improving performance can be achieved through several factors:
- training and the advanced methods of training such as pyramiding, supersets etc, which overcome training plateaus
- coaching: and the employment of psychology to better motivate athletes and/or aid in the development of skill acquisition (e.g some people learn better depending on how you teach them).
- technology: has led to improved performance. this is evident by comparing past athletes to athletes of today. cyclists of the past and the cyclists of today have different levels of speed. in the tour de france, the average speed in 1960 was about 27km/h (don't trust my stats these are off the top of my head) while the average speed today is like almost 50km/hr (or more). The reason for this, isnt because people have suddenly become twice as fit, no, but rather because of improvements in technology, such as the use of carbon fibre frames. lance armstrong's frame for his bike was something like 1.25kg which was not allowed in the tour de france due to weight restrictions (it was too light).
- nutrition: emergence of sport scientists and nutritionists anaylse how to achieve peak performance through the use of nutrition, prior to events, during events, post events, and to tailor diets to training programs.
