Latest iStadia Articles

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP): What can it offer Elite Sport?

Louise Deeley — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:20:32 GMT

I've been delivering NLP training for the Elite or High Performance Sport Arena for over 8 years now, predominantly for UK Sport as part of their 'Commitment to Excellence' programme, and also for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) whom I originally wrote this article for. It's interesting how people's perception and awareness of NLP has changed. When I first set my goal of bringing NLP to Sport, back in 2000, practically no-one had heard of it, and if they had, the only thing people used to say was 'isn't that something about checking out where people's eyes move!' Now when I say what I do, 10 years later, there are many people who have not only heard of it, but have possibly done some training themselves, or know people who have. Maybe they've been part of a coaching system that uses it, or have heard someone talking about how they have used NLP to help with their own or with others' performance. Whatever the reason, NLP has definitely become more familiar to coaches, managers and performance directors working within Sport - and not just at the higher ends of sport too, as coaches and players from High Performance all the way to Grassroots are recognising just how important psychology and technologies like NLP really are to getting the best out of themselves and others in the highly competitive area of Sport. Full Stop. When I originally wrote this for ontheup, (the ECB magazine for elite coaching in cricket), it was not only a great opportunity to write a little bit about NLP, it's also shown me how many different approaches you could take regarding the use of NLP in sport simply by the amount of times I re-wrote it - and I also recognised that it's something to do with the mental programmes I used for writing an article of this type - time for a change eh? So what is NLP? NLP is an amalgamation of practical knowledge about human communication and personality, which provides us with a set of guiding principles, attitudes, and techniques about real-life behaviour. It offers techniques to change, adopt or eliminate unwanted/unhelpful behaviours, and gives us the ability to choose our mental, emotional, and physical states of well-being. N - Neurology: How we store and interpret information in our mind and nervous system L - Linguistic: How we use language (verbal and non-verbal) and the effect it has on us and other people P - Programming: How we develop and run the patterns and habits that are responsible for the behaviours we produce. NLP is also fundamentally about the study of excellence. It's about recognising where the differences lie between someone who is merely competent at what they do, and someone who excels. It's a bit like having an 'operating manual' of the process of how we think, feel and behave. This provides us with insight into 'how' the player is producing the behaviours they do, and if that behaviour's not working for them, we can use the manual to give us ways with which to change that behaviour. As a Sport Psychologist, I was impressed by the techniques NLP offers to help us with the 'How'. I have to admit, I was always a bit frustrated that the learning I had from psychology provided me with many theories about 'why' something happens, but didn't really give me a lot about how to change it. Other than the basic 'mental skills' techniques' that are good 'general' techniques, I always felt that we needed more 'in-depth' techniques to deal with the underlying core - particularly at the elite level where the slightest thing could be the difference between performing at your peak - or not. Would you believe that something as seemingly unimportant as facial muscle, chin protrusion and tilt could be the thing that altered how a 10 metre platform diver felt about performing? I wouldn't have done until I 'experimented' (ethically of course!) with an athlete and discovered that what was going on in this area of their body was a key component of triggering off a positive or negative physiological response! Mad? Yes, I thought so too. A fluke? Again, my thinking, except that this isn't just a one - off. It happens to us all, because our physiology affects our thinking just as our thinking affects our physiology. 'How we think and feel affects how we perform and act' Take the footballer who feels sick at the thought of taking a penalty - how is he thinking to cause him to feel this way? Or the tennis player who regularly manages to win the first set and falls at the later stages - what internal processes is she using? And the team who don't believe they can win, despite the words they are saying out loud - what does that say about their trust and cohesion - how are they thinking about themselves collectively and as individuals? The NLP approach to 'The Mind' The Conscious Mind - Everything we are paying attention to, right now. The Unconscious Mind - Everything we are not consciously aware of, including physiology. NLP is interested in both the 'conscious' and 'unconscious' (or sub conscious) processes of thinking, feeling and behaving. In particular, it is concerned with the effects our thinking has on our physiology, and vice versa. We all know that thinking negatively can bring about feelings of negative anxiety, as opposed to the motivating effects of a positive anxiety. We also know that focusing on things going as you want them to can also reduce that anxiety. It's really hard to feel anxious if you focus on a performance going exactly as you want it to - it's only when we start thinking about the what ifs of it going wrong that we get the negative feelings kicking in. By the time you are focusing on a competitive performance you will have identified possible obstacles and put strategies into place to overcome them, therefore performance anxiety prior to an event is very dependent on the way you are thinking about something. This isn't to say that a test winning match or an Olympic final should be anxiety free as this can be the pinnacle of someone's career. It's more to suggest that we have more control over our emotional responses than we sometimes acknowledge! NLP began as a model of how we communicate to ourselves and with others, and was developed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder. It explains how we process the information that comes into us from the outside, (through our senses) with the premise that "The map is not the territory." - i.e. how we've interpreted things in our heads might not be the correct interpretation of what's going on outside in the 'real' world. For example, how many of you have ever been in a meeting, gone away, read the report of that meeting and thought 'that's not what happened?!' Different maps Or maybe you've watched a match between two rivals and agreed/ disagreed vehemently with the umpire or referees decision (maybe based on who you are supporting?) Different maps As a rule, we experience an external event and we run that event through a number of filters to process it. As we do, we delete, distort, and generalize the information that comes in, meaning that we're editing what we see, hear and feel to what we already know. It is these filters that affect how we think, feel and behave about things, and as such this is what NLP is concerned with. Take the filter of 'Beliefs' for example. How does what you believe affect how you interpret a situation? Why do some players 'know' that it's important to work as hard on the mental side of the game as the physical - and others don't? Or that recovery is just as important to getting fit as training? A players beliefs will make a difference to how they go about achieving their goal of being successful, and if their beliefs are different to team mates or the coaches, then this can be problematic. We make an Internal Representation (I/R) of that event in our 'mind', made up of pictures, sounds, self talk and feelings which we combine with 'messages' from our physiology and this information produces a state. Our "State" refers to our internal emotional state - a happy state, a state of readiness, a motivated state etc. A good example of a State we are all familiar with is the 'Flow' State or 'Being in the Zone'. A key factor in peak performance and as such is something we can use the NLP Model to help us identify and recreate in both individuals and teams.Experienced coaches (and commentators) look at a player and make a pretty good guess at whether they're confident or not. Why? Because that player will have a particular body posture/shape/movement that they adopt when they are feeling unconfident. Possibly this player has made some kind of analysis about their performance status, for example, 'we need too many runs to pull it around, or 'we're going to lose this match'. This can result in more negative thinking that translates into the players stance, and although we often can't put our finger on what specifically is the thing that tells us (because it's often an unconscious process), that drop in confidence is observed - both as spectators, the opposition, and more importantly, by ourselves. What's happening here is the effect of how our interpretation of the events going on around us is affecting our I/R, our physiology and therefore our state. Because the State we are in affects how we behave, this is obviously affects the performance we produce. What's good about states is that the opposite happens too. Just as we have a low confidence state, we have high confidence states too - and this also can be seen. What's important about this is that when a player adopts their 'confidence stance', it will be triggering positive feelings and emotions, and our thinking picks up on this as we recognise that we 'feel good'. The more we are in this state, the more our bodies get used to and respond favourably, as what is essentially happening is that we are creating an habitual state within our nervous system (our neurology) and this starts to become the norm. A team or player who is on a good run of form will be operating from this habitual state, and it takes quite a big dent to knock them off. What's important when they are 'knocked off', (if you'll excuse the expression), is that we get them back to the thinking, feeling and, in turn, the behaving (or performance) that they were previously running. To do this, you have to know how to identify where the differences lie. This is where I think NLP gives us a lot of additional techniques for working with Sport, because it provides us with a way of working with the less obvious things - the patterns and behaviours that athletes' do that lie outside of conscious awareness, but in actual fact are the driver behind everything they do. For coaches NLP gives us a way of thinking that challenges many of the preconceptions and beliefs often held about what's possible, and provides us with a set of tools and techniques to start to reflect on what we do as coaches, what works for us, what doesn't and how we can change things, should we so wish. This also goes for working with our athletes too, as it provides us with insight into how their thinking, feeling and behaving affect their performance, and what you can do to assist them get the most out of their sporting lives. To summarise, NLP is an attitude and way of thinking that is based on curiosity and a willingness to explore - to go beyond the boundaries imposed by ourselves and others, about what we should, ought and have to do, and to seek other, new and different ways for effective change and behaviour. I'd like to leave you with a comment sent to me from someone who trained on the Sport Programme a couple of years ago, and I thought this was really indicative of how changes can occur in ways that are not obvious at the time....and not even about sport ..... "I was thinking about NLP just the other day, and realised actually how much my short-term memory had improved from how I now frame things. I used to be terrible at forgetting things like my keys, or wallet etc. but after the sport practitioner course I started framing things like 'I must remember my keys before I leave' rather than 'I mustn't forget my keys' .. when I forgot my glasses on the weekend, my wife commented how out of character it is for me now, which was really interesting when I used to do all the time! A little thing, but in Elite Sport it's sometimes the little things that make the biggest difference..... Louise is a BPS Chartered Psychologist, a BASES Accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist and an experienced performance coach. She delivers NLP and Sport Psychology development programmes throughout Europe, as well as specialist trainings on Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Development for Governing Bodies, Clubs and Corporate Business. If you would like to know how we can help you with your performance management please call us on 020 8398 2127 or email louise@inside-Performance.com Louise is keen to link with like minded individuals, as well as those that are not so like minded as diversity and difference is a good thing! You may also want to check out our NEW NLP and Sport Psychology Home Learning Programme which is due for release late March 2010 NLP and Sport Psychology HLP

10K Training Tips for the Running Newcomer

Amy McWilliam — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:44:04 GMT

General outlines for the novice runner building their running know how and distances. How to Train for a 10K - Getting Started A 10K race (we call them races but of course for the vast majority they are a running event of course!) may seem an impossible feat for those wishing to achieve the distance for the first time. If you want to achieve this as a goal, an optimal performance or just injury free preparation, now is the time to get set yourself up and start training. A race isn't just for athletic enthusiasts. Even if you have never taken part in a race of this kind or indeed any regular exercise at all, both taking part and completion are achievable targets. The key to training success lies in some planning, some determination, starting out gently and gradually building up the duration and intensity over a period of time. Setting a realistic time frame to train regularly, gradually building up your fitness, experience and endurance will focus you on taking things steadier in order to reach your goal without getting an injury or pushing yourself over the edge. Why bother? Regular physical activity can greatly improve your quality of life. The sense of achievement attached to accomplishing goals you have set yourself can really kick your self-esteem into shape. Regular activity will also allow you to build up increased levels of strength and stamina so that everyday tasks will take less out of you, giving you more energy to spend enjoying yourself. It also has the capacity to lift the blues and has been shown in studies to be at least as effective as drugs in treating mild depression. In short, active living means you get to live a better life for longer! How to Run? Starting out, increasing the distance you can run or building your capacity to run further, means that speed is not a consideration for you. So much more important is finding a comfortable pace that allows you to progress gradually and not feel torn to shreds at the end of each session. Whilst you should be pushing yourself, take time to build this up and find your feet. An initial comfortable pace will mean that you can still hold a conversation whilst on the move; there is plenty of time to work on getting quicker in due course. Learn how to run. Try to relax and use your arms to assist in your running movement. Try to be light on your feet and ensure you have the right running shoes to suit your foot type at the very least. Get into a rhythm or pattern of running. Ask for advice or even consider joining a running club, most of which have beginners groups and a wealth of experience to allow you to learn how to run, reach your goals and motivate you. Where to Run? Variety is the spice of life and you should try to experience different routes, surfaces and conditions you run in or on. If you enjoy running on the roads try to give yourself a break now and then by running on grass, around a field or on a trail. However be prepared! Do try and experience running in the rain or when it is cold. Similarly don't get caught out in the sun (hydration) or dark (visibility). Try to avoid using the weather as an excuse not to go out to run, however you could use a treadmill at a gym and this can re-focus you, help you maintain training efforts and/or making you look at and assess your running style. Joining a running club beginners group will take you places perhaps you would not normally go, over different courses and terrain perhaps and will also help you to keep up and learn from others around you. Involvement with the club events programme can also teach you about running and inspire you towards your own goals and participation. Running is an easy to manage activity so if you work away or are on holiday packing your running shoes, some kit, a water bottle and spare towel will allow you to sneak in a short run, maintain your training or experience new conditions, running along the beach early morning on holiday for example! What to Wear What you put on your feet is possibly the most important consideration when starting out running. The choice you make can not only enhance your performance but also your enjoyment of running whilst keeping you free of injury. Your foot type and then getting a specialist running shoe is a necessity. It is worth spending some time researching this online or visiting your local specialist sports shop if they can offer expert advice. Spending time on this at the outset and purchasing a decent, fit for purpose, right for you, pair of running shoes will save you additional costs in the long run. Apart from this, whilst specialist running kit is available and ultimately offers technical materials to make your running more comfortable, you can wear anything you like -running is very portable and easy to do in this respect - as long as you feel comfortable and free moving. When Not to Run Whilst you need to be motivated and regular running rather than once in a while running will ultimately get you where you want to be, you should not push yourself if you really do not feel up to it. If you are unwell then it is better in the long term to take a break for a few days rather than risk further illness or an injury. Generally speaking training when you are unwell will make recovery longer. Running on a full stomach is also not recommended so ensure that you allow time for food to digest before setting off. If you have any health concerns or medical complaints it is advised to visit your GP or a health professional before embarking on a running training programme. Blood pressure, breathing problems or weight issues, even diabetes or previous injury situations; seek advice and run safe! * Reversing this - Make the time to train however and consider an early morning run to really set you up for the day and energise you. Run with a friend; form a running partnership; this can serve as a great motivator for potential early morning or an evening run. If you are at home with kids why not walk them to school and run home? Does your place of work have a shower or adequate bathroom to make lunchtime run possible? Can you fit in a half hour at the gym lunchtime or on the way home at all? Make the time and don't give into excuse; you will feel better afterwards. No Pain No Gain Not altogether true in that whilst you should be pushing yourself forward you should not be doing so to the extent that you cannot walk the next day or feel sick! Certainly at the start you should be moderately setting out and gradually building up as you progress, increases to distance or speed should also be gradual to avoid injury or put you off continuing your running programme. If you feel uncomfortable you should ease down. Relax and try to enjoy your running, keeping your running regular is the key here. Warm Up As important as the run itself, is the way you prepare yourself. It is very easy to fall into the trap of going straight at it to get it over and done with. Try not to. Allocate a certain amount of time and invest some of it on preparation even if this feels frustrating to start with. Some light stretches which do not have to be that scientific even to start off with will allow you to loosen up and get yourself in the right frame of mind for the run. You can learn specific stretches as you progress and perhaps getting to know your body and how it reacts to a run will allow you to focus stretches into the right areas over time. As an example if you have allocated at the outset 30 minutes to training use 5 of these as a minimum to stretch (lightly) the calf, hamstring, lower back, thighs (Quadriceps) lightly and then loosen the upper body with some light twists, turns and shakes before walking for a few minutes to break into your run. You are then at the very least getting into the habit of warming up and at best preparing your body for running. Cooling Down Each run or training session should be ended with a cool or warm down. As before with the warm up your body needs to adjust back down gradually. Coming to a sudden standstill can be dangerous, cause dizziness or muscular cramp/strain and actually prolong recovery. Instead, keep yourself on the move and walk for the final 5 minutes of your allocated training run time. Then once again create a regime of light stretching to minimise tight or stiff muscles which helps to avoid future injury. Post-exercise stretching should be easy (or not forced), find your first bind point and no further and then hold each position for approximately 10 seconds. Your stretch should only be held as far as is comfortable; ease off and progress once you have completed a first light stage; the area should not feel sore nor uncomfortable and you should not be shaking. If this is the case once again ease right off and never bounce into a stretch whatever you see others doing. Don't Give Up Once you have started out do try to keep it going. Set yourself a challenge but a realistic one and see it through. Don't give up. Stay positive, relaxed and focused. Reward yourself and think of the benefits and feelings of the eventual achievement. Don't give up! Return2fitness.co.uk

The Intention-to-Repurchase Paradox: A Case of the Health and Fitness Industry

iStadia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:27:24 GMT

The Intention-to-Repurchase Paradox: A Case of the Health and Fitness Industry by Alain Ferrand, Leigh Robinson, Pierre Valette-Florence Journal of Sport Management Volume 24, Issue 1, p.83-105 (January 2010) Abstract The article proposes a conceptual model to examine the relationships between service attributes, brand associations, customer satisfaction, commitment, price of membership, and intention to repurchase in a fitness club. The results show that the services offered by the club, its security, and the promoted image of the club impact positively on satisfaction. The customer relations at the club, customer commitment, and their frequency of weekly attendance have a positive direct effect on intention to repurchase. Perceived price has a negative direct influence. Finally, the research showed that overall satisfaction has a slight positive impact on frequency of attendance. These findings create a paradox for managers of health and fitness organizations who will have to balance the need to increase frequency of attendance to positively impact on intention to repurchase with the need to deliver the service attributes that affect satisfaction and intention to repurchase at high quality level. If you would like to purchase this article (in PDF format) click here: http://www.istadiashop.com/product-1509-The-Intention_to_Repurchase-Paradox-A-Case-of-the-Health-and-Fitness-Industry.aspx Copyright © 2010. To subscribe to this journal please click here: Journal of Sport Management

7 Lessons on Mindset from the Winter Olympics

Annette Huygens-Tholen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:41:23 GMT

The Olympics represent the pinnacle of success for the majority of sports in the world. Athletes dedicate themselves to representing their country in a competition held only once every four years. What is there to learn from the Games and those who participate? 1. Believe in your Dreams - many athletes defy the odds and overcome adversity to realise their dream of becoming an Olympian. Many were told they didn't have what it takes. For many, if they had decided to 'be real' with their goals then they would never have dared to imagine competing in the Olympics. Some dreams stopped at becoming an Olympian, some dreamed of being a Gold Medallist. Take Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, nicknamed the Snow Leopard, representing Ghana in the Alpine Skiing. An unlikely participant, having taken up the sport just 5 years ago, learning to ski at an indoor centre in Scotland. One of the slowest down the mountain, Kwame is creating success in his own way and gaining recognition for it. Lesson: Never let anyone stop you from dreaming B.I.G. - Bold Inspiring Goals. Put a goal out there and commit to it and you will find a way to make it happen. 2. Courage - there are many examples of courage through the Winter Olympics with so many of the sports posing risk to life and limb. Many athletes competing report having recovered from broken bones, concussion and sprains - and yet here they are, undeterred, keeping the end in mind. Their greatest competition is within themselves winning the mental game it takes to perform at such a high level. Consider the luge competitors, competing on a track just days after the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili; Canadian Ice skater Joannie having the courage to take the ice and win the Bronze medal just days after the death of her mother. Lesson: Find the courage to face your fears and do it anyway. 3. Resilience - athletes suffer setbacks at one point in their lives, and they get back up again. Some are competing at their 2nd or 3rd Olympics, desiring to emulate and/or improve on past performance. Slovenian cross-country skiier Petra Majdic fell three metres down an embankment in training, breaking four ribs. She didn't let this stop her and pushed through 3 qualifying races to make the finals and to then win Bronze. Remarkable! Lesson: There will be obstacles in your way as you seek out your own success. How much do you want it? What are you prepared to endure to win your prize? 4. It's not over 'til it's over - athletes show that you have to keep going until the end and finish strong. In skiing and snow-boarding events anything can happen with crashes and slip-ups. Those who hang-on can still have a chance to win. Back in 2002 Australia's Stephen Bradbury was coming last in the short-track speed-skating when all 4 competitors in front of him tripped and got entangled with each other opening up the way for Bradbury to skate through to a Gold Medal. In 2006 Lindsey Jacobellis of the Unites States had a clear lead in the snowboard cross and went for a twisting grab in the air of her board - this caused her to crash and Swiss Tanja Frieden passed her by. Lesson: Keep going right through to the end because you never know what opportunity falls your way. 5. Winning is in the process - successful athletes focus on the process because they know that is how the game is won. When Australian Torah Bright prepared for her second run, she needed to perform after crashing in her first run. Standing at the top, Torah appeared to be relaxed and mentally prepared for her run. She knew what she had to do, and set out to do what she had practiced over and over again The outcome was a Gold medal. Lesson: Success is about doing what you love and loving the process. Let go of the need for a particular outcome boosts your chance of realizing your goal. 6. Weigh up the Risks - many Winter Olympics events have scoring with points won/loss on degree of difficulty. Athletes know there are times to play safe and there are times to take risks. Someone might need to land a jump in order to qualify, or to stay on their feet to finish a race. When it comes to the final rounds, athletes are going for their most difficult tricks and attacking their race in order to be the best. Not everyone succeeds when they dare to risk, but better to have gone for it and create the opportunity to win, then to play safe and never know what could have been possible. In claiming Austria's first Alpine gold medal for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Andrea Fischbacher claimed that she 'attacked from start to finish' and it was thought that favourite Lindsay Vonn skiied too conservatively and was relegated to third. Lesson: There will be times you will need to risk failing in order to succeed. The higher the prize, the higher the risk you will need to take. 7. Celebrate - you always see the Gold Medallist celebrating their win, they are at the top. There is mixed celebration from those who come 2nd, 3rd and those who don't medal. The one who acknowledges what they have achieved, rather than what they have not, are the most satisfied and fulfilled. Knowing that you have given it your all and have done your best in the moment, it's now time to celebrate your achievement. Lesson: Be grateful for what you have achieved knowing that this is a stepping stone to even greater things. Olympians have an amazing quality of mindset that enables them to achieve high level of success that can help them beyond sport. Tap into what it takes to be the best and you can achieve too.

Marathon training: Have you forgotten about running economy?

Scott Walker — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:58:26 GMT

The importance of resistance training This article was originally published on the Inspiring Fitness blog If you are running the London Marathon, especially if you are hoping to cover the 42km in the fastest time possible, you're probably aware that there are three components of running fitness: VO2max, lactate/anaerobic threshold and running economy. You have been pounding the street and/or treadmill in preparation. You've definitely been doing long, slow distance runs, in an attempt to get your legs used to jogging for hours on end. These runs will serve to increase your VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen that can be transported to and used by the muscle). You may even have done some interval training or 'lactate threshold' conditioning to help allow yourself to run at a higher pace and heart rate throughout the race. These intervals will also serve to increase your maximal capacity. But what about the third component? Running Economy Running economy is how efficient you are at running, that is, the amount of energy required to run a certain pace. How Do I Improve My Running Economy? Basically, if every step you take requires less energy or you can travel a greater distance by taking fewer steps, then you will improve your running economy. But my technique is really good! How else can I conserve energy? The simply answer is by decreasing the effort required to take each step whilst running, that is decreasing the amount of energy needed to push off the ground. Decreasing The Effort Required To Propel Your Body Each step you take, muscles contract to push you forward. Like any muscle contraction, these contractions will be a percentage of your maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Your MVC is the maximum amount of force a muscle or group of muscles can generate.100% of your MVC will require 100% of your motor units. A motor unit is a nerve and all the muscle fibers it innervates. Each muscle unit requires a certain amount of energy to contract. If you reduce the percentage of your MVC required to perform a task, you will reduce the amount of energy required to perform that task. How do I reduce the percentage of my MVC required to run? You could reduce the amount of force requires to move your body; that would involve reducing your weight (that is why elite marathon runners are so small) but, seems that you are already in training for the marathon, you are probably unlikely to be able to reduce your weight greatly, without it compromising your performance. What you should do is increase your MVC so that, though the force required to propel your body forward is still the same, the percentage of your MVC is reduced, decreasing the energy required. How do you increase you're the amount of force your muscles can generate? Strength training! Can resistance training help decrease the amount of energy required to complete a running event in any other way? Yes, it can. I'm glad you asked! Some of the other ways in which resistance training can decrease energy expenditure, leading to better running economy are:· * Strength training has also been shown to lead to 'stiffer' muscles, in this case in the calf. Each time the foot strikes the ground, the calf muscles have to counteract downward momentum through an eccentric/lengthening contraction. Once the force has been absorbed, the muscles propel the leg forward through a concentric/shortening contraction. Stiffer muscles mean that this lengthening contraction is reduced, ideally to no change in muscle length at all. Instead the force is transferred to the Achilles tendon. Tendons are very elastic, that is they absorb force by elongating and return it in the opposite direction when they return to their original length. The return of energy in the tendon conserves the kinetic energy and transfers it in the opposite direction to plantar flex the foot and propels you along your run, meaning you do not need to produce energy to push off the ground with the calf muscles. * Explosive resistance training and plyometrics (unweighted jumps and bound) have been shown to increase the amount of force that can be imparted in the short amount of time the foot is in contact with the ground during running (<0.25 secs). This can lead to increases in stride length. Also, proper periodised resistance training has been shown, in a 2008, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study, to prevent the loss of stride length at the end of intense endurance running events. Less strides taken during an event means less energy expenditure. Is there any other resistance training that I can do to improve my running performance? Perhaps! A 2009 study concluded that for those with weak core stability, conducting specific training for this area may improve running performance. Conclusion and Practical ExperienceAs you can see, though many recreational runners who attempt marathon know that different modalities of cardiovascular training are required to complete the course in the fastest time possible, resistance training is also important in running performance. I recently had a client who had previously completed a marathon in a fairly good time but wanted to improve her running speed. Through a properly periodised resistance programme, we managed to improve her 10km time by a whopping 24%! This proves that resistance training can be a powerful tool to helping you run the race of your life! Consult your strength and conditioning coach on what resistance exercises to perform to increase your running performance.

Development of an Instrument to Measure the Moral Judgments of Sport Managers

iStadia — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:40:36 GMT

Development of an Instrument to Measure the Moral Judgments of Sport Managers by Andrew Rudd, Susan Mullane, Sharon Kay Stoll Journal of Sport Management Volume 24, Issue 1 p.59-83 Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure the moral judgments of sport managers called the Moral Judgments of Sport Managers Instrument (MJSMI). More specifically, our intention was to measure moral judgmen on a unidimensional level given past research suggesting moral judgment is a unidimensional construct (Hahm, Beller, & Stoll, 1989; Kohlberg, 1984; Piaget, 1932; Rest, 1979, 1986). The MJSMI contains 8 moral dilemmas/stories in the context of sport management. Sport managers respond to the dilemmas on a four-point Likert scale. Three pilot studies were undertaken to develop the MJSMI. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency analysis were the primary methods for assaying reliability and validity. Results consistently showed that sport managers' responses vary depending on the nature of the moral scenario and thus do not indicate a unidimensional construct. The reasons for inconsistent responses are thoroughly discussed. If you would like to purchase this article (in PDF format) click here: Development of an Instrument to Measure the Moral Judgments of Sport Managers Copyright © 2010. To subscribe to this journal please click here: Journal of Sport Management

Training Methods and Intensity Distribution of Young World-Class Rowers

iStadia — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:15:31 GMT

Training Methods and Intensity Distribution of Young World-Class Rowers by Arne Guellich, Stephen Seiler, Eike Emrich International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Volume 4 Issue 4, p. 448-460 Abstract Purpose: To describe the distribution of exercise types and rowing intensity in successful junior rowers and its relation to later senior success. Methods: 36 young German male rowers (31 international, 5 national junior finalists; 19.2 ± 1.4 y; 10.9 ± 1.6 training sessions per week) reported the volumes of defined exercise and intensity categories in a diary over 37 wk. Training categories were analyzed as aggregates over the whole season and also broken down into defined training periods. Training organization was compared between juniors who attained national and international senior success 3 y later. Results: Total training time consisted of 52% rowing, 23% resistance exercise, 17% alternative training, and 8% warm-up programs. Based on heart rate control, 95% of total rowing was performed at intensities corresponding to <2 mmol·L-1, 2% at 2 to 4 mmol·L-1, and 3% at >4 mmol·L-1blood lactate. Low-intensity work remained widely unchanged at ~95% throughout the season. In the competition period, the athletes exhibited a shift within <2 mmol exercise toward lower intensity and within the remaining ~5% of total rowing toward more training near maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) intensity. Retrospectively, among subjects going on to international success 3 y later had their training differed significantly from their peers only in slightly higher volumes at both margins of the intensity scope. Conclusion: The young world-class rowers monitored here exhibit a constant emphasis on low-intensity steady-state rowing exercise, and a progressive polarization in the competition period. Possible mechanisms underlying a potential association between intensity polarization and later success require further investigation. If you would like to purchase this article (in PDF format) click here: Training Methods and Intensity Distribution of Young World Class Rowers Copyright © 2009. To subscribe to this journal please click here the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.

What does it take to succeed in business and organisations?

William Winstone — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:12:40 GMT

Many people have attempted to transition between both sport and business. There are examples of successful sports performers going on to have successful careers as entrepreneurs, such as David Lloyd (Lloyd's sports clubs), or Fran Cotton (Cotton Traders). However, there are fewer examples of sports scientists doing the same. So given the squeeze on funding in sports, and the very small number of full time sport psychologists compared to personal trainers, this may be crossing your mind. If so, then what does it take? Defining the territory On the face of it, there is an obvious match between the challenges of sport psychology and business. How to motivate. How to build confidence. How to perform under pressure. How to think straight. How to help teams perform superbly. Developing leaders. Developing a climate of excellence. Helping career transitions. Managing Illness and injury. At first glance these are as valuable in organisations as in sport. So, if you can demonstrate your ability to deliver this in sport, surely businesses will be queuing up to use you? Well possibly, but if not, then rate yourself on the following 3 factors that we'll look at in more detail: 1. Excellence and experience as a sport psychologist. 2. Outstanding psychological skills that enable you to work with people whatever the setting. 3. A real interest and understanding of the world of organisations. 1. Excellence and experience as a sport psychologist. Defining what makes a great sport psychologist is an incredibly difficult thing to do. And you may not yet be great, but ask yourself the following questions? · Do you typically make a real impact on performance to the extent that you are sought out by athletes and coaches alike? It won't be yes every time. But if you keep bringing to your own practice the hunger for improvement that you demand of your athletes, then you'll keep improving your impact. And if you're not sure, then ask the coach and your athletes. What's been useful? And where can I add more? And make sure you include the most critical coach that you know won't bullshit you. · What's your range of experience as a sport psychologist? o If you restrict yourself to mental skills development, but veer away from 'messier' more emotional areas, or supporting coaches, why is that? If you need to up-skill then do so. So much real work in sport and organisations fits into no box. Be clear about where you can and can't help (know your limits ethically), but keep learning. More on this in the second factor. o What have you done so far in the world of sport? "There is no substitute for experience". And high level experience (international teams, Olympics, professional sport) is one of the things that organisations will pay for, as long as you can combine it with factors 2 & 3. 2. Outstanding psychological skills that enable you to work with people whatever the setting. The core requirement for executive coaches and psychologists, and most sport psychologists is the ability to sit down with their clients and work with them psychologically. This may be with a very light touch, but at times it can involve a good deal of depth and emotion. In both settings you must be competent and skilful so some more questions: · How much training have you done in the building block of counselling? It's at the heart of every helping or enabling profession. Not to offer tea and sympathy! Nor is it about tree hugging and sandals! At its best counselling skills allow you to work effectively and ethically, at times with a good deal of support, at times with a good deal of challenge. · Beyond the building blocks of counselling, how skilled are you with a variety of psychological approaches? Whether using cognitive behavioural approaches; NLP; Gestalt and humanistic approaches; or a combination of several approaches. It's not about how many approaches, but how well you can help clients get unblocked, increase their confidence, get more focused, and ultimately deliver on the front line of their sport or organisations. · Finally how much do you know about yourself? (unashamed links here with Self Aware Sport Psychology). And are you working ethically with supervision to keep revealing your own blind spots as you look in, and increasing your impact as you look out. 3. A real interest and understanding of the world of organisations. Organisations: all human life is here. As varied as humankind. So much of post industrial civilisation has been built on these ways of organising human endeavour and production. Just as there is a huge amount to learn in psychology and sport, there are so many fundamentals of business and organisational life that need to be grasped. Of course, if you're a big enough beast - Rebecca Adlington post Beijing et al, you can start out on the speakers circuit not knowing much apart from your own road to success. But if you're looking to develop as a consultant without Gold medals around your neck, then pretty quickly you need to get skilful at understanding what's critical to your clients, and where you can and can't help. William Winstone Performance1 Management Consultants

Video Technology in Full Use at Vancouver Olympics

Sebastien Dubuis — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:30:35 GMT

If you've been watching NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, you might have noticed some very cool special effects. Most of the time these effects are provided courtesy of a company call Dartfish. They're not only used in the broadcast, but MOST of the teams themselves use Dartfish to train; improving their times, technique, and overall performance. See some those cool effects by clicking here More examples from here

What rule book are you living by?

Annette Huygens-Tholen — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:08:05 GMT

We all possess a unique set of values that acts as a sort of rule book for living, that guides the choices we make, how we spend our time, where we invest our wealth, etc. Tony Robbins considers values "like a compass that directs your life." Our choices and behaviors are ruled by those top values. Whether individuals get what they want or not can often come down to their priorities, what their existing values system dictates. Do you know what values you live your life by? It is likely that you picked up your current values from those around you growing up. You will not do anything that falls out of your value system, even though you might not be aware what they are. More importantly, it is your top five values that determine your life and the results you get. Values can have a significant impact on the results you are currently getting and the results your desire. A value is simply what is important to you in life or various aspects of life. Values tend to be words or phrases like "love," "honesty," "fame," "financial security," "living life to the fullest," "playing 100%" etc. You can have a separate set of values operating within the area of career compared with your relationship values or your broader life values. What happens when you Transition? The problem for when you transition to a new career, or retire maybe that you continue to live by the same "rule book" while trying to get different results in life. When I first learned about the impact of values I took an in-depth look at what was in my personal rule book and how it had dictated some of my decisions and behaviors. I saw that "independence" had been at the top of my list for a very long time. I also valued hard work, integrity, and teamwork. Money, however, in the form of financial reward was far down on the list in terms of my priorities, which was evident in the results I was getting at the time...or was not getting. And "love" did not even appear on the list at all! No wonder I was not creating successful relationships or getting ahead financially, no matter how hard I tried. We experience what we deeply value. Internal struggle and a lack of fulfillment can often arise when what we want to get, or what we say we value, does not match up with what we're actually getting. Someone may desire to be successful when really there is a deeper held value like "security" determining their decisions. They may choose to stay in a secure job, that they do not enjoy, rather than going for personal success goals. The need to be secure will outweigh their desire to take a chance on changing careers or starting a business. Most of us "downloaded" our values system a long time ago, in our childhood, from our parents and those closest to us. They are stored in our unconscious mind and work in the background influencing our choices and decisions. The good news is that you can change. Just like sports or governments may change the rules of their game, you can change your rule book. Awareness is the first step. Know what your current rules/values are. Do they help or hinder you? Learn what values successful people live by - you can read about them or simply guess. A person's lifestyle and environment often gives clues to what they value. You may need to let go of some limiting beliefs you have about your current values. For example if you believe security is important and you should not take risks in life, then that will limit your ability to let go of security as a value. A coach can best help you work with your belief and values system to see where they are helping you move forward or holding back from all you can be. Get started by looking at what is important in your life and be aware of how that is influencing the results you are currently getting.