Nick Grantham's Blog

LAST POST!

2009-09-04T11:20:00.004+01:00

Hi Guys,

This will be the final post on the blogger site...don't panic...I'm still going to be sharing my thoughts on all things strength and conditioning, it's just I've got a new home. Check out the new site www.nickgrantham.com - it is still a bit rough around the edges but it is going to shape up to be a great site. More than just a blog.

Thanks for following and I hope you continue to follow me over at www.nickgrantham.com.

WWW.NICKGRANTHAM.COM

Go Backwards to Move Forwards

2009-08-29T12:41:00.004+01:00

OK, this is not a post about taking a false step to move forward (we can do that another time!). A colleague sent me a clip of a coach with a nice, very polished video of some 'tennis specific' speed and agility drills. Knowing that I work with a group of young and talented tennis players, he thought I would be interested. I was...what I found really interesting was that all the drills were linear drills. There were some 'lateral' drills in there but the lateral drills were not lateral - facing forward at the start of the drill, then turning 90 degrees and running forwards is not a lateral drill, its just a linear drill in a different direction! I was also interested to see the distances covered (at least 20m)- the coach must have their tennis players playing on a huge court! Finally - there were no drills where the coach went backwards! This is one thing that really boils my P**S! The title of the blog post says it all, we need to coach our athletes to go backwards - but most books/DVD's are packed full of drills that go forwards, or left/right - maybe I just live in an alternate universe where people do have to move backwards from time to time!

It was a nice video but the content was lacking.

My advice for anyone wanting to develop tennis (or any sport really)specific speed and agility would be:
1. Work all multidimensional (that's one of Vern Gambetta's) - forward,BACKWARDS, left, right, up etc etc.
2. Keep the distances short - in tennis a point is played with between 3-7 changes of direction in a confined area - if your drills are in excess of 10m then you need to tighten things up.
3. Practice going BACKWARDS - everyone wants to get fast going forwards - everyone forgets that you need to be good going backwards as well!

Once again we have coaches taking 'track' drills that get people moving fast in a straight line (with the occasional left turn) trying to convince us that they will help with the performance of a multidimensional sport such as tennis! STOP IT!

Do You Need A Coach?

2009-08-28T13:15:00.004+01:00

I'm still amazed at how often I watch people working out in a gym for months, even years, without getting any results. They must be happy spending significant amounts of cash on gym memberships, content that they are not really getting any results. Why do people have the mistaken belief that they know what to do when it comes to getting fit...news flash...you don't.

If I want my car fixed I go to a mechanic, if my boiler breaks down I call a plumber...the list could go on. I, like many other will pay for an expert to come and fix things. Why? Becasue they are experts at what they do, they will solve my problem quickly and efficiently. But when it comes to fitness everyone is an instant expert! Even my friends and family become expert,s having read the latest training or nutrition advice in HIYA or OI magazine! They are happy to tinker around with the most important thing in their life (their body - HEALTH and fitness) and work it out as they go along!

So lets have a reality check. If you are serious about getting into the best shape of your life, then guess what - you need to hire an expert to help you to achieve your goals. Research proves that you'll have more success if you hire a coach - you will also hit your targets a whole lot quicker (so in the long run you'll actually end up saving time and money). Data shows that working out with a coach is an effective method for changing attitudes (gets you out of your comfort zone and breaks your habits) and thereby increasing the amount of physical activity you do, which will make you fitter and healthier. It also shows that you are more likely to have long-term success - we can all hit the gym for a couple of weeks or sort our nutrition out for a couple of days, but you need to be in it for the long haul (Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2003) 2, 10-14). Just in case you are still not convinced and think that you know more than most coaches (forget the fact that I spent 4 years gaining undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications and then a further 12 years working on the floor to back up the book smarts), here are some more scientific facts:
•Supervised training with a coach is advantageous compared to figuring it out on your own.
•Women training in health clubs don't select appropriate training intensities needed for gains in performance.
•Training under supervision and guidance of a coach leads to greater gains in strength, workout intensity and workout levels. (Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol22 (1) 2008
Ratamess, NA, Faigenbaum, AD, Hoffman, JR & Kang, J. )

Still, want to go it alone...crack on...but remember, you only get one body...think carefully about who you want to be looking after it.

Fitness Camps - Why are they so popular?

2009-08-27T13:08:00.012+01:00

Why do people drag their backsides out of bed at 06:15 to go and train in the wind and rain when they could be grabbing an extra hour in bed catching z's?

Let's find out. I sat down today with the owner of the NE's most successful fitness camp (sorry if that upsets some of the other bootcamp companies out there but that is just the way it is!)to find out how is has transformed himself from an overweight out of shape engineer into one of the countries leading body transformation experts.

Paul Mort is an intersting character and has more energy than the energizer bunny. We spent 15 minutes exploring his background, grabbing some top fat loss tips and finding out why he is killing it in the NE compared to the competition. Love him or hate him, love bootcamps or hate bootcamps - it doesn't really matter - this guy gets results. Anyway, the boy can talk, the interview is in three parts!

Intro

Part II

P.S. Apologies for the quality of the video - I've not worked out why we look like it was shot is sepia! Anyway, I'm a coach, not a cameraman!

Part III

What makes a good S&C Coach

2009-08-25T13:31:00.002+01:00

I delivered a session last night at the NE S&C Forum. I was opening up the topic of what makes a good S&C coach and challenging the group to answer the following questions:
1. Do you need to demonstrate the drill/exercise to be a good coach?
2. Do you need a variety of coaching styles to tackle a range of clients? (Young – Old, Male – Female, Able Bodied – Disabled, Team – Individual, High Performance – Average Joe)
3. Is it our job to motivate...are we entertainers, motivators or coaches?
4. How do we get our clients ‘focused’, ‘switched on’?
5. Is there a right or wrong way to coach?

The discussions that followed each question were very good and it was great to see everyone parking their ego's at the door and voicing their opinions. At the end I asked each coach for one piece of coaching advice. Here are the responses (some may seem obvious, but we often overlook the obvious!):

1. Always try to choose methods that will work best, not just what might the easiest or most convenient.
2. Recognise that all athletes are individuals with different motivations.
3. Relate sessions to upcoming goals.
4. Get to know the athlete, train them for what they need to be not what you want them to be.
5. Always maintain a fun element.
6. Treat the athletes with respect - as you would expect them to treat you.
7. Be able to coach a skill in more than one way.
8. Educate the athletes as to why they are doing what they are doing.
9. Try being coached yourself to experience an athlets perspective.
10. Be reflective on your practice/sessions.
11. Start sessions the way you mean to carry on.
12. Dont get sued (if what you are coaching is so dangerous that it could result in a court case then maybe you need to change your programme!)
13. Stick to core principles and philosophies but be flexible within them (big rocks).
14. Use simple but effective progressions
15. Athletes will respect the coach through the coach's example and behaviour
16. Dont change too much at once - try not too be overly innovative.
17. Dont give all coaching cues at once - and not during sets/reps. Wait til recovery and pin point 2/3 (max) coaching points

Going back to the 5th question - Is there a right or wrong way to coach? In my opinion - absolutely. Coaching is a process and you need to adapt your coaching to suit the athlete/client/situation. If you only have one style you will be limited.

On The Move

2009-08-19T11:55:00.003+01:00

As we head into the last quarter of 2009 there are going to be a few changes! Don't worry, the content is still going to be as good as ever...we are just going to bring things up to speed with a new great looking blog that I know is going to be really user friendly. My IT guys are working flat out to get the site up and running and I'll let you all know when we are ready to do the switch so you can get the new site into your favourites list!

Coaching Female Clients

2009-08-06T09:29:00.005+01:00

One question that I get asked a lot is how do I coach female clients. Do I take a different approach to working with male clients. Bottom line is no - I train the person in front of me, regardless of gender. That said there may be some subtle differences in the way I interact with a female client compared to a male client but whether you are male or female you still need to get in and train hard!

Without doubt, if I ever have any questions regarding training my female clients there is one person I go to. My go to girl is Rachel Cosgrove. Rachel knows her stuff. Why? She has been where a lot of my female clients have been - out of shape and not happy with how she looks or feels. She know's first hand what it takes to get into fantastic shape and she is now a hugely successful coach - she gets results.

If you want to find out how Rachel can help you to transform your body check out her fantastic new site The Female Body Breakthrough

Train With Intensity

2009-08-04T08:36:00.003+01:00

I recently posted a clip of a training session that I love, up on our Smart Fitness group on Facebook. I've had a lot of comments (mainly from my clients who are enjoying seeing their coach suffer for a change, and others who think I'm a bit bonkers - masochist was the term used by one of my clients!). I also had comments from two guys in the industry that I have a huge amount of time and respect for:

Alwyn Cosgrove "...Good face on the sprints!..." -this is a face he recognises from back in the day when we were training partners - the shutters were down!

Robert Dos Remedios "...great face....that's what I talk about in my lectures about overload.....lots of personal confrontation going on there HAHA!..."

Now as coincidence would have it I started reading a book today about Marco Pantani (an iconic cyclist who won both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year - that doesn't happen all that often). And this was the preface;

"Io amo la montagna, ma nel momento della fatica ho dentro un grande odio. Cosi cerco di abbreviare la mia agonia"

I bet you didn't know I could speak Italian! Basically this is what he says;

"I love the mountains, but in the moment of exertion, I'm filled with deep hated. So I try to shorten then suffering"

For me this pretty much sums up how I train and what I expect from my clients! (I know it won't compare to what he put his body through), but for me I want to get the maximum out of every training session that I client do so that I can spend as little time training as possible! Check the video out, during that last set be under no illusion that I'm hating every second, but as soon as that 10th set is finished I'm really, really happy. Why? Because I know that in that short 20 minute session I've pushed myself as hard as I can and the benefits will be with me for a long time after the session has finished.

It is not about duration of exercise - it is about the intensity you take to the session. Just like Alwyn and Coach Dos, I'm always looking for ways to shorten the suffering - it just means that if you train with us you need to bring some intensity to your session! If you still wear a badge of honour because your training session lasted 2 hours then maybe it is time for a rethink - Imagine what else you could be doing with all that spare time!

Pre-Season Rugby Testing

2009-08-02T09:18:00.003+01:00

No rugby players were harmed during the making of this video! I've been working with several local players who are wanting to get in shape for the forthcoming season. Before I put their programmes together we took a look at what was in their locker!This is just a short clip of how tough the testing is....imagine the training!

Stong Shoulders

2009-07-31T09:29:00.001+01:00

If you grapple as part of your sport (rugby, wrestling, judo MMA) then add this into your conditioning sessions. I showed this clip at a shoulder conference full of physio's and surgeons and once they had uncovered their eyes they loved it - if your sport requires a strong and stable shoulder complex then you need to train it!

Fat Loss Strategies of Elite Athletes

2009-07-31T07:47:00.003+01:00

I've recently linked up with one of the countries leading nutrition experts, Matt Lovell. Matt has worked with the England Rugby team on a number of their campaigns and has helped these player get in great shape with his proven nutrition strategies. He has put together a great resource that lets everyone out there tap into to some of the previously closely gaurded secrets that have helped the athletes he has worked with get lean.

I'm sure you will all have your holidays booked - if you are not looking too good in your speedo's you should check out Matt's programme and get lean in just 4 weeks.

In his plan Matt will explain

Cutting edge fatloss strategies used by international athletes now available to the
General Public.
No hype or bull- only proven stategies that burn fat

Inside, you will discover Matt Lovell's (England Rugby Nutritionist) strategies...

# 1 reason why most Dieters fail and how you can protect yourself from this curse
Video -TIME BUSTER- How to prepare 5 fat burning meals in under 15 minutes.

7 most common questions people ask about fatloss... and the answers.

How to time your meals (allowing you to eat more but still lose weight)

Three Weight Loss mistakes almost everyone makes (are you making them)?

Introducing Duncan French

2009-07-29T10:14:00.008+01:00

Back in the day I had a website that ran a lot of Q&A's with leading experts in their chosen areas. They were all text heavy and took a long time to read through and produce. I've got a video camera now and we have already posted a couple of entries from the legend that is Alwyn Cosgrove! Here is a quick intro to a great S&C coach based right here in the UK, Duncan French.

Interview with a strength coach - Duncan French

Check out the first instalment which will bring you up to speed with Duncan's background.

Keep an eye out for future posts where Duncan and I discuss a range of topics, including:

1. Myths of youth resistance training
2. The importance of recovery and regeneration
3. Why endurance athletes that don't strength train are missing a trick
4. Why female clients and athletes can train like the guys and still look great and deliver fantastic performances.

Storm Force Kettlebell Course

2009-07-27T08:01:00.004+01:00

Smart Fitness is teaming up with kettlebell expert Jon Le Tocq (creator of Storm Force Fitness and Worlds Toughest Workouts) to bring his Kettlebell Tour to Newcastle in September. The event will be taking place on Saturday 5th September at the Smart Fitness training facility within the Complete Football Centre, and will run from 10:00-17:00 (spaces are limited to just 16 so book now to avoid dissapointment).

What’s On The Tour?

1. Learn to master the key exercises
2. Muscle activation and mobilisation to eradicate problem areas / injuries
3. Using full body tension to increase strength instantly
4. How to develop awesome power and power endurance without needing Olympic lifting
5. Holding the kettlebell to greatly reduce callouses
6. Structure workouts for different goals
7. Bonus ’show boat’ exercises to practice!
8. Actual workouts so you know how they should feel!

Tour bonuses…..
You’ll also get all of the following extras for completing the course so you are perfectly set to wake up the next day and transform your fitness and physique…
1. Kettlebell Technique Development Manual And Videos
2. Metabolic Accelerator Nutrition System
3. Kettlebell Program e-book with programs for strength, conditioning, fat loss and muscle building including how to use GVT and EDT with kettlebells for muscle growth
4. Five Stage Flexibility Program
….and much more!

This is going to be a great workshop and is open to anyone that wants to learn how to get into great shape with a fast and effective training method (athletes, PT's, S&C coaches, weekend warriors)

For more information and to book your place on the Kettlebell Workshop check out the website HERE

What Makes A Good Coach?

2009-07-26T11:30:00.000+01:00

I was recently talking to a local fitness coach/business owner and we were discussing the issues around hiring coaches. The final upshot of the conversation was that we don't need to have the very best, most highly qualified coach that can real off complex training theory(I can teach them the technical skills required). What we need, that sets a good coach apart from an average coach is the ability to 'connect'.

Sure I need my coaches to have a good background knowledge of strength and conditioning but more importantly I want them to be meticulous when it comes to talking to clients and athletes and listening to them. Our initial evaluation is a great opportunity to gather a whole host of information that will influence the final programme that is produced. Yes we look at them physically, but more often than not more is revealed during the informal conversations that take place.

I feel strongly that whilst we are producing good coaches with a sound background in the science of conditioning, we don't always produce coaches that can actually 'connect' with their client or athlete. If you can't connect, you can't coach. The coach and client/athlete need to understand and trust each other, that can only happen if they have taken the time to connect.

Priming

2009-07-23T11:26:00.000+01:00

Can thinking fit help us get fit? This is not a sales ad for the latest quick fix fitness plan - I'm sorry, you can't simply lay on the couch thinking yourself to a fitter, healthier you! But what if there was a simple strategy that could potentially help you maximise each and every training session?

The way you approach a training session can have a huge impact on the final outcome (both as a coach and as a client). Let's face it, there are times when you or your clients don't feel like training/coaching. It's these moments when you can make a difference through PRIMING. Have a try the next time that you don't fancy training/coaching. Spend 5 minutes just thinking about your final goal, how great you will feel when you achieve it - you will have a better training session - guaranteed.

If you are coach you can influence how well your clients/athelte's train by simply priming them before and during the session. Make use of those snippets of conversation during a training session to reinforce the benefits of the training they are undertaking (be a bit subtle about it!) all you are trying to do is put your client into a 'fit' frame of mind.

If you are interested in reading a bit more about the effects of PRIMING, pick up a copy of Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell.

Rat Race - Edinburgh 2009

2009-07-21T12:32:00.008+01:00

Well I'm back safe and sound (much to the relief of my wife - she knows that when it all gets a bit competitive I can be a bit daft) - best not talk about the last 5 minutes through the streets of Edinburgh as we raced to make it back before the cut off time - it all got a bit....well....lets leave it at that!

The event was fantastic. I've done a bit of running, a fair amount of mountain biking and I've even completed some triathlons but I have to say this was the most challenging and yet enjoyable event I've ever taken part in.

Me and Tom looking fresh!

I entered this event back in November with my mate Tom, we both keep pretty active and didn't really know what to expect. What followed was 2 days of full on physical exertion and some serious team work. Saturday saw us running through the streets and parks of Edinburgh as we gathered points at each checkpoint. Tom is a pretty strong runner so I spent 2.5 hours looking at his arse from about a 20m distance - with just 45 minutes gone I was already suffering but just had to keep on going. Tom telling me we only had another hour to go didn't do much for my motivation! On the other hand a large group of females on a hen night was just the motivation I needed to stop walking and start running with a spring in my step! We completed the event on time but were disappointed with our points total. I couldn't help thinking that I had held Tom back and we could have picked up some more points.

Anyway, we didn't have time to worry because all of a sudden it was 07:30 in the morning and we were studying our map working out what the next 8 hours would bring on the mountain bikes! The bike section was our strongest day, Tom suffered a bit halfway through but dug in and kept the pace. Some of the challenges were funny (throwing each other in the sea!) and others were tough - cycle up a bloody great big hill to a lake on a windswept hilltop only to be told that one of you has to get in the lake and swim 100m! OK, 100m is not far, but it is when you have 2.5 hours if running and 6 hours of cycling in your legs! Lets just say the water was cold!

We raced back and finished with 1000 points (the maximum) and with 90 seconds to spare! We felt we had done ourselves justice and we have checked the results to find that out of the male pairs - we were 7th!!!! 30th out of all the teams (that included the 3 man teams). Now, here is the problem - having come so close without too much planning and preparation, I'm now starting to think how much I need to do to make it onto the podium! The running is the weak area and the place to make up the points.

If anyone is looking for a challenge and a great weekend I can really recommend the Rat Race. When it comes to Newcastle in 2010 - I'll be at the starting line!

Fitness On The Go

2009-07-17T14:45:00.004+01:00

I've had a pretty crazy week this week and I'm finishing it all off with an urban adventure race (The Rat Race) in Edinburgh - 2 days running and cycling around the city, with some kayaking, abseiling and other generally crazy activities thrown into the mix.

I'm managing to keep on top of my training during the final build up for the event with some short yet highly effective training sessions. This is one that I banged out in just 20 minutes between clients (that is a long session for me - most of my work is 5-10 minutes) - interestingly I had a medical yesterday as well (I'm asthmatic so I have to have an annual check on lung function etc - my scores were up on previous years...good news and due in no small part to my training).

Here's yesterdays training session.

Strength Circuit (15 seconds work :15 seconds recovery - repeat for total of 5 mins)

1. Jump Squats

2. DB Swings

3. Push Ups

4. Mountain climbers

Tabata Row

Set the ergometer to 3 on the resistance and then complete 8 repetitions of 20s work : 10s recovery

At this point I was ready to drop and was getting some odd looks from the gym bunnies that were doing their steady state cardio whilst watching TV and reading books! Knowing I had a bit of extra time I went at it again and repeated the sequence. BRUTAL!

I'm really enjoying my training at the moment and the intensity is really what does it for me. If you are also looking to get in great shape and drop some fat, and are looking to do it in a hurry then check out Craig Ballantynes - Turbulance Training. This programme is a very time efficient, short workout programme that builds muscle and burns fat without you having to spend hours in the gym. I love it!

Thin Slices and Locked Doors

2009-07-14T08:35:00.005+01:00

I'm possibly the slowest reader in the world with the memory of a goldfish! I still read as much as I can though. The latest book that I'm working through was given to me a couple of months ago by a strength and conditioning intern that I mentored whilst working at the EIS. The book is called BLINK and is written by Malcolm Gladwell who also wrote THE TIPPING POINT (another great read).

I'm zipping through this one as it is a great read (a real page turner! - anyone that is a fan of comedian Michael McIntyre will understand why that is a funny thing to say about a book). Anyway, the reason for this post is that one thing I tend to point out during talks that I give is that whilst research is fine and can be very useful it is usually playing catch up with what is happening out in the real world. As Alwyn Cosgrove likes to sum it up 'researchers are historians!'

One story that I recount is that when I started off working with the British Gymnastics team as a young graduate I thought I knew everything there was about sport science! I couldn't work out why the coaches that I watched didn't appear to monitor the gymnasts training more closely.

I monitored and evaluated every training session to 'check' that the coaches were working the gymnasts appropriately (reps, sets, volumes, intensity, work rest ratios, the lot). At the end of a month long research period my findings concluded that the coaches were spot on - they didn't use heart rate monitors, they didn't capture hours of footage on video, they didn't use a stopwatch - they just knew. This was the 'art' of coaching. In that month I learnt a lot about coaching in the real world! These coaches were able to "THIN SLICE". Through years of coaching they were able read deeply into the narrowest of slivers of experience. They didn't need to have facts and figures-they just knew - FANTASTIC.

Back to BLINK. In one of the opening chapters of the book there are a couple of pages took me back 10 years to my work with gymnastics. Here are some of the key sentences.

"Our world requires that decisions be sourced and footnoted, and if we say how we feel, we must also be prepared to elaborate on why we feel that way"

When I spoke to the coaches they were not always able to articulate why they performed a certain type of training. My scientific mind then had alarm bells ringing. If they can't explain why, then how do they know it is working. I had to try to find out why - it simply wasn't enough for them to refer to instict or gut feel!

For me, like many others it was a lot easier to listen to the scientists, after all, as Malcolm Gladwell points out "...because the scientists could provide pages and pages of documentation supporting their conclusions."

What I learnt back in 1998 has stood me in good stead during my coaching career. Working in sport is not an exact science. Yes we should always strive to understand why we are training in a certain way but we must also acknowledge the 'art' of coaching. Sometimes we just have a hunch, an instinct, a gut feel that what we are doing or seeing is the way to go.

"We need to respect the fact that it is possible to know without knowing why we know and accept -that- sometimes we're better off that way."

Quick Fire Top 10

2009-07-12T14:57:00.003+01:00

Here is another one from the archives. Eric Cressey asked me to give him my top ten pieces of training advice that would help the readers of his newsletter become leaner, stronger, faster, and more muscular? Here's my respsonse.

1. Set goals – SMART goals so that you know where the journey is going to take you and how you are going to get to your destination.

2. Keep a training diary – You need to track your progress.

3. Train consistently – Set a plan and stick to it. It’s all too easy to say, “Hey, I’ll train today.” If you don’t schedule a time to train, chances are you will get to the end of the day and you will have missed your session.

4. Recover well – anyone that follows my blog will understand why!

5. Concentrate on the 98% - Everyone is so busy trying to find the extra 1 or 2 percent that they forget about the other 98%! - Do the basics well - repeat!

6. Include conditioning work (prehab/remedial/injury prevention….call it what you like….my choice is conditioning) in your training session. Superset between the main lifts – that way the work gets done and you will be on the way to becoming “bulletproof.”

7. Replace steady-state running with high intensity intervals – Come on, do I really need to explain this one? Intervals will give you more bang for your buck than slow steady-state running.

8. Don’t get hung up on TVA recruitment – Isolating a muscle will not necessarily transfer to improved core strength during athletic movements. Train how you are going to perform; make sure you hit all of the major muscle groups (rectus abdominus, obliques, erector spinae, etc.).

9. Learn to handle your bodyweight – I’ve worked with elite gymnasts – these guys are super strong. I don’t really care what your bench is if you can’t even handle your own bodyweight with good form. Don’t neglect the basics (see my point 5).

10. Whole body hypertrophy programmes – I’m with Alwyn Cosgrove on this one. Why go for split routines when you can get a greater training effect from a whole body hypertrophy routine?

Recovery and Regeneration

2009-07-09T10:02:00.008+01:00

Anyone that has followed my work over the years knows that I'm a huge believer in the benefits of recovery and regeneration - in my mind recovery interventions can make or break your training. Hours training in the gym can be rendered useless if you don't take care of business outside of training.

We are at the business end of the year for a lot of the guys I work with and I've put together a short video just to act as a reminder of the key things they need to consider when it comes to recovery and regeneration. I've condensed a 90 minute presentation and extensive e-manual into a 4 minute video! (I sound like I have a cold on the video - apologies - I think I need to play around with my microphone settings!)

If you want more information then you can check out Recovery and Regeneration: The Essential Guide To Training Hard Without Falling Apart. As I highlight in the video rigorous scientific investigations looking at the effectiveness of recovery strategies are rare. However, anecdotal reports from coaches and athletes continue to grow. So I could wait for another 10-15 years for the science to catch up before bringing you up to speed on recovery or, seeing as I know that you can't always hang around for the science to catch up, I could tell you what's currently happening in the field and how you can improve your training programmes by taking care of recovery. The decision was made and now you can get your hands on the e-manual you have been waiting for!

Coaching the Coaches

2009-07-05T13:05:00.008+01:00

I've just got back from a great coaching conference hosted by County Durham Sport. The two day County Durham Sport Coaches Conference (was an opportunity for local coaches to develop their knowledge and understanding of key coaching concepts. I had a busy day, delivering two sessions.

The first session was looking at Fitness Monitoring and the final session was exploring programme design. The sessions were great and whilst there was a wide range in coaching experience everyone got stuck in and contributed to the learning experience.

I was up against legendary coach, Dr Frank Dick OBE, who was delivering a parallel session at the same time as my fitness monitoring session! Once we had established that everyone who was in my audience actually wanted to be there we got cracking! In one way it was reassuring to have such a good turn out for the session, despite someone of Franks stature talking at the same time - it confirmed that the delegates really wanted to learn about fitness testing.

When I talk about fitness monitoring I have to qoute Alwyn Cosgrove "If you ain't assessing, you are just guessing!" - how true (the cartoon sums it up!). We had a great hands on session which highlighted how fitness monitoring didn't have to use state of the art expensive equipment - something that I know the coaches attending the session appreciates, as budgets are always tight! (nice form by the way Andy - once a sprinter, always a sprinter!)

The programme design session was a monster! Cover every aspect of programme design in an hour and half - the mission impossible soundtrack just kept going round and round in my head! This was a content heavy session but I think my opening slides really say it all.

Well done to the County Durham Sport team for organising a great event - thanks for the invitation Catherine, I had a blast and I hope I get called back next year - just don't put me up against a coaching legend!

Steelman Triathlon

2009-07-04T09:31:00.002+01:00

Just a quick one to wish all the triathlete's that I've worked with recently the best of luck in today's Steelman event in Cleveland. There should be some great battles taking place today - especially amongst all the guys and girls that train with me at Smart Fitness. Have a good one, it's going to be hot!

Training Ballet Dancers

2009-07-02T14:02:00.003+01:00

I've been looking back throuh some of my archives and I'm going to start posting up some of my old Q&A's. These are not available anywhere else (due to the fact that the building that held the servers for my very first website burnt down!).

First up we have an interesting Q&A with Nick Allen. Nick runs the rehab for one of the UK's premier ballet companies. In his interview he shares with us how he has transitioned from the world of professional rugby to working with professional dancers.

NG: Thank you for the interview. Why don't you start by telling us a little bit about your current commitments?

NA: Thanks for the invite. At the moment I am the Clinical director of the Jerwood Centre. For those who are not familiar with it, it is a £¼ million rehabilitation centre specifically designed for elite level dancers and athletes. I have also continued my work with England Hockey and sit on a register available to other National Bodies who require clinicians with international or elite level experience.

NG: Nick, you've been around a bit!! Can you tell the reader your educational or previous career background and how you ended moving from professional rugby to work with Birmingham Royal Ballet.

NA: I have had a very fortunate career so far. I hold an honours degree in Physiotherapy and a Masters in Sports Medicine. I am currently working on my expression of interest for my PhD. I have amongst others, worked as a Clinical Specialist in Sports and Musculo-skeletal Medicine in the NHS, been part of the RFU’s Regional England Academy set-up as well as Head of Medical Services for a Premiership rugby club. The decision to give up a top Premiership job wasn’t easy. What challenges me professionally are the cases that despite extensive intervention they still have problems- whether they be a persistent injury or just a catalogue of different injuries- this post gives me the opportunity to take the time to focus on those individuals, often working with their own medical teams to provide a solution.

NG: What have you taken from your work in elite sport and implemented into the Ballet. How have they taken to it? What matters are you still banging your head against a brick wall about?

NA: I feel strongly about manipulating all variables that contribute to optimal performance. One of the main omissions that I noted, was the dancers are happy to push themselves to the utmost limit, but failed to take on effective recovery strategies to take full advantage of all their good work. The other issue is a combination of determining fitness needs and nutrition requirements. We are still working hard to determine the true physiological demands of their discipline so we can provide effective programmes both to enhance fitness and provide the fuel needed while maintaining optimum body mass (an all to common scenario in the sports world!). In regard to banging ones head up against the wall, we, like in sports medicine come across the usual “we didn’t have any of this in my day and worked flat out 17 hours a day and never got injured” coupled with some dancers who still don’t see what they do as any relation to sport so are reluctant to do anything else but dance. That said I work for what must be one of the most progressive companies in the business that gives me fantastic support for my work.

NG: I guess the flip side of that is what could coaches and physios working with sports people learn from the performing arts?

NA: I always describe myself as a cultural heathen. Prior to taking this post my only venture into the arts world was taking my wife to see the Lion King as a gift (not much has changed since, having been with the Company for 1½ years I have only been to one ballet -another gift for the wife!) So when I originally watched the dancers jump and lift I figured they must have a pretty comprehensive Olympic lifting programme, nothing could be further from the truth. I have come to realise that what makes the dancers so exceptional is their skill and technique. Their ability to repeat a movement technically correct time after time gives them an efficiency I have not seen in any other sporting discipline. Second is the issue of “core stability”.

NG: What in your opinion are the essential skills needed to be a successful physio working in a high performance environment.

NA: I think the clinical side is a given, a more important factor is the clinical reasoning. But I think the key is to understand that an injury may not be just an injury. Appreciating what an elite competitor has gone through to get to that stage in their career gives an insight as to the impact it may have on their training and ultimately their career. Simon Barnes of The Times when describing David Beckhams metatarsal fracture indicated pain is the staple diet of sport and anyone who participates in it! I think this summarises the ethos of elite performance- they are simply prepared to push past the point at which the likes of Joe Average would say “no more”. As a clinician working with elite performers you need to be aware of that. A decision to continue competing should be based on whether the injury would get worse as a result, or that the convalescent time is extended as a result rather than necessarily pain. It really is a balance between seeing performers as both patients and athletes. Favour the patient side and you could inadvertently hinder the progression of an athletes career, favour the athlete side and you could prematurely end an athletes career. Some might argue not an enviable position to be in!

NG: What are your typical clients and personal achievements as a physio?

NA: I am not sure I have typical clients, actually it tends to be the opposite- I generally see the atypical patients. From an achievement point of view I have been very fortunate to be part of a team that won the end of season Championship, the Cup and finished the season 11 points clear at the top of the table- only European glory eluded us. I also count as my personal achievements working 1:1 with a number of international athletes with potentially career threatening injuries and seeing them return back to competition. It’s a good feeling.

NG: Can you describe a typical day at Birmingham Royal Ballet?

NA: It does depend on what day it is. Monday I start the day with a meeting my physician where we discuss all current cases to ensure we are constantly exploring all options to help speed up the healing process. It’s normally followed with his treatment session (He won bronze at the World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii last year). I have a similar meeting with rest of the Jerwood Centre team where we discuss at length each case programme. The rest of my time is committed to clinic sessions with some time allocated for our research project (I am currently drawing correlations from our musculo-skeletal and physiological profiling with an injury audit to develop an effective tool for predicting injury).

NG: What does a day in the life of a dancer look like?

NA: This varies a little depending on whether they are in rehearsal or performance periods. Generally there is class at 10.30 for 1¼ hours. This can be followed by up to 5 hours of rehearsal calls, then during performance periods this may be followed by a show from 7.30 –10.30. It becomes a bit of a nightmare trying to fit in things like complimentary training aspects, let alone nutrition and recovery.

NG: How do you keep your dancers performing. I'm guessing you face similar issues to coaches trying to keep athletes healthy for a full season. What are your 3 top tips for keeping dancers out of the treatment room?

NA: I am a strong believer in fitness, more specifically aerobic base. We have a physiological lab here at the Jerwood Centre and perform VO2max testing on all dancers as part of our screening. I also believe you cannot get the best out of your body if you don’t treat it with respect- we work hard on nutrition and recovery. But probably the most important focus is on symmetry. I can’t often tell you how strong is strong enough but I can tell you is asymmetry exists- be it muscle imbalance, range of movement- there is a good chance some structure within the kinetic chain may sustain an injury.

NG: What's the one thing that really gets under your skin when it comes to sports physiotherapy?

NA: Insecurity. It’s by no means across the board but some individuals tend to want ownership over their patients. I think they feel that they are exposing weakness by allowing other thoughts or specialities to become involved. It comes down to accountability. One of the lessons I learnt heading up a medical team for a professional club was that whatever the situation you have to find a solution. I do think you need to be absolutely certain and confident which sources you use and that they have a proven track record with elite level performers and work well with you own objectives but ultimately I don’t care who gets my patients better, as long as they get back to playing

NG: What's your opinion of S&C, where does it fit in with physio?

NA: I was going to say hand-in-hand, but the mental picture it conjured up is disturbing me a little. I believe the greatest successes are born out of good working relationships between S&C and physios. Again it comes back to this issue of insecurity, but I think it is great to have some overlapping skills as it allows the bridge between clinical rehabilitation and functional rehabilitation. If you are secure in your skill set and want the best for your athlete, there shouldn’t be a problem.

NG: Core stability - everyone does it but not many people understand what it really means!!! It's all recruit TVA and multifidus, fire through the core, co-contract - but are we missing the point? When we are talking about sporting performance (not a clinical pathology - low back pain etc) which is the most important - the ability for a healthy ahthlete to recruit deep muscles or the ability to use larger global muscles (RA, Obliques etc)?

NA: I suppose this is where I stick my head out a little bit. I don’t believe in injury prevention! I believe in performance enhancement. The body has an optimal but finite amount of loading it can withstand, beyond which the structures will fail. Unfortunately, most of our athletes break down before this point. How we “prevent” that is to manipulate all the variables that affect it, like fitness, strength, co-ordination, skill, nutrition and hydration, and yes I am afraid “core strength muscles”. A simple analogy would be if you and I had a one lap race of our rehab pool here at the Jerwood Centre (aprox. 8m) but I get to push off the wall at the start but you don’t. Chances are I would win. Core stability muscles provide a stable platform from which larger global muscles can generate force. The more stable the platform the greater potential for force production. So I think the short answer is they are both important if we are considering optimal performance.

NG: In my experience, most physio's are pretty poor at programming (3 x 10 seems to be a favourite). What do you think?

NA: You mean 3x10 doesn’t fit every scenario?? Sorry but I would tend to agree. I know from my own development both my postgraduate degree as well as working along side physiologists has improved my understanding as to applicable programming.

NG: I know you study the field a lot. Who do you go to for advice?

NA: In regards to S&C I have been fortunate to have worked with Mike Anthony from the New Zealand All Blacks, Rudi Meir from Australia and Ed Archer from South Africa (who is currently doing some great work at the moment trying to bridge the “functional Rehabilitation “divide) and Dr Matt Wyon. They tend to be my first port of call

NG: Who else in the field has influenced or helped you? What are the best tips you learned from them and can pass on to your readers?

NA: I used to work with a chap called Dr Wayne Diesel (Head of Medical Services at Charlton Athletic Football Club). I think sometimes we can tend to over complicate matters. Wayne always told me to keep it simple. Work with the basics and the solution is there.

NG: What tips could you add of your own?

NA: Listen to your body. It is telling you something- our job is to find out what and to make sure it doesn’t progress into something that will hinder training or performance. Be wary of asymmetries- they could become a cause for concern

NG: What are the most common injuries that you see in your clinic?

NA: The whole spectrum really. My particular areas of interest are the biomechanics and peripheral nerve entrapments. Those odd injuries that appear common enough, but where the mechanism of injury may not always fit the injury, or it doesn’t seem to settle in the normal time frame. That’s when we start to look at the whole kinetic chain and appreciate the various influencing factors.

NG: What do you think about some of the supplements on the market such as glucosamine, chondroitin etc. Do you think they work? What would you recommend.

NA: I think in regards to the supplements as a whole, my fear is that athletes tend to rely on them rather that just good fresh food. Short of endurance athletes (like some cyclists), generally most athletes can plan their nutrition around their training needs. That said there are times when the body needs more that n the usual and supplements can play a role. Glucosamine and Chondroitin have always been interesting. As a supplement rather than a drug had meant the major drug companies weren’t as interested in researching it, as they couldn’t hold a license for it. But some research has been trickling through and the results seem to be positive. Anecdotal evidence from some of my surgeon friends is also encouraging in support of its use.

NG: What are your goals as a physio?

NA: This is not to sound altruistic but providing support to elite athletes allowing them to achieve their goals allows me to fulfil mine

NG: In a nutshell - What is your philosophy?

NA: Keep it simple

NG: Anything else you'd like to mention?

NA: I suppose I would like to commend Birmingham Royal Ballet Company for the investment in the Jerwood Centre but also the work they are doing in the community. They are currently involved in a huge charity project that is brining the experience of the arts to disadvantaged communities. (See up coming series on Channel 4 in September including an interview with yours truly- on the “3 minute wonder” series)

NG: Where can people read more about your theories and programs?

NA: I am currently talking to a number of partners to try arranging some sessions looking at functional rehabilitation and specific stability training but I still remain primarily a clinician.

NG: I'm asking all of our contributors for their top three books - the ones every S&C coach should have in their library? We've had some great answers and I'm building a virtual library on the links page of the web-site....what are your top 3?

NA: One of my principal reference books is Clinical Sports Medicine by Peter Brukner and Karim Khan. It provides a good quick reference guide to the normal and not so normal pathologies I see in clinic. Then I tend to spend a bit of time with the bigger anatomy and physiology texts like Gray’s. Sorry, it tends to be building my cases around comparisons to “normal” anatomy and biomechanics.

Wimbledon Fever

2009-07-01T12:36:00.003+01:00

Wimbledon fever is sweeping the UK and whilst the senior mathces have so far been fantastic (even if Andy Murray is making life pretty tough for himself), I've been watching this year's Junior Wimbledon with some interest.

For the past 9 months I've been working with the Northumberland Tennis Academy, looking after the conditioning for their talented young players. One of the players I look after is Alex Walker and this week she came close to pulling off one of the shocks of this year's Junior Wimbledon.

After gaining a wildcard entry into the tournament Alex had a second round singles clash against the girls' number 10 seed Camila Silva of Chile. Despite being up against a player 268 places above her in the world rankings, Alex battled all the way before finally succumbing 6-4 7-6 (8/6) in stifling conditions at the All England Club.

Well done Alex and keep up the good work.

Wrightington Sporting Shoulder Conference

2009-06-23T06:32:00.008+01:00

I've just got back from a the Wrightington Sporting Shoulder Conference. This was the second time that I've presented at the conference and it is always amazing to sit and watch the surgeons present the lastest surgical techniques (even if some of it is a bit tough for me to handle straight after lunch!).

This year was superb and I was in esteemed company. The surgical team included Joe de Beer, Lennard Funk, Giuseppe Porcellini and Dan Guttman. The line up of physio's was equally impressive and I really enjoyed the sessions from Ann Cools and Jo Gibson (something of a legend when it comes to shoulder rehab in the UK!). The gap between physio's and strength and conditioning is narrowing and I thought I was 'aggresive' when it came to accelerating the rehab process but I think Jo and the team that work at Wrightington are giving me a run for my money! As Jo said, she likes to get her patients moving day one after surgery (gone are the days of walking around with your arm in a sling for weeks), after all if the surgeon has done a good job then there shouldn't be problem!

I was delivering two sessions, the first of which was on Saturday morning and covered late stage rehab from shoulder injuries. During lunch I had a chance to visit the Charnley Museum at Wrightington. The museum is dedicated to the pioneering work of Sir John Charnley. Sir John Charnley was an orthopaedic surgeon who spent years at Wrightington perfecting artificial hip replacements in the early 1960s. It was a fascinating tour. We started off in what looked like a garage workshop. This was the hospital metal workshop where Charnley tasked the metalworkers with producing the early prototypes! We then looked around the museum, the displays housed the original hip replacements, tools etc as well as the original clean air sytem that Charnley developed to helped reduce infection rates!

After lunch I was able to relax and become a delegate for the afternoon! There were some fascinating lectures and I really enjoyed listening to Stuart Cosgrove talk about the techniques he uses to help power lifters and body builders recover from shoulder surgery. Stuart is a physiotherapist based in Manchester and was a competitive body builder himself (NABBA Mr UK in 1987, Mr Britain, 1996, UK Squat Champion, 1989 and physio to non other than Dorain Yates and Ricky 'the hitman' Hatton!) If you tear your pec, Stuart is the man to see!

The next day was a chance to get a little bit more practical and I took the delegates through some practical examples of the exercises that I use to help the clients that I work with get back to full fitness following shoulder surgery. This type of session is always my favourite as it is a chance to get 'hands on'.

As always this conference is one of the highlights of my year because it is so different to the majority of seminars that I attend. If you would like to look at the presentations from the conference then follow this link Wrightington Sporting Shoulder Conference

Seminar Season

2009-06-18T11:20:00.003+01:00

Wow, what a week! I've just got back from Lilleshall where I spoke at the Football Association's Fitness Trainers Course. I've spoken at their national conference several times and have also delivered on their courses so it was great to be back in my old home town working with a great group of coaches. I delivered a practical session on speed and agility training and it has been interesting for me putting the session together to see how my own thoughts on this area have been shaped during the past 12 months. Sspending time with Robert Dos Remedios and listening to Marin Rooney speak at the UKSCA conference have certainly influenced my thoughts on speed and agility development.

The use of CHAOS training drills and the emphasis on the ability to apply the brakes are featuring more and more and it just seems to make sense when you are developing programmes for athletes taking part in a wide range of different sports. It just goes to show that you can always learn something new!

With a quick turn around I'm just putting the finishing touches to a presentation for a two day event looking at shoulder rehabilitation. I spoke at the same event last year and I'm back again to present a theory and practical session on rehab and return to sport for athletes with shoulder injuries. The Wrightington Sporting Shoulder Conference is a fantastic event run by Lennard Funk (great name for surgeon!) and I find it very humbling that me, as an S&C coach is invited back each year to speak to a room packed full of medics, surgeons and physio's.

My final speaking enagement for the summer is on Saturday 4th July at the County Durham Sport Coaches Conference. This should be a really good event and you can download a booking form from wwww.countydurhamsport.com.

I'm going to be delivering two seperate sessions. The first will look at fitness monitoring and how to use simple tests to monitor your training progammes. The second session is going to look at programme design and how to put together an integrated training programme.

It's a busy couple of weeks but I'm looking forward to getting out and about and meeting the delegates and presenters at each event, as well as having the opportunity to pick up some new information myself. Fortunately I've got a short break in between so I can spend some time away with the family!

Fat Loss and Fitness

2009-06-11T08:22:00.009+01:00

I recently had a chance to sit down with Alwyn Cosgrove and talk through some of the fundamental principles that he uses with his clients to help them not only improve their body composition but to also improve general fitness levels.

Check out what Alwyn has to say during his interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpa5hz6v7_8 . If you want to take advantage of his top tips check out AFTERBURN, the ultimate 'burn fat training solution'.

Enjoy!

UKSCA National Conference

2009-06-08T10:58:00.005+01:00

I've just returned from a bit of a road trip. I attended the UKSCA Natioanl Conference which was held in Bedfordshire this weekend, and I have to say I really enjoyed the conference (not a sentance I would have come out with a couple of years ago!). The speakers were first class and included several overseas speakers including Avery Figenbaum, Martin Rooney and JeremyBoone. There was a strong showing from the UK as well, but I've got to be honest I was there to see the guys from America (a chance to see guys at the top of their game in your back yard can't be passed up).

I really enjoyed Avery Fagenbaum's keynote presentation on youth resistance training. Anyone that starts by telling the audience that his laboratory is the gym is onto a winner in my opinion!

Two messages really struck home for me.

1. The best coaches should be working with young athletes - all too often this is where money is scimped and saved and graduate coaches and volunteers are let loose on young children, sometimes with disastourous effects. The best coaches more often than not work with the pro's and elite athletes. This could be completely back to front...if a better job of coaching and conditioning took place during the formative years then the senior athletes would have all the tools they needed to go out and perform. If you run a youth programme and are looking for coaches find a way to hire the most qualified coach available - don't rely on volunteers and helpers.

2. Don't be a supply teacher - make a connection with your clients. Your job is to coach and you can only do that if your have a connection with your client. Rember when you had a supply teacher at school - fantastic - easy street... and more often than not you could make their life hell and not really pay attention! Think about your old teachers and which ones had the most impact on your learning, I bet they were the ones who made a connection with you.

The second standout presentation was from Marin Rooney of Parisi Speed Schools. He delivered a great session on multi-dimensional speed and agility. The key take home message for me was the importance of having good brakes!Most athletes and clients don't spend enough time learning how to decelerate - you wouldn't drive a sports car with not brakes would you?!

He also had a great slide which summed up the weekend nicely for me;

K - A = 0

K = Knowledge

A = Action

0 - Nothing

I picked up some great training information from the presentations and made sure that I took action (in fact I've already been using some of them with the young tennis players I work with today!).

Well done to my friend and colleague Duncan French on organising a great conference, I'm looking forward to next year already!

Dave Wilson Starts For England

2009-05-28T13:46:00.005+01:00

Just a quick post to wish Dave Wilson all the very best for Saturday.

Dave Wilson (former Newcastle Falcon prop) recently completed an intensive 3 week training period with me at Smart Fitness and will start for England in their match against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday. All the best big man.

If you read the earlier post today about being chased by a freight train - I just need to think of Big Davey Wilson coming after me! Look at the intensity in that face - awesome.

CHASED BY A FREIGHT TRAIN

2009-05-28T08:06:00.003+01:00

I was fortunate enough to grab an interview with Alwyn Cosgrove at the weekend and we were talking about Tabata training and how so many people just don't train at the right intensity. He shared with me how Chad Waterbury describes the intensity that is needed to his clients.

"imagine you find yourself on some rail track and you hear the sound of train coming up behind you, you turn around and see a freight train thundering towards you...your only option to run, and run hard. You try to out run the train for 20 seconds and just as it is about to hit, you jump off the tracks onto another rail track. Your lungs are bursting and your muscles are screaming at you but after just 10 seconds you hear another train coming and you have to run for your life again!!! That is the intensity - and guess what, you get chased by a total of 8 trains meaning you are running for your life for 4 minutes"

Robert Dos Remedios also talked about tabata training at our Functional Training Summit and how people pick crappy exercises - you should only pick whole body exercises that you can perform balls out for 20seconds.

I'm just sitting writing this before I jump in the shower. I've been out in the back garden and have been chased down by a freight train! My neighbours probably think I'm nuts but when your schedule is so busy 4 minutes being chased by a freight train is a really effective way of keeping myself in shape! I should stop sweating in a bout 3 hours!

Alwyn Cosgrove - Secrets For Success

2009-05-27T13:21:00.009+01:00

Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove were in the UK on vacation and we spent some time with each other over the bank holiday weekend. I was a bit cheeky and asked if Alwyn would spend ten minutes running through some of his business and training tips. In the first of a series of interviews Alwyn reveals some of the key strategies that you can use to take your business to the next level.

I've read from cover to cover my copy of Alwyn's business book that he launched back in January 2009 "55 Fitness Business Strategies for Success" and I know that the simple and effective advice outlined in the book has really helped me develop my business this year.

Listen to what Alwyn has to say about his Business Mentorship Programme and his top 3 tips that will help you to stop counting reps and start counting revenue!

EXCLUSIVE: UK BUSINESS SEMINAR

If you would like to listen to Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove live in the UK let me know. We are looking at hosting an exclusive 2 day event in which they will deliver their highly successful Business Mentorship Programme. We are looking at London based venues and hope to be able to get this up and running for a weekend in October.

In the meantime you can pick up Alwyn and Rachel's business manual here here => 55 Fitness Business Strategies

Triathlete's World - Flexibility

2009-05-20T16:00:00.003+01:00

If you would like to catch up on my thoughts on flexibilty training and the role it has to play in triathlon performance pick up this months edition of Triathlete's World.

Just look out for the magazine with a picture of Total Racing International's very own Elite Triathlete, Fraser Cartmell on the front cover.

The article highlights 4 simple moves that will help you injury proof your body for the forthcoming season. Find out what flexibility actually means, the four main types of flexibility training and a step by step guide to what and how to stretch effectively.

Speaking Engagements

2009-05-19T07:22:00.006+01:00

Just a quick update of a couple of new dates that have been added to the summer speaking engagements.

Wrightington Sports Shoulder Conference

I'll be making a return visit to this fantastic conference and will be speaking on the 19th and 20th June. I'll be talking on the 19th about the transition back to performance and the use of strength and conditioning, as well as delivering a practical session on the 20th.

This is the first and only annual International Sports Shoulder Conference in the UK, with a large multidisciplinary and distinguished international and UK faculty, including leading surgeons, sports physicians, trainers and therapists.

The 2009 Conference will include:
Joe DeBeer - South Africa - shoulder surgeon
Prof Ann Cools - Belgium - Professoer of Physiotherapy and world authority on overhead athletes shoulder disorders
Guiseppe Porcellini - Italy - shoulder surgeon
Dan Guttman - USA - shoulder surgeon
Ehud Rath - Isreal - sports surgeon
Paolo Paladini - Italy - shoulder surgeon
Nick Grantham - UK - Strength & Conditioning trainer
Jo Gibson - UK - Shoulder Therapist
Stuart Cosgrove - UK - physiotherapist specialising in strength athletes
Mike Loosemore - UK - British Boxing doctor
David Jones - UK - Sports Physician, English Institute of Sports
Jonathan Harris - UK - Musculoskeletal radiologist

The meeting comprises a mixture of lectures, case discussions, workshops and live surgery. For full details download the booking form here http://www.wrightington.com/content/assets/1449-9.pdf

County Durham Sports Coaches Conference

I've recently been asked to speak at the first County Durham Sport Coaches Conference on the 4th and 5 th of July.

I'm delivering two sessions on the 4th of July. The first session will look at how coaches can develop a comprehensive training programme that will enhance all of the physical qualities, whilst the second session will offer practical advice on fitness monitoring to coaches - this is not a bells and whistles talk - it is about, simple and effective tests that can be used to track performances by coaches that are working with minimal equipment and on tight budgets!

This promises to be a fantastic event and full details, including a booking form can be downloaded here http://www.countydurhamsport.com/files/coaches_conference_booking_form.pdf

If you are a coach in the North East then this is one event you don't want to miss...and I'm still trying to work out how they can put on so many great seminars and still only charge £20 for the event. Get booking before someone at County Durham Sport realises they could be charging ten times the amount! Book now as at this price I'm sure spaces will go very quickly

Fat Loss Strategies of Elite Athletes

2009-05-14T09:07:00.004+01:00

My training company, Smart Fitness works with a lot of clients that are looking to get in shape in a hurry! Usually a special occasion is looming or they realise that the summer holiday is just around the corner and they want to look good in their swimsuit. We use a range of nutrition strategies to help our clients reach their targets and I'm always on the look out for programmes from credible sources that actually get results.

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Matt Lovell. Matt is one of the most recognised UK Sports Nutritionist’s and he has been the Sports Nutritionist for the England Rugby Team since before the 2003 World Cup. Matt also currently works with London Wasps, Leicester Tigers, London Irish and Saracens as a specialist Rubgy Sports Nutrtionist. He shares my passion for sport and is also a keen martial artist.

I thought our conversation would be focused on performance nutrition for athletes (which it was for the most part), but then I discovered that Matt actually works with a whole host of private clients and has actually produced a fantastic 4 week Fat Loss Programme that applies the principles he uses with his athletes to the man and women in the street! I have to admit that I was excited about by what he told me and I had to find out some more about his programme.

Here is a quick overview of the key points.

"Elite athlete's have to make the same choices THAT WE ALL DO. Decisions about what they eat and when they eat it. Just because their 'job' revolves around keeping fit if they don't eat correctly they can put on weight just like any other person can.

Many top athletes trust Matt to ensure their body composition is bang-on. Being in the best possible physical shape is absolutely necessary for them. Their careers depend on it! That's why they make sure they get the best possible advice available.

The trouble is that if you do any research on-line or in your local book store for weight loss or fat loss programs it's easy to END up CONFUSED by conflicting information. A lot of the ideas are frankly ridiculous and the good information ends up buried by the latest FADS.

Confusion pervades the Weight Loss market, when you're confused you flip- flop from one plan to another or do NOTHING If weight loss and body management is important to you it’s vital to find someone who knows what they are doing so you don't end up chasing rainbows.There's a lot at stake. You've obviously got your health and long term well being to think of and it’s no fun CONTINUALLY beating yourself up because you’re a bit on the cuddly side.

Matt has developed his 4 Week Fat Loss Programme so that you can use the exact same SCIENTIFIC principles strategies that elite athletes use to get lean and stay lean. So you can lose as much fat as you want to.

I asked Matt what prompted him to pull this information together now and to reveal the secrets that his private clients pay him very very well for? He explained that he comes into contact with many people from many backgrounds and he is continually being asked about the latest plan that's being hyped by the press, a few years ago it was the Atkins Diet that everyone was asking my opinion of. Then a celebrity would come out with a new program or get a gastric band fitted and there would be a hoo-ha about that and my inbox would be flooded again.

Rather than keep giving his opinions about what all the other programs are like Matt decided to collate all his information and experience and make it available so that anyone can use the principles that definitely work.

So he created Four Week Fat Loss a program based on scientific principles that will give you a strategy that will work for the rest of your life.

Matt was tired of having his friends and clients being duped by all the mis-information in the market place. It's so conflicting that it is no wonder that people are flip-flopping from one fad to another or just end up doing nothing!"

I was blown away by what I was hearing and it is refreshing to find someone of Matts calibre that is willing to share their nutrition strategies.

Keep an eye on the blog for updates and a special Q&A with Matt.

Firing Line

2009-05-13T22:50:00.003+01:00

Today got off to a slightly more demanding start than usual! One of the clients I'm currently working with had a particulalry tough conditioning session scheduled and one of the drills required a partner (that would be me then!). Now normally my involvement in the session takes the form of me on the side line offering polite words of encouragement whilst the client runs themselves ragged. Not today - today I had to get my hands dirty!

The basic drill is simple enough, a simple defensive drill where we both start on the ground on our chest facing each other approx 6m apart. On my command we get up as quickly as possible and then my partner moves toward me to try and defend me with a two handed touch - meanwhile I'm trying to do my best to evade my partners 'touch' and get past him.

That all sounds very simple - that is until you factor in that I'm about 78kg (soaking wet) and my partner is an international rugby player that is tipping the scales at about 123kg! Now, for 3 weeks I've been putting this guy through his paces and it suddenly dawned on me that this was his chance to get one over on the coach.

I now know what it must be like to face a man mountain that is intent on smashing you into the ground! Contact was made on a couple of occasions - which pretty much meant me bouncing off a solid 123kg wall shaped like a human - I'm not sure he even noticed.

I don't think that the 'contact' I experienced was really anything to write home about - particularly when you consider that experts believe the level of contact that elite rugby players experience in an international match is similar to 10 car crashes....that's right.....10 car crashes! I think I experienced a little bump!

A great way to start the day!

Unbreakable

2009-05-05T15:05:00.011+01:00

I'm putting the finishing touches to a presentation I'm giving this weekend at the Smart/TRI Seminar Series. The final session in the series is looking at injury prevention and rehabilitation so imagine my delight when I received an e-mail from my good friend and colleague Alwyn Cosgrove telling me about a “first of its kind” system to help anyone deal effectively with all of their physical issues.

The system has been developed by Keith Scott and he has produced a ‘400-plus’ page system that will finally help you eliminate all of your physical pain, restrictions, weaknesses and any other problems that are slowing you down or taking you away of what you truly love to do.
Staying physical healthy is one of the biggest keys to success in any fitness program. If you cannot exercise, weight-loss and muscular development will be stalled, and by the time you are healthy, you have to start all over again.

Keith’s UNBREAKABLE system will teach you how to stay healthy, deal with old injuries or problems and work around any lingering issues so you never have to miss a workout because of pain or injury again.

Unbreakable <= Check out Keith’s system here

“Unbreakable” is a first of its kind product that will bring the best of the “physical therapy” and “physical conditioning” worlds together to help you specifically deal with all of your Orthopedic problems in the comfort of your own home or local gym. In this ‘400 plus’ page system (that includes self-assessments, full corrective-exercise programs for every major area of the body, targeted soft-tissue work for fast pain relief and much more) Keith provides you with everything you need to help you finally eliminate all of your physical pain, and get back to doing all of the things you love to do, without restrictions and fear!!! One of the best features of UNBREAKABLE is that it allows a person to “plug-in” the selected “corrective exercise” strategies into their current program so they can continue to train and workout without missing a beat.

So, if you are following a Westside Program, a body part split, an Olympic lifting plan or even Afterburn -- you can continue to do the program while taking care of any issues that you have and never have to miss a workout.
Unbreakable <= Click here for more details Keith has come up with a truly unique system that everyone should own because I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have some kind of injury, pain or physical problem in their lives. UNBREAKABLE can finally help you take care of any and all issues as they arise.

PS - Keith is also offering an 8 week, no questions asked money back guarantee. That's a long enough time to give the program a solid test run and decide for yourself.
Check it out here.

Functional Training Summit - Round-up

2009-05-03T06:36:00.000+01:00

Well the dust has just about settled from last weeks Functional Training Summit! Delegates travelled from all corners of the UK to converge on Kingston Park Stadium in Newcastle Upon Tyne. The line up of presenters was impressive and included myself, Neil Parsley from the English Institute of Sport, Nick Ward, Lead S&C for TASS and our international speaker, Coach Robert Dos Remedios who had brought the Californian sunshine to the North East with him!

Coach Dos kicked proceedings off with the first of two feature presentations. In his first session he shared with the audience how he had helped competitive and recreational athletes achieve their goals. He introduced everyone to his world of performance-based training, where function comes first and physical benefits are unmatched.

After a break for lunch (supplied by the fantastic Regent Sandwich Company), delegates returned for the afternoon programme which got underway with a session looking at Total Training for Combat Sports - Conditioning for the modern combat athlete. Myself and Neil showed real world examples of how to get combat athletes ready to step onto the mat and into the ring. We outlined the strategies wehave used to train boxers, wrestlers, judokas and taekwon-do competitors. Once all the talking was completed delegates had a chance to experience first hand our hardcore mixed metabolic training to learn how to develop strength using ascending and descending training and discover for the first time Eastern block training secrets that we use to help our personal training clients stay ‘bullet proof’ and their fighters win World Championships!

Nick Ward then delivered an insightful session exploring his his Performance Planning Matrix, a tool he has developed to help analyse goals and objectives to ensure results are delivered for his clients. This session showed exactly you to get the most out of athletes and personal training clients.

In the final session of the day Coach Dos demonstrated and explained the concepts and techniques involved in combination lifting. Featured exercises ranged from beginner to advanced and everyone was able to get to grips with exercises that were suitable for use in general fitness programs all the way up to advanced athletic conditioning programs.

As the session closed delegates departed for a night out in Newcastle, something I think Coach Dos and Chris Poirier from Perform Better are still trying to get to grips with (Newcastle has to be one of the best places to party in the UK, if not the World).

Day two got underway with Coach Dos' second feature presentation. This time Coach Dos shared with the delegates to take thier speed to the next level. He explained CHAOS training puts the athlete/client as close to sport demands as possible and in this session they not only found out the theory behind the training concept, they had a chance to experience it first hand during the hands on training session out on the training pitches. The weather was fantastic, although Coach Dos still thought that 17 degrees was not really hot! (he needs to live in the North East a little longer and then he will know why we were all out in t-shirts and shorts!

A slight change of schedule meant that I delivered a session on Recovery and Regeneration, exploring why this area was currently so popular with athletes and looking at how a comprehensive recovery and regeneration strategy could unlock a clients training training potential.

Keeping the tempo going, myself and Coach Dos delivered the final session of the summit. In our session, Ultimate Core Conditioning –Strong and Stable we showed why current ‘core training’ recommendations fall short of the mark when it comes to training athletes! In the final practical of the weekend delegates experienced how to develop a strong and stable core through a combination of bridging and stabilisation exercises, rotational and anti-rotational core exercises and ‘uninhibited’ strength and power exercise!

The Functional Training Summit was a huge success and delegates left on Sunday with with ‘Monday morning’ exercises that would immediately improve the way they trained their clients and athletes. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Coach Dos for coming over to the UK and sharing his training strategies with everyone at the event. I would also like to thank Charles, Clare and Nik from EXF who helped to make sure that the whole event was a huge success. Thanks also goes to Nigel Stockill from Optima Life for coming to the summit and showing attendees the revolutionary monitoring system developed for both athletes and general population.

We are already looking to put together another summit before the end of the year, and it looks like we will be bringing the summit to London. Keep your eyes on the blog for more details coming soon. If the feedback is anything to go on we will have another great event.

What the delegates thought.
"Great speakers on useful and meaningful topics..."
"The practical sessions very good..."
"CHAOS speed training session was very useful..."
"I loved the hands on, practical approach and layout. This was a well organised and thorough seminar, well done..."
"Great practical aspects, very good presenters..."

What is Functional Training?

2009-05-01T13:07:00.003+01:00

This was the question that Neil Parsley and myself asked each other when we were putting together our presentation for the Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit. It is a term that get used a lot, but stop and ask yourself what does it actually mean.

OK, I'll tell you what it isn't - it is not wobbling around on a stability ball performing bicep curls with kettlebells whilst whistling a happy tune - that is a second rate circus act!

Neil and I came up with the main factors that contribute to an exercises being considered "functional". In our opinion your exercise is "functional" if it satisfies one or more of the following criteria;

1.Biomechanics (movement) -the movement patterns should have a transfer of training effect to the actual sporting movements.
2.Metabolic - the correct energy systems should be conditioned during the drill
3.Force velocity -appropriate loads are used to train the correct part of the force velocity curve
4.Combination – sport!

When putting together your training programmes and selecting exercises take some time to consider if they meet the criteria, or if you are simply putting together a 'hollywood' session/drill that looks fancy but doesn't really have any impact on performance or results.

48 Hours

2009-04-22T21:19:00.003+01:00

We are just 48 hours from the Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit. Coach Robert Dos Remedios is mid Atlantic and will be touching down in Newcastle in the morning ready to deliver his unique brand of training advice.

It is still not too late to secure one of the few remaining places. You can book online at www.smartfitness.org.uk or we will be able to take a limited number of delegates on the day of the event.

For everyone that is coming, safe journeys and we will see you on Saturday...now I have to get on and sort out my presentations!

Lift Strong

2009-04-06T11:45:00.004+01:00

It has now been over 1000 days since Alwyn Cosgrove's bone marrow and stem cell transplant - a procedure that saved his life.

Lift Strong is a product that Alwyn Cosgrove masterminded with the help of Mike Roussell, to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. With the the help of some great friends in this profession he turned a little project into an 800 page manual (that was produce on CD to keep costs down). Everyone volunteered their time and their information. No one makes any money from this product - it's all going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The government is currently giving billions of dollars in economic aid to banks that basically messed up - yet cancer research is funded primarily by individual donations - not government help.When you actually stop and think how messed up it is that we have to put up a website to get public donations to help fight cancer treat while the government is bailing out financial institutions left and right it just boggles the mind. I mean, shouldn’t that be one of the first things we as a society are taking care of?

Anyway - rant over. Whilst Alwyn is a cancer survivor, the fight hasn't stopped.

All the proceeds from the sale of this product go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.I urge you to support this cause and purchase this CD. Your purchase WILL make a difference.You are reading this today because Alwyn is alive after facing cancer twice. He is alive today because of advanced medical treatment.Medical treatment discovered by research.Research funded by money.Money sourced from donations.Donations from people like you.Please help.

http://www.liftstrong.com/

Playground Conditioning

2009-04-03T14:15:00.003+01:00

Revisiting the Playground

I've been spending a lot of time talking to Robert Dos Remedios lately as we prepare for the functional training summit which is taking place this month here in the UK and all of the talk about CHAOS training reminded me of an article I wrote a few years ago about how a trip back to the playground and our childhood can actually provide us with some great training drills that will not only improve speed and agility but more importantly gross athleticism. Here's the article, I hope you enjoy it.

Bored of the same old training drills? Looking for a fun and imaginative way to get the heart racing and blood pumping round your body? Well rather than try to reinvent the wheel why not take a trip down memory lane to see if you can pick up some useful training drills. Exactly how far you go back is up to you but why not stop at your school playground for come inspiration. I’m sure that as a coach or athlete you are continually racking your brains for new training drills, but new is not always better, the games we used to play before the advent of computers now provide us with a wealth of training possibilities for adults. Still not convinced…try some of these in your next workout.

Tag: You can play tag with two people and it involves sprinting, change of direction, decision-making and the ability to adapt to the other players. If you work hard enough you will only be able to play for short intense periods of time making it a fantastic anaerobic activity full of sport specific movements. You will improve your ability to make rapid directional changes, variation of speed and the ability to ‘read’ other players movements.

Dodge Ball: A bit like tag but using balls to try and catch your opponent(s). Using one or more balls throw the ball at your opponent. It’s important to remember that unlike your old PE teacher during a game of STINGER you’re not trying to remove people’s heads from their shoulders! Use soft balls and aim below waist height (but not at your opponents most treasured possessions). Once hit with the ball they are on and your opponents are being chased. Add in some extra people and additional balls and you have a great drill for maintaining body awareness and agility. Remeber to 5 D's of dodgeball, Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and....Dodge!

Wall Ball: Throw a tennis ball against a wall and then try to catch it using one hand only. Sound simple…OK…. add some players into the mix to work on your positioning and agility. If your attempt to catch the ball is unsuccessful sprint to the wall and back before the next player picks the ball and throws it. Hand eye coordination, sprint speed and agility are just a few of the skills that can be developed with this game.

King of the Mountain: The mountain in this case is a wobble board or stability ball. The object of the game is to ‘attack’ the person on the ball and try to dislodge them by pushing them at different angles. Now you are not literally trying to knock them flying, you are simply teaching them to adjust their position and resist the attack. A great workout to improve your balance and core stability.

Pirates: Now I think that this game is no longer practiced in schools for fears of safety…what a shame I say. Who remembers the lessons where you arrived at the gym to find every single piece of kit laid out before you, wall bars, vaulting horses, ropes…. you name it they had it. Now what ensued was 30 minutes of running over, jumping off, and balancing on things in an attempt not to touch the ground (water) and be eaten by sharks!! Well this piece of nostalgia can be recreated using just about anything you have at hand and will challenge your body like no other activity. Sure you need to keep safety in mind but what a workout…and more importantly what fun.

Hopefully you can see from these examples that there are many good ideas for training sessions that as children we simply took for granted. I’m sure with a little imagination your training sessions will once again become a fun activity that you look forward to rather than the same old boring interval session.

Got any more ideas? Let me know.

Strength and Conditioning Journal
Vol 23 (4) 50

High Intensity Vs. Fat Burning Zone

2009-03-21T07:51:00.003Z

The popular ‘FAT BURNING ZONE’ is based on a mistake. The mistake is a misinterpretation of the sports science research, and is based on the fact that the body preferentially uses fat as a fuel source during low to moderate exercise intensities.

· While this is true ‘metabolically’ it does not influence the degree of overall weight or fat loss from exercise.

· In terms of weight control, it doesn’t matter which fuel source is used as long as calories are expended.

· It is essential that clients get the most out of each training session. Interval based training is more effective than low intensity steady state exercise as more total calories are used in the same amount of time. Take a look at the figures.

Exercising at a low Intensity (60% MHR) for 30 minutes will burn 200 kcal, with 50% of calories from fat (100 kcal). If you increase the intensity to 80%MHR then you will burn 500 Kcal with 40% of claories from fat (200 kcals). So for the same workout time you are getting more bang for your buck, and that is before we even start to consider how many calories you continue to burn post workout! So to summarise:

· High intensity interval training will maximise weight loss and fitness results.

· High intensity interval training forces the body to become conditioned to more intense exercise.
· Increased levels of fitness will make a given level of exercise feel easier and you will be able to exercise at higher intensities which ‘burns’ more calories.

· High intensity interval training will increase Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), resulting in more calories ‘burnt’ 24 hours a day.

· High intensity interval training strengthens the involved muscles to a greater degree than regular aerobic exercise.

. Slow steady state training is not as effective as high intenisty intervals.

. If you take part in a sport that requires an element of speed and power then intervals are far more effective, not just for fat loss but for increased sport specific fitness…..unless you want to become slow and steady.

EXF Visit the Falcons

2009-03-17T10:23:00.006Z

The Functional Training Summit is only 6 weeks away and EXF came up to Newcastle last week to go and see the facilities first hand. It was a really useful chance to catch up with Charles and Nik from EXF at the Newcastle Falcon’s stadium.

I know both Charles and Nik were were very impressed by the stadiums facilities. With plenty of room for both discussion and practical, the venue should help ensure that the Functional Training Summit is a success. If you haven’t yet booked your place there are still a few spaces available, please visit http://www.smartfitness.org.uk/ for more information.

EXF have a fantastic offer for all delegates attending the summit. The team at EXF are offering all delegates a 20% saving on all of their Sports Performance equipment ordered over the weekend of the Summit. That is a fantastic offer, and another reason why this event is a must do for anyone working in the fitness industry.

If you have booked, then we look forward to meeting you there.

2009-03-03T14:11:00.003Z

The Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit earlybird discount ends today!

Book online now at Smart Fitness and SAVE!

The seminar will be taking place on April 25th and 26th and will be hosted by Smart Fitness, with EXF providing vital support throughout the event. We have a great venue, Kingston Park Stadium (home of the Newcastle Falcons).

This will be the first time Coach Dos has presented in the UK and I know it is going to be a fantastic seminar. In addition to Coach Dos I have managed to line up some great home grown talent. Full details of the event and registration details are on available online at Smart Fitness.

Speaking, Speaking and More Speaking

2009-02-24T14:21:00.010Z

It's been a really busy couple of weeks for me. I've been delivering a number of seminars and it's been great to get out and speak to so many coaches, athletes and students about what strength and conditioning can offer to sports performance as a well as general health and wellbeing.

On February 14th I spent a couple of hours in the company of a group of enthusiastic triathletes. This was the first session in a 4 part seminar series looking at various aspects of strength and conditioning and how to improve performances without having to spend endless hours out on the bike, in the pool or pounding the streets.

During the first 2 hour session Itook the group through the underpinning theory and concepts of strength training before moving into the gym to put participants through their paces. The practical element really brought the theory to life and gave participants real world training techniques that they could go away with and start using straight away.

The icing on the cake was a group ride led by Phil Gray from Total Racing International Coaching. For more details of the remaining events visit the multisportlink website

I then had a 05:00 start on Tuesday to make sure I could hook up with Neil Parsley down in Manchester to start putting together our presentation on Total Training for Combat Sports which forms part of the Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit. I spent the morning with Neil at the English Institute of Sport in Manchester (a place I used to frequent often when I worked for the EIS!) and we spent the whole morning throwing ideas around. The end result is what I think in my humble opinion is going to be a superb presentation, between the two of us we have some great concepts and Neil can bring some 'behind the iron curtain' training techniques that have to be seen to be believed. I can't wait until April and I know we have a number of top ranked MMA athletes attending the seminar, so it will be great to see what they think and have to say about our presentation.

Needless to say, the guys in this clip have not influenced our training methodology!

The next day I met with a business group to discuss a forthcoming project that I'm helping develop with fellow strength coach Nick Ward. The project is still in the early stages and I don't want to give too much away but we think we have a pretty special product that we will be making available to a select group of executive business men and women in July. The Executive Athlete Performance (EAP) Programme is unlike anything else out there at the moment and it's going to be a great challenge to work with high performing business men and women and opening their eyes to the training processes used by elite atheltes which in turn will help boost their business performance.

On Thursday I had the pleasure of speaking to a group from Northumbria University about Smart Fitness. The topic was business related and I spent 2 hours with the group and discussed the reality of setting up a business and the challenges faced during a difficult economic period. It's not until you take time to reflect on what you have actually done during the past 18 months that you realise just how far you have come.

The final speaking engagement was yesterday where I spent the morning with a group of tennis coaches based in the North East. Smart Fitness have been providing strength and conditioning support for the regions up and coming tennis players since August 2008, and during discussions with the Academy Director (Chris Sanderson) we struck upon the idea of sharing their training principles with the regional coaches to help improve the overall development of players within the North East region.

This session was the first of several sessions to be run throughout 2009 and focused on how strength and conditioning can benefit young players. I explained how improvements in a players 'gross athleticism' will tranfer to improved performances on court and once the underlying theory had been covered the group moved through to the indoor tennis centre where myself and Joe Wear put the coaches through their paces, showing them exactly what we are looking for when it comes to developing strong and robust tennis players. The next session is scheduled for March 23rd and will focus on the development of multidimensional speed and agility for the young tennis player.

So it has been a pretty busy couple of weeks and whilst it is always great to meet and spread the word I still enjoy getting back onto the gym floor.

Triathlete's World

2009-02-07T12:40:00.002Z

A new triathlon magazine hits the shelves this month. Triathlete's World ran 3 trial issues last year and is now publishing monthly. Aimed at newbie triathlete's like me this is, in my opinion a welcome addition to some of the more 'hardcore' tri mags currently out there.In this months edition you can pick up some top tips on bike handling "triathletes who train on their mountain bike in the winter gain a huge advantage over those who simply stick to the roads" - I'm sure anyone that attended the TRI Winter training camps at Whinlatter will agree! There's a good round up of the latest turbo trainers to hit the market with a comprehensive review of each model. I've also got a 3 page piece explaining just how strength training can make you stronger and faster. If that wets your appetite for more information then check out the Smart Fitness and TRI seminar series. The first seminar takes place next week, looking at how strength training can boost performance and you will have an opportunity to find out exactly which moves you need to perform and then have a chance to try them out in our 'hands on' session. We still have a couple of space left so check out the events section.

Ten Percent Gone

2009-02-05T08:29:00.002Z

I can always rely on my good friend and colleague Alwyn Cosgrove to keep me on track. This morning I received one of his regular updates and it made me realise just how quickly time passes. Read on for a little reminder that you should be working hard toward your goals.

It's now the 5th of Feb.

We have already passed one full month into 2009, and are now one-tenth of the way to 2010.

10% down, 90% to go. Doesn't seem that long since the start of the year does it? Time flies. Whether you're having fun or not.

How are your New Years Resolutions holding up?

If you're behind schedule or have lost focus a little bit - start today. Set some New Month Resolutions!

Maybe you want to lose a stone by may Bank Holiday. Start by setting a goal of 12 weight training workouts to be performed in Feb. And get the first one done tomorrow.

It's never too late to make massive changes.

Coach Dos Seminar - Online Registration Now Available

2009-02-03T18:42:00.007Z

Just a quick update to let you all know that we now have an online registration page for this great event on the Smart Fitness website! I hope that everyone in the area will make the trek up to beautiful Newcastle to hang out with us for that weekend!

Precovery

2009-02-02T10:31:00.004Z

On Thursday night I attended the North East Strength and Conditioning Forum at Newcaslte Uni. As always this is a great event and a chance for all of the local coaches to get together and talk about all things related to training.

This session focused on Recovery and Regeneration and I kicked things off with a presentation that gave an overview of the whole area. We looked at the various types of fatigue and the different intervention strategies before introducing the group to the recovery pyramid.

Friend and Colleague, Nigel Stockill then demonstrated some innovative equipment that has been developed by Optima Life to help coaches and athletes keep an eye on training load. Using heart rate variability and EPOC the heart rate monitor can provide the coach and athlete with a useful tool for monitoring training stress, allowing them to programme appropriate recovery methods.

The final session was deliverd by Dr Duncan French (head S&C for GB Basketball), despite being a doctor Dunc has a real ability to cut things right back to what really is effective in a real world situation. His presentation followed on nicely from mine and he focused on how to get 'easy wins' when working with his players and we were fortunate enough to be shown exactly what Dunc does to help his players recover whilst competing (these guys had 27 flights in 6 weeks last year - that gives you an idea of why recovery is so important for them).

Whilst everyone seems to be jumping on the recovery bandwagon, and I still believe it has an important part to play in the training process, I decided to throw a spanner in the works and ask a couple of questions to get everyone thinking.

1. Many athletes report perceived quicker recovery and an bility to increase training load...but this is not always a concurrent improvement in performance! Should we be messing around with the bodies natural recovery mechanisms?

2. Immediate use of artificial means which facilitate restoration (recovery) can weaken the natural ability of the body to restore itself and promote supercompensation. Is muscle damage a pre-requisite for hypertrophy? Could this increase the risk of ‘overtraining’ (UPS) or injury?

3.Prolonged use of any given means of restoration (recovery) will decrease the recuperative effect. Eastern block experts recommend that the same recovery strategy should not be applied more than once or twice a week in the same form.
Can research findings be generalised to athletic population? Might recovery strategies offer short-term benefits at the expense of long-term adaptation?

Duncan French followed up on my thoughts and suggested that maybe we have this whole thing back to front. We are so busy worrying about getting people recovered as soon as possible that we could in fact be negating some of the processes that we actually need to enhance performance. He made two very useful observations:

1. Are we looking to recover from a training stimulus ready for the next training session, or are we looking to recover from a match ready for the next one? If we are looking to recover from training then we may actaully want to leave the body to do it's own thing. Chris Barnes from Middlesborough FC spoke to me after the session about research looking at the heat proteins that are needed for many of the adapations we look for from training. Research is now showing that some recovery methods such as cold baths may in fact blunt the functioning of these heat proteins. If we are looking to get ready for another game then, yes, we may actually want to help speed the recovery process up.
2. Instead of thinking about RECOVERY....we should be focusing on PRECOVERY (I know, he has spent far too long in America!). When working with his players Duncan spends the majority of his time making sure they are in the best possible physical state before they start to train or recover and this is done by putting in place interventions that take effect long before training event starts (training diaries, sleep/naps, pre-workout meals).

It was a great night and the main message to come from it was that whilst recovery and regeneration is very important, we should really be focusing on getting the basics right before attempting anything else.

Functional Training Summit - Download

2009-01-28T00:50:00.004Z

I've been getting lots of requests for the booking form so to speed the process up click on the link to take you straight to a PDF file which contains everything you need to know about the Functional Training Summit in April.

If you still need further information you can e-mail me at nick@smartfitness.org.uk

Robert Dos Remedios is on his way...

2009-01-24T17:57:00.004Z

Back in December I announced that Coach Robert Dos Remedios would be holding a 2 day seminar in April 2009.

Well, I can now announce full details and you can download your registration form right here.

The seminar will be taking place on April 25th and 26th and will be hosted by Smart Fitness, with EXF providing vital support throughout the event. We have a great venue, Kingston Park Stadium (home of the Newcastle Falcons).

This will be the first time Coach Dos has presented in the UK and I know it is going to be a fantastic seminar. In addition to Coach Dos I have managed to line up some great home grown talent. Full details of the event and registration details are on the attached file, but here is an idea of what you can expect at the seminar.

The Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit has been developed to provide trainers, coaches, athletes and therapists with a combination of lectures and hands-on learning experiences with top professionals working in the strength and conditioning, and fitness industries.

The presenters include leaders in the areas of training, conditioning and rehabilitation: Robert Dos Remedios, Nick Grantham, Neil Parsley and Nick Ward.

Topics covered include:
Power Training Through Performance-Based Conditioning
Total Training for Combat Sports - Conditioning for the modern combat athlete
Performance Planning Matrix – Optimising the Planning Process
Utilising Combination Lifts – Complex's, hybrids and combinations
CHAOS Speed Development – Taking Your Sport Speed to the Next Level
Ultimate Core Conditioning – Strong and Stable
Decision Training: Confusion-Distraction-Disruption

I'm just organising a link to download the registration form but if you don't want to wait and you fancy getting the jump on everyone else drop me an e-mail at nick@smartfitness.org.uk and I'll send you the registration forms and answer any questions you may have.

Keep an eye out on the blog for the link at some point during the next week

A moment on the lips.....

2009-01-22T11:16:00.003Z

I came across this clip on Coach Dos' blog and thought I would share it with you. How long before this franchise comes over to the UK.....I shudder to think! (there is a short commercial first....keep watching though as you will be amazed!)

Watch CBS Videos Online

Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit

2009-01-21T07:13:00.003Z

We can now confirm the dates and venue for the Smart Fitness Functional Training Summit. Block some time in your diary for the 25th and 26th of April and make some travel plans to get you to Newcastle Upon Tyne. The event will be held at Kingston Park Stadium (home of the Newcastle Falcons) and will be a unique opportunity to see one of America's leading strength and conditioning coaches in the UK, Coach Robert Dos Remedios. Coach Dos will be delivering two feature presentations as well as another two fully interactive hands on training sessions. We have also lined up some other great speakers, more information on the full line up and session outlines will be available later this week.

If you want more information you can send an e-mail to nick@smartfitness.org.uk

Smart Fitness/TRI Seminar Series

2009-01-19T07:04:00.004Z

Smart Fitness are teaming up with Total Racing International Coaching to bring you a seminar series that will offer the unique opportunity to learn how strength and conditioning can improve improve your triathlon performance.

The dates for the seminars are Feb 14th, March 14th, April 18th and May 9th. Each seminar will take place on a Saturday morning and will be based in Newcastle. The sessions will last for approximately 2 hours combining a classroom session followed by a practical hands on session with an optional ride afterwards.

The Seminars will cost just £25 each or if you book all 4 get one for free (ie £25 discount)

Spaces are restricted to 15 people to ensure we can create a good learning environment and the sessions are open to anyone interested in improving their personal best (from novice through to pro). Make sure you book early to avoid dissapointment!

To Book contact phil@totalracinginc.com or nick@smartfitness.org.uk

Dates and Topics:

February 14th
Strength Training for Triathletes - £3k bike - 50pence Legs!

For most triathletes the benefits of strength training are outweighed by the fear of gaining too much bulk, loss of flexibility and diminished "feel" of their sport. Discover how a well designed strength and conditioning programme will help you unlock your potential. Nick will show you how you can start to run and swim more efficiently whilst producing and maintaining higher power outputs on the bike, all of which will ultimately help you perform better and steer clear of injuries.

March 14th
Flexibility Training for Triathletes - Unravelling the Knots

Possibly the most forgotten aspect of training. Hours spent running, cycling and swimming will play havoc with your muscles and result in your sub optimal functioning, poor performance and an increased risk of injury. This session will explain the importance of developing your flexibility and then take you through some of the best techniques for improving your flexibility levels.

April 18th
Recovery and Regeneration – The 24hour Triathlete

You don’t get fitter from training – you get fitter by recovering from training. Find out how using the Recovery Pyramid will help you unlock your potential so that you can train hard without falling apart. In this session Nick will show you that it is not the 2 hours you spend training that are important, but what you do in the other 22 hours!

May 9th
Injury Prevention – Bullet Proof Triathletes

If you suffer from injuries then this is the session for you. Nick has a regular column in sports Injury Bulletin and in this session he will share with you the most effective injury prevention strategies that will help to keep you training. Nick will look at common injuries caused by each discipline and he will then show you how you can avoid them in the first place! If you have ever suffered from a painful Achilles, sore feet, swimmers shoulder, or knee pain then this is one session that you don’t want to miss.

Happy New Year

2009-01-11T16:31:00.005Z

So 2009 is well and truely underway and I'm really looking forward to what it will offer up. Last year saw me get back into shape and as a result I completed a couple of targets that I set for myself. This first one sort of snuck up on me halfway through the year and was really a result of working with a number of triathletes.

In June 2008 I completed my first triathlon. It was a fantastic day and I have to say it gave me a taste for what is possibly one of the most ridiculous sports i've ever taken part in! Whilst I was happy to complete the course I didn't manage to swim the whole of the open water course freestyle so this is something I'm now working on. During the Christmas break I headed over to take a dip in an endless pool to have my technique broken down! Needless to say I was an open book and the swim coach compeltely changed how I was swimming (like a brick)and I've now got a host of drills that will help me achieve my goal in May at my first Tri of the season in Alnwick (complete the full 500m swim freestyle!).

The second target was to complete the Great North Run...you can't live in Newcastle and no complete the run at least once. So in October I joined 52,000 other runners to take part in the Great North Run, and whilst I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of running anything more than about 6 miles I was pleased to finish the legendary course and raise some money for the Rainbow Childrens Trust.

So what my the fitness and training goals for 2009. Well at the moment the first thing I'm working on is shifting some of my Christmas bulge - this is a pretty simple task as I'm using my friend and colleagues proven training programme - Alwyn Cosgroves Real World Fat Loss programme is one of the best on the market........my task to shed some excess baggage is simple....simple as in it really works, tough in that you have to work hard to get the results but then nothing that is worth having comes easy!

As I mentioned before I'm going to nail this swimming thing and make sure I can complete at least 500m freestyle and that will set me up for completing at least 3 sprint tri's this year.

In August I'm going to take part in the Newcastle Rat Race with an old college friend. I've always wanted to take part in an Urban Adventure race but had real problems running but now that I've sorted those out there will be nothing stopping me...other than the obsticles they put in our way!

Professionally I'm really excited about a number of projects that we have coming up. The first is a UK seminar with Coach Robert Dos Remedios in April. The other project is a new triathlon training manual that I'm developing and it should be available early 2009. I'm looking forward to keeping you all up to date with developments and if you have any questions about anything featured in this blog just let me know.

All the best.

Nick

Robert Dos Remedios - UK Seminar

2008-12-12T23:04:00.003Z

I'm really pleased to be able to announce that Coach Robert Dos Remedios will be holding a 2 day seminar in April 2009. The seminar will be hosted by Smart Fitness and EXF will be providing vital support throughout the event. This will be the first time Coach Dos has presented in the UK and I know it is going to be a fantastic seminar. If you want to know a bit more about Coach Dos, read on.

Coach Robert dos Remedios has been involved in strength and conditioning for over 19 years. After completing his competitive football career at the University of California, Berkeley in 1988, he began training athletes on a full-time basis. "Coach Dos" has a masters degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Biomechanics from California State University, Northridge and has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the NSCA since 1990.

Coach Dos is a sought after speaker on a variety of conditioning topics such as Olympic Weightlifting applications, Sport-speed development, Explosive training, and CHAOSTM Speed Training which he developed with Jim Liston. Coach Dos serves as Director of Speed, Strength & Conditioning @ College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, CA, a position he has held since 1999.

Coach Dos is also the 2006 recipeint of the National Strength and Conditioning's prestigious Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Professional of the year for 2006. This award is given to the top collegiate strength coach in the country (as voted on by his peers). In addition to contributing to Men's Health on a regular basis, Coach Dos' first book Men's Health Power Training (Rodale Books) will be released in July 2007.

Coach Dos is an 'in the trenches' kind of guy and everything he will talk about in April will have been tried and tested on the gym floor. Keep an eye on the blog for updates in January. If you want more information you can send an e-mail to nick@smartfitness.org.uk

Quick Fire Q&A

2008-12-03T14:19:00.002Z

I was recently asked to share some of my thoughts in a quick Q&A session with the owners of EXF, so here's what I had to say.

What are your favourite training techniques?
Anything with a good transfer of training effect. I’m not a coach that favours one training technique over another – I’m a coach that will use a variety of training techniques, if it works I use it, if it doesn’t then I don’t! It’s about getting results so I’ll use whichever technique is the most effective

What are the most common mistakes made in gym design and training?
1. Lack of floorspace – equipment is important but if you ask any coach what they would like more of they will all shout at the top of their voices “space”. With the increased popularity of functional training space is probably the number one consideration when designing a gym.
2. Not considering usage and traffic flow – too much equipment is going to cause bottlenecks if all of your clients or athletes want to use the same piece of equipment.
3. Low Ceilings – you need to get a facility with as much ceiling height as possible, realistically you don’t want your ceiling to be lower than 3.5m – the more the better.
4. Functionality – make sure the equipment that you purchase can perform an number of tasks. When kitting out our small facility we chose equipment that was portable and could perform a number of tasks. We chose carefully and now our clients can perform almost any exercise they want in a very small space.

What advice can you give about purchasing equipment for a functional performance training area?
Athletes have to be able to compete in a multidimensional environment. The equipment that you choose for your performance training has to work multi dimensionally. Your equipment also needs to be able to withstand the demands of performance training. Buy the best equipment that you can afford (it will be money well spent in the long run) and make sure that each piece of equipment that you purchase can perform several tasks.

What is the key to the success of your training?
We don’t blindly follow the training principles of industry ‘gurus’. We base our training on results – pure and simple. If a technique works we will use it, if it doesn’t we won’t. We keep our training simple and we make sure that we maintain a consistent approach to how we train our clients! That’s not to say we don’t make changes to our training methodology, we just make sure that the small changes are in line with our overall training paradigm.

What do you think is in the future for training?
I think that the industry is increasingly seeing the benefits of “functional training” and more and more of the general population want to train like ‘athletes’. Resistance machines are here to stay and will continue to take up floor space within the big gym chains but I think more and more health clubs and gyms will have dedicated “performance areas” where clients can train dynamic athletic movements, whether it’s for sport or simply a healthy lifestyle. Sports people “get it”.....the general public are starting to wake up to the fact that if they want to get results they need to train differently – sitting on a machine is not how we move around and function in day to day life.

How do you make sure your personal training clients reach their goals and keep coming back?
Fist of all we actually set training goals! Our clients don’t simply turn up and make it up as they go along. We provide them with the ‘road map’ that will help them get from their starting point to their chosen destination. We make sure their goals are SMART and we keep them at the forefront of our minds during every training session. What keeps them coming back? Results! Whilst most gyms are focusing on gym memberships, fads and crazes we focus on producing results. Most of our clients come to us because they are fed up of training with little or no improvements. When they come to GENR8 Fitness they see the results and they stick around for more!

What is the most important lesson you have learned about training athletes?
Each athlete is an individual. If you are still writing sport specific or position specific programmes then you are selling your athletes short. You must treat your athletes as individuals......evaluate your athlete and then programme according to the information that you have gathered during the evaluation, and finally don’t be afraid to change the programme – training should be a process not a prescription.

Where do you find new idea’s?
I was recently presenting at a conference and one of the other presenters said “Half of what we know is wrong – the problem is that we don’t know which half!” We need to keep on learning, we don’t know it all and the minute that we think we do is when we should find another job. I’m looking for ideas all of the time and they come from the world of sport and fitness (coaches, athletes), internet, books, DVD’s or seminars. I’ve also looked outside of sport and spent time with ballet dancers and performers from Cirque du Soliel (if you think your athletes train hard spend some time with people in the performing arts!). The most important thing is don’t believe everything you read.....and don’t only read everything you believe!

Achieving The Impossible

2008-11-28T12:16:00.005Z

What would you think if Joe Average approached you and told you that they would like to train for 12 months and attempt to make it as a pro in the premiership? That is exactly what happened to me and after giving it some serious consideration I decided that I would lend Arton Baleci a helping hand. For the next 12 months I will be working with Arton to optimise his fitness levels as he attempts to achieve the impossible. You can follow his progress at www.thebeautifulaim.com and find out some more background at BBC Sport. You can be sure that I'll keep you up to date with his progress on this blog as well.

Stop and Think

2008-11-21T11:40:00.002Z

I was looking through Alwyn Cosgrove's blog today and I took some time to watch this clip - I would encourage you to do the same.

Total Racing Inc - Winter Training Camp

2008-11-17T08:33:00.004Z

I'm very lucky to do a job that I love and every now and then I'm fortunate enough to get the chance to combine the job I love with some of my favourite pastimes. This weekend saw me heading 2 hours west to the Lake District to speak to a group of triathletes attending the Total Racing Inc Winter training camp.

Fifteen triathletes (including international triathlete and UK Ironman 70.3 Champion, Fraser Cartmell)had travelled to the Lake District to spend two days on the trails, taking in a range of activities from trail running, moutain biking and strength and conditioning. The weekend was the first of its kind and was the brainchild of Phil Gray, founder of T.R.I.

When I arrived the group had just returned from a morning run session through the hills and had just finished refuelling before getting ready for an afternoon out on the trails on their mountain bikes (good job my bike was on the roof rack!). This was my kind of weekend! We headed off onto some fantastic trails around Whinlatter Forest and whilst I was dropped on the ascents my MTB skills came into their own on the fast and technical descents.

At the end of the trail we returned to the accomodation and once everyone had cleaned themselves up I delivered two strength and conditioning sessions. The first session explored the potential that a good strength programme has to unlock a triathletes performance and the the second session focused on recovery and regeneration. The complimentary recovery drinks (GENR8 S2 and GENR8 Myoswitch) provided by the team from T.R.I really hit the spot and everyone commented on how great the new flavours tasted!

The Q&A session extended to the local pub where the refuelling continued, before I headed back home to Newcastle. A fantastic day in the lakes, great trails, a good group of riders and the chance to spread the word about strength and conditioning. Combine that with the opportunity to ride alongside someone as good as Fraser Cartmell and you have the making of a very good training camp.

I'm looking forward to attending the next camp in December, for more details check out http://www.multisportlink.com/

The Beautiful Aim

2008-11-12T09:36:00.002Z

Can a 23 year old fanatic with average footballing skill, with the guidance of a team of experts, make Premiership football in just one year?

The Beautiful Aim will document the unique and incredible journey of this ambitious young man making his impossible dream come true.

I'm going to be working with Arton Baleci over the coming year, helping him to physically prepare for the challenge. It is going to be an very interesting journey.

If you want to experience Arton Baleci's journey as it unfolds check out his site The Beautiful Aim. There will be regular mini-documentaries, video diaries and blogs where you can see, hear and read about his radical transformation from recreational footballler to elite athlete as it happens.

Strength Training For Children

2008-11-11T23:39:00.003Z

I'm often asked if strength training is suitable for children as part of their overall physical development. To answer this quetion I've dug out one of my old articles originally published in Peak Performance which explains why resistance training can be a safe and effective training method for children.

Resistance Training: Resistance Training: The message has got through to adults: should they keep it to themselves or pass it down to the juniors?

Mention the words 'resistance training' and 'children' in the same sentence and most people will start giving you funny looks. To say the subject is controversial is an understatement(5, 16). This is hardly surprising when you consider that until recently the benefits of resistance training to athletic performance have largely been dismissed in the UK. Only now are coaches, athletes and the general public beginning to realise that 'pumping iron' can not only transform your physical appearance but can also improve your health and sporting performance (1,7, 9,14).

As the UK wakes up to the fact that adult athletes can seriously enhance their performance if they adopt a structured resistance training programme a new question arises: is it too little too late? At what age can we start to introduce our young Beckhams and Henmans to resistance training? For the purposes of this article I am talking about children from the age of 11 and up and it is precisely this age group which many of the world's most successful sporting nations are introducing to resistance training during school training programmes.

So what do we mean by the term 'resistance training'? For some the phrase will conjure up images of muscle-bound ironmen pumping iron (and much else besides), posing in front of the mirror. In fact resistance training is simply a programme of exercise, which uses one or more types of training system(1). Methods include exercises using bodyweight, such as sit-ups, press-ups and dips. Resistive tubing, free weights and machines may also feature in resistance work. Even many of the traditional Olympic lifts, if taught with correct technique and light implements, can substantially improve a child's balance, proprioception, strength and power. What we should not do, however, is confuse resistance training with maximal-type exercises performed during competitive Olympic and power lifting competitions. The key is not to perform maximal lifts with young performers(13).

First, though, why the bad press for resistance training?
The popular myth that resistance training was not only potentially harmful to young performers but was also of little use for improving strength and power was first fostered in the research community. One of the earliest papers came from Eastern Europe back in the early 1960s. A study investigating the trainability of lower back muscles following a course of isometric resistance training failed to demonstrate any significant improvements in strength. Further studies looking at leg and arm strength also failed to find any substantial strength gains(18). During the next couple of decades a groundswell of support backed the notion that resistance training methods failed to provide significant increases in strength in young performers. As is often the case, subsequent research built upon the limitations of earlier investigations.

So why did earlier studies fail to provide evidence of strength gains? The 1960s investigators used only modest training loads, resulting in a lack of progressive overloading (possibly one of the most important training principles, irrespective of the training method being used). When combined with relatively short monitoring periods, it is hardly surprising that little or no improvement was seen. Modern training theory now confirms that, in order to achieve significant strength gains in young athletes, training mode, intensity, volume and duration must all be manipulated to provide the optimal combination. Researchers and coaches alike are now confident that if a suitable resistance training programme is employed, significant strength and power gains in young performers are possible (5, 10,11).

In recent years research has started to provide compelling evidence of the benefits of resistance training. Training programmes incorporating progressive overloading of the muscles have provided evidence that strength gains in young athletes is possible (even if they have not gone through puberty). In 1986 a group of boys aged between nine and 10 embarked on a period of resistance training. At the end of the training period significant increases in elbow and knee flexion and extension were recorded(11). Further studies found that over a period of 20 weeks, progressive overloading of the elbow flexor and knee extensor muscle groups, using isotonic training techniques, produced significant increases in strength(12). 1RM double leg press (22%), maximal voluntary isokinetic elbow flexion (26%) and knee extension (21%) were achieved.

Yet again, it has a lot to do with neurological systems
So recent evidence has shown that resistance training could be a useful tool in the coaches' 'toolbox' of training ideas. But you may find yourself asking: how can a boy who has yet to go through puberty (and has therefore yet to have testosterone coursing though his body) possibly experience gains in strength. Surely, gains in strength are related to muscle hypertrophy, which is influenced, by the amount of testosterone in the body? Early research showed that the young athletes were not experiencing significant gains in muscle size (as would be expected with adults) and, when coupled with the lack of strength improvement, it seemed sensible to conclude that resistance training was of little benefit. However, more recent studies have shown that strength can be improved even in the absence of muscle hypertrophy. The question is: how?
What the early studies failed to recognise was that children are not just miniature adults and that the mechanisms which bring about an increase in strength in adults may differ for children. So how can children improve strength if testosterone is not responsible? Testosterone does not start to increase until mid to late puberty, effectively ruling out the male hormone's contribution to strength gains in young performers(16).

And, given that girls (who, of course, don't produce testosterone) can also improve their strength, that very fact points us in the direction of a different explanation.

Theorists have pointed to the possible contribution of neurological systems(10). Evidence suggests that strength increases in line with the development of the nervous system, which is of primary importance in the exertion and development of muscular strength(16). Research has indicated that there are three likely determinants of strength gains: improved motor skill coordination; increased motor unit activation; and undetermined neurological adaptations(16,13). Early theories were based largely on indirect supposition and so direct assessment of these neurological adaptations was needed. Using ground-breaking techniques, researchers investigated the changes in motor unit activation (MUA) following a period of resistance training in pre-adolescent boys(12). Results indicated that after the first 10 weeks of training, MUA of the elbow flexors increase by 9% and MUA of the knee extensors increased by 12%. Slower increases in MUA were recorded during the second 10 weeks. The results confirmed current thinking that the nervous system has many roles to play in improving athletic performance, as demonstrated in many recent PP articles.
Subsequent research confirmed that strength gains in young performers could be attributed in part to increased neuromuscular activation. Both MUA and motor coordination increase still further when multi-joint complex lifting activities are used rather than isolated movements. Specificity is important for improved motor coordination: researchers have demonstrated that more significant improvements in strength occur in the specific exercises performed during training than with non-specific exercises such as isometric elbow flexion and knee extension(1).

Can you really swim faster, jump higher and hit harder?
While you may be prepared to accept the body of laboratory evidence which shows that resistance training can improve strength in young performers and that the dominant underlying mechanism is neural in origin, it is legitimate to ask whether this can be translated to the sporting arena. It has been said that the stronger an individual is, the higher he will jump, the faster he will run or swim and the harder he will hit a ball. Sports such as netball, rugby, athletics, tennis and cricket all require strength and power in order to perform complex multi-joint movements. It's not unreasonable, based on the research, to suggest that the results seen in controlled laboratory studies could be transferred to the sporting arena. Although there is limited direct research in this area, studies have shown that intensive resistance training can improve both strength and swim speed in pre-adolescent boys and girls(2). Indirect evidence has shown that an increase in strength can improve specific activities, such as vertical jump, swim speed and running speed(15) and, if you look at the investment most high-performance teams are now making in strength training for their performers, I would suggest that resistance training is an extremely effective tool for improving athletic performance.

If you are still not convinced about the impact resistance training can have on performance, just look at leading sports performers from a decade ago and compare them with those competing now: today's competitors are bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. While the cynical may refer to illegal aids, the more astute will recognise that sports performers are increasingly using resistance training to help improve their performance. Although there is limited research on youngsters, it is reasonable to suggest that younger athletes could also enjoy the same type of improvements in athletic performance seen in adults following a period of resistance training.

But what about injuries? Surely, all that training can't be good for young bodies? In 1987 the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that resistance training was a harmful activity for children(1). The report highlighted the disturbingly large number of injuries associated with resistance type exercises; 8,543 injuries were incurred by 0-14 year olds and ranged in severity from sprains and strains to fractures. Approximately 40% of the injuries occurred during unsupervised sessions in the home. A subsequent study investigating sport-related injuries in school children taking part in 22 sports found that resistance training produced just seven injuries from a total 637, placing it 17th on the injurious list(17). The message is clear and obvious: if young athletes play around with weights at home or during unsupervised sessions they could well end up in their local A&E department. However, if you closely supervise your young athletes during resistance training sessions, ensuring they follow a structured training programme, they should be at no greater risk of injury than when they are taking part in their chosen sport.

But what about the immature musculoskeletal system?
Another area of concern is the potential damage resistance training can cause to the immature skeleton: increased physical activity in children is often associated with musculoskeletal damage(4). The skeletal system is in its formative stages during pre-adolescence and does not fully mature until early adulthood (6,8). It is commonly thought that the use of resistance training could contribute to damage of cartilage, bones, joint surfaces and tendons. It has even been suggested that damage to growth cartilage can result in stunted growth. Other structures, such as the spine, have also been highlighted as an area of potential injury. Although these issues are a serious cause for concern, some experts feel that the case may be somewhat overstated. Research has shown that sport-related musculoskeletal damage occurs very rarely. The majority of cases have been linked with maximal overhead lifts of the sort associated with power lifting, and no evidence has been found of skeletal damage in relation to resistance training (1).
So, based on sound research, it would be safe to say that a good-quality resistance training programme is an effective training method to complement the existing training regime of young performers. If you are a coach looking to introduce your young athletes to the benefits of resistance training, here are some guidelines to take into consideration.

The young performer:

should complete a medical examination by doctor before starting the training programme;
should be mature enough to accept instruction;
should want to participate in the programme;
must possess the basic motor skills of their primary sport;
must maintain correct form during lifting;
must avoid competition during training.

For his or her part, the coach should:
ensure the young performer is closely supervised during training sessions;
ensure the training offers variety;
pay particular attention to the strengthening of the back and abdominal muscles;
ensure that in the event of any pain, training is discontinued;
ensure that the resistance training programme forms part of a comprehensive programme designed to increase motor skills and fitness levels;
ensure that all exercises are carried out though a full range of motion;
Prohibit any attempts at maximal lifts.

If resistance training is a new area to you, here are some of the basic guidelines you should think of when putting together a training programme:
1. Begin and end each session with 5-10 minutes of warm-up and stretching.
2. Balance the workout by altering pairs of muscle groups, ie perform a 'pull' exercise after each 'push' exercise. (Examples of pull exercises are barbell or dumbbell bent over row, cable lat pulldown, seated row; push exercises may include barbell, dumbbell or machine bench press, squats and shoulder press.)
3. Exercise the larger muscle groups (pectoralis major - chest; latissimus dorsi - back; quadriceps) first, and the smaller muscle groups (biceps and triceps - arms; deltoids - shoulder; gastrocnemius/soleus - calves) at the end.
4. Perform 1-3 sets of 6-15 repetitions. Younger children may use fewer sets and more repetitions.
5. Allow 48 hours of recovery after each strength training session.
6. Work on the schedule 2-3 times per week while maintaining other sporting activities.
7. Younger children can spend 20-30 minutes per session while older children can increase the duration of each session.
Nick Grantham

References

1. Sports Medicine 15, 389-407, 1993

2. Australian Journal of Sport Science 1, 3-6 1981

3. Effects of Physical Activity On Children, Broekhoff J, Human Kinetics, 78-87, 1986

4. Child Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Cheung & Richmond. Human Kinetics, 1995

5. Designing Resistance Training Programmes, Fleck SJ & Kraemer WJ, Human Kinetics, 1987

6. Strength Training For Sport, Hazeldine R, The Crowood Press, 1990

7. Sports Medicine in Primary Care, August S.5-S.8, 1995

8. Exercise Physiology Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance (3rd Ed), McArdle WD, Katch, FI, Katch VL, Lea & Febiger, 1991

9. Sports Med 16, 57-63, 1993

10. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 26, 510-514, 1993

11. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 14, 134-139; 142-143, 1986
12. Strength Training Effects In Prepubescent Boys, 22, 605-614

13. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal 13, 39-46, 1991

14. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 21, 105-116. 1993

15. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 6, 629-638, 1986

16. Wilmore JH & Costill DL, Physiology of Sport and Exercise, Human Kinetics, 1994

17. American Journal of Sports Medicine 8, 318-323, 1980

18. Medicine and Sport, 11, 152-158, 1978

3 Mistakes

2008-11-03T22:44:00.002Z

Here are what I think are the 3 biggest mistakes an S&C coach can make.

1. Slow steady state cardio training for athletes competing in speed/power based events. This one drives me insane and I have to say it usually gets spouted to me by old school coaches that are stuck in the 80's or sport sceintists that bang on about research having never coached in their lives. WAKEY WAKEY…….YOU ARE SO FAR BEHIND THE CURVE ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY. How do I know its wrong – because I used to do it and it didn’t work. I still see this all the time and the best answer they can give is that’s how we have always trained….wrong answer!! If I hear another coach tell me they are developing an aerobic base I will scream!!! There are so many reasons I won’t go into them now…trust me if you are still doing this (and you know who you are) then stop. I can feel an e-book coming on 101 reasons why steady state cardio sucks!

2. Taking the principle of specificity and flogging it until its dead. Seriously I’ve watched a coach working with a swimmer using a metranome so that the swimmer can lift at the same tempo as his stroke rate and……guess what….each set lasts as long as one race. Why don’t you just go and swim!! Strength work is about transfer of training effect…..not specificity…..if the strength drill is too close to the actual sports technique research shows you will actually reduce the sporting performance. Our job as coaches is to make the most out of the athlete that we are working with - we need to give the coach the strongest, fastest most powerful athlete possible. If we deliver that then the coach can go to town on the technical and tactical work.

3. Thinking that there are ‘bad’ exercises. Don't be fooled into thinking that full squats are bad or bench pressing is the devils exercise. There’s no such thing as a bad exercise, just crappy programming. I’ve worked with some pretty extreme sports and the nature of the sport means the body has to do some things that strictly speaking it’s not designed to do. it’s not that a particular exercise is bad, it’s more to do that the coach or athlete has not thought about proper progressions or whether the exercise is suitable for that individual. We must not do straight leg sit ups….its bad for your back…..what if your sport is gymnastics and requires that type of movement?

Deep Water Training Option For Runners

2008-10-31T21:56:00.002Z

I'm a huge fan of the pool as a training tool and used it extensively whilst working at the English Institute of Sport.

Runners often find their chosen sport less attractive in the winter months - for obvious reasons. So if you're already shivering at the prospect or are injured and can't run on roads for a while, it may interest you to know that deep water running is a viable alternative.
In a joint study, researchers from England and Tasmania compared the effectiveness of deep water running and road running in improving maximum oxygen uptake in a group of 20 untrained young women.
After establishing baseline VO2max values, each participant was enrolled on a four-week training programme of either road running or deep water running, with progressive aerobic interval sessions carried out three times per week. After four weeks, VO2max was retested and the women then embarked on 10 weeks of detraining before swapping training programmes for a further four weeks.
Both training programmes produced similar and substantial improvements in VO2max, and the researchers concluded that deep water running, in common with other aerobic activities, offers significant cardiovascular benefits when performed at the appropriate frequency (3-5 days per week), intensity (60-75% of maximum heart rate) and duration (20-60 minutes). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol 14, no 2, pp191-195

The Art and Science of Making Weight - A Real World Guide to Weight Cutting

2008-10-30T22:42:00.003Z

"In the 2008 Summer Olympics two boxers were sent home - one from Britain, one from the USA. One of them was the defending WORLD champion in his weight class.They weren't sent home because of a positive drug test. They were sent home because they couldn't make weight. Olympic dreams shattered because of an inability to beat their biggest opponent -- the scale. And it could all have been avoided..... Gina Carano (MMA fighter and american Gladiator) has failed to make weight for her last three fights. Thiago Alves failed to make weight before his last fight and had to contest the match at a higher weight class. Making weight is as much of an art form as it is a science. But it's been a closely guarded secret amongst those in the know. Includes sections by Brian Schwab, Justin Harris and Matt Kroczaleski. Nick Grantham and Alwyn Cosgrove spent almost ten years cutting weight and competing in combat sports.They have since moved on to the world of coaching others and have refined their methods - backed up with evidence from other coaches and athletes and some of what the latest research has to offer.

To get your copy of this e-book visit Elite Fitness Systems

Mike Boyle Interview

2008-10-30T22:32:00.002Z

Mike Boyle is an internationally recognised strength and conditioning coach and he recently took the time to answer some of my questions about all things strength and conditioning.

NG: Thank you for the interview. Why don't you start by telling us a little bit about your current coaching commitments?
MB : For the summer I have about 20 National Hockey League and minor league players training four times a weeks as well as my Boston University Hockey players. In addition we have about 300 collegiate and high school athletes working out in our two facilities.

NG: Can you tell the reader your educational or previous career background and how you ended up developing Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning? MB: I’m actually a Certified Athletic Trainer so I started out on the sportsmed side of things. I have a bachelors and a masters from Springfield College. I’ve worked in the college environment for 25 years and also worked in the NHL for 10. NG: What in your opinion are the essential skills needed to be a successful athlete in a team sports? Are there similarities between the various sports (American Football, Soccer etc).....what training makes the difference?
MB: For team sports it all about strength, speed, and conditioning. We waste way too much time with sports specific bullshit. Get your athletes strong, get them fast and get them in shape.

NG: Many Pro sports don't seem to have much of an off season and raining and competing week in, week out is extremely demanding. What particular issues do athletes face trying to maintain fitness - how do you make sure that your athletes maintain their fitness levels during the season - what are your 3 top tips?
MB: 1-Get lots of frequent, brief and intense workouts. In-season training looks a lot like HIT training.2- Fitness is relative, Guys that play a lot of minutes need more rest, not more work. Guys that don’t play a lot need to get extra work in on game day.3- Make post-workout nutrition a priority. Shakes post game are key.

NG: What's the one thing that really gets under your skin when it comes to the strength and conditioning.
MB: Lying. It is amazing the bullshit that gets thrown around. This is a particular problem in the US with American football. Coaches lie about test results and that places undue pressure on other coaches to match these unrealistic results. I think a lot of these guys should have to film testing so everyone could see it.

NG: S&C coaches in the UK and Europe are always looking to America as the leading nation in S&C. I have to say I think the Europeans have a lot to offer the Americans. What do you think of the state of S&C in the UK and Europe.
MB: I think there are lots of great coaches abroad but, they don’t coach “American” sports. Americans don’t really understand sports like soccer. I think there is a broad range in training philosophy with European soccer from very progressive to Stone Age aerobic based programs. The US has a huge edge in facilites and equipment. American strength and conditioning was born out of an American football mentality and it is tough to break.

NG: You know from my articles that I'm not a fan of long slow steady state cardio training....it's a tradition that dogs many team sports in the UK......is it a problem in American sports, do the coaches still get athletes to complete endless hours of long runs during training - what's your opinion and solution?
MB: I’m with you. I hate long slow distance training. It’s getting to be less and less a problem in team sports in the US. There are still some dinosaurs left in ice hockey and soccer over here but, I think we winning that battle as it applies to team sports. The place we are losing it is in fitness.My solution? Get Oprah to interval train. Oprah can change the world.

NG: How do you monitor training intensity - how far do you push your clients?
MB: Depends on age etc. With my personal training clients I work on feel. I ask them about their day, their week etc. With my pro athletes we start very easy and build every week. I work on a work capacity model where we just keep adding more and more each week. It’s only a 10-12 week off-season and we have a lot to do.I learn the most from my college players that I work with year round. I really need to manage them to keep them fresh. It’s much harder.NG: How do you approach training players from different age groups?

MB: The older they get, the safer it gets. Young kids are resilient. They can front squat, clean etc with no problems. As my guys age we do less Olympic stuff and more single leg stuff that doesn’t load the spine as much.

NG: I know you study the field a lot. Who do you go to for training advice?
MB: Truth is, it gets tougher each year to find new info. In the past 5 years most of my new ideas have come from the physical therapy world. Mike Clark, Gray Cook, Mark Comerford, Shirley Sahrmann. However, I think we have gone too far with the therapy side. I think these folks are brilliant but, they don’t do what we do. They can provide ideas but, they don’t actually work with athletes for a living.I’m really lucky to be on the Perform Better circuit. I get to hang with some of the best in the business and talk training. Mark Verstegan, Alwyn Cosgrove, Todd Wright, Al Vermeil. The list is endless.

NG: Who else in the field has influenced or helped you? What are the best tips you learned from them and can pass on to your readers?
MB: I’ve been heavily influenced by Vern Gambetta. He was way ahead of his time. Mark Verstegan and his staff ( Craig Freidman, Darryl Eto, Anthony Slater, Sue Falsone) have always been great sounding boards for me. I really like Todd Wright, he the S+C coach for mens basketball at University of Texas. Alwyn Cosgrove and Jason Ferrugia really get me thinking. I’m also a big Ryan Lee fan. He’s showed me how to really make a career out of this stuff.

NG: What tips could you add of your own?
MB: KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Great technique and great effort. Coach, that’s the job.

NG: There seems to be a real boom in 'old school training', tyre flipping, car pushing...strongman type stuff etc in America. I guess if you are competing to be a strongman it makes sense!!.....what's your thoughts on it's application to development of sport performance?
MB: I think it’s a dangerous waste of time. I like heavy sled work as I can see its application. Beyond that, I don’t have much use for it.

NG: What supplements do you think work?
MB: Protein supplements work. Fish oil is essential. I think a Greens product is a good investment. I also think that the Glucosamine/ Chondroitin supplements work if you have joint pain. After that it’s a crap shoot.

NG: What are your goals as a coach?
MB: I want to be remembered as an honest, ethical, hardworking guy who gave people good value. Beyond that, I’m not too concerned.

NG: What advice do you give athletes when it comes to recovery - how do they manage to keep training without breaking down?
MB: We roll, stretch, and do lots of mobility work. I think you need to care for your tissue. I also harp on my athletes about nutrition. As I said earlier, postworkout nutrition is a big deal.NG: What are your thoughts on the use of whole body vibration in strength and conditioning? MB: I’m becoming more and more of a fan. I think there is something to it although I’m not exactly sure what it is. It clearly is not a passive exercise fad. The big issue is in practicality and affordability. You need at least three units to make it work with groups and that’s about K US.

NG: What's the latest Mike Boyle project? MB: I’ve just bought back my training business in the last six months. Did a huge renovation in conjunction with my friends at Perform Better. Most of my energy is focused on getting that business back up and running. NG: Where can people read more about your theories and programs? MB: I write a column at www.coreperformance.com, I write for t-nation about once every two months, I’ve done lots of stuff for ptonthenet, and I have one of the best websites in the industry www.michaelboyle.biz

NG: Before we finish, I'm asking all of our contributors for their top five books - the ones every S&C coach should have in their library? We've had some great answers and I'm building a virtual library on the links page of the web-site....what are your top 5? MB: Just go to www.michaelboyle.biz I have a recommended reading list with all my favorites both from the training side and the personal development side.

How to Avoid DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)

2008-05-13T17:28:00.002+01:00

Having trouble getting out of bed? Having to walk backwards down the stairs because your legs feel as though they are on fire? You are probably suffering from DOMS. Don't worry. It's not as bad as it feels and if you follow the recommendations of DJ Szyman-ski at Auburn University you may be able to avoid the associated pain altogether ('Recommendations for the avoidance of Delayed Onset Muscular Soreness,' Strength and Conditioning Journal, Vol 23 (4) 7-13).

Every athlete, regardless of his or her fitness level, has experienced sore and stiff muscles after moderate to strenuous exercise at the start of a new training programme. These symptoms usually occur after eccentric (downhill running, plyometrics, etc.) or unaccustomed exercise. During these activities your muscles become more susceptible to structural damage, resulting in muscle soreness, loss of strength, decreased range of motion and neuromuscular function. All of these symptoms together are generally referred to as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is not a new phenomenon; research investigating the cause of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) dates back to the early 1900s and several theories have been put forward to explain the underlying cause. Probably one of the most popular explanations is the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Popular yes, correct, no. Blood and muscle lactate levels typically return to normal values after 30-60 minutes of recovery. Eccentric exercise produces the most severe muscle soreness but requires relatively low energy expenditure (even less than needed for concentric exercise). Therefore if lactic acid were to cause delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), then muscle soreness would be expected to be greater after exercise with a higher metabolic cost (concentric activity). In addition, we know from bitter experience that the pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) peaks after 24-72 hours. When we consider that lactate concentrations return to pre-exercise levels within 60 minutes it seem ludicrous to suggest that the two are somehow related.

Subsequent research has suggested that damage to the muscle ultra structure and connective tissue may be responsible for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It is suggested that a sequence of events starting with exercise causes muscle damage and then muscle protein breakdown, resulting in cell inflammation and increased local muscle temperature. As a result pain receptors are activated, causing the sensation of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Further research suggests that muscle damage alone may not be the best explanation for the cause of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Inflammation and swelling should also be considered as they also activate and sensitise pain sensors around the muscle fibres.

So what does Szymanski recommend?With a better understanding of the underlying causes of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) it is possible to implement preventative strategies. Szymanski offers the following guidelines to follow when attempting to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
1.Don't bother to reach for the medicine cabinet prior to a match or workout. No research supports the use if anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidant supplements, ointments or creams in the prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
2. Conflicting evidence surrounds the use if post-exercise massage, post-exercise stretching and cold application.
3. Warm up: research indicates that concentric activity may better prepare the body for the stress caused by eccentric, damage- inducing exercise. Increased muscle temperature results in a reduction in muscle or connective tissue viscosity, a higher resistance of muscle tissue to tearing and increased muscle elasticity.
4. In addition to a warm up,repeated bouts of eccentric exercise performed within one to six weeks after the initial bout of exercise have been shown to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle damage allowing for faster recovery of strength and ROM.What action to takeTherefore to avoid delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), try the following:(a) Perform a general warm up(5 mins, cycling, jogging etc).(b) Perform specific dynamic mobility exercises for 15-20 minutes.(c) When starting an exercise programme, avoid movements that entail strenuous eccentric muscle action (downhill running, plyometrics, etc).(d) Gradually increase the intensity and duration of exercise.(e) Complete additional bouts of the exercise that originally caused delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) - for instance, if DOMS was sustained during downhill running, additional downhill running within one to six weeks will help alleviate the problem).

Vibration Training

2008-05-13T17:17:00.001+01:00

Move over, wobble board -- the vibration platform is here. In the past 10 years there has been an increasing interest in the somewhat strange concept of vibration training and its potentially positive impact on athletic performance. Can simply standing on a vibrating platform improve a players strength, power and flexibility? Is this a gimmick providing a short-term fix, or can players and coaches expect to see some valuable long-term training adaptations? Is vibration a useful rehab tool?

What is Vibration training?
Early work by the Russian space agency looked at the use of vibration training in combating the effects of zero gravity conditions on the musculoskeletal system. It didn’t take long for scientists working within sport to start using vibration training with a variety of athletes (rowers, track and field, gymnasts and ballet dancers). Although this pioneering research indicated that vibration training had the potential to enhance both strength and flexibility, it was another 10 years or more before the international sports science community dusted off the old research papers and began to take a closer interest in this training intervention.

Among the advocates for vibration training within the sporting world are: American Football (Tampa Bay Buchaneers); Ice Hockey (Anaheim Mighty Ducks); Baseball (Chicago Whitesox); Football (AC Milan); Cycling (Lance Armstrong); Running (Alberto Salazar -Marathon runner and head coach of the Oregon Project); Skiing (Herman Maier) and Rugby (Lead Physiotherapist for the Scottish Rugby Union team, Stephen Mutch)

The concept
When a player stands on a vibrating platform, the repetitive movement presents a strong stimulus to musculoskeletal structures due to the muscle stiffness changing in response to the vibration, which researchers believe produces physiological adaptations to accommodate the vibratory waves.

We do not clearly understand the exact mechanisms for enhanced athletic performance and injury prevention. Potential adaptations include:
increased excitation of peripheral and central structures (pre-activation of musculoskeletal system, resulting in improved readiness for the training stimulus).
increased synchronisation of motor units;
stimulation of GTO (golgi tendon organs), inhibiting activation of antagonist muscles;
increased hormonal secretion;
variation of neurotransmitter concentrations (dopamine, serotonin); and
excitation of sensory receptors such as muscle spindles, leading to improvements in the stretch reflex cycle.

Training effects: Performance Enhancement and Rehabilitation
Enhanced physical preparation is arguably the birthplace of vibration training and is where most of the research has been conducted. It was in the late 1990s that claims started to circulate that 10 minutes of vibration training could produce the same training effect as completing 150 leg presses or half squats with loads of three times body mass twice a week for five weeks; and that 10 days of vibration training was the equivalent to completing 200 drop jumps from a height of 60cm, twice a week for 12 months! Recent research has also shown improvements in strength as well as improvements in flexibility and muscle activation. Professionals working in sports rehabilitation have been quick to set about establishing a role for vibration training within injury treatment and rehab. Initial work has already investigated the effect on bone health and ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) rehabilitation strategies. At the start of 2005 it was reported that the Edinburgh and Scotland flanker Allister Hogg had used vibration training during his rehab from a knee injury sustained during a cup match.

Take Home Messages
1. Vibration training may be an effective intervention for reducing the ageing process in musculoskeletal structures.
2. Vibration training may be an effective rehab tool for people that have not exercised for some time (e.g. injured players).
3. More research is needed to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in muscle activation.
4. Optimal amplitude and frequency need to be identified.
5. Vibration training seems safe when standing on the vibrating platforms for a relatively short time with the knee semi-flexed to limit transmission of vibrations to the head.
6. Prolonged exposure to vibration training can have a negative impact on health and proper care should be taken when exercise programmes are prescribed.

Should we all rush out and buy a vibration platform? Despite the mounting body of evidence in support of this modality, the jury is still out. Vibration training could yet be the next big thing to revolutionise performance enhancement, injury prevention and rehabilitation. But so far, the men in white coats cannot give us a green light, and anyone using this technique will be doing so with their fingers firmly crossed behind their backs.

Bench Press - Alternatives

2008-03-10T16:42:00.001Z

It happens to us all, you’re halfway through your training session, the next exercise is bench press and as you walk over to the benches you are faced with what appears to be the latest round of the ‘King of the Bench Contest'. Every inch of every bench is loaded, you’ve no chance of sliding under a bar this side of midnight….but you still have to train your upper body.

What can you do to ensure you still get a killer chest workout. It’s time to get back to basics. Prepare to be amazed at how diverse the humble press up can be and discover why it should become the cornerstone of your upper body training. If an athlete working with me can’t rep out with their bodyweight – they don’t slide under the bar.

At this point you are probably thinking this is too basic. Well you are right, the press up is basic but you will be amazed at how many people with good benches can’t rep out their own body weight. If you master the basic press up you will have laid the foundation from which all other work can begin.

For all of the exercises make sure you maintain good form, don’t just bang the reps out, get a controlled tempo and aim for multiple sets of 10-20 reps.

PRESS UP V.1 – OLD SCHOOL
Place your hands underneath your shoulders with your arms fully extended and your fingers facing forward.
Bend your arms at your elbows, lowering your chest until it is two inches above the floor and your elbows reach 90 degrees.
Keep your butt down, you want to maintain a normal body line throughout.
Mix up your hand spacing to change to emphasis of the exercise (take your hands wide or bring them in close to get a bit more tricep involvement)

PRESS UP V.2 – DECLINES
Take the basic press up but this time elevate your feet onto a step or box.
Raising your feet above the head is going to increase the intensity of the basic press up.

PRESS UP V.3 – LOADED
If you are finding your bodyweight is too easy to handle crank the intensity up by slipping on a weight vest or simply getting a training partner to add some manual resistance.
You can even get some bungee cord, run it from one had, over your back and down to the other hand – the beauty of this is you load at the end of the movement (the exercise get harder at the end – something you can only achievie with some very fancy resistance machines.

PRESS UP V.4 – UNSTABLE
If you want to get the maximum bang for your bucks and you’ve mastered the basic press up then now’s the time to get a little bit unstable.
Dig out some of the kit that’s probably gathering dust in the corner of the gym (you know what I’m talking about – stability balls, stability discs, rocker boards, BOSU ball etc). Challenge your upper body strength and stability by placing your hands on say the BOSU ball and start to rep out. All of a sudden the press up has moved to another level.

PRESS UP V.5 – EXPLOSIVE
Three ways to do an explosive press up.
1. Place one hand on a medicine ball and the other on the floor. At the bottom of the press up explode up and shift your weight while switching hands so that the opposite hands are on the floor and medicine ball. Aim to get some air during the switch.
2. Get two boxes or steps and place them around shoulder width. Start in a press up position on the floor, explode up and jump your hands up onto the boxes. Return to the starting position using the opposite action and repeat.
3. Clap press ups – start at the bottom position, explode up and you’re your hand together before coming back to the start position (get it wrong and your nose and the floor will become very intitmate!

PRESS UP V.5 – COMBINATION
Once you can handle all of the above with good form, take things to the next level and start to look at some combinations.
Loaded / Unstable
Incline / Loaded
Incline / ExplosiveExplosive / Loaded

Wise Words

2008-03-02T13:58:00.002Z

When I worked with elite athletes we were always looking at how we could improve performance - rather than working on what they were good at we would spend time working on areas that they struggled with. Sounds obvious but many people will focus on what they enjoy doing or feel are their strengths. Last week my dad gave me a newspaper cutting which sums it up nicely.

"The key to success - regardless of the activity - lies in focusing your efforts on your weaknesses and the areas you like least, rather than concentrating purely on your strengths"

Now that I'm working in the private sector I still adopt the same approach - we get our clients to look at their blind spots (e.g. they are very good at telling me how good their training has been but brush over the fact that their diet has been less than satisfactory - we work with them on their blind spots to really boost their efforts).

My dad is always offering some great words of wisdom and sent me another gem. This tale is called Two Wolves.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He

said, 'My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.'

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

Eric Cressey Seminar

2008-02-17T20:11:00.002Z

Eric Cressey will be holding a two day seminar in Ireland on the 15th and 16th of March. The seminar is being hosted by Kieron Dolan and is based at Tullamore Rugby Club.

If you are interested in seeing Eric during one of his rare visits to Europe then get your booking form now from one2onetraining@eircom.net

I hosted Eric last year for a fantastic two day seminar - he will be covering some pretty special topics this time round and you will get to hear the findings of his research on unstable training - direct from the author.

Countdown To Summer

2008-02-11T14:35:00.000Z

British Summertime officially starts on the 30th March - That's just 6 weeks away! If you've not started your fitness and nutrition programme then now is the time to start. Two great products that will help you get started are:

Alwyn Cosgrove's - Afterburn

and

Michael Roussell's - Naked Nutrition

We use many of the principles outlined in the above manuals with our clients and we are seeing some fantastic results. What are you waiting for - the summer is just 6 weeks away!

The Power of Full Engagement

2008-02-08T22:01:00.000Z

Alwyn Cosgrove gave me a great Christmas present this year, a book called The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. What's it about - well essentially it looks at the fact that the hours in the day are fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not. I'm pretty sure Al bought if for me after he spent some time with me in December. It was a particularly busy time having just set up the new training facility and I think Al felt I needed to get some balance! This book is really good and has made me take stock.

What I found interesting was that the book highlighted the fact that recovery is every bit as important in the work environment as it is in fitness and training. As a strength coach I'm always telling my clients about the importance of recovery (I've even written an e-manual about it!)- but I'm working all the hours available in the day with very little recovery.

Death From Overwork
It is not the intensity of energy expenditure that produces burnout, impaired perforamnce and physical breakdown, but rather the duration of expenditure without recovery. The Japanese call it 'karoshi' or 'death from overwork'. They have identified 5 key factors that contribute to karoshi.
1. Long hours that interfere with normal recovery and rest patterns.
2. Night work interferes with normal recovery and rest patterns.
3. Working without holidays or breaks.
4. High pressure work without breaks.
5. Extremely demanding physical work and continously stressful work

Ring any bells? It did with me and I'm now making sure that I'm getting some more balance in my life. A great book - thanks Al!

Do Something Useful With a Stability Ball!!

2008-02-07T22:58:00.000Z

Finally, something that’s really useful to do with a Stability Ball. To help improve shoulder strength and stability go and fill a stability ball with water (as much or as little as you feel is appropriate 10-15lbs is good). Have your client perform the following drills for between 30-60 seconds each repetition. Not only will they get a great workout for the glenohumeral complex, they will have to remain strong throughout the whole of the body (especially when working with the ball overhead!), More bang for your bucks!

1. Overhead Press (partner taps) – Press the ball overhead – whilst overhead have a training partner tap the ball in a random manner. The water will move and the working athlete will have to work hard to stabilise the ball as the water swishes around inside! Increase the intensity of the taps to push the workload higher.
2. Figure 8’s – Hold the ball out in front (arms slightly bent), move the ball through a figure 8 motion. Once the ball starts moving, so will the water and pretty soon you will feel your shoulder muscles working overtime to stabilise!
3. Circles – Same as Figure 8’s but switch between clockwise and anti clockwise circles every 2-3 reps – the quicker you switch the harder you will need to work to stabilise the joint.

Providing Good Feeback

2008-02-05T20:19:00.000Z

I recently read an article in the Olympic Coach newsletter written by Cheryl Coker from New Mexico State University which I felt delivered some great tips for providing feedback to clients.

1. MORE IS NOT BETTER
If you are constantly providing feedback after every rep of every set your clients may develop an overdependence on you. It is important for them to be able to actively engage in the coaching process - take the time to understand how they feel during an exercises, what works, what doesn't. If you give too much feedback they may simply wait for your response after every single repetition without ever actually understanding what is happening to them.
2. OFFERING FEEDBACK TOO QUICKLY
Don't be in arush to jump in with the feeback. Give your client time to process what has just happened. A good strategy is to ask them to assess thier performance before telling them what you observed.
3.INFORMATION OVERLOAD
Don't overload your client with feedback. You may see ten things that need to be corrected but you should resist the temptation to bombard them every point. I like to keep my feedback to a maximum of three points. Pick the most important point and keep the feeback nice and simple.
4.INTERFERING WITH AUTOMATIC PROCESSING
If you are working with high level athletes much of what they do will happen automatically. It's easy to disrupt an athletes performance by providing feedback that makes them consciously focus on an element of a normally automatically performed movement.
5. MISDIRECTING ATTENTIONAL FOCUS
Choose your words carefully! By telling your client not to do something will actually plant that thought into their mind. By telling your client not to worry about being unable to complete the required number of repetitions actually makes them think they won't be able to do it - something that may not have even crossed thier minds!

Shifting Paradigms - Why Endurance Athletes Should Strength Train

2008-02-03T22:18:00.000Z

Shifting Paradigms
For most endurance athletes, the benefits of strength training are outweighed by the fear of gaining too much bulk, loss of flexibility and diminished ‘feel’ of their sport. Unfortunately this thinking keeps many endurance athletes from participating in a properly designed strength and conditioning program.

Many have a traditional ‘endurance training’ based paradigm, centered on volume of training and time spent training for the actual event itself. It’s all about wearing a badge of honour for the number of hours spent running, cycling or swimming. Unfortunately this is a pretty flawed approach, not least because there is a mass of research showing that volume of training is one of the main culprits of overtraining and injury incidence.

By and large the endurance community has overemphasised the benefits of endurance-based training and underestimated the benefits of strength training. Endurance atheletes will spend hours completing endurance sessions in the hope that they can squeeze a little bit of extra performance from their cardiovascular system, but are reluctant to spend just a couple of hours a week in the gym.

One heart, two lungs, lots of muscles!
Part of the reason for the above is that many have forgotten about the huge potential that the musculoskeletal system has to offer to performance and pay scant regard to its training benefits. Let’s not forget that the only reason your cardiovascular system is involved in the first place is because of the demand from your muscular system; your muscles don’t move because of cardiovascular demand – the demand on the cardiovascular system is elevated because of muscular demand.

If the musculoskeletal system cannot handle the stress of thousands of repetitions (which is what happens when you are training for endurance) then you need to condition the musculoskeletal system first. In other words, you should program your body based on the movements it’s going to perform – not based on the cardiovascular system, which is an upside down method of programming!

Strength training in the gym can make a real performance difference via a direct ‘transfer of training’ effect into the event. Typically the endurance athletes that I’ve worked with have had so little structural integrity that a resistance training program to target their muscular weaknesses and imbalances had to be our first approach.

The fact is that for many endurance athletes, moving the body is the biggest problem – not their ability to transport oxygen! I’m currently working with a number of endurance athletes who have seen the light and are now benefiting from a structured strength training program. For years they’ve been focusing purely on improving their cardiovascular system but more often than not, they’ve broken down at some point during their season through illness or injury. Using a motoring analogy, they were trying to trying to put a new engine in a beaten up old car with worn out chassis and suspension. A better approach is to set to work on improving the chassis and bodywork first and tinker with the engine later.

Best In The UK

2008-01-28T16:17:00.000Z

Congratulations to Tim Parkin on reaching a new personal best pole vault height of 4m 20cm at this weekends competition at Sheffield. Tim is now ranked as the No1 U17 Pole Vaulter in the UK. The coaching team at GENR8 Fitness have been working with Tim since October at our facility in Newcastle and we have been helping him literally go from strength to strength in his training, both in the gym and out on the track. This was Tim's third competition and the result topped off a hat trick of successes. The GENR8 team wish Tim all the best for the 2008 outdoor season.

Sporting Shoulder Symposium

2008-01-13T21:21:00.000Z

I've just returned from the Sporting Shoulder Symposium where I presented two sessions on the role of strength and conditioning in shoulder rehab. It was a pleasure to be invited to attend and present at this event not least to be on the same programme as some of the worlds leading authorities on shoulder rehab.

The 3 day event was a fantastic success and the sessions included a combination of seminars, practical workshops and live surgery! The list of presenters looked like the who's who of shoulder research including, Alex Castagna, Tim Uhl, Don Buford, Jo Gibson and Lennard Funk. I was the loan strength and conditioning coach in a room full of surgeons, medics and physiotherapists - I survived, even after this keeping this qoute in my presentation!

"Medical and health care professionals (surgeons, doctors, physiotherapists etc.) are experts at getting injured people healthy – they are not experts at training people!"

The message was well received and the feedback from the audience was very positive - many of whome left with a greater understanding of the role of the strength and conditioning coach in the rehabilitation process.

Many thanks to Lennard Funk for inviting me to such a fantastic event. I'll leave you with some words of wisdom from Don Buford's presentation on the overhead atheltes shoulder.

"Half of what we believe is wrong - the problem is we don't know which half!"

The take home message - keep on reading ensuring that you don't believe everything you read, or only read everything you believe!

Five Things People Get Wrong When It Comes To Recovery And Regeneration

2008-01-06T14:17:00.000Z

1. Not having a recovery and regeneration strategy.

‘The hardest thing for an athlete to do is not to train. You can’t sit still. You feel you should be out there working’ Graham Obree – World Champion Cyclist

Not having a recovery strategy is the biggest mistake you can make. We all have mobile phones, I-pods and laptops and they all run off batteries. If we don’t charge the batteries they won’t work. The human body is no different; we need to take time out to recharge the batteries. Work alone is not enough to produce the best results. Athletes need time to adapt to training. To encourage adaptation to training it is important to plan recovery activities that reduce residual fatigue. The sooner you recover from fatigue and the fresher you are when you complete a training session, the better the chance of improving. Increasing rate of recovery increases ability to train.

2. Concentrating on the percentage points.

Change allows the field to stay interesting for us but it’s easy to get caught up looking for the next big thing. Everyone focuses on getting the ‘edge’, looking for the one thing that will make the difference. They concentrate so hard on the 2% that they forget about the other 98%. Get the fundamentals of recovery sorted before you go for the fancy stuff. Walking round in compression garments all day is not going to help recovery of you have crappy nutrition; crappy training programmes and you don’t take time to rest (active and passive). Use the recovery pyramid (details can be found in Recovery and Regeneration: The Essential Guide to Training Without Falling Apart)

3. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get a different result!

Prolonged use of any given means of restoration (recovery) will decrease the recuperative effect. Eastern block experts recommend that the same recovery strategy should not be applied more than once or twice a week in the same form (Mel Siff – Supertraining). You wouldn’t do the same type of training year round, so why do people invest in one recovery strategy. Fatigue is multi factorial and there are a number of different recovery strategies that you should use depending on the type of fatigue you are suffering from.

4. Not keeping a training diary.

One of the simplest things you can do to improve your recovery from training is to keep a training diary. A good training diary can act as an early warning system sending out red flags that highlight when you need to pull back from training. Training diaries don’t need to be complicated; you just need to keep one. Keep a track of the quality of your resting heart rate; sleep quantity and quality, energy levels, training quality, motivation, health and nutrition.

5. Thinking that it’s what you do immediately after training that is important.

You need to think about recovery and regeneration as a 24-hour thing. You will train for say 1-2 hours per session maybe 3-5 times a week. Most people will then only think about recovery immediately after the training session and will devote say 30 minutes to some form of recovery. That’s just 1.5-2.5 hour per week of focused recovery, which leaves 165.5-166.5 hours when you are not thinking about recovery. You do the maths! You need to become a 24-hour athlete and make sure you are taking care of all the recovery guidelines highlighted in Recovery and Regeneration: The Essential Guide to Training Without Falling Apart

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T10:21:00.000Z

Happy New Year - I hope 2008 brings you everything you are hoping for. It was interesting to sit with my daughter this morning playing in our front room - every now and then we watched one of our neighbours run past the house - I've counted 4 so far, non of whome I've ever seen go for a run before. Now I'm not knocking it, all power to them if they have decided to get fit in 2008 - I just wish they would take the advice of people like Alwyn Cosgrove and get fit for running rather than trying to run to get fit. Over the next couple of days people all around the country will be dusting off their trainers and taking to the streets, only to return home with sore shins and knees, vowing never to run again - bang goes the New Year resolution and any plans of regaining their fitness.

Why does everyone think that running is the first step to a new active lifestyle? Most of the clients that I see coming into the gym have poor conditioning and usually need at least 4-6 weeks of general conditioning before we even begin to think about taking to the streets for a run. If you want to get fit - get strong first and then take to the streets.

Have a great 2008.

Power Training by Robert dos Remedios

2007-12-21T22:03:00.000Z

If you are looking for a new book to add to your reading list then make sure you check out the latest book to come out of the Men's Health stable. Power Training by Robert dos Remedios is a great book that provides real world solutions for strength and power development.

Dos is a great coach and I had the pleasure of watching him in action a couple of years ago whilst visiting his facility. Just for a change there is a book that has been written by someone that actually gets their hands dirty on the gym floor. Well done Dos.....you deserve it.....enjoy!

Real World Fat Loss Seminar

2007-12-21T21:32:00.000Z

Welcome to my first post on Nick Grantham's Blog! We recently hosted Alwyn and Rachel Cosgrove in a one day seminar at our new training facility in Newcastle Upon Tyne. The seminar was a huge success and the feedback from delegates was absolutely fantastic. Alwyn kicked things off with a great talk on Real World Fat Loss, combining his unique style of real world experience with the latest research findings. Rachel followed on from Alwyn and provided an insightful overview of fat loss for females. The afternoon session was led by myself, looking at how to cut weight for weight category sports, before a superb practical session that left everyone hot and bothered! A great day and we are now looking forward to hosting Alwyn and Rachel in 2008.....along with a number of other top international speakers. Keep an eye on the blog for updates.

The great thing about hosting seminars is that you have the opportunity to listen to some great talks and meet lots of very interesting people....whilst picking up some useful hints and tips that I can use with my clients. I always manage to come away with something and Alwyn and Rachel certainly delivered several pieces of advice and information that I was able to implement straight away on Monday morning! My favourite tip - THE CRAB THEORY (thanks Rachel) - want to know what it is.......well you should have been at the seminar!!!! Only kidding - keep an eye on future blogs and all will be revealed.