Training and coaching of female vs. male endurance athletes on their road to gold. Perceptions among successful elite athlete coaches

This scientific short report investigated how successful male coaches perceive gender differences in training characteristics and coaching practice among medal-winning endurance athletes. Ten Norwegian with a track record of both female world-class athletes (total 269 Olympic, World European Championship medals) participated semi-structured interviews. Inductive thematic analysis revealed that all mainly adjusted their key principles to the individual athlete, rather than gender. A coach-driven athlete-centered individualization process was essential create trust, mutual understanding, optimal content. Potential gender/sex were perceived four main themes: sport-specific competition demands, physiological, psychological interpersonal factors (e.g., coach). In this context, described differs from men, thus considering as reference group physiology psychology norm. Furthermore, societal such male-dominant sports culture underlying stereotypes suggested amplifiers differences. Accordingly, our highlights need for perspectives elite invites further in-depth investigations identified within respective disciplines science, physiology, sociology. Key Words: Coaching, Endurance Training, Gender Differences, Sex Difference, Training Science