Make the Leap Coach's Guide

This is the official coach's guide to Make the Leap: Think Better, Train Better, Run Faster.

Make the Leap is centered around one key idea: Think better, train better. What most athletes lack is a mental framework for thinking about their training. Make the Leap provides this framework in the form of 11 Optimal Training Principles and 4 mental model Spotlights.

This coaches' guide aligns to these chapters and provides:
• A short summary, including why the ideas are important
• The end of chapter "Key Takeaways" from the book
• One or two main charts or diagrams from the chapter
• Overview questions to confirm understanding
• Provocative questions to stimulate thought and debate
• A Team Activity sheet to spark discussion and engagement

Wondering how to incorporate it? Reading Make the Leap and using the questions and activities in this Coach's Guide is particularly useful in the following settings:

Offseason Reading

The offseason is a great time to build more than an endurance base. It's a great time to build a new mental base as well! Have your athletes read the book in the summer. Track their progress using the Think Better Workbook or the Team Activity worksheets in this guide. Then when they return, use the questions and answers in this guide to confirm their understanding and get everyone on the same page.

Training Camp

You may not be able to read the entire book in one camp, but you can choose a couple key chapters to focus on and make a short activity or discussion part of each day's training. Camps are one of the best places to introduce these ideas because the environment is conducive to thoughtful consideration and the athletes have a lot of time together to brainstorm goals and systems that align to these concepts.

Mid-Season Refresher

Assigning your athletes to read one chapter and do one activity is a great way to spark a little more engagement mid-season. Whether you want to address a specific problem or simply get your athletes thinking a little more effectively about their training, the occasional mid-season activity can truly boost their motivation and discipline.

Make the Leap can be read as a book or as a collection of independent chapters. You can choose the best way to integrate it for your needs. This guide will help you do it successfully!

Make the Leap has been hailed as a must read book for athletes and coaches. Learn more here: http://maketheleapbook.com/praise