In the start-up phase of the beginners, the first difficulties of the young walker must be considered:
difficulty in assimilating the basic execution of the gesture
feeling of physical discomfort, due to the commitment in a technical discipline such as walking, especially pains in the tibial musculature
probable sensation of psychological discomfort due to the execution of an athletic gesture that could be subject to the unjustified teasing of other people, given its particularity and difference compared to the movements of other sports
The first approach with the discipline will have the following fundamental:
Racewalking is «fast walking» (avoid using too technical definitions with beginners)
The first “training” will be of a playful nature proposing team games and challenges in pairs rather than individual exercises
Will always be considered the multidisciplinarity of the athletic preparation of the young (vary the training even with basic exercises or not related to the discipline of walking)
The technical evolution and age of the young will lead us to develop as more specific training on racewalking. Is also the coach’s job to transmit safety and awareness to the young walker.
«racewalking is a sporting discipline like the others »
When the athlete has grown sufficiently (from 14 years upwards) to consciously observe his technique, it will be very useful to use audiovisual tools; the coach and the young walker can review and comment together videos and photos of the training sessions or competitions. This solution will be an excellent way to involve the young walker, facilitating the understanding of errors and the consequent learning and improvement of the technique.
Sources: – 2015 coach course for young racewalkers: multimedia manual (by Emidio Orfanelli and Stefano La Sorda for Swiss Walking Fed.) – FIDAL Coach manual (ed. 1992 and 2000) – FIDAL Instructor’s Manual for Athletics (ed. 2010) – Why and how to teach racewalking at school (Article by Antonio La Torre – “Atletica Studi” n.6 Nov-Dec 1997) – How and how much a young walker has to train (by Armando Zambaldo for FIDAL Veneto)
