Programming Vs Coaching · Synergy Triathlon Community

Programming Vs Coaching

I've had an interesting thought these past couple of weeks I want to share, and let me know your thoughts in the comments below 👇

Programming just throws sessions into a platform (for us, this is Training Peaks) structure without context. You get a plan, some zones, and an expectation to tick boxes. But your physiology doesn’t adapt to what’s written on paper… it adapts to recovery, sleep, nutrition, and stress.

Coaching uses that same structure as a guide. The difference is communication.

A coach is contactable and able to adjust and adapt when life happens, when you need it most.

When that communication is missing, anxiety increases, cortisol rises, and performance drops (Sakalidis et al., 2023). In other words: you can be doing everything “right” and still be burning yourself out.

So, let’s open it up 👇

What’s been your experience?

Have you followed a “set-and-forget” program before? and how did it affect your motivation or performance?

Or have you worked with a coach who actually adjusted things when life got messy?

Drop your thoughts below, this is where the real athlete insight happens!

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