This week we are celebrating this year’s Crypt School PE Assistant, Ollie Goode.

Ollie completed his 6th Form studies at the Crypt School in Gloucester in 2021. A capable student, Ollie also excelled at a number of sports including motorcycle trials riding and rugby. As a pupil he had made the most of the opportunities on offer at the Crypt School and he wanted to share those positive experiences with younger pupils as a member of the PE team before going on to University. 

He has proved himself reliable and a thoughtful, reflective practitioner, who is mature beyond his years.

“The biggest gain from my time as PE Assistant has been the experience gained from my time spent coaching and being allowed to progress to actually leading sessions. That is where the real learning took place. My confidence working with groups has increased tremendously. The S&C qualification has been eye-opening because I have realised how much value can be had in the school environment, not only for those with an interest in sports performance. Everyone who participated gained valuable life skills related to taking care of their health and wellbeing.

“I’ve definitely changed my mindset from a classic teenage boy wanting to lift as much as possible to finding real enjoyment in moving well, mastering technique and first building strength relative to bodyweight. 

“My breadth of understanding of movement progressions and regressions has helped me understand that you don’t always coach the same way. Different people have different issues requiring different solutions and I have so much more confidence that I can make S&C safe and effective no matter who I am coaching.”

We wish Ollie all the very best as he leaves us for a full-time degree in Sport and Exercise Studies at Bath University. We know he will smash it. 

The post The PE Assistant first appeared on Athlete Academy.

Strength training is the exercise protocol that is most effective for combating sarcopenia. In fact, evidence for the benefits of strength training in all population groups has been well known and easy to find for well over 30 years. So why did it take  until 2019 to get direct government endorsement?

Age-related loss of muscle mass with decreased strength and muscle function (sarcopenia) is one of the biggest challenges for our society. This is in no small part because of its association with decreasing quality of life and reduced independence of older people. Also significant is the identification of sarcopenia as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, non-alcohol fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.

Strength training is the exercise protocol that is most effective for combating sarcopenia. In fact, evidence for the benefits of strength training in all population groups has been well known and easy to find for well over 30 years. So why did it take  until 2019 to get direct government endorsement?

As with so much, misrepresentation by certain facets of the media is at least partly to blame. But it can also play a role in reversing the damage. The misdirection of where we should focus our efforts when it comes to exercise can be traced to a specific era and a number of unwitting accomplices. From the 1960s into the 1980s, the media was dominated by reporting of ‘cardio’ based exercise, initiated among others by running texts from:

Arthur Lydiard – 1962 “Run to the Top”

Kenneth Cooper – 1968 – “Aerobics”

Fitness enthusiasts targeting the predominantly female mass audiences were typified by the likes of Jacki Sorensen promoting aerobics dancing in the late 1960s and Judi Sheppard Missett with Jazzercise in 1969.

At the Munich Olympics the USA’s Frank Shorter won Olympic Marathon Gold, further cementing the popularity of distance running, an event that did not go unnoticed by a burgeoning sports footwear manufacturer called Nike who would take the running craze bit between the teeth and never let go…

In 1982 Jane Fonda’s  “Workout Video” probably did more for mass acceptance of ‘aerobics’ as the gold standard for fitness than any exercise recommendation before. And the aerobics workout ‘video’ is still something receiving mass media attention even now.

In the meantime, in 1977, the film Pumping Iron was released. With a focus on the world of competitive bodybuilding, the movie was unexpectedly well received and would launch a modest career for Lou Ferrigno and a meteoric rise for a young Arnold Schwarzennegar. Its success also unwittingly (but very publicly) linked resistance training with a subculture of physical extremism and generated widespread belief that the appearance of elite bodybuilders was a guaranteed effect of going into a gym and lifting weights! This only reinforced the trend for the public to view strength-based training through a very limited lens and overlook the plethora of benefits that apply to everyone.

Coming back to the Chief Medical Officer’s revised guidelines, it’s no surprise to us at Athlete Academy that strength-based training is now being recognised for its abundant merits. We’ve seen the benefits first hand, time and time again. And our testimonials and case studies are further evidence that S&C training works – and works well. Take a look and then ask yourself if you’re ready to take the first steps on your fitness; sustainable steps, based on decades of science, finally recognised by the Government. 

The post Getting strength training to the forefront of the fitness evolution first appeared on Athlete Academy.

From an early age I have always participated in various forms of exercise, particularly gymnastics, dance and volleyball. Throughout my time in sport I have developed a strong passion for strength and conditioning which has led me to complete my BSc and MSc in strength and conditioning.  I then followed this with a L3 in Education and Training so that I can pursue my interest in educating individuals about S&C and particularly in the benefits of this type of training.

As a strength and conditioning coach for the Athlete Academy, I assess some elements of the Strength and Conditioning courses that we deliver.  I also lead and support coaching for the Crypt School Sports Academy, which encompasses their senior rugby programme and delivery of S&C to the Severn Stars Crypt Nova Netball Academy.

I aspire to continue sharing my passion with others, especially amongst youth athletes. My goal is to improve athletes’ overall physical and mental fitness, whilst educating them on the importance of movement quality.   Through my studies and work I have gained a greater insight into understanding the female athlete, with my thesis focusing on the relationship between the menstrual cycle and training.  I aim to continue to educate and encourage others to understand the female athlete.

– Kylie Benadie

The post Kylie Benadie first appeared on Athlete Academy.

“Strength and conditioning is the route to improving wellbeing and physical performance by applying tried and tested training strategies that enhance muscle function and boost metabolic health.”

The Level 3 Diploma (L3DipSCT) is a new qualification for those interested in becoming really effective at training strength and conditioning. It’s designed for a range of people including teachers, PTs, Musculo-Skeletal (MSK) therapists, physiotherapists and sports coaches. At Athlete Academy we also see it as a great option for school leavers who are considering a university course in sports science or an S&C degree.

The themes and modules within the course provides learners with the confidence and competence to master and deliver the most effective exercises and principles of S&C.

The L3DipSCT is the first UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) approved first stage S&C qualification and our Head Coach, Ed Archer, was part of the UKSCA team that developed and designed the course. Ed’s involvement from the start gives him an unparalleled insight into how to get the best from the course.

Ed and the Athlete Academy have an outstanding track record in S&C coaching and training including Army and Royal Navy PTI’s, the Head of S&C for Manchester City Women FC, the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s physio team and former England Women Rugby international and now S&C Coach, Fiona Pocock. 

With Ed’s mentoring and first-class knowledge, candidates will get the most out of their investment and come through with not only the best S&C qualification available, but having been taught by the best in the field. 

Our unique package is simply unrivalled by other training providers and spaces are limited, so get in touch to find out more.

The post Diploma for Strength and Conditioning Trainers first appeared on Athlete Academy.

In the past, many PE teachers were content to rely on their own experience of sport and fitness to inform their delivery both in the classroom and on the sports field. However, with the health concerns of modern society, we know that our PE leaders need a more strategic approach to ensuring that young people leave school armed with the knowledge, skills and habits that will enable them to enjoy a healthy, active adulthood. Since 2019, the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines have stated that for all population groups, healthy living is made more likely by the inclusion of two strength-based training sessions each week. Therefore modern physical education is required to help young people explore exercise strategies that they enjoy and that provide the appropriate physical adaptations. 

Amy Leask is a great example of the emerging talent in physical education as both a teacher and role model for her students. Following completion of her physical education teacher training, Amy secured a highly sought after role in the Crypt School PE department.

As well as being an enthusiastic educator, Amy is a capable footballer, playing in the FA Women’s National League with Swindon Town and, through her football, has gained extensive personal S&C training experience. Amy also coaches at the Aston Villa Development Centre in Gloucestershire (U9s-U16s).

She jumped at the opportunity to enrol on the L3DipSCT:

“The course curriculum is ideal for both my football coaching and PE delivery. Mastering the ability to coach the foundation movement skills means we can be impacting on athleticism in all our football technical sessions and in every PE lesson I deliver. I now have a much better understanding of how to progress players and pupils to safe and effective strength, speed and endurance training, improving performance and reducing risk of injury.”

Probably the most rewarding return on the course has been the impact Amy has been able to make in encouraging more female students at the Crypt School to access and confidently use the excellent S&C facility at the school. The girls strength training group she has established are themselves now serving as role models and an inspiration to younger pupils. 

The post The PE Teacher first appeared on Athlete Academy.

Esther is the Rehabilitation and Conditioning Lead Physiotherapist at the Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) where she has spent the past 5 years immersed in learning about the demands ballet places on the dancers’ bodies.

Esther is also a Team GB/EIS contract physio for British diving, gymnastics, para triathlon and para canoeing.

These are her thoughts about her role at the BRB and her decision to work with Ed Archer and complete her S&C Trainer qualification:

“Professional ballet is an incredible environment to work in as a physiotherapist: our main challenge is to support dancers to be robust enough to withstand the highly demanding, high volume leaps and landings whilst continuing to enhance the aesthetic quality of all positions and movements. 

“Dancers display artistry through movement and their bodies need to be able to express many emotions and to evoke reactions in the audience. This may involve delicate and refined movements in one instance and be explosive and aggressive in the next.

“Taking a “deep-dive” with a very practical and coaching-centric S&C course has given me a huge boost in personal confidence in the training environment as well as expanding my knowledge and skills in the use of of S&C principles to benefit our dancers. 

“I have a clearer understanding of when and how to load the dancers to improve their ability to tolerate forces and how to select exercises and design programmes to increase rate of force development, jumping and landing skills. The experience I gained on the S&C Trainer course coaching the foundation movement skills now provides me with more tools to screen and assess dancers’ movement skills and also provides a framework of exercise for improving proprioception, balance and coordination in our rehab programmes”

The post The Physio first appeared on Athlete Academy.

The Sport Science and S&C sector have very quickly built a reputation for churning out thousands of university graduates every year into a highly competitive marketplace with far fewer jobs than there are students.

The L3DipSCT provides a valuable and cost-effective opportunity for school leavers to gain insight into a career in S&C whilst at the same time developing their interest in the fascinating knowledge and skills that make up effective physical development and wellbeing.

George completed his 6th Form studies at the Crypt School in Gloucester in 2021. A capable student and excellent rugby player who had been a member of the Gloucester RugbyAcademy U17s squad, he could have had his pick of Universities. Instead he decided to take ‘the road less travelled’; after his A-Levels he got a job in a poultry processing plant “to challenge my work ethic and earn some money” and in his spare time, actively engaged to develop his rugby coaching skills with Ledbury RFC, taking his first step on the S&C and personal training coaching ladder by enrolling on the L3DipSCT. 

Working (and saving!) full time, George completed his face-to-face elements of the course and began building his case study practical portfolio providing athlete development support at Ledbury RFC and with friends who were inspired by George’s own dedication to physical development. After six months he had saved enough to travel to the Italian coast where he is combining completing his qualification with learning Italian in the gyms of north Italy!

The post The School Leaver first appeared on Athlete Academy.

When we first embarked on our coach education journey and we imagined our ideal mentee, the description might have read something like this: 

“Enthusiastic about all things strength and conditioning, reliable, consistent, humble and hardworking, a commitment to ongoing learning and a willingness to adapt, develop and innovate.”

So we feel very fortunate that we’ve had someone who fits this bill on our team for the past 3 years…

Kylie Benadie was one of the first people in the country to complete the S&C Trainer qualification back in 2020. Kylie also has a Masters in Strength and Conditioning and has been an integral part of the Athlete Academy coaching team for the past three years.

When Kylie embarked on her post graduate studies, she started with us as an assistant coach, helping to deliver our Crypt School Sports Academy programme. She quickly stepped up to lead the coaching of those sessions, bringing a fresh perspective on how to connect with and engage the young people in their physical development journey. 

Kylie has gone on to develop a fantastic S&C programme for the Severn Stars Nova Netball Academy players based at the Crypt School and in the past season has also contributed to the Cheltenham Town Academy youth athletic development programme.

Of her decision to complete a vocational strength and conditioning qualification when she already had a degree, Kylie says: 

“I was determined to leave no stone unturned in my S&C education. From my degree I had a good understanding of the principles of training and programming, however I knew the course would require me to really get to grips with the practical setting and as it requires real case studies, I was able to develop my real-world coaching skills.”

As well as her involvement with the Athlete Academy, Kylie has teamed up with the highly regarded Stronghold Gym in Cheltenham to help expand their provision of quality S&C education to a diverse and committed clientele, and is making a name for herself specialising in supporting women and girls to become more confident about training, to understand their bodies and to reap the benefits of good strength training.

The post The Masters Graduate first appeared on Athlete Academy.

Hi, I’m Lucie. I’ve worked at Athlete Academy now for 15 years.
My career started upon leaving University with a Sport Studies degree, and then completed my training as a teacher in early years. I then did a little bit of career soul searching, whilst working at TGI Friday’s and moved eventually into the Fire Service as an operational Firefighter.
Following several happy years fire-fighting I then sustained a hockey injury (whilst playing for Wales) which meant having to move to non-operational duties.  I left the Fire Service eventually to assist Ed in running Athlete Academy and to have a family. 

Well, four children later and I am now back as part-time administrator and , also running Hockey Fever (Social 6-a-side leagues and Coaching).  I still find time to play a little hockey now and again too, but really enjoy keeping fit and healthy. 

– Lucie Archer Centre Co-ordinator and Administrator

The post Lucie Archer first appeared on Athlete Academy.

Ed has 25 years of experience in Strength and Conditioning and the fitness industry. He has worked extensively in Elite Sport including Gloucester Rugby and Formula 1 and in a range of other performance environments such as ballet and international polo.

Ed is passionate about having variety in his coaching: for the past 12 years he has innovated the delivery of youth strength and conditioning in Gloucestershire and beyond, and is well known for developing successful coaches as well as athletes.

Ed is a former director of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association, and is a lead assessor and tutor for the organisation. See Ed’s Q & A session below…

– Ed Archer Director

The post Ed Archer first appeared on Athlete Academy.