Female athletes as a group are different from male athletes, but within the female group there is a vast diversity of attitudes to training, physical development and indeed hard work. I find this divided by sport and background, rather than gender.
I hear that females don’t like doing weights- well that depends on how they are introduced and what desire they have to achieve. If netball players’ arms get tired doing an overhead passing drill, it isn’t too much of a step to explain to them that resistance training of some sort to strengthen their arms in an overhead position could help them.
To start, it is a good idea to get them working harder in their existing sporting environment. I liken it to boiling frogs, you immerse the frog in cold water and then gradually increase the temperature until it is boiling. Before the frog has a chance to realise what is going on, it has been cooked.
The same with female athletes.
Start off within their environment- make the warm ups tougher and part of the session.
Gradually increase different exercises and implements such as medicine balls or partner work.
Then go into the gym and start using light dumbbells to add resistance to exercises they are already familiar with.
Increase that load.
Introduce barbell work.
Increase that load.
This works from a psychological\ engagement point of view as well as a biomechanical \physiological standpoint.
Jenny McGeever and Torzie Boylett overcome hurdles to get honours
One of the best moments in my Coaching career was last week when these two ladies were talking about their selection for Internationals this week.
Both have had to overcome some big hurdles and I am chuffed to bits for them and their families.
Both came from the South West Talent group of athletes and I have been training them since (4 years now for Jenny, 3 for Torz).
Wheelchair and bust
Last summer I spent some considerable time coaching both girls.
Jenny was hoping to get selected for the Oympics as part of the epee team, Torzie was preparing for her hockey season with England under 16 aspirations.
British Fencing selected fencers from other weapons (they got embroiled in their own selection legal battles as a result) and so Jenny narrowly missed out.
When Jenny asked Alex Newton (fencing performance director) for feedback and areas for improvement she was told “you’re not fit enough“.
Two weeks into hockey season in September, the bullet proof Torzie Boylett had her patella smashed by a hockey stick.
Things were looking less than promising.
Pick yourself up, dust yourself off.
With British Fencing involved in an internal politicking situation, Jenny decided to try her hand at Modern Pentathlon for a year.
Better to focus on positive aspects of what was in her control, rather than at the beck and call of a disorganised NGB.
Torzie’s plan A was in tatters, a major setback had occurred. In conjunction with her physio, Polly, we started rehab straight away. Bearing in mindBill Knowle’s adage that “ A knee injury is a brain injury” I got Torzie working on her good side to encourage correct movement patterns.
Jenny and I sat down each month to look at her overall training plan and the best way to ft that in around her studies. We did an analysis of the 5 disciplines and how we could best incorporate cross training and economic use of time/effort/ money:
Fencing: Excellent, needed to maintain in London.
Horse Riding: could ride, but needed jump practice. at home with her Mum.
Swim: quite good previous, but just unfit at it. Would use hours in the pool to improve efficiency of technique and gain aerobic fitness. In London and Tiverton Swim Club.
Run: vast improvement over 4 years, but too much time spent jogging. Would work on intensive intervals and specific technique and increase anaerobic fitness with me.
Shoot: Abysmal. Safest place to stand was directly in front! Had the accuracy of an Imperial Stormtrooper. Coach Drew Wilsher to help.
We also talked about the need for getting stuck into competition for experience: having to take kit for the extra disciplines, how to warm up, how to switch on/ off between all 5 areas. Jenny needed to know how to fence after a swim, or how to ride after a run, how to get from start line to start line on time.
We also focussed a lot on nutrition: Jenny was constantly losing weight away from home. Together we came up with our Recovery Flapjack recipe which is now used by all our Excelsior athletes!
Torzie’s main goals were in order
Stay motivated despite the setback
To walk
Get strong
Get agile
Get fast
Get fit
Play hockey.
This required careful communication between Mum, me and her physio. Torzie’s right buttock and hamstring practically disappeared, and we had to work constantly to get her to feel where they should be.
We celebrated milestones in a big way to stay supportive: First step out of the chair, first skip, first hop, first run, first training session, first match and so on.
We are still working on all of the above to maintain her new found gains and ensure she is confident under pressure of tournamnet play.
Having what it takes
Both girls have got very supportive families, and seem to be the “sporty younger sibling”.
Both went to Blundell’s school. Jenny Left at 16, Torzie is leaving this summer due to lack of support (you are either on sport or off sport, there is no grey area!) and a male emphasis on facilities. Getting told off by teachers for being late to lessons when struggling in a wheelchair says a lot.
This is common at other schools and even Universities: priority gym access and coaching seems to go to boys’ teams first. Jenny has the same problem at St Mary’s in Twickenham!
This lack of support would cause most people to quit. Instead, “it is the dab of grit that causes the pearl to form in the oyster”. They have indeed undergone a “Quest“
The girls dug deep, drew on the support from their families and coaches (Drew, Anne Baker) and followed the plan. This stickability is often forgotten about. Not for them the excuses of doing what is familiar and comfortable.
The Future
They have both become comfortable in feeling uncomfortable. I am uncertain as to what the future holds, but I am certain that these girls can take on challenges and overcome obstacles.
The work I have done with these girls is the best I have done. It has challenged all aspects of my coaching, and I have worked very hard to keep ahead of their development.
I hope to be able to coach these girls in some form or another throughout their careers. I am applying the lessons learnt with the next generation of developing athletes.
Over the summer we have had some great results from all of our athletes, but 3 of the female athletes we work with were competing in World Class events.
Jazmin Sawyers: Heptathlete
Jazmin came 9th in the World Youth Games in July with a P.B. of 5296 points.
I work with Jazmin at Millfield School, and we are preparing her for the Commonwealth Youth games in September.
Judith Hamer:Wheelchair basketball
Judith was part of the team who came 3rd in the Under-25s World Cup tournament in Canada in July.
I have worked with Judith for 3 years as part of the TASS scheme, training her at Exeter University. We have just finished quite a heavy loading phase, and she is now training for the European Championships in September.
Jenny McGeever: Epee
Jenny got to the last 64 of the World University Games in August.
Jenny is part of the South West Talent (SWT) programme. A tough draw for Jenny in only her 2nd Senior competition. We are looking to restructure her training after her latest camp away.
Hannah Gaunt: Biathlon
Honourable mention to Hannah Gaunt (SWT) who came 2nd in the National Biathlon Championships and has been selected for the World Championships in Bulgaria. Unfortunately due to her young age she has to take a chaperone, and it is all self funded, she can’t go.
Well done to all of these athletes and their Coaches and parents, without whom it wouldn’t be possible.
For training tips download our free ebook for female athletes here
Are sports coaches restricting the thinking of their female athletes?
From observing young female athletes doing certain practices, I would say yes.
One warm up I have done is to get 2 athletes to shadow each other mimicking movement patterns. That is all the advice and instruction I give, then say go. Doing this with 13 year olds and you see a massive variety of different things being done. It looks like free play and creativity.
Doing this with 16 year old girls this week, I had to stop it and then explain the necessity of experimentation and creativity. “I don’t know what I am supposed to do” and “I can’t think of any different movements” were two of the quotes given to me.
What I saw from the 16 year old girls was a very linear, static, rigid pattern of copying drills taken from the “warm up 101” book of “doing the same as every other sports team in the UK”. It was just too precise and tidy. I didn’t know whether it was an effort to be seen to be doing the right thing, to please the Coach (me) or really a lack of creativity (is this in the exam Coach?)
I then stopped my planned session and got the group to come up with 2 different competitive games, coach them, play them, and then discuss ways of improving. What was apparent was that the girls were not used to being asked to think for themselves, or to input into sessions.
The boys on the other hand at 16-18 years old tend to go a bit crazy and try and out do their partner in weird and wonderful things.
Are the girls the product of the “I need to do well in school to please the teacher/ coach” or is this a genuine physiological \emotional difference between age and sex?
My gut feeling is that their Creativity and Individualism has been restricted through the environment? What do you think?
I am enjoying working with a group of female athletes on Monday mornings at 0730 at Millfield school. Coming from 3 different sports, this group of 6 are being introduced to resistance training and overall athletic development gradually.
One concern with working with young females when they feel their legs aching and the flow of blood to parts previously untouched is the “ I can feel my bum getting bigger!” quote.
I took the time and effort to explain to this young group, that what they were feeling was probably blood flow, rather than an immediate increase in mass.
Amazingly, immediately prior to this session were a bunch of rugby boys desperately trying to get bigger, lifting weights four times a week. If they struggle to put on mass, it is hardly likely that doing 10 body weight squats will make a girl’s bum bigger.
But, it is the Athlete’s perception that is important, so taking the time to make them feel comfortable and engaged is time well spent.
Female athletes as a group are different from male athletes, but within the female group there is a vast diversity of attitudes to training, physical development and indeed hard work. I find this divided by sport and background, rather than gender.
One of the best moments in my Coaching career was last week when these two ladies were talking about their selection for Internationals this week.
When Jenny asked Alex Newton (fencing performance director) for feedback and areas for improvement she was told “you’re not fit enough“.
Fencing: Excellent, needed to maintain in London.
They have both become comfortable in feeling uncomfortable. I am uncertain as to what the future holds, but I am certain that these girls can take on challenges and overcome obstacles.
Jazmin Sawyers: Heptathlete
Judith Hamer: Wheelchair basketball
Jenny McGeever: Epee
Hannah Gaunt: Biathlon