Training Methods

Nature vs Nurture

Champions are not born; they are made… Or so they say. But are we kidding ourselves? Are we living a lie that anyone can reach the Hogan Stand, the Wembley steps, the Olympic podium? Or can anyone on God’s planet do whatever the hell they wish? The nature debate explains that ability is an underlying trait – it is either in someone’s genetic make-up, or it isn’t. Learning a skill and even perfecting it will take you so far but, when it comes down to it, without a pre-disposed ability, your greatness has a ceiling. However, nurture enthusiasts will throw Ali’s quotes at you: “Champions are made from something deep inside them. … Continue reading →

Brendan Rodgers: Northern Ireland’s Finest Export?

Upon reading the annual list of personalities who the University of Ulster are set to award with honorary doctorates I saw that two of my personal idols, Rory McIlroy and Sir Alex Ferguson were to be acknowledged for their services to sport. As SC1 Sports’ homepage would suggest, Rory McIlroy has had an astounding 2011 showing a combination of world class ability and mental toughness. Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson marked 25 years in charge of Manchester United in 2011, a club with which he has won 12 Premier Leagues and 2 European Cups among a succession of other accolades. As big an idol as I consider Sir Alex Ferguson to be and … Continue reading →

Pre-Season and the Suunto M5

One torn hamstring, one ridiculous text message and almost 2 years later I finally return to Steelstown Brian Óg’s. There were a number of factors that led me to become disillusioned, but every player at some point knows this feeling. Nonetheless I have returned to the club that I started out with, and I have no intentions of leaving it. Although the season has just finished there is a long, tough pre-season ahead and to be honest I’m relishing every minute of it. For the next 3 months the training will be intense, the eating will be clean and the hunger for next season will be insatiable. Myself and fellow teammates have … Continue reading →

Proposed Fixture List Change for GAA Season

I wanted to cut the club league in half – but how could I take so many games away from the salt of our sport; from the competition in which the biggest numbers participate? I even wanted to begin the season in September and have it end in June/July and I still think this is a very viable option but for this coming season, it clearly wouldn’t be an alternative and is probably too drastic to consider at this current stage. Nonetheless, something needs to change so we can properly address player burnout and so our sport can have more cohesion and communication about it – the winter training ban is in … Continue reading →

Interview: Martin McCann and Spain’s Footballing Philosophy

Those of you who watched the England v Spain game on Saturday past would have been disappointed that the performance of the World Champions did not reach the heights that we have become accustomed to in recent years. One thing was firmly intact however, the philosophy. Spain, and many Spanish teams in general deploy a tactic that has become colloquially known as tiqui-taca. This style has become commonly considered to be the epitome of good football. The Spanish footballing ideal has not developed overnight, but it has been product of many years of structural development and devotion to key principles. Recently, University of Ulster’s Martin McCann travelled to visit four clubs (Villarreal … Continue reading →

Technical Football: Our Broken Promise

I’m sick of saying it. In May, this year, we did a piece exposing the lack of technical football in the home nations and looked at ways of improving our chronic ignorance to total football; winning football. It came in the week before Paul Scholes – the most undervalued international footballer of all time – announced his retirement. It came in the week Barcelona had waltzed their way to another European title using the most fluid style we have ever witnessed. It came at a time when England were beginning to wake up and notice that the system is flawed; that it is designed to bring through the best athletes rather than … Continue reading →

Mouthguard: Tracking Technology

So far, I have covered two other types of tracking technology that athletes have been using to analyse performance. We had GP Sports, which was a vest usually seen in warmups and in pre-season by football teams. Then we had the E39, a new under armour top developed by Under Armour and Zephyr, which many NFL draftees were being tested in, as well as the Wales rugby team in their build-up to the Rugby World Cup. Now, I have come across a new type of tracking technology, an innovative and creative way of collecting information that is also sure to benefit the lives of our athletes. A study was done last year … Continue reading →

Training The Free Kick

The free kick, one of the most difficult skills to perform successfully in football. Having a set piece specialist in your team can be a serious weapon, getting your side three points away from home when nothing is going your way. Or when the chips are down, the last few minutes to get into the World Cup, someone can step up and perform heroics. ‘Becks’ is of course one of the most talented players of our generation, a unique technique that is unlikely to be replicated. There have been a number of other free kick specialists, namely, Del Piero, Drogba, Marcos Assuncao, Juninho Pernambucano, and of course Cristiano Ronaldo. These players have … Continue reading →

E39 Under Armour: Tracking Technology

The Rugby World Cup kicks off this Friday and I’m sure teams are putting the final touches to their preparations and making sure all their players are fighting fit for the campaign. The Welsh team face a tough opener against Pool D favourites South Africa on Sunday. I have come across a new type of technology in tracking player performance in training, and the Welsh team has been using this for their buildup to the World Cup. The under armour shirt is called E39, and developed by Under Armour. It is said to give coaches and players a ‘new perspective on performance’, with a small sensor near the sternum that tracks breathing … Continue reading →

Man-Management

For me, it is the most underrated thing on this planet (well, that and Richard Dunne’s tiki-taka abilities). Man-management, be it any walk of life, is the key to achieving whatever goal you have set out to reach. You wouldn’t expect someone to marry you (or something cruder) without some form of interaction skills. You shouldn’t expect a child to grow up into the model person you want them to be in the absence of parental guidance. Don’t expect a successful career in marketing and retail if you are unable to sell your products; if you are not someone a consumer would warm to. People buy from people. And similarly, in the … Continue reading →