Why are we trying to avoid risk? Instead of avoiding risk learn to manage it. Playing and competing at the highest levels means you are on the edge, pushing the envelope in terms of training and performance. A key to effective coaching is learning to calculate and manage risk. Without risk there is no return. In essence there is a polarization in risk exposure, it is BALANCING high risk high return training with lower risk lower return training. Each individual athlete responds differently based on training age, gender and the nature of the sport. You can?t red line the system all the time and expect a positive adaptation, but touching and exceeding red line in a systematic manner will yield optimum training results. Good coaching is a risk management proposition.