the strategies & tools you need to smash your personal records
Successful athletes understand that consistent, effective training is the key to long-term success. Doing the right work at the right time will always generate far better results than a haphazard approach. Training isn't just putting in more physical work, it's a balance of numerous factors, all of which are trainable.
In this article, I’m going to explore the concept of training to achieve and maintain a state of athletic readiness. For some, especially those who have tied their identity to their sport, this can be a little challenging. Table of Contents 1Introduction2Would You Like a PDF Version of This Article3Defining Athletic Readiness4The Scope of the
Read MorePhysiological training is what most people think of when they think about training. Simply put, it's physical fitness. You can't get away from it: you have to put in the consistent hard work.
Develop that “Snap” Acceleration for Sprinting on a Bike Stomp intervals are an effective way to develop more powerful early acceleration on your bike. When it comes to sprinting, whether in the gallop for the line or when trying to create the separation from the bunch that results in a successful breakaway, being able to accelerate
Read MoreTable of Contents 1IntroductionDefinition of Fitness2Would You Like a PDF Version of This ArticleWhat is Fitness Minimalism?Fitness Minimalism is not spending as little time as possible working outFitness Minimalism is not a series of hacksThe 80:20 Rule and the Minimum Effective DoseMinimising the Equipment You Need3Requirements for Fitness Minimalism to be EffectiveCover All Essential Human
Read MoreBrutally EffectiveDanish intervals are a simple session, one that I’ve used since about 2012, when it was first published. I’ve found it to be very effective for improving VO2max and running economy. I’ve also used it to good effect with cyclists, in which scenario it’s best used on a stationary cycle trainer. It’s not one for the
Read MoreOne often hears this bandied about: You can’t be really healthy and super fit at the same time, they’re different things.IntroductionPart of this statement is correct and another part is only partially true. They absolutely are different things and attaining a high level of fitness for a specific sport can be detrimental to your overall
Read MoreInterval training is arguably the most effective way to improve your racing performance over almost any distance in any endurance sport.IntroductionThere is no doubt that in order to get the most from your training, it’s not enough simply to go out and do long slow distance. Swimmers have recognised this seemingly forever and it would
Read MoreEvents are often not won by the fittest athlete, they're won by the athlete with the best tactical approach on the day.
Following an evidence-based training plan would seem, on the surface, to be an excellent strategy for getting the most from your training. But is it really?IntroductionIf you were to have a quick scan around the endurance coaching world, you’d run into a lot of coaching programmes that claim to be “evidence-based training”, “based on the
Read MoreFor many people, Covid-19 highlighted the weakness inherent in their reliance on gyms for their training. Building your own home gym is a great way to future-proof your training. Table of Contents 1Introduction2Would You Like a PDF Version of This Article3“Imperfect”4BasicsHow Much Space Do You Need?5Flooring6Minimal Option #1 – Calisthenics7Minimal Option #2 – Kettlebells8Free Weights
Read MoreAn effective workout doesn’t happen in isolation. Progress, not soreness or fatigue, is the only measure of good programming.Introduction I receive a lot of email newsletters from all over the world. I subscribe to them because I like reading and I believe in learning. In fact, the amount of money I have spent on education
Read MoreA lot of the information about planning your training is designed to make it feel like it’s a complex process that demands a high level of knowledge.IntroductionA couple of weekends ago I was tutoring on a coaching course (again). The very last module of the day was an introduction to “components of fitness”. Once more
Read MoreIs the Aggregation of Marginal Gains concept useful or just a distraction? For most athletes, it’s a way to look for shortcuts instead of doing the work.IntroductionIn simple language: “Small things add up to to make a big difference.” Way back in the early “Noughties”, Dave Brailsford at British Cycling coined what has now become a
Read MoreBeing fit isn't the whole story. Speed & performance relate as much to technique as to how much effort you have to put in. Better technique is the answer.
Time management is a crucial skill for amateur and age-group athletes. Your ability to manage your time dictates how you fit in training, life and work.Introduction“At some point I’ll do that, but I never have enough time.” We’ve all heard that old line about everyone having 168 hours in a week. Nobody has any more time
Read MoreA lot of athletes use their supposed genetic limits as an excuse for their lack of results. Like so many other excuses, it’s largely just an excuse.IntroductionFor a number of years, I worked with another coach who regularly expressed frustration that athletes he was coaching weren’t willing to accept that they had simply reached their
Read MoreContinually beating yourself up in your training is a surefire way to go backwards, not forwards, in training. Instead, try a “No Threat” training approach.IntroductionI was teaching on a coaching course the other day and as usually happens, one of the learners wanted to talk about more than simply cycling technique. Over lunch we got
Read MoreSuffering from illness or injury is something most athletes fear. When the unthinkable happens, there are a number of strategies you can use to come out the other side better than when you went in.IntroductionFrom the last two posts (here and here), you’ll know that I don’t believe that illness or injury are inevitable consequences
Read MoreIt’s long been my mission to be in better shape at 70 than the average 20-year-old and to help others do the same. Here’s how you can do it. Table of Contents 1Introduction2Would You Like a PDF Version of This Article3HealthSleepNutritionWalking4Healthy Human Course Launching Soon!5DO YOU WANT TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE AT 70 THAN
Read MoreThe mental edge shouldn't be underestimated. When things get hard, it's usually not the physically tough, but the mentally tough, who win.
Becoming a faster athlete is so much more than simply training more or training harder.IntroductionI’m constantly looking for ways my athletes can go faster without resorting to some of the dodgy supplementation practices endorsed by many “ergogenic experts.” What follows is a list of just a few of those that I have found to work over
Read MoreIt’s long been my mission to be in better shape at 70 than the average 20-year-old and to help others do the same. Here’s how you can do it. Table of Contents 1Introduction2Would You Like a PDF Version of This Article3HealthSleepNutritionWalking4Healthy Human Course Launching Soon!5DO YOU WANT TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE AT 70 THAN
Read MoreA lot of athletes use their supposed genetic limits as an excuse for their lack of results. Like so many other excuses, it’s largely just an excuse.IntroductionFor a number of years, I worked with another coach who regularly expressed frustration that athletes he was coaching weren’t willing to accept that they had simply reached their
Read MoreEveryone is looking for performance hacks. If you want to be the best version of you, there is only one hack: Consistency over a long period.IntroductionI’ve just returned from a weekend at the Special Olympics Great Britain National Cycling Championships. My reason for attending was to support one of my clients, who has been working
Read MoreTime management is a crucial skill for amateur and age-group athletes. Your ability to manage your time dictates how you fit in training, life and work.Introduction“At some point I’ll do that, but I never have enough time.” We’ve all heard that old line about everyone having 168 hours in a week. Nobody has any more time
Read MoreWhether you're an absolute beginner or a seasoned athlete, the support of an experienced coach will make a remarkable difference in both the quality of the results you achieve and how quickly you achieve them.
Rather than trying to muddle through, making all the mistakes that I made, why not take advantage of my knowledge and experience to fast-track your results.
Unlike many coaches, I'm not worried whether you're a top performer or simply someone who is not sure if they'll ever perform a single pull-up. I meet you where you are on your health, nutrition and performance journey, and help you to take the most effective steps towards your desired physical goals.
Put my experience of coaching individual elite athletes in a number of sports to work for your advantage.
Effective training, following a well-constructed plan and ignoring all the potential distractions is what separates the best athletes from the rest.
Of course, it's possible to make all kinds of excuses, pointing to the advantages that someone else has - genetics, money, time or even luck - but when it comes down to it, none of these things matter, if you're not willing to put in the consistent effort that it takes to get the result you're after.
I think of training as a blue-collar endeavour. It doesn't matter how much you know. It doesn't matter who you know. There is no way to game the system and get a result regardless.
The only thing that matters is that you turn up and do the work.
It's often boring. It's often repetitive. It's often not very inspiring. You often see no results for a long time.
But the only way you get results is by choosing an effective training plan and executing it consistently.
We live in a world full of hacks. It's a place where it's possible to buy almost everything. There are people who will claim that it's possible to do amazing things on the fitness front with as little as "7 minutes a day" as long as you pay them a lot of money.
We all know the old adage: "If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is too good to be true."
CONSISTENT HARD WORK IS THE ONLY "HACK" THAT IS ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE.
Along with consistent hard work, it's important to remember that success in any physical endeavour seldom consists only of physical aspects.
If your training is going to be as effective as it can be, your training plan has to take into account the technique, tactical and mental aspects of the sport you're taking part in.
Any athlete who works with me will have a plan that includes sessions that address physiology, technique, tactics and psychology.
Simply fill in the form below to join my email list to get your free copy of the "Athlete Success Principles" report. You'll receive the occasional email with more tips and instruction to make the most of your training.
