelming and unmanageable / unachievable. At Vorsprung, we see every activity in its separate, varying, elements.

This applies to any task or activity, not just in sports: decorating a room, cooking, cleaning the house, gardening. It becomes very Zen. Thinking of the moment and not allowing the brain to hijack your activity into thinking of anything more that that moment, that immediate task.