Latest Blog Entry
17/06/2013 - 17:01
Coaches are in the people business
I have just returned from another fantastic GAIN (Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network) in Houston, Texas.
The 5 day event was full of ideas, tips and sharing of...
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agility
Athlete Support Day 2: Abingdon
Posted On Monday, 27th May 2013 at 11:37
Committed Junior Athletes train in Holidays
Athletes from around Oxfordshire came to the Excelsior Athlete Support Day at the start of their holidays. Showing a commitment that destroys the "lazy teenager" stereotype, these young sports people worked hard at becoming better.
Empty your cup: Bruce Lee on Strength and Conditioning
Posted On Monday, 20th May 2013 at 06:53
"Empty your cup so that it may be filled; become devoid to gain totality."
Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do.
I referred to this time and time again on the Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Course last weekend.
I emphasised the need for clarity of thought and purpose before planning sessions, and also when coaching them.
Force, power or acceleration?
Posted On Monday, 13th May 2013 at 07:18
"What is power?"
Was my opening question at yesterday's Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop for strength and conditioning coaches.
"Force times velocity" was the text book response from the ex- students.
They are of course technically correct, but how does this affect how we train our athletes? What about momentum, force, impulse, velocity, mass and acceleration?
How to Get Fit for Handball
Posted On Thursday, 18th April 2013 at 07:42
Handball is the second most popular team sport in Europe
Since London 2012, the number of clubs in England has nearly doubled. It is one of the country’s fastest growing sports, with total participation increasing by 400% in the last three years.
Introducing fitness to fencers.
Posted On Wednesday, 23rd January 2013 at 08:23
Fencers physical development should stay one step ahead of skill development.
That was the theme behind the fitness training sessions I did at the weekend for the South West Fencing Academy.
My experience of current fencers is that they specialise in fencing early, with liitle or no background in other sporting activity.
What is Dynamic Correspondence?
Posted On Friday, 23rd November 2012 at 09:10
Dynamic Correspondence: Is it misunderstood?
The greatest challenge for any strength & conditioning/athletic development coach is to elicit specific adaptions on the athlete in order to gain an advantage on the field of play. Specificity can arise in the form of biomechanical, metabolic, or psychological adaptations1. However, recent focus on specificity has taken on a new chapter, with the development of Siff & Verkhoshansky’s2 dynamic correspondence model.
Train the way you play: Jim Radcliffe
Posted On Monday, 24th September 2012 at 07:06
"Go hard, Go Fast, Finish it, Go Again"
This sums up Jim Radcliffe's approach to training teams at Oregon University. His lecture at GAIN V on his training system was a masterclass in how to organise and plan.
This was not some periodisation lecture, instead it showed the different aspects that need training, and how they connect with each other. Radcliffe showed the different roots and branches of what is needed and why.
10 Rebounder exercises for lower limb control
Posted On Tuesday, 18th September 2012 at 14:27
Improve Strength, Proprioception, Control and Ultimate Stability of the Lower Limb using a rebounder.
There are many physical benefits from using a trampette or rebounder e.g. improving cardiovascular fitness and core control.
Are you a Dot Collector or a Dot Connector?
Posted On Monday, 17th September 2012 at 13:37
Connect Dots, Don't just collect them
This came up time and again over the weekend as aspiring coaches sat their Level 2 S&C exam on Saturday and when we ran a 3 hour intensive workshop on Athletic Development on Sunday.
Anyone can go to a workshop, read a book or watch a YouTube video and get a drill or exercise.
Agility with a Purpose: Jim Radcliffe
Posted On Thursday, 06th September 2012 at 13:57
Posture, Balance, Stability, Mobility
These are the 4 key points that Jim Radcliffe keeps coming back to when he discusses his agility periodisation and planning.
His lecture and practical sessions at GAIN V expanded on the work he did last year (detail here).
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Saturday, July 6, 2013
Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Course.
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