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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James Marshall

1. how to look beneath the headlines.

   21st September 2009 6:02 am

   I got this idea from the Bad science blog- but a lot of the same principles apply to looking at research in sport and headline banners about amino acids making your testicles grow larger.

   This article is an excellent read by Dr Alicia White and the points should be borne in mind when perusing the men’s healthy fitness type magazines.

   http://www.bazian.com/pdfs/HowToReadANewsStory_vers03_26Nov08.pdf

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2. Fitness Targets

   14th September 2009 8:18 am

   A couple of simple targets I have been working on with some athletes:

   100 rope skips in 30 seconds- a basic start to show competency.
   Then try to do 200 skips in 1 minute.

   If you are turning the rope at that frequency, it becomes a useful conditioning tool. This is a simple number that the athletes can go away and work towards.
   

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3. Garbage Yardage

   9th September 2009 5:40 am

   This is a phrase given to me by a swimming coach – Alan reed- I work with. It refers to work being done with little or no end result except work. There is no purpose to the session, any results or transference to an improved results are purely by chance, rather than design.
   

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4. Weight training for sprinters

   4th September 2009 10:58 am

   How to get faster using weights.

   Following on from Frans Bosch’s seminar on running biomechanics, I have been paying a lot more intention to actions within the gym.

   The frontal plane, double knee bend society will tell you that all you need to do to get faster is lift more weight on a platform.

   0 Comments | Read More | superbowl, tommy baker

5. Usain Bolt / Glen Mills interview part 3

   22nd August 2009 6:44 am

   Here is part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5FOG9SWEyk&feature=PlayList&p=E1FDBD29A51A757C&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=36

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6. Usain Bolt/ Glen Mills interview part 2

   21st August 2009 6:41 am

   part 2 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE-N9zSRMYY&feature=PlayList&p=639CEECDF5619C31&index=64

   From a coaching perspective it is interesting to hear Mills talk about fun, variety, but still achieving their goals.
   Also how he plans and adjusts his plans according to circumstances.
   Mill states that he isn’t afraid to make mistakes, he is learning and trying, it is no big thing to make a mistake.
   

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7. Usain Bolt and Glen Mills on Coaching and Training

   20th August 2009 8:37 pm

   Here is a fascinating interview of Usain Bolt and his Coach Glen Mills.
   Young athletes especially might like to hear how Bolt has worked hard to overcome adversity and maintains a level head despite world wide fame and adulation.
   Part 1:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEQaHQOO7co&feature=PlayList&p=639CEECDF5619C31&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=63

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8. Starting Strength Training 6

   4th February 2009 9:21 am

   When asked to demonstrate a dumbbell exercise recently on a Coaching Course I was running, everybody, and I mean everybody showed me a bicep curl. That is worrying for 2 reasons:

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9. Not too old at 37

   30th January 2009 10:50 am

   

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10. Post Match Recovery Food

    26th January 2009 1:21 pm

    There seems to be a new miracle food which is used as a popular refuelling method (at least here in Devon). Yesterday I saw an under -15 female rugby player using it, her Mum was taking her around the supermarket to find a suitable food and they both went into the car and had one. I know one physiotherapist who uses it as his favourite food stuff in between water polo matches.

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