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!
Showing posts with label CHAOS training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CHAOS training. Show all posts
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Friday, 3 April 2009
Playground Conditioning
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
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
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Robert Dos Remedios is on his way...
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
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
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