Sports
Hélio Souza: Beyond the Podium in High-Performance Cycling
Renowned coach Hélio Souza shares his vision on performance, talent, and what truly builds a cyclist.
Hélio Souza, a master's degree holder from USP and founder of HE Assessoria, delves into the complexities of cycling training. He explores the differences between professional and amateur athletes, the evolution of methodologies, and the true meaning of high performance. Discover how passion and sports intelligence shape champions.
In the latest episode of "Na Roda do Stemma", host Gisele Gasparotto welcomed renowned coach Hélio Souza, founder of HE Assessoria. With over two decades dedicated to developing amateur and professional cyclists, Hélio, who holds a master's degree from USP, offered a unique perspective on high performance in the sport. The conversation delved into topics such as athlete development, training evolution, frustration management, and what truly sets a champion apart, from their childhood playtime with a bike to the podium.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
The Philosophy Behind Cyclist Training
The journey of Hélio Souza in physical education revealed a gap between academic theory and sports practice. For Hélio, the key to success is to listen to the athlete, valuing their background and experience, even if amateur. His method is based on encouraging athletes to understand their own performance, adjusting and improving what they already do, without radicalizing their approaches. He illustrates this with cases such as André Grizante, who trained for 25 consecutive days, and Jean Coloca, who discovered his problem wasn't speed, but a deficient aerobic base.
Throughout his career, Hélio has worked with big names in Brazilian cycling, such as Henrique Avancini and Raíssa Goulão. His observation of professional and amateur athletes made him realize that many amateurs place unnecessary pressure on themselves, even more so than professionals. His consulting firm, HE Assessoria, focused exclusively on cycling, emerged from the need to demystify training and reveal the reality behind high performance.
Evolution of Training and the Role of Technology
In the last 20 years, the amount of information and resources for training has changed drastically, which Hélio Souza considers a giant leap forward. Tools like GPS and apps such as Strava have brought valuable data, but the coach warns of the risk of athletes becoming "hostages" to numbers, losing connection with the real context and the main goal: to cross the finish line first, not just improve a number on a device.
He emphasizes that repetition is fundamental, but it doesn't guarantee quality. True evolution comes from the athlete's ability to evaluate and analyze their own body and performance, adapting to good days and, especially, to bad days. Elements such as stress management and energy quality have become key differentiators for keeping athletes moving more efficiently.
Volume, Quality, and Metabolic Health
When it comes to training volume, Hélio Souza highlights that cycling requires a solid aerobic base. However, he points out that "it's not just the hours, it's how you build those hours." Volume must be proportional to the athlete's recovery capacity, preventing it from becoming "fatigue disguised as discipline."
The concept of metabolic health is crucial: the body's ability to withstand training load in a healthy way and maintain energy for daily life. Hélio assesses this through deep conversations with his athletes, who learn to identify signs of imbalance. There is no ready-made recipe; training needs to fit the individual reality of each cyclist, whether amateur or professional.
Talent, Commitment, and the "Magic Cube" of Performance
Hélio Souza redefines the concept of talent in sports, which goes far beyond physical capabilities. He emphasizes the importance of sports intelligence, an athlete's ability to "put the pieces together" strategically, like a Rubik's Cube, where moving one part affects the whole. He uses Henrique Avancini as an example of strategic talent: although he might not have been the most talented "rider" he worked with (he mentions Márcio Ravelli), his ability to filter information and understand what was important for him took him much further.
For Hélio, Avancini wasn't the most disciplined athlete, but rather extremely committed to evolution. This relentless pursuit led him to question and seek new horizons. Hélio also shares a lesson: a good cyclist isn't measured by maximum speed, but by the ability to ride slowly with the aptitude to go very fast – that is, reserve and control.
The Landscape of Brazilian Cycling
Analyzing cycling in Brazil, Hélio expresses concern about the lack of a unified diagnostic approach among coaches, which hinders the sport's evolution in the country. "Digging well in the wrong place is digging poorly," he states. He believes Brazil possesses vast human capital, with many talents lost due to the absence of a cohesive plan. The solution, according to him, involves bringing in qualified expertise from abroad and promoting the exchange of knowledge, in addition to valuing the experience of former professionals like Murilo Fischer and Pagliarini.
For amateurs, Hélio identifies the biggest mistakes as the tendency to copy training regimens from other athletes and neglecting recovery, increasing volume irresponsibly. He emphasizes the importance of strength training off the bike, not only for performance but also for the cyclist's longevity and quality of life, noting that women have shown excellent results in this area.
Frustration and the True Legacy
Hélio shares his own evolution in dealing with frustration, understanding that even when doing everything right, the outcome isn't guaranteed. The passion for victory is important, but the process and transformation are what truly drive him. Avancini's story, seeking "something great" and taking risks for evolution, inspires this view that commitment extends beyond the podium.
The trajectory of Hélio Souza is a testament to how science, practice, and active listening to the athlete can shape not only champions but also resilient and autonomous individuals. His reflections invite us to rethink the pursuit of high performance, showing that the path to the podium is built much earlier, in small choices and a deep understanding of oneself and the sport.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
