It is uncommon to find a publication that covers the evolution of an athlete's training over the duration of his/her entire career. It is even more rare to find an article that incorporates the perspectives of both a coach and the athlete involved. This case study documents the senior career of shot putter Reese Hoffa (USA), a two-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist with a best of 22.43m who was ranked number one in the world four times and in the top three for ten consecutive years. Jointly written by his coach Don Babbitt and Hoffa himself, it provides a clear explanation of the development of Hoffa's programme and how it led him to becoming one of the most accomplished athletes of all time in his event. In addition to quantitative details, description is given of important adjustments made in response to injuries, variations in fitness and the demands of an ever-changing international competition schedule. The aim, according to the authors, is to help future coaches and athletes see how a top-level performer navigated his career and to explain the rationale behind the training choices made along the way.
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