Blog
Why Parkour should stay out of the Olympics
Parkour as an Olympic Sport? The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has included Parkour as a new gymnastics discipline to be included in the Olympics. This is a concern for all those who enjoy the freedom of expression and creativity that is at the heart of Parkour. Young men running and jumping through the woods is…
Read MoreCreativity in Coaching
So how do we become creative in our coaching? For those of you studying at University, you may be under the impression that there is only one way of doing things. Try to look outside of the parameters of the people who are marking your assignments.
Here are some useful tips to get the ball rolling:
Get some space between you and the daily grind- 15 minutes of non electronic communication\ noise time. It is difficult to be creative with your mind being full of bills\ work\ relationships.
Read MoreHow to develop speed: Gary Winckler
“The hamstrings transfer force from the motor of the butt to the wheels of the foot.”
Tenets of speed development
Athletics coach Gary Winckler delivered an excellent overview on what he thinks is important on developing speed. A lot of the work is similar to what Frans Bosch did a couple of years ago, and he mentioned Bosch’s work a lot.
Read MoreAn A-Level PE strength guide
Working with young athletes, many of whom are P.E. students we are asked the same questions a lot. Here are some answers to a few common ones on strength training.
Read MoreThe Daily Mile: Teachers “Must Try Harder”
Why the Daily Mile should not be mandatory for pupils Two Primary School head teachers have mentioned the “Daily Mile” to me in the last 6 months. The first said he was going to introduce it in his school. The second asked me about it and had concerns because she didn’t want any of the…
Read MoreImproving coaching communication through writing
Coach communication: writing On every coaching course I have attended, the tutor has pointed out the section in the workbook entitled “communication”. There follows a group nodding of heads where every budding coach agrees that “communication is a good thing”. If we are lucky, the tutor might divide communication further into “verbal” and “non-verbal”. We…
Read More5 Tenets of Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Movement is the foundation of sports injury rehabilitation Dr Grace Golden gave an insightful presentation on returning to sporting activity at GAIN 2018. I liked her systematic approach which was well illustrated with video examples. She also had a large amount of creativity and fun involved in her rehabilitation sessions. Coaching the injured athlete Grace…
Read MoreFootball training programme for under-18 player
Needs Analysis of under- 18 football player A guest post by Simon Worsnop, this study provides a needs analysis and periodised football training programme for an 18-year-old male academy fullback, based on the requirements of football and the individual. (This is a case study of a player that Simon coached. For football players in Devon…
Read MoreSports Science for sports coaches
Sports Science for coaches Last month I attended Vern Gambetta’s GAIN conference in Houston, Texas. A great mix of practical sessions, seminars and informal idea sharing, it is my annual chance to take time out and immerse myself in learning. I shall be sharing some of the ideas and insights learnt this year. The act…
Read MoreSummer reading recommendations 2018
Summer reading recommendations Half of the year has gone, Britain is currently enjoying (enduring?) a heatwave and my American colleagues and friends are about to have their 4th July vacation. Time to share some of the books I have read this year and that you might want to try. The full list is below which…
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