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. Have you got the 4 cornerstones of your training programme in place?

   3rd September 2012 8:20 am

   Any training programme for sport should consist of the following areas:

    

    

    

    

    

   Preparation: Either planning, warming up, or getting ready to train.

   5 Comments | Read More | amazatron, overtraining

2. Blind Football: Training for the Paralympics

   31st August 2012 2:22 pm

   Blind Football tournament starts today in the Paralympics.

   I have had the pleasure of working with 3 of the team: Dan James (Sighted Goalkeeper) Keryn Seal  and Robin Williams in their build up to the tournament.

   Dan James is preparing for his second Olympics. 6 years ago Dan was on TASS funding and we were preparing for the Beijing.

   1 Comment | Read More | uk school games

3. Coaching Legends: Learning from the best.

   1st August 2012 9:08 am

   Standing on the shoulders of giants.

   I spent Monday in the presence of some Coaching giants: Frank Dick, Bill Sweetenham and Vern Gambetta at the Global Coaches House.

   0 Comments | Read More | beetroot supplements, cricket, equestrian

4. Greg Longden – 16th Place at Youth Olympics

   26th July 2012 3:22 pm

   Well done to Excelsior athlete Greg Longden who came 16th at the Youth Olympics in Modern Pentathlon.

   This is a great result for Greg and is the result of some hard work over the last 2 years.

   Greg is pictured here with Coach Drew Wilsher and  fellow pentathlete Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe,

   I expect Greg to announce his retirement soon!

   0 Comments | Read More | modern pentathlon

5. Modern Pentathlon World Championships

   3:09 pm

   
   

   2 Comments | Read More | modern pentathlon

6. How to stay fit in the summer holidays

   25th July 2012 10:15 am

   Summer Holidays are meant for fun.

   But, you don’t want to turn up for school or matches that start in September  out of shape.

   As a young athlete, you will benefit from variety and fun.

   You don’t need to be flogged with senior players, nor do you want to get bored. 

   0 Comments | Read More | Athletic Training system, GAIN V

7. Lessons learnt in strength and conditioning: Diary of an Intern

   6th July 2012 7:04 pm

   So a year has almost passed now for my Internship with Excelsior and I have learnt many lessons and valuable information that I will take on with me throughout my career.

   3 points learnt:

   Running technique – I have never looked into running technique as thoroughly as I have with James. It’s been fascinating learning each phase and how to make the whole motion energy efficient. It’s helped my own running and I have passed this newly learnt skill onto some of my gymnasts and clients too.

   0 Comments | Read More | pre-season. strength training

8. Strength and Conditioning: Putting the Athlete first.

   4th July 2012 1:36 pm

   3 weeks ago I went to Houston for GAINV, a conference for Athletic Development Coaches, Strength and Conditioning coaches, Physical Education Teachers, Athletic Trainers, Physiotherapists, Track and Field Coaches and various other professions.

   Run by Vern Gambetta, it was an intensive 5 days of learning in the classroom, on the track and in the gym. The theme was “Coaching” and it was a masterclass in how to organise an event and share information and ideas.

   1 Comment | Read More | plyometrics, robust, roller derby

9. Common Tennis Injuries

   29th June 2012 9:22 am

   Tennis doesn’t have to cause an injury

   The demands of tennis mean that all areas of the body are put under repeated pressures and therefore susceptible to injury. Although a non-contact sport, the asymmetrical nature of the sport and need to adapt to the changeable court surfaces will increase the injury risk.

   5 Comments | Read More | star trek, strength training.

10. How to get fit for tennis

    27th June 2012 9:27 am

    On Monday we looked at the demands of tennis, now we look at putting that into practice. With a nation inspired by British hopes at Wimbledon, start getting fit now.

     How can I get fit for tennis?

    Start with flexibility and build from there. Every player needs to have a foundation of mobility and flexibility to build upwards from. This needs to be worked on regularly, not something that is done once a week or when you feel tight.

    1 Comment | Read More | fat metabolism, jack Dempsey, star trek, talent id