Author Archives: James Marshall

1. Training Design Do’s and Don’ts: Gary Winckler

   22nd February 2016 4:51 pm 7 Comments

   Train to the athlete’s strengths

   Gary Winckler has 38 years of coaching experience behind him. He has taken track athletes to every Olympic Games since the 1984 Olympics.

   More impressively, each of those athletes has had a Personal Best or Season Best at the Games. He knows how to prepare for the big event.

   I first met Gary 2 years ago when he presented on speed training concepts.

   This presentation at GAIN in June 2014 covered the training design concepts that work for him and also how he has evolved his coaching.

   Training Do’s

   The most important factor is the performance requirement of the athlete. This is different from the performance goal. Once you know that, then it is essential that you look at ways of positively influencing that requirement.

   Talk with the athlete about goals/ factor of the process, rather than how fast do you need to run. This means as a coach that you need to clearly understand the performance requirements.

   Write them down! Then look at when your top performance needs to be achieved.

   Evaluate the strengths/weaknesses of the athlete in light of these performance requirements. Can positive changes in the key performance factors be realistically achieved in the short or long term?

   What will be required? Train to the athlete’s strengths as this will provide better and more consistent results.

   So far, so good.

   Devil is in the detail

   

   James practising hip heists with Gary in the background

   Do you understand the skills needed to bring about changes in performance? Can you design exercises that positively impact these skills? What exercises exist that I can use?

   What exercises can I develop to most efficiently translate skills into performance?

   This is what distinguishes Gary: he works from the top down. (Compare that to the current UK paradigm of learning 2 exercises and then reverse engineering how they improve performance.)

   Once you have got this set of exercises look to perform them better today than you did yesterday.

   Eliminate conflicting training stimuli: it may result in confused adaptations. For example if you have a speed development theme, then every exercise should lead into that or help develop that.

   Understand the long/ short term adaptation to prescribed exercises with respect to Overload, Reversibility and Recovery. Does my exercise presrcription adhere to these principles?

   “You can destroy a session by pushing that 1 rep too many“

   Evaluate

   • 

     James helping a young hockey player

     Constant tweaking of the session and exercises is necessary. “Does the athlete make the bridge between exercise and performance”? If they fail to improve performance, then why are those exercises in place?

   • Evaluation is a constant: keep good records and take notes.
   • Design training cycles that appropriately balance general and specific exercises. Too much specificity can halt adaptation. Too much general work can detract from performance.

   Training Don’ts

   Invest too much time in creating annual periodisation plans as they never end up working in reality. Instead look at the overall theme and then plan the microcyle in detail.

   Design the training programme without understanding the current goals.

   Get caught up in linear models for training volumes and intensities. A consistent application of volume is necessary for building and stabilising performance. An excessive amount of time dedicated to building volume leads to a decrease in performance.

   (I find that with UK athletes, volume appears to be the prime directive. They are often given advice like “you must run 4 times a week” or “swim 8 hours a week” with little thought given to what happens within those sessions.)

   Manipulating Intensity, Density and Volume

   Gary gave some insights into how he does plan his training. He said that volume in speed/ power programmes has little variation.

   Instead “the volume is dictated by the quality of execution demanded by a performance objective”.

   Intensity is the degree of difficulty of the session and is expressed as a % of 100. Quality, however, is a % of perfect. Are you aiming for intensity of quality?

   Density is the training frequency of a particular stimulus. This directly affects the training load. In order to enhance technical development, a number of smaller doses that are prescribed more frequently is better.

   Complexity is the co -ordinative demand (related to intensity) of an exercise or sequence of exercises.

   By manipulating these variables correctly, Gary stated that planned restoration is built into the training plan, rather than having to be put in as an extra. He and Vern Gambetta both expressed an opinion that Overtraining did not occur in Speed/ Power athletes (I have to disagree on this having had personal experience of the effects of huge volumes of intense training under stress).

   Gary finished by talking about individualisation of training. This can take many forms by varying: sets, distances run, reps, weights, altering heights of boxes or exercise choices.

   Low intensity training is safe for groups. High intensity training must be individual.

   Summary

   It was a privilege to listen to Gary and get the chance to ask him questions. This quietly spoken coach has bags of experience, knowledge and wisdom. He was happy to share this over the course of the conference in his sessions and in the down periods. Really invaluable insights.

   I have taken his advice from 2 years ago and applied it in the speed training I do with our athletes. I have used this training design advice already in preparing athletes for upcoming Championships. I just hope that they benefit as much as Gary’s athletes have.

   Further Reading;

   Planning your training programme in season

2. How to Train Before Breakfast: The Great Gama

   6th February 2016 8:44 am 5 Comments

   I always like it when I meet a young athlete and they tell me they do a few press-ups and sit-ups in the morning before breakfast or at night. It shows me that in the words of Muhammad Ali “they have the will, I just train the skill“.

   One famous wrestler, the Great Gama, took this to a very high level.

   He got up at 0300 every day and did 4,000 deep knee bends (Hindu squats to Excelsior regulars) of which 700 of them were jumping squats.

   In the afternoon he did 2,000 one arm and two arm press-ups, followed by a 4-mile run, then 3 or 4 hours of wrestling.

   It is funny how young males want to do “cleans“ at the first opportunity, rather than develop a great foundation of conditioning first.

   Somehow just working hard is often forgotten.

   We don’t expect our athletes to be as fit as the Great Gama but we do expect them to be able to squat well. The squat matrix is a good place to start:

   How to train like the Great Gama

   My new schedule is less punishing than this, but it has helped cure my insomnia (thanks to Sleepyhead clinic).

   • 0515 Wake up. Drink black coffee, eat a banana, read/study.
   • 0600-0610 Rise and shine mobility work.

   • 0610-0700 Training session, usually weightlifting, otherwise structural integrity work + gymnastics.
   • 0700-0710 Ablutions
   • 0710 onwards: get family up, breakfast and school walk.

   This requires a sensible bedtime, and no indulging the night before, which is another good habit to get into.

   One young female athlete who is on a Netball “pathway” said to me “But if I train before breakfast, I will have to shower“! Those athletes who do get into a morning routine seem to want “it” more than those who are ferried around by their parents to every last organised practice.

   Try doing 10 minutes of exercise before breakfast every day this week, you will be on your way to being the next Great Gama!

3. Monitoring Overtraining: The 4 Hs

   28th January 2016 9:26 am 2 Comments

   “You’ve Got To Be In Top Physical Condition. Fatigue Makes Cowards Of Us All.

   Vince Lombardi.

   But, in order to get in top physical condition, athletes risk doing too much, resting too little and can get fatigued. This may result in overtraining.

   The British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) spring conference was held in Manchester on 28 March 2014. The theme was “The Fatigued Athlete”.

   Speakers included experts from the fields of Sports and Exercise Medicine, nutrition, physiology, and psychology. Ute Scholl (Fencing coach and Sports Medicine Doctor) attended the day and here is her summary.

   Over reaching or over training?

   To attain peak performance, athletes and coaches very often tread a fine line between training hard to allow time for positive adaptation followed by recovery periods. When athletes get this balance wrong non-functional overreaching (NFOR) and ultimately overtraining syndrome (OTS) can develop.

   NFOR and OTS are less of a problem in elite athletes who are monitored very closely, but are more common in athletes below elite level, especially in athletes without an experienced coach.

   What are the Symptoms of Overtraining?

   Symptoms of NFOR and OTS include:

   • Performance decrements
   • Persistent fatigue
   • Alterations in mood
   • Frequent illnesses

   

   The first step when NFOR or OTS are suspected is to refer the athlete to a Doctor to exclude:

   • Organic diseases
   • Infections
   • Negative energy balance
   • Iron deficiency
   • Magnesium deficiency
   • Allergies
   • Insufficient sleep
   • Chronic fatigue syndrome

   If all of these are negative NFOR or OTS are the most likely diagnosis.

   How do I treat overtraining?

   If the athlete presents with a brief history of NFOR complete rest is recommended in the short term and the athlete is advised to get as much sleep as possible over the next 48hrs.

   If OTS has developed treatment might take weeks or months and consists of rest, attention to dietary and fluid intake and psychological support.

   

   Prevention: the 4 Hs

   Awareness of NFOR and OTS is the one of the most important component of prevention. Monitoring for the conditions is an important task for coaches and athletes alike.

   The most effective means of monitoring for NFOR and OTS is self-analysis by the athlete. For a quick assessment for NFOR or OTS the coach and athlete should look out for the four H’s.

   The well-adjusted athlete should be:

   • Healthy (no more than the usual number of infections)
   • Happy (no unusual mood disturbances)
   • Hungry
   • Horny (normal libido)

   The athlete could keep a daily logbook in which he/she records:

   • Training details
   • Athlete’s comment on training – enjoyment, coping
   • Wellbeing ratings (1-7) – fatigue, stress, quality of sleep, muscle soreness, mood
   • Causes for stress and/or dissatisfaction
   • Illness, injury, menstruation (female)

   Summary

   The two most important components of prevention of NFOR and OTS are awareness of the problem and maintenance between training load and recovery.

   Athletes who coach themselves are far more likely to be affected by NFOR or OTS. The support of an experienced coach or training partner is one of the best means of maximising performance and avoiding NFOR and OTS.

   • Free ebook: “The athlete’s guide to overtraining“
   • Free training logs and planners

4. How to Eat a Big Elephant

   10th December 2015 3:19 pm 10 Comments

   “It’s a big elephant: you can’t eat it all at once.”

   This sums up trying to get a sports team fit in season: there is so much to do, so little time, so many variables. A seasonal plan will help you.

   “How can I get my team fit?” is a question I tried to answer yesterday on the CPD day with the Level 1 and Level 2 S&C coaches.

   Start with a Needs Analysis.

   • What are the requirements of the sport?
   • How much time do I have?
   • What are the position needs?
   • What facilties do I have?
   • What level are my players at now?
   • What does the technical/ tactical training stimulate already?

   These were just some of the questions that we looked at. Then we rapidly realised that this was quite a daunting task, so we broke it down to “Need to do versus Nice to do” (Gambetta).

   The goals then become more manageable, we just have to plan that in and around the training.

   Fitting it all in.

   I then showed some example plans of how to fit in the different components of fitness that are needed. This includes using warm ups, small sided games, pre-match training, home training, and gym training.

   Time is precious and should not be wasted. If a fitness component is being developed in games and team training, then there is no need to work on it seperately. This will overload the players and is a waste of time.

   Developing aspects of fitness such as speed, power and strength, as well as maximal anaerobic qualities is best done in specific sessions. Balance, control, flexibility, agility and aerobic qualities can be developed in team training sessions with judicious use of warm ups and session planning.

   Maintaining what?

   The idea of a 6 week pre-season training and then in season “maintenance” was brought up. I questioned how players could maintain a quality they haven’t developed. We looked at detraining time frames and how the in-season training must develop fitness because the pre-seasons are so short.

   I favour 14-21 day microcycles within a 2 month training block. Each micro cycle has a major emphasis with a minor emphasis. This then either repeats and extends over the course of the year, or is followed by a complementary microcycle that allows different fitness aspects to develop.

   This depends on competition schedules and what the team is trying to peak towards. For school athletes this has to be adapted according to term times and factor in exam schedules too.

   Longer microcycles mean that components that are not being developed go backwards in a hurry. It also allows the components to:

   1. Stimulate
   2. Adapt
   3. Stabilise
   4. Actualise (Dan Pfaff)

   (Sports that have one major component may consider using Block Periodisation.)

   The sesson plan.

   By this time, heads were spinning, and brains melting down (especially mine), so we moved outside and I coached two sample sessions: one strength based and one speed based. They were planned incorporating the 4 cornerstones of training.

   

   This was the first time these coaches had actually been coached by me, so I wanted to show how I incorporate the principles in practice. Each session was 30 minutes, purely for demonstration purposes, but there was little waste.

   Monitoring and evaluating.

   The coaches were asking lots of questions as we went along, and I was happy to answer them: the downside being that we were behind schedule. We touched on the difficulty of monitoring in season. It is important to collect and use the right data without becoming “random number gatherers” (Kelvin Giles)

   This is going to be our focus as part of our community of practice before our next session in 2013. We will share the ides discussed as a group.

   The coaches gave some really useful feedback at the end of the day; including ideas for future workshops. They were challenging me and my knowledge and practice which is helpful I was encouraging them to connect the dots not just collect them.

   You can’t eat an elephant in one sitting, just take it one bite at a time.

   This was the second in our series of CPD events that are exclusive to coaches who have completed the Level 1 or Level 2 Strength and Conditioning Coaching Course with us.

5. Becoming a strength and conditioning coach

   12th November 2015 10:57 am 2 Comments

   Quickest way to become an S&C coach

   

   Excelsior athletes warming up

   I had some e-mail correspondence yesterday with someone interested in Coaching athletes. They were looking for short cuts to working with top level athletes.

   Keith Morgan, my strength coach, gave me some sound advice years ago when he said

   “get a group of young athletes, work with them and you will develop as they develop.”

   I was thinking this yesterday when talking to someone else about the Level 3 S&C course. It is difficult to develop as a coach if you are working with funded athletes who are at the mercy of arbitrary decisions as to where and when they train.

   You may see someone for 3-6 months, then not again for a year, or not at all again. How does the athlete progress with these gaps? How do you as a coach progress if you can not see how your work is affecting the athletes over the long term?

   Vern Gambetta talks about having 20 years experience- or doing 1 year 20 times over. If you are constantly having to work with a new influx of athletes, you may become very good at doing the same thing each time, but you are not progressing.

   In New Zealand, some school rugby coaches start of with their team at 12-13 years old and then keep the same team as they progress through the age groups. When the kids graduate from school, the coaches go and coach the next lot of 12-3 year olds. This way you are working with players for 4-5 years and can actually help them develop.

   In this country it is seen as a promotion if you work with under-16s instead of under14s, but it is a very short term in approach.

   

   4 of our young gymnasts

   Frank Dick always said that you want your best Coaches working with your beginner athletes so that they can gain good habits at an early stage. I am lucky enough to have worked with one group for 3 years and am really seeing the results.

   It constantly amazes me that people with no experience at either playing or coaching want to work with elite athletes as if that was the pinnacle of success.

   There are hundreds of teams and athletes in the UK that are crying out for good advice at lower levels, plenty of opportunity to help them and gain experience as a coach, but not many people want to work with them in an S&C role because it is beneath them.

   I think that they will get a rude awakening if they do actually come into contact with some hairy-arsed veteran players.

6. 5 tips on how to get started in S&C Coaching

   3rd November 2015 5:55 pm 10 Comments

   I am constantly asked on the best ways to get started in Strength & Conditioning Coaching. This post will helpfully answer most queries and help you on your way, even if there are few paid S&C jobs at the end!

   Understand what it is to be a Coach first

   The discipline in which you Coach is of secondary importance to your ability to Coach.

   • Do you naturally share information with others?
   • Do you communicate well with people outside of your own peer group?
   • Do you have an innate desire to help other people fulfil their potential?

   If so, then Coaching could be for you.

   Learn your trade before looking for S&C jobs:

   Advice from my old weightlifting coach Keith Morgan.

   

   Earn their trust

   I am often asked “what qualifications have you got that let you do your job?” It is not about the qualifications (although a sound scientific and practical knowledge base is invaluable), it is about learning and understanding the coaching process.

   What works, what doesn’t; when and how to apply different aspects of training; developing your own coaching philosophy and style; learning to work in adverse conditions and environments; working with different coaches and athletes and abilities; trying out things on yourself.

   Coming straight from University, it is unlikely that you will have this depth and breadth of knowledge. Similarly, reading a book, or a list of journal articles, and never having applied them, will not prepare you for coaching hairy arsed warriors on a cold Thursday night in December.

   Gerald Ratner (he of the jewellers) said the same thing. He said that he draws on his experience gained on the Market Stalls when he was 15. He said that some chief executives of retail companies have never worked on the shop floor- and it shows.

   Here are my 5 tips:

   1. Research the Coaching opportunities available to you. 90% of Coaching in the UK is part time and unpaid. 80,000 level 1 football Coaches are “qualified” every year, but there are very few people making a living from Coaching football. S&C Coaching is very much smaller than that, so have realistic expectations and paid S&C jobs rarer still.
   2. Start small and start local. The sooner you start the practice of Coaching the better. Self reflection, the learning from mistakes, the networking with other Coaches are all essential parts of becoming a successful Coach. Local teams, clubs and schools will trip over themselves to accept if you offer free help.  30 weeks of working on a Tuesday and Thursday night in the cold and dark will soon make you realise if you are cut out for it or not. Better to learn that way and for free sooner rather than later.
   3. Be careful what courses you pay for. Paying £000’s to sit in a University for 3-4 years, without any practical experience, being taught by lecturers who have very limited Coaching experience is not the way to become a good Coach. It may be part of it, but remember that Universities are businesses and they are competing for customers. Similarly, going on a 2 day kettlebell instructors training course is not much help either.
   4. Learn, learn, learn. Libraries and the Internet are great resources for learning. You tube is great if you aren’t sure of an exercise. You need to be reading all the time. Books are better than the internet because it takes time to acquire and direct the knowledge.The problem is filtering all that information which is why it is useful to…
   5. Find a mentor. Learn from someone who has been there, done that and made thousands of mistakes. I pick the brains of 3-4 people whom I trust and have helped me along the way. All are vastly more experienced than I am.  They can point you in the right direction of which books and journals to read, which courses to attend and help you with problems that are bound to crop up.

   Strength and conditioning at University

   

   Practical work on level 1 course

   I recently delivered a 30 min talk to sports science undergraduates on S&C jobs and careers. I tried to emphasise the fact that you are a coach, and therefore need to work on your coaching skills. Some of this can be done in a theoretical manner, but I honestly believe that you have to get your feet wet and start to coach. You can then reflect on your performance, adapt what you do, try again and hopefully improve.

   There seemed to be a “what course can I go on to get a certificate?“mentality. Well, the course should help you understand underlying coaching principles, it should help you with the technical aspects, and it should allow you to coach and reflect and get feedback on your performance. That way you learn and develop.

   There are some certifications out there that cost a lot of money, but fail to help you develop. There really are no shortcuts, best start straight away and become a better coach incrementally. There are few paying S&C jobs out there, so you had best love the coaching.

   I have redesigned our S&C coaching courses to better reflect the needs of sports coaches. They wanted a 1 day course introducing Athletic Development principles, then to add modules of learning on specific topics.

   They have proved very popular and I am delighted to be able to help the coaches help their teams.

   Further reading:

   • What a level 1 strength and conditioning course entails.
   • What experience do I need to be an S&C coach?
   • How not to get a job in strength and conditioning

7. Willand Sports Day 1898-1926

   11:11 am Leave a Comment

   Willand’s History as an Athletic Centre

   It is hard to believe now, but Willand used to host one of the foremost events in the Westcountry’s sporting calendar.

   Between 1898 and 1926, with a six year break for the First World War, the famous Willand Sports – which included cycling, ‘foot’ and horse racing – attracted top sportsmen from across southern England and Wales, and at its peak drew crowds of over 6,000.

   James Morrison of the Willand History Group has kindly researched and written this guest post. 

   Early days of Willand Sports

   

   Advert for 1899 sports day

   In the late-1800s most rural parishes put on a modest event every August, perhaps a fete, gymkhana, flower show or athletic sports. After some initial scepticism about whether it would be too ambitious, in 1898 villagers in Willand organised a sports day.

   It was held in the grounds of Somerville House, where a grass track was cut and rolled for the running and bicycle races – roughly where Somerville Park now is – and a course for the horse racing was cut through the surrounding fields.

   There were ‘local’ and ‘open’ races, with categories for boys and girls, men and women, and many of the races employed a system of handicapping to ensure maximum entertainment at the finish. Even the elderly were catered for with a ‘walking race for local men aged over 60’; in 1899 the overeager 67-year-old Tom Bass was ‘disqualified for running’, so handing victory to his younger and more restrained brother, 65-year-old John Bass.

   Indeed, several events were included for the sheer potential for mishap and amusement.

   The second sports included a half-mile obstacle race that required competitors to run half a lap of the track to collect their bicycles, which they then had to wheel backwards to the start line, where they had to put on a top hat, light a cigarette and then ride a lap of the track with the cigarette remaining alight.

   The programme of horse racing was similarly enlivened by the popular donkey race. This press description of the 1909 race gives a flavour of proceedings:

   

   Willand Donkey race 1910

   “On the signal for the start being given some of the Neddies remained firm; others rushed off at a fair pace and then came to sudden stops with unpleasant consequences to their riders, who came sprawling to the ground.

   When the race was half over friends of the riders rushed on to the course to try and get the donkeys to go quicker; they were soon ordered off by the stewards.  A donkey named ‘March Past’, belonging to Mr Coleman, of Cullompton, had in the meantime been making the running and maintaining its lead, won easily.

   Mr Salter’s ‘Maggie’ another Cullompton donkey, signalled its winning the second prize by kicking up its heels as it passed the judge …  After the race had been won a couple of the donkeys, which had so far shown no disposition to race, started off at a good pace.”

   Willand’s serious sportsmen

   

   Sports prize money

   While spectators and competitors alike came to Willand Sports for entertainment, often as a welcome break from tough and monotonous working lives, the serious cycle, running and horse races were keenly contested.

   This was not least due to the generous prize money on offer, which increased from £20 in 1898 to £180 by the 1920s and encouraging competitors to come from all around the country.

   In 1910, for example, cyclists came from as far away as Wisbech in Cambridgeshire and Spalding in Lincolnshire, such was the reputation of Willand Sports.

   Local sportsmen were also keen to compete. Two days before the inaugural sports, local cyclist Frank Sanders had been putting in the hours out on his bike, when he collided with a donkey and cart and was thrown from his cycle, breaking his collar bone in two places – traffic hazards being a familiar problem for training cyclists, though there are probably fewer donkey and carts around today.

   One of the ‘champions’ of the Willand Sports was cyclist ‘Jesse’ James Marshall, a builder who lived in Willand ‘old’ village. He dominated the local cycling races for a number of years and once famously won the open competition against some of southern England’s top cyclists.

   

   Cyclists training in Willand 2015

   His triumphs occasionally courted controversy, such as in 1899 when he was declared winner of the 5 mile bicycle race (30 laps of the track).

   Of the 12 starters, five had dropped out by the last mile, with Marshall leading for much of the race. Then, in an exciting finish, he was overtaken by two rivals at the line – one was from Bradfield, the other from Cullompton.

   However, Marshall was declared the winner because the two non-Willanders were judged to have been a lap behind (accurate recording of laps was a reoccurring issue in the early days). Such was the furore this provoked the race was held again at a later date (the outcome is unknown, pending further research).

   Why was Willand Sports so successful?

   

   Popular family event

   After the unpredicted success of the first sports, with an attendance of over 1,000, Willand Sports went from strength to strength each successive year. The crowds eventually averaged out at around 6,000, and even the six year break for the First World War does not seem to have dented its popularity, with crowds reaching similar numbers in the early-1920s

   There was much contemporary speculation as to how little Willand was able to host such a large and successful event. The main reasons were:

   1. Location, as Willand was at a pivotal point in the local road system, and more importantly the sports ground was only a three minute walk from Tiverton Junction Railway Station. Trains, some specially commissioned for the day, kept the crowds pouring in from all around, and as far away as Bristol and Plymouth.
   2. The organisation and ‘excellent management’ of a ‘businesslike committee’, which of course depended on the hard work and voluntary endeavour of local men an women.
   3. The liberal prize money and an entertaining programme of events that was recognised as the ‘most varied and interesting’ in the region.

   There were other factors at play such as a reputation for good weather and favourable timing; the sports coincided with when many ‘up-country athletes’ were taking their holidays in the Westcountry, and (of concern to many locals) it fell between the hay and corn harvests.

   Then, of course, there were the other entertainments that accompanied the sports. There were beer and food tents, an array of sideshows and fairground rides, including ‘wild beast’ shows, shooting galleries, roundabouts, coconut shies, hoop-la, ‘flip-flaps’, ‘swing boats’ and the steam powered merry-go-rounds that were so popular at the time.

   It was only after the sporting events had concluded that the fairground ‘hurly-burly’ really got going, and then day was rounded off with dancing till late at the Assembly Room at Tiverton Junction.

   The demise of Willand Sports

   In the mid-1920s circumstances began to change for Willand Sports, reflecting broader changes in society. By then just about every neighbouring parish was holding its own August show or sports, so people were spoilt for choice, but, with a worsening economy, had less money to spend on leisure.

   

   Harpitt Close Park 2015

   More specifically, when Somerville House was sold to new owners in 1924, Willand Sports had to change location to ‘Harpitt Park’ – roughly where Harpitt Close now is. This changed the dynamics of the event and even the slightly further walking distance from the railway station made a difference.

   The new location proved to be more conducive to a first rate racecourse, and so horse racing became the ‘outstanding feature’, although perversely this proved to be the sports’ undoing.

   Because of the popularity of the horse racing in 1925, the decision was made to make 1926 exclusively a horse racing event – Willand Races. It was considered a ‘bold departure’, but the committee felt they were “adapting themselves to altered circumstances and catering for what was conceived to be a changed public taste.”

   Unfortunately, the 1926 Willand Races proved a huge disappointment with attendance down to 1,200, a far poorer turnout than even the pessimists had predicted. The lack of variety had deterred the family groups that had once flocked to the sports and it had become an event solely for dedicated  horse racing enthusiasts.

   There was no similar event held the following year, or thereafter. It seems probable the committee recognised that the heyday of popular local sports events encompassing a variety of different sports was over. Even musical tastes had changed: rather than the traditional wind and string bands of Victorian times that had once accompanied the evening’s dancing after the sports, those who attended the 1926 Willand Races ended up dancing the night away to the strains of the Halberton Jazz Band.

   Sources

   The majority of information about Willand Sports, and any quotation featured in the above article, comes from press reports in either the Devon & Somerset Weekly News or the Tiverton Gazette.

   Research into Willand Sports is ongoing and we would love to hear from you if you have any further information, comment or correction.  Please contact James Morrison, Willand History Group on 01884 250057 of jamorrison235@gmail.com.

   

   Excelsior ADC athletes

   Current Athletic Training in Willand

   Fear not interested readers, the Excelsior Athletic Development Club is currently encouraging a resurgence of sporting endeavour. Our young gymnasts, weightlifters and runners all train weekly in Willand.

   We have Regional and International Sports people coming from afar to get expert coaching from Head Coach James Marshall  (no relation to “Jesse” James Marshall the builder!)

8. Trick or Treat? 10 reasons why you are turning your child into an addict.

   26th October 2015 7:33 pm Leave a Comment

   “Irresponsible parenting leads to obesity epidemic after Halloween”

   Jumping on the American Bandwaggon and sending your kids out to Trick or Treat tonight? (Whatever happened to apple bobbing?). You might think that the occasional sweet won’t do any harm, but it is the common sugary foods that could be turning your child into an addict.

   The Sugar Addiction

   • Are you constantly tired and turn to sugar as an energy boost?
   • Do you turn to sugar to improve your mood?
   • Do you become irritable if you haven’t eaten and turn to sugar for a snack?
   • Do you eat high carbohydrate meals (pasta, bread, cereals)?

   If you answer yes to any of these you may be addicted to sugar. With current busy lifestyles we look for energy boosts wherever we can find them so that we can keep going for longer.

   These can come from chocolate, energy drinks, cakes, coffee etc. We end up requiring more hits to maintain the high; this high-low cycle of sugar can make our bodies insulin resistant leading to type 2 diabetes.

   Some people have become addicted to sugar as a result of trying to achieve weight loss. They have bought fat free/low fat foods as part of what they believe to be a balanced diet. However these foods may contain less fat but contain more sugar to improve taste.

   “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” you tell your kids, but only if it is balanced. Unfortunately most breakfast cereals are not healthy (here‘s why) and the early sugar rush leads to more cravings later.

   In order to eat a balanced diet we need to be more diligent with looking at food labels, any sugar has to be clearly labelled (under Carbohydrates). This will include both naturally occurring and added sugars but will give you a good idea of the foods content.

   Top 10 “Healthy Foods” packed with sugar

   1. Cereals – Cereals will promote themselves as being a good source of vitamin D for example, however they don’t show high levels of sugar. Balance the cereal with a source of protein or naturally slow sugar releasing fruit such as an apple.

   2. Fruit juice – Nearly every conceivable fruit juice or fruit drink option is available in supermarkets, to added sugar content choose 100% juice compared to concentrate. Dilute with water when drinking.

   3. Yogurt – Yogurt can be a healthy snack option, but not when it’s loaded with added sugars, those with artificial sweeteners have fewer calories. Plain low-fat yogurt topped with your favorite fruit is your best option. Tesco Low fat natural yogurt contains 7g sugar per 100g serving.

   4. Granola – These may seem a healthy option, however they can be full of trans fats that can increase you risk of heart disease. Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Oats & Berries bars contain 8.7g per 42g serving (2 bars).

   5. Tomato Sauce/ Ketchup – Sugar is a common ingredient in ketchup, but it’s the source that matters. One tablespoon (17g) of Heinz tomato Ketchup contains 4g sugar.

   6. Canned fruit – It’s always a good idea to include more fruit in your diet. Canned fruit can be packed with sugars though if they are in syrup. A healthy option would be fruit canned in water/ natural juice or buying small tubs to hold your fruit in.

   7. Sports drinks & Vitamin water – Vitamin water sold is stores as healthy can contain high levels of sugar, Glaceau Vitamin Water contains 23g per 500ml. Sports drinks can also contain high sugar levels, this could mean you get a sugar spike at the start of a game but then hit a low during the match. (Better to make your own).

   8. Low fat Salad dressing – Light salad dressings replace the fat with sugar. Be sure to check the food label for the amount of sugar in your store-bought dressing. Hellmans Fat Free Salad dressing contains 10.8g per 100ml compared to their Caesar dressing which contains only 3.8g per 100ml.

   9. Smoothies – Many shops promote their smoothies as being healthy, however their products can contain more sugar than coke. Innocent smoothies can contain over 10g per 100ml.

   10. Bread – Breads typically have a touch of sugar added to them. About half of the brands we looked at had about 1 teaspoon of added sugar per slice. Be sure to read the label and ingredients for the types of added sugar.

   Jack Lalanne predicted the future of sugary foods

   Sugar addiction is not a new problem, back in the 1950’s Jack Lalanne confessed to being a sugarholic as a teenager and could see it becoming a prevalent problem in American society.

   He recorded this video back then which is still current today

   Summary

   • Pay attention to the food that you eat.
   • Be aware that “low fat” often means “high sugar”.
   • Have some protein and fruit/ vegetables at every meal.
   • Drink water as your first choice.
   • Don’t go Trick or Treating.

   The NHS provide a great free “sugar swap” series of ideas.

   Duncan Buckmaster        

9. Teaching and coaching: thoughts from Lombardi

   14th October 2015 8:35 am 2 Comments

   Show, Do, Teach

   I mentioned this yesterday on the SW Fencing hub when asked by a coach how I structure my sessions.

   When coaching groups I try to structure the session like this:

   • Show: me demonstrate, (or the best technical person in the room) with only essential cues.
   • Do: The athletes have a go and feel what it is like. I may add 1 or 2 more cues depending on my observation.
   • Teach: They work in pairs and observe each other and offer cues/ feedback.

   (I got this simple premise from  Ed Thomas, as well as “precision, variety and progression”).

   This then lead to a discussion about coaching styles and the dreaded p word: pedagogy!

   Vince Lombardi again

   As the Green Bay Packers won yesterday, I thought I would quote the legendary Vince Lombardi

   “They call it coaching, but it is teaching. You do not tell them it is so, but you show them the reasons why it is so, and you repeat and you repeat until they are convinced, until they know.”
   and:
   “We concentrate on the ‘whys’. I never tell a player ‘This is my way, now do it’. Instead I say, ‘This is the way we do it, and this is why we do it.”

   This is essential stuff. But first the Coach must be very clear in their own mind why they are doing things.

   That is why having a sound underpinning of knowledge is essential before you start delivering.

   Best to deliver what you know, and make it fun, than try and copy someone else without having a real understanding of what you are trying to do.

   Read more about fencing fitness.

10. The best weightlifting book: a review

    8th October 2015 9:31 am 1 Comment

    What are the best books to read about Olympic Weightlifting?

    It depends on whether you are a lifter or a coach, and whether you are new or experienced. It might be that you are just interested to learn about the sport. You might be looking for technical information, or for a programme to follow. Here are 7 books I have recently read and used to some degree, it might help you choose the best weightlifting book

    Skilful Weightlifting: John Lear. Paperback £7.95

         I got this book from my coach Keith Morgan back in 2002 and I still refer to it now. The book starts off with a brief summary of the rules, what kit might be needed and then a section on biomechanics.

    It has very clear instructions on how to perform the lifts, with cues for each part of them. It gives advice for coaches on how to manage beginner lifters and what are the key areas to look out for.

    There are clear diagrams and pictures throughout, which I find useful to show to my lifters (who are amused by the old school outfits). After the technical section, there is information on assistance exercises and how to fit them into your programme.

    There is a section on programmes for 16-18-year-olds, more advanced lifters and also a 5 day a week programme for those who are unable to lift twice a day! This is clear information, set out in loads and sometimes %s. I would say that the youth programme lacks variation, which may be necessary to keep them interested and also to expose them to different aspects of the lifting.

    However, this is a very good book, easy to read, contains enough relevant information, a great place to start.

    The Weightlifting Encyclopedia: A Guide to World Class Performance. Arthur Drechsler paperback £30.88

    A great book that was recommended to me by Ray Williams.  It has 11 chapters and 4 appendices that cover just about everything you need to know about weight lifting ranging from technique to equipment to programming.

    More to the point, it is extremely well written. Dreschler draws on his own experiences and uses anecdotes to illustrate his points. When dispelling myths about ‘Secret Soviet methods’, he writes:

    ‘Exotic food supplements, restoration methods and plyometrics are just some examples of these supposed “secrets”. The results have been indigestion, lighter wallets and sore knees.‘

    Dreschler analyses several different popular training systems and gives a fair account of what works in each and what is its downfall: pyramiding, circuit training, super sets, as well as those by popular coaches, Dan Hepburn, John Davis and Paul Anderson. This depth gives a great oversight and context for the information that follows.

    There are detailed chapters on the classic lifts and a very good chapter on supplemental lifts and their relevance/ usefulness/transfer to the classic lifts. The section on competition preparation and cycling is good and then an excellent section on how to coach at a competition. There also chapters on dealing with injuries, psychological preparation and advice for the junior, female and masters weight lifter.

    The highlight for me was the section on periodisation: Dreschler takes apart the classic periodisation model and the studies that advocate it. This book was written in 1998, but the advice about periodisation stands up now:

    ‘It is simple, easy and foolproof; to make an impressive plan, just pile on the volume and exercises during the preparatory period and cut things back during the competitive period, and you will have a plan that looks good on paper.‘

    It is rare to see such a detailed book that is both readable, informative and practical as well as brimming full of research and applicable coaching philosophy in any sport. One of the best coaching books that I have read.

    Olympic Style Weightlifting for the Beginner and Intermediate Weightlifter: Jim Schmitz paperback $16:95

    This is basically a set of programmes for 1 year of training for those new to weightlifting, or returning from a layoff. The book’s strengths are its description of the assistance exercises and how the programme is laid out.

    It is designed around a 3 days a week programme, with each week being on one A4 page which is easy to follow in practice. This does mean that some of the sessions are quite long: over 90 minutes, so be prepared to spend some longer sessions in the gym.

    It starts off with very simple programmes for the first 8 weeks, then progresses to the more varied programme which introduces different assistant exercises as well as increasing the load. In total there are 66 different exercises used.

    The technical information is limited to a few paragraphs on the major lifts and the quality of the photos is poor. The layout of the book is functional to put it nicely but is basically photocopied sheets bound together.

    This book is best for those who have an existing technical understanding of the lifts but want some idea of how to plan their year. It does that well.

    The Weightlifting Book; Tamas Feher pdf £29.95

    

    James doing split jerk

    This is a very technical book and covers more than just weightlifting. It looks at the overall coaching process as well as talent identification for WL. The book starts with detailed information on training methods, anatomy and physiology and then training processes.

    It then moves to an in-depth analysis of the major lifts and their variations. This includes foot positions, hip and back angles and descriptions of how the different muscles are working at each phase. The accompanying pictures are clear but very small.

    The next section is about strength development, followed by planning of loads and intensity, then overtraining and how to avoid it. These are well-written and in-depth. The sections on technical coaching for beginners, coaching philosophy and implementation are excellent.

    The training planning and training programmes are more difficult to read. Feher is Hungarian, and they use a system where numbers replace the names of the exercises. This results in the programme looking like this:

    In a normal book, it might be ok to flick backwards and forwards to see what you are doing, but in a pdf, it is just too laborious. The pdf format is the downfall of this book: I avoid screen time when not working, and carrying my laptop around in the gym is precarious. The other books I can just pull off a shelf and put in my bag, or keep them in the gym for reference. This one is strictly for reference only.

    There is a dedicated section on coaching females and another one on the role of the coach. Both of these contain very useful information and philosophies. I am unable to comment on the efficacy of the programmes (Still waiting for Bletchley Park to crack the codes), but the detail of the information around them is excellent.

    This book is strictly for coaches only.

    Preparing for Competition Weightlifting: David Webster Paperback 1 penny.

    This book is from 1986 by the then Scottish Coach. It has some useful technical points, with good illustrations in the opening section. This is the only place that I have seen a weightlifting coach advise that the double knee bend should be coached specifically. Every other WL coach I have met, trained with or read has said to avoid doing that (the UKSCA offers a different opinion, but they are not weightlifters).

    Webster offers some useful insights into Eastern European and Soviet training methodologies: remember this was written before the fall of the Iron Curtain and YouTube. He also looks at annual planning and preparation. He borrows heavily from his friend John Jesse (Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia) and so circuit-based training and interval runs feature prominently.

    At 1 penny, how can you complain? But this book was strictly one of curiosity and historical context with a few useful points.

    Weightlifting Programming A Winning Coach’s Guide: Bob Takano Paperback £20.92

    (Thanks to Topsy Turner for the loan).

    A well-written, well-laid-out book that makes a huge difference to this reader’s experience. Takano offers a unique perspective at the beginning, looking at the Human Body and training systems from a Biology teacher’s viewpoint.

    There is almost no technical information on the lifts in this book. Instead, it concentrates on how to develop programmes for different categories of lifters and explains the underlying rationale. The categories are:

    • Class 3 (85kg lifter Total 170kg)
    • Class 2 (85kg lifter Total 195kg)
    • Class 1 (85kg lifter Total 225kg)
    • Candidate for Master of Sport (85kg lifter Total 255kg)
    • Master of Sport (85kg lifter Total 295kg)
    • International Master of Sport (85kg lifter Total 365kg)

    The 85kg male lifter gives you an idea of how the classes progress. Takano then devotes a chapter to the programming of each class, followed by a 20-week sample programme from his club athletes. This is very well laid out, easy to follow and well explained. I am unable to verify the efficacy of these programmes, having only class 3 lifters at our Weightlifting Club at present. But, I do like how the categories are subdivided beyond beginner, intermediate and advanced.

    The chapter on regeneration is insightful, categorising the different types of restorative methods available. I think Tom Kurz in “Science of sports training” is the other book that covers this well. The nutrition section is very short and lacking in helpful real information, talking about macronutrients, rather than food.

    The book finishes on the role of the coach and a call to action for coaches who want to improve what they do. Overall, it does what it says in the title, and it does it very well. One for club coaches I think, and a resource to use over time.

    The Sport of Olympic-Style Weightlifting: Carl Miller with Kim Alderwick. Paperback £30

    

    Carl Miller book

    An A4 size book with 118 pages of text and charts, no images. The subtitle is “Training for the connoisseur“, It has an interesting start, looking at identifying different limb and torso ratios and giving advice on how to adjust the lifts accordingly.

    Miller then briefly summarises Selye’s work on stress and adaptation, before devoting the next few chapters to training programmes. There is minimal technical advice here, just overviews of programmes and a list of exercises that should be included.  This part of the book is weak and is done better elsewhere.

    The last part of the book is based on weightlifting competition preparation including nutrition advice for making weight and mindset. This is better. I especially like this section on coaching at a competition:

    “Any words should be simple and meaningful. Don’t clutter your mind with a lot of thought. You want a few cues that will allow things to happen automatically. 

    In the heat of the competition, only basic, familiar prompts are meaningful. The rest goes in one ear and out the other.”

    Applies to every other sport too!

    I got lent this by Topsy, but would have felt aggrieved at shelling out 30 quid for this. Guess I am no connoisseur!

    Summary

    These are the 7 books that I have read on the subject. If you have any further recommendations, then please comment below. For more technical information, I did enjoy reading Jim Schmitz’s series of articles here.

    • Our Weightlifting Club is based in Willand, Devon.  Please contact me if you are interested (details at the top of the page).
    • Read more: Best books for sports coaches