10 Best Training Posts in 2010
ByAt the end of 2010, I went through my blog archives and picked out my favorite posts from 2010. I think this was the best year for my blog. Lots of good content, lots of useful tips. More blogging and writing to come in 2011. Which of these posts is your favorite? Did I miss one that you enjoyed?
1. Are you assessing or guessing? – It’s a bit daft really – you wouldn’t programme your sat nav to get you to a destination 100 miles away without first inputing your starting point (how will you know which route is the most effective to take?). So why would you try to develop a programme to achieve an outcome without knowing where you are starting from?
2. Practice until you get it right! – This one makes even more sense now that I’m reading The Talent Code. Technical competency should be the cornerstone of all good strength and conditioning and atheltic development programmes.
3. Ice Ice Baby – An update on all things linked to recovery and regeneration.
4. CHAOS Training makes more sense – I’m changing this title to CHAOS Training makes even more sense now that I’m reading The Talent Code!!! (can you guess what book I’m totally into at the moment?). I lift the lid on the brainchild of Coach Robert Dos Remedios’ training methods.
5. Do you want to see my brazillian? – This is one of the best drills I’ve picked up all year. If we are talking movement preparation for the shoulder complex then this needs to be in the session.
6. How to train athletes to make decisions – How many times have you seen a highly skilled player that just can’t reproduce performances under pressure?
7. Stop Chasing Pain Podcast - this was the first of many podcasts and webinars that I did this year.
8. WTF is overtraining syndrome?- If I had a penny for every time I heard a coach say their athlete was overtrained – what a load of horse s*%t! Find out what is really going on.
9. What makes a good strength and conditioning coach – This was a great guest blog from Chad Skrederstu.
10. The best treadmill workout ever – I’m currently greeted by the site of the Janaury jogeers pounding out mile after mile on the treadmill at the gym in an attempt to get in shape. If you are going to use the treadmill for a workout then this is the only session you should be doing!
4 Comments
January 11th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
“Jason Tawn like the Brazilian. Anything which makes the shoulders warm up and feel the burn is good in my book!”
January 12th, 2011 at 7:47 am
Daniel Wainwright liked number 9
“Thanks Nick for all of your useful info this past year.
All your blogs have all been a good read, but if I have to choose one it would be [9. What makes a good s+c coach.]
Thing is, as it happens it would seem as though all is in hand and I am on the right track anyway as far as my career path goes.
This blog simply re-affirmed what I am in the process of achieving – although this also insipired and encouraged me to think about travelling to spend time with other s+c coaches in other countries.
As I am fortunately currently close to rugby, I am now hoping to go to Oz at some point to meet up with a good old friend and who knows, maybe even get to see some other southern hemisphere rugby coaches and see how it’s done down under.
(Lucky for me, some of the coaches at work are from that part of the world!).
It’s been really interesting as a ‘trainee s+c coach’ to learn more about rugby, and see how the sport looks to be going through some massive cultural changes, especially in the UK.
It also seems to be an ideal sport for an s+c coach to cut their teeth.
I just wonder what your thoughts are on rugby as a seasoned sports professional?”
Thank you for your time, Daniel Wainwright
January 12th, 2011 at 7:54 am
Daniel,
I’m pleased to hear you liked number 9. Rugby is an interesting sport to work in and offers the S&C coach a range of challenges. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with players at all levels of the game and I have really enjoyed coaching them. Unlike some other team sports (I’m not going to name names!), rugby players seem to ‘get it’, they understand the need to be physically prepared for the demands of the sport and are willing to put the time in.
I think there are still a lot of guys (particularly at club level performing essentially body building workouts but at least they are training.One of the hardest thing for the S&C coach is keeping the players healthy – week after week. They take some big hits during a game, and have to come back ready to train on a Monday!
When it comes to working in rugby, the big difference will be the money available (both in terms of facilities and salaries). I watched Falcons play Sharks last Friday with a friend of mine who was a former pro football player in the premiership and we were talking about the huge differences between the two. You may have a tougher environment to work in and be paid less…but it may be more rewarding in terms of job satisfaction.
Thanks for your comments.
January 15th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Re #2: For real mastery, don’t just practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t do it wrong.