Tag Archive: running

1. 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.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

2. 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.

3. What do I actually do? South West Talent.

   31st August 2010 8:57 am Leave a Comment

   I am often asked “What do you actually do?” One of my contracts is with Bath University and the South West Talent programme. A case study of one of the guys I have been working with is uploaded here.

   The newsletter also highlights some of the Coaching programme I will be involved with.

   This programme is an excellent example of Administrators, Coaches, Parents, Physiotherapists and Athletes working well together. The ones that have been regulars are showing real progress.

4. PE Teacher Inset- Stanbridge Earls School

   1st July 2010 2:53 pm 1 Comment

   I did a 3 hour inset last week with the PE staff at Stanbridge Earls school.

   We looked at the principles behind LTAD and how physical development matched this model.

   We then looked at ways of identifying structural problems in the school children and how we could improve their structural integrity.

   For the last 90 minutes we highlighted ways of strengthening the athletes, looking at bodyweight, dumbbell and medicine ball exercises that used dynamic multi-joint actions.

   It was interesting to see the lightbulbs going off above the teachers’ heads as we linked the exercises to what their pupils can and can’t do.  I purposely got the teachers doing, rather than talking, so that they could see their own limitations and have more empathy with those kids who will find it difficult. 

   I hope to go back next year to do a longer workshop and use some case studies to help the teachers improve their overall delivery.