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.

Comments are welcome (please leave your name) and you can subscribe by clicking on the RSS feed.

Thanks for taking the time to read it.

James Marshall

1. 10 questions you should ask before training

   21st November 2014 4:15 pm

   “What should I be asking to get the information I need?”

   This excellent question came from Mark, one of the coaches on our last CPD workshop in Devon. You have a blank sheet of paper, you have a new group of athletes: where do you start?

   Here are 10 questions you might want to ask (in no particular order).

   0 Comments | Read More | Coaching, coaching courses

2. 3 reasons to start weight lifting

   11:17 am

   Develop skill with the barbell.
   weight lifting exercisesA knowledgeable and experienced coach is essential!
   There is no substitute for beginning a process of learning to snatch and clean and jerk with someone that knows how and has refined their coaching by teaching novices time and time again.

   3 Comments | Read More | weightlifting

3. How to take charge of your fitness training

   9:50 am

   “If you train hard, you’ll not only be hard, you’ll be hard to beat.”

   Herschel Walker 

   Training hard is one part of fitness training, but any idiot can get tired (or indeed make you tired)!

   I want to give you ideas that will help you get fit for your purpose. 

   That may be to run faster, get stronger or jump higher in your sports arena.

   11 Comments | Read More | goal setting, planning, strength training

4. Is it the shoes? 3 tips to improve your vertical jump.

   17th November 2014 9:17 am

   Basketball players looooove their shoes.  Even NBA players have succumbed to the allure of shiny new shoes that claim to improve your vertical jump. But more than shoes, there are some simple ways of improving your vertical jump (or Vertical in the basketball vernacular).  Get stronger legs. Sounds simple, but improving your overall leg strength […]

   3 Comments | Read More | basketball, plyometrics

5. Is it better to drink water or Lucozade?

   1st November 2014 9:23 am

   “Well is it?”… 

   A frequently asked question. While listening to a speech at a coaching conference recently, I heard that if plain water was cool or sleep could be bottled, you could make a lot more money.

   25 Comments | Read More | hydration, sports nutrition

6. Weightlifting for Throwers

   31st October 2014 3:17 pm

   Does Olympic Weightlifting Help Field Athletes Throw Further?

   This week we have been looking at the overall benefits of Weightlifting for Sports people. Today we shall look at how we need to adapt our training around the lifts to a specific sport: throwing in athletics with guest author Nick Garcia.

   5 Comments | Read More | athletics, weightlifting

7. How to start weightlifting pt2

   27th October 2014 8:35 pm

   The main lifts in weightlifting

   The 2 major exercises are the snatch (pictured right) and the clean and jerk.
   The snatch requires the lifter to pick the bar up from the floor and above their head in one quick action. They then have to stand up from this low position until the judges say that the lift is finished.

   3 Comments | Read More | athletic development, weightlifting

8. How to start weightlifting pt1

   25th October 2014 9:54 am

   “What do I need to start weightlifting?”

   The Excelsior ADC weightlifting club opens next Monday, 3rd November in Willand, Cullompton, Devon.

   This week I shall be posting a series of blogs that will help people understand weightlifting, and how it applies to their sport.

   8 Comments | Read More | weightlifting

9. Willand Rovers FC in F.A. Cup run

   23rd October 2014 10:25 am

   Good luck to the Willand Rovers against Gosport Borough F.C.

   My local village club is doing really well in the F.A. Cup this year, having made it through to the 4th qualifying round. They host Gosport at Silver Street this Saturday.

   Physiotherapist Sarah has been helping the club for the last 18 months, screening and treating the players when injured. They are a great bunch, and remarkably polite for footballers.

   0 Comments | Read More | basketball, confucius quote

10. What is Concurrent Training?

    16th October 2014 9:44 am

    “Should I do weights and cardio in the same session?”

    Traditionally training has been divided into Resistance Training and Aerobic Training.

    0 Comments | Read More |