CrossFit Coaching the Aging Athlete Training Guide PDF

Coaching the Aging Athlete Training Guide Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION................................................... 2 Redefining the Aging Athlete.................................................. 5 The Masters Q...

Coaching the Aging Athlete Training Guide Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION................................................... 2 Redefining the Aging Athlete.................................................. 5 The Masters Quadrant....................................................... 6 USING THE MASTERS QUADRANT TO GUIDE COACHING............... 9 Assessing the Aging Athlete................................................... 9 Key Principles For Coaching.................................................. 10 Masters Quadrant—Considerations, Risks And Priorities........................ 11 THE EFFECTS OF AGING............................................ 15 Common Myths and Misconceptions About the Aging Athlete................... 20 Implementing an Effective Masters Program Within the Affiliate................. 28 Understanding the Aging Athlete Mindset.................................... 34 COACHING AND PROGRAMMING FOR WELLNESS.................... 42 Example 12-Week On-Ramp Program........................................ 46 Example Class Plan For a Late Masters Athlete................................ 52 Lesson Plan: Barraza...................................................... 53 Effective Scaling........................................................... 56 Training for Quality of Life—The Story of Michael............................... 61 APPENDIX 1—REFERENCES......................................... 64 Recommended Reading.................................................... 64 Scaling................................................................... 65 Stories From the Community................................................ 66 Books.................................................................... 69 References and Literature Review........................................... 69 Coaching the Aging Athlete Training Guide V6.0 | 1 of 77 Copyright © 2022 CrossFit, LLC. All Rights Reserved. V6.0-20220222KW Introduction INTRODUCTION Like it or not, we all get old and will have to deal with the physiological and psychological changes associated with the aging process. However, to a very large extent we have control over the degree to which those changes impact our quality of life, because we are only as old as we believe we are. We have a very simple choice between sedentary aging that involves a myriad of negative effects resulting from inactivity and active aging that involves maintaining a high quality of life and functionality well into our elderly years. Coach Greg Glassman once stated that his greatest fear was living a long life without the basic functionality to enjoy it, i.e., spending 100 years on the planet and requiring the support of others to perform basic daily tasks for 40 of them. That is a very real prospect for the majority of humans in the western world: a later life that is marred by ill health and spent largely in the nursing home. Our greatest motivation as trainers and coaches should be to not only extend the lives of our clients but also prevent the decline of functionality with age. The goal is a life well-lived. Attitude plays a huge role in determining the degree to which we remain active as we age. In turn, our level of activity determines the degree to which we remain functional across our lifespan. Contrary to the belief that functional decline and illness are unavoidable and predictable aspects of aging, the emerging research on fit older athletes is clearly showing that they not only live longer than a non-athletic population, they also are healthier later in life and have a lower prevalence of disease (Garatachea et al., 2014). The research is catching up to what we have known in the CrossFit community for some time. It is the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, not age, that cause functional decline and illness, and quality of life is significantly better for those who remain fit and active throughout the course of their lifespan (Wright, 2012). Becoming an athlete and remaining an athlete creates a “survival advantage” (Bauman et al., 2012). Coaching the Aging Athlete Training Guide V6.0 | 2 of 77 Copyright © 2022 CrossFit, LLC. All Rights Reserved.  Introduction