TrainingPeaks CoachCast

Season 6 Ep 3 — Olympic Champion Kristin Armstrong: Navigating an Era of Wearables, Data & Social Platforms

Mar 20, 2024

Kristin Armstrong, three-time Olympic gold medalist and cycling coach, dives into the interplay between technology and coaching. She discusses the pressure young athletes face from social media and how it affects their performance. Kristin emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to data while maintaining mental health. She shares insights on integrating new wearables into training and how to set healthy boundaries with social platforms. With her vast experience, she offers strategies for coaches to adapt in a data-driven athletic landscape.

58:14

Episode guests

Kristin Armstrong

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Balancing technology and personal coaching is crucial, as over-reliance on wearables can detract from athletes' focus on training plans.

The rise of younger athletes demands coaches adapt their methods, often learning from their athletes about current technological trends.

Social media significantly impacts athletes' mental health, requiring coaches to guide them in maintaining a healthy online presence and personal growth.

Deep dives

The Connection Between Technology and Coaching

Understanding how technology influences athletes is crucial for effective coaching. Coaches now face challenges in managing the interaction between athletes and their wearable devices, such as glucose monitors and fitness trackers, which can impact performance and motivation. The speaker highlights the importance of maintaining a balance between technology and coaching, noting that while tools like TrainingPeaks are beneficial, they can also create reliance that distracts athletes from their training plans. Coaches must stay updated on technological trends to better guide their athletes and ensure they do not become overly obsessed with metrics and social media feedback.

Intro

2min

Navigating Youth, Tech, and Coaching

15min

Navigating the Intersection of Data, Training, and Mental Health

4min

Navigating Technology in Athletic Training

26min

Navigating Athletic Identity in the Age of Influencers

3min

Balancing Social Media Use in Youth Athletics

2min

The Evolution of Data Sharing in Cycling: Balancing Transparency and Mental Health

6min

Kristin Armstrong talks coaching strategies in a data-driven world filled with wearables and social platforms. With the advancement of technology and platforms, there is a growing tension between positives and negatives when it comes to data, wearable devices and social media.

The challenges of managing this tension have become heightened for younger athletes who may feel pressure to maintain an online persona of success and accomplishment through sharing data and results. How can a coach find the balance between using data to improve performance while minimizing the risks of an overly connected athlete? Kristin explains her approaches, including how she tries out any new wearable an athlete brings up with her to understand how it works, what it tracks and the experience as a user.

Kristin, the most decorated U.S. female cyclist and the best female time trialist in history, lives in Idaho. She owns the Pivot by KA chain of health clubs while still managing a cycling coaching business. She is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, a two-time World Champion, and has won six U.S. National Championships. She is the only female U.S. athlete to have won the same event in three consecutive Olympic Games and the oldest female cyclist in history to win an Olympic gold medal.

To watch the interview, head over to the TrainingPeaks YouTube Channel.

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TrainingPeaks CoachCast

Season 6 Ep 3 — Olympic Champion Kristin Armstrong: Navigating an Era of Wearables, Data & Social Platforms

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Connection Between Technology and Coaching

Demographic Shifts in Coaching

The Impact of Social Media on Athletes

Balancing Data Use and Athletes' Intuition

The Evolution of an Athlete's Journey

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts