Dr Ben Rosenblatt’s presentation at the UKSCA 2024 Annual Conference offers a deep dive into the world of elite athlete preparation. With a career spanning over two decades, including leading roles at the FA and GB Hockey, Ben shares practical insights on improving athletic performance through strength and conditioning. Central to his approach is understanding the unique physical and tactical demands placed on athletes, whether it’s in Olympic hockey or international football. His work focuses on not only increasing strength and fitness but also ensuring athletes can sustain high levels of performance throughout intense competition periods, such as during the Olympics or the World Cup. Ben emphasises the importance of designing training programs tailored to each athlete’s needs, using methods like gamification to enhance intensity and engagement. His talk provides coaches with actionable steps to better prepare their athletes for the rigours of competition while also considering individual recovery and performance sustainability.This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

At the UKSCA 2024 conference, Clive Brewer delivered a compelling presentation on how to maximise athletic performance through tailored strength and conditioning programs.

Drawing from his experience working with professional athletes in environments like Major League Baseball and the NFL, Brewer emphasises the importance of understanding each athlete's unique requirements, including injury prevention strategies such as ACL rehab and plyometric progressions. He stresses that culture, trust, and consistent communication within a team are crucial for success. Brewer also discussed how athletic development should align with long-term performance goals, adapting training to suit each athlete’s specific needs.

His presentation offered valuable takeaways for coaches working at all levels of sport.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

In his UKSCA 2024 presentation, Ulrik Sandstrom provided a deep dive into the neurological aspects of injury prevention and rehabilitation. Drawing on decades of experience, Ulrik explaines how the nervous system controls muscles and how disturbances in this system can lead to injury, even in elite athletes. He used compelling case studies, such as Michael Owen's infamous MCL injury, to illustrate how a lack of neuromuscular control can cause athletes to break down despite their strength and conditioning levels. Ulrik also stresses the importance of eccentric movements, explaining that many injuries happen during the deceleration phase of movement, when muscles are required to control force.

His presentation emphasises the need for practitioners to look beyond muscular strength and focus on enhancing neurological control to optimise performance and reduce injury risk.

The key takeaway: stability and control are the foundation of both injury prevention and athletic performance.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Dr. Jonathan Hughes' presentation at the UKSCA 2024 annual conference highlighted the significance of eccentric training in high-performance sports.

Drawing on his experience across team sports like rugby, hockey, and individual athletes in cycling, Hughes emphasises how eccentric training helps with multi-directional decelerations and complex movements. While not a new concept, its benefits, especially when combined with the latest technology to measure training transfer, are increasingly recognised.

One of the main challenges coaches face is accurately measuring and applying eccentric training to achieve real performance gains. Dr. Hughes shares research findings showing that most high-performance coaches already use some form of eccentric training, but he stressed the importance of understanding the “why” and the optimal applications in real-world sports environments. He also touched on the neural mechanisms behind eccentric actions and how they differ from traditional strength training methods, focusing on improving athletes’ braking capacity, control, and speed in dynamic environments.This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Dr. Emma Ross's presentation at the UKSCA 2024 conference focused on a vital question: is the growth of women's sport built on sand or stone?

As participation, media coverage, and revenue in women's sport surge, Dr. Ross warns that this progress risks collapse if we don’t adequately support the female athletes at its core. Drawing on over a decade of research and experience, Dr. Ross explains the importance of addressing female-specific physiological needs. She emphasises that while equality in resources—such as coaching and facilities—is essential, equity must also be considered.

Female athletes require tailored approaches, particularly regarding menstrual health, nutrition, and injury prevention. Dr. Ross highlights the need for coaches and support staff to recognise and manage issues like pelvic floor dysfunction and menstrual irregularities to prevent long-term health consequences. She also discusses the challenge of changing entrenched mindsets and practices that treat male and female athletes the same. To build a sustainable future for women's sport, Dr. Ross called for a system where female athletes’ health and well-being are prioritised, ensuring they can perform at their best.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Phil Moreland’s presentation at the UKSCA 2024 Conference took the audience through a fascinating journey, beginning with his time in Olympic sports and progressing to his current role in the Australian Air Force, where he focuses on occupational readiness.

He highlights the importance of tailoring strength and conditioning to meet the unique demands of different professions, from military roles to industries such as mining and first responders. Phil emphasises the critical role of performance strategies that ensure professionals have the mental and physical capabilities to perform under stress, fatigue, and pressure. He drew parallels between high-performance sports and occupational demands, using examples like air traffic controllers and chefs, who both require cognitive and physical resilience to excel in their roles. His message was clear: by adopting a holistic approach to human performance, organisations can enhance the efficiency, safety, and wellbeing of their workforce. Phil also discusses the global investment in this field, noting the US Army’s $450 million annual programme focused on physical, mental, and spiritual readiness, which aligns closely with his work in Australia.

Overall, his presentation provides a powerful look at how principles from sport can optimise performance in a wide range of environments.This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Brent Callaway’s presentation at the UKSCA 2024 conference offered an in-depth look into the world of NFL Combine preparation and athlete development. With over 20 years of experience, Brent shares how EXOS, a leader in performance coaching, creates a structured yet adaptable environment for athletes. His discussion covers essential performance metrics such as force plate data, body composition, and muscle-to-bone ratios. He emphasises the importance of building trust with athletes early on, helping them feel supported during high-pressure situations like the NFL Combine. Brent’s experience shows that developing technical expertise in areas like sprinting and lifting techniques is crucial for success. One key takeaway was his advice on evolving coaching methods while sticking to a core system.

Callaway’s thoughtful approach to coaching highlights how personal connection and data-driven insights can combine to produce top-performing athletes.

This presentation is a must-watch for anyone in the S&C world.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Richard Husseiny’s presentation at the UKSCA 2024 conference focused on shifting from a rational mindset to one of embodied awareness.

He introduces participants to techniques such as breathwork, body scanning, and tuning into the space around the body to calm the mind and reduce analytical thinking. Richard emphasises the importance of connecting with the heart and softening body tension to achieve a heightened sense of self-awareness. He spoke about the body's electromagnetic field, explaining how mindfulness can positively affect brainwaves and help regulate performance states.

The session encourages participants to explore their body’s natural intelligence, guiding them through a layered process of relaxation and awareness-building that extended beyond traditional mental frameworks.

Richard's background in mindfulness, combined with his experience in elite sports, added a unique dimension to the session.This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

Dr. Jamie Tallent’s presentation at the UKSCA 2024 conference explored how micro-dosing and high-frequency training can significantly impact performance in elite athletes.

Drawing on his extensive experience with organisations like the Royal Ballet, Dr. Tallent discusses how these training methods can be used to manage high workloads without sacrificing performance. By splitting traditional strength and conditioning sessions into smaller, more frequent doses, athletes maintain consistency, reduce fatigue, and enhance physical adaptations. This approach has shown particular success with dancers, where training intensity and workload fluctuate, allowing them to maintain strength and jump height throughout the season.

Dr. Tallent also highlights that, although initially met with scepticism, athletes and coaches alike have embraced the benefits of this training model. His work emphasises that no single method is universal but tailoring strategies to specific environments is key to achieving the best results.

By incorporating these lessons, practitioners can enhance training efficiency and support athlete development more effectively.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.

In his presentation at the UKSCA 2024 annual conference, Prof JB Morin provided an in-depth look at the advancements in sprint mechanics and speed training over the last decade.

He discusses the critical role of force-velocity profiling in identifying athletes’ unique strengths and weaknesses. This approach allows for more tailored training programs, helping athletes maximise their speed potential. Prof Morin also highlights the importance of understanding sprint mechanics, including ground reaction forces and the relationship between force output and velocity. He shares insights from studies that show how individualised force-velocity profiles can predict athletic performance more accurately than traditional methods. Another key takeaway was the role of hip and ankle extensors in high-speed sprinting and the need for targeted strength training in these areas. For those in team sports, Prof Morin emphasises the importance of multi-directional speed and how sprint training should account for the dynamic nature of games.

With a wealth of research behind him, Prof Morin’s insights are essential for anyone looking to improve athlete performance through speed training.

This podcast was recorded live at the UKSCA Annual Conference.

Supporting materials and the full video presentation are available on

the UKSCA website. Visit www.uksca.org.uk for more details.