221 Becoming a Better Coach - Leveraging Experts to Help Athletes

So you’ve gone all-in and put your training in the hands of your coach.

It’s their role to build the framework of performance and provide clarity, accountability, and guidance through your evolution as an athlete.

But how does a coach evolve beyond education and experience to become a more effective pillar of support? How do they improve themselves and grow in order to help you, the athlete, thrive?

Matt answers that question with the help of Purple Patch Coach Mike Olzinksi and leading performance nutritionist, Scott Tindal, as they examine the role of mentorships in coaching.

Over the last year, Mike leveraged Scott’s nutrition expertise to help facilitate high performance in several of his athletes. They discuss the importance of that collaboration to the overall success of two Purple Patch athletes, Kinga Kimbrel and Elliot Block.

With the help of Mike and Scott, Kinga, relatively new to the sport of triathlon, finds perspective in training through a focus on her nutritional deficits, while Elliot defies the odds with a new approach to fueling.

Matt, Mike, and Scott provide insight on:

• The hesitance of some coaches in seeking assistance outside of their realm of expertise.

(19:19) ”The coach is hired by the athlete and has this often internal burden that they carry that they need to have every answer to every question and expertise across every subject, which of course is a dangerous thing if you think that you really are a master of everything.”

• Leveraging the benefits of knowledge in related fields to help drive performance and facilitate recovery.

(17:53) “Tweaks are required in order to get the best out of the athlete. And it's about providing solutions to the problems that we're presented with using the best available science, the best available evidence.”

• The symbiotic relationship between nutrition coaching and performance training.

(48:43) “Nutrition shouldn't be viewed as like, Oh, I've got a nutrition program, and I've got a training program, they're just synonymous with each other. And if you want to do a really good training block, you're gonna need to fuel yourself appropriately.”

• (39:18) Case Study: Kinga Kimbrel - The marriage of passion, potential, and science.

• (56:14) Case Study: Elliot Block - Solving the protein problem.

Episode Timestamps

0:00-09:59 Introduction and Matt's Personal Picks

Purple Patch Podcast - Episode 219: The Biggest Mistakes Coaches Make When Guiding Time-Starved Athletes

Purple Patch Blog - Improve Triathlon Performance in the Heat with the Sauna Protocol Heat Acclimation Training

Purple Patch Blog - How to Race Effectively in Hot and Humid Conditions

Purple Patch Blog - Are You in a Broken Triathlon Coaching Relationship?

Purple Patch Athlete Case Study - Kinga Kimbrel

Learn More About Scott Tindal and FuelIn

The Purple Patch Center is Open - Learn More and Schedule a Visit

Purple Patch Website and Newsletter

10:14- The Meat and Potatoes - Leveraging Expertise to Expand Knowledge and Performance

Purple Patch and Episode Resources

This episode is sponsored by our collaboration with INSIDE TRACKER. Inside Tracker and Purple Patch - Receive 20% off their services with code: PURPLEPATCHPRO20

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