uksca news june 2010.qxp

PROFESSIONAL 

strength & conditioning 

ISSN 1757-5834 

No. 18 SUMMER 2010 

EDITOR 

Ian Jeffreys PhD, FNSCA, ASCC, CSCS*D 

EDITORIAL PANEL 

Raphael Brandon MSc, ASCC 

Clive Brewer MSc, BSc(Hons), ASCC, CSCS 

Marco Cardinale PhD, ASCC 

Dave Clark MSc, ASCC 

Daniel Cleather MA, ASCC, CSCS 

Paul Comfort MSc, ASCC 

Audrey Duncan PhD, ASCC 

Mike Favre MSc, ASCC 

Duncan French PhD, ASCC 

Jon Goodwin MSc, PGCHE, ASCC 

Greg Haff PhD, ASCC, FNSCA, CSCS 

Liam Kilduff PhD 

Jeremy Moody PhD, ASCC 

Phil Moreland BAppSci, AssocDip, ASCC 

Narelle Sibte BAppSci, Grad Dip, ASCC 

Alan Sinclair BSc (Hons), ASCC, CSCS 

Gil Stevenson BEd (Hons), ASCC 

Margaret Stone MSc, ASCC 

Michael Stone PhD, ASCC 

Mark Simpson MSc, ASCC 

Graham Turner MSc, BEd (Hons), ASCC 

COLUMN EDITORS 

Graeme Close PhD, ASCC 

Nick Ward MSc, CSCS 

Stuart Yule BSc (Physio), ASCC 

INSIDE 

NEWS 

page 2 

CONFERENCE REVIEW 

page 4 

PERIODISATION OF TRAINING FOR 

TEAM SPORTS DURING THE IN-SEASON 

page 5 

PERFORMANCE NUTRITION 

page 11 

THE FIVE MINDS OF THE MODERN 

S&C COACH 

page 16 

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH 

page 22 

THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN 

HEAVEN 

page 25 

The journal of the UK Strength & Conditioning Association 

As this Journal goes to print, the largest sports event in the world, the 

football world cup, is in full swing. Media coverage is extensive, with 

hours of analysis of on field performance and with every word and 

action coming out of each camp scrutinised for clues about the lineups 

and potential outcomes of upcoming games. Similarly, national passions 

are roused, and the whole mood of a country is affected by the performance 

of a select group of players in a tournament many miles away. This 

undoubtedly reflects the capacity of sport to fully engage public opinion, and 

to engender passions that few other sports events can match. The games 

themselves involve great athleticism, and emphasise the potential for 

optimal physical preparation to maximise performance and reduce the risk of 

injuries. However, while strength and conditioning coaches will undoubtedly 

focus on these athletic aspects, and look at potential ways in which current 

practice could be improved, it could be that potentially the greatest area of 

impact for the majority of S&C coaches in football (and indeed many other 

sports) will lie away from this elite stage. 

Such a highly visible tournament will produce a surge of interest in playing 

the game in many youngsters around the world. It is highly likely that the 

next superstar will be watching in a small corner of the world, dreaming of 

one day playing on this very same stage. While the importance of physical 

preparation of elite players is self evident, it could be that S&C coaches have 

more potential impact at the development level. In reality, only a few 

strength and conditioning coaches are able to work at the elite level, and 

their work will always be restricted by the extensive competitive schedules 

modern footballers face. Many more S&C coaches will have the opportunity 

to positively affect the chances of these inspired youngsters to fulfil their 

potential and reach their ultimate goals. Experienced and qualified strength 

and conditioning coaches could play a huge role in developing tomorrow’s 

champions, and not just in football. Perhaps a key question to come out of 

the tournament will not be to focus on the world cup players themselves, but 

instead look at how to put athletic development programmes in place that 

ensure all players have the opportunity to maximise their potential and 

develop the required athleticism to perform at world level. This would need 

to include the development of appropriate athletic development 

programmes, and would also need to focus on accessibility, ensuring that 

these opportunities are available around the country, indeed wherever the 

dreamer may be living. 

1 Woodville Terrace, Lytham, 

Lancashire FY8 5QB. 

t: 0845 300 8078 

f: 0845 300 8079 

e: info@uksca.org.uk

One element of performance at the World Cup that will undoubtedly catch the attention of the media will be the 

performance of the managers. Every aspect of the manager’s performance will be critiqued and questioned at a whole 

host of levels, from the national media to the local pub. While this may be at times excessive, it does reflect the 

pervasive attitude that a coach/manager has the capacity to affect performance both positively and negatively. While 

this may seem obvious in sport, especially given the multi-million pound contracts given to the top managers, it is 

interesting that relatively little attention is given to the coaching process within the strength and conditioning 

profession. A look at a typical Journal, or a strength and conditioning conference, will see the vast majority of work is 

devoted to what to do, exercises, loads, sets, reps, programme design etc, and far less devoted to how to deliver it. 

Yet in football is it simply “what the players do” that is critical or is it also “how it is delivered”; the great intangibles of 

quality coaching. Maybe one message we can take from the world cup is the importance of the coaches themselves, 

and look at the skills required to deliver effective programmes, rather than look at the programme itself as the only 

variable. For this reason, I have written an article in this edition that looks at coaching intelligence as multidimensional 

in nature. It attempts to examine Howard Gardner’s 5 key intelligences and to evaluate how these are reflected in 

effective coaching practice. It examines the role of each intelligence and looks at the typical skills and abilities required 

within each. This will be the start of a column that will look at the coaching process within S&C, and focus on elements 

not always typically associated with S&C. I hope that this will be a valuable addition to Professional Strength and 

Conditioning, and develop increased awareness of quality coaching as a key element of strength and conditioning. 

Also in this edition, Graeme Close and James Cobley, have produced a report on the use of antioxidant 

supplementation. The article, together with the guidelines for practice, will provide an excellent basis for anyone 

looking to utilise antioxidant supplements in their programme. The edition also features an interview with Nick 

Grantham. Written by Scott Pollock, of the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland, this gives a fascinating insight 

into Nick’s work, which has involved working within the EIS to setting up his own Performance Centre. EIS 

(Northwest) coach Nick Chadd has produced an article looking at periodisation and the challenges faced in setting 

up effective in season programmes for team sports, while the exercise of the month column in this edition is 

written by Tim Silvester, a strength and conditioning coach at the Sportscotland Institute of Sport and focuses on 

the jump squat. Finally, UKSCA Conference Organiser Duncan French has produced a brief review of this year’s 

Conference. A full review will be published in the Autumn edition. 

Ian Jeffreys 

Editor 

UKSCA NEWS 

UKSCA AWARD 

FOR BEST 

SCIENTIFIC/ 

APPLIED CASE 

POSTER 2010 

Another excellent year of 

submissions saw Chris 

Lovell, ASCC, from St 

Mary’s University College 

awarded the prize for the 

best poster, titled: Three 

Different Intensities of a 

Back Squat Failed to 

Potentiate Squat Jumps. 

Honorable mentions 

should also go to the 

following: 

Paul Comfort, 

(University of Salford), 

for ‘An 

Electromyographical 

Comparison of Trunk 

Muscle Activation During 

the Military Press 

Performed With and 

Without a Unique 

Instability Device’. 

Chris Ross, (University 

of Birmingham) for 

‘Reactive Strength Index 

in the Depth Jump’. 

UKSCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS – ELECTION 

The UKSCA’s AGM was held on Friday 4 June at the conference venue and the 

results of the Board of Directors election was announced as follows: 

Chairman of the Association 

There were 2 nominees for this position resulting in the election of Jeremy Moody. 

We would like to thank Gil Stevenson for both his nomination and service to the 

Association for the last 6 years in this role. 

Directors of the Association 

There were 4 nominees for 2 positions, resulting in Duncan French and Gil 

Stevenson being re-elected to the Board. Our thanks to the other nominees David 

Parker and Clive Brewer and to Clive for his service to the Association as a Board 

member for the last 6 years. 

The UKSCA’s Board is now as follows and full details of all Board members can be 

found on the UKSCA website under the About section: 

Jeremy Moody (Chairman of the Association), Dougi Bryce (Finance and 

Administration Director), Duncan French, Ian Jeffreys, Pete McKnight, Gil Stevenson, 

Alex Wolf, Stuart Yule 

UKSCA MEMBER AT TASS S&C PERFORMANCE 

WORKSHOP 

Thanks to the ongoing relationship between the UKSCA and Nick Ward at TASS, the 

UKSCA were offered a place at the forthcoming S&C Performance Workshop with 

Tamas Feher (World Class Lifting Performance Coach). With an increased focus on 

member support, we offered expressions of interest from members who were 

currently trailing the Weightlifting component ONLY following attendence at a UKSCA 

assessment day. The winner was David O'Sullivan who will be attending as a UKSCA 

representative and to support his own continued professional development in 

weightlifting to gain accreditation at some time in the future. David will be providing 

an article for the journal highlighting the key learning messages from attending the 

2-day workshop. Good Luck David. 

2 

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION 

© UKSCA | Issue 18 | Summer 2010 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk

Jeremy Moody, 

UKSCA Chair 

MESSAGE FROM THE 

INCOMING CHAIR 

Gil Stevenson 

As the incoming Chair, I feel it is 

important to commend the work and 

endless enthusiasm of Gil Stevenson 

in the role as Chair of the UKSCA 

over the past 6 years. There is never 

a more difficult and challenging time 

to take on the responsibilities and 

accountabilities of such a role, than 

right at the start. Gil was also 

embedded in the initiatives in 

Scotland well before the launch of 

the UKSCA, and chaired the working 

group which permitted an effective 

transition from a Scottish initiative 

(under the direction of Dougi Bryce) 

to the now, well established UKSCA 

back in 2004. It is a testament to 

the passion and the drive of the man 

himself, that many of you will see 

him at weekends all around the 

country delivering workshops and 

accreditations, in addition to the role 

as Chair of the UKSCA. Gil retains a 

position on the UKSCA Board of 

Directors and will, I am sure, be an 

invaluable asset to the organisation 

as it builds on its current position 

and develops still further in the 

coming years. 

Future Directions 

First of all, many thanks to those 

members who were prepared to 

trust me with the direction of their 

organisation by voting for me in the 

lead up to this year’s annual 

conference. My thoughts and vision 

for the organisation will begin to 

unfold at the first meeting of the 

Board of Directors in London on 

Friday 16th July. It is a very 

exciting time for the organisation 

right now, with many routes on 

offer. However, a number of key 

items for discussion will be: 

• the long term sustainability of the 

UKSCA, which will be underpinned 

by an appropriate strategic 

direction for the organisation over 

the next 5-10 years. This will serve 

as a guide and an evaluation tool 

for progression in the everchanging 

climate of the world of 

strength and conditioning 

• women in strength and 

conditioning 

• UKSCA's national accreditation to 

be an international benchmark for 

strength and conditioning coaches 

across Europe 

• membership benefits and CPD 

• educational links 

• transparency and accountability of 

the UKSCA 

• national and international 

partnerships and enterprise 

As members of the UKSCA I would 

encourage you to contact me at 

Jeremy@uksca.org.uk with your ideas 

and thoughts for future progression 

and initiatives for the UKSCA. I 

welcome your energy and enthusiasm 

for strength and conditioning........we 

are all in this together! 

I look forward to working with you, 

Jeremy Moody 

Chairman UKSCA 


© UKSCA | Issue 18 | Summer 2010 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk 3

6 th ANNUAL 

CONFERENCE 

4–6 JUNE, 2010 

Kents Hill Conference Centre, Milton Keynes 

From ballet dancers to Olympic gold medallists, pillow 

talk about stretching to S&C survival on the beaches of 

Florida, from horse racing in the bar to monkeys that 

do push presses, the 6th annual UKSCA conference 

once again provided a unique mix of events for all 

those who attended. In 2010, the UKSCA conference 

included speakers from 3 different continents, 6 

different countries, all of whom offered internationally 

renowned experience in the world of sports science and 

applied strength and conditioning. From Australia and 

New Zealand respectively travelled Dan Baker and Mike 

McGuigan; North America was represented by Mike 

Stone, Mike Favre, Darcy Norman, Harvey Newton, Ron 

McKeefery, and Nikos Apostolopoulos; Vladimir Issurin 

brought his work from Eastern Europe, and outstanding 

home-grown expertise was evident in the presentations 

of Nick Allen, Danny Holdcroft and Jon Goodwin. 

Hopefully the diversity of this line up offered something 

for everyone. Reassuringly, record numbers of 

delegates once again registered to attend the 3-day 

event, indicating that the UKSCA membership values 

the conference as an outstanding CPD event on the 

annual calendar. 

The Kents Hill Conference Centre in Milton Keynes was 

chosen as the venue for the 6th UKSCA Annual 

Conference. Following on from the success of 2009, 

where the decision was made to utilise specialist 

conferencing venues that could offer high standard 

meeting rooms, catering and accommodation all on one 

site, Kents Hill offered an environment that matched 

the high expectations of the delegates in attendance. 

Uniquely, the outdoor areas allowed for the perfect 

setting for the S&C meat-feast that is the welcome 

BBQ, the restaurant provided a great selection of meal 

choices (gone are the days of brown paper-bag packed 

lunches), accommodation was comfortable, while the 

sporting facilities allowed for dedicated practical 

sessions to be delivered, as well as a place for 

delegates to get a quick workout in. 

Pre-conference events were again very well supported. 

The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) must 

be thanked for their continued support of the UKSCA 

and the involvement of the TASS S&C coaches in two 

dedicated pre-conference workshops with Dan Baker 

and Greg Haff. Following the announcement that 

Harvey Newton would be delivering a pre-conference 

presentation, places sold out in a matter of days, while 

once again Mike Stone provided an intimate 

opportunity for coaches to critique their own work. For 

all these events, rarely do we as coaches get the 

chance to interact with experts on such a personal 

level. In all instances, delegates reported invaluable 

‘nuggets’ of information that will directly impact their 

working practice. 

The main conference offered a plethora of 

presentations that covered a host of different topics. 

Upon reflection, each of us can probably pick our own 

respective highlights. Dan Baker’s dynamic keynote 

had us all on the edge of our seats wanting to go home 

and tell our athletes to “Harden the f*ck up!”, Mike 

Stone gave a fascinating insight into hypertrophy 

training that proved why he is a world leading scientist 

in the field, Nike Allen’s ‘left-field’ presentation 

hopefully challenged the way we might think as 

coaches, and all our speakers offered something new, 

novel, and interesting to take home and reflect upon. 

Whatever it may be, I sincerely hope that the 2010 

UKSCA annual meeting had something for you! After 

all, this is your association, and your platform for 

learning and development. A full review of all the 

presentations given at the 2010 conference will be 

published in the autumn edition of Professional 

Strength and Conditioning, so watch this space. 

The UKSCA would like to thank all those members who 

took the time to develop and submit scientific posters. 

Themes from the conference once again reinforced the 

message that science should underpin all our working 

practice as strength and conditioning coaches, and no 

more was this evident than in the poster section at the 

conference. Well done to all. 

We would also like to once again acknowledge the 

exhibitors that attended in 2010. Many of these 

exhibitors were kind enough to act as sponsors to the 

various events and competitions that were run over the 

course of the conference weekend, and without their 

continued and ongoing support this would not been 

possible. 

While I hope that all the efforts made in 2010 to take 

the annual meeting to another level of professionalism 

and quality were achieved and acknowledged by those 

that attended, planning for 2011 is already underway, 

and if you have any specific desires that you would like 

to see for next year, be they speakers, conference 

schedule ideas, location, etc, please do not hesitate to 

make your thoughts heard. They will be welcome. For 

this year however, the comments of thanks from 

delegates are well received. 2010’s annual meeting 

looks to have been a success, and in listening to the 

speakers before leaving them to return home, each of 

them commented on how much they had enjoyed the 

conference, but notably how much they had enjoyed 

speaking with the UKSCA delegates, and how much 

they felt that our association was the most progressive 

in the world at this time. 

Best wishes, and see you in 2011! 

4 



An approach to the 

periodisation of training 

during the in-season for 

team sports 

Nick Chadd, MSc, BSc (Hons), ASCC, CSCS 

Nick is a strength and conditioning 

practitioner at the English Institute of 

Sport in the North West region, 

where he is currently Lead Strength 

and Conditioning coach for Disability 

Swimming. Recent research has 

focused on the organisation of 

training in team sports. 

Summary 

A plethora of research has focused on the benefits of structuring pre-season 

training. However, there is a scarcity of research focusing on the potential of 

in-season training. This article will aim to provide the reader with evidence 

based and theoretical based approaches to optimising in-season strength 

and conditioning for team sports. 

Introduction 

Many team sports require different components of physical fitness, often 

including speed, strength, power and power endurance, as well as tactical 

and technical mastery whilst enduring mental stress and fatigue. 12,36 A 

further challenge for team sports is the extended seasons that athletes must 

endure, with seasons not uncommonly lasting in excess of 35 weeks in 

rugby union and football. 12 A well structured strength and conditioning 

programme has been shown to enhance muscle and bone strength, as well 

as eliciting improvements in muscular endurance. 13 These adaptations allow 

athletes to endure the repeated mechanical stress experienced during 

training and competition, and enables athletes to both improve performance 

in the mentioned characteristics and also to reduce the risk of injury. 12,24 It is 

also worth mentioning that due to financial difficulties in the current 

economic climate, it has not been uncommon to see playing squads reduced 

in size, causing a higher density of games to be played by the remaining 

players, which can reduce the opportunity for player rotation aimed at 

minimising cumulative fatigue. 

It is clear that these factors may provide a sub optimal environment for 

athlete development through the in-season. However, due to the time 

constraints of the off and pre season, it may be necessary to explore 

different approaches to in-season training, that impact on the continual 

development of the team sports athlete. These limitations provide a 

challenge for the strength and conditioning practitioner in trying to impact 

positively on performance in season. It is therefore the aim of this article to 

propose a method of organising training during the in-season. 

What is Periodisation? 

Periodisation is a form of structuring training to achieve performance results, 

and involves dividing the annual training plan into phases and training units 

i.e. macrocycles, mesocycles, microcycles. 19,34 Periodisation aims to provide a 

method of integrating planning and training by manipulating training 

variables in appropriate sequences or combinations, 27 to create a systematic 

approach to optimising training. Its aim is to structure training around not 

only the annual training plan, but also biological adaptation to environmental 

stimuli 34 to create optimal athletic development in the respective sport. 



The initial concept was introduced in the mid 1900’s 

and a number of forms of periodisation are now 

commonly adopted by coaches and practitioners 

around the world. 12 Original forms of periodisation were 

designed to suit the requirements of the sporting 

society at the time the concept was introduced. 

However, since its inception, sporting society has 

evolved and now typically includes many more 

competition demands in any one annual training plan. 

This requires that traditional views on periodisation are 

analysed as to whether they reflect the demands of 

sport today. However, a number of key concepts from 

the original form still need to be noted. These include 

the optimisation of the human biological process, as 

well as appropriate combination and sequencing of 

training variables, 27 If these are implemented in 

conjunction with recent developments in the 

understanding of physiology, they contribute to 

enhanced performance. 34 

The original form of periodisation proposed was 

developed around a 4 year Olympic cycle, aiming to 

peak for the Olympic games and 1 or 2 key 

competitions during the annual training plan, and 

contained preparatory, competitive and transition 

phases. Bondarchuk 6 termed these phases acquisition, 

retention and temporary loss. The preparatory phase 

would be subdivided into general and specific 

preparation, while the competitive phase was divided 

into pre-competitive and main competitive, while the 

transition phase served as active rest. 25 As strength 

and conditioning training has evolved, this structure 

has been commonly applied to many sports including 

that of team sports. However, this model can be 

misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly. 

Periodisation aims to develop physical characteristics in 

a systematic way, by sequencing and combining 

training stages to positively enhance the preceding 

stage. This is done through a number of variables, 

including exercise selection to suit the demands of the 

training goal, the total training volume, and training 

intensity, which is controlled in conjunction with 

volume. This form of planning and application of 

training has been shown to be successful in its 

implementation, and can provide a great tool for the 

strength and conditioning practitioner due to its 

systematic implementation and utilisation of the human 

biological adaptive process. 

Controversies Surrounding 

Periodisation 

The common use of the classic periodisation methods 

introduced by Matveyev has created controversy about 

the way training is planned and implemented. 34 Inseason 

resistance training is commonly performed 

twice a week, focussing on maintaining strength and 

power levels developed during the pre-season. 10,16 One 

of the suggested limitations of periodisation is the 

inability to provide multiple peak performances and/ or 

maintain peak performances within a season. 19 Due to 

the nature of modern day team sport, this could cause 

compromise due to the length of the competitive phase 

and the multiple peaks that often need to be achieved 

i.e. important league fixtures, cup games, international 

games and tournaments. 

Verkhoshansky 35 criticises the implementation of a 

classic periodisation model, pointing out that its 

development was highly influenced by a few specific 

sports, namely swimming, weightlifting and track and 

field. It was also influenced by the nature of 

communist cycles of productivity in its paradigm. 

Verkhoshansky 35 also states that it is very limited in its 

measurement of purely volume and intensity in 

isolation, and that this eliminates other forms of 

subjective athlete regulation such as ratings of 

perceived technique and exertion. Verkhoshansky goes 

further, proposing another method of planning and 

implementing training, namely the Conjugate Sequence 

System. However, it should be noted that this takes a 

similar form to that of classic models. Zheljazkov 38 

suggests that there is a place for classic periodisation 

methods and that an all round understanding of the 

process of adaptation is required, with knowledge that 

not all characteristics i.e. restoration and super 

compensation of metabolic, neural and motor 

functions, occur in a linear fashion. 

Given the factors that must be considered, research 

has highlighted some issues with implementing inseason 

training programmes with the objective of 

maintaining gains from the preceding periods of 

preparation. Fleck and Kraemer, 9 and Baker 2 suggest 

that strength could be maintained 14-16 weeks into 

the competitive season, whereas contradicting research 

reported losses of strength 13-14 weeks into the 

competitive season 7,22,29 and even losses of up to 25% 

over a 10 week period during the in-season. 22 

Nevertheless, this research highlights that this method 

of implementing an in-season programme elicits no 

strength or power development over a period that 

spans less than half of the competitive phase in many 

team sports. This common characteristic has been 

attributed to a loss of muscle mass which concurrently 

reduces strength and power, and is the consequence of 

a training programme not designed to regain lost 

muscle mass, namely low volume, high intensity 

training. 21 This loss in muscle mass has been attributed 

to the decrease in total resistance training volume that 

is implemented during typical in-season training 

programmes, 1 as well as the increased volume of 

energy-systems training during practice and games. 

These factors may also be unfavourable to 

performance 3 due to changes in hormonal output, 

differing neural patterns and fibre recruitment. 8,18 

It should, however, be noted, that the implementation 

of these models of periodisation could have been 

poorly applied, and that a loss in strength and/ or 

power during the competitive season 15 may be due to a 

poorly applied periodisation model, which does not 

adapt and elicit the requirements of the sports annual 

training plan. If periodisation is implemented correctly, 

it will utilise the biological adaptive process, which are 

required to elicit performance gains. It should also be 

noted that Matveyev did not intend for the model of 

periodisation to be rigidly applied in its purest form, 

and developments of the original model are produced 

to optimise its implementation for the annual training 

plans of modern day competition calendars. 

Models of Periodisation 

Due to the perceived limitations of the classic 

periodisation model and the demands of the modern 

day competition calendar, practitioners and researchers 

have sought to develop periodisation strategies further 

to overcome the perceived limitations 19 of the classic 

model. One of these methods is that of ‘non-linear’, 

also know as ‘daily undulating model’. The origin is not 

6 



exactly known, however it is thought to have 

originated in the late 1980’s where programmes were 

designed to accommodate the intense playing 

schedules of American football players, by introducing 

two different training emphases during training 

sessions within a training week. 11 

It should be noted that the term linear periodisation 

itself is flawed, as nothing about the human body’s 

adaptation is linear in fashion. 34 Therefore, the term 

non-linear periodisation is incorrect in its concept, as 

all periodisation should be non-linear in fashion. 6,25 

Bondarchuk 5 discusses the need for varying training 

loads (% 1RM) during the microcycle, in order to 

modulate the intensities and workloads at various 

levels of the training process. 

The daily undulating model refers to the dramatic 

change of volume and intensity from one session to 

another, planned over the training week, 11 aiming to 

provide varying stimuli and supposed constant 

adaptation to different training loads. Fleck and 

Kraemer 11 suggest that each training session should 

target a different repetition maximum training zone, 

depending upon the requirements of the sport, for 

example within a training week of 3 sessions, zones 

may be performed at 4-6RM, 12-15RM and 8-10RM per 

set, all performed to volitional failure by the final set. 

Furthermore, Fleck and Kraemer 11 suggest a 

development on this model to flexible non linear 

periodisation, whereby the training session is chosen 

upon athlete arrival and is determined by pre training 

tests in order to establish readiness to train. This 

method has been designed to try and accommodate 

intense playing schedules, and by acknowledging signs 

of fatigue. It aims to manipulate training session 

emphasis, in order to achieve optimal performance 

gains. Readiness to train can potentially be assessed 

via a range of factors including coach-athlete 

interactions, current injury status, body mass, 

hydration and fluid intake, mental and physical fatigue 

ratings and vertical jump power. 11 It is proposed that if 

an athlete is showing significant signs of fatigue in 

tests then the training emphasis may be changed. For 

example, a power session may be planned, but power 

tests suggest the athlete is experiencing high levels of 

neural fatigue. Due to the sensitivity of power output 

to fatigue, it is suggested that training in a fatigued 

state would provide sub optimal training adaptation. 

In this instance, the emphasis of the session could be 

changed to encourage optimal adaptations from the 

training session. 11 

Although the idea of adapting the training load based 

upon pre testing is sound, the application within the 

undulating model is flawed. It is suggested that if 

excessive fatigue is present, a very light day of 16- 

20RM, with failure occurring on the last set, should be 

used with short rest intervals. In reality this would 

compound the fatigue problem, as the high workload 

prescribed would create excessive fatigue. Hartmann 

and colleagues, 15 suggest that the increased workload, 

(even with reduced intensity), coupled with short rest 

intervals, which would result in lactic acid accumulation 

and increased cortisol levels, creates excessive fatigue. 

Although pre training data may be valuable in 

determining the effect of different training stress on an 

individual, it is suggested that a well planned training 

programme can provide periods where fatigue is 

higher, due to overreaching, in order to achieve a 

positive training adaptation in the subsequent 

restoration period of the targeted training 

characteristic. This restoration can be achieved by 

maintaining repetition schemes and reducing the 

intensity of training (% 1RM), providing a more 

systematic management and control of fatigue. While 

the daily undulating model may provide a sufficient 

stimulus for short term training, longer term adaptation 

may be compromised. 

Block training 

Further evolutions of classic periodisation have been 

proposed by Issurin (Block periodisation) and 

Verkhoshansky (Conjugate Sequence System). Block 

periodisation suggests 3 components, which are 

termed mesocycle blocks, 19 and are titled accumulation, 

transmutation and realisation respectively. This design 

is to create concentrated means of stimuli for the elite 

athlete who responds more effectively to targeted 

abilities on training characteristics. 19,27 

In order to train the variety of training characteristics 

within a team sport, Issurin 19 suggests that each block 

should provide a level of targeted training to the 

stimulus within the preceding blocks. This provides 

consecutive developments of compatible training 

characteristics and infers a higher and more predictable 

effect. Issurin 19 proposes that the accumulation phase 

is allocated the longest training time, while the 

transmutation and realisation phase have shorter 

training times with the focus on event specific 

readiness, 19 Transmutation and realisation phase length 

are ultimately determined by the level and length of 

the accumulation phase. 

Conjugate Sequence System 

The Conjugate Sequence System (CSS) manipulates 

the strategy of overreaching in order to produce 

supernormal responses to training. 27 It involves periods 

of accumulation, followed by periods of restitution, 

during which supernormal responses occur. This is an 

advanced approach, which exploits the fitness fatigue 

characteristics, and focuses on developing one training 

characteristic during the accumulation phase. 12 Its 

structure involves a high volume of work for the 

chosen training characteristic during the accumulation 

phase, with maintenance type volume loads associated 

with other characteristics. 27 Following this, volume load 

is reduced markedly during the restitution phase with a 

moderate increase in the other training characteristics. 

These phases are commonly implemented in four week 

durations. 27 If implemented correctly, the athlete’s 

performance in the targeted training characteristic is 

positively affected via the delayed training effect 

phenomenon. 27 This method has been shown to elicit 

advantages when training the advanced athlete by: 

1) providing the potent training stressors required by 

advanced athletes for enhanced performance 

2) reducing the cumulative fatigue problems associated 

with concurrent training 

3) reducing work volumes in the long term but with an 

initial compromise in the short term 33,34,37 

Limitations of this system include the requirement of 

an environment with minimal constraints to training 

time, 27 and the requirement of more than two types of 

training characteristic, which are typically targeted in 

Conjugate Sequence System. 12 However, it does 

provide a method of training for the advanced athlete 

and provides superior training performance. It should 



e noted that it is vital that the level of athlete is 

correctly determined before the implementation of this 

system, due to the high workload and stresses 

associated. 

Concurrent training 

Concurrent training refers to the training of multiple 

training characteristics at any one time during a 

training period. This is common in team sports, as they 

require multiple training characteristics in order to 

perform. 12 Concurrent training is highly common, 

especially during the in-season in team sports, when 

priority is focused on the sport specific training, with a 

greater emphasis on energy systems training. 3 

Evidence suggests that energy systems training 

negatively contributes to strength levels when 

performed together 7,29 potentially due to the conflicting 

neural patterns, fibre recruitment, and hormonal 

outputs that arise from high volume energy systems 

training. 8,14,18 Recent work by Garcia-Pallares and 

colleagues 13 demonstrated how an effectively planned 

concurrent training programme can elicit improvements 

through a system of prioritising fitness components to 

sequentially develop in each training phase, and 

minimising the interference effect of simultaneous 

strength and endurance training. This was achieved by 

selecting training objectives that did not interfere with 

physiological adaptations at a peripheral level, allowing 

for the optimal development of both objectives. 

Furthermore, volume and intensity of resistance 

training was monitored and controlled with emphasis 

placed on order and timing of endurance and 

resistance training sessions. 32 It should be considered 

that although the training implemented by Garcia- 

Pallares and colleagues was concurrent in nature, the 

organisation of strength, power and endurance phases 

was done using a block model with a consideration of 

the interaction between these training characteristics. 

It is worth noting that these models are extensions of 

the classic model outlined by Matveyev, and that the 

main difference is in the application. For example, in all 

forms, the annual training plan is constructed and 

divided into targeted outcomes based upon the 

competitive season. Therefore, during the general 

preparatory phase of the training plan, there is to be 

an accumulation of training loads, - an accumulation 

phase. The length of this phase will vary depending 

upon the annual plan, however it will be much longer 

during the pre-season when compared with the inseason. 

Following this, a specific preparatory phase will 

follow, also termed a transmutation phase, where lower 

training loads are experienced targeting sport specific 

development. This phase is determined by the length 

of the general preparatory or accumulation phase, in 

order for the delayed training adaptations to take 

place. The competitive phase, or realisation phase, is 

where training volume is decreased and the quality of 

training is increased. 

An Approach to Periodisation for 

Team Sports 

When implementing a periodisation model, the annual 

training plan of the sport should first be considered. 

From this, long term (macrocycle) plans can be put in 

place, to include preparatory, competitive and 

transition periods. Further to this, intermediate 

(mesocycle) plans can be considered, where more 

detail is assembled regarding elements such as the 

number and type of stressful competitions, the 

requirements for overreaching microcycles, the needs 

for transition/ active recovery periods etc. Short term 

(microcycle) planning can then take place, to 

determine the exact workloads required during 

overreaching, maintenance or recovery periods. This 

level of planning includes daily training routines, which 

take into account active recovery, as well as intra 

session recovery. Remembering that the microcycle can 

typically be 3-7 days in length and, depending upon 

the phase of training, the application of general 

preparation, accumulation, specific preparation, 

transmutation and competitive/ realisation phases can 

be adjusted accordingly. 

Before implementing a periodised model, it is worth 

noting that rational programme design is only one 

element of a restoration plan. Other elements should 

include regenerative techniques, nutrition and sleep, 28 

which are beyond the scope of this article. 

By implementing this model, a systematic strategy to 

enhancing performance, whilst also managing fatigue, 

can be set up in order to provide the optimal process 

for adaptation to take place over the long, intermediate 

and short term plans. The key to implementing such a 

model is that it takes advantage of the biological 

processes of adaptation of the human body allowing 

performance enhancement to take place, this process 

should be the underlying premise of any training plan. 

Therefore, keeping in mind the intense competition 

schedule of most team sport athletes, the microcycle 

and mesocycle length must be altered to accommodate 

for competition. It is likely that this will take place at 

least once every calendar week, and over an extended 

period of time. The strength and conditioning 

practitioner should identify the objectives of each 

mesocycle, and determine the systematic sequencing 

of training characteristics through each microcycle in 

order to create an optimal stimulus for performance 

enhancement over a medium to long term plan. From 

this, the emphasis of the microcycle can be biased 

towards the training characteristics, which are part of 

the sport and athlete plan. Although the team sport 

athlete has multiple training characteristics to train for, 

it is worth noting that when complimentary training 

factors are selected and sequenced appropriately, 

training outcomes through concurrent training can be 

positive. This must be done via the careful 

manipulation of the training variables and this should 

be based on an understanding of the sequencing of 

training characteristics required to optimise 

performance factors. Garci-Pallares and colleagues 13 

demonstrated the importance of this planning process 

through work with elite level kayakers. Here, the 

careful planning of training sessions, included the 

timing, frequency, volume and intensity of training 

stimuli, and also considered the effects of 

complimentary strength, power and endurance training 

on performance. On a short term (microcycle) level, 

daily training should be planned effectively to allow 

optimal adaptation from the session objectives. 

Considerations include, the acute training stressors, the 

frequency of training, recovery periods and potential 

interference effects. This should be reproduced in the 

medium (mesocycle) to long term plan (macrocycle), 

where the sequencing of training characteristics allows 

for the development of multiple training characteristics 

through a periodised plan over a relatively short length 

8 



of time. However, poor planning and application of concurrent 

training can lead to negative effects on desired performance 

characteristics. 7,29 

When producing a plan for team sports, concurrent training is likely 

to be unavoidable during the in-season, and therefore the 

interference effects of training objectives must be carefully 

considered. An example is training for hypertrophy while 

simultaneously training for aerobic power. Hypertrophy training 

would attempt to increase protein synthesis in the muscle, causing 

considerable hormonal and metabolic stress at a cellular level. 

However, simultaneously training for aerobic power requires the 

muscle to increase it oxidative capacity, 23 and can reduce muscle 

protein synthesis due to cellular signalling mechanisms. These are 

two contradictory adaptations, and cause an interference effect. In 

determining the best approach, the strength and conditioning 

practitioner must consider the neuromuscular, metabolic and 

hormonal stress placed on the body from each competition, training 

session and training objective, and how these interact when 

performed concurrently. When all variables have been considered, 

the strength and conditioning practitioner can plan and implement a 

training plan over a long, medium and short term period with 

optimal effect for the sports annual training plan. 

Summary 

Although much resistance has been documented towards a classic 

model of periodisation, much of this is unwarranted due to 

misinterpretation of Matveyev’s initial concept. Matveyev did not 

intend this model to be used rigidly, and evolution of the classic 

model has allowed for its application in many different settings, 

even though these evolutions are very similar to the original model. 

The key concepts the strength and conditioning practitioner should 

consider when constructing a periodised plan are: 

1) Is there a systematic method of planning and application? 

2) Are training characteristics planned and applied appropriately to 

allow for optimal adaptation? 

3) Does the plan optimise the biological adaptive process of the 

human body through the short and long term plan? 

Figure 1. An example Mesocycle and 

Microcycle over a 4 week period of a 

team sport competition calendar A 

= Accumulation, T= Transmutation 

RL= Realization, M = Match, R= 

Recovery. 

References 

1. Allerheiligen, B. (2003) In season 

strength training for power athletes. 

Strength and Conditioning Journal, 

25 (3): 23-28. 

2. Baker, D. (1998) Applying the inseason 

periodization of strength 

and power training to football. 

Strength and Conditioning Journal, 

20 (2): 18-24. 

3. Baker, D. (2001) The effects of an 

in season of concurrent training on 

the maintenance of maximal 

strength and power in professional 

and college aged rugby league 

football players. Journal of Strength 

and Conditioning Research, 15 (2): 

172-177. 

4. Baker, D. (2007) Cycle length 

variants in periodized strength/ 

power training. Strength and 

Conditioning Journal, 29 (4): 10-17. 

5. Bondarchuk, A. (1994) The role and 

sequence of using different training 

load intensities. Fitness and Sports 

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6. Bondarchuk, A. (1998) Constructing a training 

system. Track Technique, 102: 3254-3268. 

7. Dos Remedios, K, Dos Remedios, R, Loy, S, 

Holland, G, Vincent, W, Conley, L. and Hing, M. 

(1995) Physiological and field test performance 

changes of community college football players 

over a season. Journal of Strength and 

Conditioning Research, 9 (4): 211-215. 

8. Dudley, G. and Djamil, R. (1985) Incompatibility of 

endurance and strength training modes of 

exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 59: 1446- 

1451. 

9. Fleck, S, and Kraemer, W. (1997) Designing 

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Human Kinetics. 

10. Fleck, S. and Kraemer, W.(2004) Designing 

resistance training programs., 3rd ed. Champaign 

IL: Human Kinetics. 2004. 

11. Fleck, S. and Kramer, W. (2007) Optimizing 

strength training: Designing non linear 

periodisation workouts. Champaign, IL: Human 

Kinetics. 2007. 

12. Gamble, P. (2006) Periodization of training for 

team sports athletes. Strength and Conditioning 

Journal, 28 (5): 56-66. 

13. Garcia- Pallares, J, Sanhez-Medina, L, Carrasco, 

L, Diaz, A. and Izquiendo, M. (2009) Endurance 

and neuromuscular changes in world class level 

kayakers during a periodized training cycle. 

European Journal of Applied Physiology, 106: 

629-638.. 

14. Häkkinen, K, Pakarinen, A, Alen, M, Kauhanen, H. 

and Komi, P. (1998) Neuromuscular and hormonal 

adaptations in athletes to strength training in 2 

years. Journal of Applied Physiology, 65 (6): 2406- 

2412. 

15. Hartmann, H, Bob, A, Wirth, K. and 

Schmidtbleicher, D. (2009) Effects of different 

periodisation models on rate of force development 

and power ability of the upper extremity. Journal of 

Strength and Conditioning Research, 23 (7): 1921- 

1932. 

16. Hoffman, J, Maresii, C, Armstrong, L. and 

Kraemer, W. (1991) Effects of off season and in 

season resistance training programs on a 

collegiate male basketball team. Journal of Human 

Muscle and Performance, 1: 48-55. 

17. Hoffman, J. and Kaminsky, M. (2000) Use of 

performance testing for monitoring overtraining in 

elite youth basketball players. Strength and 

Conditioning Journal, 22 (6): 54-62. 

18. Hickson, R. (1980) Interference of strength 

development by simultaneously training for 

strength and endurance. European Journal of 

Applied Physiology, 45: 255-263. 

19. Issurin, V. (2008) Block periodzation versus 

traditional training theory: A review. Journal of 

Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 48 (1): 65- 

75. 

20. Kelly, V. and Coutts, A. (2007) Planning and 

monitoring training loads during the competition 

phase in team sports. Strength and Conditioning 

Journal, 29 (4): 32-37. 

21. Kraemer, W. (2000) Physiological adaptations to 

anaerobic and aerobic endurance training 

programs. In Essentials of Strength Training and 

Conditioning. T.R Baechle and R.W Earle Eds. 

Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2000. pp. 137- 

168. 

22. Legg, D. and Burnham, R. (1999) In season 

shoulder abduction strength changes in football 

players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning 

Research, 13 (4): 4381-4383. 

23. Leveritt, M, Abernethy, P,J, Barry, B and Logan, 

P,A. (1999) Concurrent strength and endurance 

training. Sports Medicine, 28: 413-427. 1999. 

24. Marshall, J. (2005) n season periodisation with 

youth rugby players. Strength and Conditioning 

Journal, 27 (5): 10-19. 

25. Matveyev, L. (1994) About the construction of 

training. Modern Athlete and Coach, 32 (3): 12-16. 

1994. 

26. Mero, A, Rusko, H, Peltola, E, Pullinen, T, 

Nummella, A. and Hirvonen, J. (1993) Aerobic 

characteristics, oxygen debt and blood lactate in 

speed endurance athletes during training. Journal 

of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 33: 130- 

136. 

27. Plisk,S. and Stone, M. (2003) Periodization 

strategies. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 25 

(6): 19-37. 

28. Plisk, S. (2005) Training principles and program 

design. Strategies, 18(4): 16-21. 2005. 

29. Schneider, V, Arnold, B, Martin, K, Bell, D. and 

Crock, P. (1998) Detraining effects in college 

football players during the competitive season. 

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 12 

(1): 42-45. 

30. Song, T. (1983) Effects of seasonal training on 

anthropometry, flexibility, strength and 

cardiorespiratory function on junior female track 

and field athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine, 23: 

168-175. 1983. 

31. Soungatoulin, V, Beam, W, Kersey, R. and 

Peterson, J. (2003) Comparative effects of 

traditional versus periodized intensity training on 

cycling performance. Medicine and Science in 

Sports and Exercise, 35 (5): s35. 2003. 

32. Sporer, B.C. and Wenger, H,A. (2003) Effects of 

aerobic exercise on strength performance following 

various periods of recovery. Journal of Strength 

and Conditioning Research, 17: 638-644. 

33. Stone, M, Potteiger, J, Pierce, K, Proulx, C, 

O’Bryant, H, Johnson, R. and Stone, M. (2000) 

Comparison of the effects of three different weight 

training programs on the one repetition maximum 

squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning 

Research, 14: 332-337. 

34. Siff,M. (2004) Supertraining. Denver: Supertraining 

Institute. 

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theory and methodology of sports training. Teoriya 

I Praktika Fizischeskoi Kultury. 

36. Verkhoshansky, Y.V. (2006) Special strength 

training: A practical manual for coaches. Michigan: 

Ultimate Athlete Concepts. 

37. Zatsiorsky, V. (1995) Science and Practice of 

Strength Training. Champaign IL: Human Kinetics. 

38. Zheljazkov, T. (1998) About some present factors 

in present sports training. Teoriya I Praktika 

Fizischeskoi Kultury, 11-12. 

10 



PERFORMANCE NUTRITION 

Getting the “NAC” of 

antioxidant 

supplementation 

James Cobley BSc (Hons) and Graeme L Close PhD, ASCC, CSCS 

James Cobley graduated from Edge 

Hill University in 2009 with a 1st 

class degree in Sports Science. He is 

currently completing his masters 

degree in Sports Physiology at 

Liverpool John Moores University 

working alongside Dr Close 

investigating free radicals and cell 

signalling to determine the effects of 

N-acetylcysteine supplementation on 

recovery following repeated 

intermittent exercise. 

Graeme Close is the column editor for 

the ‘Performance Nutrition’ section. 

It is almost impossible to go through an entire day without being told 

by some advertisement that you must supplement your diet with some 

form of antioxidant, whether this be a breakfast cereal that has been 

fortified, a new fruit juice that has more antioxidants per glass than a 

traditional fruit juice, or even shampoo that has been enriched with 

antioxidants. We all seem to accept this premise without paying too 

much attention to exactly what antioxidants are and what they do – 

especially with respect to exercise. This article will review the current 

data regarding antioxidant supplementation in the sporting environment 

and produce general guidelines as to its optimal application. 

What is an antioxidant? 

Oxygen poses us a problem. On the one hand it is essential for life, on 

the other, it is a toxic mutagenic gas, resulting in the formation of 

potentially harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS). Historically, the first 

living organisms on earth survived under an atmosphere containing 

little oxygen and essentially were anaerobic. Rising atmospheric oxygen 

concentration, due to the evolution of photosynthetic organisms, 

resulted in many of these anaerobes becoming extinct. The few 

remaining anaerobes have adapted to the current oxygen concentration 

of 21%, by restricting themselves to environments where oxygen could 

not penetrate. Obviously, not all animals did this and a second line of 

defence was developed – this being the evolution of an antioxidant 

system to protect them against the toxicity of atmospheric oxygen. 

An antioxidant is any compound that prevents oxidation by molecular 

oxygen. Put simply, antioxidants neutralise ROS. Antioxidants can be 

divided into two classes: exogenous and endogenous. 21 Exogenous 

antioxidants such as Vitamin C (VC) and E (VE), are obtained through 

the diet, whereas endogenous antioxidants are naturally produced by 

the body. Notable endogenous antioxidants include glutathione (GSH), 

superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase 

(GPX). 19 

Does antioxidant supplementation improve 

performance? 

It is without doubt that uncontrolled ROS production can severely 

damage cellular lipids, proteins and DNA and are even associated with 

certain cancers. 19 Intense contractile activity accelerates ROS production 

to the extent that the cells antioxidant defences are transiently 

overwhelmed. The term “oxidative stress” is commonly used to describe 

this condition where there is a change in the “redox balance” (Figure 

1). However, it must be stressed that the true definition of oxidative 

stress involves the imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant ratio resulting in 

Graeme is a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University in cellular and metabolic 

medicine. His current research is focused upon investigating cellular mechanisms 

responsible for muscle damage and repair. Graeme regularly presents at international 

conferences and has given keynote presentations on skeletal muscle damage and 

repair. Graeme is a former professional rugby league player and currently works with 

Munster RUFC as the performance nutritionist. He is also an accredited UKSCA 

member and a BASES accredited physiologist. 



Figure 1. Effects of oxidant/antioxidant balance on oxidative/reductive stress. When there is a balance of oxidants 

and antioxidants homeostasis is achieved, this being known as ‘redox balance’. However, when the number of 

oxidants is greater than antioxidant defences the cell is under ‘oxidative stress’, and conversely when the number 

of antioxidants is greater than the oxidants the cell is under ‘reductive stress’. 

damage. Recently, there is overwhelming evidence to 

suggest that a modest change in the redox balance 

results in oxidative signalling. This results in positive 

adaptations and thus, the generic use of the term 

oxidative stress may in fact be misleading (this will be 

discussed in more detail later in the article). 

The implication of ROS in the development of several 

pathologies, including ageing and muscular fatigue, has 

resulted in the traditional view that ROS are only 

involved in negative physiological processes. Against 

this backdrop, a series of early studies focused on the 

role of medium-term, (4-8weeks), VE and/or VC 

consumption, in reducing ROS production and 

enhancing exercise performance. 8,9,12,25 With few 

exceptions, this body of research revealed that 

antioxidant supplementation variably reduced markers 

of ROS production and consistently failed to enhance 

performance. Several assays exist to measure ROS 

production, however, none are without limitation. 7 A 

major problem in the measurement of ROS is the fact 

that they have a very short half life, and are thus 

extremely difficult to detect. For example, the hydroxyl 

radical is reported to have a half life of 10-12 seconds! 

Indeed, inconsistent results with respect to an 

antioxidant modulated decrease in ROS production are 

likely attributable to differences in assays between 

studies and the lack of a gold-standard assay. 1 In any 

event, ROS have rarely enhanced performance, hence 

the prescription of antioxidants for this purpose cannot 

be recommended. 

Does antioxidant supplementation 

improve recovery from exercise 

induced muscle damage? 

Eccentric exercise is known to induce muscle damage 

and/or delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), a 

condition defined by muscular pain and impaired 

muscle function. 14 Interestingly, ROS are produced as 

part of the immune response to DOMS. This enhanced 

period of ROS production occurs around 72-96 hours 

post exercise and in some situations results in a further 

decrement in muscle function. 1 It follows that 

antioxidant supplementation may improve muscle 

function post-exercise, via suppressing the secondary 

spike in ROS production. The associated literature 

suggests that VC treatment can modestly attenuate 

exercise-induced pain, but does not enhance 

performance on isokinetic dynamometry tests. 2,27,28 

Interestingly, there is some evidence to suggest that 

VC supplementation may delay recovery, since this 

secondary spike in ROS production seems to be 

required for exercise-induced adaptation. 2 Indeed, in 

recent times, the literature has focused on the role of 

antioxidants and ROS in regulating training 

adaptations. 22 

Have cells signalled the end of 

antioxidant supplementation? 

It has recently been discovered that ROS are vital 

signalling molecules that promote the expression of 

endogenous antioxidant and mitochondrial proteins. 22 

Antioxidant supplementation appears to abolish these 

favourable adaptations. For instance, Gomez-Cabrera 

and colleagues 6 revealed that expression of PGC-1α, an 

important transcription co-activator that regulates 

mitochondrial biogenesis, is significantly reduced 

following eight weeks of aerobic training when 

supplemented with VC (1g·d -1 ) in human subjects. 

Moreover, this impairment in PGC-1α attenuated 

improvements in VO 2max (Figure 2). Expression of the 

endogenous antioxidant enzymes SOD and GPX was 

also attenuated by VC supplementation. Similar results 

have been reported by others. Perhaps the ultimate 

realisation of this research is that moderate exercise is 

an antioxidant, acting to trigger beneficial adaptations 

to endogenous antioxidants. 5 The question must 

therefore be asked why are we so keen to stop these 

adaptations by administering antioxidants during 

training without fully understanding the precise role of 

ROS in skeletal muscle? 

Training-induced increases in endogenous antioxidant 

enzymes represent a rapid training adaptation that 

occurs in individuals naive to exercise. It is revealing 

that studies indicating a negative effect of antioxidants 

on cell signalling processes have utilised sedentary 

subjects and measured adaptations over a relatively 

short period (≈6-8 weeks). Interestingly, it may be that 

no impairment occurs in individuals already engaged in 

exercise training. In support of this, researchers from 

our laboratory have recently demonstrated that VC 

(1g·d -1 ) supplementation does not impair performance 

12 



Figure 2. The effects of vitamin C supplementation on 

changes in VO2max following 8 weeks of moderate 

endurance training in humans (personal communication, 

MC Gomez). 

on a battery of performance tests, notably 10K timetrial 

performance, in recreationally active males 

following a four week high-intensity interval training 

programme (Roberts et al, unpublished data). 

Intriguingly, similar results have been documented in 

rats following VC treatment. 30 On balance, you could 

say that cells have not signalled the end of antioxidant 

supplementation. Rather they have clouded the issue, 

with antioxidant supplementation appearing to impair 

training adaptations in untrained but not trained 

individuals. However, with the lack of evidence of 

improved performance, routine blanket 

supplementation in athletes appears expensive and 

unnecessary. 

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 

From the discussion so far, antioxidant supplementation 

does not enhance or impair performance. The majority 

of the current literature has focused on VC and VE. 

Interestingly, re-synthesis of many endogenous 

antioxidants, notably glutathione peroxidise (GPX) and 

glutathione, is limited by cysteine availability. 4 The 

intracellular cysteine pool can be enhanced through 

NAC supplementation. 4 It follows that this 

enhancement could preserve the viability of 

endogenous antioxidant defences during exercise 

through increasing their resynthesis. Importantly, NAC 

supplementation has been shown to significantly 

improve fatigue resistance across several modes of 

study (see Figure 3). These findings indicate that ROS 

production may play a direct role in the process of 

muscular fatigue. 4 

In endurance-trained humans, NAC treatment 

(125mg·kg -1·h-1 ) pre-exercise and (15mg·kg -1·h-1 ) during 

exercise, prolongs time-to-exhaustion by around 20- 

25%. 15,16 Importantly, these studies used a randomised 

controlled cross-over design which enhances the 

robustness of their findings, since the subjects 

effectively acted as their own controls. One major 

issue with the studies that have investigated 

acute NAC treatment is that NAC was 

administered intravenously both before and 

during exercise. Suffice to say, this treatment 

strategy is invasive and impractical. These findings 

would be strengthened if they persisted after oral NAC 

supplementation; unfortunately, no study to date has 

been published demonstrating improved performance 

using oral NAC, and thus this hypothesis remains 

untested. Of equal importance, the long term effects of 

NAC treatment on performance are also unknown. It is, 

however, unlikely that chronic supplementation would 

benefit the athlete since the dramatic attenuation of 

ROS production observed following acute NAC 

treatment would likely hinder beneficial ROS signalling 

and thus impair training adaptation. We stress that this 

hypothesis has not been tested experimentally to date. 

Future directions 

It is becoming clear that VC and VE are unable to 

improve muscle performance and/or recovery and may 

even impair training adaptations. NAC is the only 

antioxidant that has consistently been shown to 

enhance short-term athletic performance. Future 

studies should try to tease out the role of acute oral 

supplementation in enhancing performance. NAC may 

inhibit training adaptation over a longer period. 

However, sport presents some unique situations in 

which the realisation of training adaptations is largely 

inconsequential. For instance, in the current football 

world cup, the enhancement of muscle recovery will 

take precedence over training adaptations, since the 

athletes will (hopefully) already be in optimal condition 

and the recovery time between exercise bouts is 

limited. It could be that NAC is able to increase 

recovery time between games in these situations. A 

similar example could be seen when considering a 

tennis competition, where games are often played 

every second day. To this end, we are currently 

investigating the effects of acute NAC supplementation 

on performance during a simulated soccer tournament. 

In addition, future studies should be undertaken to 

determine the effects of antioxidants supplementation 

in resistance trained athletes as our knowledge of this 

area is limited. 

Practical recommendations 

The answer to this question depends on the desired 

outcome of the supplementation, training status of the 

individual, time-course (acute or chronic) and the 

actual treatment used (VC, VE or NAC). In an attempt 

to properly address this question we have composed 

the following recommendations: 

1. Ensure athletes eat a well balanced diet rich in fruit 

and vegetables to provide sufficient exogenous 

antioxidants from good food sources. This should 

provide sufficient exogenous antioxidants even for 

athletes engaged in intense training. Athletes with a 

Figure 3. Positive effects of NAC on fatigue resistance 

across research models. The black bar indicates the 

minimum improvement whereas the grey indicates the 

maximum. References: in vitro 3,10,14,26 ; in situ 24 ; electrical 

stimulation 23 ; small-muscle mass [e.g. single joint 

exercise] 11,13,29 and large muscle mass [e.g. endurance 

running]. 15,16 Taken from Ferriera and Reid. 4 



poor diet lacking in fruits and vegetables should 

initially try to eat more fruit and vegetables and if 

after consultation with a dietician or sports nutrition 

professional they are still concerned, then they may 

wish to consider a multi vitamin containing 100% 

RDA of the vitamins and minerals. 

2. The untrained individuals engaging in exercise 

training should not supplement with any antioxidant. 

This may hinder the adaptations to the training. 

3. Trained individuals should not supplement daily with 

antioxidants during periods of training, as this may 

compromise adaptation. 

4. Mega dose VE and VC tablets should not be taken 

long-term for performance enhancement, 

irrespective of training status. 

5. Short term (prior to exercise) NAC supplementation 

may be a useful strategy to enhance acute 

endurance performance in trained-individuals. 

6. Theoretically, antioxidant supplement may help in 

tournament situations where recovery is more 

important than adaptations, but this possibility 

remains untested. 

References 

1. Close, G.L. Ashton, T., McArdle, A. & MacLaren, D.P.M. 

(2005). The emerging role of free radicals in delayed onset 

of muscle soreness and contraction-induced injury. Comp 

Biochem Physiol. 142, 257-266. 

2. Close, G.L., Ashton, T., Cable, T., Doran, D., Holloway, C., 

McArdle, F. et al. (2006). Ascorbic acid supplementation 

does not attenuate post-exercise muscle soreness but 

may delay the recovery process. Brit J Nutrit. 95, 976-981. 

3. Diaz, P.T., Brownstein E. & Clanton, T.L. (1994). Effects of 

N-acetylcysteine on in vitro diaphragm function are 

temperature dependent. J Appl Physiol. 77, 2434–2439. 

4. Ferreira, L.F. & Reid, M.B. (2008). Muscle-derived ROS 

and thiol regulation in muscle fatigue. J Appl Physiol. 104, 

853-860. 

5. Gomez-Cabrera, M.C., Domenech, E. & Viña, J. (2008a). 

Moderate exercise is an antioxidant: Upregulation of 

antioxidant genes by training. Free Rad Biol Med. 44, 126- 

131. 

6. Gomez-Cabrera, M.C., Domenech, E. Romagnoli, M., 

Arduini, A., Borrás, C., Pallardó, V.F. et al. (2008b). Oral 

administration of vitamin C decreases muscle 

mitochondrial biogenesis and hampers training-induced 

adaptations in endurance performance. Am J Clini Nutr. 

87, 142-149. 

7. Jackson, M.J., Pye, D. & Palomero, J. (2007). The 

production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by 

skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol. 102, 1664-1670. 

8. Keith, R.E. & Driskell J.A. (1982). Lung function and 

treadmill performance of smoking and nonsmoking males 

receiving ascorbic acid supplements. Am J Clin Nutr. 38, 

840-845. 

9. Keith, R.E. & Merrill, E. (1983). The effects of vitamin C on 

maximal grip strength and muscular endurance. J Sports 

Med. 23, 253–256. 

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14 



The Five Minds of the 

Modern Strength and 

Conditioning Coach 

Ian Jeffreys, PhD, FNSCA, ASCC, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT,*D 

Ian Jeffreys is a senior lecturer in 

strength and conditioning at the 

University of Glamorgan. He is also 

the Proprietor and Performance 

Director of All-Pro Performance in 

Brecon Wales. 

A registered Strength and 

Conditioning Coach with the British 

Olympic Association, an NSCA 

Coach Practitioner, and a Board 

Member of the United Kingdom 

Strength and Conditioning 

Association, Ian was voted the 

NSCA High School Professional of 

the Year in 2006. 

One of the key decisions made at the development of the UKSCA’s 

accreditation process was the title of the accredited status the qualification 

afforded its members. The letters ASCC, Accredited Strength and 

Conditioning Coach, emphasise the role of the coaching process in the 

direct delivery of strength and conditioning. This is in contrast to other 

accreditations such as the CSCS where the role is seen as a strength and 

conditioning specialist, emphasising a person who possesses a body of 

strength and conditioning knowledge and not necessarily emphasising the 

application skills. While at first appearing nothing more than a semantic 

difference, it represents an important shift in emphasis from knowledge, 

towards the application of knowledge, and the importance of the entire 

coaching process to the effective delivery of strength and conditioning. 

This necessarily requires the development of skills associated with the 

coaching process, in addition to developing an appropriate body of 

knowledge. However, this trend is not seen in the strength and 

conditioning literature. So, while practices and methods are frequently 

discussed and researched, the coaching process is largely overlooked. In 

reality, it may be impossible to differentiate the means and methods 

utilised from the way in which they are delivered. The coaching process 

will have an important impact on the delivery of strength and conditioning, 

as well as on the way in which it is perceived and received by the athlete. 

Indeed, it is highly likely that this coach/athlete interaction will affect the 

productivity of any training programme. This necessitates a closer 

examination on the types of skills and traits that contribute to effective 

coaching in a strength and conditioning setting. 

It is therefore important to ascertain what makes an effective coach in the 

strength and conditioning environment. Is it simply the degree of 

specialised knowledge, the extent of teaching skills, or a complex mix of a 

wide range of factors, encompassing a wide range of competencies? 

Eminent Harvard Professor of Cognition and Education, Howard Gardner, in 

his book Five Minds for the Future, 5 outlines five key areas of intelligence 

that, he claims, will affect the capacity of individuals to achieve consistent 

success in a range of professions. He asserts that these five minds are at 

a premium in today’s world, and suggests that their importance will 

increase into the future. 

This article aims to extrapolate these 5 minds to the profession of strength 

and conditioning coaching, and to identify how these minds could impact 

upon coaching effectiveness. These can potentially provide a framework 

through which coaches can assess their own effectiveness, and which, in 

turn, can lead to targeted planning of professional development. Given the 

lack of empirical research in this area within the strength and conditioning 

profession, the article will, by necessity, attempt to synthesise information 

from a range of sources, and suggest their application to the strength and 

conditioning field. The aim is to produce an article that will generate 

discussion, while at the same time attempting to produce a multidimensional 

view of the profession, from which coaching effectiveness can 

be evaluated, possibly generating new approaches and solutions. 

What is Coaching? 

Prior to discussing the 5 minds of the effective coach, it is i mperative 

that the role of the coach be closely examined. However, little literature 

exists which examines coaching in a strength and conditioning context. 

This necessitates an examination of coaching in general, and requires 

the extrapolation of this information to the strength and conditioning 

16 



context. The main objective of a coach is to improve 

performance. 13 This would appear to be especially the 

case for the strength and conditioning coach, where 

direct assessment of performance plays an integral 

role in determining the effectiveness of work. 

Whitmore 13 asserts that, “if either the quality 

of a performance or learning from the 

experience is important, then coaching is 

a must, it being a tool for optimising 

people’s potential or performance”. As 

both quality of performance and 

learning are key outcomes for a 

strength and conditioning coach, 

then it would seem 

logical that 

quality 

coaching will 

play a key role 

in determining 

the ultimate 

success of any 

programme. 

However, within 

the strength and 

conditioning profession it 

can be argued that the 

coaching process is often 

overlooked, and the focus 

placed solely on the means 

and methods of training 

utilised. This is evidenced 

by the dearth of 

information on this topic 

in the journals and 

conferences associated 

with the profession. It is 

unlikely that the success 

of any programme can be separated from the way in 

which it is delivered. If this is the case, then an 

analysis of the coaching process, together with the 

training environment in which the programme is 

delivered needs to be carried out. These provide 

areas by which overall practice can be improved. 

The five minds for the future 

Gardner 5 asserts that continued success in the modern 

world will require ability in 5 key areas of functioning. 

These are summarised in Figure 1 and described below. 

1. The disciplined mind has mastered at least one way 

of thinking, with a discipline being a distinctive 

mode of cognition that characterises a specific 

scholarly discipline, craft or profession. 5 

2. The synthesising mind has the ability to take 

information from a range of disparate sources and 

through objective understanding and evaluation, put 

this together in a way that can be understood by 

both themselves and other people. 5 

3. The creative mind builds upon synthesis and 

discipline to break new ground, put forth new ideas, 

produce new ways of thinking, and pose unfamiliar 

questions. 5 . 

4. The respectful mind involves the ability to 

understand and work well with others. 5 

5. The ethical mind works on a more abstract level to 

the respectful mind, and examines the nature of the 

work within the context of society, ensuring that 

work serves purposes beyond self interest and works 

to the furtherance of the greater good. 5 

The application of the five minds 

Gardner’s work purports the value of these minds to 

society and professional competence in general, and 

does not necessarily relate these to coaching. However, 

as coaching involves the direct application of a range of 

inputs, with the aim of enhancing human 

performance, it would seem logical that a 

successful coach will require these similar 

high end skills that Gardner sees as 

critical for sustained high performance 

in other professions. It is 

therefore, important to examine 

the impact that the five minds 

could potentially 

have on 

coaching 

performance, 

in order to 

objectively 

assess the 

role each will 

play in 

developing a 

successful strength and 

conditioning coach. The 

discussion within each 

mind is not meant to be 

exhaustive, as this is 

beyond the scope of this 

paper. Instead, it aims 

to highlight potential 

areas in which these 

minds could impact 

upon coaching 

performance. Readers 

are encouraged to 

further explore potential 

areas of development of these themes. 

Fig 1. The 5 minds for the future 

The disciplined mind 

A discipline constitutes a distinctive way of thinking, 

rather than being merely subject matter. Science is 

perhaps the discipline most strongly associated with 

strength and conditioning. Science develops the skills 

of designing experiments to test concepts and theories, 

together with the skills to evaluate data to draw 

conclusions. Strength and Conditioning has 

undoubtedly progressed immensely in the last few 

decades due to the proliferation in scientific research 

into the means and methods of strength and 

conditioning application. This has allowed the 

emergence of evidence based practice as the key tenet 

underpinning the profession. However, while science 

provides the basis upon which practices are based, it is 

also important to remember that scientists also realise 

that scientific theories are subject to being overthrown 

as new data becomes available. This requires that 

strength and conditioning coaches are able to adapt 

their methods as new evidence becomes available. 

Amen, 1 suggests that truth goes through three stages: 

first it is ridiculed, second it is vehemently denied and 

third it is accepted as self evident. In this way, it must 

always be remembered that knowledge is never static 

or complete, and this requires a dedication to 

professional development, in a constant attempt to 

master the discipline. Without scientific method, 

coaches would not be able to make reasonable training 

decisions when faced with a set of options. Similarly, 



“The main 

objective of a 

coach is to 

improve 

performance” 

they would be unable to evaluate between the 

numerous options that present themselves at every 

level of programme planning and design. It is likely 

that coaches without the required disciplinary skills will 

be unable to differentiate the quality of information, 

and will be easy game for charlatans and 

demagogues. 5 

One challenge for the strength and conditioning 

profession is the wide range of subject areas (domains) 

within the scientific discipline that have the capacity to 

impact upon athletic performance. Examination of the 

areas of professional competency documents of the 

UKSCA and NSCA for example, demonstrate that even 

within the scientific discipline, a wide range of 

knowledge areas are required. These competency 

documents assert that a strength and conditioning 

coach will need knowledge in domains such as 

physiology, biomechanics, and psychology, and across 

a wide range of topic areas within these domains. In 

developing this knowledge, the coach probably needs 

to make a decision as to the type of knowledge they 

are aiming at developing within this disciplinary 

mastery. Laser intelligence probes deeply into a topic, 

but ignores opportunities to cross pollinate. 5 

Searchlight intelligence, on the other hand, scans the 

whole environment but does not probe as deeply. 5 This 

type of intelligence may more readily discern 

connections or differences between spheres. While 

academic study tends to promote laser intelligence, 

with study of increasing depth into a relatively limited 

range of topics, coaching prowess may require a more 

searchlight intelligence, requiring the ability to 

synthesise information from a range of domains into a 

coherent whole. This will clearly affect the type of 

study and professional development strength and 

conditioning coaches will need to take to master their 

discipline, a process which Gardner. 5 suggests will take 

at least 12 years, if not considerably longer. 

While a scientifically disciplined mind would appear to 

be crucial to a strength and conditioning coach, science 

is not the only, and not even the only important area 

of knowledge. 5 Science can never tell you what to do in 

a given situation. Actions will ultimately be determined 

by a coach’s value systems, and neither science, nor 

technology, have built in value systems. 5 This requires 

that a coach has access to other disciplinary skills with 

which to evaluate different plans of action. Indeed, no 

one topic can be fully mastered from a single 

disciplinary perspective. By having multidisciplinary 

skills, a coach can use multiple tools to solve any given 

problem, and must never be restrained by viewing an 

issue from a single disciplinary standpoint. Einstein, for 

example, famously quoted that “not everything that 

counts can be counted, and not everything that can be 

counted counts”, reflecting the need for a multidisciplinary 

approach in solving training problems. 

Philosophical mastery for example provides the wisdom 

to make decisions based on a wide range of 

information, and based on the precise requirement of a 

given situation. As the famous Chinese proverb says, a 

person of “good sense, needs no detailed explanation, 

a resonant drum needs no heavy beating”. This reflects 

the fact that methods should always be thought of as 

tools and not chains 5 and as coaches, we often need 

the flexibility to deploy our methods as best befits the 

situation, rather than simply deploy the same solution 

to every situation. 

Given that coaching necessarily involves human 

interaction and the development of skills, a domain 

unusually missing from the strength and conditioning 

literature is that of pedagogy. This is especially 

pertinent, as many great sports coaches see 

themselves primarily as teachers. 12,15,16 Indeed, it could 

be argued that amongst experienced coaches in sport 

there is little difference in their technical knowledge 

and much of the time, the difference comes down to 

the ability to be an effective teacher. 16 As legendary 

basketball coach John Wooden 15 points out, “I am a 

believer in the laws of learning: explanation, 

demonstration, imitation, correction when necessary 

and repetition”. He points out that “the coaching 

graveyard is full of failed teams whose leaders were 

very well informed, but could not teach to save their 

souls”. He stresses that it is important not to equate 

professional knowledge with the ability to teach it. 

Knowledge, in itself, is of little use unless it can be 

utilised to achieve a specific goal and that, in ongoing 

efforts to increase knowledge within a profession, it is 

important that coaches not overlook improving their 

ability to be a better teacher. 16 In strength and 

conditioning, pedagogical skills will clearly play a part 

in the success of a programme, success that cannot be 

solely down to the programme itself. However, this 

domain is often missing from many strength and 

conditioning education programmes. 

Disciplinary mastery clearly takes a great deal of time 

18 



and hard work to achieve, and requires a lifelong 

dedication to professional development, and consists of 

more than knowledge. Indeed, information must not be 

an end in itself, or as a stepping stone to more 

advanced types of information, but rather as a means 

to better informed practice. 5 Professional accreditation, 

for example, should only be seen as a start to the 

process of becoming an effective coach not as a 

destination. As John Wooden, 15 famously quoted, “it’s 

what you learn after you know it all that counts”. This 

is especially important as a coach progresses within an 

organisation. As a coach assumes ever higher roles, 

the more essential it is to continue education, to 

increase the disciplinary knowledge, and develop 

higher levels of understanding. Only in this way can 

coaches effectively lead the coaches under their 

tutelage, and the athletes they are responsible for. 

The synthesising mind 

Gardner 5 claims that, “the amount of accumulated 

knowledge is reportedly doubling every two or three 

years”. While sources of information are vast and 

disparate, individuals crave coherence and integration, 

providing a basis for the effective application of this 

knowledge. Given this, the mind that can synthesise 

will be at a premium in the future. In this way, the 

ability to knit together information from disparate 

sources into a coherent whole is vital and integration 

can yield understanding that could not have been 

achieved solely within any parent discipline. 5 

Individuals without synthesising capabilities will be 

overwhelmed by information and unable to make 

judicious decisions about professional matters. 

However, Gardner 5 asserts that individual cognition is 

remarkably domain specific, and we are predisposed to 

learn skills in certain contexts and to resist their wider 

generalisation and broader application. We have a 

propensity to acquire actions, thoughts and skills in 

one situation, and while we may master these, they 

tend to remain focussed in one setting. Academic 

study, with its greater specialisation as a student 

progresses, probably contributes to this domain 

specificity, and reduces the potential for cross 

fertilisation of ideas from different disciplines and 

domains. This will, in turn, limit creativity, and the 

generation of new answers to training questions, and 

result in many potential lost opportunities to improve 

practice. 

One of the great skills of the synthesiser is to create 

simplicity out of complexity, as French author CW 

Ceran suggests, “genius is the ability to reduce the 

complicated to the simple”. However, do we value or 

promote this ability? Noted businessman and investor 

Warren Buffet asserts that Business Schools reward 

difficult complex behaviour more than simple 

behaviour, but simple behaviour is more effective. This 

is often similar for the academic study of strength and 

conditioning, where complexity is often rewarded over 

simple solutions to training problems. However, 

research into business success has revealed that the 

characteristic that differentiated the successful 

companies from the unsuccessful was simplicity. Could 

this be the same for effective sports organisations? 

Simple, focussed operations often bring greater results, 

allowing all participants to be fully cognisant with the 

aims of the programmes and the methods by which 

these will be achieved. This is not to suggest that 

advances in knowledge of training methods should not 

be utilised, indeed they should, but what is critical is 

how they are synthesised within the overall structure of 

the organisation and its delivery of the strength and 

conditioning product, together with the perception of 

the product by the end user. 

It is likely that in the strength and conditioning 

profession, the ability to synthesise elements from a 

wide range of domains will be critical. This will be 

facilitated by searchlight intelligence, which in turn can 

be enhanced through consultation with individuals who 

possess the laser intelligence into areas of concern. In 

reality, it is likely that some syntheses will be 

straightforward; some will involve a stretch of one sort; 

perhaps the most precious ones will involve a creative 

leap, which will require the creative mind. 5 

The creative mind 

Einstein, for example, 

famously quoted that “not 

everything that counts 

can be counted, 

and not everything 

that can be 

counted 

counts” 

How often in the last week, month or year, have we 

come up with a unique solution to a given problem, 

utilised a new exercise, coached the same exercise in a 

different way, or attempted anything creative in our 

work? Legendary New England Patriots Coach Bill 

Belichik 8 stresses this need for innovation, stating that 

you’ve got to keep doing what you’re doing, but you’ve 

got to find different ways of doing it, and finding ways 

of making it fun. American psychologist William James 

suggests that genius is little more than “the faculty of 

perceiving in an un-habitual way”, yet do we 

consistently look at new solutions to our training 

problems or simply assume that we already have all of 

the answers? One of the reasons often given for not 

trying new solutions is criticism from others, yet as 

Aristotle states; criticism is something you can avoid 

easily – by saying nothing, doing nothing and being 

nothing. It can be said that wisdom comes from 

experience, and dramatist and author William Saroyan 

suggests that “good people are good because they 

have come to wisdom through failure – we get very 

little wisdom from success”. 

However creativity can be a challenge, as people only 

see what they are prepared to see, and the human 

brain is amazingly good at seeing what it wants to 



observe. 14 As British Scientist John Lubbock points out, 

“what we see depends on what we look for”, and the 

creative mind can provide for the effective germination 

of unique solutions to strength and conditioning 

challenges. A problem is that, once a brain looks at 

something in a certain way, it finds it difficult to see 

things from any other perspective. 14 Looking at 

something in a different way will require the toleration 

of a certain degree of uncertainty, which can be a 

challenge for many individuals, but which is essential if 

creative ideas are to flourish. 

How then does the synthesiser differ from the creator? 

The synthesiser’s goal is to place what has already 

been established in as useful and illuminating a form 

as possible. The creator’s goal is to “extend knowledge, 

to ruffle the contours of a genre, to guide a new set of 

practices along new and hitherto unanticipated 

directions”. 5 The synthesiser seeks order, equilibrium, 

closure; the creator is motivated by uncertainty, 

surprise, continual challenge and disequilibrium. 5 This 

stresses the fact that the five minds should be seen as 

complementary, rather than as distinct areas of 

competence. Both synthesis and creativity for example 

require a baseline of literacy and discipline, however 

conversely, too strict an adherence to a disciplinary 

track operates against the more open stances of the 

synthesiser or creator. 5 While creativity is to be 

encouraged, it is important to remember that creativity 

is not simply randomly attempting radical solutions, 

instead it requires attention to all of the other minds. 

The would be creator, has an obligation to be 

scrupulous in the completion and validation of work. 5 

Albert Einstein once commented, “I am neither 

especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, 

very curious”. This stresses the importance of 

questioning and the continual hunt for answers within 

all professions. Creativity will always be a chancy 

undertaking that can never be guaranteed, only 

fostered or thwarted. Cooper 2 suggests that the 

greatest learning and achievements come not from 

standardised group work but from the unique efforts of 

individuals, and coach’s can therefore develop creative 

solutions within their own work. This provides an 

opportunity for all strength and conditioning coaches to 

contribute to the development of the profession 

through their own creative activities. 

The respectful mind 

A classic example of the difference between a strength 

and conditioning specialist in an academic environment 

and a practicing strength and conditioning coach, is in 

the area of planning and periodisation. Undoubtedly, 

periodised training plans provide the structure for 

effective training programmes, and lie at the heart of 

the work of a strength and conditioning coach. 

However, while in an academic environment, the plan is 

assessed on its own merits; for a coach, plans are 

merely a starting point. As John Wooden 16 points out 

“the much more difficult task is to create an 

environment, a way of thinking, a set of beliefs that 

ultimately get everyone working eagerly and to the 

best of their ability to make those plans result in a 

winning programme”. Most coaches would agree that 

the exact same plans will have differing effectiveness in 

differing coaching situations. For example, does the 

training of the most successful football teams differ 

that greatly than those of the not so successful? Or 

does it lie in the execution, the way the plan is 

presented by the coach, and accepted and adhered to 

by the athletes? Here the application of pedagogical 

skills for example becomes crucial, but interestingly is 

never reported in scientific strength and conditioning 

journals where the programme itself is considered the 

sole independent variable. In sports it is easy to 

become consumed with the X’s and O’s, or in strength 

and conditioning on the loads, sets and reps. What is 

often harder is the ability to execute these plans in a 

manner that delivers consistent success. 

The long term success of any programme will depend 

upon the coach/athlete interaction and not just the 

programme itself. We have all probably worked with 

coaches who inspired us to efforts we thought 

previously unattainable, but may also have worked 

with coaches who didn’t provide the same inspiration. 

It is likely that the differences in these situations 

reflected a large number of factors, and not simply the 

programme itself. The knowledge of the coach cannot 

guarantee success. In reports on studies determining 

why smart people fail, 9 the greatest problems 

professionals have don’t relate to their competencies; 

they relate to their relationships. Here, the skills 

associated with building effective working relationships 

are crucial, and reflect the importance of the respectful 

mind. Goleman 6 suggests that in today’s climate, 

emotional intelligence is as important as IQ in 

determining the most successful individuals. While not 

aiming to replace traditional intelligence, emotional 

intelligence characteristic such as self awareness, self 

regulation, social awareness, and social regulation, can 

contribute to the development of effective coaching 

relationships, which can contribute to the long term 

effectiveness of the strength and conditioning coach. 

Strength and Conditioning coaches will, on a day to 

day basis, be leading, managing, influencing, 

persuading, motivating their programme and the 

coaches and athletes working within it. These are all 

skills that require mastery of the respectful mind. 

Leadership, for example, is a key skill for the coach, 

which has at its heart competency in the respectful 

mind. Author and management consultant, Peter 

Drucker, defines leadership as “the lifting of a man’s 

vision to higher sights, the raising of a man’s 

performance to a higher standard, the building of a 

man’s personality beyond its normal limitations”. 4 

Effective leadership lies at the heart of any successful 

organisation, as leadership expert John Maxwell 10 

asserts, the one thing that all good organisations 

possess is good leadership. Superbowl winning Coach 

Mike Shanahan 11 emphasises the importance of 

leadership, and the transferability of these skills, 

stressing that no matter what business you’re in, the 

principles of leadership are the same. Yet leadership 

skills are not universal, and need to be cultivated and 

developed as with any skill. As the Chinese proverb 

says, “it is easy to find a thousand soldiers but difficult 

to find a good general”. Undoubtedly, coaches assume 

positions in which leadership becomes a crucial skill, 

yet once again this is an area of expertise which is 

rarely covered in the strength and conditioning 

literature, and which probably does not presume a high 

priority in a strength and conditioning coach’s 

professional development plan. Former US President 

Harry S.Truman stated that you ”cannot lead others 

until you first lead yourself”, and this is only possible if 

you invest in yourself, stressing the importance of 

professional development, development that needs to 

encompass the skills of all 5 minds, rather than simply 

on building increasing discipline specific knowledge . 

20 



The environment developed by the coach together with the 

relationships they develop with their athletes, will play a crucial role in 

determining the ultimate success of any programme. This requires 

mastery of the respectful mind, but also emphasises the importance of 

the ethical mind. 

The ethical mind 

One of the key roles of a coach is to transfer what they know to their 

athletes, and this includes more than the programme itself, and 

incorporates standards, ideals and beliefs. Superbowl winning coach 

Bill Parcells 7 famously quotes that it’s not what the coach knows but 

what the players know that counts, again stressing the importance of 

pedagogy within the coaching process. However, effective teaching 

relies upon the skills of the ethical mind, in addition to the pedagogical 

skills of the coach. Leadership expert and author John Maxwell 10 

suggests that while people may teach what they know, they reproduce 

what they are, and this reflects the role of character and the ethical 

mind in coaching. During the last few months, the press has been full 

of stories of indiscretions in the private lives of sports stars, and many 

reputations have been tarnished by athlete’s failures to address key 

ethical issues in their lives. Undoubtedly, these actions are able to 

affect the quality of the athlete’s performance during these periods. In 

a similar vein, the ethical actions of coaches will affect the quality of 

the programmes they deliver and the degree to which athletes buy 

into these programmes. It is often said that if you wish to evaluate the 

character of a business, first evaluate the character of the leader, as 

an organisation will ultimately become a reflection of the leader. 

Similarly, the strength and conditioning programme will closely 

resemble the character of the coach, and the coach must set the 

example. At times, coaches may be tempted to cut corners, pursue 

their own interests, fail to honour the precepts and structures of their 

calling, in essence undertaking compromised work. 5 Regardless of any 

short term gains, this will always compromise the long term credibility 

of the coach, and ultimately the profession. 

Part of the development of strength and conditioning will be the 

development of professional standards and ethics. If members of a 

profession do not act according to recognised standards, they stand at 

risk of being disbarred from their professional guild, and this is an 

area strength and conditioning needs to move towards if it wishes to 

become a true profession It must be noted that being recognised as a 

member of a profession is not the same thing as acting professionally, 

and this requires the development of an ethical mind. 5 There is an old 

Quaker saying,”let your life speak”, and this lies at the essence of the 

ethical mind in coaching. 

A Commitment to Excellence 

Hopefully, this discussion of the five minds of an effective coach has 

highlighted the diverse nature of strength and conditioning coaching, 

and how it is so much more than simply sets, reps and loads. It is 

likely that there will not be one single trait that will differentiate 

successful coaches from less successful coaches. Instead, it will likely 

reflect different levels of mastery within the five minds, and within 

specific domains within these minds. Scientific knowledge, for 

example, will not necessarily guarantee coaching success. Instead, 

coaching success will depend upon ability across the 5 minds, and this 

needs to be cultivated over time, and here it is useful to remember 

that few worthwhile things in life come quickly. The greatest obstacle 

to discovery often isn’t ignorance or lack of intelligence, it’s the illusion 

of knowledge, and one of the great dangers of life is believing you 

have arrived. 10 Successful coaches will ultimately need to ensure that 

they have plans and mechanisms in place to ensure consistent growth 

in their level of performance. To grow you have to be intentional, and 

it could be that the focus of many strength and conditioning coaches 

development plan lies in the disciplined mind domain, with little 

attention paid to the other minds. Could it be that attention to these 

can provide greater potential for ultimate growth and the eventual 

attainment of a higher level of performance? As the Chinese proverb 

says; “read ten thousand books and walk ten thousand miles – 

wisdom comes from experience”. 

References 

1. Amen, D.G. (2005). Making a Good 

Brain Great. New York: Three Rivers 

Press. 

2. Cooper, R.K. (2001). The Other 90%. 

New York: Three Rivers Press. 

3. Connor, R.J. (2010). Warren Buffett 

on Business – Principles From the 

Sage of Omaha. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 

4. Druker, P.F. (2007). Essential Drucker. 

Burlington MA: Butterworth- 

Hennemann. 

5. Gardner, H. (2007). Five minds for the 

Future. Boston: Harvard Business 

School Press. 

6. Goleman, D, (1998.)Working with 

Emotional Intelligence. London: 

Bloomsbury. 

7. Gutman, B (2000). Parcells – A 

Biography. New York: Carroll and 

Graf. 

8. Halberstam, D (2005). The Education 

of a Coach. New York: Hyperion. 

9. Hyatt , C & Gottlieb , L (2009). When 

Smart People Fail. New York: Simon 

and Schuster. 

10. Maxwell. J (2008). Leadership Gold. 

Nashville.TN: Thomas Nelson. 

11. Shanahan, M. (1999). Think Like a 

Champion. New York: Harper 

Business 

12. Smith, D. (2004). A Coach’s Life. New 

York: Random House. 

13. Whitmore, J. (2007). Coaching for 

Performance. London. Nicholas 

Brearley. 

14. Wiseman, R. (2004). Did You Spot the 

Gorilla. London: Arrow. 

15. Wooden, J .and Jamison, S. ( 1997). 

Wooden – A lifetime of observations 

and reflections on and off the court. 

Chicago: Contemporary. 

16. Wooden, J. and Jamison, S. (2005). 

Wooden on Leadership. New York: 

McGraw Hill. 



EXERCISE OF THE MONTH 

The Jump Squat 

Tim Silvester, BSc (Hons), ASCC 

Tim Silvester is a full-time S&C Coach (UKSCA 

Accredited) with the Sportscotland Institute of Sport 

(West), and is responsible for the design and 

delivery of S&C support for netball and wrestling. 

He also works with cycling, golf, rowing and 

trampoline. 

Tim is a graduate of Strathclyde University with a 

BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science, and has 

a background in sprinting and rugby, with over 30 

year’s of competitive playing experience at club 

level. 

Stuart is currently the Head Strength and 

Conditioning Coach for Glasgow Warriors. Stuart 

has previously worked as a Lead S&C coach for 

both the Scottish and English Institutes of Sport. 

Before working in rugby, Stuart was the Lead S&C 

coach for British Judo and England and GB 

Women’s Hockey. Stuart has a unique combination 

of skills, as he graduated and worked as a 

physiotherapist prior to working full-time as a 

strength and conditioning coach. Stuart’s sporting 

achievements lie in the sport of Olympic 

Weightlifting, where he represented Scotland at two 

Commonwealth Games. 

Stuart Yule is the column editor for the 

‘Exercise of the Month’ section. 

Introduction 

The jump squat, or squat jump as it may also be referred to, 

is used within strength and conditioning programmes to 

develop lower limb power and increase movement velocities. It 

achieves this via an increased rate of force development 

(RFD), but with no significant, reduction in peak force in 

comparison with a standard back squat. 

Typical contraction times to maximum force for large human 

limb muscles are > 300ms. However, fast limb movements in 

sprinting and boxing involve contraction times of 50–250ms. 

Therefore, an increase in contractile RFD would significantly 

affect the force and velocity achieved during fast limb 

movements. 1 

The jump squat can be used in conjunction with, or as an 

alternative to, the various weightlifting movements. However, 

some may argue that weightlifting movements typically 

produce higher power outputs and a greater rate of force 

production when performed correctly. 

It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss this further, or 

to debate the use of one exercise above another. Suffice to 

say, the jump squat is another option to add to the S&C 

coach’s tool box of exercises. 

Rationale 

The jump squat is a power exercise that engages the major 

extensors of the lower limbs (Fig 1) in a high velocity 

movement. When repeated without pause, this becomes a 

ballistic exercise that may be used as part of a plyometrics 

programme. 

Not all athletes have the coordination, technical or physical 

ability to gain maximum benefit from weightlifting movements, 

and therefore the jump squat can offer an alternative method 

of developing explosive power. 

Overview 

The jump squat has been described in several variations. It 

can: 

• utilise either a self selected or predetermined squat depth 

• be initiated with either a countermovement or from a static 

start in the squat position 

• be carried out with either a pause between repetitions or 

with continuous repeated efforts 

For the purpose of this article, two variations will be discussed. 

Gluteus Maximus 

Hip extension 

Gluteus Medius Hip extension and lateral hip rotation 

Quadriceps 

Knee extension 

Hamstrings 

Hip extension 

Erector spinae 

Spinal and pelvic stabilisation 

Latissimus dorsi 


Adductors 

Hip extension and stabilisation 

Abdominals 


Fig 1. Major muscle groups involved in the jump squat. 

22 



The exercise 

Prior to discussion of the exercise itself, an 

important caveat needs to be outlined. The squat 

jump should only be introduced when athletes have 

demonstrated competency in the back squat. The 

correct technique for the back squat has previously 

been described by Yule. 8 

The start position and descent for the jump squat are 

the same as for the back squat (previously described 

by Yule), 8 and is shown in Fig 2 (start) and Fig 3 

(descent to a parallel position). This is an example of 

utilising a specified depth, and while this depth may 

decrease the velocity, it may have use in developing 

the power and postural control under acceleration in 

novice jump squatters. This method can also be used 

when pausing to reset between repetitions. 

From the bottom of the parallel squat position, the 

athlete then explosively extends their hips, knees and 

ankles, aiming to achieve as much height as possible, 

and subsequently landing with flexed knees to absorb 

landing forces. 

The starting point and initial descent are the same 

when performing a jump squat to a self selected 

depth (Fig 4). The athlete will drop to their self 

selected depth and extend hips, knees and ankles 

explosively to achieve maximum height. Upon 

landing, the athlete will return directly to their self 

selected depth and repeat the process for the 

required number of repetitions. This method is 

normally performed with no rest or pause between 

repeated efforts and is described as a ballistic 

exercise. 

Practical Applications 

Studies have shown that peak power can be 

achieved with a wide variety of loadings that range 

between 0% and 90% of 1RM back squat load. 2,4,7 

This is a massive variance and could be based on 

the fact that studies have utilised a wide variety of 

subjects, including weightlifters and elite power 

trained athletes, and also encompassed upper and 

lower body exercises with their associated variances 

in system mass. This can sometimes lead to 

confusion if the testing criteria for these loads are 

not made clear, or are used in a generalised 

manner. 

However, when discussing the jump squat 

specifically, it is more commonly reported that 30% 

to 45% of 1RM back squat is the bar load at which 

peak power is generated. 2,5 Although this may be 

higher for elite power sport athletes such as 

weightlifters, most field sport and track athletes not 

specifically trained in power exercises will achieve 

peak power in the jump squat at or around 30% of 

their 1RM back squat load. It should also be noted 

that some individuals will achieve peak power at or 

near body weight i.e. 0% of 1RM back squat bar 

load. 3,6 Interestingly, anecdotal data has suggested 

that there is no significant difference between 

maximal or optimal force outputs between a back 

squat performed at 80% 1RM and a body weight 

counter movement jump (CMJ), whereas the peak 

power and peak velocity for the CMJ was 

significantly greater than for the back squat. 

However, this has not been substantiated by 

published research. 

Figure 2 

Figure 3 

Figure 4 



Jump squats are an appropriate exercise for any 

athlete who has to run, jump, accelerate, decelerate 

and change direction rapidly or throw. It is an 

explosive exercise that can elicit high power and force 

generation without the need for high external loads, 

and as mentioned above, can be used as a body weight 

exercise that will still elicit high force and power 

generation when performed maximally. 

I would like to thank Paul Shields for his assistance in 

this article. 

References 

1. Aagaard,P., Simonsen, E. B., Andersen, J. L., 

Magnusson, P. & Dyhre-Poulsen, P. (2002). Increased 

rate of force development and neural drive of human 

skeletal muscle following resistance training. Journal of 

Applied Physiology 93, 1318-1326. 

2. Baker, D., Nance, S. & Moore, M. (2001). The load that 

maximises the average mechanical power output during 

jump squats in power-trained athletes. Journal of Strength 

and Conditioning Research 15(1), 92-97. 

3. Driss, T., Vandewalle, H., Quievre, J., Miller, C. & Monod, 

H. (2001). Effects of external loading on power output in a 

squat jump on a force platform: A comparison between 

strength and power athletes and sedentary individuals. 

Journal of Sports Sciences. 19, 99-105. 

4. Hoffman, J. R., Ratamess, N. A., Cooper, J. J., Kang, J., 

Chilakos, A. & Faigenbaum, A. D. (2005). Comparison of 

loaded and unloaded jump squat training on 

strength/power performance in college football players. 

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 19(4), 

810-815. 

5. Li, L., Olsen, M. W. & Winchester, J. B. (2008). A 

proposed method for determining peak power in the jump 

squat exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning 

Research. 22(2), 326-331. 

6. Rahmani, A., Viale, F., Dalleau, G. & Lacour, J-R. (2001). 

Force/velocity relationships and power/velocity 

relationships in squat exercise. European Journal of 

Applied Physiology. 84, 227-232. 

7. Stone, M. H., O’Bryant, H. S., McCoy, L., Coglianese, R., 

Lehmkuhl, M. & Schilling, B. (2003). Power and maximum 

strength relationships during performance of dynamic and 

static weighted jumps. Journal of Strength and 

Conditioning Research. 17(1), 140-147. 

8. Yule, S. (2007) The Back Squat. Professional Strength 

and Conditioning. 8: 20-23. 

Submission of Journal Articles 

For anyone interested in writing an article for a future journal, please contact the editor – Ian Jeffreys 

(ian@uksca.org.uk). 

Alternatively, go to www.uksca.org.uk for more detailed information regarding the submission guide for 

authors. This will provide you with information including article length, the editing process and referencing. 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

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24 



Nick Ward is the series Editor for ‘The 

Five People you Meet in Heaven. 

He is the lead for S&C for TASS. 

The Five People 

you Meet in 

Heaven 

Significant stops on a journey to becoming an 

S&C coach 

Nick Ward M.Kin. (Exercise and functional fitness), 

BA (Hons) Sport Studies, CSCS, ASCC 

Overview 

Mitch Albom’s book, ‘The Five People you Meet in Heaven’, 

inspires the theme for this short series of articles. Based on 

interesting, inspiring and challenging people we meet on our 

journey, the purpose is to share experiences that people have had 

along the way, and which hold some significance for their own 

development. 

Scott Pollock interviews Nick Grantham 

Nick Grantham, MSc, ASCC, CSCS 

Nick has become recognised as a 

specialist in athletic preparation and 

has helped athletes at all levels 

achieve their personal goals and 

ambitions. He has an honours 

degree in Sport Science and a 

Master’s degree in Exercise and 

Nutrition Science from the University 

of Liverpool. As well as being a 

certified Strength and Conditioning 

Coach with the National Strength 

and Conditioning Association, Nick is 

recognised by the British Weight 

Lifters Association and is an 

accredited member of the UK 

Strength and Conditioning 

Association. 

Scott Pollock is currently assistant 

strength and conditioning coach at the 

Sports Institute of Northern Ireland, 

and a postgraduate student at 

Teesside University. He is a certified 

strength and conditioning specialist 

through the NSCA, as well as an 

accredited strength and conditioning 

coach with the UKSCA. In this article, 

Scott talks to one of his five people he 

would want to meet in his S&C 

heaven. 

Most teenagers begin a university degree based on a general interest in 

a subject without any clear idea of a future career in mind. For the lucky 

few, opportunities or experiences arise which introduce us to a given 

profession that subsequently becomes the focus of our career 

aspirations. I followed a similar pattern and was fortunate to begin an 

undergraduate degree around the same time a former regional director 

of strength and conditioning was opening one of the first private S&C 

facilities in the U.K. During my final year studying applied sport and 

exercise science at Northumbria University, I completed an internship 

with Nick Grantham (above) at SMART Fitness and began a venture into 

the field of strength and conditioning. A few years on I returned to 

SMART Fitness to catch up with Nick and introduce him to the wider S&C 

community. 

SP: Nick would you be able to outline for people just how your career in 

strength and conditioning began and how it has developed to this point? 

NG: After finishing my MSc, I started working with British Gymnastics as 

a sport scientist/physiologist. However, I wasn’t particularly excited by 

running VO2 max tests and taking bloods. In fact, I was much more 



interested in the training that went on between the 

testing. I decided to take a bit of gamble and sat the 

first NSCA strength and conditioning accreditation to 

take place in the UK. Soon after that, I took up a 

position with England Netball, which was one 

of the first posts in the UK specifically 

for S&C. Around the same time, 

British Gymnastics asked me 

back as a consultant in a 

similar capacity. Following 

this, I took up the 

position of regional 

director of S&C in the 

West Midlands 

branch of the E.I.S., 

which I did for 4 

and a half years 

before leaving to 

open up Smart 

Fitness. 

SP: What drove 

the decision to 

open up your own 

facility? 

NG: I saw lots of 

good athletes run 

out of funding and 

have no strength and 

conditioning support 

to turn to, other than 

personal trainers in 

health clubs. There were 

also lots of good athletes and 

age groupers with no access to 

elite support, and I questioned the 

service these guys were getting in the 

health and fitness clubs from personal 

trainers. I decided to put my money where my mouth 

was, and make the quality service that was available to 

elite athletes also available to the general population 

and sub-elite athletes. I should say, that over the last 

few years my views have changed a bit and I’ve found 

there are personal trainers out there who are very 

good at what they do. It’s like any industry, there are 

good and bad practitioners and I’m not so quick to 

jump to conclusions now. 

SP: Private S&C facilities are quite a rarity in the U.K. 

compared to the States. Do you think that we are likely 

to see more of these types of facilities emerge in the 

next few years? 

NG: More and more are starting to pop up. There is 

definitely a trend towards more performance based 

fitness. If you look at the popular magazines like Men’s 

Health, the content has changed over the past 10 

years to now include squats, snatches, metabolic 

conditioning etc., so I think people are waking up to 

the fact that they were built to move, not just be sat 

on machines. The demand is definitely there. 

SP: What advice would you give to coaches considering 

making a similar move and opening up their own 

place? 

NG: Location is everything. Your facility needs space 

and you need to get the best kit your budget can 

withstand because people will recognise the quality. 

You need to hire good staff who have a thirst to be in 

the industry. Also, don’t assume that because you have 

worked in elite sport that everyone will be falling over 

themselves to come and train with you. 

SP: You’ve lectured quite extensively on recovery and 

regeneration. What led to this being a particular area 

of interest for you? 

NG: This became a big area of focus for people during 

the England Rugby world cup winning era, 

but I was first exposed to it at England 

Netball. Looking back, they were 

really ahead of the curve with 

contrast baths etc. However, 

the light bulb really turned 

on when listening to a 

talk Vern Gambetta did 

on training a few 

years back. Vern 

spoke about a trend 

with coaches who 

were focusing on 

improving the last 

1% of 

performance, but 

the same coaches 

often forget about 

the other 99%! I 

took the same 

idea and thought 

about relating it to 

recovery. I was 

seeing athletes doing 

a lot of the ‘bells and 

whistles’ stuff 

(massage, ice baths 

etc), but the very same 

athletes were drinking red 

bull, eating carrot cake and not 

getting enough sleep! From 

there, I sat down with Mark Jarvis and 

came up with the Recovery pyramid. We 

basically developed a process, much like training, 

where in order to do the fancy stuff, you had to take 

care of the basics first. It all links back to the idea of 

the 24hour athlete. We maybe only see our athletes 

1-2 hours a day and they can potentially go mess 

everything up in the other 22 hours of the day by not 

following appropriate regeneration techniques. 

SP: What are some of the practices you put in place to 

track the recovery and regeneration of your athletes? 

NG: At England Netball we had training diaries, which 

were really useful. We could upload the information 

and after a couple of months really start to see trends. 

I also have a look at athletes jump height and ground 

contact time at the start of sessions to see where we 

are. I have to say, a lot of the stuff I use comes more 

from the art of coaching as opposed to the 

recommendations printed in text books. For example, 

when you work with athletes long enough, you can 

meet them at the door and during the few minutes’ 

walk to the gym know if it’s going to be a big session 

or not. While on tour, the netball girls would do 

multiple jumps for distance and I would measure them. 

However, you could also look the other way and just 

listen to the foot contacts and tell from the thuds and 

slams that maybe it wasn’t a day for high volume. 

SP: There seems to be a move away from the 

programming and monitoring of time under tension 

(T.U.T.) in training programmes recently. Why do you 

stick with it? 

NG: Alywn Cosgrove came up with the idea of how the 

industry will often over react or under react to 

26 



developments. What he was describing was a trend 

where a technique, piece of equipment, training style 

etc. comes out and everyone loves it, then people take 

it too far, then no one uses it anymore. I think the 

same reaction has happened with T.U.T. The use of 

T.U.T. is an article in itself, but I use it primarily as a 

coaching tool because if I were to write a programme 

and have a younger S&C coach delivering it, their idea 

of a slow and controlled movement might be 

completely different to mine. However if I say I want a 

3-2-3 tempo, then we know a lift is going to look a 

certain way. It also allows me to work out, second for 

second, just how long a session is going to take, so I 

definitely think there is still a use for keeping it around 

as a coaching tool. The problem is people started going 

mad with it and prescribing ridiculous things. 

SP: Do you have a coaching philosophy that you feel 

best summarises what you do? 

NG: The company strap line is “Intelligent Training, 

Effective Results”. Actually a client came up with that. 

He would train 2-3 hours a session to no real effect, 

but then he started training with me doing 45 minute 

sessions and his physique started to change. I keep 

coming back to basics, if a push up is what we need to 

do then that’s what we do. I also think everyone needs 

to train like an athlete, putting the effort in 50 out of 

52 weeks a year is what gets you results. Overall, do 

the basics, do it with intensity and do it consistently. 

SP: Over the years you’ve helped develop a number of 

coaches in the industry, but were there any key people 

who you were able to learn from at different stages in 

your career? 

NG: My old P.E. teacher Mr Palmer had a real passion 

for sport, which I picked up on. At university Dave 

Kellett was the old guard who played a big part. I 

learnt a lot from Lyn Gunson and Waimarama (Wai) 

Taumaunu - both are unbelievable coaches who 

understood sport and physical preparation and had this 

ability to just read games and pick them apart. Not 

that I want to big him up, but Alywn Cosgrove is a long 

term friend as well as a former competitor. He’s the 

guy I go to when I have a question. 

SP: What’s the best part of your job? 

NG: Having an impact and helping someone achieve a 

goal. But don’t get me wrong, there’s a bit of ego in 

there too. No-one ever gets up on a podium and 

thanks their physiologist, but the S&C coach might get 

a shout out! I like the interaction and not being stuck 

behind a desk. I think coaches sometimes aren’t 

viewed in the highest regard in the U.K., and there’s 

pressure on guys to move on to roles such as 

performance director or administration type jobs when 

they get older. I’m only 38 and still want to be 

coaching at 50. 

SP: I understand you have an exciting few months 

ahead, any products or presentations you would care 

to tell us about? 

NG: We’re looking to continue to grow the business 

and we have an exciting collaboration with Nike which 

will hopefully spark a bit of excitement. I have a few 

more consultancy roles coming up which is good, 

because performance sport is my first passion. I have 

been collaborating with Duncan French and we are 

launching some information products in the near 

future, which is exciting because this isn’t an area 

coaches in the U.K. have really explored to date. I’m 

kept pretty busy with my website 

www.nickgrantham.com, and helping the team at EXF- 

Perform Better with their workshop series. 

[(ED.) Nick has recently presented a workshop for 

TASS Strength and Conditioning and the information is 

available to the TASS S&C Community at 

www.tass.gov.uk] 

If you have an interesting 

individual you would like us to 

meet, why not submit a similar 

article for the next edition?

uksca news june 2010.qxp

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