Sir Dave Brailsford, as director of performance for Team GB cycling, famously made lots of small things 1% better to turn our cycling team from mediocre to world beaters. Hands were washed in a certain way to avoid getting common colds, water bottles were perfectly designed to facilitate efficient drinking and walls were painted white so you could spot the dirt that would slow down a perfectly designed bike.
Lots of small things made a little better to get the desired result – gold medals by the bucket load.
But I think this is only a small part of the picture. You could have all the marginal gains in the world but if your cyclists aren’t up to much then you won’t be winning anything.
It just so happened that when Brailsford implemented his plan it coincided with the coming of age of a pretty impressive crop of cyclists – Brad Wiggins, Chris Froome, Victoria Pendleton to name but a few. This was Team GB cycling’s MAXIMAL gain – a bunch of unbelievable cycling talent. The hand washing and white paint was just the icing on the cake.
The reason for this preamble is to encourage everyone to focus on the maximal gains first when it comes to fitness – good sleep, managed stress, quality nutrition, smart exercise.
These four things lay the foundation for a happy and healthy mind and body. The marginal gains, £200 running shoes, a cycling helmet designed by NASA, apple cider vinegar in the morning, only become worthwhile when they are added to strong foundations.
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