Progression: A powerful training heuristic

Progression: A powerful training heuristic

From Real Coaching Podcast by Joel Filliol

February 2, 2026 · 46 min · Season 4 · Episode 3

About this episode

Joel Filliol discusses the concept of progression as a training heuristic and its importance in athlete development.

Progression: A powerful training heuristic In this episode of the Real Coaching Podcast, Joel Filliol, an international coach based in the UK and Spain, dives into the concept of progression as a training heuristic. Reflecting on the lessons from his substack article 'Don't Be a January Champion,' he discusses the importance of timing and avoiding the common pitfall of too much intensity too soon. Joel emphasizes building a robust database of experiences to create valuable knowledge that can be applied across various contexts. He also explains the benefits of progressive training sessions that gradually increase in intensity, enhancing athletes' ability to manage their perceived exertion and build long-term consistency. The episode further explores managing training loads over multi-year cycles and addresses strategies for working with younger athletes. To wrap up, Joel answers listener questions on topics like mixed team relay strategies and overcoming performance plateaus. The discussion underscores that consistency trumps intensity and the need for a long-term perspective in athlete development. 00:00 Introduction to the Real Coaching Podcast 00:02 Reflecting on the 'Don't Be…

People in this episode

Host: Joel Filliol

Topics covered

  • progression
  • training heuristic
  • athlete performance
  • training intensity
  • long-term consistency
  • youth athletes

Keywords

  • progression
  • training
  • athlete performance
  • intensity
  • consistency
  • youth athletes
  • training loads

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Don't Be a January Champion

Places: UK, Spain

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