Blog
Teaching Games in Primary School
Last week, a Primary School teacher told me of their experience teaching tag rugby to year 3s (7-8-year-olds), ‘We practised passing down the line a lot but, when it came to the game, they didn’t know what to do.’ Compare that to the advice given by the Department of Education and Science: ‘At about nine…
Read MoreWhat is the best way to lose weight and get fit for parents?
Parents are keen to get healthy In the last month, I have been asked by three different parents of young athletes ‘what is the best way to lose weight and get fit?’ Excelsior Athletic Development Club was set up to help young people develop their athleticism and skills but adults wanting to get fit have…
Read MoreHow to start weightlifting pt3: your first competition
Your first weightlifting competition. Entering your first competition is a big step for every weightlifter. Every single Olympic weightlifter has had to enter as a beginner at some point. Whilst you may not be able to control your nerves, and you can’t control what the other entrants are lifting, you can prepare yourself by eliminating…
Read MoreFree the children
Have you been to a zoo recently? You might see a collection of animals behind bars. They have some space to roam but, for the likes of the speedy cheetahs, not enough to get up to full speed and hunt. They were born to do this. I have written previously about the stunted development of…
Read MoreBook review: How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil.
It’s rare nowadays that I add a book to my recommended reading list. Not because I don’t read much, it’s mainly because of a lot of rehashed ideas that are repackaged and branded as new. Not this one. Subtitled, ‘A Scientist’s Guide to Our Past, Present and Future,’ Smil does an excellent job of covering…
Read MoreImprove your coaching through storytelling.
Ever wondered why you aren’t getting through to your athletes or peers? You have listed the references, provided the data, and shown a few charts, just like your undergraduate lecturers told you to. They would be proud. Professor Bill McGuire, of UCL, said this, ‘Scientific papers, however well-written, rarely carry the emotional weight of a…
Read MoreWhy movement is important for your child’s brain development
In his book, Livewired, neuroscientist David Eagleman illustrates how the neurons in our brains look similar to plants with roots. Like plants (or kittens), those that are enriched grow more than those that are deprived. Children who are exposed to a limited form of movement, such as treadmills, exercise bikes and machine weights, will develop…
Read MoreIs there such a thing as sport specific training?
The (insert sport here) specific agility programme
Or, endurance, or power or speed and so on.This is what is advertised, and it is what sports people want. Basketball specific, tennis specific and so on. But the question I always have is.
Is it Athlete specific?
Whether you are running after a rugby ball, basketball or tennis ball, the initial start is the same. Recently working on some fundamental movements with athletes from different sports has been interesting. Not only are some sports more open minded, but also athletes within those sports.
Read MoreLessons learned from Lockdown PE
After filming 72 PE videos over the last year, here are some thoughts. To paraphrase Admiral Ackbar in ‘Return of the Jedi’: “It’s a wrap”! Our final PE video was filmed and edited last week: #72. We initially started by planning only nine when I first contacted Willand Primary School 50 weeks ago. None of…
Read MorePrimary School PE in Lockdown 3
The Prime Minister announced Lockdown 3 at just after 8 pm on Monday night. At 0551 on Tuesday morning I had an email from Miss Hawkins, the Head Teacher at Willand Primary School, asking me if I would produce some more PE videos. ‘Of course,’ I replied. So, here we are again. Another series of…
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