Coaching Philosophy
KONA Human Performance's approach to coaching is based on current, evidence-based scientific training principles and concepts that have been tested and are endorsed by medical and professional organization. We strongly believe that every athlete is special and should be treated accordingly. Based on reasonable training and racing goals and relying on results from testing and assessments, each athlete is given a customized training program. These training programs use a periodization plan formatted for optimal progression toward peaking for pre-determined events and races. Every effort will be made to ensure these personalized workouts are safe, challenging, and have a specific purpose to meet the athlete's needs.
KONA utilize a balanced approach by alternate training intensity and monitor frequency and duration to prevent over-training and injury. Periodic follow-up testing will be performed to determine improvement in performance and to quantify the training effect. Because we live in a busy, technology-driven society, Kona offers computer training software to their clients to make it easier for the client and coach to communicate and monitor training progress.
It is extremely important that personal contact be maintained. This important client/coach relationship will always remain the foundation of our coaching philosophy at KONA.
KONA takes a multi-disciplined approach to training. No one person is an expert in every aspect of performance coaching. Kona has enlisted the help of other professionals to assist in meeting your training and racing needs. Additional services provided, but not limited to, are:
- physicians
- medical specialist in athletic injuries and rehabilitation
- bicycling-related legal assistance dealing with an accident or personal injury
- nutritional counseling
- equipment and safety issues
- psychological preparedness
You can be confident that every person affiliated with Kona will have the proper credentials to handle you as our valued customer. It is important that our coaches and support staff maintain proper, up-to-date certification and have the necessary education and experience in order to offer you the best in performance coaching and fitness consultation.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
John
What's in a Name?
Kailua-Kona or Kona is a city on the Big Island of Hawaii and home of the Ironman World Championship. Following my graduation from college and recovering from a torn ACL injury, I started to gain some weight and became less of an athlete than I was accustomed to. One day, I watched this event called the Hawaii Ironman on TV. What was this Ironman event? It was captivating to me yet I thought it was the craziest thing I had ever seen. I couldn't fathom that people actually had the physical capacity to compete and finish a race of this distance. I was a successful athlete in high school and college. I participated in football, basketball, and baseball but I couldn't swim one length in a pool and it had been years since I gave up my little 16" Schwinn for riding in a car. I figured it was time to get off the couch and try something new. With the help of a friend, we began training for triathlons. This was a new frontier for me. I began cycling first, then headed to the pool to learn a new skill I'd never acquired, freestyle swimming. It took me a long time to master the swim stroke and breathing at the same time. I didn't float very well. But I can remember the moment like yesterday when it all came together, the swimming and the breathing and I stopped in the pool, smiled and said to myself, "I got it!". I also took up long-distance running and began to increase my distance, shed the extra weight I had put on and I achieved a level of fitness I never had with my other activities.
In the beginning, I started competing in smaller triathlons but I always felt the draw of the Big Island. Each year, I would wait in ernest for the Ironman Hawaii. To read about it in Sports Illustrated and to watch the playback of the race on ABC's Wide World Of Sport. The event had become captivating to me and I watched the sport evolve year after year. You could see and feel the sport taking roots and I often imagined myself riding my bike on the Queen K highway and running down Alii Drive and crossing the finish line.
In 1998, after several knee surgeries and now coping with severe arthritis, I was at the end of my 20 year triathlon career. I finally got accepted to participte in Ironman Hawaii. It didn't matter that I could barely run, being there was a dream-come-true and finishing was absolutely an extraordinary experience. I was finally an "Ironman." I couldn't stop thinking of the past and how I dreamed of being here. What a thrill!
Why KONA? I chose KONA because it symbolizes having a goal and never stopping until you accomplish it. I had to endure graduate school, work, post-graduate school, changing jobs and relocating, numerous surgeries, knee pain, foot pain, more work, etc.. But whatever I did or wherever I went, I always took with me my dream of doing Ironman Hawaii.
Now, I want to pass this experience of accomplishment on to my clients. I want them to set a goal(s) and never give up. I want them to experience the joy. I want them to work hard and never give up.
That's how I live life and that's how I roll. And that's why I picked KONA
Core and Functional Strength Training
Years ago, I discovered posture and movement analysis. I do this with all my clients now and go through an assessment with them, static in front of a grid and dynamic using Grey Cook's methods (http://www.functionalmovement.com/SITE/). I just followed this trail and continued to peel back the layers like an onion. This opened the door for my interest in core and functional training as well as looking at the entire kinetic chain when evaluating athletes with the premise that "you are only as strong as your weakest link", theory. I now apply these concepts in my teaching and coaching. Sometimes people "do not know what they don't know." My clients are older cyclist so the population I deal with really benefits from this information. It's all relative so to flatly reject these principles is insane. As you know, chronic cycling can lead to a host of muscular imbalances and potential overuse injuries, especially with master athletes. I try to use functional and sport specific exercises to counterbalance this and prevent injuries. I think strengthening the posterior chain is vital and do a lot of upper and lower back, hip, and core exercises. Most of the exercises only require body weight as resistance. Paul Chek (http://www.chekinstitute.com/Correspondence_Courses) has very good information on back and core, Mike Boyle (www.strengthcoach.com) is very good with functional strength training in the US as well as Mark Verstegan (http://www.coreperformance.com/). The National Strength and Conditioning Assoc. (NSCA) and the National Sports Medicine Assoc. (NSMA) have good continuing education opportunities for a person to grow as a coach. Additionally, you can pick up one of many undergraduate and graduate school text books on Biomechanics and/or Kinesiology, Priciples and Application to find references to support these concepts and principles.
Stand up for what you believe in and have strength in your convictions.