Simon Ward, The High Performance Human Triathlon Podcast

Live athlete calls to discuss race day hydration & nutrition strategies with Precision Fuel & Hydration

As the race season gets into full swing, I know that many of you are thinking not only of your performance goals but also how you can support these with a good race day hydration and nutrition strategy. Some of the key lessons I have learned over the years are:

 

1) without a good fuelling/hydration strategy you are unlikely to hit your goals, especially on the longer events.

2) there are 3 pillars to focus on - fuelling, hydration and electrolytes.

3) your strategy must change with every key event to cover differences in duration, intensity, course profile and weather conditions.

4) You need to practice your chosen strategy for a few weeks ahead of your A race.

 

I have an ongoing partnership with Precision Fuel and Hydration (P F & H) and one of the offers they have available to all athletes is a video call with one of their experts to discuss hydration and fuelling strategy. This is a no obligation call, so even if you use another product you can still have a chat and come away armed with some very valuable information.

 

In today's podcast three of my SWAT athletes have conversations with P F & H experts Emily Arrell and Lexi Kelson. The purpose of the podcast is to highlight exactly what format the call takes, and more importantly how they can help you to create a working strategy for your key events.

 

You will hear the following:

• Matt Cooper and Emily Arrell discuss Matt’s upcoming 50m TT
• Matthew Graham and Lexi Kelson preparing for IM Bolton 70.3
• Rachel Pearsons and Emily Arrell chat about Rachel’s strategy for IM Hamburg

Key points to listen out for:

• 3 individuals with 3 different races means 3 different strategies
• What you do in the 48 hours before your race can make a real difference
• Testing the plan and the product in the weeks before race day is crucial

 

If you would like to take up the invitation of a NO OBLIGATION video call with Emily, Lexi or one of their colleagues please CLICK HERE.

 

You can also create your own race day plan by clicking HERE.

 

As a podcast guest you can get a 15% discount on your first order with Precision Fuel & Hydration. CLICK HERE to grab that.

 

If you want to upgrade your education about day to day or race day nutrition please check out the P F & H Knowledge Hub. They have a lot of really cool articles written by their experts and also partner athletes. If you type your topic into the search engine you will find the information you need. 

 

To follow Precision Fuel & Hydration please use these social media links:

Instagram: @precisionhydration
Facebook: @precisionhydration
Twitter: @thesweatexperts
YouTube:  www.youtube.com/c/precisionhydration
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/precisionhydration

Here is some other cool stuff you might be interested in:

Free online sweat test: https://sweattest.precisionhydration.com/pages/why-personalise-your-hydration-strategy
Quick carb calculator: https://www.precisionhydration.com/products/precision-fuel-sample-pack/#thecarbcalculator
Athlete Case Studies: https://www.precisionhydration.com/athletes/case-studies/triathlon/

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

“It's hard to sell a secret when there's no secret” - Easy Strength with Dan John

Someone once told me that good coaches never stop learning. This is a philosophy that I have carried with me ever since I started coaching, and one which I share with other coaches whenever we are delivering workshops. 

Reading books and speaking with podcast guests probably forms the majority of my learning these days, although not all. I still go to conferences and in person workshops. Today’s guest ticks two of the key learning boxes for me and I hope it does for you as well.

 

My guest today is strength coach Dan John, who is also an accomplished author. Dan is a big fan of kettlebells, although he is proficient in all forms of lifting. In the podcast you’ll hear him say that he’s often the strongest person in the gym even though he is now 67 and the owner of 2 titanium hips. What I enjoy about Dan from both his books and his videos is his simple, down to earth approach. He could almost be from Yorkshire!

 

Regular listeners will know that I’m really interested in strength training, and the benefits for humans not just on their athletic performance but also their health and longevity. Dan quotes some Eastern European strength writers who I will reference in the show notes. I read a lot of strength books, including some of the early Russian texts from which many strength training principles have been adapted.  If you are into your strength training you might want to check these out. 

 

In this call we only covered a fraction of what was on my list, so expect to hear Dan again in the very near future. Below are some of the topics we chat about:

 

• (5:09) Building consistency is better than the perfect workout - “In my gym, we call it 5 x 52. You know, it's 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. I mean, that's the secret sauce!"
• (6:14) The perfect workout
• (34:38) Can you develop mobility & strength at the same time? "We loosen what is tightening and we strengthen what is weakening.”
• (35:59) Athletes over 55 - "Focus on the 3 pillars - mobility, hypertrophy, fast twitch muscle fibres."
• (41:01) What you do between 35-55 sets the template for how you are post 55 years old. “The future you will be happy that you lifted weights at 35."
• (49:38) What is the minimum equipment you need for a home gym? "Even if you have no equipment, it doesn't matter."
• (51:27) Differences in strength training workouts for males versus females - "So the only difference is probably more volume (higher reps/lower weights) on the push and pull movements”

 

To find out more about Dan John, please visit these channels:

Website - Dan John University

Sign up for Dan’s weekly newsletter “Wandering Weights” 

Check out Dan John’s books HERE

Dan is a prolific writer. Check out his articles and blogs 

If you have a question for Dan, most have already been answered HERE at my Q and A Forum.

 

Also in the show we talked about:

Robb Wolf

Vladimir Janda

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

"Being paralysed in a bike accident has given me some amazing opportunities” - Para Triathlete Bret Crossley

Have you watched the Paralympics? What about when you are taking part in or volunteering/spectating at  a running event or a triathlon? Have you ever observed the wheelchair triathletes? For them, it’s swim, to hand cycle, to racing chair. Everything is about the upper body, and I’ve always been curious about how they take care of their shoulders, and what constitutes a rest day.

 

Today I’m chatting with Bret Crossley, a paratriathlete who lives in the Leeds area. Bret has been involved in triathlon since a motor bike racing accident in 2006 damaged his spine. He has been part of the British Triathlon talent programme, raced triathlons up to half Ironman distance, and competed in the London Marathon many times.  This is an inspirational conversation, and I hope you enjoy it. We chat about:

 

• Motor bike racing days and competing in the Isle of Man 
• The accident, and how he coped in the immediate months after knowing he would never walk again.
• Finding wheelchair sport 
• Gaining inspiration from those worse off than yourself
• Bret's training and racing schedule
• Some challenges you might not have considered for chair racers and hand cyclists

 

To find out more about Bret and follow his progress, follow him on

Twitter (X) - @BretC22

 

In the conversation Bret mentioned how he had raced at the Isle of Man. If you want to get a sense of the absolute concentration needed to race on the island, take a look at this video of Peter Hickman setting a fastest ever lap with an average speed of almost 137mph.

Peter Hickman - Fastest ever lap of the Isle of Man TT

 

Bret also mentioned the Yorkshire Ability Triathlon that he is involved with.

Watch a truly inspirational video HERE.

 

Challenged Athlete Foundation who have provided Bret with funding for some of his equipment.

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Balancing training and racing with the menstrual cycle and menopause * Dr Natalie Brown

The female monthly cycle and how it impacts training and competition is a conversation that athletes and coaches should have. The reality is that it can be awkward for both parties, so to avoid awkwardness it usually gets pushed aside. Which means that female athletes can feel isolated in navigating this part of their life. We should also include perimenopause and menopause in that conversation as it will affect most females at some point.

 

As a coach I do believe that we need to have these conversations, and that they should not be awkward.

 

Education is a big part, so to help us better understand the ways in which training and competition can be managed, I have invited Dr Natalie Brown onto the show as a guest. Natalie is a research assistant for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science. She works predominately with Sport Wales, leading on research with female athletes and the impact of the menstrual cycle on sport participation and performance. In this conversation with Natalie we talk about:

 

• To truly understand the patterns of your monthly cycle, track it for at least 3 cycles
• Lifestyle factors have a huge influence on the severity of your monthly cycle
• Carbohydrate supplementation prior to HIT sessions might mitigate some symptoms
• Menstrual cycle apps are good, but listening to your body is better
• Perimenopause is ‘chaos’ but healthy lifestyle factors can help
• How to arrange your training during the menopause
• HRT for females? It depends!
• Some guidance for coaches on how to open a menstrual cycle/menopause conversation with their athlete

 

To find out more about Natalie Brown and her work please visit these channels:

Instagram Optimal.Period 

Website www.optimalperiod.com, 

 

You can find some other really good resources at the following links:

Podcasts The Female Athlete, 

For continued education please check out Menstrual cycle online coaching modules:

UK Coaching resources

 

I also asked Natalie to recommend a book. This is her choice:

Good for a Girl Lauren Fleshman

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Tri coach Jim Vance on why he wants you to have the right start line mindset for the best race day performance

My guest today is Jim Vance  There are few individuals in the world with the teaching background, elite athlete experience, and coaching experience with elites, amateurs and juniors, as well as knowledge of training and a passion and understanding of tech. Jim has been the coach to US pro triathlete Ben Kanute for 8 years. He has also written 2 triathlon books (details of which you can find in the show notes) and is a consultant to several tech companies in the Multisport space including 80/20 Endurance and Velocity, a software programme for cycle coaching.

 

Jim and I have a great chat about the rapid advancements in technology and their impact on triathlon coaching. We get into the weeds on the physical toll of triathlon racing for pro athletes, given the ever increasing intensity of the races especially when racing in extreme heat.  Finally, and I think most importantly for you, the listener, we discussed the significance of personal harmony and relationships in achieving optimal athletic performance, and the crucial role of mental and physical preparation in triathlon. 

 

Topics include:

18:14 Athletes need to learn to trust themselves - "I care more about athlete mindset on the start line than I do about training."

28:25 On harmony in your relationships - "We've got to really enhance our world. That brings more stability to it, that reduces stress."

56:41 On how to get the best recovery and stress levels - "So what affects that recovery cycle? Home life, stress outside of it, nutrition, sleep, all those things probably come back again to relationships in your daily life."

1:17:35 On the power of showing vulnerability - "David Warden kept getting all these questions. And he kept saying, 'Well, I don't know the answer', and  afterwards it became this crazy thing, where all these coaches just came up to him."

 

 

To find out more about Jim please check out his Instagram page @coachjimvance

The most popular blog post he ever wrote: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/10-things-endurance-athletes-need-to-stop-doing/

Other cool stuff:

80/20 Endurance Coach Certification and community, with Matt Fitzgerald

Book recommendation for coaches, is a book called, "Motivational Interviewing in Sports", it's a game changer! 

 

Some of the coaches Jim mentioned have been podcast guests. You can find links to their work in the show notes for their respective episode:

Bobby McGee

Matt Pendola

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Sleep walking, nightmares, and freezing temperatures . . but still a 3rd place finish in the 268 mile Winter Spine Challenge * Lucy Gossage

Lucy Gossage has been around on the long distance triathlon scene for a long time, and she's instantly recognisable with her blue Erdinger kit and infectious smile. If you don’t know Lucy, she has 14 Ironman victories to her name including IMUK, IM Wales, IM Lanzarote and Patagonman (basically all the toughest ones). In 2019 she stepped back from IM racing to focus more on her work as an Oncologist in Nottingham. You’ll get a sense of how Lucy likes to challenge herself with that race resume, and today's conversation is all about another of those challenges. And they don’t really come much bigger than The Winter Spine Challenge - 268 miles on the Pennine Way in the depths of winter.

 

It’s a non-stop event requiring participants to be self sufficient. The temperature barely gets above 0ºC, with knee deep snow and blizzards at times, and as if that's not enough the sleep deprivation can literally be a nightmare. We chat about:

 

• Weekly power strength yoga - "I just knew that I had to get as strong as I could"  
• The benefits of commuting to work and keeping it fun
• Walking poles in ultra racing - "As soon as I got them, I was like, oh my god, these are a game changer."
• Sleep walking - "The most terrifying discombobulating experience I've ever had."
• Shoe selection - "I went with Hoka Speedgoats, which many say is crazy for that terrain. But they were so comfortable."
• Sleep deprivation and cognitive function - "I could see the red lines on my Garmin where I'd gone off the course and I was like bloody hell I am actually sleepwalking."

 

To find out more about Lucy please use these channels:

Twitter @lucygoss Insta @lucygossage

 

 

Link to topics we covered in the show

NHS Blog posts

Lucy and I talked for quite a bit at the start about the NHS and she mentioned some blog posts she had written. You can find those HERE.

Lucy’s favourite book Shantaram:A Novel - by Gregory Roberts “It’s a long book but an incredible read."

Developing an Iron Mind

This is the podcast I recorded with Lucy, Helen Davis and Helen Gorman

Developing an Iron Mind -

How to access the Iron Mind course - https://www.thinkbelieveperform.co.uk/iron-mind/

 

Green Runners

Lucy talked about the The Green Runners  eco running group formed by Jasmine Harris and Damian Hall

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

From elite LD triathlete to sailor * The weird world of Emirates NZ America's Cup Cyclor Dougal Allan

Triathletes like to call themselves multi-sport athletes. In a manner of speaking, they are. They have generally mastered 3 disciplines and combine them all in one single race.

Today's guest, Dougal Allen, is a true multi-sport athlete of the highest order. He’s won the NZ Coast to Coast twice (run/kayak/MTB), had many victories and top 10 finishes in both IM & Challenge events, and completed many multi-day adventure races around the world. As well as running and cycling, these events have included, kayaking, rafting, inline skating, horse riding,  as well as rope work for climbing and abseiling.

 

Dougal is a very strong cyclist and in the last 2 years he has put these skills to good use with a complete change of direction. He is now a Cyclor on board the 8 man crew defending America’s Cup for Emirates Team New Zealand. And if you're wondering what a Cyclor is, you can find out HERE.

 

In this episode we chat about:

• Building a team and racing without ego
• Training to race, or racing to train. Which are you?
• Over-racing and losing fitness
• Boring high performance habits to ensure best performance

 

If you’d like to find out more about Dougal Allan please visit the following sites:

Website - http://DougalAllan.com

Instagram: dougal_allan 

Facebook: Dougal Allan

Dougal Allan Mini documentary

Trials for the role of Cyclor on board Emirates team New Zealand

Dougal at the 2019 NZ Coast to Coast event

YouTube video of NZ Team Emirates Cyclor’s

 

Dougal is an ambassador for Precision Fuel and Hydration. He has written many articles for them which you can find HERE, including:

How to balance training, work, family and life

The art of gut training

How a pro athlete strategically uses caffeine

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

In the short term, lighter might mean faster, but we must consider longevity * Talking about RED-S with Alex Vendittelli

"The RED-S project is a club for sustainable performance. And sustainability to me brings up a few different words, I think about fueling and enjoyment. And no, no process is sustainable unless it's enjoyable. And for me, if I was to get close to a recreational race, and I started to think about race weight, that wouldn't tie in with enjoyment for me."

 

In this week's episode of the High Performance Human, our guest is Alex Vendittelli, a RED-S Ambassador and a recreational runner. We discuss the prevalence and impact of RED-S Syndrome in athletes, emphasising the need for education and support. We also explore the intricate relationship between health and performance in sports, highlighting the importance of prioritizing overall well-being rather than solely focusing on athletic performance. We chat about the challenges of navigating unrealistic body ideals and performance pressures in sports, and the need for a more balanced approach to fitness and body image. Alex shares his personal experience of feeling pressure to conform to a certain body type after reading one specific book, and how another book rescued him from the mire. Even elite athletes with support services can get it wrong, with some openly admitting to health problems caused by an overemphasis on body image.

• Lighter might mean faster but it isn’t always healthier
• Sore legs and fatigue are not the norm when training for endurance events
• Should we be focussing on a sustainable approach to nutrition rather than a specific race weight?
• Coaches need to work on changing the mindset of athletes
• Giving yourself permission to enjoy life

 

Alex doesn't have a social media presence. He is an ambassador for RED-S Project and you can find out more about RED-S project HERE.

 

Some other links you might be interested in:

 

Some RED-S articles:

Pro Cyclist Jonas Abrahamsen - Gaining weight to achieve greatness

Cyclist Jackson Long - When the power to weight ratio bottoms out

Two articles related to pre-conceived ideas about how we should behave, look and live our lives to meet these 'elite standards' - examples of how trying to be what we're not, can lead to a slippery slope

Niamh Bridson-Hubbard - A Runner’s Body

Are athletes supposed to look a certain way? The Athletic Aesthetic - 

 

Great LinkedIn Post by Mental Performance Coach Aaron Walsh

The Dark Side of High Performance - can you distinguish between mastery and perfectionism?

 

Matthew McConaughey video - Don't ask for permission

 

Research papers:

Carbohydrate fear, skinfold targets and body image issues: Perceptions of the nutrition culture within elite female soccer - McHaffie et al 

 Includes specific examples of things coaches have been heard saying to players etc. relating to food. 

 

Nutrition for Female Soccer Players—Recommendations (Dobrowolski, Karczemna, Włodarek)

 

Alex's book recommendations:

Seven Deadly Sins: My pursuit of Lance Armstrong - David Walsh 

Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson - Beautifully written book about Steve Jobs and how his personality was the reason for his success but also his ill health. It highlights how our behaviour and decisions will always have a knock on effect in later life. 

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Data rich, insight poor * How AI can help you to become a better athlete or coach * The Prof Paul Laursen

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is gaining more traction in our lives. It's been here awhile, but the launch of Chat GPT has really accelerated our awareness of how it can simplify our lives. AI will be a part of our athletic lives as well, certainly for the way we plan our plan, analyse, and adjust our training to get the best results.

 

Will this benefit athletes and coaches alike? I don’t have enough knowledge on the subject to answer that but today’s podcast guest does! Prof Paul Laursen will be familiar to regular listeners of this show. He’s spoken on this show before about High Intensity Interval Training and we spoke about AI back in 2021. Since then there have been a lot of advances in AI and with his own platform Athletica.ai.

 

If you are a self coached athlete, AI has the power to save you a lot of time with planning and improve your training prescription. Coaches can benefit too, as they'll be able to analyse much more data and improve their decision making for a larger number of athletes. Whether you're an athlete or a coach, AI will have some impact on your work, training, or data analysis. 

In this conversation we chat about:

 

• Some of the latest gadgets that Prof is testing out
• How Athletica works for athletes and coaches
• Threats and opportunities for athletes and coaches 
• Garbage In Garbage Out (GIGO) is so relevant, and why athletes need some personal responsiblity 
• Coaches will never be redundant

 

To find out more about The Prof please visit these channels:

 

Athletica: https://athletica.ai/ 

HIIT Science: https://hiitscience.com/ 

Twitter - @PaulBLaursen

Click the link to get hold of a copy of Paul’s book, Science and Application of High Intensity Interval Training

 

New links we spoke about on this podcast were:

Respiratory training System - https://isocapnic.com/ forget Powerbreathe. This take breath training to a new level.

Fourth Frontier Heart rate monitor this HRM not only measures heart rate, it also tracks HRV and provides a continuous ECG during exercise.

Strength, Power & Movement testing  If you’ve ever perform a measured vertical jump, this device makes everything a whole lot easier. In fact, you can measure the velocity of many movements.

 

Endurance Training - Science and Practice This is the latest book by sports physiologist and coach Inigo Mujika and which features a chapter written by The Prof.

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

How to build and maintain healthy shoulders * Tim Stevenson

A lifetime in sport inevitably leads to injuries, especially if you play contact sports. Rugby was my game until my mid-twenties, by which time I had dislocated both shoulders at least once and broken my collar bone once. Minor concerns compared to some players, but nonetheless it's these injuries that caused me to take up triathlon more seriously. I broke the other collar bone more seriously in a bike crash in 2015 (so much for avoiding injuries!). It’s fair to say my shoulders have had their fair share of injuries. I’ve managed to get by without surgery but it’s always a matter of doing lots of work to make sure they stay stable and relatively pain free.

 

For most endurance athletes, shoulders are not as troublesome as those other joints but they still take a lot of hammering. Countless metres in the pool, the occasional impact from falling off your bike or while running, and not to mention the daily postural challenges from everyday living.

 

Tim Stevenson is this week's podcast guest. Tim runs a business called Dynamic Shoulders. He's a strength coach who started on the specialisation journey like many folks - overcoming his own shoulder problems. He then worked as a strength coach with para swimming. If you have shoulder issues or want to keep them healthy, this episode is a must as we chat about:

 

• The shoulder complex and its interaction with other joints
• Shoulder stability and how to achieve it.
• Bust some common myths around training shoulders  
• Influence of modern living and how it can lead to poor shoulder health
• How we can look after our shoulders
• Benefits of ground based exercises 
• Specifics for swimmers and triathletes

To find out more about Tim please visit the following channels:

 

Social:

Instagram: @dynamicshoulders

This is where he posts most content so if people want to get a feel for who Tim and his team are, this is a good place to start.

 

Website: 

www.dynamicshoulders.com

 

Please also check out these links:

 

Test Your Shoulders

"We currently have a ’test your shoulders’ programme available which is free and will give you an ‘audit’ of your shoulder stability and strength. It will help you to identify the weak links which, when addressed, will increase shoulder health and performance potential".

 

Book a FREE call

"We offer free consultation calls so if anyone wants to book in some time to chat through their shoulder issues or performance challenges and get clarity on their next best steps they can do that using the above link."

 

BASE

"Our 6-week BASE online shoulder training programme draws from our experience and knowledge of building high performing shoulders and can be integrated into any training programme as it takes a minimal effective dose approach."

 

Tim’s Book Recommendation:

 

Think Again - Adam Grant

"Learning to rethink is the most important skill in today’s culture.”

 

We also talked about

Gymnastic Rings - These are from Wolverson

 

A couple of videos you might like to watch:

 

Executing a handstand

Minimum Effective Dose - Tim Stevenson style

 

To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please email her at Info@BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.

 

Sports Nutrition questions - if you have a sports nutrition question that you would like answered on the podcast, please email it to me via Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.

Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life.

If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you!

Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes. Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.