Reflections on the first half of term

After 6 weeks of Strength & Conditioning + rugby coaching here are my initial reflections:

1) Given the opportunity, most children will attempt to eat junk food. Upon questioning their desire for crisps and snacks they reply ''but sir it is good for me, it will give me energy''. Education is needed in this area and I propose it is one of the most damaging areas for athletic development, especially with the children I work with.

2) Rugby playing teenagers believe Back and Arms day constitutes a ''hard'' session. Movements not muscles boys........

3) Teenage girls believe S&C consists of getting ''massive''. Again the media has not helped in defining this stereotype and therefore it has provided an initial struggle to get numbers to sessions, but things are going in the right direction.

4) 5th formers (15-16 years old) are at a crucial stage when it comes to their athletic development; they are becoming more aware of the gym, more aware of the ionic protein shake, more aware of body-building magazines and more aware of their ability to play a high level of sport. I coach this year group rugby at the school I work at and it has been fascinating helping them start on a right road towards their hopefully successful athletic future. However, the pressures of playing school/club/county have meant a few boys have been playing twice a week, there was even a case of 4 games within 8 days for one child!!!! Functional Overreaching or Over training!

5) Certain sports develop certain muscular characteristics in young athletes: Rugby + overload of bench press = anterior deltoid dominance and poor posture. Hockey + incorrect running style = muscular imbalance due to unilateral playing style.

If you have any observations on trends in youth sport please feel free to comment below 

Glossary of Terms

Below is a list of terms, some are beneficial to athletic development and some are not! I hope that after my first year at Bloxham the words in the left column have been replaced by the ones in the right. This proves to be a daily challenge due to the ''quick fix'' culture which surrounds young athletes in many gyms.

Detrimental terms for the young athlete	Positive terms for the young athlete
Getting big	Athleticism
Protein	Healthy eating
Training hard	Rest and Recovery
Pecs and arms day	Functional movement
Win at all costs	Long term development
Sports Specific	Fundamental movements
Bench Press	Pull ups

''How can I get big sir''?

If I was asked what had been the most popular question directed at me during my first 3 weeks at Bloxham, the above title would be a safe bet. However, with the help of the P.E/Sport department at the school, we have been able to slowly change children's mindset on what Strength and Conditioning at this level comprises of.

The Split Routine Culture

Amongst the challenges we have faced here is the idea that every session should be based on a hypertrophy driven, split routine programme. Although beneficial for increasing the cross sectional area of the muscle fibre, this programme lacks fundamental athleticism. Talking to the pupils that use this (majority of which are 16-18 yrs old rugby players), this routine has been reinforced by the help of various magazines, tv programmes and the internet-I keep find myself telling the pupils that not everything on the internet is true. In many ways they are products of the system; several of them go to gyms in the half terms and summer holidays-gyms which don't allow children to use free weights-the argument for this being that more staff would have to be on the gym floor and more staff would need additional training, especially with regards to training young athletes. This forces children to be placed in the non-supervised fixed machine corner of the gym, where non specific movements that only focus on one muscle group at a time are encouraged  Luckily, here at Bloxham they have recently taken away all machine type gym equipment and consequently reinforce the idea of a functional athlete.

The all round athlete 

During the Bloxham year various sports are focused on depending on which term you find yourself in. Rugby, Hockey and Cricket take centre stage in the Michaelmas, Lent and Summer term for the boys, while for the girls the split is Hockey, Netball and Tennis. Although we are only 3 weeks into the term, most of the male pupils at the school seem to think that they need to focus on a hypertrophy type programme all year round. Girls, I can happily say, are a lot more professional when it comes to their training needs. However, with the boys in particular, especially 3rd, 4th, and 5th form-they should not be specialising in just getting big. You will naturally get bigger as you get older and getting big for the sake of getting big, especially for rugby, will have long term damage for their athletic development. The all round athlete should be encouraged by all, even up to 18 years old-this is seen by many National Governing Bodies as the time-point where individuals should look to specialise in their chosen sport.

I hope to keep you updated on the challenges + developments that take place over the next year. Please feel free to comment below 

Reflection

Do you take time to reflect on your coaching practise? Without a reflective framework the coach cannot ensure continual re-evaluation of his/her work. Reflective practice demands the coach to examine their own behaviour honestly, reminding them to act responsibly in their actions. Reflective evaluation highlights areas where the population, for example, children, have a great social need besides their particular sport. When designing training sessions it is important to consider the childhood of that child. Extreme training sessions may ruin their childhood.

Although he identified three levels of reflection, Van Manen (1977) did not position one level as necessarily being better than another, recognizing that they can occur in conjunction with one another.

Technical Level

How can I make sure all athletes hear me?
What resources could I utilize to improve the teaching of this task?
Did I achieve the goals I set for this session?
How can I fix this problem?
What part of the training could I change so that it finished on time?

Practical Level

What other ways can I get my message across?
How does my behaviour reinforce stereotypes?
What effect does each type of feedback have on what athletes learn?
What am I doing as a coach to include all learning media?

Critical level

What do I do about those practices that are inequitable or unjust but are part of the team or club traditions?

Why is there a difference between the type of feedback I give to the more skilled and less skilled members of the team?

Conclusion 

The importance of reflective coaching is not just about finding and defining the problem, most people can do that. Organising, planning and acting upon it are essential also. There must also be re-evaluation to see if it has solved the problem and continual evaluation resumed.

Adapted from Department of Education for Northern Ireland (1999) cited by Pollard (2002) this mission statement sums up the truth of the reflective coach: ‘‘At the heart of becoming a good teacher is, above all else, being a learner-a lifelong learner. To learn one has to ask questions of oneself…’’

References 

Pollard, A. (2002). Reflective Teaching: Effective and Evidence-informed Professional Practice. Continuum

Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical. Curriculum Inquiry, 6, 205-228.

Developing a Coaching Philosophy

This is an area of the coaching process that became apparent to me during my Level 2 S&C qualification, of which I completed in 2010. Despite the official recognition that a philosophy has a direct impact on behaviour (Cassidy, Jones & Potrac, 2009), many young coaches consistently fail to engage adequately with the philosophic concept.

What is a coaching philosophy?

A coaching philosophy is a set of values and behaviours that serve to guide the actions of a coach (Wilcox & Trudel, 1998).

How should one go about developing such a functional philosophy?

Kretchmar (1994) suggests that we should use inductive, intuitive and deductive reasoning in developing philosophy. Therefore, the following questions could be addressed:

What is coaching, and why do I think that?
Why am I a coach?
What is my role as a coach and why do I think that?

Once a philosophical framework has been established, more practical questions should be addressed:

Is my approach appropriate for the athletes?
Is there a better way of doing what I'm doing?
Can I explain and justify my coaching actions and decisions?
How do I ensure that I follow and develop my coaching philosophy?

Conclusion

Developing a coaching philosophy enables coaches the opportunity to identify and clarify what is important to them at the personal level. What needs to be avoided, however, when developing a philosophy, is the superficial adoption of public statements of intent that have little bearing on day to day practice. Lastly, the importance of consistently reviewing and reflecting on your philosophy will help improve your coaching practise.

References

Cassidy, T., Jones, R., & Potrac, P. (Eds.). (2009). Understanding Sports Coaching (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Kretchmar, R. S. (1994). Practical Philosophy of Sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Wilcox, S., & Trudel, P. (1998). Constructing the coaching principles and beliefs of a youth ice hockey coach. Avante, 4, 39-66.

The price of Sports Science

Today I attended the University of East Anglia (UEA) open day with my parents and Suzie, my sister who is looking to pursue a degree in Nursing with mental health. The journey back on the M25 gave me time to reflect on my own degree and whether or not I would choose to undertake the same degree with the new £9,000 price-tag alongside it. 

A survey conducted by Prospects in 2010 found that roughly 8,000 individuals were graduating with a degree in Sports Science! This is an astonishing amount when you consider how many PAID jobs are available within the Sports Science community. However, many graduates do end up changing direction and working within an industry that requires no knowledge of sports science whatsoever. With the new £9,000 tuition fees coming into action this September, it has been estimated that some 200,000 young people will graduate each year with average debts of £45,000. Can this really be justified when colleagues of mine both at Exeter and other ''top end'' institution's manage to only have as low as 4 hours of contact time per week in some semesters? Consequently, even with the rise in tution fees, Sports Science is currently the eleventh most popular option in the UCAS course choice league table.

An example of jobs which a degree in Sports Science can lead to are listed below, this list is not exhaustive by far:

• Physiotherapist
• Personal Trainer
• Police Constable
• Gym Instructor
• Multi-Sports Coach
• Sports Instructor/Life Guard
• PE Teacher
• Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science
• Sports Psychologist
• Physical Therapist
• Nutritionist
• Performance Analyst 
• Sports Development Officer 
• Strength and Conditioning 
• Sports Medicine 

Is there a realistic opportunity for graduates to attain a full time paid job with such a small market of jobs available?

My overall experience studying at Exeter is one of overwhelming enjoyment and satisfaction. On a academic level I feel I have learnt a great deal of knowledge that I can practically bring into the academic arena. With regards to work experience, both the school and its staff were instrumental in helping me gain internships within my 2nd and 3rd year, of which I strongly believe is a huge asset to any graduate. Although I am sure many other graduates are pleased with the way their degree was conducted, future students will demand more - this is common sense due to the added money spent on their studying. The following list is a description of what I would personally like to see change in order for the Top 10 Sports Science institutions to justify their increase in fees:

- Smaller seminar sizes; maximum of 10 people

- An increase in the average amount of contact hours per week, I personally would like to see a 9-5 schedule adopted 4 days of the week

- Compulsory attendance in masters and PhD experiments, this is an area that not many undergraduates take part in and would greatly effect their leaning experience 

- Smaller year group sizes so lectures can be as interactive as possible 

- Greater links with professional clubs/organisations to help gain work experience for the undergraduates

If you have any more suggestions please feel free to comment below

Conclusion 

Yes, I would take the opportunity to undertake the course again; however, this is probably greatly influenced by my previous experience of studying at Exeter, which I can only describe as fantastic. If, on the other hand I, like my sister, was looking to undertake a degree in the £9,000 category, then I would hope the above points would be addressed and put in place. Sadly, the new era of Sports Science at University is going to see many potential students not undertake this path due to the fear of increased debt.

Clinical Exercise Prescription

Although not an area I wish to pursue as a career, clinical exercise prescription enables me to draw on a lot of the knowledge that I have gained during the last 3 years of my studying. During my last term at University I undertook a clinical module, of which assessment was based on a comprehensive coursework, theory and practical examination. This was by far one of the most enjoyable modules I took whist studying for my degree and consequently when arriving back home I was faced with a great opportunity to use the knowledge in a meaningful way. My granddad, who is in his late 70's now, sadly suffers from several medical conditions; crumbling vertebrae, nerve end damage and arthritis of the spine. He approached me, asking for my advice on this matter, and after discussing his illness and daily lifestyle routine, I have given him a simple programme to complete for the next 2-4 weeks. After this I will assess how he is doing and review his progress. Below I have put together some information regarding exercise, arthritis and what I have recommended to my Grampy!

Exercise as a treatment for Arthritis

- An emerging body of research highlights that light to moderate intensity exercise can play a restorative role in combating the declines in health and functional capacity caused by Arthritis (Strasser et al., 2010).

- Although pain and functional limitations present challenges to physical activity amongst individuals with Arthritis, regular exercise can help manage and minimise typical symptoms (Klippel, 2001).


- In Stenstrom & Minor’s (2003) systematic review of 15 Arthritis health studies, it was found that general health and functional ability improved (by an average of 30% and 18%, respectively) when patients were engaged in dynamic physical activity patterns (Stenstrom & Minor, 2003). 

Process of Arthritis: Bone starts to be worn down. Bone moves against bone increasing erosion and pain. Spurs develop to compensate = deformation = joint moves incorrectly = pain 

Improved Cartilage Health

- As cartilage is avascular, nutrition occurs through diffusion of synovial fluid (O’Hara, Urban, & Maroudas, 1990).

- Diffusion aided by “pumping” effect that mechanical loading produces (Van Den Hoogen et al., 1998).

- Regular exercise in animals may increase proteoglycan content through increased synthesis and retention, particularly in dynamic loading (Van Den Hoogen et al., 1998).

- Dynamic exercise can increase circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF) by 25% (Melikoglu, Karatay, Senel, & Akcay, 2006).

- Suggestion that IGF’s can stimulate synthesis and reduce degradation of proteoglycans, thus enhancing cartilage health (Melikoglu et al., 2006).

- Larger solutes, like IGF’s, rely on intermittent loading to reach cells, due to importance for production of synovial fluid and distribution across joint surface (O’Hara et al., 1990).

- Implications are paramount to cartilage health as proteoglycans are one of the main contributors to durability (Van Den Hoogen et al., 1998).

Recommendations for future exercise

- Exercise during the day when pain has subsided.

- Some discomfort may be present during or shortly after activity, although this does not mean further joint destruction.

- If pain persists longer than 2-hours post-activity and exceeds pre-activity levels, duration and intensity of activities need to be decreased.

- During “flare ups”, performing range of motion exercises so as not to exacerbate condition is encouraged.

- Every session should incorporate a warm-up and cool-down in order to minimise pain. These may both include slow actions of moving joints through a full range of motion.




An example of some of the exercises I have prescribed - all exercises involve the use of simple resistance bands. Note - all exercises were conducted sitting down due to the patient also having arthritis in the hip. Please feel free to leave any comments regarding the above, I feel this is an interesting topic and hope that this can have a big impact on friends and family who have similar conditions.

References

Klippel, J. H. (Eds.). (2001). Primer on the rheumatic diseases (12th ed.). Atlanta, GA: Arthritis Foundation.
Melikoglu, M. A., Karatay, S., Senel, K., & Akcay, F. (2006). Association between dynamic exercise therapy and IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology International, 26(4) 309-313.

O’Hara, B. P., Urban, J. P. G., & Maroudas, A. (1990). Influence of cyclic loading on the nutrition of articular cartilage. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 49(7), 536-539.

Stenstrom, C. H., & Minor, M. A. (2003). Evidence for the benefit of aerobic and strengthening exercise in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 49(3), 428–434.

Strasser, B., Leed, G., Strehblow, C., Schobersberger, W., Haber, P., & Cauza, E. (2011). The effects of strength and endurance training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical Rheumatology, 30(5), 623-632.

Van Den Hoogen, B. M., Van De Lest, C. H. A., Van Weeren, P. R., Lafeber, F. P. J. G., Lopes-Cardozo, M., Van Golde, L. M. G., & Barneveld, A. (1998). Loading-induced changes in synovial fluid affect cartilage metabolism. British Journal of Rheumatology, 37(6), 671-676.