Supporting Champions

The dynamic of retirement, transitions and change for athletes is rightly receiving much greater attention as athletes speak up and openly about their experiences – none more so this episode’s guest Lizzie Simmonds. Former international backstroker, two time Olympian, European champion – Lizzie has taken it upon herself to  write and speak about her experiences since her retirement in 2018 and now mentoring others.

Her blog, her speeches are some of the most candid, open, articulations of what it feels like, how she’s responded, the noise in her head, the loss of identity, the polarised reactions of excitement but being daunted, open to possibilities but feeling like an imposter.

Lizzie’s communications are not some sort of ‘woe is me’ plea for attention – these are balanced, considerate, heartfelt, humble and honest accounts – that have rightly been lauded for expressing what many feel but have found too overwhelming or chaotic to be able to capture. Not everybody can do what Lizzie has done, but I think that anybody experiencing a change can certainly benefit from Lizzie has given a voice to.

Show notes

Rediscovering exercise after retirement

Lizzie’s viral tweet and Piers Morgan and the dangers of social media

Openness and engagement

Blogging about retirement and transitioning

The challenges of retirement, the guilt, feeling disconnected and being honest about feeling a little lost

Preparing for retirement and the thought process involved ahead of time

Athletes who have amore balance lifestyle tend to do better at retirement

Defining yourself by your sport and the consequences of that single identity

Support networks the difficulty in diverting resources from performance aims to support retirement in order to help them transition successfully.

What compelled Lizzie to write her blog about transitioning.

What does Lizzie miss, and not miss, about swimming

Specific memories from Lizzie’s swimming career Rockstar in goggles 

Confidence and association with identity 

Future life – enjoying experiences and staying away from the rat race

If you’d like to follow Lizzie then you can do so on Twitter https://twitter.com/LizzieSimmonds1

and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/simmo1234/

To find out more from Lizzie’s website including her blog go to https://lizziesimmonds.com/

https://lizziesimmonds.com/2018/07/15/how-to-be-a-real-person/#more-157

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Duncan French is the Vice President of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Mixed martial arts is a sport that has had an accelerated rise into the public consciousness over the last couple of decades. It seems to have captured the imagination, created interest and intrigue about the unpredictability of the contest. And so has followed a professionalisation of the bouts, the events, and the support they receive.

Duncan’s focus is to provide the very best support to the fighters, sometimes supporting two fighters that are about to fight each other. We get into an interesting discussion about the ethics of aiming to help someone do a better job of hurting someone else to the point of submission or unconsciousness, versus the unhealthy neglect that would result if fighters were left to their own devices. Combat has been with us since the dawn of time – way before we were human and it was one of the earliest activities we’d call sport – and let’s be realistic it’s probably not going away any time soon.

Duncan is a world renowned conditioning coach, rightly respected and sought after. As I fully expected from Duncan he sheds light on this territory with lucidity,  acumen and wisdom. If you’re not into MMA (which I’m not actually but I’m interested) my expectations are that you’ll take a great deal from Duncan’s ideas.

Show notes

Introducing Frankie French!

Duncan’s background in strength and conditioning, particularly in the field of combat

The challenge of the PhD

Working and identifying as a sport scientist

The move to Connecticut and the moving into understanding the role of strength and conditioning

Duncan is a hybrid, shouldn’t we all be?

Nuns with arthritic wrists

Filtering the noise – it’s time consuming and takes effort but it’s important to focus on creating a quality track record and reputation

The pendulum swings from the coaching domain to the science domain, a blend of both is required

Combat based sports GB boxing

Changing the trajectory of a young sport the training and standards

Degrees of freedom

We don’t want to take the wild out of the stallion!

Uniquely supporting athletes both sides of the ring, the trust, support and opened required and operating within boundaries that are fundamental

The ethical challenges of supporting two people who are fighting the aim of which is to knock out their opponent: making the environment as safe a possible such as equipment design, physical development and training, rehabilitation, rules, regulations in order to make the sport as safe as possible for the fighters  

Changing the standards of combat sports beyond mixed martial arts

Maximising deliverables

Fighting is in our DNA we get it and we like it 

Duncan’s mantras!

Links

Duncan on Twitter https://twitter.com/duncanfrench

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Sue Backhouse, Professor of psychology and nutrition at Leeds Beckett University is this week's guest. Sue is an expert in the complexity around two huge areas – eating and cheating. Everyone’s a nutritionist these days, everyone’s a psychologist and everyone has an opinion on the issue of doping. Three emotive, convoluted and noisy areas for Sue to tackle.

What Sue’s research does is something quite unique, particularly so compared with a lot of reductionist studies that pare back all confounding variables to a level of control almost sterility. Of course, you need that level of meticulous control for some research but often important areas get neglected by researchers because they’re too messy. Equally what Sue is able to do is see through the clatter, the jumble and offer illuminating yet grounded findings and advice.

We explore the hows and whys of influencing athletes to adopt certain dietary practices and how underpinning motivation and behaviour are essential for change. Then we get into a rich discussion about why people dope, the context, knowledge, social norms, group think, can all be factors in people taking or not taking that step into violating rules and how people reconcile their minds that what they’re doing is ok. A fascinating area, one that I have spent my life staunchly and adamantly against and working to support athletes in an ethical and legal way. At the end of the conversation I felt more aware and understanding and perhaps slightly more empathetic towards a doper – NOT that I have lowered my stance – but by better understanding why people cheat I feel I might be able to help someone choose not to.

Show notes:

Sue’s formative years leading to her career in sport.

Resetting ambitions and dealing with rejection and disappointment and how this has turned into an advantage.

Complexity of behaviour on multiple levels towards food and nutrition.

The role of emotions and how it drives behaviour, decision making and the support required to be sensitive to.

Capability Opportunity Motivation model of behaviour (COM-B); a behaviour change model recognise that in order to bring about change one needs a capability i.e. education, training and skills.

Having difficult conversations and making sure everyone is on the same page with the same expectations.

Just telling!

Barriers towards nutritional adherence

What are the unintended consequences of some of these short term solutions?

Doping, “I just did what I was told…”

Social norms of dysfunction, the power of the group.

Unravelling the complexities of doping, the vulnerability, the goal directed behaviours, the protection of health, athlete identity and winning at all costs.

Differences in doping violations, team versus individual approach

Therapeutic exemption and the knock-on effect of the negativity surrounding doping

Fearless organisations and having difficult conversations

Links:

Sue on Twitter https://twitter.com/susanbackhouse

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

This year we have the Olympic games – the World’s biggest sporting event. But in quick succession is the Paralympics, now the third largest sporting event. Some quip that the Olympics is the warm-up or the test event for the Paralympics. Well this week’s guest is one of the greatest stalwarts and servant of the Paralympics, my good friend and close colleague Nik Diaper. It’s difficult to overstate the impact that Nik has had on the domain of disabled sport, from the days when frankly very few people were interested, through to it becoming not only respected, but revered.

In this interview I discuss with Nik what drew him to parasport, what resonated with him and what has endured. Nik shares his perspectives on why disability sport has caught the imagination of sports fans, general public and global audiences alike. He shares his search for meaning amongst some of life’s broader questions and why what he does can add value to society.

Now I cycle most weekends with Nik and he is a quality athlete, which I know to my suffering. This interview was in many ways like how he rides – unfussy, humble, deliberate in delivering a powerful effect.

Show notes:

Nik discusses his sporting history in Kenya

Moving to the US to pursue his swimming dream

The move to Manchester

Nik had no intention of pursuing a career in Paralympic sport

Entering Para sport and feeling completely out of his depth

Accessibility

The Paralympics 2020 and the step change in perception for disability sport

What made London so successful and it’s legacy?

What does it mean to be disabled? - the debate!

What were the reasons for sticking with Paralympic sport if it wasn’t your first choice?

Stand out para moments for Nik

Technological advances in para-sport and the ramifications

What more needs to be done and Nik’s hopes and ambitions?

Links:

Nik on Twitter

https://twitter.com/nik_diaper

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

This week’s guest is business consultant James Glover. James is a world champion white-water rafter, former performance lifestyle practitioner and head of support for the sport of triathlon in Britain. In these sporting support roles James began to explore and research some deeper concepts of human performance and found himself drawing upon some emerging and quite powerful principles being applied to business people around the world in the area of well-being, sustaining our energy and achieving greater productivity and human vibrancy.

Show notes

How are you feeling?…the vulnerability behind the question

James’ background

The predictability of career path is a turn off

Taking leaps of faith which pay off

Disengagement from the learning environment

The qualities required to be a world champion white water rafter

The human experience and contributions people make

Performance lifestyle and athlete support

Business demands and reflections

Extreme performance, stress being a stimulant for adaptation and growth for athletes but also other aspects of our lives

The transition between stress and distress

The leap taken towards The Energy Project

The reverence in business for sport and the power of human endeavour expressed through sport

Links

James on Linkedin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-glover-1180b2a1/

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Welcome to episode 50, a mini milestone for us and not long ago we've ticked over 50,000 downloads so thank you to all for tuning in and sharing what you've learnt from each episode - it encourages to keep producing more content for you.

While we've hit some mini milestones, this week's guests has been part of some projects that have grown to become phenomenally successful. Tom Williams is Parkrun's Global Chief Operating Officer the incredible successful charity that provides free timed 5km runs for people around the world. At the time of recording Parkrun has had 60 million interactions of participants or volunteers with an average of 200 people in each event each week, supporting people to run over 200 million kms in total. Tom shares with us the spirit, culture and ethos of inspiring people to exercise through Parkruns. 

Tom is also co-host of Marathon Talk with Martin Yelling, the incredibly successful podcast that has just had it's 500th episode - a feat of stamina in itself.

It was fascinating to hear how with both Parkrun and Marathon Talk how these projects started because if you look at those statistics of achievements it can be quite intimidating. But that idea you've got, that we've got, has to start somewhere, they have to start at zero.

Show notes;

How did Marathon Talk podcast come to fruition?

Being authentic on the podcast for both Martin and Tom

Introversion, lack of structure and a small group of people can be difficult however standing up in from of 500 people can feel fantastic. The barrier between

The beauty of running and talking

What has Tom learnt from running the Marathon Talk podcast

Tom’s observation of the increasing uptake of marathon running

Parkrun - a social intervention for a lonely bloke!!

Paul was lacking in real social interaction and to all intents and purposes lonely despite having loads of ‘friends’ the original ‘Parkrun’ was set up to rectify this situation with friends.

Parkrun isn’t about the running, it’s about sharing the experience

Ironman qualification

The danger of focussing on outcomes rather than our values, what is the essence of sport what it the essence of performance?

60 million instances in participation in the first 15 years

The future of Parkrun - 900 million instance in participation in the next 15 years

Follow Tom on Twitter

https://twitter.com/tomwilliams1974

Parkrun

https://www.parkrun.com/

Marathon talk

https://marathontalk.com/

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Jason Laird has worked in Premiership football, ballet, judo and now gymnastics and as such is one of the most experienced physiotherapists in the UK.

Show notes:

How and why did Jason choose to get into physiotherapy?

Routes into physiotherapy

Making mistakes, trialling, working creatively and learning

Broad general physiotherapy practice to Chelsea football academy, how did that happen?

Juggling roles, different environments and energy levels

Working in the Royal Ballet, thinking differently, asking ‘stupid’ questions and being open to not knowing

Judo to gymnastics – it’s all about the variety and the challenge

How do you deal and prepare for trauma

The balance of pushing through recovery and getting back to play, risk management and decision making

Physio chat!

Not creating dependency and building your client base

Supporting the next generation, developing and growing practitioner skills beyond the knowledge of physiology and sport

Jason lists the practitioner skills he feels are most important

Follow Jason on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/PhysioReel

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/physioreel/

His website:

http://www.jasonlairdphysio.com/

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Dave Smith, Paralympic champion shares his emotional story intertwining sporting pursuit and cancer survival. This interview is a deep one, it’s a full existential exploration of what is important, how and what we pursue and the focus on what really matters in our lives. I had the truly humbling, moving and inspirational experience of speaking to Dave Smith to tell his utterly remarkable story of sporting endeavour, fighting cancer and choosing to live life.

Show notes:

Living with purpose, the benefits and negatives of social media and the way in which the world can rapidly change

External and internal effects of spinal tumour

Reaching out for help

Regaining control better sleep, better nutrition, better exercise, reconnecting with passions and support of friends and mentors

Dave’s story form the beginning

Foot deformity from birth

Tumour symptoms from 17

Overtraining and pushing too hard

Bobsleigh challenge

Classifying for Paralympic sport

2009 joining a supported rowing programme

Rowing support and investigation saved Dave’s life and identified the tumour

2010 tumour diagnosis, life changed but sport was the coping mechanism

Re-diagnosis

Cancer diagnosis and the way in which you deal with it is very individual, use what works for you, Dave chose to use it as a battle and threw himself into sport.

The difference between the ‘have to’ and ‘want to’ goals

Who are you and what defines you, what is your purpose?

Links

Dave's website

https://davidsmithathlete.com/

Dave's blog

https://davidsmithathlete.com/vblog

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.

Performance psychologist Dr Josie Perry is this episode's guest. Josie has a successful consultancy service supporting endurance athletes, golfers tennis players, but she also has a rich background in communications. Originally a journalist, director of communications and public relations. Josie converted to psychology but what was fascinating about this interview was about the fusion of the two subjects of psychology and with that human behaviour, influencing and development, with the principles of communication and with that human behaviour, influencing and development. I caught up with Josie just a few days after the launch of her book Performing under pressure, which we also dive into.

Show notes

Background and journey to sport psychology, Monica Lewinsky, a PhD and working within communication

When delivering information, who is your audience?

How to frame a difficult conversation in a way that works for the other person.

Bridging from being a journalist on CBS new to being a sport psychologist

Having a brave list 

The having a baby, ironman, running a business and stage 2 training juggle!

Clarity and brevity of communication and the shift in communication style due to social media

Stories are powerful. What problem are you trying to solve and how can you utilise stories to enable your message?

Perfectionism

Josie’s book - The nine most common reasons athletes come to see me.

Start with what and then why?

Taking time, growing your business and being brave

The different elements of Josie’s consultancy which provide stability 1:1 work, writing and media training

Mantra that work, Josie’s mantra, “Make Hattie proud”

 Josie’s lesson to her younger self

You can follow Josie on twitter at https://twitter.com/Josephineperry

www.performanceinmind.co.uk

Take a look at her new book Performing under pressure

https://performanceinmind.co.uk/performing-under-pressure/

Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs

Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve

Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

A reminder if you’re keen to pre-register for the next wave of Graduate Membership enrolments then you can do so at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/membership/

If you’re looking for some coaching support or some virtual team development help to support you to get to the next level in work, life or sport then take a look at https://supportingchampions.co.uk/coaching-mentoring/

or drop us a note at [email protected] then you can sign up for a free consultation to explore which package is right for you.