Periodization ramblings

Some ramblings I had en route to San Francisco today. Please forgive the grammar and typos!

Periodization is always a hot topic. Discussion about such things is often useful, but may have confused what is important and what isn't with regards to periodization of late. It seems to be the mindset that one must follow a particular model precisely how it is presented in a book or text. The flip side of this is that this probably won't work. The coach then switches over to a different model, which doesn't fit the situation, and so the cycle continues. Really, we should not be arguing what model is best, nor should switch between models on the fly because someone suggested it online or in a new fancy book. Perhaps we should look at it differently.

Our programming should be based on an good knowledge of sport physiology - that is, how training impacts the body, what adaptation occurs / doesn't occur, and how this all impacts performance. This knowledge can then be complemented by experience, whether it is your own (significant) experience, or someone else's. Once you have this, then you are in a good place to use the John Doe model. My colleagues around me at the Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education are successfully implementing the Satoshi Mizuguchi model, the Guy Hornsby model, the Ashley Kavanaugh model, or going the Christian Carter way. Etc, etc.

I think, I think, I think...

I think, I think, I think... for about half an hour straight.

This is all that I seemed to hear from listening to a high-profile strength and conditioning coach talk lately. Ok, so maybe I am exaggerating. I feel and I believe was occassionally thrown in there for good measure.

Phrases that might be more indicative of knowledge and/or good decision making:
Evidence has shown
It has been demonstrated
Initial findings indicate
We have found X amount of times that Y seems to indicate Z

Many of you may not see the same importance in the above. However, the way people say things can be massively indicative of the thought process, motives, and decision making behind actions and words.

We need to have substance behind everything we do.

Our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are made from the things we experience and learn, and so we all say I think/feel/believe from time to time and there is nothing wrong with that. In our work, however, it would be good for our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to be comprised of factual things. Things that are not misleading, over simplified, or based on opinion alone. This is even more important when we are leading others. The people learning should educated in what lies behind statements - especially bold ones. This gives them the tools to make educated decisions themselves, instead of gorging on the latest flavor of the week.

When we are asked to jump, we should be asking why, not how high.

Meg Ritchie Stone Interviewed for the UKSCA's Professional Strength and Conditioning Journal

Honored to interview Meg Stone for the most recent Professional Strength and Conditioning Journal. Thank you to Nick Ward, Ian Jeffreys, and all the folk at the UKSCA for their assistance on this project!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven:

Meg Ritchie Stone by Howard Gray

Howard Gray

Howard Gray is Coaching Manager for the Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education (CESSCE) and works as sport scientist for the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) men’s soccer team. He holds his ASCC & CSCS qualifications, and is currently working towards his PhD focusing on on-field monitoring.

Meg Stone

Meg Stone is a two time Olympian competing in the discus for Great Britain and she is a gold Medal winner in the 1982 Commonwealth games. Meg competed in track and field for the University of Arizona and still holds the NCAA shot and discus collegiate record. Taking the position of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Arizona in 1984, the first woman to hold such a position,  she moved into the same position at Texas Tech in 1994. Meg returned to Track and Field in 1996 as the Associated Head Track and Field Coach at Appalachian State University. In 1999 she returned to her native Scotland to become the National Track and Field Coach, the first woman in Europe to hold a National coaching position. Meg has also worked extensively with road cyclist and paralympic groups through Carmichael Training Systems in Colorado Springs. Before moving to ETSU, Meg was a Coaching Manager at the USOC in Colorado Springs. Currently she is the head of the CESSCE at ETSU.

Introduction

I first worked with Meg Stone as a master’s student at ETSU a few years ago, and was very lucky to return to the organization in 2010 after a period of time in the UK. Meg’s depth of experience in the field of strength and conditioning means that, in addition to being a fantastic coach and leader to learn from, she is the perfect “resource” to refer to or bounce ideas off of. Chances are that any situation or issue that we face in our job as practitioners, she has been through it too many times to recall. This Q&A is an effort to give readers a little insight into these experiences and her views on moving the industry forward.

Olympic Training Site at ETSU

Last week we were able to announce the exciting news that we have received approval from the US Olympic Committee to become an Olympic Training Site. The prospect of having Olympic hopefuls training with us really is exciting. In my mind the Olympics still represents the pinnacle of athletic achievement - higher than the professional level. Elite, by it's very definition, is rare.

Weightlifting will be the first sport to be with us here. Weightlifting coaches Christian Carter and Tim McInnis deserve a lot of credit for the work they have already done to make the current club successful, and this designation will help their work impact at a higher level. The Olympic Training Site designation also opens the door to work with other NGBs in the future.

If you check out any of the news reports and articles on this announcement, you will hear of the tremendous amount of work that my bosses / mentors / friends; Meg Stone, Dr. Mike Stone, and Dr. Mike Ramsey have put into this project. This has taken years of blood, sweat, and tears, and they deserve every accolade and piece of credit that they receive.

There have also been many other people that have contributed massively to this project, and to them we all wish to pass on thanks. Heads have been stuck out above the parapet, so to speak, to help us with the formation of both the Center of Excellence, and the Olympic Training Site.