Episode 39 - How Do You Know When You Are Ready to Compete? - a podcast by Charles J. Infurna, EdD

How Do You Know When You Are Ready to Compete?

Yesterday I was on a coaching call with one of my holistic coaching clients.  We were having a great conversation about competing, competition, and when to open up the season.  This particular thrower has international experience, is a national record holder, and is on the cusp of hitting the 2024 Olympic Games mark in the hammer.

They have the opportunity to open the season at an international competition in Europe in early March.  Our conversation went something like this:

Athlete:  Yeah, I can open up in early March.  It’d be a long flight with the prospects of only taking three throws.

Me:  It sounds like a great opportunity to open the season in an early major competition.

Athlete:  I’ll go compete if I feel excited enough and I’m ready to compete.

Me:  How do you gauge your excitement and readiness to compete in terms of preparing for this competition?

Athlete:  Umm….

As we continued our conversation, I asked what type of markers or data points they tracked in regards to being ready to compete.  We discussed some items that most would suggest, such as; throwing distances in practice with the competition hammer, throwing distances in practice with hammers of varying weights, and weight room numbers.

I shared a story of hearing Lance Deal speak in Ohio back in December 2015.  He shared that he expected himself to be able to walk off a plane after an international flight and be able to throw at least 90% of his personal best within an hour or two of landing and competing.

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