Alhussein El-Shennawy asks why Egyptians did not do well in London or almost any other Olympics Last month, the Olympics were the world's most prestigious international sports contest in which athletes from around the globe competed against each other and followed the ancient Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius (Latin for Faster, Higher, Stronger). The sad part of the story, however, is that Egypt with a population of more than 85 million citizens and an impressive African and Arab track record in sports, did not have any citable achievements in the Olympics save two silver medals in Greco-Roman wrestling and fencing. Egypt participated for the first time in the Olympic Games back in 1928. Until London, Egytpian athletes managed only 32 medals. In comparison, Germany for example collected a staggering 290 medals between Barcelona in 1992 and Beijing in 2008. Further, swimming sensation Michael Phelps earned 22 medals in three Olympics, all but four gold. Apparently, there is something which keeps us from succeeding in the Olympics. We're really good at getting there. But, once we get there, it seems something, some inner fire that propels athletes on, snuffs out. There must be a reason, or probably several, hindering Egyptian athletes from reaching international competition level. In order to cut the infamous Gordian Knot and be a force to be reckoned with, we should not look inwards, but rather turn our sights outwards and farther still. We need to look at what our successful international counterparts do and avail ourselves of it. We then need to look into the future and see how we can take all that knowledge and adapt it for our own benefit. Every athlete, every team, is unique, however, all have an underlying common ground: foundation training, structure and enforced discipline. So if we take a look over our shoulders and see what other trainers, coaches and managers do for their athletes around the globe, this is what we might find. NUTRITION AND SUPPLEMENTS: In the field of nutrition, where protein, carbohydrates and fat, minerals, vitamins and even water are measured in grammes and microgrammes, the one-size-fits-all method of eating has potentially disastrous effects on even the non-athlete and sedentary persons. If each and every human is classified according to specific parametres like age, gender, level of physical activity, race, genes and so on, it stands to reason that each and every human, therefore, has different nutritional and supplemental requirements. This could not apply more to athletes. Different sport disciplines put precise demands on the athlete in question and therefore require specific combinations of food and supplement regimen. A bodybuilder has different nutrition and supplement requirements than that of a football player or a marathon runner. There is also another fatal myth which keeps Egyptian athletes from providing their body with ideal fuel specifications to achieve optimal mental and physical performance. There is a consensus that supplements have hazardous effects on health to the extent they will even jeopardise it. Some athletes are told that supplements may cause impotence alongside other horrendous long-term effects. Anything extreme is potentially dangerous and definitely inappropriate, however, one of the important pillars of the dynamic nutrition approach is that each nutrition and supplementation plan is tailored, individualised and structured according to the athlete's sport, body composition, sporting level and training unit target. Without the proper support of a scientifically based nutrition programme, including the right selection of proper nutrients and supplements, the athlete will not be able to maximise mental and physical performance, whilst minimising fatigue. No one can win, and carry on winning, if they continue to use the same old recipe. Athletes change, formulas change, strategies change. Our athletes need to change and adapt to the modified and newest scientific based nutrition trends in order to keep up with the pace-setters. TRAINING TECHNIQUES AND SAFETY: The world of fitness and sports in particular has come a long way in the last 25 years. Research, new techniques, plus tried and tested training methods have joined forces and come up with the near-perfect training regimen for every sport one can think of. The remarkable thing is that it continues to progress and is an ever-evolving domain with new competitors being born daily. Using traditional training styles and lagging behind new and proven techniques will not help the athlete to achieve his maximum potential and may increase the risk of injury, burn-out, de-motivation and unnecessarily augment recovery time. Unfortunately, this is the sad reason why many of our national competitors do not go on to fulfil their dreams in the sports world. It's not because they are not good enough; it is simply because they are physically beaten. Extinct, (or what should be), exercises such as Behind the Neck Lat Pull Down, (or any behind-the-neck-exercise), Decline Bench Press and deep, narrow squats are just a few of the ones still performed by leading so-called experts, that will put the athlete on the fast track to rehab, not the podium. Well-planned, detailed, annual periodisation training programmes are what is needed to ensure we deliver the absolute best to the top sportspeople we have, so they can go on to stand out in their field. Appropriate warm-ups, agility, flexibility and plyometric training, plus strength and conditioning are all essential pieces of the puzzle that go alongside being coached in the professional world of sports. SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY: The mind is the strongest thing we posses, stronger than any muscle in our body. If we believe it, we can go that little bit farther �ê" but we have to believe. The preparation for any contest starts in an athlete's mind. In order to be mentally prepared to succeed, you must have clear goals, be mentally driven and at the same time, when pressure is at its utmost, emotionally in charge. As a matter of fact, mental toughness is the name of the game. Trust between athlete and coach and athlete and trainer is paramount. Open communication is essential to allow the athlete to mentally focus and know his strengths and weaknesses, which enable him to capitalise on developing an ideal performance state, pre-season, season and even off-season. To achieve these results, sports psychology -- a predominantly overlooked aspect in Egypt -- is the key. Sports psychologists play a vital role in the mental preparation of the athlete in question. There are two key areas of interest in sports psychology: understanding how psychology can be applied to augment motivation and performance, and understanding how sports and athletics can increase mental health and overall well-being. In addition to this, sports psychologists may also choose to specialise in a particular area. Some examples of major specialties within this field include: 1. Applied Sports Psychology which focuses on teaching skills to enhance athletic performance such as goal setting and imagery. 2. Clinical Sports Psychology which involves combining mental training strategies from sports psychology with psychotherapy to help athletes who suffer from mental health problems including eating disorders and depression. TEAMWORK: The athlete, the coach, the fitness trainer, the nutritionist, the physiotherapist and the management should all have the same vision, the same goal and the same game plan. Everything should be unified towards one target. Conflict will only produce an unstable environment that will not allow mental focus and dependability. Everyone involved must have the confidence in knowing they are in the exact place they want to be and in the best possible position to achieve the aspired goal. A team of homogeneous specialists is the team that can come together and combine knowledge, experience and driving power. Management has to be willing to invest. Without this, our athletes might become the ultimate sportspeople within their field but without the foundation and specialisation required to succeed. With this will come consistency. Why do we reign as champions nationally, only to be defeated by underdogs internationally? Our athletes have to know they are given absolute support not only by their country and their fans, but also by the team of specialised people who are working with them, who are dedicated to help them become the greatest in the world. Our athletes are the ones who can bring home the medals, but we have to provide them with the necessary tools to do so. After all, great athletes are made, not born. The writer is a nutrition consultant and personal trainer.
