Tag Archive: athletic development

1. Training young athletes part 4: Gil Stevenson, Denis Betts

   15th January 2012 7:23 am Leave a Comment

   There are many different ways to develop young athletes, all require some direction, support and encouragement. I am not sure what is the best way, but I am pretty sure there are less than ideal ways. This week we have heard from some great coaches on Training Young Athletes, here are 2 more. 

   First up is Denis Betts, Head Coach of Widnes RFL. I worked with Denis on a Great Britain Under -18s Rugby League camp, and was very impressed with his coaching style, organisation and rapport with the kids.

   “With regards to coaching kids I would stress the importance of the simple things. The fundamentals are the keys to any players success. Get a good catch and pass, work on small sided games to grow the understanding of space and awareness of his/her surroundings. Get them to have fun with a rugby ball in ther hands, if you can do that you are going to keep them interested.”

    Denis Betts

   Gilmour Stevenson is one of the founders of the UKSCA and is currently a Director. 

   “Here are a couple to add.

   The better you are at your sport, the more important it becomes to work even harder. As you progress eventually you will come across competitors who are as good or better than you. That is when the hard work will count.

   ‘All other things being equal strongest always wins’ Prof. Mike Stone.
   Developing your strength should be your first priority.
   Work hard at becoming strong

   Fastest always wins the race.
   To get faster you need to get stronger.
   Work hard at becoming fast.

   Once techniques and skills are aquired practice them quickly.Put them under the pressure of speed.

   Keep it fun
   Have fun working hard!”

   Gil Stevenson

   Thanks to all the coaches who have contributed, more to follow on Monday.

    

   If you wish to have an easy to follow guide to training young athletes, then click on the book cover to the right. I wrote this standing on the shoulders of giants.
   

2. Training young athletes: Part 5:Kelvin Giles

   9th January 2012 2:22 pm 2 Comments

   Strength and conditioning for children appears to be a popular topic. Unfortunately, short cuts are often desired (4 hour International Athlete anyone?). One of the common, if unpopular, themes from the guest Coaches this week has been fundamentals, process and detail. Today’s author is a great exponent of that.

   Kelvin Giles has a vast experience working with International athletes.  His “This isn’t a text book” is on my recommended reading list.

   These are probably best for coaches:

   • ‘Give them the physical competence to do the technical stuff and the technical competence to do the tactical stuff – in that order.’ 
   • ‘In the early stages let them solve movement puzzles in their own way. Don’t overcoach – let them work things out.’ 
   • ‘Progress exercises in a variety of ways – Static to Dynamic; Slow to Fast; Simple to Complex; Unloaded to Loaded.’ 

   For the Athletes:
   ‘This is a test of your patience – you might not get it right to start with.’ 

   • ‘Have you had your water bottle with you all day?’ 
   • ‘The best way to recover is to get a good night’s sleep.’ 
   • ‘It’s not whether you try hard today but whether you try hard all the time – tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, next decade.’ 
   • ‘Don’t worry about what the person next to you is doing – focus on what you have to do.’ 
   • ‘Be smart in training and more importantly be smart outside training. You are an athlete all the time.’ 

   Kelvin Giles

   Thanks to all of our guest authors who have given such great tips on training young athletes. It is very useful to hear from such a wealth of experience.

   If you wish to have an easy to follow guide to training young athletes, then click on the book cover to the right. I wrote this standing on the shoulders of giants.

3. Training young athletes part 3: Paul Gamble, Simon Worsnop

   5th January 2012 7:26 am Leave a Comment

   If you want to get to an Olympics, or compete at the highest level, you need an early start on activity and all round athletic development. This week’s guest blogs by Frank Dick, Vern Gambetta and Roy Headey have given an insight into Training Young Athletes. Today, 2 more guest authors. 

   Simon Worsnop is the national fitness adviser for the England Rugby Football Union and author of Rugby Games and Drills

   “Train to be an all round athlete. Unless you are in an early specialisation sport this means participating in a number of activities.

   Strength: this can be achieved through various forms of appropriate age specific resistance training, but other modalities such as gymnastics, wrestling, judo and climbing are all very useful.

   If you want to build stamina via running or biking, then do them outside then you will also be working on balance and core stability.

   If you are a team games player DO NOT just play your own sport; instead play a variety of racquet and invasion games. 

   If you are talented, dedicated and lucky and do become a performance/professional player this will be when you at least 16; so until then try lots of activities, it will give you better life balance, potential interests for later in life AND you might discover you are better at or enjoy one of these more than your original preferred sport!!”

   Dr Paul Gamble is the author of “Strength and conditioning for team sports” and is currently based in New Zealand.

   ‘Be mindful when you train. Training is preparation for competition, and this includes attention and concentration aspects: if you are sloppy and unfocussed when you train you will be prone to the same lapses when you compete.’ 

    

    If you wish to have an easy to follow guide to training young athletes, then click on the book cover to the right. I wrote this standing on the shoulders of giants.

    

    

4. Training young athletes part 2: Vern Gambetta, Roy Headey

   4th January 2012 7:25 am Leave a Comment

   In order to become a successful athlete, each individual needs to take responsibility for their own actions, whilst gaining the support of coaches, team mates, teachers and parents. This week we are looking at advice for young athletes looking to get better.

   Yesterday’s guest blog by Frank Dick set the bar high.

   Today Vern Gambetta and Roy Headey offer some insights into what a young athlete needs to do to prepare.

   Vern Gambetta is an Athletic Development coach based in the USA, his book “Athletic Development” is a must read for aspiring coaches in this field. He also runs the GAIN programme for coach development.

   • “Be consistent.
   • Have a routine.
   • Know your body so that you can test your limits.
   • Work smart.
   • Be great for 24 hours, not just the two hours you train because great people make great great athletes.”

   Vern Gambetta

   Roy Headey is the head of Sports Science for the England Rugby Football Union

   “Elite athletes are different – everyone knows that, but it’s difficult to define why and in what way. One difference though, has been proven; during their teens, developing elite athletes consistently get more out of their training than their less successful counterparts. They prepare for training, mentally and physically; they set demanding goals for themselves and work on their weaknesses, however painful or frustrating; they demand accurate, honest feedback from their coaches then reflect and learn from it.

   So my tip is this: make your coach work hard for you, by setting demanding goals for yourself and turning up to train with an intensity that means your coach has no choice but to be at the top of his or her game”

    Roy Headey

     

   If you wish to have an easy to follow guide to training young athletes, then click on the book cover to the right.I wrote it standing on the shoulders of giants.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

5. Training young athletes: Part 1 Frank Dick

   3rd January 2012 2:20 pm 4 Comments

   I am starting this Olympic year with a focus on training young athletes. With all the hoo ha about the top end, it is important to remember how to get there. This week some expert coaches from Track and Field, Athletic Development and Strength and Conditioning have kindly donated some ideas.

   First up is Frank Dick, who has coached many of Britain’s best athletes, written several great books and is well sought after public speaker. If you get a chance to hear him speak, or meet him, take it up.

   “Back in the 80’s I designed a simple set of steps for development. It started with “Train to train” and subsequently Istvan Balyi used it as his LTAD basis.

   My reason for that starting point was that before you get into teaching young people techniques they must have the physical competencies to do so without building in compensatory movements. Otherwise you are building thereafter on a compromised foundation.

   The steps now I see as:

   1. Excite to practice
   2. Practice to prepare
   3. Prepare to participate
   4. Participate to perform
   5. Perform to compete 
   6. Compete to learn
   7. Learn to win

   Mostly people leave out step 6. This represents the years of learning how to get the final 1% needed to deliver personal excellence under pressure and on the day

   When deciding what to do and how to do it re a coaching issue, always go back at least one stage and make sure that is as it should be. The original thing you are looking at is a consequence of what has gone before.

   When coaching technique always look at the athlete’s performance from a distance first. This will give a clear picture of rhythm, flow etc and where this is fractured. Then coach from the ground or attachment to fixed equipment up or out

   Finally, when teaching or coaching young and early developing athletes fit the discipline/equipment to athlete then fit athlete gradually to the formal discipline/equipment etc”

   Frank Dick.

    

   If you wish to have an easy to follow guide to training young athletes, then click on the book cover to the right. I wrote this standing on the shoulders of giants.

6. Athletes come in all sizes.

   7th December 2011 10:46 am Leave a Comment

   Some great news from our biggest and smallest athletes this week.

   Elliot Hoyte (6’5″, 120kg) American Football Defensive End, has won a full scholarship to Boise State College in the USA.

   Elliot has been working on his pre combine training programme. Unlike most athletes I train who need to be a lot bigger, Elliot had this already. We looked at getting a solid foundation of athletic movement, and then applying strength and power around that.

   A lot of what we did was new to Elliot, and against perceived old school (and teenage boy) wisdom. But Elliot grasped the concept, applied himself and has succeeded in getting into college. His new college conditioning coach is also looking to work on overall athleticism. Well done Elliot.

   Krysten Coombs (quite short, 45kg) has won a bronze medal in the World Championships in Guatemala for Dwarf Badminton.

   I have been training Krysten for 3 years  with Excelsior.

   Krysten is a dual sport athlete, being very good at table tennis too. He is looking to qualify for the Paralympics in 2016 in Brazil.

   He is also the reigning 100m and 200m champion at the World Dwarf games.

   One of the best things about my work is the variety of people I come in contact with. 

   Even better, is helping them along their way.

   • Badminton fitness tips
   • How to take charge of your fitness training  

   

7. The World’s best coaching session.

   23rd November 2011 8:18 pm Leave a Comment

   I train a group of about 24 developmental athletes from a variety of sports. This is a busy session, in a shared space with lots of information, distractions and big personalities.

   I wasn’t happy with the way I delivered 2 weeks ago, so I sat down, discussed with 2 interns (Duncan and Rhian), and really thought about coming up with a good solution.

   I designed the next session using a variety of exercises, mixing between a whole group and 6 sub groups, utilising the space better, and also the equipment.

   Duncan then transferred this to hard copy, I tweaked it and added the exercises I wanted. I printed off the copy for myself and Rhian and explained how it was going to work, all hours or days ahead. This was going to be really good.

   We then turned up to prepare early, get the kit out, rehearse and welcome the athletes individually. I was prepared, motivated and had a well briefed assistant…

   AAAAAGGGGGHHHH! Some unknown person had changed the lock on the sports hall door so that no one could get in. No one had keys, and all the estate staff had disappeared.

   The solution: abandon the plan and get the athletes training in the car park with skipping ropes and mini bands.

   The lesson: no amount of planning helps you with reality, be adpatable and have a Plan B.  

8. Principles of Athletic Development : GAIN review 1

   12th August 2011 9:53 am 1 Comment

   “Are you making athletes better or tired or more predisposed to injury?”

   This was one of the key questions we were asked on the GAIN 2011 conference in Houston, Texas in June.

   It is easy to make Athletes tired, it is easy to do STUFF, but making them better and knowing why you are doing things is difficult.

   This is the 1^st of 5 blogs that will review some of the things covered over the 5 day conference. It is a summation of my reflections and thoughts since then: hence the delay.

   The conference was held over 5 days, with practical sessions starting at 0630 and seminars finishing at 2100. There were about 60 people attending, from several different countries (mostly USA) with a variety of backgrounds: Physiotherapists, track and field coaches, cricket coaches, Physical Education specialists (not Games teachers) Strength and Conditioning Coaches and Athletic Trainers.

   This varied gene pool led to interesting points of view and was a welcome change from spending a weekend with tubby S&C coaches carrying fat shakes around.

   Principles of Athletic Development

   This was the subject of the first afternoon, led by Vern Gambetta. Here we looked at what our role is as a Coach.

   If you have not read his book on Athletic Development, then I recommend it. The principle is that the body is a whole and we must remember why we are training at all times.

   • The Stuff we do must connect: training sessions, body parts, exercises with what happens in competition.
   •  As a Coach we have to “ Design and implement an effective practical training or rehab programme that produces measurable and visible results in the required time frame.”

    Physical Literacy in the 21^st Century

    Kelvin Giles looked at the current state of “athletes” now. If you do some of the S&C courses out there at the moment, you would think that every one walks into a gym ready to back squat twice their body weight, and snatch body weight: and that is all they need to succeed. However, the current young person is so physically deconditioned due to lifestyle, the lack of P.E in schools and too much sport specific training, this is a dream world.

   One of the problems is that “we live in a world where sport science at all of the pie. It has generated random number gatherers.”  All the physiological monitoring has failed to monitor the mechanical load. (Think of the bleep test with acceleration, deceleration, restarting, change of direction).

   • The athletes need to have the ability to endure agility and accelerate, decelerate.
   • 70% of ACL injuries are non-contact. If the athlete has been conditioning properly, we can reduce that chance.
   • Some programmes include a lot of lying down “core work”. Why? They lie down when they leave your session?
   • “Never load a poor movement, and certainly never consistently do it.”

   This was a bit of confirmation bias on my part, as all the work we have been doing with the SWT and TASS athletes over the last 4 years has led myself and Paula Jardine to conclude that most young athletes can not do basic movements well. Let alone efficiently, let alone under pressure or stress.

   Next: Strength and power concepts  with Jim Radcliffe

   Further reading:

   • Where to help your child become fitter.
   • How this helps the young athletes at the Excelsior Athletic Development Club
   • Learn to coach these principles on our Athletic Development Coaching Course

9. Athletes in action

   31st March 2011 11:11 am 1 Comment

   Just some random pictures this week of Excelsior athletes in action.

   

10. CBEs- why all Excelsior athletes get them in the New Year.

    19th January 2011 8:37 am Leave a Comment

    CBEs- Character building exercises.

    I am not a believer in beasting people, rather in getting them to beast themselves.

    Sport and life require you to deal with adversity. Training in situations which are challenging and demanding will help the young person deal with pressure when the time comes that they need it.

    As a coach you can help by creating an environment that seeks out challenge and guides the young people into working harder than they are accustomed to, or indeed believe they can.

    Jonah Barrington (a squash coach I work with) calls this CBEs.

    Sets, reps, time limits are well and good, but sometimes you just have to get the people training where they don’t know what the time is, or when its going to end.

    This does not mean mindlessly flogging people, or breaking them.

    Mixing up people from different sports helps, as they won’t be able to pace themselves or get into a comfort zone of familiar faces and territory. In the right environment they will push themselves further and gain an intrinsic confidence that they can draw on as required.