Principles As It Pertains To Your Training

"As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods, ignoring principles is sure to have trouble."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't believe Emerson was an athlete but the above quote sure is applicable to training.

Not too long ago someone asked me if I had heard of a book on running that advocated a certain way of training. I said that I hadn't heard of that book but if it incorporated the fundamentals of training for distance runners, I was all for it.
As most of you readers probably know, a large part of the training principles for distance running and other sports teach that easier work is followed by progressively more stressful work as the body is able to tolerate it. At the end point,these training principles all lead to the athlete being in peak condition for competition.
It's all incredibly simple, logical and sensible.

The running coach I greatly admire, Arthur Lydiard, instructed athletes to follow the principles he laid down but added that the individual could adapt them to their specific needs( the methods).

As far as training principles for sports? They must take into account human anatomy and physiology.
Still, many people try to 'reinvent the wheel' and come up with "methods" they believe will revolutionize their sport.

Be very careful when you decide to choose a way to train, or way to eat for that matter, ask yourself this, is it adhering to sound principles? Do not be fooled by charismatic hucksters.

 As an aside, a little anecdote about Arthur Lydiard: he was a giant in the sport of running, just as Vince Lombardi was in American football, John Wooden in college basketball or Casey Stengel in  pro baseball. Even though Lydiard trained and developed many champions and record holders,  he would always take time to interact with anyone who approached him.
 I recall back in the '80's writing a letter to him, I can't remember how I found his address in New Zealand. I sort of hoped he might write back but wasn't willing to put any money on it.
Sure enough, not quite a month later I received a letter from him. A couple years later I wrote again and the same thing happened.
As I read somewhere after he died, talking with others, no matter what their status was, was something he really enjoyed doing
Take it from me, this is a rare quality among famous people.