Journal 25

PROFESSIONAL
strength & conditioning
ISSN 1757-5834
The journal of the UK Strength & Conditioning Association
No. 25 SPRING 2012

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
Paul Comfort MSc, ASCC
Audrey Duncan PhD, ASCC
Mike Favre MSc, ASCC
Duncan French PhD, ASCC
Jon Goodwin MSc, PGCHE, ASCC, CSCS
Greg Haff PhD, ASCC, FNSCA, CSCS
Liam Kilduff PhD
Jeremy Moody PhD, ASCC
Phil Moreland BAppSci, AssocDip, ASCC
Jeremy Sheppard PhD, CSCS
Narelle Sibte BAppSci, Grad Dip, ASCC
Alan Sinclair MSc, 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
INSIDE
A FIELD-BASED, FITNESS-TESTING
BATTERY FOR RUGBY LEAGUE
page 4
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
page 11
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

page 17
LAND-BASED CONDITIONING FOR

UK-BASED SURFERS
page 23
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN

HEAVEN
page 29
1 Woodville Terrace, Lytham,

Lancashire FY8 5QB.
t: 0845 300 8078
f: 0845 300 8079
e: info@uksca.org.uk
elcome to the first edition of Professional Strength and

Conditioning for 2012, a year the promises to be exceptionally
busy for strength and conditioning practitioners. With the
European Football Championships and the Olympics both
scheduled for this year, many UKSCA members will be heavily involved in
putting together the final preparations for athletes involved in these
events. We wish all UKSCA members involved the very best of luck and
sincerely hope that their efforts will be rewarded in the form of
exceptional performances by their athletes.
Legacy has been a buzz word throughout the preparation for the
Olympics. While this is predominantly focused on facilities and the effect
on sports participation in the future, we must also hope that one of the
legacies of the Games will be an increase in the perception of the crucial
role that strength and conditioning plays in developing elite performance.
While S&C has come a long way in a relatively short time, we are still far
away from a position where a S&C coach is an expected and well
rewarded part of all elite performance teams. Undoubtedly, the financial
recession has hit the number of roles available, as well as the rewards
provided for these roles. However, as part of the legacy of the Games it
would be hoped that the benefits of effective strength and conditioning
programmes will become obvious, not just to coaches but to the general
public, and perhaps more importantly, to the employment decision-makers
who are responsible for hiring strength and conditioning coaches.
Hopefully the UKSCA will be able to play a role in the future development
of the profession, and in highlighting the crucial role that strength and
conditioning plays in elite sport, and that this will lead to increased
recruitment and appropriate remuneration of skilled practitioners in the
UK, who have invested heavily in their education and professional
development.
One of the aims of the Journal is to provide a number of articles that
challenge conventional thinking, and also cover new areas of S&C
application. In this edition we have again produced articles that address
this aim. Dan Cleather has written a thought provoking piece on the
squat, and how it can be viewed as a balance challenge. This takes an
original view on an exercise that remains a key component of many
strength and conditioning programmes. Some of the ideas presented
should enable us to look at the exercise in a different way. Surfing has
not been a common topic in the field of strength and conditioning, but given the explosive nature of many of
the activities in the sport, effective strength and conditioning programmes can undoubtedly play an important
role. John Metcalfe for UCLan and John Kelly from the University of Chichester, have produced an excellent
paper outlining the potential application of S&C in surfing. Performance testing remains an important role of the
S&C coach, and Paul Coneyworth and his team of authors have written a paper outlining a suitable test battery
for rugby league.
In the Five People You Meet in Heaven column, Howard Gray, S&C coach at East Tennessee State University, has
interviewed a true giant in the field of strength and conditioning; Meg Stone. Meg has been at the forefront of
the field for many years and remains one of the most respected coaches around. She has set so many firsts in
the industry, and her thoughtful insights into aspects of strength and conditioning make for a must read for all
involved in S&C. The Performance Nutrition column in this edition, again delivers in its aim of keeping our
membership up to date with the latest development in this rapidly changing area. Phillip Bell and Glyn
Howatson, both from Northumbria University, expand on a previous Journal article looking at the role of
antioxidants. They cover in great depth the potential for a particular source of antioxidants, namely tart cherry
juice. We hope that members will find that the issue has something of interest, and we will continue to work to
further develop Professional Strength and Conditioning in the coming year.
Ian Jeffreys
Editor
UKSCA 8TH ANNUAL MEETING

2012 CALL FOR SCIENTIFIC/APPLIED
CASE ABSTRACTS
The 8th UKSCA Annual Meeting is to be held at Royal Holloway, University of London, on
15/16 September, and once again it promises to be the leading Strength and Conditioning
event in the United Kingdom. With the Olympic Games coming to London this year, it is an
exciting time for sport in this country, and the UKSCA conference has positioned itself to
embrace the momentum given to sport and athletic performance as a result of the Games.
Yet again, the Association is securing some of the worlds top scientists and coach
practitioners from the UK and overseas to disseminate their knowledge, experiences, and
skills to all those who attend this most informative and enjoyable event. Additionally, all
UKSCA members have a chance to contribute to this exciting conference!
The UKSCA are now accepting submissions for Scientific and Applied Case Abstracts for
the poster section at the 2012 meeting. We strongly encourage all members beginning
investigators and established investigators alike - to submit poster abstracts which they
feel will add value and be of interest to all those who attend the conference and prove to
be a valuable opportunity for individuals to present their work to colleagues and peers.
Posters will be displayed throughout the conference proceedings, with awards offered to
the most outstanding submissions. We are confident that the scientific/applied-case poster
section will draw upon the growing success of previous years, showcasing the outstanding
work of our members.
Submit an abstract electronically to duncan.french@northumbria.ac.uk. The deadline
for abstract submissions is August 24th, 2012. Abstracts should not exceed 400 words in
length, and should be presented with the sections: Purpose, Methods, Results, and
Conclusions. Abstracts are considered from all scientific and research fields, in addition to
any practical applied case study examples from the field of coaching and sports
performance.
The first author of the poster is considered the primary author, and must make every
effort to present the abstract at the meeting. One person may be the primary author on a
maximum of two abstracts. Only in exceptional circumstances will posters be accepted
without the lead author present at the conference.
Those who submit abstracts will be notified regarding acceptance/rejection in advance of
the event. Abstracts accepted will be informed of appropriate formatting requirements.
For questions concerning any aspects of abstract submission, please email
duncan.french@northumbria.ac.uk.
UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

2
UKSCA | Issue 25 | SPRING 2012 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk
There are lots

of reasons to
come to the
UKSCAs
Annual
Conference
th
ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2012
>> I want to network with S&C

coaches to improve my job prospects
>> I want to find new ways to improve
my coaching skills and knowledge
>> I want to see how the latest
science has been applied in practice
>> I want to negotiate special deals
with equipment suppliers
>> I want to hear the experts debate
topics in the Q&A session
>> I want to train in the gym with top
coaches to improve my own technique
>> I want to socialise with other S&C
coaches at the evening BBQ
>> I want to spend my CPD budget on
an event geared specifically for S&C
coaches
>> I want to hear the latest coaching
theories from world experts
To book go to our website:
www.uksca.org.uk
We look forward to seeing you in London!

Website Information for Members
You can now log your CPD activities online using the new facility
on the UKSCA website. This should make it faster and easier for
you to keep up to date with your CPD and submit your log when
it is due. To record your CPD online, go to the home page
www.uksca.org.uk and log in as a member. You then click on
My Account and scroll down to My CPD records.
Also, don't forget that there are well over 100 great S&C
articles available to all members on the website. Again, you
need to log in to be able to access them and click on the S&C
News and Articles tab.

A Field-Based Fitness
Testing Battery for
Rugby League
Paul Coneyworth MSc, ASCC, Nick Ward M.Kin. (Exercise and functional fitness),
BA (Hons) Sport Studies, CSCS, ASCC and Anthony Turner, MSc, ASCC.
Introduction
Rugby league football originated in the north of England in the 1890s and
is now played globally. Participating nations in the southern hemisphere
include Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa, with
only the British Isles (England, Scotland, and Wales), Ireland, and France
representing the Northern Hemisphere. Currently, little data exists
regarding the physical demands of professional rugby league, with
evidence being solely represented through sub-elite10 and junior players.18
This knowledge however, is fundamental when designing strength and
conditioning programmes and specific to this article, fitness testing
batteries.
Paul Coneyworth is the Lead Strength
and Conditioning Coach at Highgate
High Performance Tennis with
previous experience within
professional Rugby League
Therefore, the purpose of this article is two fold. Firstly, to conduct a

needs analysis of rugby league and thus identify the fundamental fitness
parameters. Then secondly, compare and contrast tests deemed suitable
to assess these and from which a testing battery will be advised. The
fitness testing battery will also be considered based on the practical
experience gained from working with professional rugby league teams.
This is an important step in bridging the gap between the theory and
application of sport science, whereby the constraints of the work place can
also be commented on.
Needs Analysis: What Should Be Tested?

Arguably, as part of any needs analysis, there are generic physical
parameters that should be defined in the context of the sport in question.
These are anthropometry (height, weight and body fat percentage),
aerobic capacity, speed (encompassing acceleration and top speed) and
speed-endurance, agility, strength, power and reactive strength (i.e., the
ability of the athlete to utilise the stretch-shortening mechanism). These
parameters are therefore discussed overleaf.
Anthropometry
Anthony Turner is a Strength
& Conditioning Coach and a Senior
Lecturer and Programme Leader for the
MSc in Strength & Conditioning at
Middlesex University, London.
Nick Ward (pic p.29) has been at work

in performance sport for almost 20
years with elite, professional and
development athletes. Currently he is
the Head of Strength and Conditioning
for Sheffield Eagles RLFC, Derbyshire
Institute of Sport and the British
Disabled Ski Team. He also consults
to a number of Universities and
provides mentoring, education and
training for sports coaches, S&C
coaches, and athletes.
The measurement of an athletes body composition helps regulate nonfunctional mass. Rugby league players have been shown to have a higher
body mass than other team sports, such as soccer and Australian rules,34
with elite players having a higher percentage of body fat than sub-elite
players.23 This however, should not be considered a desirable characteristic
as a higher percentage of body fat adds non-functional weight, reducing
acceleration (by increasing inertia), increasing energy expenditure32 and
negatively affecting power to body mass ratio, thermoregulation and
aerobic capacity.18
Gabbett, Kelly and Pezet23 reported no significant difference between first,
second and third grade players when comparing height, body weight and
skinfold thickness. Thus currently, the ability to generalise playing level
via anthropometric values appears improbable. Furthermore, elite junior
starters are suggested to have greater skinfold thickness (millimetres)
than non-starters (68.5 13.6 vs. 64.3 17.6 respectively). The large
standard deviations are suggestive of discrepancies between players, and
may be indicative of other attributes predetermining elite status in the
current game. Nevertheless, in the opinions of the authors, this is still an
important determinant of performance.
Because the direct assessment of body composition (e.g., DEXA scanning)
can be impractical for testing large squads of players, indirect methods

4
Table 1. Physiological and anthropometric characteristics of first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade rugby league players.23
Variable
First Grade
Second Grade
Third Grade
(n=26)
(n=40)
(n=20)
Age (y)
23.7 4.3
24.4 5.0
17.8 1.5
Playing Experience (y)
16.3 6.7
14.3 7.3
9.4 4.3
Body mass (kg)
92.2 11.4
88.9 9.0
81.5 20.2
Height (cm)
179.0 7.3
180.1 5.2
177.6 7.9
Skinfold Thickness (mm)
44.0 10.1
40.3 11.8
37.4 15.9
10m Sprint (s)
2.06 0.18
2.12 0.19
2.09 0.26
20m Sprint (s)
3.36 0.23
3.44 0.22
3.44 0.27
40m Sprint (s)
5.83 0.31
5.92 0.35
5.96 0.38
Agility
5.90 0.19
6.25 0.52
6.25 0.48
Vertical Jump
50.7 9.8
45.2 8.4
44.3 11.9
Estimated VO2max (ml/kg/min)
46.9 5.8
45.6 5.7
45.6 7.6
(normally via skinfold measurements), are commonly

implemented and have been found to positively
correlate to DEXA results (gold standard).15 The
guidelines for testing skinfold thickness are highlighted
by ACSM1 and illustrated in Table 2. The 3 and 7 site
procedures have a standard error of measurement
difference of 0.01% (although no difference for males),
thus it appears prudent to select the 3 site for field
based testing to increase time efficiency with marginal
error.
Aerobic Capacity
The metabolic conditioning of a team sports player
serves a crucial role in defining and ultimately limiting
their contribution in a game.26 Rugby league places a
significant demand on aerobic metabolism and duly
requires high levels of aerobic fitness.18,21,32 A rugby
players fitness level is suggested to be indicative of
playing level,3,17,19 with match intensity increasing
linearly with playing standard.17 Furthermore, this is
linked to their ability to exhibit high levels of skill under
pressure and fatigue.20,23 Gabbett, Kelly and Pezet23
reported that professional rugby league players have a
VO2max of 46.9ml/kg/min (Table 1), whereas Coutts et
al.,10 reported a higher VO2max value of 57.9 3.6
ml/kg/min. Furthermore, matches are played with a
mean intensity of approximately 81.1 5.8% of
VO2max, which is close to lactate threshold (LT), or
8090% of HRmax.
It is apparent therefore, that the aerobic capacity of a
rugby league player should be adaquately developed to
withstand the rigours of competition and consequently
be assessed during a macrocycle. The gold standard
test for assessing aerobic fitness is the direct
measurement of a players maximal oxygen uptake

(VO2max) whilst running to exhaustion on a treadmill in
the laboratory. Of course, laboratory procedures
demand significant time, expense and resources.
Indirect field based testing is therefore often employed
and aims to measure VO2max through quantifying either
the athletes time to finish a set distance, or time to
exhaustion through incremental or continuous testing.
Research quantifying the aerobic capacity of rugby
league players is limited, thus empirically similar sports
(i.e. soccer and rugby union) need to be utilised to
enable comparisons. For these sports, the Yo-Yo
intermittent test is usually the test of choice to
measure this variable, as unlike the multistage field
test, it assesses a players ability to recover from
repeated high-intensity running efforts and thus
demonstrates some sport specificity. In addition, this
test is considered a valid (0.86) and reliable (0.98)
assessment of this variable.29 Furthermore, submaximal
tests (e.g., the cooper run and 1.5 mile run) are not
recommended, as in addition to them being continuous
in nature, they require pacing skills which may affect
results.
Acceleration, Speed and SpeedEndurance

Speed and acceleration are important qualities in field
sports, with running speed over short distances
fundamental to success.4,8 Time motion analysis in
rugby league suggests shorter distances
(approximately 56 m) are sprinted by forwards than
backs (fullback, wingers and centres), as they were
observed to cover a greater distance in the lead up to
a tackle (approximately 812 m).28 Similarly, motion
Table 2. Skinfold sites and the associated error used for the determination of body fat percentage.1
Method
Sites
% Error Male % Error Female
7 Site formula
Chest, Midaxillary, Triceps, Sub-scapular,

Abdomen, Suprailiax, Thigh
3.5%
3.8%
3.5%
3.9%
3.6%
3.9%
3 Site formula
3 Site formula
Chest, Abdomen, Thigh (men only)

Triceps, Suprailiac, Thigh (women only)
Chest, Triceps, Sub-scapular (men only)
Triceps, Suprailiac, Abdominal (women only)

Table 3. Protocol and parameters for the triple 120m shuttle (T120S).27
Name of Test
Protocol
Maximum HR Blood Lactate

(bpm)
(mmol/L)
T120S
Trial 1 187.8 Trial 1 12.8
player sprints 10m
drops to chest
rolls on to back (ensuring shoulders are in

contact with the ground)
repeats in the other direction
The player then runs back and forth to the start

in a shuttle style, with the distance covered
equating to 40m
analysis in rugby union revealed that backs perform a

larger number of sprints (50) within a game, with an
average duration of 3 seconds.13,14 Cunniffe et al.,12 and
Meir et al.,32 documented a sprint distance in both
rugby codes (league and union) of 10-20m in one
single bout, with backs covering a greater total
sprinting distance than forwards (>20 km/h, 524m vs.
313 m). Additionally, backs and forwards in rugby
league sprint approximately 2.3% and 1.9% of a game
respectively. King, Jenkins and Gabbett28 suggest that
every 4 seconds of high-intensity exercise (e.g. tackle,
sprint) is followed by approximately 21 seconds of lowintensity exercise, with an exercise-to-rest ratio of 1:51:6. It therefore, appears apparent that the ability to
accelerate and reach high speeds is fundamental, along
with the ability to recover from high intensity bouts.
Previous literature within rugby league has analysed
sprint performance through a single linear sprint of
40m, with time intervals at 10m, 20m, and 40m being
recorded.22 This encompasses the acceleratory (10m)
and top speed (20-40m) phases of running. However,
in team sports, top speed is rarely attained, with
acceleration proposed to last several metres for the
sole purpose to engage in play.11 Additionally, it is
further suggested that engaging in a sprint from a
standing position is rare within team sports, as players
are frequently active prior to the initiation of a sprint.33
Nonetheless, engaging in a sprint from a standing start
cannot be disregarded, as in general play a defensive
line will be stationary before commencing a sprint to
the ball carrier in order to make a tackle. Furthermore,
speed following a flying start can be assessed as the
time taken between the 20 and 40m gates.
The ability to perform repeated sprints with minimal
recovery between bouts is an important attribute for
team sport players.6 This is termed repeat sprint ability
(RSA), which is often assessed over successive sprints
with limited recovery between sprints.8 The duration
and pattern of sprints, along with the rest between
them, can be modified to account for sport specific
movement patterns and work-to-rest ratios. For
example, the triple 120 metre shuttle (T120S) is a
rugby league specific test which is characterised by
sport specific movements (Table 3). The time taken to
complete a repetition was between 43.14 - 49.46
seconds, which is similar to the time to completion of a
defensive set where a player would be in constant
motion. The maximum blood lactate identified in the
two trials is similar to previous findings of 8.2mmol/L
during an 80 minute rugby league match.10
In conclusion, the traditional method of linear sprinting
with timing gates at 0m, 10m, 20m and 40m is
beneficial in quantifying a players acceleration (0-10m)
and top speed from a stationary (0-40m) and rolling
Trial 2 - 190.3 Trial 2 - 13.2
start (20-40m). While assessing linear sprint on a team

can be undertaken with relative ease, an RSA test may
require more time and several S&C coaches to record,
oversee and administer the test. This may be
impractical when fitness testing a large squad and
therefore, despite the apparent relevance of RSA tests,
is often omitted.
Agility
Rugby league players require a substantial amount of
agility during a game and this parameter has been
found to differentiate between rugby league players at
national league and third division levels.5,20 Sassi et
al.,37 applied the term agility to describe any dynamic
sporting action that involves a change in body position
or change of speed in a given direction. Although
adequately defined, recent research suggests that a
sport-specific stimulus should also be evident.38
Nevertheless, it seems negligible to discount closed
agility drills (i.e. Illinois agility run, t-test, hexagon
agility), as these may be effective in facilitating a
programme of multi-directional speed. Furthermore,
incorporating a sport specific stimulus requires
specialist equipment and additional resources
(including more S&C coaches) and is thus often
impractical.
To date, no specific rugby league agility test is
universally advocated. However, previous literature
within rugby league and team sports have frequently
utilised tests such as the Illinois agility test,18,20 L- run,17
t-test35,37 and pro-agility test.24,30 However, not all of
these tests replicate the biomechanical requirements.
For example, the t-test and L-run profoundly rely on
linear acceleration, speed and changes of direction
(COD) in the frontal and sagittal plane only.
Conversely, the pro-agility and Illinois agility (Table 4)
have aspects of all planar motion (frontal, sagittal and
transverse), which is imperative within all facets of
rugby league and team sports as a whole. A significant
positive of the pro-agility is its ability to replicate
game-play as the fast turning, twisting and sprint is
not too dissimilar from a teams scramble defence in
which quick sharp cutting movements are required to
chase down the opposition. Tominaga et al.,39 also
suggested the pro-agility test was able to differentiate
between playing positions of team sports athletes, thus
further highlighting the tests validity.
Secondly, the Illinois agility test is a combination of
linear acceleration and cutting movements. The
constant motion of the Illinois agility is replicable to a
defensive line in which a 10m deficit from the play-theball is upheld. However, limitations are apparent as the
test requires the athlete to step/turn off their left foot,
thus it may be prudent to change the start and finish

6
Table 4. Testing protocol for the pro-agility and Illinois agility tests.
Name of Test
Pro-agility test
(5-10-5)
Illinois Agility
The athlete starts in the middle of two 5m cones. Then on either an auditory
stimulus or their own volition, the athlete would run to their left (5m), touching
the cone with their right hand, following this a sprint to the far right cone (10m),
touch with their left hand, then back to the start.25
The player starts on their chest and on command would rise and sprint 10m,
turn and return to the starting line. After returning to the starting line, they
would swerve in and out of four markers, and then back through them to the
starting marker. Another 10m sprint would then be completed to the
penultimate cone and then to the finish.20
point of the drill to eliminate unilateral bias.

Furthermore, a possible modification of the Illinois
agility test is to incorporate backwards running as this
will aid in replicating a defensive line. Thus the first
sprint which is 10m could then be followed by a 10m
backwards run to the start which would further
enhance the tests specificity. Of course, one must be
sure that alterations to a test do not negatively impact
on its reliability and thus invalidate it. Currently
therefore, and due to ease of administration, we advise
the pro-agility test.
Strength and Power
30m sprint (r=0.71, P=0.01) and CMJ height (r=0.76,

P=0.02). Often coupled with the squat in assessing
muscular strength is the bench press and is one of the
primary tests for evaluating upper-body muscular
strength.31 Meir et al.,32 reported differences in 1RM
squat (188 vs 168kg) and bench press (119 vs 113kg)
strength in forwards and backs, highlighting positional
differences.
For the majority of sports performance, power output
is the critical mechanical quantity required rather than
force production at low frequencies. The power clean is
an accepted measure of identifying high-load power;
however, this can only be administered once the
athletes are technically competent. The CMJ is an
example of a low-load power test and has the
advantage of being relatively quick to administer. For
accuracy however, it is recommended that jump tests
are carried out on a switch mat which has high levels
of test-retest reliability between the trials of the CMJ
(r=0.98) and SJ (r=0.96).9
It is logical to assume that rugby league players

require the ability to generate high muscular force
rapidly, to perform effectively the tackling, pushing,
jumping, pulling, sprinting, and changes of direction
common to the game. Undoubtedly then, high levels of
strength and power are essential determinants for
successful participation in elite levels of rugby league3,5
and it is therefore imperative for S&C coaches to
effectively train and test this variable.
Reactive Strength
Strength and power are often quantified through 1RM

testing such as the squat, bench press, and power
clean, and more simplistically, through the squat jump
(SJ - measure of lower body strength), and countermovement jump (CMJ - measure of lower body power)
tests. The 1RM squat is the most popular exercise for
developing and assessing lower-body strength, with
high correlations identified with other physiological
attributes41 such as 10m sprint (r=0.94, P=0.001),
Reactive strength (RS), which describes an athletes

stretch-shortening cycle mechanics, is fundamental to
an athletes ability to quickly develop force (i.e., rate of
force development), increase propulsion, change
direction and conserve metabolic energy during
locomotion.40 As aforementioned, these are all skills
inherent to successful rugby league players and thus it
is prudent to suggest that a players RS be quantified.
A depth jump (DJ) is primarily utilised to record RS,
Table 5. Battery of field and gym tests, listed in order with suggested rest intervals
Test
Rest Intervals
Anthropometry (i.e. height, weight and 3-site BF%

assessment)
N/A
Pro-agility (5-10-5)
3min intervals between reps (best of 3 trials)
Linear Speed (timing gates at 0, 10m, 20m,& 40m)
3min intervals between reps (best of 3 trials)
SJ
CMJ
>30sec intervals between reps and tests
RSI (via DJ from 30cm box)

1RM Power Clean
5min intervals between reps and tests
1RM Squat
1RM Bench Press
T120S (RSA)
T8min rest before moving onto the next
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery
N/A

Table 6. Repetition prediction based on 1RM. Adapted from

Baechle et al.2
%1RM
Predicted Reps
100
95
93
90
87
85
with the RS index calculation derived from dividing the

height jumped by the time in contact with the ground.16
The DJ is usually conducted from various box heights,
however, based on the opinions of the authors, it is
rarely necessary to exceed 30cm boxes for purposes of
testing.
Sequence of testing
The sequencing of tests can determine the success or
failure of a battery36 and thus, a high content validity
and precise timing between tests and repetitions is
imperative.7 General guidelines to implementing a
fitness testing battery include performing non-fatiguing
tests first and testing highly skilled tasks (agility,
explosive ability) before fatiguing tasks (endurance).25
The National Strength and Conditioning Association
(NSCA) suggested the following order: resting and
non-fatiguing (heart rate, body composition, flexibility
and jump tests), agility, power and strength, sprints,
local muscular endurance, anaerobic capacity and
aerobic capacity tests.25 Using this data, along with the
needs analysis and described tests herein, a suggested
battery of fitness tests for rugby league players is
proposed in Table 5.
Practical Application of a Theoretical

Model
In reality, and despite the significant advances in sport
science, whereby tests can be administered more
quickly and the knowledge base has grown
exponentially, time still remains very limited.
Professional teams have a rather expansive
multidisciplinary team, including physiotherapists,
nutritionists, psychologists, fitness trainers and sports
coaches and managers. Each have important roles and
require a portion of the players time. Therefore, any
fitness testing conducted, with the possible exception
of pre-season, must be streamlined and strategically

implemented if fitness is to be monitored regularly. For
example, body fat and aerobic capacity tests often
prove too time consuming for in-season testing, and
significantly, the latter also increases fatigue and thus
negatively impacts on training and general recovery.
Similarly, RSA tests are too time consuming to be
included at any stage of the season. Moreover, due to
the high correlations (>0.8) often demonstrated
between the SJ, CMJ and DJ (unpublished data of the
second author), only CMJ need be taken with changes
in this variable indicative of changes in the other two.
Finally, it is far more efficient to calculate 1RMs based
on training loads via percentage conversion tables
(Table 6).
Conclusion
In summary of the needs analysis conducted herein,
and based on experience of applying scientific concepts
within practical settings, Table 7 identifies a rugby
league relevant (and realistic) fitness testing battery
for pre- and in-season phases. The pre-season battery
can help devise S&C programmes, while the in-season
battery is aimed at monitoring progress.
References
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Table 7. Fitness Testing Battery based on the theory-application model.
Test
Pre-Season
In-Season
Anthropometry
Yes
No
Pro-agility
Yes
Yes
Linear Speed
Yes
Yes
SJ
Yes
No - Infer from CMJ data
CMJ
Yes
Yes
RSI
Yes
No - Infer from CMJ data
1RM Power Clean
Yes
1RM Squat
Yes
1RM Bench Press
Yes
T120S (RSA)
No
No
Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery
Yes
No

8
No use current training

loads and 1RM conversion
charts
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& Hoppitt, T. (2005). Prediction of DXA-determined whole
body fat from skinfolds: importance of including skinfolds
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contact time and the reactive strength index to optimise
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anthropometric characteristics among playing positions in
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anthropometric characteristics of rugby league players
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intensity on injuries in rugby league. Journal of Sports
Sciences , 22 (5), 409-417.
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characteristics on selection in a semi-professional first
grade rugby league team: a case study. Journal of Sports
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characteristics of junior elite and sub-elite rugby league
players. Strength and Conditioning Coach , 12, 1924.
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Speed, change of direction speed, and reactive agility of
rugby league players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research , 22, 174-181.
Gabbett, T. J., Kelly, J., & Pezet, T. (2007). Relationship
between physical fitness and playing ability in rugby league
players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ,
21 (4), 1126-1133.
Gabbett, T. J., Sheppard, J. M., Pritchard, K. R., Leveritt,
M. D., & Aldred, M. J. (2008). Influence of closed skill
warm-ups on the performance of speed, change of
directions peed, vertical jump, and reactive agility in team
sport athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
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25. Harman, E. (2008). Principles of Test Selection and
Administration. In T. R. Baechle, R. W. Earle, & 3rd (Ed.),
Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.
Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics.
26. Helgerud, J., Engen, L. C., Wislff, U., & Hoff, J. (2001).
Aerobic endurance training improves soccer performance.
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1925-1931.
27. Holloway, K. M., Meir, R. A., Brooks, L. O., & Phillips, C. J.
(2009). The triple-120 meter shuttle test: a sport-specific
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Research , 22 (2), 633-639.
28. King, T., Jenkins, D., & Gabbett, T. J. (2009). A time-motion
analysis of professional rugby league match-play. Journal
of Sports Sciences , 27 (3), 213-219.
29. Krustrup, P., Mohr, M., Amstrup, T., Rysgaard, T.,
Johansen, J., Steensberg, A., et al. (2003). The yo-yo
intermittent recovery test: physiological response, reliability,
and validity. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise , 35
(4), 69.
30. Mayhew, J. J., Houser, J. J., Briney, B. B., Williams, T. B.,
Piper, F. C., & Brechue, W. F. (2010). Comparison between
hand and electronic timing of 40-yd dash performance in
college football players. Journal of Strength and
31. Mayhew, J. L., Ball, E. T., Arnold, D. M., & Bowern, C. J.
(1992). Relative Muscular Endurance Performance as a
Predictor of Bench Press Strength in College Men and
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32. Meir, R., Newton, R., Curtis, E., Fardell, M., & Butler, B.
(2001). Physical fitness qualities of professional rugby
league football players: determination of positional
differences. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
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33. Murphy, A. J., Lockie, R. G., & Coutts, A. J. (2003).
Kinematic determinants of early acceleration in field sport
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and validity of the T-test as a measure of agility, leg power
and leg speed in college aged men and women. Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research , 14, 443-450.
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human performance. Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics.
37. Sassi, R. H., Dardouri, W., Yahmed, M. H., Gmada, N.,
Mahfodhi, M., & Gharbi, Z. (2009). Relative and absolute
reliability of a modified agility t-test and its relationship with
vertical jump and straight sprint. Journal of Strength and
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Sports Sciences , 24, 919-932.
39. Tominaga, R., Yoshimasa, I., Toru, T., Zhouye, C., Yung,
W., & Kazuhiki, W. (2010). The motion analysis of side-step
cutting in football players. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research .
40. Turner, A., & Jeffreys, I. (2010). The Stretch-Shortening
Cycle: Proposed Mechanisms and Methods for
Enhancement. Strength and Conditioning Journal , 32 (4),
87-99.
41. Wislff, U., Castagna, C., Helgerud, J., Jones, R., & Hoff,
J. (2004). Strong correlation of maximal squat strength
with sprint performance and vertical jump height in elite
soccer players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 38 (3),
285-288.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION
Phillip Bell graduated from

Northumbria University in 2006 with a
degree in Sports Studies. Following
this he completed a Masters degree
at Leeds Metropolitan University in
Sport and Exercise Physiology before
working as a Physiologist in hospitals
throughout the UK. Currently, he is
working towards a PhD at
Northumbria University investigating
nutritional strategies for accelerating
recovery from strenuous exercise,
working under the supervision of
Glyn Howatson.
Glyn Howatson completed his PhD at

Kingston University and is now
Associate Director of Research in the
Sport Science Department at
Northumbria University. Glyn is a
Fellow of the American College of
Sports Medicine and is UKSCA and
BASES accredited. Research is
predominantly focused in the area of
exercise-induced muscle damage
and neuromuscular adaptation to
lengthening contractions and the
efficacy of recovery strategies
following strenuous exercise.
Graeme Close is the column editor for
the Performance Nutrition section.
Tart Cherry
Juice and
Recovery from
Exercise
Phillip G. Bell MSc and Glyn Howatson PhD
Introduction
Optimum recovery from strenuous training bouts is high on the agenda
for athletes, especially those competing at elite levels where performing
on multiple occasions in a short period of time or consecutive days is
commonplace. Strenuous exercise, particularly when eccentric biased,
results in muscle damage at the myofibrillar level as a result of
mechanical stress. As a secondary response to this damage,
inflammation and oxidative stress appears around the damaged area,
causing varying levels of pain and loss of function that might last for
several days. Additionally, oxidative stress and inflammation can occur
when there is no mechanical stress, for example in cycling where the
muscle actions are almost exclusively concentric.
Several techniques aimed at improving recovery have been
investigated, these include; exposure to hot and cold water
immersions,1,12,18,26 application of specialised clothing,15,17 manual
massage,23 and a wide range of nutritional strategies.13,14,27,29 Currently,
there is a great deal of interest in the suggestion that antioxidant
supplementation may reduce the extent of damage and accelerate
recovery time by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation associated
with the exercise bout. Antioxidants are biologically available; 1)
exogenously (mainly through oral ingestion), and 2) endogenously
(produced by the body itself). The primary sources of exogenous
antioxidants are through the various dietary fruits and vegetables which
provide a range of antioxidant compounds in varying quantities.
Recently, there has been growing interest in so-called functional foods.
These are foods that can provide some medicinal or health related
benefits. Cherries are one such food that have received a great deal of
media attention, and are used in elite rugby union, football and
numerous Olympic sports. Specifically, tart cherries have been
purported to contain high levels of numerous phytochemicals that have
the potential to be of benefit in recovery following strenuous exercise.
This article will focus upon the rationale behind the use of tart cherries
Graeme is a senior lecturer in Exercise Metabolism and Sports Nutrition at

Liverpool John Moores University. Graeme has published several papers in sports
nutrition focusing upon free radicals and antioxidants. Graeme is accredited with BASES
(physiologist) and the UKSCA. Over the last 5 years Graeme has worked as a nutrition
and Strength & Conditioning consultant with various sports teams and individual athletes
and is currently the performance nutrition consultant to Munster RUFC. Graeme is also
a former professional rugby league player.

UKSCA | Issue 25 | SPRING 2012 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk 11
Food
Anthocyanin content
(mg.L-1)
Montmorency Tart Cherry

Juice
9117
Blackberry
1150
Blueberry
825-4200
Grape (Red)
300-7500
Sweet cherry
20-4500
Strawberry
150-350
Cranberry
600-2000
Table 1: Anthocyanin concentration of various fruits. Adapted

from Clifford.10
and investigate how, and when, such supplementation

could be applied.
Tart Cherry Juice and Antioxidants

Antioxidants are a group of compounds that are
capable of preventing oxidative damage to other
compounds and cells by scavenging reactive oxygen
species (ROS) and free radicals. Additionally,
antioxidants are thought to act as a strong
inflammatory agent and have been suggested to be as
potent as some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs).32
ROS and free radicals can damage the DNA of a cell
and have been associated with several degenerative
diseases and cancers.49 In terms of exercise, it is well
known that ROS are produced when exercise utilises
eccentric muscle contractions (mechanically induced
oxidative stress) or when exercise places a high
metabolic cost upon the athlete (metabolically induced
oxidative stress). It is thought the damage associated
with this release of ROS can be attenuated by
maintaining a high level of systemic antioxidants. In
recent years, several studies have investigated the use
of a number of antioxidant rich foods as methods of
improving recovery from exercise that include;
pomegranate juice,48 mixed berry juice,19 purple sweet
potato leaves,7 sweet Bing cherries31 and Montmorency
tart cherries.14,27 More precisely, the group of
polyphenolic compounds known as anthocyanins are
thought to be a particularly potent antioxidant through
the scavenging of ROS and reduction in inflammation
through the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX).44,51 Of
the aforementioned juices, Montmorency tart cherries
compare favourably with the other supplements and
several other fruits in terms of their concentration of
anthocyanins (see Table 1).
Figure 1. Isometric elbow flexor strength (expressed as a
percentage of baseline) following eccentric based exercise.
Application of Tart Cherry Juice Supplementation

in Sport and Performance
In response to the notion of anthocyanins having a
high antioxidative capacity, several research groups
have started to investigate the use of Montmorency
tart cherry juice (TCJ) as an aid for optimising recovery
from strenuous exercise. As previously mentioned, we
know that eccentric biased exercise can cause muscle
damage and as a secondary response to this damage,
protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation become
apparent. Further to this, the proliferation of
inflammation ensues in the following days,4,6,27,37 causing
increased pain and reduction in function. The increase
in inflammatory cells causes additional ROS bursts,
effectively resulting in a vicious cycle where
inflammation and ROS production are increased.
The first published research in the recovery literature,14
investigated the effect of a TCJ blend (tart cherry juice
blended with apple juice for sweetening) ingested prior
to, and following a bout of damaging exercise that
involved eccentric biased contractions using the elbow
flexors. They showed positive results in relation to the
attenuation of post-exercise performance decrement
and reduced muscle soreness in the days following the
bout. Elbow flexor strength between 24-96 hours post
damage protocol was significantly higher following TCJ
when compared with a placebo (Figure 1).14 The
authors did not take any measures of oxidative stress
or inflammation, however, they did speculate that the
antioxidative effect of the TCJ may have played a role
by reducing free radical production as part of the
secondary response to muscle damage and the antiinflammatory properties of TCJ may have contributed
to lessen the damage response.
Further research has supported the speculation of
Connolly et al.14 In a further study that used a placebo
controlled, cross-over design,3 participants were
supplemented TCJ concentrate for 7 days before, and
for 2 days following the damaging bout. Like Connolly
et al.,14 Bowtell et al.3 found faster recovery of knee
extension strength following damaging exercise to the
quadriceps. In addition to the performance measures,
the study measured plasma protein carbonyls (PC) to
assess for oxidative damage. Results showed a
significant decrease in plasma PC for TCJ in comparison
with the placebo drink, suggesting a possible
mechanistic link for the attenuation of the performance
decrement. In contrast to the Connolly et al.14 study,
Bowtell et al.3 used well trained participants suggesting
application elite level sports participants. In a third
example, Ducharme et al.16 demonstrated reduced
markers of muscle damage in horses supplemented
with TCJ. Using a cross-over design, horses were fed a
TCJ blend or a placebo prior to completing an
exhaustive exercise protocol. Post-exercise blood
sampling identified reduced creatine kinase (CK) and
aspirate aminotransferase (AST) levels following TCJ
administration in comparison with the placebo trial,
although no differences in oxidative stress measures
were found.
Despite the encouraging results of Connolly et al,14
Bowtell et al.3 and Ducharme et al.,16 a measure of
caution should be used when interpreting data such as
this. Each of these studies used a cross-over design,
which in muscle damage studies is potentially
problematic due to the repeated bout effect,35 which
suggests that a protective adaptation is developed in
the damaged muscle following eccentric

12

contractions.24,28,40 Despite the studies on human
participants,11,25 using the contralateral limb as a
control, the result of this adaptive effect may still have
confounded the results. This is due to possibility of the
repeated bout occurring in both the ipsilateral AND
contralateral limb, which has been recently
demonstrated in the literature on more than one
occasion.28,46
Research carried out by Howatson et al27 has attempted
to address these issues and provides further evidence
to the beneficial effect of TCJ on recovery from
damaging, strenuous exercise.27 This study used
marathon runners who consumed a TCJ blend 5 days
prior to, and 2 days following, the completion of the
London marathon. It was found that isometric knee
extensor strength recovered faster following TCJ
supplementation in comparison to a placebo, although
in contrast to the previously mentioned research, this
study utilised an independent groups design and
therefore, does not suffer the same limitations in the
previous studies.11,25 Several biomarkers were also
assessed pre and post run, including markers of
protein oxidation (PC) and lipid peroxidation
(thiobarbituric acid (TBARS)). Results demonstrated
that the TCJ group showed significantly lower levels of
TBARS at 48 hours following the marathon. However,
no differences were found between groups for PC.
Despite no difference in PC, the identification of
lowered lipid peroxidation lends further weight to the
mechanistic theory of antioxidants having a role in
attenuating performance decrements. Further to this,
total antioxidant status (TAS) was found to be
significantly higher in the TCJ group as opposed to the
placebo group. Perhaps the most compelling results
were those relating to inflammation; there was around
a 50% reduction in interleukin-6 (a pro-inflammatory
cytokine) immediately post-exercise (Figure 2) and
significant reductions in C-reactive protein (C-RP) in
the following days with TCJ supplementation.
It appears as though improvements in recovery
following mechanically induced oxidative stress3,14 and a
combination of mechanical and metabolically induced
oxidative stress27 can be initiated through the
supplementation of TCJ. What appears to be missing in
the literature is research investigating a purely
metabolically induced oxidative stress protocol and how
TCJ affects subsequent exercise performance.
Attenuations in plasma TBARS and inflammatory
In addition to the high

level of antioxidants,
TCJ is also high in
melatonin content
which is critical in
regulating sleep.
markers27 suggest TCJ may have a beneficial effect on

recovery following strenuous exercise that is more
taxing on metabolic pathways (cycling for example)
and has little or no mechanical stress; although this
remains to be elucidated. Whilst the benefits of TCJ
seem to be becoming clearer, the mechanisms
surrounding these benefits are not clearly understood.
Many of the existing studies suggest that the
mechanisms are due to reductions in oxidative stress
and inflammation via a dampening of COX pathways;
however, further research is also required to confirm
this.
Given that elite athletes often follow strict dietary

guidelines with regards to calorific and
macro/micronutrient intake, it is desirable to identify
an optimal dosing strategy. However, currently there is
no particular rationale for any particular TCJ
supplementation strategy that has been documented in
the peer-reviewed literature. Of course, this may be
expected considering the small amount of research in
the area, however, it is important that this is
established if recommendations are to be provided for
athletic populations. All of the research discussed in
the previous section utilised a dosage strategy, which
administered TCJ to participants between 5-14 days
pre-exercise and up to 4 days post exercise, usually
twice daily (morning and evening). Intuitively, it could
be suggested that this dosing strategy was to create a
loading phase to maintain a high in vivo concentration
of antioxidants (particularly anthocyanins), although
this is never mentioned or suggested in any of the
aforementioned studies. However, it has been shown in
nutrition research that following consumption, the
concentration of the anthocyanin compounds peak in
plasma at ~1-2.5 hours before gradually reducing
towards baseline levels at 8 hours postconsumption.9,33,36 If this is also the case for TCJ, then it
would seem a loading phase for several days leading
up to performance is unnecessary, as anthocyanins are
likely to have been metabolised and excreted.
Additionally, it has been suggested that there is a
ceiling limit for plasma anthocyanins concentration.9
This was established in a study examining the
bioavailabilty of purple carrot anthocyanins, where
despite further ingestion of purple carrot juice, no
further increase in anthocyanin content was observed
above 357 mol, suggesting the saturation point in
anthocyanin absorption was reached.33 Similarly, red

cabbage anthocyanins decreased in absorption

efficiency as dosage volume increased.8 These findings
appear to suggest that in supplying multiple dosages of
anthocyanins, as with the aforementioned studies on
cherry juice, there might not be a cumulative effect on
circulating anthocyanin concentration. Combining the
loading effect with evidence that anthocyanins are
metabolised (systemically) within ~8 hours, suggests
that multiple dosages might not be required in order
for the antioxidant effect of TCJ, and consequently
anthocyanins, to take place. An important additional
consideration is that, despite there being a reasonable
body of evidence to suggest a ceiling effect in plasma
bioavailability, it is possible that bioavailability in other
tissue (muscle, for example) is increased as a result of
a loading phase; however, to our knowledge, there is
no evidence to support this supposition.
Longitudinal Supplementation
The question as to whether TCJ or any other
antioxidant supplement should be used as a regular
supplement is a valid, but not straightforward point to
address. The ability for an athlete to recover quickly
and perform the next day is often essential, especially
at an elite level where training and competition might
involve damaging or strenuous exercise on consecutive
days. The use of antioxidant supplementation may
therefore present a means of accelerating recovery due
to the aforementioned actions that antioxidants exhibit
upon damaging ROS, free radicals and inflammation.
However, it has been suggested that inhibition of ROS
and the inflammatory response associated with
strenuous exercise may result in a reduction in training
adaptation and a down-regulate endogenous
antioxidants production.6,20,21
An important enzyme associated with inflammation is
cyclooxygenase (COX) and exists in two forms, COX-1
and COX-2. Cyclooxygenase is increased in the
presence of inflammation34,45 and as a result, research
has focussed upon dampening the COX responses to
reduce inflammation. Reducing the activity of the
cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) enzymes through
an anti-inflammatory mediator can reduce
prostaglandin production. This signalling cascade is an
important process in protein expression, therefore,
inhibition could result in lower skeletal muscle protein
synthesis.34,41. COX-1 is an enzyme found in most
tissues and plays a major role in the synthesis of
prostaglandin,34 therefore reducing its action may not
be desirable in training athletes because of the
implications for muscle hypertrophy or re-modelling.
Conversely, COX-2 is produced in the presence of
inflammatory enzymes. Consequently, agents that can
inhibit or dampen COX-2 is of most interest to
researchers and practitioners due to its specificity to
the inflammatory process.34
Soltow et al.45 investigated anti-inflammatory
supplementation in exercising rats by using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), specifically
ibuprofen, to inhibit inflammation. The ibuprofen
supplemented rats had a 50% reduction in skeletal
muscle hypertrophy in comparison with their placebo
fed counterparts.45 Results of a study investigating
human participants found reduced protein synthesis
with NSAID (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) following a
single damaging exercise bout when compared to a
placebo.47 However, it has also been reported that
inhibition of the specific COX-2 enzyme does not affect
protein synthesis following resistance exercise in
humans.5 The authors suggested that the attenuation

of skeletal muscle protein synthesis is therefore, more
likely mediated by COX-1 inhibition.
The NSAIDs used in research studies appear to favour
either COX-1 OR COX-2 inhibition. Popular NSAIDs
such as aspirin and piroxicam are reported to
preferentially act upon the COX-1 enzyme and
ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac appear to focus
upon the COX-2 enzyme.38,50 COX-1 inhibitory NSAIDs
have also been associated with gastrointestinal and
renal issues.38,50 To date, only one study has reported
the effects of TCJ upon COX inhibition. Seeram et al.44
reported that COX-1 (24.9%) and COX-2 (36.6%)
enzyme activity was inhibited through tart cherry
anthocyanins, suggesting tart cherries antiinflammatory actions have a greater affinity for COX-2
inhibition. Results from this study however, should be
treated with caution as it was not conducted using invivo methods.
Recent research has also suggested that reducing
oxidative stress through antioxidant supplementation
might actually inhibit adaptation by reducing the
endogenous antioxidant response and mitochondrial
biogenesis.43 It is proposed that a spike in ROS
production following strenuous exercise acts as a
signalling pathway for the production of the
aforementioned endogenous antioxidants. This notion is
supported by the work of Gomez-Cabrera et al.22 who
found that the use of exogenous antioxidants inhibited
the response of the ROS, xanthine oxidase (XO), which
acts as a cell signalling molecule in cellular adaptation.
However, as discussed by Cobley and Close in the
summer 2010 edition of Professional Strength and
Conditioning,11 it is possible that antioxidant
supplementation may only act negatively upon
untrained individuals. Work from their laboratory has
demonstrated no negative impact upon performance
following antioxidant supplementation (Vitamin C)
during a four-week interval training programme using
recreationally active participants.11 To date, there are
no training studies investigating the effect TCJ
supplementation on training adaptation.
It is important to recognise that although there is some
reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation following
TCJ supplementation, it does not abolish the response.
Rather, it dampens the response and manages the
inflammation and oxidative stress. There is no evidence
to suggest that adaptation will be inhibited, although
there is clearly a need to investigate this further.
Notwithstanding, many sports, particularly field sports,
have a hectic playing schedule and recovery for the
next competition/match/training session is the most
important factor, not necessarily adapting from the
stimulus. So intuitively, based on current evidence, TCJ
presents a natural and viable intervention to accelerate
the recovery process.
Clinical Use
The properties of TCJ open the door to investigating it
as a supplement for those suffering from a number of
pathologies. In particular, chronic inflammatory diseases
such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and spondylitis may
benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of TCJ.
Recent literature investigated the effect of sweet Bing
cherries upon plasma urate levels.30 High levels of
plasma urate and uric acid are strongly associated with
gout. The authors found that plasma urate and
inflammation indices, C-RP and nitric oxide (NO), were
significantly reduced in healthy females following

14
consumption of the cherries. Tart cherries compare

favourably in terms of anthocyanin content in
comparison with the previously used sweet Bing
cherries (9.1 mg.mL-1 v 3.8 mg.mL-1), suggesting the
effect could be greater with TCJ. Nevertheless, it
appears as though cherries may exhibit properties
beneficial to gout sufferers, although it must be
emphasised that healthy volunteers were utilised in this
study and further work using symptomatic participants
is necessary prior to drawing definitive conclusions.
In addition to the high level of antioxidants, TCJ is also
high in melatonin content which is critical in regulating
sleep.42 Sleep is often the forgotten element in
recovery and does not get the respect it deserves. We
know that disturbed sleep can result in impaired
physical39 and mental performance; athletes often
suffer from disturbed sleep, which can be as the result
of numerous factors, such as muscle soreness,
travelling time zones and a high training load. Sleep is
also a vital time in which the rate of protein synthesis,
glycogen synthesis and cell division is increased. In a
recent study, Pigeon et al.42 investigated this in a pilot
study of older adults with disturbed sleep. They
showed moderate benefits following the consumption of
a TCJ blend. Work in our laboratory25 has recently
investigated the use of a TCJ concentrate upon sleep
variables and found total sleep time and sleep
efficiency is improved and urinary melatonin is
increased in healthy men and women. Consequently,
interventions such as TCJ might help to improve sleep
quality and regulate the circadian rhythm which clearly
have potential implications for athletic populations
across a number of scenarios.
Conclusions
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
The proposed beneficial effects of TCJ are wide

ranging, and are supported with good rationale and
provisional experimental data. Improving recovery
times following strenuous exercise is without doubt a
desirable outcome for coaches and athletes at all levels
of competition. There is a great deal of conjecture
regarding the manipulation of the inflammatory and
oxidative stress responses at the cost of adaptation;
however, it is important to recognise that this has not
been demonstrated with any functional food and
therefore, offers an opportunity for an experimental
evidence base. Importantly, this should not dissuade
athletes from using TCJ during intense competition
periods, where the goal is to recover functional
capacity at an accelerated rate. Although the current
evidence is positive, there are only a handful of studies
in the literature using TCJ in exercise paradigms.
Consequently the need for research that identifies
dosing strategies, timing of supplementation and
effects upon specific sporting scenarios is warranted
and would help coaches and athletes make more
informed decisions on the suitability of TCJ as a
valuable adjunct intervention to support training and
nutrition.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
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16
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH
Squatting is a balance
skill: An alternative
technical model
Dan Cleather, PhD
Lead Summary
This article presents a new perspective on the squat skill. It is argued
that a key skill when squatting is the ability to maintain balance
throughout the movement and it is suggested that many technical errors
can be understood as inappropriate attempts by the athlete to maintain
balance. In addition, a description of the correct technical model is
framed within the understanding of squatting as a balance skill.
The purpose of this article is to present an alternative approach to the
analysis and coaching of the squat lift. This is principally based upon the
profound insights that can be garnered by a consideration of the stability
demands of the exercise. It is the authors opinion that a lack of detailed
understanding of the subtler aspects of squat technique can compromise
the ability of coaches to rapidly teach effective, safe and deep squatting.
Instead, many coaches consider that an athletes inability to squat well is
a consequence of anatomical limitations (be they structural or
functional), and that engendering good squat technique is often a long
and arduous process. In this article, it is suggested that in many cases,
the impediment to rapid acquisition of the squat skill is due to poor
coaching11 and a fixation upon these perceived anatomical limitations.
The purpose of this article is not to describe a detailed technical model of
the squat lift for the beginning coach this has already been well
established.112 Instead, this article assumes a degree of familiarity with
the exercise and addresses itself to a consideration of the finer aspects of
the technique.
The analytical crux of this article is a consideration of stability during
squatting, and the contention that squatting is a balance skill. In particular,
the stability of the squatting athlete is analysed by considering the
instantaneous projection of the athletes centre of mass (PCOM) on their
base of support (BOS). Elementary physics tells us that the closer the
PCOM to the edge of the BOS, the less stable the athlete. If, at any time,
the PCOM traverses outside of the BOS, the athlete is likely to fall, due to
their inability to impress significant horizontal forces or accelerations during
the squat lift. These concepts are depicted in Figure 1.
Dan is a lecturer in strength and
conditioning science at St Marys
University College. Prior to this he spent 6
years working as a strength coach for the
English Institute of Sport. He began his
career gaining experience within the US
collegiate system.
Dan has a PhD in Bioengineering from
Imperial College London and is particularly
interested in using musculoskeletal
modelling techniques to understand
functional anatomy.
Dan also served as the Director of
Finance and Administration of the
UKSCA for 4 years.
A key coaching cue that has been suggested within the literature is to
instruct an athlete to initiate the lift by sitting back.4,12 It is the authors
opinion that this is a fully appropriate coaching cue, although this is by
no means unanimous within the coaching literature.2 It is informative
however, to consider the movement of the PCOM of the athlete as they
progressively push their hips backwards during the initiation of the squat.
If all other things remain equal as the depth of the squat increases, and
the athlete sits back, the PCOM moves to the rear of the BOS decreasing
the athletes stability. Ultimately, if they continue this movement the
PCOM will move outside of the BOS and the athlete will fall backwards. It
is common to see athletes who have been coached with an emphasis on
sitting back who squat with excellent spinal posture (also generally due
to good coaching), but who cannot achieve any appreciable depth. This is
because the imperative to continue sitting back makes it mechanically
impossible to achieve any extra depth without taking their PCOM outside
of their BOS support (Figure 2).

Figure 1a.
Figure 1b.
Figure 1c.
Figure 1a. As the

athlete begins to
squat, their PCOM is
within their BOS
resulting in a stable
technique.
Figure 1b. At the
bottom of this squat,
the athlete has
adopted a technique
that still keeps their
PCOM within their
BOS.
Figure 1c. In this
image, the athlete
has pushed their hips
too far back, taking
the PCOM outside of
the BOS causing the
athlete to
overbalance.
Figure 2.
This author contends therefore, that the main reason for technical
errors within squatting is a lack of ability of athletes to solve this
balance challenge. How can more depth be achieved while
maintaining the PCOM within the BOS? There are a variety of poor
strategies that are employed to solve this problem, which will be
presented first, prior to a description of the authors opinion as to
the correct movement solution.
By far the most common approach to maintaining balance is to
knee bend. This refers to an excessive anterior translation of the
knees relative to the ankle joint. It is immediately obvious how
knee bending allows an athlete to maintain stability, as the action
of knee bending clearly creates a forward shift of the athletes
mass (Figure 3). In fact, it is common for the uncoached athlete to
adopt a knee bending movement strategy from the initiation of the
squat lift, and the author believes that this is a consequence of the
need to maintain stability and could be construed as a natural and
justifiable self preservation instinct. To initially sit back and move
the PCOM backwards would decrease the athletes stability and so
they prefer to knee bend, thereby keeping their PCOM relatively
central. However, from the point of view of good squat technique
this adaptation is poor, not only for the reasons outlined above, but
also because the point at which an athlete knee bends, tends to
signal the bottom of the achievable depth. This is because the
degree to which the athlete is able to use this strategy to keep the
PCOM within the BOS is limited by the range of motion (ROM) at
the ankle. Once the athlete has reached the end of this range, they
cannot achieve additional squat depth by employing this movement
strategy. This has led to the perception that ankle ROM is a major
restriction to squat depth a belief that will be challenged below.
Figure 2. This athlete has initiated the squat

movement by sitting back. At this point they
have taken their PCOM to the edge of the BOS.
The athlete cannot descend any further by
sitting back, and so must adopt another
movement strategy to continue.
It is interesting to note that athletes will often knee bend at a

variety of depths. The most dramatic is in the knee bend initiator.
Another common squat pattern is that of the coached athlete who
initially sits back, but then upon reaching the limiting point with
this strategy, then knee bends to gain additional depth. Equally,

18
Figure 3.
Figure 3. A knee bending athlete. The athlete has kept the

PCOM within the BOS by excessive ankle dorsi-flexion.
However at this point the athlete has reached the end of their
ankle ROM and thus cannot descend further using this
movement strategy.
athletes can knee bend at deeper positions within the

squat, even towards rock bottom. What is important to
observe however, is that in most cases, the initiation of
knee bending predicates the limit of squat depth.
An alternative strategy that athletes may use to
maintain their equilibrium is to lean forwards with
increasing squat depth (Figure 4).2 This solution is less
common, probably due to the greater shearing it places
on the spine, but again is clearly understandable in
terms of the obvious effect on the PCOM. This folding
of the body sometimes accompanies some knee
bending. Typically, athletes who use a combination of
these strategies will first push their hips back, then
knee bend and finally lean forward, as they continue to
struggle for depth. It is interesting to observe however,
that the forward leaning movement strategy is
employed successfully and safely by many powerlifters
to increase the stability of the squat. In powerlifting,
many athletes place a considerable emphasis on
continuing to push their hips backwards, and this is
equilibrated by a large amount of forward lean. In the
sport of powerlifting this is achievable, as the
competitive depth demanded by the sport is restricted.
To achieve a deeper squat using this style requires a
great deal of flexibility at the hip, particularly in the hip
adductors.
The author contends that both of the movement
strategies above are based upon a common
kinaesthetic limitation in the way athletes visualise the
squat skill. Often, these movement strategies seem to
use purely sagittal plane movements to solve the
balance challenge. Athletes seem to use the joints of
Figure 4a. A powerlifting style squat. The athlete pushes their
hips back, but maintains the PCOM within the BOS by taking a
greater flexion at the hip.
Figure 4a.
Figure 4b. Similarly to Figure 4a, the adoption of spinal flexion

will move the PCOM forwards.
Figure 4b.

Figure 5a.
Figure 5b.
Figure 5c.
Figure 5c. Front view of an athlete

using external hip rotation to achieve a
deep squat position.
Figure 5a and Figure 5b. In these figures the athlete uses his ability to externally
rotate the hip to allow the pelvis to travel forward, moving the PCOM forward and
maintaining balance.
the lower limb purely as hinges, using only flexion and

extension to manipulate the PCOM, ignoring the
capability of the joints (and particularly the hip) to
provide non-sagittal plane rotations. This imperfect
understanding of the squat skill leads to the erroneous
belief that ankle ROM is a limiting factor. It is true that
if squatting is considered in the sagittal plane alone,
then the need to maintain the PCOM over the BOS
requires a large ROM at the ankle. However, humans
have the capacity to move in 3D. Of course, an athlete
who has sufficient mobility at the ankle to allow them
to knee bend sufficiently to maintain their PCOM over
their BOS, even at the bottom of the squat, will be able
to select this movement strategy. It is then up to the
coach to decide if this is the desirable model. Certainly,
the author has worked with athletes who can achieve a
safe and effective squat with their feet together an
extreme example of a solely sagittal plane squat.
The appropriate method by which squat range can be
achieved safely is therefore to use the rotation capacity
of the hip to maintain the PCOM over the BOS. An
external rotation of the femur about the pelvis permits
the hips to travel forwards, keeping the PCOM within
the BOS and allowing the athlete to maintain their
stability. For those who struggle to perform the squat
balance skill, the authors have found it fruitful to break
the squat descent into two phases. The first phase is
based upon the traditional approach whereby the
athlete sits back moving the PCOM towards the rear of
the BOS. However, as depth increases, the athlete
must be taught to externally rotate the hip, dropping
the pelvis between the legs and allowing the pelvis to
travel forwards, restoring the stability of the athlete.
Thus the coaching model could be characterised as
encouraging an initial backwards movement of the

hips, followed by a forward shift of the hips (Figure 5).
Of course, in skilful squatters the external rotation of
the femur is coupled with backwards movement of the
hip, eliminating dramatic changes in the PCOM within
the BOS. Thus, the degree of external rotation of the
hip is the key strategy by which an athlete can
maintain their stability.
The author believes that an appropriate use of the
rotation capacity of the hip is a panacea that can
address many squatting ills. The reason that many
coaching interventions fail is because the movement
strategy an athlete selects is based upon the need to
maintain their balance and that the subconscious fear
of overbalancing is a substantial barrier to proper
technique. Athletes are thus unable to make the
changes that are directed, unless they are taught an
alternative balance strategy. For instance, it is hard for
an athlete with excessive forward lean to be more
upright without reducing their stability. However, if they
are cued to take more rotation at the hip coupled with
an attempt to be more upright they can often easily
change their movement strategy. This also explains the
success of using methods that increase the stability of
the athlete. For example, beginning athletes often find
it easier to squat if they hold a weight (or even just
their arms) in front of them (Figure 6).
Equally, the balance imperative is informative in
understanding the influence of anatomy. For instance it
has been suggested that an athlete with short legs and
a long torso is built for squatting but why? Firstly, short
lower limbs result in less posterior movement of the
PCOM. Secondly, and probably more importantly, the
longer torso makes it much easier for the athlete to

20
Figure 6.
patellofemoral pain will often lead an athlete to adopt a

squatting style with their hips further back and balance
achieved through forward flexion of the trunk. The
advantage of this style for these athletes is that it
allows the tibia to be more vertical, and as a
consequence, loading the anterior structures of the
knee less, thereby provoking less pain.
The author hopes that this article will bring an often
overlooked technical aspect of squatting to the
attention of the strength and conditioning community.
The article started with the contentious statement that
in many cases poor coaching skill retards the
development of athletes. Certainly, the author has
found that a focus on teaching the balance skill of
squatting facilitates a very rapid acquisition of the
rudiments of this skill in most cases, as has been
suggested should be the case.11 Of course, athletes will
have anatomical limitations which affect their ability to
squat well, and these must be improved over time.
However, the author contends that often athletes are
capable of achieving much better techniques in very
short time periods if they are taught correctly. It is
often worth asking whether, when an athlete is slow to
acquire a skill, is it the fault of the athlete, or should
the coach focus on improving their own ability to coach
that skill.
References
Figure 6. Squat techniques that allow the athlete to
counterbalance the backwards movement of their hips can
make squatting easier for the beginning athlete.
move a larger proportion of the upper body mass

forwards with only a modest amount of forward lean.
In contrast, an athlete with a shorter torso will require
much more forward lean to create the same effect on
their PCOM.
In this article, the author contends that ankle ROM is
not a limiting factor to squat depth, (although it is
clearly advantageous and balance considerations make
the utility of weightlifting shoes with raised heels
obvious). In the authors experience it is very rare to
find an athlete who cannot achieve a deep squat due to
a lack of ankle ROM. The author does not intend to
suggest however, that flexibility does not play a role in
good squat technique. In fact, the ability to use the hip
appropriately requires a large degree of hip mobility.
Equally, a lack of thoracic mobility can often
compromise the safety of a squat. However, it is the
authors experience that in the vast majority of cases
these limitations do not preclude deep safe squatting.
Of course, the mechanics of individuals are highly
variable, and the examples given in this article are
generalisations based upon the authors experience.
The determinants of a good squat technique are multifactorial, however, it is the premise of this article that
the imperative to balance is the driving factor behind
many squatting technical errors. Of course, some
errors have a different root. For instance,
1.
Brown, L.: Which Way to Do the Squat

Exercise?. Strength & Conditioning. 20,
6566 (1998).
2. Chiu, L.Z.F. et al.: Sitting Back in the
Squat. Strength and Conditioning Journal.
31, 2527 (2009).
3. Chiu, L.Z.F., Burkhardt, E.: A Teaching
Progression for Squatting Exercises.
Strength and Conditioning Journal. 33,
4654 (2011).
4. Cissik, J.: Coaching the front squat.
Strength & Conditioning Journal. 22, 712
(2000).
5. Comfort, P., Kasim, P.: Optimizing squat
technique. Strength & Conditioning Journal.
29, 1013 (2007).
6. Frounfelter, G.: A Progression for Teaching
Athletes to do Squat Exercises. Strength &
Conditioning. 19, 14-17 (1997).
7. Graham, J.: Back Squat. Strength &
Conditioning Journal. 23, 2829 (2001).
8. Graham, J.: Front Squat. Strength &
Conditioning Journal. 24, 7576 (2002).
9. Pierce, K.: Back squat; one-leg squat.
Strength & Conditioning. 19, 2021 (1997).
10. Pierce, K.: Front squat and belt squat.
Strength & Conditioning. 19, 6061 (1997).
11. Rippetoe, M.: Lets learn how to coach the
squat. 23, 1112 (2001).
12. Waller, M., Townsend, R.: The front squat
and its variations. Strength & Conditioning
Journal. 29, 1419 (2007).

Land-based
conditioning for
UK-based surfers
John Metcalfe BA (Hons), MSc., Ph.D., ASCC and
John Kelly BSc (Hons), MSc.
Introduction
John Metcalfe
John is a senior lecturer at the
University of Central Lancashire.
His research interests are in factors
affecting performance in adventure
sports. He is also a mountain bike
coach and author of Mountain Bike
Fitness Training (ISBN:
1840188588) and Dividing the
Great (ASIN: B005U0OHTA).
Surfing in the UK has increased in popularity in recent years with an estimated

number of participants in excess of 500,000.23 Improvements in wetsuit
materials and construction have had a positive impact on the sport by allowing
surfers to spend more time in the water.26 This has also given surfers the
freedom to pursue surfing in much colder conditions than was previously
possible and has led to big-wave breaks such as Thurso, Scotland featuring in
the international ONeill Coldwater Classic Series.21 Furthermore, readily
available wave-buoy data, coupled with the advent of reliable wave-prediction
internet sites, have meant the sport is no longer limited to coastal dwellers
but also to those individuals living in land-locked counties. With nowhere in
the UK being more than 70 miles from the sea, surfers are only ever a few
hours drive away from a coastline when the waves are ideal. However, ideal
waves are at the mercy of oceanic and meteorological factors, with many
variables including the correct combination of swells, winds and tides needed
for optimal conditions.6 The vacillating nature of the prerequisites of waves
means that ideal conditions are often sporadic and are routinely punctuated
with weeks or even months of poor conditions. The irregularity of suitable
waves in the UK means that it is difficult for surfers to use surfing to get fit;
the duration, intensity and frequency of surfing are dictated by environmental
conditions, thus making it problematic to plan water-based training
workouts.19,20 Furthermore, despite surfing sessions lasting up to several hours,
only a small duration is actually spent riding the waves resulting in a limited
training effect.18 Instead, surfers need to be physically conditioned beforehand
in order to perform optimally in the water and avoid injury.18 This training
approach is also of importance to those UK-based surfers who surf at
international destinations. A land-based strength and conditioning programme
is therefore a much needed component of any UK surfers physical preparation
for the sport.
Thurso, Scotland
John Kelly
John is a senior lecturer at the
University of Chichester. His research
interests are in autonomic function
and performance enhancement in
adventure sports.
Table 1: Surfing-specific stability exercises.
Exercise
Rationale
Medicine ball squats on balance board
Improve proprioception and

balance.
On a core board (or surfing-specific Indo Board), the athlete

should perform a body weight squat whilst holding a medicine ball
out at arms length. Once the thighs are parallel to the ground the
athlete should return to the standing position.
Single leg squats on stability cushion
The athlete should hold a medicine ball in both hands and stand
on one leg on a stability cushion. Once in the half-squat position
the free leg should be extended and the athlete should reach
toward the extended leg with the ball. An equal number of
repetitions should be performed with the other leg.
Develop medial/lateral hip

stabilisers and improve
proprioception and balance.
This exercise also helps
address left/right asymmetry.
Back hyperextension on balance board
Improve muscular endurance

in the spinal erector muscles
The athlete should lie prone on a balance board on a stability
cushion. With arms extended in front, the chest and legs should be to maintain good paddling
raised as high as possible into a superman position. With feet kept posture. Also improve
together, the athlete should look backwards over the right
References
24
1,9
shoulder and extend the right hand to touch the right heel. This
should be repeated to the left side.
Swim strokes with tubing lying on a stability ball
The athlete should lie prone on a stability ball with feet on the
floor, vertebrae hyperextended and head looking forward. With
elastic tubing (or paddle-specific Power Stroke cord) suitably
anchored in front, the athlete should take hold of the handles and
perform an alternating paddling motion.
Qualitative analysis of surfing

Surfing has been described as a stochastic sport
comprising of high-intensity bouts of exercise
punctuated with medium-intensity activity.18,19 The
typical activities that comprise a surfing session can be
characterised as follows:
1) The paddle-out This requires the surfer to be in a
prone position and paddle out to the line-up (beyond
the breaking waves) mainly under propulsion provided
by the arms. When paddling, the surfer is typically in
vertebrae hyperextension, with only the abdomen in
contact with the surfboard.9 This posture allows
circumduction at the shoulder for paddling and enables
the surfer to view their surrounding environment.9,15,22
Depending upon the conditions, the paddle-out may
require duck-dives. Duck-dives require the surfer to
powerfully push the surfboard under approaching
waves before resurfacing and resuming the paddleout.9,13,19 This manoeuvre may be required several times
before arriving at the line-up.
2) Sitting and manoeuvring into position Once at
the line-up, the surfer may sit balanced on the board,
face out to sea and wait for approaching waves, or be
required to paddle into position and counter the effects
of drifting or rip currents.
3) Power strokes Once a wave has been chosen, the
surfer must turn to face the shore, assume a prone
position and quickly accelerate the board in order to
get on to the approaching wave. The acceleration is
achieved by employing four or five powerful paddle
strokes.
4) The pop-up Once the wave has successfully been
caught, the surfer must drive explosively from the
prone position to the upright position.
5) Manoeuvring the board Once in the upright
position, the surfer must powerfully manoeuvre the
Develop the muscular

endurance of the paddling
muscles and improve
board along the face of the wave. The stance is

typically a quarter to half-squat position, feet slightly
wider than shoulder-width with one foot near the rear
of the board and the other towards the middle of the
board.9,18 The above activities are subsequently
repeated in a sequential manner for the duration of the
surfing session.
Physical demands of surfing

In a study examining an hour of recreational surfing,
Meir et al.17 reported that 44% of the time was spent
paddling, 35% was spent sitting waiting for waves, 5%
spent riding waves with the remaining times involved
in other activities (duck-diving, retrieving the board,
wading etc.). Similar findings have been reported by
Mendez-Villanueva, Bishop and Hamer20 for competition
surfing. Research has found that during a simulated
competition heat, the mean heart rate of the surfers
was 84% of their laboratory-measured peak heart rate
and that they spent over a quarter of the time in
excess of 90% heart rate peak.18 Mendez-Villanueva et
al.19 investigated the upper-body aerobic fitness of two
groups of competitive surfers (European and regional
levels). Thirteen participants performed an incremental
dry-land paddle-board test to determine peak oxygen
uptake, peak power output and the exercise intensity
that corresponded to a lactate concentration of 4
mmolL-1. The participants were also ranked in
accordance with their competitive season performance.
Two notable findings from this study were that peak
power output and the exercise intensity at a lactate
concentration of 4 mmolL-1 were statistically greater
for the European level surfers than the regional ones,
and that peak power output was the most strongly
correlated variable with the ranked position (r = -0.67,
p = 0.01). Although the authors did not determine
causality, this would suggest that upper-body power
output plays an important role in surfing performance.

24
Table 2: Movement-specific surfing exercises.
Exercise
Rationale
References
Press-up with reverse crunch
This movement pattern is similar to

The athlete should lie prone in the press-up position with a that during the pop-up. This exercise
stability ball under both ankles (a suspension system, can also helps address left/right
asymmetry. Muscular endurance and
also be used). The athlete should perform a press-up
speed of movement can be
followed by a reverse crunch by drawing the knees into
the chest. This exercise can be progressed by having just developed.
one leg suspended on the ball.
Squat thrusts
The athlete should begin in a squat position with the

hands on the floor. The feet are kicked back into a pressup position and then immediately returned to the squat
position.
This movement pattern is similar to

that during the pop-up. This exercise
also helps address left/right
asymmetry. Explosive power and
speed in the pop-up manoeuvre can
be developed.
Plyo press-ups with medicine ball
Increases pop-up explosiveness.
24
In the press-up position with a medicine ball under one

hand, the athlete should perform an explosive press-up so
that the hands leave the floor and the ball. The ball should
be tapped gently so that the athlete lands with the
opposite hand on the medicine ball.
Pronated pull up
From a hanging position with a pronated grip, the chest is
pulled up to the bar. This exercise can be assisted with a
band or partner to increase the velocity of the movement.
A closed-chain kinetic exercise

replicating the movement pattern of
paddling.
Assisted muscle up (on rings or bar)

From a hanging position the chest is pulled up to the
paddling.
rings. In a fluid movement the chest is rolled over the
bottom of the rings followed by a press to extended arms.
This exercise can be assisted with a band or partner to
increase the velocity of the movement.
Alternate arm rope ladder climb
Using a vertical rope-ladder the body is pulled up the
ladder by the arms only. The arms are used alternatively
with a pronated grip on the rungs. The range of the reach
and pull should be as far as possible (skipping some
rungs). This exercise can be assisted with a band or
partner to increase the velocity of the movement.
It is plausible that the role upper-body power output
plays could be during the power strokes and the popup manoeuvres performed at key moments when
catching a wave. It should also be noted that, in
general, the larger the wave the faster it is moving6
and as such, more power would be required to catch
the larger more technically demanding waves.
During the paddle-out considerable upper-body
muscular endurance and aerobic power are required.18
These components are often developed as a result of
the time spent paddling during free-surfing sessions.17,18
They can be developed further by incorporating
freestyle swimming and swimming ergometer
workouts, which can be used to address any shortfall in
training load when surfing conditions are poor.9 In

paddling.
addition, the upper-body must be capable of producing

intermittent power during the power strokes and also
the pop-up.18 Sitting in the line-up, duck diving and
manoeuvring the board require a considerable amount
of core strength to remain balanced. During the pop up
the lower body must move explosively into position,
and once upright and riding the wave, leg strength,
power and balance are needed.9 In addition, high levels
of flexibility, coordination and proprioception are
required.18
Surfing-specific exercises
Like most sports, surfing requires triple flexion and
extension movement patterns and demands that the
body is orchestrated in a coordinated and powerful
Figure 1: Example periodised plan for surfing. AR = Active Rest; SC = Surf Camp.
Month
Mesocycle
Jan
AR
Feb
Mar
Base Fitness
Apr
Strength
May
Jun
Power
Jul
SC
Aug
Specific
Sept
Oct
Nov
PeakFitness
Dec
AR

Table 3: Injury prevention exercises.
Exercise
Rationale
Ys and Ts
Increase the stability of the

scapular.
The athlete should lie prone with arms extended out to form a Y
with the torso. The thumbs should be pointing vertically upward.
The scapular should be drawn together and the arms raised whilst
maintaining the thumb position. For the T, the athlete should do
exactly the same only create a T with the arms and torso.
Rotator cuff stretch
The athlete should kneel on the floor, sit on the heels and lower
the chest to the thighs. The arms should be extended above the
head in a pronated position. The athlete should extend one arm
even further and supinate the palm. This should be repeated for
the other side.
Soleus stretch
The athlete should stand with one leg in front of the other with
both knees flexed. With the focus on the back calf the bodyweight
should be moved forwards whilst maintaining the back heel on the
ground.
manner. As such, Olympic lifts and ballistic exercises
(squats, power cleans, power snatches, split jerks,
presses, rows and pulls) should form the basis of a
surfers training plan. In addition to working the
muscles over the full range of motion and helping
prevent injury, these exercises also enable the athletes
to maximise their return on their efforts,7 thus freeing
up time and energy to devote to other aspects of their
technical surf training. This is an important aspect, as
technical mastery of the relevant surfing skills is the
most important contributor to surfing performance18
and competitive success is entirely based on the
qualitative assessment of wave-riding ability.13 Whilst
these fundamental exercises are integral to a surfers
training programme, it is not the purpose of this article
to review them as they are detailed extensively
elsewhere.3,7,10 Rather, this article will review surfspecific exercises and practices that have been
purported to enhance performance.
Surf-specific exercises
Surfboard riding occurs in one of the most unstable
sporting environments and thus, requires core
stability and balance. As such, functional exercises
that enhance neuromuscular responses to an unstable
environment, such as those performed on balance
boards and stability balls, have been proposed to be
key aspects of surf training.1 Such exercises are
summarised in Table 1.
It should be noted however, that a surf board is only
relatively unstable when stationary or slow moving
and becomes increasingly stable with increasing
velocity. As such, the board is at its most unstable
during the initial power strokes, pop-up and dropping
down the wave, but once moving along the wave face
it becomes increasingly stable. During the wave riding
aspect, the surfers movements become less reactive
to the unstable board and more proactive in
preparation for the anticipated changes of the wave
face. This stable platform at speed provides a further,
albeit anecdotal, rationale for the inclusion of the
Olympic and ballistic exercises highlighted earlier.
In the absence of ideal surf conditions it follows that
movement specific exercises should be included in the
land-based sessions. Emphasis should be placed on
force-length, force-velocity and force direction and also
This exercise improves

mobility in the shoulder girdle
and the stability of the
scapular.
1,24
Increase ankle dorsi flexion

to allow for greater mobility
in the dropped-knee waveriding position to alleviate
knee valgus.
the avoidance muscular imbalances.11 Reported

movement-specific exercises are summarised in Table
2.
The exercise swim strokes with tubing lying on a
stability ball in Table 1 has intuitive appeal, however
it is an open-chain kinetic exercise insofar as the
hands are pulled towards the body, whereas when
paddling, the ideal movement is closed-chain kinetic
where the surfer and board are pulled towards the
paddling hand. This is obviously based on the paddle
stroke being 100% efficient, and the reality is
probably somewhere between the two extremes.
Although there is very little research in this area and
data scarce, increasingly, strength and conditioning
practitioners in the field are advocating the use of
closed-chain kinetic exercises such as the pronated
pull up, assisted muscle up, and alternate arm rope
ladder climb (Table 2). In these exercises the body is
pulled towards the hands.
Periodisation
Whilst fickle at the micro level, swells tend to follow
seasonal variations with an increased probability of
favourable conditions during autumn and early
winter.6,26 This, coupled with competitions and
scheduled international surf-camps, means
periodisation of training in order to develop optimum
performance has been purported to be relevant to
surfing.9 Figure 1 details a hypothetical periodised
plan for a surfer aiming to reach peak condition
during autumn/early winter in order to take
advantage of the ideal surf conditions
During the Base Fitness mesocycle, aerobic power and
muscular endurance should be developed. This can be
achieved through freestyle swimming, swimming and
rowing ergometer training and low-level free-surfing
(when conditions allow).17,18 High repetitions (15+)16 of
squats, presses, rows, pulls and the surf-specific
exercises detailed above should also be included. In
the strength mesocycle the goal is to maintain the
aerobic power of the surfer whilst developing
strength. The selection of exercises should remain
similar to the subsequent cycle, but repetition
maximum range should be 10-12.16
The power phase should also include power cleans,

26
References
power snatches, split jerks, squat

thrusts and plyometric push-ups. The
goal of this mesocycle is to develop the
athletes power production in order to
execute the power strokes and the
pop-up movements that are crucial to
surfing performance.18 The purpose of
the surf camp in early July is to allow a
period of consolidation of the physical
and technical aspects of the training
plan. The goal of the specific cycle is to
further hone the fitness developed
during the surf camp in preparation for
the upcoming autumn swells.
Depending on the intensity and volume
of the surf camp, this cycle may need
to be bookended with recovery and
taper weeks in order to meet the
desired workload and avoid
overreaching. This cycle will require
the strength and conditioning coach to
adopt a reactive approach and respond
to oceanic and metorological conditions
as ideal surf may be occur prematurely
at the end of August/early September.
However, the widely used periodised
model has been questioned recently
insofar as, despite its popularity, there
is little empirical evidence to support
it.8 Furthermore Kiely14 notes that
periodisation is a mechanistic model
applied to a complex adaptive
organism and that it is unlikely that
there is a one-size-fits-all plan for any
given objectives. He goes on to state
that it is impossible to accurately
predict an athletes response to
training and therefore, it is erroneous
to advance-plan preparation
programmes. The suggested reasons
for the lack of predictive power are
that an athletes adaptation to any
training session is the interaction of
several responses including: the
training load; genetics; training
history; and transient states (biological
functioning, psychological frame of
mind, and social factors).14 In a similar
vein, meteorologists find it difficult to
predict long-term weather conditions
due to transient influential factors. It is
therefore, a difficult task for the
strength and conditioning coach to
combine both transient models and
accurately predict the surfers
adaptation to a periodised training
plan.
Once again, the solution probably lies
somewhere between the two schools of
thought (and is why Figure 1 is
somewhat general). With regard to a
surfers training plan, the strength and
conditioning coach should manipulate
the mesocycles to address the athletes
specific goals4 and be flexible enough
to react to the transient biological,
oceanic and meteorological
conditions.14 This will require dynamic
adaptation of the exercise intensity and
volume of the land-based training in order to maintain

the desired training load.
6.
Surfing injuries
7.
Several studies have investigated the incidence of

surfing injuries7,12,16,25 with a reported incidence rate of
approximately 14% of participants being affected. In
general, acute traumatic lacerations and contusions to
the head and lower-limbs account for the vast
majority of those reported.9 Chronic injuries of the
shoulder, neck and lower back make up the
remainder, with a greater incidence of occurrence
reported for competitive surfers compared to
recreational surfers.12 Rotator cuff injuries comprise
the majority of shoulder related injuries and it is
therefore good practice to include rotator cuff
exercises within the programme9 (Table 3).
Very few studies have investigated the aetiology of
surfing injuries and therefore there is a paucity of
empirical data. Anecdotal reports from strength and
conditioning coaches working with surfers identify
high eccentric loading as a key cause of acute lower
limb injury. Such loading occurs when landing aerials
and re-entries, and would suggest that it would be
prudent to include activities that develop landing
stability and control, such as drop jumps, into the
programme. Everline9 hypothesises that knee valgus
occurs during wave-riding manoeuvres and that the
stress that this creates may contribute to chronic
lower limb injuries. Anecdotally, this view is supported
by strength and conditioning practitioners in the field
and highlights the importance of the inclusion of the
Olympic and ballistic lifts highlighted previously in
order to strengthen the joints. Contributing factors to
back leg knee valgus during the wave riding stance
may include reduced internal-rotation at the hip and
limited dorsi-flexion at the ankle. Once again, there is
a paucity of empirical data, though it would appear
prudent to include exercises to increase mobility in
these joints.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Conclusions
The unpredictable nature of the surfing environment
provides a challenge for the strength and conditioning
coach, both in terms of exercise selection, and being
able to get the surfer in peak condition at a specific
point in time. It would appear that the strength and
conditioning coach must incorporate a high degree of
flexibility into both the training and the planning in
order to adapt to the ever changing biological and
environmental conditions. This task is made all the
more difficult due to the relative lack of empirical
research and highlights that surfing performance
continues to be a research need.
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Anthony, L. (2003) Surf Conditioning. Idea Personal

Trainer. May.
Baker, D., Wilson, G. and Carlyon, R. (1994) Periodization:
the effect on strength of manipulating volume and
intensity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,
8, 235-242.
Beachle, T. R., Earle, R. W. (2008) Essentials of Strength
Training and Conditioning. Human Kinetics.
Bompa, T. (1999) Periodization: Theory and Methodology.
Human Kinetics
Brewer, C. (2005) Strength and conditioning for games
19.
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21.
22.
23.
24.
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players. Sports Coach UK.

Butt, T., Russell, P. and Grigg, R. (2004) Surf Science
(Second Edition). University of Hawaii Press
Cissik, J. (2012) Strength and Conditioning. A concise
introduction. Routledge. London.
Cissik, J. Hendrick, A. Barnes, M. (2008) Challenges
Applying the research on periodization. Strength and
Conditioning Journal, 30(1), 45-51.
Everline, C. (2007) Shortboard Performance Surfing: A
Qualitative Assessment of Maneuvers and a Sample
Periodized Strength and Conditioning Program In and Out
of the Water. National Strength and Conditioning
Association 29(3), 32-40.
Foran, B. (2000) High Performance Sports Conditioning.
Human Kinetics.
Graham-Smith, P., Comfort, P., Jones, P. Matthews, M.
(2012) Movement specificity what does it mean?
Professional Strength and Conditioning, 24, 10-12.
Hay, C.S.M., Barton, S. and Sulkin, T. (2009)
Recreational surfing injuries in Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 20, 335-338.
Kempton, J. (2008) Surfing: The Manual: Advanced.
Hedonist Surf Company Pty Ltd.
Kiely, J. (2011) Planning for physical performance: the
individual perspective. In Collins, D., Button, A, and
Richards, H. (Eds) Performance psychology: a
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London.
Lowdon, B. J. and Pateman, N. A. (1980) Physiological
parameters of international surfers. Australian Journal of
Sports Medicine. 12, 30-33.
Lowdon, B. J., Pitman, A.J., Peaman, N. A. and Ross, K.
(1987) Sports traumatology: Injuries to international
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Meir, R. A., Lowdon, B. J., Davie, A. J. (1991) Heart rates
and estimated energy expenditure during recreational
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Sport 23, 70-74.
Mendez-Villaneuva, A. and Bishop, D. (2005)
Physiological aspects of surfboard riding performance.
Sports Medicine, 35(1), 55-70.
Mendez-Villaneuva, A., Perez-Landaluce, J., Bishop, D.,
Fernandez-Garcia, B., Ortolano, R., Leibar, X. and
Terrafos, N. (2005) Upper body aerobic fitness
comparison between two groups of competitive surfboard
riders. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 8(1), 4351.
Mendez-Villanueva, A., Bishop, D., Hamer, P. (2006)
Activity profile of world-class professional surfers during
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Stanbury, L. (2010) The complete guide to surf fitness.
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Wade, A. (2007) Surf Nation. Simon and Schuster.
London.

28
The Five People

you Meet in
Heaven
Nick Ward is the series Editor for The
Five People you Meet in Heaven.
Nick has been at work in performance
sport for almost 20 years with elite,
professional and development
athletes. Currently he is the Head of
Strength and Conditioning for Sheffield
Eagles RLFC, Derbyshire Institute of
Sport and the British Disabled Ski
Team. He also consults to a number of
Universities and provides mentoring,
education and training for sports
coaches, S&C coaches, and athletes.
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 Alboms 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.
Howard Gray interviews Meg Ritchie Stone

Meg Stone is a two time Olympian, competing
in the discus for Great Britain and was 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 (East
Tennessee State University), Meg was a
Coaching Manager at the USOC in Colorado
Springs. Currently, she is the head of the
CESSCE at ETSU.
Howard Gray is Coaching Manager

for the Centre of Excellence for Sport
Science and Coach Education
(CESSCE) and works as a sport
scientist for the East Tennessee State
University (ETSU) mens soccer team.
He holds his ASCC & CSCS
qualifications, and is currently working
towards his PhD focusing on on-field
monitoring.
Introduction
I first worked with Meg Stone as a masters student at ETSU a few years
ago, and was very lucky to return to the organisation in 2010 after a
period of time in the UK. Megs 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. 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.

Meg, you were a world-class competitor in the throws.

How did you first transition into strength &
conditioning and/or coaching?
I had been teaching P.E. for approx. 9 years at the
same time as I was competing in the discus and shot,
so the role of teacher to full time competitor to coach,
was fairly smooth and logical. Also, there is so much
strength and conditioning work involved with the
training process of a thrower, moving to take the
position of full time Strength and Conditioning Coach
was very smooth, as I used my experience as a
thrower and teacher. Immediately prior to the 1984
Olympics, I was offered the position of Head Strength
and Conditioning Coach at the University of Arizona by
the Head Football coach, and then the Athletic
Director. My focus would be on American Football, but
strength and conditioning for the whole department
would be my responsibility. The Athletic Director at
the time stated that I would be the first and only
female to hold such a position in the US. That was an
opportunity I could not let pass.
Back in those days, there were very few females in
the field. What barriers did you face early on?
I have been asked that question time and time again
and, I can honestly tell you, I faced very few barriers
or challenges. The student athletes I worked with were
very accepting of my role. I did however, face doubt
from the older, and well established sport coaches. I
sensed a well lets see how she does approach from
them. I decided to make no particular effort to prove
something to them, rather, I decided to just do the
job the very best way I knew how and let the cards
fall where they may, whether they accepted me or
not. For the most part, it did not take very long for
me to feel respected for the job I was doing. Soon
Meg, the female strength coach, became a non-gender
Meg the coach, which was a great situation.
How do you feel opportunities for females have
developed in strength and conditioning?
The opportunities for women in the strength and
conditioning field have increased dramatically since
the early to mid eighties. Opportunities for the female
strength coach in the role of assistant strength
coaches or strength coaches for the Olympic or nonrevenue sports opportunities have increased. However,
the opportunities for women in head or director
positions have not increased at all. Very few women
are in charge of departments, or NCAA Division 1
football playing programmes. I believe I am accurate
in saying that there is not one female totally in charge
of a Division 1 football programme at collegiate level
in the US. So in some sense, opportunities for women
have increased but not in leadership roles, and there
is a distinct ceiling between the assistant position and
the head position. It also must be said that some
women are not interested in being a Head Strength
Coach for Football, they seem to much rather be in an
assistant role or work within other sports, for
example, mens basketball.
As someone with a vast amount of experience on both
sides of the pond, what lessons do you think that the
UKSCA (and UK practitioners in general) can learn
from how things have gone in the US?
There are several lessons the UKSCA can learn from
the US, firstly is the ability to focus on a very specific
mission statement for the organisation and stick to
that mission statement at least for the foreseeable
future. Do not become all things to all people, you will
ultimately service none well. The NSCA began as an

organisation to further the cause(s) of the collegiate
strength coach and the sport scientists that supported
them by bridging the gap between science and the
practice.
At some point, a shift in focus developed and the
organisation then focused on strength and conditioning
for any population. The shift marginalised the strength
coach, in fact they became a special interest group
(SIG) within an organisation they founded. Ultimately,
the strength coaches formed their own association and
split from the NSCA. The move has made the strength
coaches weaker in negotiating with the NCAA, as they
do not want to hear from two organisations with the
same message, they want one united voice when
lobbying for rule changes etc. Now the two
organisations are rivals.
This is a lesson to be learned: stick with your mission
statement. Service the population you decided upon in
the organisations mission statement. Do not be
tempted to expand because the more members the
more money; service your members and service them
well. They will then be prepared to pay top dollar
memberships to be part of a class organisation that is
giving them the service and help they need. Plus, the
organisation will remain solvent. Maintaining a focused
goal will lead to longevity with the ability to educate
and service future generations of strength and
conditioning coaches.
How should sport science, and sport science research
impact the practice of the strength and conditioning
coach?
I will use the terms strength and conditioning coach
and sport scientist interchangeably as I believe the
best person set up to become the sport scientist is the
strength and conditioning person. The strength and
conditioning coach should be at every practice and
have daily contact with the athlete(s). Their remit
should cover programme planning, periodisation,
testing, evaluation, monitoring all sessions and outside
stressors, and giving feedback information to the sport
coach impacting the next training session and the
whole training process.
What are your views on educating (sport) coaches in
sport science?
I always hesitate to calling the strength and
conditioning occupation a profession, for the following
reason. The English Dictionary defines a profession as:
An occupation requiring advanced education and
involving intellectual skills.
Intellect - the ability to reason and understand.
Some of the practices I have observed have
contradicted these definitions and a great majority of
the time at the bidding of the Head Sport Coach.
Anyone can walk into a gym or onto a track and call
himself or herself a coach or strength and conditioning
coach in the US. That is a situation that is
unacceptable. Unsuspecting parents hand their kids
over to these people thinking that they are qualified,
and it is a gamble as to what will happen to the young
potential athlete. Just ask a parent if they would take
their sick child to a doctor who had not been to
medical school, but yet they hand their children over
to someone with no background or qualification to
develop young Johnny into an Olympic champion.
This happens all the time, its common practice in the
US. Self proclaimed gurus, often with limited

30
education, are all over the Internet. Our answer so far

is to promote certification. This too has its limitations,
as not all certifications are equal in complexity and
depth of subject matter covered.
In order to become a strength and conditioning coach
or a sport coach there should be a full time academic
course of study with the end result being an
undergraduate degree, Masters and eventually a PhD.
There must be a proven body of knowledge, evidence
based and research that can justify calling the
strength and conditioning occupation a true
profession. Once this process is established, sport
science has a much better chance of being embraced
by the sport specific coaching community as a whole.
Only when this is in place can the sport coach and the
strength and conditioning coach speak the same
language. At the moment the sport coach talks
tactics, personnel issues and dabbles in condition and
strength work. While the strength coach/sport
scientist talks about training process, potentiating,
testing and evaluation, training loads, etc. No wonder
there is a disconnection between the two coaches.
Sports coaches, even if they have a certification from
their own association, very rarely get the same
educational experience as a strength coach. The sport
coach usually is engaged in the technical/tactical
aspects of the sport, while the strength coach
experiences the education subject matter previously
mentioned.
Proven research and evidence based practice should
be the fundamental basis for all coaching. I do believe
there is a place for innovation by the coach. I have
heard coaches say, We have not got the time for
science to catch up with us. I believe this is utter
nonsense. You can be much more innovative when
you are educated on the subjects pertaining to
coaching, physiology, nutrition, etc. Being educated in
your chosen occupation leads to professionalism and
opens up a world of innovation for the educated
coach.
I would strongly advise all interested in coaching and
sport science to read:
The Downfall of Sport Science in the United States:
Stone M.H., Stone M.E., Sands W.A. It can be found in
the Strength and Conditioning Journal, Volume 26, No
2, page 72-75. April 2004.
It seems as though, in recent years, there has been a
split between training for performance and training to
reduce the risk of injury. What are your thoughts on
this?
I think this has developed originally from strength and
conditioning coaches who work with professional
athletes in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The approach has
been lets not get anyone hurt, rather than
implementing strategies that will actually lead to an
increase in performance. Because these players are
worth X amount of dollars, running into several million
dollars, the approach has been just to keep them
healthy and let them continue to perform at the level
they are presently at, without pushing for an increase
in performance. This approach has trickled down from
the professional ranks, with the thought process being
if the pros do it, it must be ok for the college and
developmental athlete. The emphasis on injury
prevention waters down the effectiveness of a welldesigned and implemented training programme, and
ultimately, the athlete will never come close to their
genetic potential.
How important is coach buy-in and how do you

approach this issue?
The support of the sport coach is crucial. Without this
support, the strength coach is dead in the water. The
relationship between the strength coach and the sport
coach must be one of respect and trust. Even if the
sport coach does not fully understand the rationale for
a certain workout, if they trust and respect the
knowledge of the strength coach, then good things
can be accomplished. Without respect and trust very
little can be accomplished. That is why it is very
important to make sure the strength coach does all
they can to develop a relationship based on one of
mutual respect.
You are the director of a unique organisation (for the
US). What motivated you and your husband, Dr. Mike
Stone, to start the Centre of Excellence?
Simply to educate coaches. As a strength coach I was
very tired of seeing coaches who were less educated
than in the past. Many simply did not continually
upgrade their knowledge of the area and continued to
indulge in poor practices. Clive Brewer said that you
could be a coach for 35 years, or coach for one year,
thirty five times. This dilemma was partly why we
started the Centre for Excellence in Sport Science and
Coach Education (CESSCE) to educate and produce
good coaches.
This has brought about another transition to your
career. How have you found moving from very handson coaching positions to the role of director?
It has been a very smooth transition and a time in my
career when it was right to move away from the
hands on into administration, as I feel I can have a
bigger impact in pushing coach education as Director
of our Centre of Excellence for Sport Science and
Coach Education. Time is a big factor, and hands on
coaching would take so much of that. I need the time
to make the contacts and network with the power
brokers who can impact coach education.
Meg, do you have any last bits of advice for strength
and conditioning coaches to implement evidencebased practice in their careers?
The first thing a strength and conditioning coach has
to do in order to do the best job possible for the
athletes they work with is educate themselves in the
science behind the practice. Just as a medical doctor
goes to medical school to learn science so they can
better practice the art of medicine, the strength and
conditioning coach should go to school to learn the
science so they can better practice the art of
coaching. The strength and conditioning coach
prescribes a dose of exercise, just as the doctor
prescribes a dose of medicine. When the science
behind the practice is understood, as much as it can
be, then the place of research and evidence-based
practice becomes obvious.
For questions or communications regarding this
article, Howard Gray can be contacted at
sportscienceed@gmail.com.
Future article submissions can be

sent to Nick Ward at
nick@nickwardsportsfitness.co.uk


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PROFESSIONAL

strength & conditioning

The journal of the UK Strength & Conditioning Association

No. 25 SPRING 2012

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

LAND-BASED CONDITIONING FOR

THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN

1 Woodville Terrace, Lytham,

elcome to the first edition of Professional Strength and

UKSCA 8TH ANNUAL MEETING

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

UKSCA | Issue 25 | SPRING 2012 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk

There are lots

>> I want to network with S&C

To book go to our website:

We look forward to seeing you in London!

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

Therefore, the purpose of this article is two fold. Firstly, to conduct a

Needs Analysis: What Should Be Tested?

Nick Ward (pic p.29) has been at work

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

UKSCA | Issue 25 | SPRING 2012 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk

Playing Experience (y)

Body mass (kg)

Skinfold Thickness (mm)

10m Sprint (s)

20m Sprint (s)

40m Sprint (s)

Estimated VO2max (ml/kg/min)

(normally via skinfold measurements), are commonly

measurement of a players maximal oxygen uptake

Acceleration, Speed and SpeedEndurance

% Error Male % Error Female

Chest, Midaxillary, Triceps, Sub-scapular,

Chest, Abdomen, Thigh (men only)

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

Maximum HR Blood Lactate

Trial 1 187.8 Trial 1 12.8

player sprints 10m

rolls on to back (ensuring shoulders are in

repeats in the other direction

The player then runs back and forth to the start

analysis in rugby union revealed that backs perform a

Trial 2 - 190.3 Trial 2 - 13.2

start (20-40m). While assessing linear sprint on a team

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

UKSCA | Issue 25 | SPRING 2012 w: www.uksca.org.uk e: info@uksca.org.uk

point of the drill to eliminate unilateral bias.

Strength and Power

30m sprint (r=0.71, P=0.01) and CMJ height (r=0.76,

It is logical to assume that rugby league players

Strength and power are often quantified through 1RM

Reactive strength (RS), which describes an athletes

Anthropometry (i.e. height, weight and 3-site BF%

3min intervals between reps (best of 3 trials)

Linear Speed (timing gates at 0, 10m, 20m,& 40m)

3min intervals between reps (best of 3 trials)

>30sec intervals between reps and tests

RSI (via DJ from 30cm box)

5min intervals between reps and tests

T8min rest before moving onto the next

Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery

UK STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION

Table 6. Repetition prediction based on 1RM. Adapted from