Blog
NFL Draft and the combine
Does the NFL combine predict future playing performance?
The NFL draft happens later this month- for geeks like me it is quite exciting to see who the Green Bay Packers recruit.
As a coach it is amazing to see how much emphasis is put on the combine results and the fitness scores that happen there.
Read MoreFront Squat vs Back Squat: which is better?
Squatting is essential for female athletes
Assistant coach Fran Low was an experienced hockey player when she started working with Excelsior.
However, she had never done squats. Part of her role was to research the difference between front and back squats. Here are the results:
Read MoreWhat does Jack Wilshere have in common with a Dinosaur?
They both suffer from stress fractures!
Poor old Jack Wilshere will be watching the Champion’s League Final from the comfort of his own home this week.
Could he have helped Arsenal get to the final if he hadn’t suffered from a stress fracture in training?
Read MoreReverse engineering the Olympic Lifts
Beware of the “research” about Weight Lifting
If you have invested heavily in researching the Olympic lifts and read research conducted on mediocre athletes or sports science students over a 6 week period, then you may have to justify their use at all times.
Read MoreA different perspective on warm ups – Diversity and Variety.
“The purpose of the warm up is to prepare the body and mind for the activity to follow”.
That is my general explanation on what we are trying to achieve in a warm up.
Currently you might conduct our warm ups on physiological terms-
Read MoreFlexibility Training
As part of the Excelsior Sports Training Programme, I did a joint workshop with 
Sarah Marshallyesterday on flexibility training. We had 30 young athletes doing 90 minutes of flexibility training.
The format was:
Read MoreStrongman Training with Glenn Ross
Grip is a tough thing to train. “A shin bone takes 4 hours to cook” according to Glenn Ross, and the forearm is just as tough. Grip can be trained specifically 3 times a week, at the end of your normal workout.
Read MoreHow can I increase intrinsic motivation?
Get the vibe right and intrinsic motivation will follow
I was training 3 athletes in the gym a couple of weeks ago, they were doing one of my usual warm ups, no music, no shouting, no distractions.
The three were focussed and busy. Another coach walked in, and said
“I wish I was training now, rather than earlier, there is a good Vibe.”
Read MoreTop 5 tips for Cricket fitness
With the Ashes about to start all eyes will be on the England Cricket team and their desire to beat the Aussies in their own back yard.
I am currently working with a lot of young cricketers and there are some common themes that run through their training.
Read More10 questions you should ask before training
“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).
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