Blog

Welcome to the Excelsior blog. It is a mix of current research and thoughts on Athlete and Coach Development, Strength and Conditioning and personal reflections.

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Thanks for taking the time to read it.

James Marshall

1. Speed training drills

   26th February 2015 11:32 am

   Why the “High Knees Drill” can make you run slower.

   In answer to this question from Hanni Jonas, who came on one of our strength and conditioning courses:

   “Thanks a lot for the course it was very interesting. Though I was thinking quite a bit of your point about fast feet (high knees)being not really useful for speed training  in the wider context.

   0 Comments | Read More | speed training

2. Speed training – use of hurdles

   11:24 am

   I am often asked what equipment is needed for training speed. I am a bit of a luddite when it comes to such things, thinking that I should develop my own coaching and observation before using gadgets

   0 Comments | Read More | athletics, pliometrics, speed training

3. Strength and conditioning qualifications in the U.K.

   11:20 am

   “You have to work hard at being a coach”

   was my constant refrain over the course of the weekend’s Level 1 Strength and Conditioning course held at Derby University.

   7 Comments | Read More | jack Dempsey, strength and conditioning qualifications

4. Speed Training Exercises

   11:07 am

   “Build the quality, then learn to endure it”

   This month of our internship we have been learning about speed and the most effective ways to train for it writes Matt Durber.

   1 Comment | Read More | speed, speed training

5. The best sport psychology book?

   23rd February 2015 9:14 am

   A discussion we had on the Level 3 Coaching Strength and Conditioning Sport Assessment on Saturday.

   I always share some book ideas with coaches on the courses I deliver. This time the 3 I brought were:

   0 Comments | Read More | book review, sports psychology

6. Strength and conditioning for basketball: some thoughts.

   9th February 2015 9:34 am

   If you think that basketball conditioning should resemble a scene from Coach Carter with repeated running in straight lines, you might be mistaken.

   I am lucky enough to train some good young basketball players. Most of them arrive with some sort of work ethic and overall athleticism.

   1 Comment | Read More | basketball, pliometrics, plyometrics

7. What is the difference between the Yo Yo Tests?

   9:28 am

   Happy National Yo-Yo Day

   The Yo-Yo may have been around for nearly 1000 years, but today a new form of Yo-Yo is a regular fixture in Sport’s coaches’ fitness testing toolbox.

   To celebrate National Yo-Yo Day, Matt Durber looks at the 3 different variations of the yo-yo test.

   2 Comments | Read More | endurance, fitness testing

8. How to get fit for golf

   7th February 2015 3:13 pm

   hese are the 3 aspects of fitness that we have been told to develop with our golfers. Unfortunately, these ideas are alien to most of the young golfers when they arrive at the squad. Despite the fact that most of them are doing either GCSE p.e. or a BTEC in sport and exercise, the lack of knowledge and sound practice is frightening.

   0 Comments | Read More | golf, sports nutrition

9. Weight training for women

   6th February 2015 9:20 am

   Being a woman in the gym!

   (By Fran Low) So I’ve spent the last 4 to 5 months telling you about the challenges that face training female athletes, however I have not once related it to my own experiences.

   When I used to go to the gym I would perform:

   9 Comments | Read More | strength training, women

10. Are you restricted by forms?

    5th February 2015 3:14 pm

    “When one has reached maturity in the art, one will have a formless form. It is like ice dissolving in water. When one has no form, one can be all forms; when one has no style, he can fit in with any style.” Bruce Lee

    1 Comment | Read More | amazatron, equestrian, rowing