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What is good posture and how important is it

An analysis of what good posture is and how to correct common problems. Part one Posture - What is good posture? Posture, its not a very cool or sexy topic to talk about or learn about but its crucial for good health, optimum athletic performance and preventing injuries. Its something that needs regular reassessment and monitoring. Its good to check in a number of times a day with your body and see what your various joints are doing and if everything is correctly aligned. Notice the people aroun...

The low down on Anti-inflammatory tablets to deal with pain from training injuries and inflammation

Is it ok to pop the odd pill or two to take the edge off your pain so you can train harder, longer or finish that race? Anti-inflammatory tablets that you can buy over the counter seem like a god send when you have muscle soreness, inflammation from training, or minor injuries but there are dangers and reasons why you shouldn’t just grab to a pill next time you have a minor ailment.  I have taken anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or nurofen, voltaren and the likes (NSAIDS for short or non st...

That one Question - Why do you do it

Why would someone put themselves through extreme long distance runs, its painful, its expensive, its full of obstacles and pain so why? That one question There’s one question I get asked by nearly everyone I meet. It’s the one thing they all want to know and the one question I find difficult to answer quickly and succinctly. It is, of course, ‘Why do you do it?’Those five words are really loaded. What I think most people who ask me that mean is something along these lines: ‘Why don’t...

The high performance pyramid management theory and how it can apply to athletes as well

Achieving high performance in business and sport. A look at the High performance pyramid by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz and a personal application. The high performance pyramid. This is a performance management theory hierarchy or framework that helps executives or business people get the most out of their abilities and performance. Performing in business has often been seen as a matter of sheer brainpower but this model presents the hypothesis that the ideal performance state (IPS) is achieved ...

Encouragement for beginners starting out on a fitness programme

Our bodies need to move constantly and in challenging ways, throughout our lives. There are many reasons we lose our way when it comes to fitness, life got in the way, family came first, I had no time, life has been to stressful and the list goes on and many of these things are valid but the reality is and this is a the fact we need to integrate into our psyche, is that working your body and not just using it to carry your brain around in, is essential for health, longevity, wellbeing and psycho...

Developing correct technique as a runner

Correct technique in running can mean the difference between having longevity in the sport or wearing out your joints. It can mean far less injuries and a much stronger body if you concentrate on developing the strength necessary to maintain the correct technique for the duration of your runs.  Strength in the core, both front and back, including the obliques, Rectus abdomenis, External Obliques, TVA, diaphragm, pelvic floor, Lats, etc as well as you Gluteus maximus and medius, (very very impor...

A tribute to my mate Samuel Gibson - and what we can learn from this great man

Samuels legacy In honour of our Running Hot Coaching family member and our dear friend Samuel Peter Gibson who died just this week I wanted to write a blog about what he stood for, what lessons we can learn from his life, his attitude and how we can follow in his footsteps.  Samuel Gibson was a great man. Small in stature at less than a metre tall, Samuel was born with Brittle bone disease, a crippling disease that would see him break so many bones in his lifetime that he had lost count. Becaus...

Lessons from my adventures

It's 43 degrees celcius in the middle of the day in the burning and inhospitable Libyan desert with no shade in sight. A young woman lies in the sand, desperately dehydrated, exhausted beyond measure physically and emotionally. Broken and in tears, tears she cant afford to lose. She is illegally here in this military barred zone on a 250km expedition to cross this incredibly beautiful but brutal desert, an unsupported expedition where each only has enough for 2 litres of water per day (thats all...

Cyclic training and the reason you should train different energy systems

Doing the same type of training year in year out with no variation is the recipe for burn out, injuries and only a very limited single purpose type of fitness, rather than general functionality. How to break down your training year into cycles and why you need to train different energy systems. Even though you perhaps just like one particular type of training for example running or swimming or one particular distance, for example the marathon or maybe you are a 5km runner, there are many reasons...

Why do so many runners get injured?

Are we wrecking ourselves by running. Did you know that 8 out of 10 runners you see at any one race will be injured at some time during that year?  Horrific statistic isn’t it, does that mean that running is as many claim, bad for you? Are you going to wreck your joints?  All valid concerns but lets take a look. We have all followed in the last few years the barefoot running revolution instigated in part by my friend Christopher McDougalls’ in-depth book “Born to run” and the ensuing c...

Running a long race - The right mental approach

Don't let the devil get you.Before a big event you have to have a good conversation with yourself and ask yourself, What am I prepared to go through? How much am I prepared to endure and suffer to achieve what I set out to? How much does it mean to me? What are my motivators? Who am I doing it for?You have to know the answers inside out so that when the pain sets in, extreme fatigue leadens your limbs and your willpower flags, you have the answers for the devil who will sit on your shoulder and ...