Junior Training Camp Orienteering Philosophy and Effective Training Moran State Park Washington State December, 2004 Alexei Azarov

Camp Purposes Introduce System of Actions Introduce the Concept of Orienteering Philosophy Show the ways of organizing effective training in orienteering Alexei Azarov

Motivation Do you want to be a leader? What should you start with? Alexei Azarov

System of Actions I Why do you need a system? What is System? System! How does it look like? Alexei Azarov To main diagram

System of Actions II Main Diagram Alexei Azarov SASP RSARSP Wishes Realty System Something missing?!

System of Actions III Main Diagram Alexei Azarov Wishes Realty SASP RSARSP System GOAL RESULT

System of Actions IV Can I borrow System from more experienced orienteer? Alexei Azarov NO!!! You must build your own System!

System of Actions V How to build your own System? –Fill System of Actions (SA) box Ideal Orienteer!!! Alexei Azarov

Orienteering Philosophy I What is this? The place for Orienteering Philosophy in System Alexei Azarov Wishes Realty SASP RSARSP System GOAL RESULT

Orienteering Philosophy II Different Orienteering Philosophies Alexei Azarov Attackpoints (What’s wrong with it?) Attackpoints + Handrails (Much better!) Perception Yourself as a Moving Point (Perfect?!) Terrain  Map Abstract Thinking (No theory)

System Skeleton I Organizational actions (Organization) –provide convenient and well-timed execution of all other actions Technical actions (Techniques) –are tools of realization of chosen routes Tactical actions (Tactics) –are actions of choosing routes of achieving goals Strategical actions (Strategy) –is choosing of tactics Alexei Azarov

System Skeleton II Psychological actions (Psychology) –guarantee correct and accurate execution of all other actions Physical actions –Provides fast moving in the woods Alexei Azarov

Effective Training I Orienteering Training Specific Alexei Azarov Why is it different from other sport? What makes orienteering so special? –To perfect yourself in orienteering you need different terrains, different places, different maps. It is impossible to effectively improve your orienteering skills training only around your home. So, an orienteering meet is perfect place for training. Conclusion

Orienteering Training Specific I Conclusion Alexei Azarov To make your orienteering training effective you have to consider most (90%-95%) of competition events as work-outs (not as races)!!!

Effective Training II Orienteering Training Specific Alexei Azarov Conclusion Three main types of orienteering work-outs: –Outdoor –Indoor –And…in class The work-outs in class as much important as outdoor trainings and indoor physical work-outs

Orienteering Training Specific II Conclusion Alexei Azarov About 50% of your training time have to be dedicated to work-out in classroom!!!

Effective Training III Summary Alexei Azarov Consider about 90%-95% of orienteering meets and competition events as work-outs Dedicate about 50% of total training time to work-outs in classroom

Specific Exercises I Organization Alexei Azarov Make a checklist for each situation you need organizational actions. Examples of the situations are: What should you bring to a competition event? What should you bring to a competition event? What should you do before start? What should you do before start? What should you bring to a training on map? What should you bring to a training on map? What is your schedule for tomorrow? What is your schedule for tomorrow? etc…………… etc……………

Specific Exercises II Technique I Alexei Azarov Technical warm-up –Run 200m-300m trough the woods around. This bring you to the equilibrium with terrain and ambient conditions (for example, if it is wet around you should come to the start already wet) –Take this day map or a map of a similar terrain with you. Read the map while you are jogging to start. –Look at the terrain around you and try to imagine how the terrain would appear on the map

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique II Alexei Azarov Map reading –Find highest and lowest point on a map –Calculate climb on a leg or total climb on a course –Calculate higher or lower the target control on a leg –Draw profile of the leg –Draw your route on a leg with all details you need –Using a course with two controls on each leg choose the higher or lower controls and draw them on the blank map –The same as previous but choose in between reentrants and spurs –Read a map when you run a trail run

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique III Alexei Azarov Terrain reading –Try to map your route when you come home after a trail run –When you analyze your routes try to remember what you saw in the woods (try to remember pictures as they appeared while you were running the course) –If you see something new for you while you running the course try to remember how the situation was mapped

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique IV Alexei Azarov Working with compass Direction control –Keep your map oriented correctly all the time on course –Check your direction every time you make a turn Exact compass bearing or Azimuth Bearing taking –Exercise in class taking bearing to different controls on a course and turn to the right direction –Take compass bearing to different controls on a course when you run a trail run –Take bearing on each control while you run an orienteering course even if you don’t need it

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique IV (continue) Alexei Azarov Working with compass (continue) Exact compass bearing or Azimuth (continue) Bearing keeping –Setup a circle of controls in the woods around some start point. Run from the start point to each control and back using compass bearing –Concentrate on correct execution of compass bearing every time you perform it on an orienteering course

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique V Alexei Azarov Taking a control –Make a checklist of what you should do when you see a control bag –Remember the checklist –Every time you see control bag on an orienteering course don’t rush to it but concentrate on execution of your checklist

Specific Exercises II (continue) Technique VI Alexei Azarov There are couple of technical actions which were not covered in this presentation (and actually in this training camp). That topics will be discussed in future training camps. If you get any questions you can contact me at any time.

Specific Exercises III What was not covered Alexei Azarov Tactics Strategy Psychology Physical actions These topics will be discussed in future training camps. Contact me directly at any time if you get any questions.

Where to Get More Information Contact me directly – Alexei Azarov – Alexei Azarov –Phone: (848) Web-pages about previous training camps I ran – – Article –Alexei Azarov, “An Orienteering Philosophy”, ONA, July/August issue Alexei Azarov