Sunday 31 December 2017

2017 in photos


2017 has been a very busy year! Here are some highlights!


Jan
I launched Gridiron Strong and visited Kielder forest for the first time.



Feb
Sadly the football season with the Newcastle Raiders ended.



March
I worked with Chris Rennison-Rae on an awesome dance shoot in Newcastle.



April

Football season with the Newcastle Vikings began!



May 
My sister visited and we travelled around Tynemouth by bike.



June
I potted my own veg in our backyard!



July
I moved my sports injury clinic to FSI Gym.



August
We had a great holiday in Devon. I can successfully use a stand-up paddle board! And I modelled the new Greg Norman Golf Collection for ProQuip Uk.



September
I began coaching with Durham University American Football Team. And launched the Gridiron Strong Pitch-side Injury Care e-book.



October
I shot with Dan Beegan Photography on Tynemouth's beautiful beaches.



November
I covered the Opal Series Tournaments.



December
I secured my new position with GB women's Flag Football.



What a year it's been!

SHARE:

Friday 22 December 2017

Flag Football - Opal Series



Over the months of September to December 2017 I was lucky to work at the Northern Conference Womens Opal Series Tournament in Sheffield and then the finals for BAFA.

Having never previously worked with the sport of flag football, but just tackle football, it was great to learn about the game and worked with the women involved with the day. (Big thanks to the East Kilbride Pirates who provided me with a warm drink when I was frozen!) Although I have a great love of tackle football, I thoroughly enjoyed working with/watching flag football and I'm now a big fan!

Despite flag being 'non-contact' it was very interesting to learn of the beliefs (of some) within the flag-football culture that injuries (especially concussion injuries) do not occur within the sport. Well, by the end of the series, we saw this wasn't the case. At the final especially (and understandably) I was very busy with injuries!

It is also very clear that player education around injury care is vital within the sport of flag football. Something which I have been developing on my blog site specific to American Football 'Gridiron Strong' and hope to continue with my research.



I am delighted to say that in the new year I will be working with the Womens GB Flag Team!
I'm thoroughly looking forward to working with the athletes and coaching staff, especially at our tournament vs Sweden in February. If you're in Glasgow on Feb 3rd then come along to watch!

Thank you to SamCrowPhotography for the snaps!
SHARE:

Thursday 7 September 2017

BackBaller Review


Recently I was kindly sent the BackBaller by its creators in Ireland.  
Upon first opening I was impressed by the sturdy quality of the product, which includes: two (removable) high density foam rollers; a plastic frame and two instructions manuals.

To keep it short and sweet (as I have filmed a full vlog review on my Gridiron Strong YouTube) here’s what I thought of the BackBaller.

The Pros
Changeable rollers – I particularly like this feature as it allows the BackBaller to adjust to individual’s different anatomy.
The colour - Lime green colour is my favourite colour so I was particularly happy when I opened the box. For those of you who aren’t so keen on green, the BackBaller is also available in bright pink.
The design - The design of the roller ensures that pressure is taken off the vertebral column, allowing for safer rolling.
The programme - The BackBaller comes with two handy leaflets - one for the wall and one for your pocket. These outline the recommended BackBaller programme. Perfect if you need some guidance!
Versatility – The BackBaller targeted areas that other rollers previously haven’t. For instance, my upper back felt so good during and following use of the BackBaller and I’ve never had that feeling before. The ridges on the roller just seem to target areas perfectly.
Non-moving – This BackBaller roller doesn’t move on the floor when you’re rolling, ensuring deep soft-tissue release. This is due to the plastic frame and its neoprene grip feet.


The Cons
The Price - The usual price of the back baller is £90. I don’t think I would pay full price, despite its top quality. It is currently available at £55 so get it quick while it’s on offer!
2 colour options – There are only two colour options – green and pink – but it’s the quality of the product that really matters.  
The Weight – The BackBaller is heavier and larger than other rollers, but I would argue that is still transportable, and definitely worth a little extra weight as it is very versatile.

I would suggest the BackBaller is a worthwhile investment for sports teams to keep at their training facility. A couple of these would be ideal for teams to use pre-and post games.


Take a look at my vlog review on my Gridiron Strong channel here


SHARE:

Friday 25 August 2017

Win Forever | Book Review and my reflections



Who wrote it? 
Pete Carroll, current NFL Head Coach to the Seattle SeaHawks.

Who's it for? 
Athletes and coaches in any sport wishing to know more about the famous and successful 'Win Forever' philosophy.

What's actually in there? 
Pete Carroll covers his life as an NFL and college coach, his relationship with athletes and staff and how he created a philosophy to help him become won of the most successful coaches in football today.

Quote from book.
'Competition to me is not about beating your opponent. It is about doing your best; it is about striving to reach your potential; and it is about being in relentless pursuit of a competitive edge in everything you do.'

Would I recommend it? 
I would definitely recommend this book to coaches and players in any sport who wish to boost their game mindset.
This book will forever stay on my book case to refer to. 


My reflections

I was recommended this book by two good friends and coaches at Durham University.

I have always loved an autobiography from sports men and women and so I was intrigued to read one by one of the greatest American Football coaches, Pete Carroll.

From the beginning I was completely hooked on his story telling and coaching philosophy
'aspiring to be the best you can be, or as i like to refer to it, "maximising your potential". But Winning Forever is not about the final score; its about competing and striving to be the best. if you are in this pursuit, then you're already winning.'



The energy that Pete Carroll appears to have 27/4 in regards to every aspect of his life is inspiring. I hope that I can bring  that energy and enthusiasm to my coaching!


I like and appreciate how Carroll takes you through the ups and downs of being an NFL and college team coach. I have a lot of appreciation for the work he and his staff do, as well as his family supporting him through the long hours and travelling.

One of my highlight quotes from the book is 'in order to be successful, you must have a consistent philopshy. If you change who you are from year to year, he explained, you're never going to be great at anything'.

I'm still working on my philosophy. This book certainly made me think about my own coaching techniques and how I can improve them to get the most out of the individuals I work with.

Check out my site Gridiron Strong for more about American Football.



SHARE:

Monday 21 August 2017

End of the Season



Well this season at the Newcastle Vikings has been another huge success (despite what some would perceive as difficulties). We moved up to Division 1 and ran the season with lower numbers than previously.... and with no head coach! Finishing the season we placed 3rd in the division. Things can only get better for us!

I'm super proud of the achievements of our team and love all of the guys I get to work with each week. We have such laughs! Thanks to them for being super supportive of my new venture Gridiron Strong too! 

We couldn't do it all without our general manager Mick who works tirelessly each week to make sure each game runs smoothly. Thanks Mick! 

Off season begins soon so it'll be time to put in the hard work for the next season in Div1. 

Next comes the Uniball season when I'll be working with a new North East team (exciting news to come!). 
SHARE:

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Newcastle's Strongest 2017



On Sunday I worked at Newcastle's Strongest 2017 held at FSI gym in North Tyneside. 

The day ran from 10am-4pm with 2 categories; novice and intermediate. 
Each had 5 events each. 
These were- 


Event 1 
Log floor to overhead/Yoke overhead press 
Men Novice: 90kg/80kg
Men Inters 100kg/90kg

Event 2
Rising Car Deadlift
Men Novice: 180kg-190kg-200kg-210kg-220kg-230kg
Men Inters: 210kg-220kg-230kg-240kg-250kg-260kg

Event 3
Squat to box for reps 
Men Noice: 150kg
Men Inters: 190kg

Event 4
Sandbag Carry 20m/Seated arm over arm 20m
Men Novice: Sandbag - 100kg/240kg
Men Inters: Sandbag- 110kg/280kg

Event 5
Atlas stones 
Mens Novice: 77kg-90kg-110kg-130kg-145kg
Mens Inters: 90kg-110kg-120kg-145kg-160kg

Throughout the day I offered athletes treatment to help enhance and promote recovery between events. It was a busy one at times!

The event was well attended, raising £400 for Cancer Research, 

All athletes did extremely well. I'm particularly happy for one of my clinic clients (and previous rugby players) Owen Irving who came 3rd in the Novice Competition. He's overcome some injuries in the last few months to achieve a great result! On wards & upwards! 

Secondly, congratulations to Fin and Adam who both train at FSI who took 1st place in both categories. It appears FSI is the place to train... (and to come for sports injury advice).


Here are some photos from the event -






SHARE:

Friday 21 July 2017

Interview | Strongman James Landless


Source: Power News by World Heavy Events Association


This weekend James Landless competes in the BNSF Britain's Strongest Man. I have been working with James on the run up to this competition to help manage his physical condition and enhance performance. Here I interview James on his journey so far... 

1. Tell us about yourself. 

Well I'm a stone mason through the day and a strongman at night so they go hand in hand with each other. Each one helping the other. Strength helps when I’m working, and stamina, flexibility and moving awkward objects helps the strongman training . But my hobby is definitely my sport. Outside of strongman training I enjoy socialising with friends.

2. Tell us about the highlight of your strongman career so far.

I was drawn to the sport accidentally as I had always fancied doing some sort of competition to push myself and I wasn't too keen on the dieting phase for bodybuilding. So I thought I would have a go at strongman.
The highlight of my career would have to be when I won northern England's strongest natural man for the first time. It came as a shock moving straight from novice level to a high level of competition. At that time I had only been training for 6 months as a strongman and was quite raw on all the events.

3. As Strongman training consists of a lot of lifting already, what type of supplementary training do you find necessary to do? What benefits have you seen from this training? 

I find that I benefit mostly by training body parts like a bodybuilder would. For example I would train back by itself and hit deadlift as a compound movement and pick 2-3 movements that would assist in building the back and strengthening the deadlift. For example I would warm up on pulldowns, and deadlifts reps and sets would vary week to week . Then I'd hit heavy barbell rows, pull ups and then maybe if I was feeling like I wanted a bit more, I would do some hyper-extensions.

4. What is your top tip for recovery?

My best advice for recovery would be eat, sleep, stretch and relax . My training has been full on for 18 months now and I've realised that you need to switch off from it and still make time for family and friends. Don't worry about being a bit rough the next day and not being able to eat a big breakfast. Building strength is a long process so balance is the key to consistent training for progression in the sport.

5. Can you summarise your own personal approach to training and nutrition?

My personal approach to training and nutrition is to look at my upcoming competition, try and separate all the events into training days to suit body parts. Then I’ll programme a session on a weekend where I do a couple of movement events - something like stones or another loading event. 
As far as nutrition goes I take it day by day aiming to hit around 50g protein per meal and some healthy carbs and maybe a bit of fat.

6. You used to compete in American Football. What have you learnt by playing the game and is there anything you feel you have reapplied when competing as a Strongman?

From playing American football I learned to be able to switch on and switch off quickly which is great for strongman. Strongman competitions are quite long and usually only consist of 5-6 events so you need to be able to switch on, smash it, then switch of after to conserve energy and focus your mind on the next event.

7. Your next competition is this weekend! Can you tell us a little about how you have been preparing for this competition? 

I'm preparing for my next competition by just slowly increasing weight so I peak at the comp weights in competition. I take a laid-back approach and am very careful in what I do. As soon as I get the events through for a competition I will not do any unnecessary exercises or activities to avoid injury.

 8. Do you have any future plans or goals within the sport of Strongman? 

My main goal is to win Britain’s Strongest Natural Man just once then I will retire from that organisation, take a year off while dropping around 3 stone (just to make normal life/work easier). Then I will focus on more of a power-lifting style training week e.g. deadlifts, squats and pressing (this will be the main focus) and maybe once a month or so do a light run through of strongman events to keep my hand in it.

Good luck to James this weekend competing! I am sure he will absolutely smash it!

If you fancy going to watch this competition then click here to find the details.


Watch James lift on his Instagram account here.  


SHARE:

Wednesday 12 July 2017

I've Moved!

I’ve moved!

Last week I have moved my clinic to FSI gym in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, a weightlifting gym which offers the top training facilitates in the North East. 

I love the new environment and the great team to work alongside. Its like one big playground!

I’m looking forward to working at the events which the gym holds, such as Newcastle’s Strongest 2017 on 6th August.

Whilst in this new location I am looking forward to developing Gridiron Strong and offering more services at Performance Sports Therapy.

Here are some photos of the new set up. Check it out!










I’ve already been super busy since I’ve moved in so make sure you book an appointment in early!


SHARE:

Tuesday 13 June 2017

Interview | Dance Student Zoe Norbury



Tell us about yourself

Hello!! My name is Zoe, I’m 20 years old and I study BA (Hons) Dance at De Montfort University in Leicester. As well as being a lover for contemporary dance, I also live for being active, whether that be throwing weights in the gym and doing circuits, playing sports (I play Netball at uni) or just getting outdoors, I must be up and doing something. I also have my own little blog on Instagram and Wordpress where I share all things food, fitness and life-related, spreading positivity and self-love every day. I am a huge chocoholic and peanut butter addict so expect to see many pictures featuring the two!


What type of supplementary training do you do? What benefits have you seen from this training?

I find myself in the gym quite regularly, aiming to be there 3-4 times a week and ensuring I get in some rest days. I vary my training in each workout, so one day I will focus on just weights for strength training, slowly increasing the weights when I feel is needed. I will also do some circuit training, adding in a mixture of weight, body-weight/plyometric exercises to keep up my fitness and I just love feeling like a ninja.

Since beginning supplementary training, I’ve noticed a variety of benefits. My strength has increased majorly – I’ve noticed that my balance has improved and I’m able to control movements much more. Another benefit is that my fitness feels are at a high, meaning that I am able to take part in class without being out of breath easily and so can fully focus.


At what age or stage in your dance career did you realise supplementary training was necessary?

I realised that it felt necessary when I was in my final year of sixth form - pretty much when I started my whole journey into fitness and healthy eating. I started with HIIT training and then was encouraged by Youtubers/bloggers, my dad (who was a personal trainer) and my older brother to start introducing weights into my training. As the year went by I noticed how much stronger and confident I was in my dance training. I was able to maintain a good level of fitness, control my movements and balance, and I was able to perform with more power.


Can you summarise your own personal approach to supplementary training and nutrition?

My approach is to be balanced, and I am constantly preaching this. I started my training the wrong way: overtraining, eating way too little and restricting myself from foods if they weren’t ‘clean’. It took me a long time to realise how wrong this was and I began to research more into how I should train and rekindle my love for fitness and food. I now train at least 3-4 times (sometimes 2 if I am busy) a week and if I feel like I am too tired or injured, I listen to my body and make sure I rest. It is so crucial to allow our bodies to recover! As with nutrition, I learnt that food is fuel and to not categorise into ‘good’ or ‘bad’ which completely changed my mindset. I now make sure I am eating enough food every day, ensuring that I eat plenty of carbs (the beauty that gives us energy), protein and fats, as well as lots of veggies and chocolate, of course. Everything in moderation and it’s all about finding your own balance.
From your blog and Instagram it’s clear that you love food! Can you tell us your favourite snack to nibble on between classes?

I love food!! It makes me happy and fuels my body! Most of my technique classes are early morning so I always have breakfast which is a huge feature on my Instagram – zoats (oats with courgette). I will have this with a scoop of protein, berries, peanut butter and some form of chocolate (I find that starting my day with some chocolate stops me from wanting to eat all of it at the end of the day). If I have an afternoon class, I make sure I have some carbs beforehand and I love bananas! Sweet, tasty and gives me energy for the class.


How do you juggle your studies and make time for supplementary training?

I always organise my weeks with my weekly planner. I write down my timetabled classes and work the gym into it, making sure that I have enough rest time but also time to let off steam in the gym. I aim to have gym sessions on days when the technique class isn’t too intense otherwise my body will be exhausted and injuries could occur.


As a student dancer do you feel you are sufficiently educated and supported in injury care/management and methods to reduce injury? 

In all honesty, no. These topics aren’t sufficiently covered on my course and it is down to us to research these topics if we wish to do so (I tend to take out a couple of books from the library when I feel like I need more information). We do learn about anatomy and physiology on my course, however, it is more about the Alexander Technique and how we should direct ourselves in order to be more at a mechanical advantage. I feel that learning about injury care and safe dance practice should be enforced more onto any dance course as not many student dancers (or even some professional dancers) are entirely educated on how to reduce the risk of injury or how to treat them. I would love to be able to have a career in this sector, I want to help others take care of themselves.


Do you have a favourite exercise you’d like to share? 

Oh this is a tough one! I enjoy doing squats with the bar because I love seeing my strength slowly increase, it amazes me how strong our bodies are! However, I am a big lover of plyometric training and do love different variations of burpees (e.g. regular, to the floor, with a sandbag) and also lunge jumps! Call me crazy, but I love seeing how much endurance I have and how powerful I am when jumping. It’s great for the legs and glutes, and as dancers we need to have a strong base.

Thanks to Zoe for a great insight into her life as a Dance degree student! So glad to hear of such a positive attitude to dancer health. But it certainly sounds like there is a need for better education on degree courses...
Find Zoe on social media here and here

SHARE:

Wednesday 7 June 2017

Everyday care for the dancer’s feet


The foot and ankle are a vulnerable area for the dancer, accounting for 65% of all injuries within professional dancers and 53.4% within elite pre-professional dance students. Dancers are constantly on their feet and despite the effortless look, there is no doubt that this art puts incredible strain on the lower limbs. 
A combination of flexibility, stability and dynamic strength are required at the ankle and foot for a healthy dancer’s foot. However, despite the intense training, injuries in this area are highly common.
Foot injuries can be caused by a number of factors including;
             ill-fitting shoes,
             an increase of training intensity too quickly,
             poor dance technique,
             over training

Chronic injuries at the foot, due to overtraining, are more common than acute injuries.
Below are some tips of how you can take care of your feet each day, with an aim to prevent injury.

Everyday care

Remove the waddle
As a dancer it is very important to look after your feet when outside of the studio. Dancers often adopt the dancers “waddle” out of habit due to their turnout training. However, mechanically, the feet are not designed to be turned outwards, therefore it is important to note when walking and jogging to place your feet in parallel.
Rest and recover
Additionally, allowing your feet to rest and recover is highly important and beneficial, in order to help prevent injuries due to overtraining. Possible ways of doing this is by soaking the feet, simply taking the weight off your feet or having a massage in the arch of the foot and Achilles tendon insertion.
Wear the correct footwear
When buying shoes, ensure you wear properly fitted shoes. Not only dance shoes, but any casual pumps too. After a long day training you do not want to put extra strain on your feet. I would suggest purchasing a well-fitting pair of running trainers for these occasions.
Prepare your feet
In the morning you might feel stiffness in the foot and ankle. Why not prepare the feet first thing? Even before class? This will feel like a breath of fresh air and help enhance movement quality.
Try this plantar fascia roll.
1.            Using a hockey ball, roll deeply into the plantar fascia on the foot for 2-3 minutes. Ensure you cover the whole underside of the foot.
2.            Repeat on the other foot.

You'll feel like you're walking on air!
Strengthening the ankle and foot is highly important in order to prevent fatigue, a leading cause in injury. View my article on improving ankle strength here and warming up the ankle and foot here.
Look after blisters
Blisters are a common complaint for ballet dancers caused by moisture and repeated friction from (most commonly) pointe shoes. Taping susceptible areas of the feet can help prevent blisters yet don’t work 100% of the time.
When blisters come up it is unadvisable to burst blisters. Doing so could lead to infection. It is best to leave the blister to heal in the open air, however dance class schedules and pain can restrict this. Therefore you can drain a blister using a sterilised needle to ‘pop’ the blister. It is important to keep the roof of the blister intact to allow as cover which will help avoid infection. It is then best to cover this area with a clean dressing.  
Avoid bunions
Toe spacers or improvised toe spaces help to improve the alignment of the big toe. I would recommend fixing these in place before class with a bit of tape.
If you suffer from bunions then seek a good pointe shoe fitter who can offer you a shoe with the correct support and angling to remove pressure from the bunion.
At the end of the day have an ice pack to hand to sooth any bunion pain.


Do you have any rituals you go through each day to look after your feet? Let me know below!
 Photo credit: Rennison-Rae Photography



SHARE:

Tuesday 30 May 2017

Tegen Jewellery




I found Tegen Jewellery during my Instagram scrolling in 2015 and was hooked by the unique designs of her rings. I love unique pieces of jewellery and Tegen’s items are so beautiful! I’m not one for flashy or sparkly pieces so love the earthy stones, simplistic casings and unique look. If I had the fingers for it, I would purchase so many more!


For my first item, I purchased a commissioned piece, a ring with two stones of my own and Richards birth stone, pearl and opal. I can’t wear rings everyday due to my line of work, so it feels extra special when I get to slide the ring on!

I was always slightly worried about getting an opal as I’ve heard (and unsure whether this is correct), that opals can fall out of their setting. My stones haven’t moved an inch in the 2 years I’ve had it!

As Tegen runs her business from Truro in Cornwall, we communicated about the commission via email, with design drafts and measurements sent back and forth. When the ring arrived I was over the moon! I will treasure it for a long time!

Last December I was lucky enough to win one of Tegen’s Instagram competitions. I was sent three sea-themed rings, one of a starfish, one of a shell and one sand dollar. My sister and mum have one each, and I the other. It was a lovely Christmas treat! At the moment I wear my sea shell alongside my commissioned ring.



Tegen Jewellery doesn’t just offer rings. Her collection also includes: necklaces, anklets, wedding accessories, bracelets and ‘treasures of old’. I love the option to purchase each piece in various metals, making your own more unique. 

With some money left over from Christmas I decided to treat myself to the silver mini dangle hoops. I first saw these on surfer Corinne Evans and contacted Tegen as I loved them so much. Despite them not currently being on her collection, Tegen was kind enough to make a pair for me. I’m looking to seeing what interchangeable dangles will be available soon. I keep these earrings in permanently and they cause me no trouble, unlike other earrings which I find can irritate my skin.


I hope to add to my collection of Tegen Jewellery as she creates new items.

Here are my favourite pieces from her current collection -

Morvoren ring

Sirene medium v ring


I also have another commission in mind…


Find Tegen's treasures here.

-E


SHARE:

Wednesday 17 May 2017

Exploring Tynemouth by bike

 

Over the past few days I've had the delight of having my sister visit. As well as both doing bits of work (finishing a uni project for Alicia and business bits for me) we have managed to squeeze in some adventures! A definite welcome break after the last two hectic weeks.

Alicia arrived in Newcastle Central station early Monday morning so of course we had to go for brunch! After wandering around looking for a place that sold pancakes (we are still looking), we settled for a window seat at the Tyneside Cinema café.


We couldn’t shelter from the rain forever and so ventured out to the shops where Alicia proceeded to purchase 4 pairs of sunglasses (she has a shades obsession rather than handbags). I picked a pair up myself and we headed to Lit and Phil library near Central Station. I must go back when my hands aren’t full of luggage and shopping!


We spent what was rest of the day doing bits of work and enjoying a bits and bobs dinner.


Tuesday was a perfect day to spend exploring as the sun decided to show itself. We took a trip to Cullercoats bike and kayak hire to hire out cruisers (something that’s been on my to-do list for a good while). The service at the store was excellent and we enjoyed our cycle along Tynemouth’s coast-line. Next time I'll convince Alicia to try the tandem bike. And I must bring up my own bike from Essex so I can do more cycling!





We took a stop at Dill and the Bear along Tynemouth high street where we enjoyed iced frappes and a slice of banana and walnut bread – heavenly! Then it was back to mine to finish off some work.




In the evening, once Richard was back from work we went back to Tynemouth to enjoy dinner at Lola Jeans. Alicia and Richard had burgers while I enjoyed my favourite salmon super food salad. We then took a long walk along King Edwards bay and Longsands beach enjoying the beautiful sunset and smooth sea until we made it to the Surf Café to enjoy the live acoustic music.








Two brilliant days spent with the younger sister and enjoying what the local area has to offer! Hopefully it won’t be too long until I get to see Alicia again!

-Ellie




SHARE:
© Performance Sports Therapy. All rights reserved.
Blogger Templates by pipdig