SprintStrong

Top 20 Sprint Experts

2012-01-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here is my 'semi-famous' annual Top 20 list. This years list is focusing on sprinting experts. I think it is worth detailing what this list is and what it is not:

This is a list of individuals with great expertise in the realm of sprint training. As such, some who have made the list are purely researchers, some are purely coaches and others fall into both camps. It is not a list of those individuals who have made the greatest contribution to or have had the most success in sprint coaching within the past year - just a list of those deemed to have great expertise (and so, for some, their greatest contributions may have been some time ago). It is also, not a list of experts on speed training in general - those listed have expertise with respect to training for linear sprinting speed (that is not to say they do not have expertise in other areas as well!).

Finally, I hope to generate much discussion through the production of this list.

1) Ralph Mann

His book 'The Mechanics of Sprinting and Hurdling' is outsdanding and his longevity as a leading researcher and applied biomechanist make Ralph Mann an absolute authority in the field.

2) Peter Weyand

Peter Weyand has produced some landmark research papers relating to sprint performance.

3) Loren Seagrave

Loren Seagrave has been hugely successful as a sprint coach. Anyone who has heard him speak at a conference or seminar will realise his success is not down to luck. Whilst the first two on the list could be described as leading experts on specific areas of sprinting performance, Seagrave is immensely knowledgeable in all areas relevant to high performance training.

4) Dan Pfaff

As with Seagrave, Dan Pfaff has enjoyed tremendous success as a coach and is also an outstanding coach educator.

5) Jon Goodwin

Much younger than the first four on this list, Jon Goodwin has perhaps not yet built up the same kind of reputation as others. However, his work on the biomechanics of sprinting is outstanding.

6) Frans Bosch

A professor of biomechanics and motor learning, Bosch has co-authored one of the leading books on sprint training. He was also the Netherlands national team jumps coach from 2003 to 2006 and has acted as support staff to the Netherlands team at two Olympic Games.

7) Tom Tellez

A member of the U.S. track coaches hall of fame, Tellez has produced some of the greatest track and field performers in the history of the sport (Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell, Mike Marsh to name just a few). Tellez also achieved outstanding team success within the NCAA system during his coaching career.

8) Ronald Klomp

Klomp has supervised top middle-distance runners such as Ellen van Langen, Simon Vroemen, Jim Svenøy, Marcel Laros and Gert-Jan Liefers. Together with Frans Bosch he has written 'Running: Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology in Practice', an outstanding resource for sprint coaches.

9) Kevin Tyler

Although he has had great success as a sprint coach, kevin Tyler has perhaps made his greatest impact in the field as a coach of the coaches. Having set up the hugely successful Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre, he has now moved to UK Athletics where he has dramatically improved coach education provision.

10) John Smith

As an athlete John Smith won the 400m at the 1971 Pan American Games. He has since become one of the worlds most successful sprint coaches, training Maurice Greene and Ato Boldon amongst others.

11) Trevor Graham

Trevor Graham is perhaps controversial in many respects. However, he has coached a large number of world class sprinters.

12) Clyde Hart

Most famously the coach to Michael Johnson, Clyde Hart has coached numerous other world leading sprinters. Hart is arguably the worlds greatest 400m sprint coach.

13) Barry Ross

Barry Ross has a wealth of expertise on sprint training. Read these interviews that I have conducted with Barry Ross to gain an appreciation of his knowledge in this area:

Barry Ross interview 1
Barry Ross interview 2

14) Steve Plisk

The Proprietor and Director of Excelsior Sports, Steven has over 20 years experience in sports performance and strength and conditioning. Steven is a prolific author and chaired the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional Standards and Guidelines project. Steven authored a chapter in Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning on Speed, Agility and Speed-Endurance Development.

15) John Cronin

John Cronin is a leading researcher in the field of strength and conditioning, and he has publsihed a number of papers of great importance with respect to sprint training.

16) Matt Brughelli

Along with Cronin, Brughelli has published some important research pertaining to sprint performance.

17) Matthew Bundle

Matthew Bundle has co-authored many of the key studies into sprinting performance along with Peter Weyand.

18) Glen Mills

Coach to Usain Bolt!

19) Stephen Francis

Another key to the recent Jamaican domination of world sprinting. Francis is the coach to former world record holder Asafa Powell.

20) Bret Contreras

Contreras has made some outstanding contributions to the field of strength and conditioning. Contreras is now studying for his Phd, looking into the transference of horizontal and vertical hip strengthening exercise to speed, acceleration and power adaptations in sports performance.

To gain an insight into his level of expertise, read this interview that I conducted with Bret Contreras:

Bret Contreras Interview

Honourable mentions:

Charlie Francis

Charlie Francis sadly passed away last year. Francis would certainly have featured prominently in this list.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Jacko Gill Shot Put Training

2011-12-29T02:45:00.000-08:00

Following on from the original Jacko Gill shot put training video that I posted along with yesterdays Jacko Gill shot put drill video, here is a video of Gill putting it all together with some shot put practice in training.

Training 7.26kg - Jacko Gill from JoséNunoJacko on Vimeo.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Shot Put Drills: Jacko Gill

2011-12-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

Following on from the video I recently posted of Jacko Gill shot put training, this video below shows some interesting shot put drills being performed by Jacko Gill.

Shot Put Drills - Jacko Gill from JoséNunoJacko on Vimeo.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Quote of the Year

2011-12-21T07:39:00.000-08:00

Although the year is almost over, I have just read what I think is arguable the best quote of the year.

It comes from Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas from Sports Scientists. Here it is:

I don't think I'd go so far as to say that Pistorius is the "villain", though my thoughts on his participation are very clear and I'm happy to repeat over and over why. And there was the whole issue of a cover-up, the denial of the science etc. But I am not sure that he is the "villain" in this piece. What he is is a hugely controversial figure, if you believe in sports science and facts. If you don't, then he's an inspiration (and I am the villain, thanks to what has been pushed by the PR machine who back him).

The last two sentances sum up the situation perfectly for me.

What are your quotes of the year? Please leave a comment below.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Mo Farah 2011 Best Bits

2011-12-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a video for the British Athletics fans amongst us.

If you are in any doubt as to who to vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, then this video might make things a lot more clear for you.

Enjoy!

If you enjoyed the Jacko Gill shot put strength and conditioning video I posted the other day, then stay tuned as I have more training footage from Jacko Gill coming up.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Jacko Gill Shot Put Training: Rocky Style

2011-12-17T12:14:00.000-08:00

I have just come across this training video of World Junior Shot Putt champion Jacko Gill in training. It was great to watch and Gill displayed some very impressive feats of strength, power and speed. His form was also quite often not great too! I am intruiged to find out more about Gill - not least, does he have a coach?

Great video though!

Mo Farah for Sports Personality of the Year

2011-12-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

As the British readers will know - the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is almost upon us.

I think this video sums up why Mo Farah must surely be the favourite and most deserving winner of the BBC Sports Personality if the Year award.

214 Kg Snatch World Record

2011-11-15T05:02:00.000-08:00

A new world record has been set in the Snatch lift (214Kg). Interestingly, a new technique seems to be adopted here whereby he performed a 'pre-lift' before his actual attempt at performing the Snatch. This is legal so long as the bar does not break the line of the knees. I expect this 'pre-lift' will have provided a slight potentiation effect.

Is anyone aware of this technique having been adopted previously? I wonder if it will become commonplace now.

Strength and Conditioning UK

2011-11-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

My good friend Brendan Chaplin has just released his latest project.

The project is an online strength and conditioning support service and is well worth a look.

You can check it out here: http://www.strengthandconditioninguk.com/

Brendan has also assembled a team of experts to help answer any strength and conditioning related questions on the members only forum. I am happy to say that I am one of those experts and so you will also be able to interact with me if you decide to sign up.

Tim

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UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Ben Dearman Interview: Barefoot Training and Strength and Conditioning

2011-10-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

I have just posted up a brand new interview with Strength and Conditioning Specialist Ben Dearman over at my Strength and Conditioning Consultancy website.

In the interview we tackle the issues of barefoot running and barefoot strength training. You can check out this Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview by following the link below:

Ben Dearman Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview: Barefoot Training

This is a must read for anyone considering barefoot training.

Stay Strong,

Tim

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Dan Cossins Sprint Coaching Interview

2011-09-21T05:41:00.000-07:00

DAN COSSINS SPRINT COACHING INTERVIEW

I have just posted a new interview on my Strength and Conditioning Consultancy website. The interview is with British sprint coach Dan Cossins and can be seen on what is now my dedicated page for strength and conditioning coach interviews.

Check out the link below to see the interview with Sprint Coach Dan Cossins:

Dan Cossins Sprint Coach Interview

Stay Strong,

Tim

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Barry Ross: Strength and Conditioning Coach Interviews

2011-09-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

NEW STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING INTERVIEW WITH BARRY ROSS

I have just put up a new interview over at my Strength and Conditioning Consultancy website. This interview is the latest to feature on my dedicated page for strength and conditioning coach interviews.

The interview is with Barry Ross and we discuss strength training for sprinters.

Check out the link below to read the Barry Ross interview:

Barry Ross Sprint and Strength Training Interview

Stay Strong,

Tim

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

British Middle Distance Running Website: Athletics Extra

2011-09-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let readers know about a new website that has been set up by my friend Steve Green. Steve is a former Commonwealth Games finalist in the 1500m and is the Jamaican record holder for the 1500m.

Check out his site here: www.athleticsextra.com

Steve has aleady written some great articles for Athletics Weekly and so I am sure this will develop into a great website.

It will mainly be of interest to middle distance runners, although I think the site is going to stay up to date with news from all aspects of Track and Field.

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2011 Womens Field Event Results

2011-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Once again on the left you can see my predictions for the medal positions before the championships started. On the right (in brackets and in bold) you can see the actual medal positions.

So it turns out my medal predictions for the Womens field events were not too bad. I predicted the three medallists corretly in a number of events - just not always in the correct order...

SHOT

Gold: Valerie Adams (Valerie Adams)
Silver: Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Nadezhda Ostapchuk)
Bronze: Jillian Camarena-Williams (Jillian Camarena-Williams)

DISCUS

Gold: Nadine Muller (Yanfeng Li)
Silver: Yarelis Barrios (Nadine Muller)
Bronze: Yanfeng Li (Yarelis Barrios)

HAMMER

Gold: Betty Heidler (Tatyana Lysenko)
Silver: Wenxiu Zang (Betty Heidler)
Bronze: Tatyana Lysenko (Wenxiu Zang)

JAVELIN

Gold: Barbora Spotakova (Maria Abakumova)
Silver: Christina Obergfoll (Barbora Spotakova)
Bronze: Maria Abakumova (Sunette Viljoen)

LONG JUMP

Gold: Brittney Reese (Brittney Reese)
Silver: Darya Klishina (Olga Kucherenko)
Bronze: Olga Zaytseva (Ineta Radevica)

TRIPLE JUMP

Gold: Yargeris Savigne (Ogla Saludukha)
Silver: Olga Saludukha (Olga Rypakova)
Bronze: Caterine Ibarquen (Caterine Ibarguen)

HIGH JUMP

Gold: Anna Chicherova (Anna Chicherova)
Silver: Antonietta Di Martino (Blanka Vlasic)
Bronze: Blanka Vlasic (Antonietta Di Martino)

POLE VAULT

Gold: Jennifer Suhr (Fabiana Murer)
Silver: Yelena Isinbayeva (Martina Strutz)
Bronze: Anna Rogowska (Svetlana Feavonova)

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2011 Mens Field Event Results

2011-09-11T14:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so here are my pre championship predictions for the mens field events (along with the actual results for the medal positions).

I managed to correctly predict the champions in three of the eight events. Must do better next time!

SHOT

Gold: Christian Cantwell (David Storl)
Silver: Tomasz Majewski (Dylan Armstrong)
Bronze: Dylan Armstrong (Andrei Mikhnevich)

DISCUS

Gold: Robert Harting (Robert Harting)
Silver: Virgiligus Alekna (Gerd Kanter)
Bronze: Gerd Kanter (Ehsan Hadadi)

HAMMER

Gold: Koji Murofushi (Koji Murofushi)
Silver: Krisztian Pars (Kristian Pars)
Bronze: Pavel Kryvitski (Primoz Kozmus)

JAVELIN

Gold: Andreas Thorkildsen (Matthias de Zordo)
Silver: Sergey Makarov (Andreas Thorkildsen)
Bronze: Vadims Vasilevskis (Guillermo Martinez)

LONG JUMP

Gold: Mitchell Watt (Dwight Phillips)
Silver: Irving Saladino (Mitchell Watt)
Bronze: Chris Tomlinson (Ngonidzashe Makusha)

TRIPLE JUMP

Gold: Phillips Idowu (Christian Taylor)
Silver: Christian Taylor (Phillips Idowu)
Bronze: Alexis Copello (Will Claye)

HIGH JUMP

Gold: Jesse Williams (Jesse Williams)
Silver: Aleksey Dimitrik (Aleksey Dmitrik)
Bronze: Aleksandr Shustov (Trevor Barry)

POLE VAULT

Gold: Renaud Lavillenie (Pawel Wojciechowski)
Silver: Malte Mohr (Lazaro Borges)
Bronze: Pawel Wojciechowski (Renaud Lavillenie)

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2011 Womens Track Results

2011-09-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

Here are the predictions and results for the Womens Track events from the IAAF World Championships in Athletics that took place in Daegu. Just as with the men, I have put my pre-championship medal predictions on the left and the actual results on the right (in bold and in brackets).

I fared a little better with my predictions on the womens side than I did with the men. I predicted two out of the three medallists in most events here.

Were there any big suprises here for anyone. I would say the womens 1500m final had to be the biggest suprise result.

100m

Gold: Veronica Campbell-Brown (Carmelita Jeter)
Silver: Carmelita Jeter (Veronica Campbell-Brown)
Bronze: Kerron Stewart (Kelly-Anne Baptiste)

200m

Gold: Carmelita Jeter (Veronica Campbell-Brown)
Silver: Veronica Campbell-Brown (Carmelita Jeter)
Bronze: Allyson Felix (Allyson Felix)

400m

Gold: Sanya Richards-Ross (Amantle Montsho)
Silver: Amantle Montsho (Allyson Felix)
Bronze: Allyson Felix (Anastaysia Kapachinskaya)

800m

Gold: Mariya Savinova (Mariya Savinova)
Silver: Jenny Meadows (Caster Semenya)
Bronze: Kenia Sinclair (Janeth Jepkosgie)

1500m

Gold: Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Jenny Simpson)
Silver: Morgan Uceny (Hannah England)
Bronze: Gelete Burka (Natalia Rodriguez)

5000m

Gold: Vivian Cheruiyot (Vivian Cheruiyot)
Silver: Meseret Defar (Sylvia Kibet)
Bronze: Senayehu Ejigu Meseret Defar)

10000m

Gold: Vivian Cheruiyot (Vivian Cheruiyot)
Silver: Linet Masai (Sally Kipyego)
Bronze: Sally Kipyego (Linet Masai)

110m Hurdles

Gold: Sally Pearson (Sally Pearson)
Silver: Kellie Wells (Danielle Carruthers)
Bronze: Danielle Carruthers (Dawn Harper)

400m Hurdles

Gold: Kaliese Spencer (Lashina Demus)
Silver: Lashinda Demus (Melaine Walker)
Bronze: Melaine Walker (Natalia Antyukh)

Steeplechase

Gold: Milcah Chemos Cheywa (Yuliya Zaporova)
Silver: Sofia Assefa (Habiba Ghribi)
Bronze: Mercy Njoroge (Milcah Chemos Cheywa)

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2011 Results

2011-09-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Here are the medallists that I predicted before the champs began up against the actual medal results from the recent World Track and Field Championships held in Daegu. Again we start with the mens track events. The predicted result is on the left and the actual result is in bold and in brackets on the right.

Good Job i'm not a betting man! Although there was only event where none of my predicted medallists made the podium (and that was down to Usain Bolt false starting in the 100m final), I did not manage to predict all three medallists correctly in any event (although I would have done if Imane Merga had not been disqualified for stepping on the inside of the track in the 5000m final).

100m

Gold: Usain Bolt (Yohan Blake)
Silver: Asafa Powell (Walter Dix)
Bronze: Richard Thompson (Kim Collins)

200m

Gold: Usain Bolt (Usain Bolt)
Silver: Walter Dix (Walter Dix)
Bronze: Nickel Ashmeade (Cristophe Lemaitre)

400m

Gold: LaShawn Merritt (Kirani James)
Silver: Kirani James (La Shawn Merritt)
Bronze: Rondell Bartholomew (Jermaine Gonzales)

800m

Gold: David Rudisha (David Rudisha)
Silver: Abubaker Kaki (Abubaker Kaki)
Bronze: Nick Symonds (Yuriy Borzakvskiy)

1500m

Gold: Silas Kiplagat (Asbel Kiprop)
Silver: Asbel Kiprop (Silas Kiplagat)
Bronze: Nick Willis (Matthew Centrowitz)

5000m

Gold: Mohammed Farah (Mohammed Farah)
Silver: Bernard Lagat (Bernard Lagat)
Bronze: Imane Merga (Dejene Gebremeskel)

10000m

Gold: Mohammed Farah (Ibrahim Jeilan)
Silver: Zersanay Tadesse (Mohammed Farah)
Bronze: Kenenisa Bekele (Imane Merga)

110m Hurdles

Gold: David Oliver (Jason Richardson)
Silver: Xiang Liu (Xiang Liu)
Bronze: Dayron Robles (Andy Turner)

400m Hurdles

Gold: Bershawn Jackson (David Greene)
Silver: David Greene (Javier Culson)
Bronze: Jeshua Anderson (L J Van Zyl)

Steeplechase

Gold: Brimin Kipruto (Ezekiel Kemboi)
Silver: Ezekiel Kemboi (Brimin Kipruto)
Bronze: Richard Matelong (Mehidienne Mekhissi-Benabbad)

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Usain Bolt False Start Men's 100m Final: World Athletics Championships, Daegu 2011

2011-08-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of the men's 100m final from the IAAF World Athletics Championships. There has been further speculation today as to whether Usain Bolt was actually set of by a twitch from Yohan Blake. Just over 2 minutes into this video you can see what seems to be a twitch from Yohan Blake, but it is absolutley minimal. Perhaps there is a better video out there that shows it more clearly.

Anyway, perhaps it is all fairly academic as the result stands now and there is nothing that can be done. Surely, Usain Bolt must be hungry to do something special in the 200m now. I can't wait!

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

IAAF World Championships in Athletics 2011 Daegu

2011-08-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

So the championships are underway and a number of medals have been decided already.

Obviously Usain Bolt false starting in the 100m final was a big shock. I have noticed some comments that Yohan Blake twitched first and it was this that set Bolt off - I will have to check out the video on Youtube to see for myself.

I wonder whether Mo Farah would have held on for victory had he waited a touch longer before unleashing his finishing kick in the 10,000m final.

Anyway, what with the disqualification of Bolt and Asafa Powell not contesting the event, my 100m predictions were well out. Mo Farah was the only medallist that I successfully predicted in the 10,000m (albeit in the wrong position).

You can see how I have done with my other predictions so far, and check back later, by following the links below:

http://www.sprintstrong.com/2011/08/2011-iaaf-world-athletics-championships.html
http://www.sprintstrong.com/2011/08/2011-iaaf-world-athletics-championships_25.html
http://www.sprintstrong.com/2011/08/2011-iaaf-world-athletics-championships_26.html
http://www.sprintstrong.com/2011/08/2011-iaaf-world-athletics-championships_8171.html
http://www.sprintstrong.com/2011/08/2011-iaaf-world-athletics-championships_27.html

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

2011 IAAF World Athletics Championships Predictions: Womens Field

2011-08-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

The final installment of my medal predictions for the 2011 IAAF World Track and Field Championships taking place in Daegu. I finish off with the womens field events.

Don't be shy! leave your own predictions in the comments section below.

SHOT

Gold: Valerie Adams
Silver: Nadezhda Ostapchuk
Bronze: Jillian Camarena-Williams

DISCUS

Gold: Nadine Muller
Silver: Yarelis Barrios
Bronze: Yanfeng Li

HAMMER

Gold: Betty Heidler
Silver: Wenxiu Zang
Bronze: Tatyana Lysenko

JAVELIN

Gold: Barbora Spotakova
Silver: Christina Obergfoll
Bronze: Maria Abakumova

LONG JUMP

Gold: Brittney Reese
Silver: Darya Klishina
Bronze: Olga Zaytseva

TRIPLE JUMP

Gold: Yargeris Savigne
Silver: Olah Saladuha
Bronze: Caterine Ibarquen

HIGH JUMP

Gold: Anna Chicherova
Silver: Antonietta Di Martino
Bronze: Blanka Vlasic

POLE VAULT

Gold: Jennifer Suhr
Silver: Yelena Isinbayeva
Bronze: Anna Rogowska

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

2011 IAAF World Athletics Championships Predictions: Mens Field

2011-08-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

As field event qualifying rounds begin tomorrow as well I thought I better do another post with my predictions for the mens field events. If I have time I will also try and post my medal predictions for the womens field events later today - but if not then keep a look out for them tomorrow.

Don't forget - if you want to prove me wrong then you need to get your predictions in before tomorrow (just leave a comment below this post), before you get to see any championship form when the action begins tomorrow!

SHOT

Gold: Christian Cantwell
Silver: Tomasz Majewski
Bronze: Dylan Armstrong

DISCUS

Gold: Robert Harting
Silver: Virgiligus Alekna
Bronze: Gerd Kanter

HAMMER

Gold: Koji Murofushi
Silver: Krisztian Pars
Bronze: Pavel Kryvitski

JAVELIN

Gold: Andreas Thorkildsen
Silver: Sergey Makarov
Bronze: Vadims Vasilevskis

LONG JUMP

Gold: Mitchell Watt
Silver: Irving Saladino
Bronze: Chris Tomlinson

TRIPLE JUMP

Gold: Phillips Idowu
Silver: Christian Taylor
Bronze: Alexis Copello

HIGH JUMP

Gold: Jesse Williams
Silver: Aleksey Dimitrik
Bronze: Aleksandr Shustov

POLE VAULT

Gold: Renaud Lavillenie
Silver: Malte Mohr
Bronze: Pawel Wojciechowski

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

2011 IAAF World Athletics Championships Predictions: Other Events

2011-08-26T04:25:00.000-07:00

Okay here's some more predictions for the IAAF World Track and Field Championships which begin in Daegu tomorrow. I was going to cover the mens field events today but I am aware that I needed to make my predictions for the Womens marathon and also the Decathlon before they start (both are on tomorrow). So I have done my predictions for events which don't fall under track or field today (i.e mathon and combined events). I have also taken the opportunity to predict the relay events as well.

As always, leave a comment to let me know who you think is going to be in the medal positions.

Mens Marathon

Gold: Gebre Gebremarian
Silver: Vincent Kipruto
Bronze: Benjamin Kiptoo

Womens Marathon

Gold: Edna Kiplagat
Silver: Aselefech Mergia
Bronze: Prisca Jeptoo

Decathlon

Gold: Ashton Eaton
Silver: Trey Hardee
Bronze: Leonel Suarez

Heptathlon

Gold: Jessica Ennis
Silver: Tatyana Chernova
Bronze: Jennifer Oeser

Mens 4 x 100m Relay

Gold: Jamaica
Silver: USA
Bronze: Trinidad and Tobago

Mens 4 x 400m Relay

Gold: USA
Silver: Bahamas
Bronze: Jamaica

Womens 4 x 100m Relay

Gold: Jamaica
Silver: USA
Bronze: Bahamas

Womens 4 x 400m Relay

Gold: USA
Silver: Jamaica
Bronze: Russia

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

2011 IAAF World Athletics Championships Predictions: Womens Track

2011-08-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the second round of my predictions for the 2011 IAAF World Track and Field Championships. Below you find the Sprint Strong preditions for the Womens Track events. Remember, if you think you can do a better job of predicting the medal positions then show your metal and leave your own predictions in the comments section below!

100m

Gold: Veronica Campbell-Brown
Silver: Carmelita Jeter
Bronze: Kerron Stewart

200m

Gold: Carmelita Jeter
Silver: Veronica Campbell-Brown
Bronze: Allyson Felix

400m

Gold: Sanya Richards-Ross
Silver: Amantle Montsho
Bronze: Allyson Felix

800m

Gold: Mariya Savinova
Silver: Jenny Meadows
Bronze: Kenia Sinclair

1500m

Gold: Maryam Yusuf Jamal
Silver: Morgan Uceny
Bronze: Gelete Burka

5000m

Gold: Vivian Cheruiyot
Silver: Meseret Defar
Bronze: Senayehu Ejigu

10000m

Gold: Vivian Cheruiyot
Silver: Linet Masai
Bronze: Sally Kipyego

110m Hurdles

Gold: Sally Pearson
Silver: Kellie Wells
Bronze: Danielle Carruthers

400m Hurdles

Gold: Kaliese Spencer
Silver: Lashinda Demus
Bronze: Melaine Walker

Steeplechase

Gold: Milcah Chemos Cheywa
Silver: Sofia Assefa
Bronze: Mercy Njoroge

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

2011 IAAF World Athletics Championships Predictions: Men Track

2011-08-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, here are the first of my predictions for the upcoming IAAF World Track and Field Championships to be held in Daegu. In this post I provide my medal predictions for the mens track events.

Think i'm way out? Let me know where i've gone wrong and provide your own predictions in the comments box below.

Also stay tuned for more predictions in the coming days.

100m

Gold: Usain Bolt
Silver: Asafa Powell
Bronze: Richard Thompson

200m

Gold: Usain Bolt
Silver: Walter Dix
Bronze: Nickel Ashmeade

400m

Gold: LaShawn Merritt
Silver: Kirani James
Bronze: Rondell Bartholomew

800m

Gold: David Rudisha
Silver: Abubaker Kaki
Bronze: Nick Symonds

1500m

Gold: Silas Kiplagat
Silver: Asbel Kiprop
Bronze: Nick Willis

5000m

Gold: Mohammed Farah
Silver: Bernard Lagat
Bronze: Imane Merga

10000m

Gold: Mohammed Farah
Silver: Zersanay Tadesse
Bronze: Kenenisa Bekele

110m Hurdles

Gold: David Oliver
Silver: Xiang Liu
Bronze: Dayron Robles

400m Hurdles

Gold: Bershawn Jackson
Silver: David Greene
Bronze: Jeshua Anderson

Steeplechase

Gold: Brimin Kipruto
Silver: Ezekiel Kemboi
Bronze: Richard Matelong

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Michael Del Monte Running Coach Interview

2011-08-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I said that my archive of coach interviews on my strength and conditioning consultancy website was updated and complete.

This statement was almost accurate. However, I have since noticed an omission. I have re-updated the page and so can confidently say that all of my interviews can be found at the link below:

Strength and Conditioning Coach Interviews

The missing interview that has now been included was with middle distance athlete and coach Michael Del Monte. Here is the link for the Michael Del Monte Interview:

Michael Del Monte Running Coach Interview

Next week I shall be previewing the upcoming IAAF World Track and Field Championships to be held in Daegu.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Strength and Conditioning Interviews

2011-08-19T04:40:00.000-07:00

Following on from my previous post detailing all of my strength and conditioning coach interviews I am pleased to be able to say that I have now completely updated the archives of strength and conditioning interviews over at my strength and conditioning consultancy website.

The final interviews to be installed into the strength and conditioning interview archives were with Mike Boyle and with Brendan Chaplin.

Here are the links to both of these strength and conditioning coach interviews:

Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning Interview
Brendan Chaplin Strength and Conditioning Interview

Keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming strength and conditioning interviews soon. And please feel free to leave a comment if there is anyone in particular that you are keen for me to interview.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Strength and Conditioning Coach Interviews

2011-08-15T03:38:00.000-07:00

I have conducted interviews with a number of strength and conditioning coaches over the last couple of years. All these interviews can be found here at Sprint Strong. However, I appreciate that as the site grows it becomes increasingly difficult to access old content.

In order to make it easy to find all of my strength and conditioning coach interviews I have set up a blog page on my new website (http://www.timegerton.com/) that is entirely dedicated to these interviews.

I have just about managed to put all of my previous strength and conditioning coach interviews on the new site now. There are still a few to go, but as it is almost complete I shall share them with you now.

First things first...

The web address for the new blog page that has all of these interviews is...

http://www.timegerton.com/strength-and-conditioning-coach-interviews.html

So without further ado, here are all the interviews that you will be able to find there:

Bret Contreras Strength and Conditioning Interview
Barry Ross Interview
Nigel Lewis Track and Field Interview
Neil Welch Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview
Alex Maroko Speed Training Interview
Russell Jolley Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview
Nigel Lewis Complex Training Interview
Marc Kent Personal Trainer Interview
Simon Whyatt Primal Fitness Interview
Paul Graham Speed Development Interview
Ben Dearman Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview
Dan Cossins Sprint Coach Interview
Charlotte Ord Personal Trainer Interview
Sam Leahey Strength and Conditioning Coach Interview
Tim Egerton Brendan Chaplin Strength and Conditioning Interview
Tim Egerton Strength and Conditioning Interview
Jim Kielbaso Speed Development Interview

So there you have it - a whole host of top quality strength and conditioning reading material all in one place at:

Strength and Conditioning coach Interviews

As I mentioned, there are still a few more interviews to put on the site - so I will update this post to let you know when I have done that. Of course, I will continue to conduct more interviews with industry leading strength and conditioning coaches as well - and these will also find their way onto the new page for Strength and Conditioning Coach Interviews.

Enjoy the reading material!

Stay Strong,

Tim

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Caged Steel Conditioning Circuit

2011-08-11T04:12:00.000-07:00

In Mondays interview with Brendan Chaplin, Brendan mentioned that he was working with the pro fighters at Caged Steel MMA gym. Check out the video below for a taste of what type of conditioning work Brendan has the MMA guys doing at Caged Steel.

Brendan Chaplin Strength and Conditioning Challenge

2011-08-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

Following on from Mondays strength and conditioning interview with Brendan Chaplin and yesterdays re-posting of Brendan Chaplins Strength and Conditioning article from a year or so ago, today I thought I would post some video footage. Brendan has recently been posting various strength and conditioning challenges and so here is a video of Brendans latest strength endurance challenge.

Have a go and see how you get on!

Brendan Chaplin Strength and Conditioning Article

2011-08-09T03:35:00.000-07:00

Following on from yesterdays strength and conditioning intervirew with Brendan Chaplin, here is a link a guest article on strength and conditioning for speed that Brendan Chaplin wrote for this site a year or so ago.

Here's that link:

Strength and Conditioning for Speed - Brendan Chaplin

The article explored whtat Brendan believed to be 5 key strength training exercises for speed development. It is well worth a look.

Brendan Chaplin Strength and Conditioning Interview

2011-08-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview that I recently did with Brendan Chaplin. I have known Brendan since studying for my MSc in Strength and Conditioning with him at University. I'll let you read on below to find out more about Brendan and what he has to say.

--

Tim: Hi Bren. Thanks for taking some time out to answer some questions.

Brendan: No worries Tim always a pleasure for you my friend!!

Tim: I know you have just revamped your website (www.brendanchaplin.co.uk) which has some background information on you. However, it wouldn't be proper if I didn't start this interview by asking for a quick introduction...

Brendan: Okay well i'm currently the head of S&C at Leeds Met Carnegie primarily working with elite badminton, netball, rugby league and running the TASS athlete scholarship programme where we provide S&C support to a load of different athletes. As well as this I train all the pro fighters at Caged Steel MMA fight team which is taking up an increasing amount of time as the gym grows with several full time guys training with me close to every day now so thats great! On top of that I try to keep my website updated as much as I can which can be quite time consuming!! So im fairy busy right now, but never one to complain!!

Tim: Good stuff. Lets get into the work you are doing with your MMA guys if that is okay. I am interested in whether you do much in the way of metabolic conditioning with the fighters, as from what I gather most of the training that takes place at the typical MMA gym is very metabolically demanding.

Brendan: that's a good question. I think like all depends on the athlete in question as to what their training programme will involve. Some of the guys need the conditioning and some need more strength and power development. As a generalisation the point you make is a good one and the fighters that I work with tend to focus a significant amount of their time on strength and power development however as the fight comes closer I include sessions to improve their anaerobic and aerobic capacity. I'm a big believer in combat athletes possessing high levels of maximal strength and power and using this as a base to develop technique under fatigue that will aid the endurance efforts required in the fight. I think that answers your question!!

Tim: Yes it certainly does! This differs from the traditional thought process of building an aerobic endurance base before working on elements such as strength, power or speed. Both approaches will have their places, depending on specific circumstances. A point perhaps worth discussing is that, if beginning a programme with endurance work, what exactly is it that one is training to endure?

Brendan: Thats something that needs to be considered irrespective of the periodisation you put in place. For me, its best to look at the end goal and work backwards. For example, a rugby league player needs to cover (depending on position) around 7-9km during the 80 minutes of the match (actually less with the ball being out of play). Whats the point them doing this in early pre season slowly and with no intensity? Is it not better for them to build up their speed, strength and power over shorter distances, then keep this intensity for the longer distances? We want them to be able to cover this distance close to the start of the season.

Same with an MMA fighter. 15 minutes of activity in 17 minutes of time (with rest between rounds) is the end goal, not the goal 12 weeks out from the fight. Build a strength and power foundation then add the aerobic element progressively.

Having said all that, some athletes will benefit more from higher volume programmes, some will benefit more from higher intensity programmes. As a coach it's our job to decide the best way to develop the athletes. The key is to work backwards and decide when you need the athlete to achieve this performance competency, then put the programme in place to achieve it, whether that be a traditional, reverse, undulating etc etc approach.

Tim: Continuing with our discussion of how to fit the different elements of strength and conditioning into an effective programme, I would be interested to draw on your previous experience of working with elite rowers. As rowing places a large demand upon both strength and aerobic endurance I am guessing you will have given a fair bit of thought to concurrent training. In your present situation, do you ever attempt to achieve significant adaptations in both of these areas during the same phase of training? If so, how do you go about it?

Brendan: Training for elite rowers in the programme I worked in involved slotting in strength/power work around high volume aerobic work both on the water and the ergo 100% of the time. This was largely down to the technical coaches approach to the development of his rowers. What it did mean was that they were undertaking a concurrent programme the vast majority of the time that i worked with them. They made some very good strength and power gains in this programme, however some individuals struggled to handle the overall volume of the programme and probably would have benefitted from an intensity based programme rather than a volume based programme. Incidentally, these individuals were the ones with the biggest squats and cleans, in other words the more fast twitch of the group. Although I presented the case for individualisation, i was just a lowly S&C coach and what the hell did I know about rowing ;), but it was a good lesson to learn about concurrent programming.

In general, chasing multiple goals is unavoidable as most sports require that multiple qualities are developed (strength/power/endurance etc). The days of the classic pure endurance phase, strength phase, power phase etc are over.

In an ideal world, I would put all the high intensity work on the same day of the week followed by the volume on the next day then back to high intensity etc. This allows the nervous system to recover ready for producing maximal efforts again. So speed work, strength and power work should be done on one day, endurance work etc should be done on the other day.

In reality, with the S&C programme generally having to fit around the technical development, compromises have to be made. High intensity sessions should be placed around the high technical skill sessions to optimise the physical gains as much as possible whilst the endurance work ideally will on a separate day or at least a separate part of the same day!

Tim: This has been great Bren, but I was wondering if we could finish off by taking a slightly different tack. I think we both appreciate that strength and conditioning is a hugely competitive industry. With this in mind, how do you feel about a few quick fire questions relating to individuals looking to break into strength and conditioning?

Brendan: Lets do it!

Tim: How would someone know if the strength and conditioning profession is for them?

Brendan: Try it and see, but you really need to enjoy helping others develop, and you must be prepared to work very hard and get stuck in!

Tim: If someone is considering getting started in strength and conditioning, what steps would be good for them to take?

Brendan: Look on the UK Sport website for internships/voluntary placements, go and meet practising strength and conditioning coaches, and ask loads of questions.

Tim: Without any fluff, what does it really take to be a successful strength and conditioning coach?

Brendan: Firstly, a real desire to learn about the training process inside out, secondly a serious work ethic to put in long hours, days and weeks, and thirdly a real passion to help other people achieve their goals. These are not in order!

Tim: Thanks Bren. Can we wrap things up by letting the readers know where they can go to find out more about your work?

Brendan: Thanks for the interview Tim, your doing a great job with Sprint Strong, some great information on the site. If your readers are interested in more of my work, they should check out my blog at http://www.brendanchaplin.co.uk/ where there is much more info on programming and other key areas of the training process.

Cheers!

What Separates the Good from the Great

2011-08-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

Carrying on from yesterdays post on the traits of champion - this video
doesn't need any words to describe what separates the good from the great.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

10 Traits of a Champion

2011-08-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a great video I stumbled upon with some thoughts on the traits required to be a sporting champion.

So what is required to be a sporting champion?

1) Champions focus on the end result. They train with a sense of purpose.
2) I champion never thinks they are working hard enough and want to do more.
3) A champion trains in the moment without thought about next practice.
4) Championships are earned in the winter and champions are crowned in the spring.
5) Everyone wants to win, but there can only be one champion.
6) The goal of a champion is to win and it is your decision whether you wish to pursue it or not.
7) A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.
8) A champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, and at the point of exhaustion, when no one is watching.
9) A champion is someone who focuses on the process of becoming a winner rather than actually winning.

Do you agree with these points? Would you add any more?

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

More Useful Resources

2011-08-02T02:15:00.000-07:00

I recently did a post for my UK readers with some useful resources. This post had links to strength and conditioning resources, sport and exercise science resources and track and field resources. Todays post is similar, but with more of an american emphasis.

Track and Field Resources

http://www.flotrack.org/
Great site for athlete interviews and training videos.

http://www.trackboundusa.co.uk/
Fantastic resources for non american athletes considering taking up an athletic scholarship at an american university.

http://www.ustfccca.org/jobs
The place to look for track and field coaching jobs.

Strength and Conditioning Resources

http://www.nsca-lift.org/
The NSCA is the most widely recognised strength and conditioning organisation in the world.

http://www.nsca-cc.org
Check out this site if you are considering taking an NSCA certification.

http://www.timegerton.com/ - another plug for my strength and conditioning consultancy website!

http://www.strengthandconditioning.org
Australias equivalent to the NSCA

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Faster top speeds are achieved with greater ground forces not more rapid leg movements: Peter Weyand Study

2011-07-31T06:36:00.000-07:00

Following on from ysterdays post linking to an article on how Usain Bolt runs so fast, here is a link to the study upon which the article was based:

http://jap.physiology.org/content/89/5/1991.long

The entire journal article is available for free at the above link, so have a read and then leave a comment below if you want to let me know your thoughts.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Scientists explain Secret of Bolt's Speed

2011-07-30T02:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an article explaining some research into running speed:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/29072011/58/scientists-explain-secret-bolt-speed.html?page=2&order=date#co

The research in question is nothing new. It was actually published some time ago now. However, it was at the time (and still is) a landmark study. As such the above article, although brief and somewhat superficial, may make some interesting reading.

Stay Strong,

Tim

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Strength and Conditioning Interviews

2011-07-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Since Sprint Strong began in December 2009 I have conducted numerous interviews with successful and high profile strength and conditioning coaches. The first of these interviews, and still one of the most popular, was with Bret Contreras.

I have just re-published my interview with Bret Contreras on timegerton.com and I will continue to re-publish these strength and conditioning interviews on this part of the strength and conditioning consultancy website over the coming weeks.

The strength and conditioning interviews have been one of the most popular features of Sprint Strong and so by re-publishing them in one loacation it should make it easy for readers to go back over them again.

So keep checking back here for more strength and conditioning interviews.

Stay Strong,

Tim

Useful Resources

2011-07-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I would do a quick blog post with some useful resources today. This is mainly based at UK readers today, but I will do a foolow up post for overseas followers as well.

Track and Field athletes and enthusiasts

http://www.athleticos.org/ a great website with extensive video footage and interviews from the top british athletics meetings.

http://www.runnerslife.co.uk/ - interesting blogs from some of Britains top middle and long distance runners

http://www.thepowerof10.info/ - fantastic site with in depth rankings, results and statistics

Strength and Conditioning Coaches

http://www.uksca.org.uk/ - a key organisation for practising and aspiring S&C coaches

http://www.timegerton.com/ - a plug for my strength and conditioning consultancy website!

http://www.uksca.gov.uk/ - a useful resource for any strength and conditioning coaches looking for work

http://www.eis2win.co.uk/ - also lists strength and conditioning jobs, but often not as comprehensive

Sport and Exercise Scientists

http://www.bases.org.uk/ - also provides job listings, with more of an emphasis on academia

Please feel free to add to this resource list using the comments box below.

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSUTLANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES

Strength and Conditioning Consultancy

2011-07-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

I have been slightly overwhelmed with the amount of interest the launch of my new Strength and Conditioning Consultancy website has generated.

I have had lots of emails asking all sorts of questions so I thought I would use a blog post today to answer some of the most common questions.

Popular Question Number One: What geographical locations am I available to coach in?

As Sprint Strong has a large number of readers from the USA along with many readers from various different parts of the globe, I should point out that I am a British based coach. In particular, athletes interested in strength and conditioning coaching should be based in the North West of England. More specifically I am based in Cheshire, near the Staffordshire border.

However, if you are based further afield (or even overseas) do not despair. I will soon be making online coaching available along with other educational/consultancy services.

Popular Question Number Two: What is the difference between my consultancy service and my coaching service?

Strength and Conditioning Coaching invloves elements such as teaching and providing feedback on exercise technique, programme design, session planning, and athlete monitoring. Strength and Conditioning Consultancy may involve some of these components, although the precise nature of the consultancy can vary tremendously depending on the requirements of the client.

Typically Strength and Conditioning Consultancy will involve some or all of the following:

Developing the coaching practice of another strength and conditioning practioner through observation and feeback
Provision of physical testing and monitoring for professional sports teams
Critical analysis of training programmes
Advising professional sports teams or organisations on the development of a strength and conditioning facility
Provision of expertise in order to resolve specific issues (eg. high injury rates, adherence to training programmes)

So as a general rule the Strength and Conditioning Coaching service is more for athletes whilst the Strength and Conditioning Consultancy service is more for coaches, teams and organisations.

Popular Question Number Three: When will the Track and Field Programme start?

This is to be confirmed. However, the Track and Field Programme will begin following the completion of a Track and Field season. If things move quickly then the programme could begin in October of this year, following the completion of the 2010 Track and Field season. Therefore, if you are an athlete keen to be involved in this I would recommend you send me some information about yourself using the contact form here straight away.

Popular Question Number Four: What event groups will the Track and Field Programme cater for?

To an extent this depends upon demand. However, I expect the Track and Field Programme to consist of a middle distance training group and possibly a sprint training group as well.
--------------

If you have any additional questions you can email me using the contact form on my strength and conditioning consultancy website. Alternatively you can leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post and I will answer you query.

Stay Strong,

Sprint Strong,

Tim Egerton

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Tim Egerton Strength and Conditioning Consultancy

2011-07-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

I have a big announcement to make today.

My new website timegerton.com has just been launched!

This is the place you should go if you are looking for any of the following services:

Strength and Conditioning Coaching
Track and Field Coaching
Coach Eduction (Strength and Conditioning and/or Track and Field)

Go and check out the site now. You will especially want to check it out if you are looking for strength and conditioning coaching in the North of England.

However, as I know a large number of Sprint Strong readers are based in the USA, I will be adding online coaching and other web based services in the near future. So keep your eyes peeled for new updates.

The easiest way to make sure you stay in the loop is to sign up to my free newsletter by placing your details in the box at the top of the page. As I will be making special discounts available to my newsletter subscribers, now is the PERFECT time to sign up.

Stay Strong,

Sprint Strong,

Tim Egerton

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONIONG CONSULTANCY

Mo Farah Nitrogen Bath

2011-06-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

Having looked at the Alter G treadmill, an anti gravity treadmill used by Alberto Salazar (the coach of Mo Farah), it is interesting to look at other pieces of sports technology that Salazar and Farah have been using this year.

Here is a link to a video showing Mo Farah using a Nitrogen machine as a form of cold treatment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/13812426.stm

Cyotherapy is an area that has had a lot of attention in sports performance training in recent years. Stay tuned for more info on cryotherapy, or cold treatment, in the coming weeks.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Alter G Treadmill

2011-06-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

Following on from yesterdays post on Alberto Salazar and the Alter G Treadmill, here is another video taking a look at the application of the Alter G treadmill.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Alberto Salazar talks about the AlterG Treadmill and Training Athletes

2011-06-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

Following on yesterdays post on my Track and Field predictions for the year, I thought it would be interesting to explore some of the factors that may have led to Mo Farahs breakthrough over 10,000m this year.

Firstly, we should note that Mo switched coaches to Alberto Salazar at the end of last year. One of the training methods tht Salazar is renowned for using is running on the Alter G treadmill.

The Alter G treadmill is essentially an anti gravity treadmill. It allows athletes to run at a reduced bodyweight.

Check out the video below and see what you make of Alberto Salazar and his thoughts on the Alter G treadmill.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Track and Field Predictions 2011

2011-06-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

As we are almost half way through 2011 (already!) now is a good time to review some of my predictions for the year. At the end of last year I made a number of predictions for 2011. Included in these predictions were a couple of Track and Field predictions. These predictions were that:

1) Usain Bolt would stick to the short sprints this year (rather than try other events as rumoured) and would be back to his best.

2) Mohammed Farah would have a major breakthrough and be amongst the medals at the World Athletics Championships.

--

I would have to say the jury is still out on the first of those two predictions. Usain Bolt has indeed stuck to the short sprints this season. However, he has not yet raced much and he had a shakey start (by his standards) to his season, only just managing to win a Diamond League 100m race (albeit ahead of former world record holder Asafa Powell) in 9.91 seconds.

More recently, however, he has been much more impressive over 200m. Here he won much more convincingly and although the time was not cintillating (again by Bolts standards - 19.86 seconds) the conditions were pretty terrible and would suggest he is capable of going very fast indeed this year.

Mo Farah meanwhile has enjoyed a sensational breakthrough this season. Beating a world class field over 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic in a time of 26 minutes 46 seconds, Farah is possibly the best distance runner on the planet at this current moment in time.

--

So what does all this mean for my predictions?

Well, Bolt has not yet shown that he is back to his very best. But for me he has shown enough to suggest that he probably will be at least by the time the world championships roll around in Daegu.

As for Mo Farah, well he has already fulfilled the first half of my prediction. His 10,000m time does represent an emphatic breakthrough. But the other part of my prediction was that he would be amongst the medals at the World Athletics Championships. Whilst he may now be one of the favourites for the world title, we must remember that the World Championships are very late this year. A lot can change between now and September. However, I am going to stand by my prediction and continue to believe that Mo Farah will win a medal at the World Athletics Championships.

--

Okay. I have said my bit. What are YOUR predictions for the remainder of the Track and Field season. Please leave a comment below and lets get a good discussion going! Perhaps you are more interested in the world masters athletics championships. I know there are a number of Sprint Strong readers planning to compete there. If so, what are your predictions (and your own aspirations) for this event?

Stay Strong,

Sprint Strong,

Tim Egerton

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Creatine Supplementation for Sprinters

2011-06-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Creatine is probably just about the most widely researched sports nutrition supplement in existence. Not only this but the evidence is pretty strong that Creatine is one particular supplement that actually works.

But what does it actually do? Is it beneficial for sprinters and if so how should it be used? These are the questions that we will be addressing in todays article.

Creatine Question 1 - What does it do?

Creatine, or methyl guanidine-acetic acid, plays an important role in replenishing Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) in working muscles. This is of importance since ATP stores energy which can be used for muscular contraction when it is broken down into Adenosine Diphosphate and inorganic phosphate. ATP stores need to be continually replenished in order for any particular exercise intensity to be maintained. Usually we are fairly reliant upon the Oxidtive system to replenish ATP. However, there is an upper limit to the rate at which ATP can be replenished, which is insufficient to meet the energy demands of very high intensity activities such as sprinting. Two other energy systems exist to help meet the energy demands of intense activity: the glycolytic system and the phosphagen system. Creatine replenishes ATP as part of the phosphagen system, and it is this system that is able to replenish ATP at the greatest possible rate.

The trouble is the body only has a limited supply of Creatine. This is quickly depleted during intense activity and so it does not take long before athletes must rely more heavily on the glycolytic and oxidative systems for ATP replenishment. As we have mentioned, these energy systems are not able to replenish ATP at such a high rate. The consequence of this is that the intensity of exercise must be reduced.

Fortunately, it is possible to increase how much creatine is stored in the muscles through the use of creatine supplementation. The effect of this is that athletes can rely on the phosphagen system for the replenishment of ATP for slightly longer periods of time.

Creatine Question 2 - Is it beneficial for Sprinters?

The phosphagen system generally allows for around 10 seconds of maximum intensity work to be performed before the onset of fatigue. It is thus possible to argue that a sprinter does not require creatine supplementation in order to extend this period, since it will be extending the ability to rely upon the phosphagen system for periods in excess of the duration of a 100m race. This argument assumes that the sprinter does not compete over distances of 200m or 400m. However, the reliance on the glycolytic system in these longer sprints will be significant and there may only be a small increase in the duration for which the athlete is heavily reliant on the phosphagen system in relation to the duration of the event.

So if we continue along this line of argument, it would appear that 100m specialists performing at a low level (say around 12 seconds) and world class sprint hurdlers may have the most to gain from creatine supplementation. This is because the duration of the performance in these athletes is just slightly longer than the duration for which the phosphagen system is able to regenerate ATP during maximum intensity exercise.

However, we may be missing the point somewhat here. The real advantage of creatine supplementation is likely to be seen in training. In contrast to competition, where a single maximum effort is required, sprinters will generally repeat a number of high intensity efforts during the course of a training session. Indeed, short term creatine supplementation (for 6 days) has been found to significantly improve repeated sprint ability without (Cox et al., 2002; Mujika et al., 2000) without improving maximum sprinting speed (Cox et al., 2002).

So creatine supplementation should allow for greater exposure to high intensity training (as it would be expected to delay the onset of fatigue during near maximal intensity training sessions - allowing for a greater number of high quality repetitions to be performed). Greater exposure to high intensity training should result in a heightened stimulus for adaptation which should in turn result in improved sprint performances on the track during competition.
Creatine Question 3 - How should it be used?

When beginning creatine supplementation it has been proposed that dosages in excess of 2g per day should be used. This recommendation is based upon the fact that the turn over / degredation rate of creatine within the muscle is approximately 2g per day. Most initial creatine loading protocols involve either 20g per day for a period of around five days. However, creatine saturation within the muscle cells can also be acheived with a much lower loading dose of 3g per day for four weeks. The lower loading dose would generally be my recommendation since the creatine is likely to be more efficiently absorbed this way.

After this loading period a maintenance phase involving 2g creatine per day for another four weeks is generally recommended.

As always when attempting to maximise the uptake of a particular nutrient into the muscles, combining its supplementation with carbohydrate intake will prove beneficial by causing an Insulin spike (think of Insulin as our storage hormone - so an Insulin spike at the same time as large amounts of circulating creatine will result in maximising the storage of creatine in the muscles). High glycaemic index carbohydrates should be used in conjunction with creatine supplementation and recommendations have ranged from around 6g of carbohydrate per gram of creatine to 18g of carbohydrate per gram of creatine.

References

Cox (2002). 'Acute creatine supplementation and performance during a field test simulating match play in elite female soccer players'. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 12 (1), pp. 33-46

Mujika, I., Padilla, S., Ibanez, J., Izquierdo, M., Gorstiaga, E. (2000). 'Creatine supplementation and sprint performance in soccer players'. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32 (2), pp. 518-25

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Poole Strength and Conditioning: Russell Jolley

2011-06-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

I am often asked by athletes from various parts of the UK where the best place for strength and conditioning training is. I am often able to point them in the direction of a great coach and / or facility that is reasonably local to them.

Some of these coaches have previously done interviews with me on this site. One such coach is Russell Jolley who talked about about his experiences as a strength and conditioning coach at Bournemounth University. You can see the interview here.

Since that interview Russell has set up the Conditioning Centre in Poole, Bournemouth. Training with Russell Jolley at the Conditioning Centre would be my top recommendation for anyone in this area.

Anyway, the reason for this shout out is that Russell is currently running a massive discount at the Conditioning Centre. I have just been in touch with Russell and this is what he had to say about it:

Its 40% off our full memebrship (so its £60 per month instead of £100). That gets you a full personal and sports specific programme design and update every 4 weeks, unlimited access to any session at The Conditioning Centre and a free t-shirt. Its an incredible deal and I just want to get people into it so they can see how much they can get from a performance programme and being coached every session.

If you are an athlete in this area I would seriously consider jumping in on this offer. A word of warning, you need to have signed up by 4th June in order to take advantage of the offer. With this in mind, if you feel this is for you then you should definately go and check out the website here right now (http://www.conditioningcentre.com/).

That's all for today. I will be finishing of the series on nutrition next week.

Stay Strong,

Sprint Strong,

Tim Egerton

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

mTORC1 and AMPK activation

2011-05-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

Following on from yesterdays post on protein and carbohydrate supplementation pre and post strength training in order to assist with mTORC1 activation and minimise AMPK activation, here is a re-post of some of my lecture slides looking at the activation of these two molecules. These slides look at mTORC1 and AMPK activation in relation to concurrent strength and endurance training. However, they do re-inforce some of the points made yesterday.

Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training

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TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Protein Supplementation for Sprinters

2011-05-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

When it comes to protein supplementation for sprinters we are generally NOT looking at protein intake in an athletes general diet. Although that may well be an important consideration when looking at athletic performance hollistically, the clue with regard to todays post is in the word supplementation.

As the name suggests, nutrition supplements are meant to supplement the normal intake of particular components of the diet. In this respect protein is not really something that requires supplementation. It is relatively easy, even for athletes in intense training, to meet overall protein requirements simply from consuming whole foods.

Instead, the key reason for the use of protein supplements relates to nutrient timing.

Whilst we can obtain a sufficient quantity of protein from our diet, there are times when our muscles require the delivery of nutrients at a rapid rate. Protein supplements can allow for a much greater rate of protein absorption in comparison to whole foods.

When it comes to protein supplementation in sprinters we are concerned with a rapid delivery of proteins during the pre and post workout period. We can increase the absorption rate of proteins by consuming supplements with a high content of Whey protein.

In particular it is beneficial for the sprinter to supplement with protein before and after strength training workouts.

Strength training represents an important part of a sprinters training programme due to the relationship between force production during the ground contact phase and sprinting speed (greater ground contact forces = greater sprinting speeds).

It is known that a high level of activation of a molecule known as Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) is associated with strength gains following resistance training (greater mTORC1 activation = greater strength gains). An important goal regarding strength training should therefore be to maximise mTORC1 activation.

Maximising mTORC1 activation

From a programme and workout design standpoint it is thought that mTORC1 activation can be maximised by maximising the load being placed on the muscle whilst also minimising metabolic stress. With this in mind many researchers and coaches have suggested the use of heavy eccentric only training in order to maximise mTORC1 activation.

However, nutrition can also play a key role since mTORC1 activation is also regulated by the presence of amino acids. For this reason, protein supplementation prior to and following strength training will help to maximise strength gains in sprinters.

We have already mentioned that Whey protein supplementation is optimal during pre and post workout periods. What has not yet been mentioned is combining carbohydrates with protein.

Adding carbohydrate to the protein supplement has two main benefits:

AMPK is a molecule that directly blocks the activation of mTORC1. It therefore makes sense to try and minimise AMPK activation during periods of strength training (which requires high levels of mTORC1 activation in order to maximise the training effect). AMPK is activated as a result of metabolic stress. However, the ingestion of carbohydrate switches off AMPK. So by including carboydrate in the pre-workout supplement we are able to minimise AMPK activation which will help to further elevate mTORC1 activation.
The consumption of high glycaemic carbohydrates can result in an Insulin spike. As Insulin is effectively a storage hormone, this will allow for the protein that is ingested prior to the workout to reach the muscles much sooner.

Suggested carbohydrate to protein ratios vary between 2:1 and 4:1, with Dextrose usually being the primary source of carboydrate. Pre workout carbohydrate/protein supplements may possibly benefit from being towards the higher end of the above range of carbohydrate to protein ratios (in order to achieve a greater insulin spike). In contrast, it may be more beneficial for post workout supplements to be towards the lower end of the above range of of carb to protein ratios. This is because exercise increases insulin sensitivity and so a smaller insulin spike will prove just as beneficial.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONSULTANCY

Sports Nutrition Supplements for Sprinters

2011-05-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

We have taken a look at a number of sports nutrition supplements that may have merit for middle distance runners over the last few weeks.

Now it is time to turn our attention to sprinters and what sports nutrition supplements they may or may not benefit from.

Obvious candidates for scrutinisation (that we have not already looked at for middle distance runners) include protein supplementation and creatine.

Of the supplements that we have already considered regarding middle distance running performance, a couple may be worth looking at again in relation to sprint athletes. These include caffeine and Beta Alanine supplementation.

We will kick things off with protein supplementation for the sprinter, so stay tuned for the next installment.

In the mean, for ease of navigation, here are the links to the sports nutrition posts in this series so far (which have up until now focused on supplementation strategies for middle distance runners):

Sports Nutrition Supplements
Resveratrol
Sodium Bicarbonate
Mitochndria, AMPK and Endurance Performance
Caffeine
Beta Alanine
Nitric Oxide

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Nitric Oxide

2011-05-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

So far in this series on sports nutrition supplements for middle distance runners we have looked at the following supplements:

Resveratrol
Sodium Bicarbonate
Caffeine
Beta Alanine

The final sports nutrition supplement that we will look at in relation to middle distance running performance is Nitric Oxide.

Nitric Oxide is a supplement that appears to hugely popular with individuals training for increased muscle size. In particular they take it in order to achieve a better 'pump' during workouts. This could be a whole different post in itself whereby we examine factors such as: the importance of the pump when training for muscle mass and size; the effect that Nitric Oxide has on the muscle pump; and whether any of the supposed effects of Nitric Oxide translate to superior hypertrophic adaptation to training. However, for now it will suffice to say that Nitric Oxide supplementation does not actually appear to be an effective means of eliciting more substantial gains in muscle mass.

An understanding of how Nitric Oxide supplements are proposed to exert their effects would be useful. Firstly it is important to realise that these supplements are actually Nitric Oxide simulators. In other words, the desired effect of ingesting these supplements is the synthesis of Nitric Oxide. The main component of Nitric Oxide supplements is usually Arginine.

Arginine stimulates the synthesis of the vasodilator Nitric Oxide. Increased vasodilation as a result of elevated Nitric Oxide production will result in increased blood flow. Individuals usually take Nitric oxide supplements in the hope that this increased blood flow will give them a greater pump from their workouts.

It would be logical to assume that increased vasodilation, and therefore increased blood flow, will lead to a greater level of endurance performance (since we would expect the greater level of blood flow to allow for a greater level of oxygen uptake in the working muscles).

Recent research looking into Nitrates and endurance performance has focused on the use of Beetroot Juice, which has a high Nitrate content.

Beetroot Juice supplementation 2.5 hours prior to cycling time trials has been shown to significantly mean power output over distances of 4Km and 16Km (Lansley et al., 2011). Although perhaps somewhat suprisingly these performance benefits were seen without any effect on VO2max.

Does this mean that Beetroot Juice exerts its effects through different mechanisms to those discussed above for Nitric Oxide supplementation?

Possibly.

Beetroot Juice is likely to be a more attractive supplementation option for most athletes from a financial perspective. On the down side, in my experience, the taste leaves a lot to be desired (to put it mildly).

It would be interesting to see some studies comparing the effects of Beetroot Juice against those of the more traditional (Arginine) Nitric Oxide supplements.

For now, my advice would be that Nitric Oxide supplements or Beetroot Juice may be worth experimenting with.

Lansley, K. E., Winyard, P. G., Bailey, S. J., Vanhatalo, A., Wilkerson, D. P., Blackwell, J. R., Gillchrist, M., Benjamin, N. & Jones, A. M. (2011). 'Acute dietary nitrate supplementation improves cycling time trial performance'. Medicine and Science in SPorts and Exercise

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Update

2011-05-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post.

Partly because I have been very busy over the past few weeks. However, I did try to do a couple of posts over the last couple of of days but they seemed to get deleted as soon as I posted them.

Very frustrating!

Hopefully, the gremlins have gone now and this post will actually work.

Anyway, I will be back on the ball next week with fresh new blog posts.

First of all I will finish of this series of posts on sports nutrition supplementation strategies for track and field athletes. I probably have just one more post on sports nutrition supplementation for middle distance runners. After that I will cover suitable supplements and nutrition practices for sprinters.

Once I have have finished this series of posts I am open to suggestions with regard to what to write about next.

So if you have anything in particular that you require more knowledge on or insight into please leave a comment below and I will see what I can do.

That's all for now.

Check back at the start of next week for some fresh new content.

Cheers,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITINING CONSULTANCY

Beta Alanine

2011-04-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation is usually associated with high intensity exercise that predominantly stresses the glycolytic system. The purpose of Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation, in this scenario, is to reduce the deleterious effects that acidosis has on performance.

However, in my post on Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation I did not recommend its use when performing high intensity exercise predominantly stressing the glycolytic system. Instead my advice was to supplement with Sodium Bicarbonate prior to interval training sessions designed to maximise aerobic metabolism (i.e. working at around VO2max intensity).

This may lead to you questioning what supplementation strategy should be used to achieve a buffering effect whilst performing high intensity exercise.

The answer?

BETA ALANINE

Beta Alanine is a non-essential amino acid and is the rate limiting precursor of carnosine (Derave et al., 2007). This means that the ingestion of Beta Alanine results in elevated muscle carnosine levels. This is important since a strong positive correlation between muscle carnosine levels and rowing performance has been identified (Baquet et al., 2010). Furthermore, elevated muscle carnosine levels are postively correlated with an enhancement in rowing performance (Baquet et al., 2010) and the performance enhancing effects of high muscle carnosine levels are most pronounced during the latter half of high intensity bouts of exercise (Suzuki et al., 2002). This makes sense as it is proposed that Carnosine exerts its effects on physical performance by acting as a buffering agent.

Most supplementation strategies involve taking 3 to 6 grammes of Beta Alanine per day for periods of six weeks or more. This supplementation strategy is used to elevate muscle Carnosine levels as much as possible.

So if you are a middle distance runner considering Beta Alanine supplementation it would appear that a daily supplementation strategy during pre-competition training blocks represents the optimal protocol. This will enable athletes to maximise muscle Carnosine levels during periods when they are focusing on race pace sessions placing a high level of stress on the glycolytic system. Not only will this improve the quality of these high intensity training sessions but it will also have a direct impact upon race performance as athletes will maintain elevated muscle Carnosine levels throughout the racing season if the supplementation protocol is timed well.

References

Baquet, A., Bourgois, J., Vanhee, L., Achten, E. & Derave, W. (2010). 'Important role of muscle carnosine in rowing performance'. Journal of Applied Physiology, 109(4), pp. 1096-101

Derave, W., Ozdemir, M. S., Harris, R. C., Pottier, A., Reyngoudt, H., Koppo, K., Wise, J. A. & Achten, E. (2007). 'beta alanine supplementation augments muscle carnosine content and attenuates fatigue during repeated isokinetic contraction bouts in trained sprinters'. Journal of Applied Physiology, 103(5), pp. 1736-43

Suzuki, Y., Ito, O., Mukai, N., Takahashi, H. & Takamatsu, K. (2002). 'High level of skeletal muscle carnosine contributes to the latter half of exercise performance during 30-s maximal cycle ergometer sprinting'. Japanese Journal of Physiology, 52(2), pp. 199-205

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Caffeine

2011-04-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

Caffeine is almost certainly a supplement that is more commonly used by middle distance runners in comparison to those discussed in rcent blog posts (Sodium Bicarbonate and Resveratrol).

In terms of popularity and common usage, between Sodium Bicarbonate and Resveratrol, I would be pretty confident in saying that Sodium Bicarbonate was a hands down winner. However, my recommended strategy for Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation is not in line with how most athletes use Sodium Bicarbonate.

So todays sports nutrition supplementation recommendations are a little more conventional. Unlike Resveratrol, most athletes have heard of and are aware of the benefits of caffeine supplementation. Unlike with Sodium Bicarbonate, I will not be suggesting supplementation strategies that differ widely from common practice.

Caffeine supplementation is known to be an effective means of boosting sports performance. Supplementation strategies usually involve taking around 3 mg caffeine per kg bodyweight about one hour prior to competing. I have no problem with this particular strategy. However, there are perhaps one or two potential pitfalls and concerns that need to be adressed if athletes are to get the most out of caffeine supplementation.

Don't Use Coffee

It is not known exactly why, but the same performance enhancing effects of caffeine are not usually seen when it is taken in the form of coffee. It has been theorised that other components of coffee either antagonise the responses to the caffeine or counteract any performance enhancing effect of caffeine by directly imparing performance.

Don't Worry About Dehydration

It is well known that caffeine is a diuretic. As such, athletes are often concerened about dehydration in relation to caffeine supplementation. This should not be of concern, since it has been shown that caffeine does not promote dehydration if ingested immediately prior to exercise (Wemple, 1997).

Of course this raises the issue of ingesting caffeine sufficiently in advance of competing in order to obtain its full performance enhancing effects. Assuming a reasonably lengthy warm-up is going to be undertaken, we can get round this problem simply by consuming caffeine immediately prior to the beginning of the warm-up.

Pills or Liquid?

Most caffeine drinks do not contain sufficient caffeine to meet the recommendations for obtaining performance enhancing effects. So in order to meet the 3mg caffeine per kg body weight recommendation (without having to consume too much liquid) I would advise taking caffeine in pill form.

It Depends When You Take It

It would appear that athletes are more sensitive to the performance enhancing effects of caffeine when they are already fatigued. This information is not particularly useful for the middle distance runner, but could prove invaluable for those who race over the marathon distance or in other sports such as endurance cycling. In particular, such athletes may wish to consider staggering caffeine ingestion throughout the race (if practical).

What about habitual tea and coffee drinkers?

It has long been thought that regular caffeine consumption reduces the potential for performance enhancing effects when caffeine is taken before competing. This spells bad news for habitual tea and coffee drinkers.

However, new research offers a glimmer of hope...

The performance enhancing effects of caffeine supplementation (3mg per kg body weight 90 minutes prior to exercise) have been shown to be equal between a group of subjects that consumed no caffeine in the 5 days leading up to the exercise trial and a group that consumed 1.5mg caffeine per kg body weight per day during the 5 days leading up to the exercise trial (Irwin et al., 2011).

References

Irwin, C., Desbrow, B., Ellis, A., O'Keeffe, B., Grant, G. and Leveritt, M. (2011). 'Caffeine withdrawal and high intensity endurance cycling performance'. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(5), pp. 509-515

Wemple, R. D., Lamb, D. R. & McKeever, K. H. (1997). 'Caffeine vs. caffeine free sports drinks: eefects on urine production at rest and during prolonged exercise'. Internation Journal of Sports Medicine, 18(1), pp. 40-6

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Mitochondria, AMPK and Endurance Performance

2011-04-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Having recently looked at Resveratrol and Sodium Bicarbonate as supplements of potential value for middle distance runners, we shall now take a look at how to optimally incorporate them into a training programme.

It should be remembered that both Resveratrol and Sodium Bicarbonate appear to be effective supplements with regard to increasing mitochondrial densities beyond what may be achieved through training alone. In particular, Resveratrol seems to exert its effects on the mitochondria through the activation of a molecule known as AMPK.

AMPK (Adenosine Monophosphate Kinase) is activated as a result of a high ratio of AMP to ATP. In order to provide energy for physical activity ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is broken down into ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and an inorganic phosphate molecule. Once supplies of ATP become limited (which happens very quickly with very intense exercise), replenishment occurs through the following reaction:

2 ADP → ATP + AMP

This method of regenerating ATP allows for a very high intesity of activity but can not be sustained for very long. Once we deplete our supply of phosphates we must rely on other mechanisms for replenishing ATP. These other mechanisms, the glycolytic system and the oxidate system, do not allow for such a high exercise intensity.

What this means is, the higher the exercise intensity that can be sustained the greater the AMP: ATP ratio will be. AMPK is activated by a high AMP: ATP ratio and a high level of AMPK activation provides a strong stimulus for increasing mitochondrial densities. This would indicate that we should focus on very high intensity training in order to maximise our mitchondrial densities.

However, mitochondria are the sites of oxidative phosphorylation. So perhaps the optimal training intensity from the perspective of mitochondrial adaptation is vVO2max. This represents the highest exercise intensity that will allow for aerobic metabolism to be maximised.

The use of this particular exercise intensity is further supported by the rationale that was presented by researchers for why Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation results in greater levels of mitochondrial adaptation. The researchers theorised that Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation results in a greater increase in mitchondrial mass in response to interval training due to reduced hydrogen ion accumulation during the training sessions.

Hydrogen ions accumulate in the muscles and blood rapidly in response to intense exercise primarily stressing the glycolytic pathway (often referred to as the lactic anaerobic system). If mitchondrial adaptation increases when bi-products of anaerobic metabolism are minimised then it would be logical to emphasise aerobic metabolism when seeking such adaptations.

In essense this means that the ideal time for Resveratrol and Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation is prior to interval training workouts designed to maximise aerobic metabolism. As alluded to before this will correspond to vVO2max (the running speed that elicits maximum oxygen uptake) intensity.

How do you know what your vVO2max intensity is?

It would appear to be between 3,000m race pace and 5,000m race pace. So if you have personal best times for either of those two distances then you should have rough idea of what sort of speed you should be running your vVO2max intervals at.

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Sodium Bicarbonate Supplement

2011-04-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation has long been popular with middle distance runners as its ability enhance prformance through its buffering effect is well established. Due to its taste and the potential for stomach upsets there are still many athletes who prefer not to supplement with Sodium Bicarbonate before races. Despite this, most athletes and coaches are reasonably familiar with the mechanisms by which Sodium Bicarbonate may enhance middle distance running performance.

Here is a very brief overview:

With a typical dose of 0.3 grammes of Sodium Bicarbonate per Kilogramme of bodyweight, consumed around one hour before training or competition, we can expect blood pH to rise to around 7.48-7.52 by the time physical exertion is required. A pH higher than 7 is alkaline whereas a pH of less than 7 is acidic. Of course, one of the effects of high intensity exercise is that the muscles and blood become more acidic. This is one of the reasons for fatigue during high intensity exercise, and so if we are able to begin exercise in a less acidic state we are likely to be able to delay the deleterious performance effects of reduced pH.

However, there may be more to Sodium Bocarbonate than the above!

Just as with Resveratrol, Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation may be an effective means of increasing mitochondrial densities. This is a relatively new discovery and so the mechanisms are perhaps not totally understood. However, supplementation with Sodium Bicarbonate (with the same dasoage as mentioned above) prior to interval training sessions twice per week has been shown to result in an increased number of mitochindria (Bishop et al., 2010).

The researchers in the above study proposed that the greater improvements in mitochondrial mass were due to reduced muscle hydrogen ion accumulation during the interval training sessions. This would appear to suggest that Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation for middle distance runners in training is more beneficial with regard to longer interval training sessions stressing aerobic pathways.

So in summary there appear to be two possible uses of Sodium Bicarbonate supplementation for middle distance runners...

1) Consume 1 hour before competition in order to improve performance. Competition must be of correct intensity for athletes to benefit. Short sprinters are unlikely to benefit from this supplementation protocol and the same applies for long distance runners. This is one for the middle distance athlete.

2) Consume before interval training sessions predominantly stressing the aerobic system. This strategy may improve training adaptations by increasing mitochindrial densities. This would appear to be of benefit to both the middle and long distance athlete.

References

Bishop, D. J., Thomas, C., Moore-Morris, T., Tonkonogi, N., Sahlin, K. & Mercier, J. (2010). 'Sodium bicarbonate ingestion prior to training improves mitochindrial adaptations in rats'. American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology and Metabolism, 299(2), E225-E233

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Resveratrol

2011-04-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a compound found largely in the skins of red grapes.

Resveratrol allows for increased mitochondrial biogenesis. Increased mitochindrial activity also results from activation of AMPK (Adenosine Monophosphate activated kinase). It is thought that, because some of the metabolic changes caused by Resveratrol mimic those associated with AMPK activation, AMPK activation is an important channel through which Resveratrol exerts its effects (Dasgupta & Milbrandt, 2007).

The logic for the middle distance runner supplementing with resveratrol would be to maximise activation of AMPK which in turn will allow for greater mitochondrial activity.

Resveratrol has become more well known in recent years due to research looking at this supplement in relation to lifespan. Resveratrol prolongs lifespan and delays the expression of age-dependent traits in short-lived vertebrates (Valenzano et al., 2006).

Knowing that a nutritional supplement may prolong lifespan is no reason for supplementation purely from the perspective of performance enhancemant. We do have a strong rationale for Resveratrol supplementation, however, from the standpoint that AMKP activity is increased (which positively impacts upon mitochondrial density and activity). This is further supported by findings that endurance capacity is significantly improved in mice following red grape leaf extract supplementation (Minegishi et al., 2011). Although not specifically supplementing with Resveratrol, these findings are still important since, as we have already mentioned, Resveratrol is found in the skins of red grapes. A bigger issue is perhaps that none of these Resveratrol studies have been performed on humans.

One possible reason to cast doubt on the possible effectiveness of Resveratrol supplementation in humans relates to the dosage that is likely to be required required. The Resveratrol dosages used in the animal studies are generally much higher than those readily available through sports nutrition supplement companies.

Resveratrol may well be a valuable supplement for the middle distance runner requiring endurance adaptations. However, a lack of research on humans makes this somewhat of a grey area.

References

Dasgupta, B. and Milbrandt, J. (2007). 'Resveratrol stimulates AMP Kinase activity in neurons'. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104(17), pp. 7217-7222

Minegishi, Y., Haramizu, S., Hase, T. and Murase, T. (2011). 'Red grape leaf extract improves endurance capacity by facilitation fatty acid utilisation in skeletal muscle in mice'. European Journal of Applied Physiology,

Valenzano, D. R., Terzibasi, E., Genade, T., Cattaneo, A., Domenici, L. & Cellerino, A. (2006). 'Resveratrol prolongs lifespan and retards the onset of age-related markers in a short-lived vertebrate'. Current biology, 16(3), pp. 296-300

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Sports Nutrition Supplements

2011-04-04T03:07:00.000-07:00

Most athletes will now be approaching their final stages of preparation going into the 2011 Track and Field season. With this in mind it is unlikely that many athletes and coaches do not yet have a clear idea of what sort of training they are going to be doing in the final build up to the track season.

An area that has managed to slip under the radar for a number of athletes and coaches is the approach to sports nutrition that will be taken in the last key phase of training before commencing the track season.

April represents a great time of year to take a critical look at your sports nutrition practices. You may have already planned a carefully thought out training programme that will help you arrive at the start of the track season in great form. However, there is still just enough time to make this final key period of training even more productive by addressing an often overlooked area of preparation - NUTRITION.

So over the next week or so I will be taking a close look at a number of sports nutrition supplements that may have the potential to give you that extra edge during this coming track and field season.

I will kick things off by taking a look at supplementation strategies that could prove useful for the middle distance runner and I will then go through some supplements that may benefit the sprinter.

There may well be a number of supplements that you are already familiar with as well as a few that you may not have even heard of before. With regard to the more familiar supplements, be prepared for me to suggest some less familiar strategies for usage.

Regarding the middle distance runner the supplements that we will be looking at over the next few days will include:

Resveratrol
Sodium Bicarbonate
Beta Alanine
Caffeine
Nitric Oxide

Make sure to check back for the first instalment in this series on sports nutrition supplementation strategies for track and field athletes. The first in this series will be looking at Resveratrol.

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Strength and Conditioning for the Elderly

2011-04-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the slides from the second of two presentations on strength and conditioning for special populations, this time focusing on strength and conditioning for the elderly. Particular forcus is given to factors that contribute to a loss in strength and power with increasing age. The significance of these factors is then considered with repsect to the design of strength and conditioning programmes for older popultions.

Strength and Conditioning for the Elderly

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TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Jim Kielbaso Interview

2011-03-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

I have just done a fantastic interview on speed training with Jim Kielbaso. Check it out below...

Tim: Hi Jim. First of all thanks for doing this interview. My readers will probably know a little bit about you already, as I recently did a review of your speed training product. Nonetheless, it would be good if you could give us an introduction.

I'm currently the Director of the Total Performance Training Center in Wixom, MI where I've been since we opened in 2002. Before that I was the strength coach at the University of Detroit Mercy for six years. I wrote my book Speed & Agility Revolution in 2005, and I've produced several videos and two additional e-books since then. I've been fortunate enough to work with many exceptional athletes, speak at some great clinics and conferences and be involved with many tremendous coaches.

Tim: I have already mentioned that I recently reviewed your speed training product. I have to say I think it is a great product with first class information and it definitely has something for everyone interested in any kind of speed development. Could you let us know what led you to create the product? Did you have a particular type of athlete or coach in mind when creating the product?

My new program, Ultimate Speed Development, is kind of a collection of materials I've produced along with a detailed program for the user. It's kind of a culmination of many years worth of working with athletes, and I was thrilled to hear how much you liked it in your review. I really feel like it has more instruction than anything else out there, which was pretty much what led me to creating it. When I wrote my book, I felt like there was a complete lack of instructional material on speed and agility mechanics, so I put it out there. With USD, I felt like athletes and coaches needed something very easy to use, yet packed with enough information that they felt confident implementing the program. I guess the product is geared toward just about any athlete, coach, trainer or parent looking for a comprehensive approach to speed development. Like you said in your review, there is a lot of agility work in the program, so it's not necessarily geared to track-only athletes. There would be modifications to the program, which I'd be happy to provide any track coach/athlete with if they were interested. Just about any team-sport athlete will get great results from the training, and coaches will find it easy to implement with both small and large groups. The hope is that a lot of coaches learn techniques and cues that they can use with their athletes. Athletes will learn how to do it themselves.

Tim: This fits in with my thoughts from when I reviewed the program. I totally agree that both coaches and athletes will find the product valuable. It is also great to hear that you would be happy to provide modifications to track athletes. With this in mind I would like to give you a few quick fire questions specifically relating to the training of track athletes if that is okay...

Jim: That would be great.

Tim: What is your view on the short to long approach of training sprinters?

Jim: I believe the acceleration phase is absolutely critical for sprinters, so I believe they should spend a significant amount of time working on this area. I like the idea of being able to sprint fast for a short distance before you move to a longer distance, but I think it's pretty theoretical. I often use this approach when training athletes, but I also think that too many coaches are "scared" of having their athletes run fast for full distances. I'm not sure what that is all about or where it comes from, but I think sprinters should work at a very high level of intensity on a regular basis. So, to answer your question, I like the idea, but I don't think it's the only way to train a sprinter.

Tim: How important is exercise selection with regard to strength training for sprinters?

Jim: Like just about every aspect of training, exercise selection is important, but I don't think there are any magic exercises. It's a good idea to do plenty of posterior chain work as well as both one- and two-leg strength development. I also believe in training the hip flexors and groin to create more balance in the lower body. There will always be an explosive component to the strength work. That may be in the form of plyometrics, weighted jumps or variations of pulls or Olympic movements. I don't think we should try to turn sprinters into Olympic lifters, and I think many coaches have athletes spend an inordinate amount of time working on these lifts. There are plenty of alternatives that work just as well, so I don't think we should get caught up in finding the perfect exercise. They are all tools in our toolbox.

It's more important, though, to have a firm grasp on the timing of strength training in regards to the rest of their training schedule. I see some coaches perform hard strength training on "recovery" days, which is a mistake in my opinion. Intense strength training may not be running, but it's certainly not going to help an athlete recover from the previous day's workout. When that happens, the athlete goes into the next day in a state of fatigue. That will lead to lower intensity during the workout and can set an athlete up for injury. There's no point in training the hamstrings hard on Tuesday, then ask the athlete to run at a high intensity on Wednesday. That's just asking for trouble.

Tim: Is it important for sprinters to spend a lot of time performing technique drills?

Jim: Technique drills are a waste of time at a certain point in a sprinters development. Technique drills are meant to teach technique. They are very important for this and serve a specific purpose. After an sprinter has good form, however, there are much better ways to spend our time. I think of most technique drills like the different skips and hurdle drills as warm up exercises.

Don't get me wrong. I think that technique is the first aspect of sprinting that needs to be addressed. But, once technique is sound, move on to force application drills such as high speed runs, incline sprints or resisted sprints. You can still incorporate the technique drills into your warm up, but don't waste too much time on pretty looking drills when you should be running fast.

Tim: I really appreciate those strong thoughts Jim. You have shared some great information there. I would like to offer another take on your thoughts about technique drills potentially being a waste of time for certain athletes.

It is possible that muscular strength is often the limiting factor with regard to optimising sprinting technique. For example, an athletes footstrike may occur too far in front of his centre of mass. This could be a compensation for a lack of strength, the result being that longer ground contact phase increases the time available to produce the necessary ground contact forces. No amount of technique drills will correct this without the athlete first attaining the appropriate strength levels.

I would be interested to hear your take on the above scenario and the relationship between strength and technique in general.

Jim: I definitely think strength is a limiting factor, but I've kind of been changing my mind lately about how that strength is demonstrated. Through many years of working with athletes, I've realized that there are a lot of very fast or explosive athletes that aren't necessarily the best lifters. I've also noticed that the strongest lifters (i.e. big numbers on squats, Olympic lifts, deadlifts, etc.) are usually not the fastest athletes. The ability to develop and apply force can be helped in the weight room, but there must be other factors. The ability to use strength is related to the nervous system's efficiency. It seems to me that the nervous system is trained much more with things like sprinting and plyos than in the weight room, so I think we need to find a balance. Obviously, we need to spend time on strength, and many people can improve their speed simply by getting stronger, but we can't forget the other parts of the equation.

In regard to your over-striding scenario, I don't really view that as a strength problem as much as a nervous system or technique issue. The problem is that technique drills like skips and hurdles are not going to correct that kind of problem because they are very different than actual sprinting. To correct something like that, the athlete needs to be practicing and receiving instantaneous feedback while he/she is running close to full speed. The corrections need to be made while sprinting, not just doing drills.

The principle of specificity states that to get better at something, we need to practice it. Things you do that are not identical to that skill have less and less effect the farther you get away from it. That's why drills don't correct issues like this - they are NOT the same as sprinting. They might help an athlete understand a concept, but technique corrections usually need to be done while sprinting. How many times have you seen an athlete look great in drills or in low speed activities, but things change significantly at full speed? It happens all the time.

So, I think strength is crucial to speed, but unless there is a gross imbalance or limitation, we need to use a balanced approach. We can’t just lift weights all day and expect to get faster. We still have to go out and run fast.

Tim: Well it seems clear to me that we are both in strong agreement about the importance of strength for speed development. I was therefore delighted to see that you included a strength training programme to be performed alongside your speed training programme that I reviewed. Is there anything other information regarding your speed training product that you would like to share with the readers?

Jim: Another key to my program, and any good speed training program, involves the proper cycling of rest and training. I see a lot of people overtraining, and that is so controllable that it shouldn’t happen nearly as often as it does. As you know, many track coaches schedule hard days and easy days to recover. In my opinion, the best “recovery” days are days off. Let the athletes rest so they can fully recover from an intense workout sometime. I think a lot of us are worried about giving days off, but I’ve found through years of training, that I get the best results when athletes are able to rest between workouts.

The other side of recovery is rest between sets. I firmly believe that quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to speed development, so extended rest between sets is a big part of my training. A big mistake in speed development is turning the training sessions into conditioning. Conditioning certainly has its place, but once fatigue sets in, the quality of the session drops dramatically. That’s why I’m very specific about the rest periods in my program, and I do the same thing in real life.

I tried to make this program as educational as possible yet still user friendly. There is an overwhelming amount of information available, so I tried to condense it into easy-to-understand terms that anyone will be able to use. I appreciate all of your thoughts and support of the program, and I’m glad we were able to talk about it a little.

Tim: Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us Jim. I am sure the readers will find this information invaluable.

Jim: Thank you, Tim. Keep up the good work, and we’ll definitely be in touch soon.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Adapting to the Individual needs of Your Athletes

2011-03-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some new slides on adaptation your strength and conditioning training programmes to the individual needs of your athletes.

This presentation identifies a number of of ways to adapt strength and conditioning programmes to the individual needs of your athletes. All programme planning should begin with a thorough needs analysis. The model of needs analysis discussed in this presentation involves an initial evaluation of the sport which is followed by an athlete assessment. This athlete assessment forms the basis of individualisation of strength and conditioning training programmes. However, the athlete assessment should consist of more than just identifying strengths and weaknesses through the use of baseline testing. The alterability of various training factors must be taken into account when taking interprepting the results of baseline tests. The assessment of the athlete should also take into consideration environmental factors and psychological factors.

Adapting to the Individual Needs of Your Athletes

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TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Strength and Conditioning for Special Populations: Children

2011-03-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

The lecture slides below are for the first of two lectures on strength and conditioning for special populations. This lecture looks at strength and conditioning for children, specifically detailing youth resistance training. Safety considerations regarding strength training for children are discussed. The benefits of strength training for children are also discussed along with myths and misconceptions regarding youth resistance training.

Next week I will be putting up my lecture slides looking at strength and conditioning for the older athlete.

Strength and Conditioning for Special Populations

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TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Strength Endurance Workout: partial squats

2011-03-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the video footage from all three sets of my partial squats during my recent strength endurance training workout. I progressed from 85Kg to 90Kg over the three sets.

I will be performing some deeper squats during my next strength training session and will post some video footage soon.

Set 1: Partial Squat 85 Kg 12 reps

Set 2: Partial Squat 87.5 Kg 12 reps

Set 3: Partial Squat 90 Kg 12 reps

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Partial Squat 87.5 Kg 12 reps

2011-03-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is more from my recent strength endurance trianing session. This was my second set of squats. I progressed to 87.5 kilos in this set and it was noticably tougher.

More training videos on their way!

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Partial Squat 85 Kg 12 reps

2011-03-19T03:25:00.000-07:00

This video is a clip from a recent strength endurance training session. I was performing some partial squat with relatively high reps. In this set I was lifting 85 kilos for 12 reps.

Stay tuned over the next couple of days for more from this particular training session.

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Clean from second pull

2011-03-18T02:09:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the poor camera work!

In the video below I am performing some cleans from the 2nd pull position. The 2nd pull position is usually the first position that is taught when introducing weightlifting to athletes.

I will try to upload a better video soon with some cleans from second pull.

Stay Strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Isometric Hip Thrust Hold

2011-03-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

Just a quick video today posting an isometric hip thrust hold. If you are wanting to do hip thrusts but do not have a bar pad then just holding the top portion of the lift isometrically allows for a strong contraction of the glutes without of the pain of the bar digging in too much.

Obviously this wouldn't be much of an issue anyway at this weight (30Kg) but it illustrates the point.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Dynamic Warm-Up

2011-03-16T02:04:00.000-07:00

This lecture looks at components of a traditional warm-up and provides comparisons with the RAMP warm-up method. The potentiate phase of the RAMP warm-up method is then discussed, looking at implications from both the perspective of warm-up activity and performance training (complex training).

Dynamic Warm-up

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Speed Training

2011-03-15T02:17:00.000-07:00

My latest presentation was on Speed Training. Linear speed and multi-directional speed (agility) were both discussed. Components of linear speed were identified as being acceleration and maximum speed. Components of maximum speed were identified as being acceleration, deceleration, change of direction and re-acceleration. Biomechanical characteristics of the various components of both linear and multi-directional speed were identified. Suitable strength training methods for the development of different types of speed were discussed.

Check out the slides below!

Speed Training

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Periodization and Programme Planning

2011-03-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the second of two recent presentation slides on periodisation. In this presentation there is a greater emphasis on the needs analysis process.

Periodisation programme planning

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Strength and Conditioning Lectures

2011-03-07T03:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick list of all my presentation slides with links to them. This should make it easy to access all the information you require.

Periodisation
Explosive Exercise
Sports Training Principles
Weightlifting for Sports Performance
Muscle Physiology
Bioenergetics and Strength and Conditioning
Eccentric Training for Injury Prevention
Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training

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Periodisation

2011-03-07T02:02:00.000-08:00

My latest Strength and Conditioning presentation was on periodisation. This presentation Looks at how to achieve planned variation within strength and conditioning training programmes through optimising the interplay between specificity and variation. The principle of dynamic correspondence is explored whilst examining the concept of mechanical specificity and exercise selection. Various models of periodisation are are explored when looking at achieving variation within the programme.

Periodisation

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So You Want to be a Personal Trainer

2011-03-07T01:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a humerous take on the personal training profession.

Any thoughts?

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Explosive Exercise

2011-03-07T00:16:00.000-08:00

Here are my latest presentation slides, this time on explosive exercise.

Theoretical and practical concepts are discussed.

Both explosive strength and explosive training are defined. This is followed by a discussion on exercise selection.

Explosive Exercise

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Sports Training Principles

2011-02-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

Here are my latest strength and conditioning lecture slides. The topic for this lecture is Training Principles and Theory.

Training Principles and Theory

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400m Hurdles Indoors!

2011-02-22T04:33:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would see a 400m hurdles race indoors, but that is exactly what happened last weekend. Take a look at the video below and see what you think. I thought it made for a great race and would love to see the event catch on. Apparently this is very popular in France.

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Speed Training Programme Review

2011-02-21T01:48:00.000-08:00

Jim Kielbaso was recently kind enough to send me a copy his speed training programme.

You can check out the programme by clicking here. However, having now taken a good look through all the material I thought I would provide a review of the programme.

First of all I would like to say that this is more than just a training programme that athletes can follow to improve their speed and agility.

Yes, the heart of the product is a comprehensive six week programme designed to improve speed and agility for athletes involved in team sports. However, the bonuses that come with the product offer so much more than this.

If I were to try and pinpoint who the target market for this peoduct was, honestly, I would be hard pushed.

The six week training programme, in my mind, is clearly targetted at athletes. The programme is very easy to follow and understand and the illustrations of the various exercises are very clear. A well conditioned athlete should not have any issues with adhering to the programme.

Having said that, a knowledgeable and experienced coach will certainly benefit from taking a look through this programme as well. From my perspective, I took great inspiration from seeing some of the variations in the strength exercises that were a part of the accompanying strength and power training programme that was to be performed in conjunction with the speed and agility programme.

If I can provide an example, I will highlight one particular exercise that was included in the strength and power programme. This exercise, the Nordic Hamstring Curl (or Nordic Hamstring Lowers, or Russian Hamstring Curl), is an exercise that I am very familiar with. However, this exercise was to be performed with a tweak to the foot positioning that I had not considered before. Due to my knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics I can appreciate how this small and simple modification makes the exercise more effective (particularly with regard to training for sprinting speed). Yet this was something I had never thought of before. I think I would call this an 'aha moment'.

The numerous bonus products included were full of these aha moments. Jim provided plenty of simple drills and exercises that were easy to understand and immediately implementable.

I would have to say that I think the bonus products were more geared towards coaches. However, the information provided was easily digestable and so the tips and exercise modifications should not be lost on athletes that do not have a grounding in exercise science.

So to summarize everything so far...

I feel the main six week speed training programme is geared towards athletes. In comparison I feel the bonus products are more geared towards coaches. However, the information provided in the bonus products whould not be lost on athletes and, similarly, most adavanced coaches will greatly benefit from taking a look through the training programme.

At this point I would like to say that I feel there is just as much value (if not more) in the bonus products as there is in the six week speed and agility training programme. However, you should bear in mind that I am looking at the product from a coaches perspective.

Okay, so we have dealt with who would benefit from this product in terms of coaches versus athletes. We now need to take a look at what type of coaches/athletes should purchase the product.

Well the emphasis of the product is on speed and agility development for team sports requiring multi directional movement. So if you are a track athlete, and I know there are lots of track athletes who visit sprintstrong, then this product is not specifically designed for you.

However, with that being said, there is still plenty of useful information that a track athlete can glean from the programme. One of the bonus products is dedicated to covering sprint mechanics. In addition there is another bonus product, the video footage from a strength and conditioning seminar with Jim, that contains plenty of information that is directly applicable for track athletes. In particular, Jim shows a particularly innovative plyometric type drill in this clinic that, when used wisely, I feel could be of tremendous benefit to track athletes.

With regard to the six week training programme itself, it is clearly designed to be a speed AND agility programme for team sport athletes. It is not designed specifically with track athletes in mind. HOWEVER, there is a very significant amount of linear acceleration work included in the programme. From a multi directional speed persepective this makes perfect sense, since linear acceleration is an impotant component of agility (by the way, Jim does an awesome job of breaking down the different components of agility in the bonus agility book). In addition, when you bear in mind that the manner in which the programme progresses throughout the six weeks is excellent, I feel that most track athletes could do a lot worse than follow this programme.

So now we have established that:

The six week training programme was probably designed primarily with athletes in mind. However, I would be suprised if there were many coaches out there that would fail to take away some useful information from the programme.
The bonus products are targetted more towards coaches. However, most of the tips can be implemented immediately and most athletes will be able to make use of mcuh of the information provided.
The product is geared towards athletes and coaches in team sports. However, I challenge any track athlete not to benefit from the information Jim provides.

I think I have done a pretty good job of identifying who might benefit from this speed development product. If this product is definately for you then click here.

If, however, you want to read more of my thoughts first then you can check out what I consider to be the various pros and cons associated with each section of the programme...

The Six Week Speed Development Programme

Pros:

The programme layout is very basic and simple. This is exactly what you want in a training programme, something that is easy to read and understand.
A comprehensive strength and power training programme is provided.
Pictures and illustrations of the various exercises are provided

Cons:

It is likely you will often need to refer back to the illustrations and descriptions of the various exercises and drills. However, this is a very minor inconvenience and not a major issue whatsoever.

Speed and Agility Revolution Book

Pros:

The information provided in this book is first class.

Cons:

It is a very large book with a lot of information. Of course this should be a pro really. The only reason I might class this as a con is that I appreciate that most people lead very busy lives and it can be difficult to make time for such reading. However, if you truly want to excell then perhaps you should make it a higher priority to allocate time for reading high quality material such as that contained in this book.
Jim refers to scientific studies throughout the book that support the information he teaching. This is fantastic as it means his programmes are based on good evidence. However, the science buffs amongst us might be dissapointed that Jim does not cite the references of these studies as he mentions them. He does provide a list of references at the end of the book though. This issue will be of little concern to most readers anyway, who will simply be happy to digest the quality information provided (and I can assure you it is high quality information) without having to drudge through scientific journals.

Sprint Mechanics Video

Pros:

The concepts introduced by Jim are insightful yet easy to understand.
Jim provides techniques and drills that can be implemented and incorporated into any programme with immediate effect.
For anyone familiar with falling starts, I really like the way Jim progresses this drill.

Cons:

There is only around thirtly minutes of information on this video. For most people this will be more than adequate. However, for some it may leave you hungry for more. The track athletes amongst us may prefer a greater emphasis on this section of the product. However, I am confident that you will get a lot out of this video.

Agility Mechanics Video

Again there is around thirty minutes worth of information presented on this video. The information is excellent and should definately be watched before commencing the six week training programme. This video also complements the agility book very nicely.

Combine Training Video

Being from the United Kingdom and not having to deal with athletes preparing for combines I have never really given all that much thought to the various combine tests. I am perhaps therefore not the best person to comment on the combine training video. With that being said, I thought this was an excellent bonus product and I am confident that the information provided here will give any athlete preparing for a combine a massive advantage.

Strength and Conditioning Clinic Video

Anyone hoping to find the ultimate resource on all things strength and conditioning here will probably be slightly dissapointed. However, if you are looking for simple techniques that can easily implemented into your training programme that will have a significant impact on your performance then you will be very pleased with the strength and conditioning clinic video. If you also want to understand the reasons for performing various exercises then you will enjoy watching these videos.

Anyone worried that the information provided here will not be applicable to them because they do not have access to any strength and conditioning equipment does not need to worry. Jim presents a wide array of techniques and exercises that can be performed with very little or no equipment at all.

In Summary

If you have read enough already and want to know how to get you hands on this product then click here. If not then read on for my closing thoughts.

In summary I think there is absolutely something for everyone in this product.

If you need to get in shape fast and require a proven system to transform your performance in around six weeks, this is almost certainly the product for you.

If you are simply self coached and require something systematic to follow, then I would strongly recommend this programme for you. The advantage of this product for you is that the knowledge you will have gained from all the bonus material will enable you to adapt the programme in achieve great results well beyond the initial six week timeframe.

If you are a coach and are looking for innovative cues, drills, techniques, exercises and modifications then I would definately recommend this product. I am sure there will be some innovations that you had not considered before and will add real value to your coaching practice.

Anyone looking to understand sound principles of multi-directional movement and agility should definatnely have this product. In particular if you are training athletes for a combine and if you will have to participate in a combine yourself then I think you will be giving yourself a big advantage by studying the bonus video on how to dominate the combine.

To check the product out for yourself, click here.

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Paloff Press

2011-02-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

I have filmed myself performing various versions of the Paloff Press. The Paloff Press is a great exercise to develop anti-rotation strength.

My filming wasn't great and so it is hard to see but I was performing three different versions of the Paloff Press. Firstly I performed the press in a kneeling position. I then performing the press in a half kneeling position. Finally I performed the Paloff Press in a quarter squat position, or the power position.

This is just three of a number of possible ways to perform the Paloff Press. One could also perform it in a deeper squat position or a lunge position or even just stood upright. The different stances will emphasise effort in different areas further up or down the chain.

The Paloff Press is usually seen being done with cable machines but as you can see from the video I just used resistance bands. This worked just fine and is great for getting athletes to work in pairs. Obviously the drawback is that it is more difficult to quantify the load and more difficult greatly progress the load.

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Pull Ups with Bands

2011-02-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

I am planninng on creating lots of videos in the near future. I have got the ball rolling by getting started with pull ups.

In the video below I am performing pull ups firstly unassisted and then with the assistance of one band and finally with the assistance of two bands. This allowed me to ahchieve a greater volume of work for the set without compromising the intial intensity/load.

This is not something I personally would normally do as my strength training for middle distance running is very much lower body dominant. However, I thought it would showcase another possible application for the use of bands in addition to the more common uses.

Of course, in athletes with low levels of upper body strength, bands could be used for the entire set inorder to simply enable athletes to perform the exercise.

I thought I would spice the video with some intesting music as well! Hope you enjoy it!

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Weightlifting for Sports Performance

2011-02-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Here are the slides from my latest lecture on Weightlifting for Sports Performance.

Stay Strong,

Tim

Weightlifting for Sports Specific Benefits

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Muscle Physiology

2011-02-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

Here are my latest lecture slides.

This presentation was for second year sport and exercise science students taking a strength and conditioning module. The lecture was on muscle physiology. This information was then put into an applied context by looking at adaptation factors and different training methods for achieving certain types of adaptation.

Muscle Physiology

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Meysam Razi Training Session

2011-02-01T01:37:00.000-08:00

Here is the training video from which I analysed the power clean technique of Meysam Razi the other day.

I have had a good response about the weightlifting ananlysis and so there may well be more blog posts like this in the future.

Stay Strong,

Tim

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Meysam Razi Weightlifting Technique

2011-01-30T03:34:00.001-08:00

Sprint Strong reader and 100m sprinter Meysam Razi has been in communication with me recently. Meysam sent me a video link of himself training and asked for my thoughts on his weightlifting technique.

So I thought it would make a great blog post to break down his lifting technique a little and take a look at what was going on.

In the video Meysam was, amongst ather things, performing some power cleans. The stills below are from some key positions in Meysams power cleans.

Start Position

The camera set-up is not exactly perpendicular so it is slightly difficult to tell, but it looks to me as if the shoulders are fairly close to being directly above the bar which is fine. The hips are slightly higher than the knees which again is fine.

I would say that the main improvement that could be made here is his posture. Meysam would benefit from achieving greater extension through the spine. In particular his mid back seems marginally rounded.

End of First Pull

The angle of the back in relation to the ground remains almost unchanged compared to that seen in the previous photo. This is good as it means that the first pull was achieved primarily through knee extension. This should allow him to make full use of the powerful hip extensor musculature during the more important second pull that follows.

Once again we can see a slight rounding of the spine. The chances are that if he can focus on addressing this issue when setting himself up at the start of the lift then this will transfer across into improved posture throughout the rest of the lift.

End of Transition

At this stage of the lift the arms should still be completely straight. Due to the quality of the picture it is difficult to be sure but it looks like there may be a marginal amount of flexion in the elbows. However, the arms are pretty close to being completely straight and so this is okay.

The heels have already started to come off the ground, indicating he is plantar flexing the ankle joint a little early. In order to optimise force production during the second pull hip extension needs to be completed before full plantar flexion is achieved. The next few shots should provide us with a better indication as to whether this early ankle flexion is a particularly significant issue.

Beginning of Second Pull

The heels have come further off the ground here and there is still a reasonable amount of flexion in the hip and knee joints.

Second Pull

A greater level of extension can be seen in all three joints here (hip, knee and ankle). Meysam is now almost upright, although he is still only about half way towards acheiving full plantar flexion. This indicates that the slightly early initiation of plantar flexion was not a major issue.

End of Second Pull

Meysam has now almost achieved complete triple extension (full extension of the hip, knee and ankle joints). The arms are definately beginning to bend now. However, this is occurring largely in the absense of a shoulder shrug.

Full Extension

There is now more of a shoulder shrug. However, as per my comments on the previous shot, Meysam could benefit from acheiving a violent shrug of the shoulders a touch earlier.

The bar now seems to be moving away from the body. Ideally the bar should be kept close to the body throughout the lift. It will be interesting to see how this develops in the next few shots.

Beginning of descent

Meysam has now achieved a very good shoulder shrug. However, by this point he has already begun to drop down into the catch position. A full shoulder shrug should represent the completion of a successful second pull and so would ideally occur before beginning to descend into the catch position.

The bar has moved further away from the body and it is looking like this is because he is performing a reverse curl rather than pulling himself under the bar. At this point Meysam could benefit from focusing on achieving a high elbow position.

Mid Descent

The effect of performing the reverse curl can best be seen here. At this point the elbow is at the same height as the bar and the forearms are positioned horizontally. As a result the bar is further still from the body. Again the focus should be on achieving a high elbow position and pulling the body under the bar.

Catch

Maysam is receiving the bar with a good high elbow position which is good. However, his weight is very much distributed towards the front of the foot. This can be seen due to the fact that the heel is off the ground. Meysam would benefit from focusing on driving through the heel when receiving the bar in the catch position and also when rising up from this position in order to complete the lift in an upright position.

--

Meysam tells me that his technique has already improved since he videoed this lift. However, I hope he stills finds this useful and I hope it will be of use and interest to others as well.

Stay Strong,

Tim

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Strength and Conditioning Presentations

2011-01-26T01:34:00.000-08:00

Following on from the latest presentation slides on muscle physiology I thought now would be a good time to provide links back to all my previous lecture slides from strength and conditioning presentations. This should make it easier for you go back and look through the various topics again.

Muscle Physiology
Introduction to Strength and Conditioning (and Bioenergetics and metabolism)
Metabolic Conditioning for Team Sports
Concurrent Strength and Endurnace Training
Eccentric Training for Injury Prevention

Stay Strong,

Tim

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Introduction to Strength and Conditioning

2011-01-25T03:33:00.000-08:00

The presentation slides that I put on the site at the end of last year proved fairly popular and so I will be carrying on with this in the coming months.

The slides below are from my lecture giving an introduction to strength and conditioning and also covering bioenergetics and metabolism.

Introduction to Strength and Conditioning

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Ian King: How to Exploit Stretching Commercially

2011-01-24T01:53:00.000-08:00

More from Ian King on the commercial aspect of the fitness industry.

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Ian King on Fitness Trends

2011-01-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

Staying broadly on the topic of credibility, here is a video taking a look fitness trends. It is unfortunately true that fitness trends are driven by money. If it can't be sold it will not be promoted!

This trickles down to fitness information as well. Too many 'fitness professionals' are all too willing to make a quick buck by promoting every fitness/sports training information product under the sun. In most cases they have not even watched/read the product themselves, and so have no real idea as to the quality of information.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SERVICES

Baloney Detection Kit - Michael Shermer

2011-01-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

My Strength and Conditioning Power List has sparked quite a reaction. In particular it led Mike Boyle to look at how to 'assess credibility in the internet age'.

So with this in mind todays post is rather timely.

With a sea of information coming at us from all directions, how do we sift out the misinformation and bogus claims, and get to the truth? Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine lays out a "Baloney Detection Kit," ten questions we should ask when encountering a claim.

The 10 Questions:

1. How reliable is the source of the claim?
2. Does the source make similar claims?
3. Have the claims been verified by somebody else?
4. Does this fit with the way the world works?
5. Has anyone tried to disprove the claim?
6. Where does the preponderance of evidence point?
7. Is the claimant playing by the rules of science?
8. Is the claimant providing positive evidence?
9. Does the new theory account for as many phenomena as the old theory?
10. Are personal beliefs driving the claim?

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Mike Boyle Interview

2011-01-11T03:11:00.000-08:00

Today I have a short interview that I did with Mike Boyle (one of the biggest names in the Strength and Conditioning industry).

--

Tim: Hi Mike. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. I am sure sure
most of the readers know about you already. However, it would be great
if you could give us a quick introduction.

Mike: I have worked as a college strength and conditioning coach for around 25 years as well as having worked as head of strength and conditioning for the Boston bruins for 10 years.

Currently I have around 20 National Hockey League and minor league players training out of my two facilities during the summer. In addition there are around 300 collegiate and high school athletes working out in these facilities.

I also competed as a 181 Ib powerlifter during the early eighties. I only say that because many think i'm a skinny geek who never lifted a weight.

Tim: You have been a strength and conditioning coach for most of your
career and your father was a coach as well. It would be easy to assume
that you had always planned on having a career in coaching. However,
you initially qualified as an Athletic Trainer. What were your early
ambitions when growing up and upon graduating from college?

Mike: There was no such thing as a strength coach so AT seemed the best
route to combine my interest in the body, science and coaching. Plus,
our high school AT got me through my senior year of football with a
torn MCL and I thought he was a genius.

Tim: You had served as the head strength and conditioning coach at
Boston University for 15 years when you set up Mike Boyle Strength and
Conditioning in 1996. What made you want to make this change in the
direction of your coaching career?

Mike: I didn't want to be one of those bitter old guys saying "I could
have done that" so I did it.

Tim: What is your proudest career achievement to date?

Mike: If you are saying career and taking family out, I would have to
say our second National Championship at BU in 2009. We won in 1995 and
I don't think I appreciated how hard it was then. It took almost 15
years to do it again. However I might take that back and say seeing
young coaches I mentored winning things like the Stanley Cup. That is
pretty cool also.

Tim: I know you often recommend that strength and conditioning coaches
should read for an hour each day. Do you feel that as coaches we should
focus our reading on specific areas in order to develop a very
specialised area of expertise? Or perhaps we would be better served by
reading a broad range of material on training?

Mike: Young coaches need to read the basics. Less website stuff and
more good books. I have a whole reading list at
http://www.strengthcoach.com.

Tim: Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning deals with athletes from a
whole range of different sports. However, you have also developed a
particular reputation in training Ice Hockey players. Should strength
and conditioning Coaches aim to gain experience in as many different
sports as possible or does it make more sense to become immersed in
just one sport?

Mike: I hate to sound like a fence sitter but, both. I think a niche
can be both good and bad.

Tim: What are the most important qualities required to be a successful
strength and conditioning coach?

Mike: Humility and drive. To work constantly to get better you need to
know how much you don't know.

Tim: Do you have any big projects coming up this year that we should
know about?

Mike: Yes, http://www.bodybyboyleonline. This might be the most
complete project we have ever done. I am amazed at the results of this
project. The amount of content is staggering and we ad more every week.
Kevin Larabee who works with me has done an amazing job.

Tim: Thanks Mike. It has been an honour to interview you.

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Things You Need to Know About Losing Weight

2011-01-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

Further to yesterdays post on 10 Things You Need to Know ABout Losing Weight, I thought I would share a clip from this BBC television documentary.

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10 Things You Need to Know About Losing Weight

2011-01-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

I don't normally write about weight loss or any other health related fitness topic. However, I watched a good programme on the BBC the other night called '10 Things You Need to Know About Losing Weight'.

I enjoyed watching this programme which tried to present evidence based information on weight loss to the general public. Much of the programme was focused on nutrition rather than exercise, although it did touch upon both areas.

Here are some of the key points the programme made:

1) High protein meals stave off hunger for longer

2) Eat soup

Soup is also effective in staving off hunger for longer in comparison to consuming the exact same meal in solid form. This is assuming that you are consuming a drink with your meal.

When consuming soup with a drink, the drink will mix with the food, causing a greater expansion of the stomach. This results in it being a longer period of time before the stomach is empty again.

In comparison, if consuming the same meal in solid form, the drink does not mix with the meal and instead just passes straight through the stomach.

3) Don't skip meals

When the stomach is empty humans are hard wired to crave calorie dense foods. Therefore, if meals are skipped the temptation to consume fatty and sugary foods later in the day may be too great to resist.

4)Afterburn

Exercise will typically not result in a massive number of calories being burnt off during the actual exercise bout itself. Instead it tends to result in elevated metabolism for prolonged periods of time after completing the workout. The additional energy expenditure following the workout is far more significant than the energy required to complete the training session itself.

5) Dairy products

The calcium within dairy products can bind to fats within the body which are then excreted.

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Five Things I Learned in 2010

2011-01-07T03:13:00.000-08:00

Okay so we are seven days into 2011 now. With this in mind I am going to reflect back on some of the things I learned in 2010.

1) The issue of horizontal Vs vertical force production during sprinting is not as straight forward as most people seem to think.

Basic physics tells us that sprinting at maximum speed requires high levels of vertical force production with limited horizontal force production. This is because there is very little change in horizontal velocity at this stage of the sprint. However, the key movement during ground contact is hip extension, which emphasises horizontal movement. In addition there are issues such as the requirement of sufficient vertical force to produce the necessary flight time as well as factors such as the effect of body positioning and recovery limb movement on force production.

2) Sprint Strong readers seem to share my dislike of training in health clubs.

In April I posted a short rant detailing my dislike of training in health clubs. This post, 10 reasons why training in health clubs sucks
, seemed to stike a chord with a number of people.

3) The professionalisation of coaching is a must.

In 2010 I had more athletes paying for my coaching services. I noticed that, in comparison to my previous experience of performing voluntary coaching free of charge, there was a huge increase in commitment levels.

Quite simply, athletes who receive coaching from volunteer coaches will not place great value or importance on this coaching input. Athletes paying for coaching will will perceive this coaching to be of much greater worth.

4) The relationship between strength and mechanics is complex.

It is commonly believd that sprint mechanics and strength development are two separate components of speed training. We are told that strength training will improve our ability to produce force during the ground contact phase of sprinting whilst improved mechanics will allow that same level of force production to be applied in a more effective manner.

Whilst this is true to an extent, it should also be known in order to achieve optimal sprint mechanics the athlete will require sufficient strength.

This is particularly true with certain aspects of sprint technique. For example, optimal sprinting technique would involve foot touch down taking place just a short distance in front of the centre of mass. However, if the athlete is insufficiently strong the this touchdown distance must increase in order to allow greater time for force generation.

5) Front side mechanics are all important at every stage of the sprint race.

Carl Lewis is said to have had the best mechanics of any sprinter to date. I will look for some good videos of him sprinting to post in the near future.

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Strength & Conditioning Power List

2011-01-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

Last year, on January 1st, I created a list of the top 20 online speed experts. In keeping with this tradition I have created a new top 20 list to kick off the new year.

This year I reveal those fitness professionals whom I believe to be the most influential individuals in the strength and conditioning industry. I give you the Strength and Conditioning Power List!

Please remember this is not necessarily a list of the best coaches. In fact, not everyone on this list is a coach. They have all, in one way or another, made a big impact on the field of strength and conditioning.

1) Mike Boyle

When Mike Boyle makes a statement people listen. They might not always agree, but they sure as hell listen. This was exemplified in 2010 when Boyle announced to the world 'the death of squatting'!

2) Bret Contreras

If Mike Boyle represents the old guard of strength and conditioning then Bret Contreras represents the new. Contreras burst onto the scene in 2009 has built up a big following since then.

3) Ryan Lee

Possibly a controversial inclusion! Ryan Lee originally made a name for himself as a fitness professional. However, after becoming incredibly successful with his online fitness businesses he began to teach other fitness professionals to do the same.

4) Jay Hoffman

Dr. Hoffman is the president of the NSCA, the mostly widely recognised strength and conditioning association in the world. As such he carries much influence in the world of strength and conditioning.

5) Jeremy Moody

As the chairperson of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) Jeremy Moody holds the equivalent position to Dr. Hoffman in this British organisation. The UKSCA is considered to have the most rigorous accreditation process in the world. As such, the chairperson of this organisation must be considered to be highly influential in the world of strength and conditioning.

6) Thomas Baechle

As co-editor of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, the key text of the NSCA, Beachle is an authority in the field of strength and conditioning.

7) Roger Earle

Like Beachle, Roger Earle is co-editor of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.

8) Mike Stone

Mike Stone is a serious heavyweight of strength and conditioning. He is a prolific researcher and has authoured some key texts in the field of strength and conditioning.

9) Brian Grasso

As president of the International Youth Conditioning Association, Brian Grasso has carved out a very specific niche within the field of strength and conditioning. However, his influence in the area of youth fitness is unparallelled.

10) Zach Even Esch

Like Brian Grasso, Zach Even Esch dominates a specific niche within the field of strength training. Zach Even Esch has a cult like following of fitness enthusiasts that are into hardcore training.

11) Vladimir Zatsiorsky

Zatsiorsky is the author of one the best books to be written on strength training.

12) William Kraemer

Kraemer is a research scientist specialising in the field of strength and conditioning. Such is the impact that Kraemer has made in the field of strength and conditioning that the NSCA named an award after him (The William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist of the Year Award).

13) Gray Cook

Any fitness professional that has not heard of the functional movement screen must have been living in a cave for the last five years or so. The screen, devised by Gray Cook, has been used and endorsed by many of the names on this list. Cook has had a massive impact upon the strength and conditioning industry through the creation of this screen.

14) Stuart McGill

Like Kraemer, McGill is primarily a research scientist rather than a coach. However, McGill specialises in research of the spine. There is no doubting the impact McGill has had on the strength and conditioning industry. Whenever the subject of core training is discussed it is only a matter of time before the research of McGill is brought up.

15) Usain Bolt

This is probably the most controversial inclusion in the list. However, I would argue that Usain Bolt has had a major impact upon the strength and conditioning community.

For a start there are the coaches that make statements about how their training methods could 'even make Usain Bolt faster'. If coaches and trainers want to make a big statement about something, throwing in the word Bolt is a great way for them to get their voice heard!

Usain Bolt has also caused coaches and scientists to evaluate the technical model for sprinting. After all, just how can an athlete that is 6'5'' tall beat a world class field out of the blocks?

16) Christian Thibaudeau

Christian Thibedau writes for a number of hugely popular strength training/bodybuilding websites. As such, his work reaches an incredibly large audience. For this reason, Thibedau is one of the most influential strength and conditioning professionals around.

17) Mark Rippetoe

Mark Rippetoe and his training programmes appear to be a huge topic of discussion on a large number of high profile strength training, weightlifting and bodybuilding forums. Rippetoe seems to be mentioned more than just about any other strength coach on these type of sites.

18) Eric Cressey

Eric Cressey has made a name for himself as a baseball strength and conditioning specialist as well as being one of the best in the industry when it comes to corrective exercise.

As with many others on this list Cressey has become highly influencial by becoming an expert in a specific aspect of strength and conditioning.

19) Alwyn Cosgrove

Like Ryan Lee, Alwyn Cosgrove first made a name for himself as a top fitness professional. Now Cosgrove is more renowned for helping other fitness professionals on the business side of things. As such Cosgrove is one of the most influential professionals in the strength and conditioning industry, since he is impacting upon the business success of many of the top fitness professionals.

20) Mike Roussell

Mike Roussell is a highly influential nutritionist. Although his area of expertise is not strictly strength and conditioning, his reach is wide. Nutrition and strength and conditioning are areas with close links and so being an authority in one area can lead to having a great impact upon the other.

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Predictions for 2011

2010-12-31T04:02:00.000-08:00

Here are my predictions for the forthcoming year.

Athletics

1) Usain Bolt to be back to his best

There has been much speculation over Bolt trying new events such as the 400m or the long jump. However, after a low key year in 2010 I believe he will stick to the short sprints for the time being and will be back to at least 9.6 form.

2) Mo Farah will have a major breakthrough and win a medal in the 5,000m at the World Athletics Championships.

Coaching

3) 2011 will be the year where British athletes recognise the need for professional coaching. The age of the amateur elite sportsman is over. Those athletes who hire a quality professional coach will rise to the top of the pile in 2011.

4) Britain will become established as a world leader in coach education.

It has been a great year for British coach education. The UK Strength and Conditioning Association was a great event as usual. In addition to this the sport of track and Field stepped up its game with quality events such as the European Sprints and Hurdles Conference.

With the likes of Dan Pfaff, Kevin Tyler, Tom Crick and Charles Van Commenee heavily involved in coaching within the UK Athletics governing body the reputation of Britain as a country of coaching excellence will only continue.

Fitness

5) Health clubs will struggle in this continued tough economic climate. Fitness enthusiasts will wake up to the fact that there are cheaper and, frankly, far superior training locations to be found instead of your typical health club.

2011 will see the popularity of harcore gyms and bodyweight training rocket.

Olympics

6) 2011 will see a big increase in media attention for Olympic sports, just one year out from the London Olympics.

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Sporting Highlights of 2010

2010-12-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

Sporting highlights of the year...

Okay, so the list below represents my personal highlights of the sporting year.

How does my top ten compare to yours? Leave a comment below and let me know!

1) David Rudisha breaking the world 800m record for the second time.

Rudisha produced an incredible performance to lower the record to 1:41.01 in Rieti. This was the standout performance in the sporting world for 2010.

2) Mohammed Farah and Chris Thompson acheiving a British 1-2 at the European Track and Field Championships in the 10,000m

Perhaps not a global sporting highlight. But most definately one of the most memerable moments of the year for British sports fans.

This race holds special significance for me as I have been aware of these two great athletes for the last fifteen years as I have watched them produce incredible performances throughout the age group competitions in British athletics.

3) Mohammed Farah winning the 5,000m at the European Track and Field Championships and creating history by achieving a historic double victory in the 5,000m and 10,000m

Mo arguably had tougher opposition in the 5,000m, but once again he proved himself to be the class of Europe.

4) Mohammed Farah breaking Dave Moorcrofts longstanding British 5,000m record and running sub 13 minutes for the first time in the process.

2010 really was the Mo Farah show! Having been knocking on the door of this record for some time now it was great to see him finally do it.

God only knows how the supposed panel of experts failed to include Mo as one of the candidates for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award!

4) Mark Lewis Francis picking up his second major medal of the season by winning the silver medal in the 100m at the Commonwealth Games

Opinion on Mark Lewis Francis seems to be very much divided. However, I always like to see a good comeback! He still has a way to go before he fulfills his immense teenage promise. Nonetheless I very much enjoyed watching the start of his comeback this year.

Congratulations to his coach Linford Christie. It seems whatever Linford touches turn to gold! Well nearly anyway...

5) The Ski Cross (also known as Skiercross) at the Winter Olympics. This was a great spectacle and very exciting. There is no one moment that stood out for me in this competition. It was just a great event as a whole.

6) Amy Williams becoming the first Britain in 30 years to win a Winter Olympic title

Enough said!

7) Christophe Lemaitre becoming the first white man in history to run sub 10 seconds the 100m sprint

A true piece of sporting history. Will this be the catalyst for many more white men to run sub 10 seconds?

8) Usain Bolt being beaten by Tyson Gay!

Nothing against Usain Bolt. In fact I am a massive Usain Bolt fan. However, this defeat has shown that he is not invincible. This should add to the excitement of world sprinting next year when the two athletes go head to head again.

9) The longest tennis match ever

Wimbledon created a bit of history this year when it took John Isner 11 hours and 5 minutes to defeat Nicolas Mahut. This was the longest tennis match on record. Quite remarkable!

10) Sergey Lebid wins the European cross country title for the ninth time

Yes that's right, the NINTH time! Lebid always prepares meticulously for this event and has been the dominant force of European cross country running for a long time now. Can he make it ten titles next year?

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The Move: sprinting Tv show

2010-12-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have just noticed that my post on moday of last week did not show up properly.

Sorry about that.

I was meant to show a video of a new reality tv show involving sprinters challenging eachother in a unique style of foot racing.

Here is that video that I tried to show last week.

I hope you all had a great christmas,

Tim

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How Great are You?

2010-12-24T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here is an inspirational video for Christmas!

Have a great Christmas, enjoy the new year and make 2011 your greatest year yet!

Keep moving forward,

stay strong,

Tim

TIM EGERTON STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY

Slideboard Bodysaw

2010-12-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

As promised here is todays video with a new core exercise to try with a slideboard.

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Slide Board Atomic Push Ups

2010-12-22T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a new exercise to try out if you have access to slideboard, the slideboard atomic push up.

If you like the look of this exercise then be sure to check back tomorrow as I have found another good video with a new exercise to do with a slideboard...

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Charles Poliquin on the Womens Barbell

2010-12-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

I shall be getting back to providing you with some of the best videos from youtube this week.

To get things started, today I have posted a video from Charles Poliquin detailing some of the advantages of using a womens barbell rather than the standard 20kg barbell.

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The Move: Foot Race

2010-12-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

I while ago I made a blog post with a short preview of a new reality tv show based on sprinting called 'watch the move'.

I have now found a longer preview for your viewing pleasure.

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