Exactly how beneficial are sports training camps?

When it's cold and dark outside, plan your summer holiday fun. But before you book a sports training camp for 2015, let's look at just how beneficial these holidays really can be….

Never been on a triathlon or endurance sport training camp? This is what you can expect: 

  • A short, focused period of time (usually 5-10 days) in which most distractions are eliminated, and everything is on hand
  • Expert coaching, 1-on-1 feedback, group runs and rides
  • Several training sessions every day
  • Workshops or Q&A sessions about training, periodisation, nutrition, rest, race strategies
  • The opportunity to swim, run and ride in new surroundings (50m pools, the sea or a lake, hills, heat)
  • In short, everything you need to really focus your mind, body and strategy on your A-race for the year!

I've been on plenty of endurance camp holidays, of course, as have loads of my clients. Whilst they're not your regular sun, sea and sand holiday, they can definitely benefit amateur, club and high-level athletes.

But are they for everyone?

As with anything, there are pros and cons. Here is a (short!) list of reasons why a training camp may not suit you:

  • If your existing fitness levels, strength, or rate of recovery couldn't cope. Most training camps will offer beginner level training, and should be very clear in their marketing material. But if your base fitness isn't up to it, a training camp could set your recovery and your confidence back.
  • If you're not willing to put what you've learned into practice. At most, a training camp is two weeks of your season. You'll learn a great deal, but the benefits come once you're back home and put the techniques, strategies and motivation in to your weekly routine. If you attend a training camp hoping for those two weeks to boost your results - without following up with hard work at home - you'll be disappointed.
  • If you're not prepared to work hard. These camps are holidays, and you will get time to relax by the pool, catch some sun, and socialise with your friends. But the primary reason of being there is to train hard, rest hard, and live like an athlete. You'll need to get to bed early, no matter how tempting the idea of a few late night beers might be. Think "athlete" rather than "holiday-maker" and you'll get your money's worth.

Before you book a training camp holiday this year, ask yourself: are you prepared to knuckle down and thrive on a focused period of full-on training, where you live like a professional athlete with no distractions? If the answer is yes (and I'm sure it is) then go and enjoy one this fantastic way to boost performance, refresh motivation… and smash your 2015 race season!