What habits will provide an edge to athletes?
When I coach athletes, I'm always watching what happens outside of the gym. Because the truth is: the difference between the good and the great often comes down to what you do when no one's looking.
Based on Yuri Verkhoshansky's books, a sports scientist and coach who revolutionised athletic training, these are the five crucial aspects:
1. Sleep & Recovery: Not Optional
Verkhoshansky writes in Supertraining about the process of adaptation and structural reconstruction — how the body rebuilds itself after a stimulus.
If you train hard but don't allow your body to regenerate, you're undermining the stimulus before it can take effect.
Habit: Prioritise 7–9 hours of quality sleep, and keep consistent bedtimes.
2. Nutrition & Hydration: Fueling the Adaptation
Verkhoshansky emphasises the "phenomenon of adaptive reconstructions" — your body doesn't rebuild without the building materials.
Habit: Eat with purpose. Protein, carbs, healthy fats — aligned to your training load and recovery needs. Also very important - hydrate consistently. Small deficits in fluids can blunt your nervous system and delay recovery.
3. Stress & Life Management: The Hidden Load
Training stress is obvious. But life stress (work, relationships, sleep inconsistency) is often invisible — and it counts. Verkhoshansky highlights the limits of "adaptive reserves" of the athlete. Ensure your lifestyle supports training—everything from commute time to meals to rest needs to align.
Habit: Monitor your off-field stress. Use tools like meditation, time-blocking, or simply talking through issues.
4. Consistent Habits Over Flashy Efforts
One key idea in Supertraining is that adaptation has stages and thresholds. You don't bypass progression by going harder; you progress by going consistently.
Habit: Show up without fail. Make your training non-negotiable. Use simple routines outside the gym too — regular stretching, mobility, walk sessions, mindset routines. Over time, these pay dividends.
5. Feedback, Reflection & Learning
Verkhoshansky emphasises the motor-pattern development ("kinesiological pattern") — meaning the athlete must learn, adapt, and refine.
Habit: After training, reflect: What worked? What didn't? What felt strong/weak? Training isn't static; your habits outside the gym feed into your next session.
Your edge comes from the invisible hours, the consistent routines, the lifestyle that enables your training — not just the training itself.
Did I miss anything you think is paramount?
Eddie