Peak Performance training has become vital at Choate for dedicated athletes to reach their full physical potential. Each day begins with stretching on the tarmac before moving into speed training, running form techniques, and competitions to test overall explosiveness.
Monday is dedicated to working on legs and mainly focuses on front squats. Tuesday is committed to building a strong chest with a focus on the bench press. Wednesday is a gap in the week; however, many athletes take the time away from the gym to hone their skills at their captains’ practices. Thursday is when the program returns with an emphasis on legs again, but this time, focusing on Zercher squats. Friday is the last day of the week that the program meets, focusing on shoulder muscles through the military press. Each week concludes with a competition to test the athletes against their peers and to track their progress.
One of these tests is the “Beeper Test” or the “Pacer Test.” The test includes setting a distance and making each player skate or run the length in a set amount of time. As the test progresses, the time reduces, making it harder to cut each interval. The challenging competition measures cardiovascular endurance and speed. Daniel Mahoney ’23, Captain of Boys’ Varsity Hockey and member of the Peak Performance program, elaborated on the test’s significance. Mahoney noted that the test built “chemistry” and “comradery” with his teammates. This baseline test is run once in the first week of the program and once again in the last week of the program. Mahoney is thrilled to see the final results come together and “gain momentum as a team going into the season.”
The lessons taught in Peak go far beyond the gym. One of the first lessons taught in Peak is how to maintain a balanced diet. The diet emphasizes the consumption of carbs, proteins, and fats and how to assess portion sizes properly.
For Badeer, the single most important lesson he has learned in the program is the importance of recovery. “From nutrition to sleep, to stretching, rolling out, or even taking cold showers, it’s just prioritizing your own body. It’s about learning yourself and your personal limits and working to exceed them.”
To join the program, athletes at Choate have to complete an application and go through a selection process. Only fifth and sixth-formers who plan to use Peak as preparation for their primary sport are eligible for the program. Coaches communicate which athletes would be a good fit for the program before narrowing it down to the limited number of spots available.
Head Athletic Trainer Mr. Brian Holloway said his biggest hope was that “each athlete leaves the Peak Performance program with a passion for self-improvement and a greater understanding of human performance.” Mahoney said Mr. Holloway is “the best in the business with nutrition and training.” Mahoney concluded, “He’s a huge help to us as athletes and everything we accomplish.”
