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Performance Science
What is High Performance?
One of the most commonly asked questions in this business is, “What Exactly is High Performance?”
People talk about, write about, think about sports science, sports medicine, exercise physiology, talent identification, performance psychology, biomechanics, skill acquisition, elite coach development, recovery, sports physiotherapy, sports massage, performance analysis and all the elements and components of high performance sport, but what is it? What is this thing called High Performance?
I can summarise it all in one word………Change.
June 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Diving, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon
Strength Training for High Performance Sport - An Overview
It was not all that long ago when the words “strength training” and “gymnasium” conjured up images of muscle hulks and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
However, in recent years, strength and conditioning has gained acceptance as an applied sports science and is respected as a profession in its own right in many high performance sporting systems around the world. It has become a fundamental and integral aspect of the training and preparation of elite athletes in a wide range of sports.
February 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Diving, Football, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Swimming, Triathlon
Making Sense of Testing Athletes
A renowned swimming coach was walking up and down the side of the pool working with a world record holder. A younger, relatively inexperienced coach who was eager to learn, asked, “How do you know how your swimmer is going?” “How do you know when she is ready to do her best?”
The senior coach replied, “I just know”.
Testing does not replace the skilled eye or instinctual feel of an experienced and talented coach. It aims to provide measurement and objectivity to some of the elements of performance that coaches “see” and “feel” and “know”.
This article discusses some of the current issues in the testing of high performance athletes and looks at the crucial aspects of the measurement and evaluation of elite sports performance.
February 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, Athletics, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Swimming, Triathlon
Sports Science: Observations of Philosophies in Sports Science and Sports Medicine in High Performance Sport
Sports Science has to Change
Over the past year I have had the fortunate experience of working with some of the leading sporting nations in their quest for elite sporting excellence. I write this article as a plea to all sports scientists, regardless of discipline, to evaluate what they are doing and think about being more innovative and creative in their methods and practices.
February 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Coaching, Coaching Tips, Cricket, Cycling, Diving, Football, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Triathlon
Analysis and the Era of Negativity
Seems like every coach has a video, a camera, a DVD player and some analysis software these days.
Coaches spend more time behind a desk, staring at replays and performance analysis data than they do actually working and communicating with athletes and staff!
Modern analysis techniques and equipment have given us the luxury of detail- the ability to evaluate, measure and analyse performance in far greater depth than ever before.
Most analysis techniques used in elite sport evolved from research methods used in the academic world, where a wide range of analysis tools are used to systematically investigate technique, movement, skills, decision making etc as part of a the study behind a journal article, research project or thesis.
The problem with all this analysis is that analysis, by its nature is destructive. Analysis breaks down performances, techniques, skills etc into component parts or measureable events. It looks to identify what went wrong with an athlete or team and what problems, faults and mistakes led to a poor performance.
The biggest challenge in the analysis era is to learn to use what is ostensibly a destructive activity for a constructive purpose - the enhancement of performance. Read more
February 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Netball, Performance Science, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Triathlon
Multi-Disciplinary Sports Science: The Obstacles to Overcome
Over the past fifteen years Wayne Goldsmith has worked with coaches, athletes, sports scientists and sports administrators in Australia and around the world.
During the past year he has worked as a consultant to the United Kingdom Sports Institute, United States Olympic Committee, the New Zealand Academy of Sport and the Australian Sports Commission on high performance sports science and coaching education.
This article presents Wayne’s observations on the field of sports science and raises some challenges for sporting and academic institutions. Read more
February 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Basketball, Coaching, Cycling, Diving, Football, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Swimming, Track and Field, Triathlon
Ten Golden Rules about Presenting Sports Science information to Coaches
I have been to hundreds of coaching courses, coaching workshops, coaching conferences and coaching seminars. Invariably, the course convener invites a guest speaker with a specialist sports science background to talk about physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, psychology or another sports performance topic.
And, in all of the hundreds of courses, workshops, conferences and seminars I have attended, I have seen the same mistakes being made by the guest speakers. So I decided to do something about it.
February 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, Basketball, Coaching, Cricket, Football, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Triathlon
High Performance Nutrition for Swim Meets, Competitions and Carnivals
Swim-Eats (Swim-Meets): A Guide for Swimmers, Coaches, Parents and Clubs
Nutrition is an important area of successful sports performance in any sport.
Swimmers need to eat nutritious foods to compete and train to the best of their ability. Coaches need to ensure that swimmers are eating well and re-hydrating to complement their training program. Parents want to help their kids achieve their goals and are keen to support them in every possible way.
Swim Clubs and swimming organisations, selling food and drink at Swim Meets need to ensure that a variety of highly nutritious healthy options that can still generate income and raise funds are available to the swimmers.
December 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Speed Reserve for Middle and Long Distance Swimmers
The Importance of Speed for Middle and Long Distance Swimmers
The eternal coaching question – how much speed is necessary for endurance athletes?
At the present time in world swimming there are many opportunities for swimmers who are capable of sustaining fast speeds over middle and long distance races. Particularly in woman’s swimming where World and Australian Records have stood for many years, the ability to be fast over 400, 800 and 1500 metres presents a great opportunity for the female swimmer prepared to do a little work and focus on these events.
December 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Six Steps to Swimming Greatness
Successful swimming is a combination of several factors: Fitness, speed, strength, technique, motivation, skills, good nutrition, positive attitude, self confidence and flexibility, are all important to swim fast.
However, there are six specific factors that have been identified as being essential for peak swimming performance.
December 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment
