NSCA National Convention Review
Every year I try and attend the NSCA National Convention. As a professional in this industry, I feel it is important to attend lectures and conventions to not only advance your knowledge, but also meet with other professionals and colleagues.
Every year there are a few people slated to speak that I am excited to see and from there I just sort of pick and choose based on the titles of the lectures and hope that I catch something noteworthy and interesting. Aside from reviewing a few of the talks enjoyed from the week I also want to talk a little bit about some of the differences I noted between the American and the European strength coaches.
The event kicked off with Todd Wright’s Vertical Core lecture. For those that don’t know, Todd is the head strength and conditioning coach for University of Texas Men’s Basketball. Todd’s methodology embraces the teaching of Gary Gray, and it really came through in his lecture. I am familiar with Gary Gray’s work and own one of his DVDs, but seeing how Todd integrates this into a sports performance atmosphere was something I was really excited to see. Todd talked mainly about training the core musculature in the standing position by utilizing trasformational zones via the lunge matrix, and using arm drivers to further enhance core function in all three planes of motion. The big take home from this lecture for me was how I can integrate this into fascial lines to enhance movement and drive proprioception following soft tissue therapy. There were a few movements that didn’t gel well with me, but there were concepts that I will definitely steal and think about how I can work them into my overall training methodology. I have been using the lunge matrix in warm ups for some time, as well as the arm drivers, but there was a lot more dynamic ideas that Todd offered, which i will absolutely be thinking about and considering over the next few weeks as I think about how this stuff fits in.
On day two, the highlight for me was seeing Dr. Ken Cieslak. I was first introduced to Dr. Cieslak by his webinar on Sports Rehab Expert were he discussed various soft tissue strategies – ASTYM, Graston, Gua Sha, ART – and looked at some of the science behind them. Dr. Cieslak’s presentation looked at some of the latest research on overuse injuries and offered practical applications for strength and conditioning professionals. I found the talk to be a refreshing look at regional interdependance, and Dr. Cieslak attacked some common overuse injuries as well as sound information on stress fractures.
Day three was the strongest of the weekend. The day started with a talk from Indianapolis Colts Strength Coach Jon Torine, who went over how the team uses the Functional Movement Screen and Undulating Periodization to develop their overall training program. Coach Torine showed a few corrections that can be used to improve poor performance on some of the Functional Movement Screen tests, and then talked about how they integrate that back into their strength program.
Next I headed over to hear Ian Jeffreys speak on coaching game speed and reactive agility. Ian is a lecturer and performance enhancement coach out of Wales. I have enjoyed his lectures in previous years, and this one did not disappoint. Ian went over various ideas about open vs. closed loop drills for team sport athletes and delved into the brain and how we learn. I found the talk to be a good blend of both science/research and practical application. Ian finished with some videos of him coaching a group of soccer players in Norway and it was great to see some of the drills he was talking about in real time.
After Ian’s lecture I went and heard Dr. William Kraemer speak about the physiology of American football and the implications this has on strength and conditioning. Dr. Kraemer has done a ton of research in the field of Exercise Science and Strength and Conditioning and whenever I have the chance I like to see him speak. He is one of the few researchers, in my opinion, that can offer practical recommendations rather than just reading stats off of powerpoint slides. Additionally, he is a great lecturer and teacher. So, no matter what, I always go and listen to Dr. Kraemer.
My day wrapped up by sitting in on a lecture by Jon Goodwin, who was representing the UK Strength and Conditioning Association. The title of Mr. Goodwin’s lecture was Sprint Mechanics: Combining New Insights and Old Ideas to Refine Our Physical Preparation. This was by far the best lecture of the weekend! The only complaint I can make about this lecture was that I wish it were in one of the 90min. slots as you could tell he was really rushing through the last 20 minutes or so to try and get all of his information in. I jotted down notes the entire hour. Jon preached the importance of getting stronger and being able to apply more force into the ground. He also talked about how quick feet drills have the opposite effect, as the athletes are trying to move quickly to get off the ground rather than focusing on trying to apply more force into the ground. I am definitely going to spend more time looking at my notes from this lecture and checking out some of the studies he cited.
I walked in and out of several other sessions over the three days, but the ones above were the ones that were the most exciting for me. Another reason I like attending the national conference is that I get to spend time hanging out with friends from around the country and this year was no different. I spent a good portion of the day hanging out and talking shop with Steven Bubel and Charlie Weingroff. Both guys have a lot of information to offer and it is always a pleasure for me to listen to them speak and learn from them.
A word on coaches from different countries
After having attended the national conference the past several years one thing I always make note of is the difference between coaches from America and coaches from Europe. I’ll preface my thoughts by saying that I don’t think either wasy is better or worse, just that they are different. Additionally, I would add that I think the “best of both worlds” approach would be ideal. Unfortunately, coaches tend to be very “one side or the other”, with very little middle ground. Finally, this is by no means implying that all the coaches from these regions fall into this model. This is just generally what I have observed.
American coaches tend to be more basic – “We lift Monday, Wednesday, Friday and we condition on Tuesday and Thursday” – while the European coaches seem to be more thought out in their approach looking at various energy systems and training objectives and spreading them out through the 7 day work week. American coaches tend to focus on the strength aspect of things (squats, bench, power cleans, etc) and for the most part train all athletes the same way. On the other hand, European coaches seem to get really into breaking down the sport in question – understanding the energy systems involved, how much work each athlete in each position does during a match, the joint angles and movements of the sport, etc. They tend to be more immersed in “sports science”. When the European coaches lecture these ideas come through and they have a specific explanation of how the training program will support performance in a given sport, while the American coaches tend to be a little more general. The American coaches appear to put more stock in cleaning up poor movement, performing some sort of qualitative movement screen, and trying to improve the athletes general movement qualities. The European coaches seem to be more into improving the movements of the sport, but don’t appear to have a way of evaluating qualitative movement, operating more on the idea that increasing strength, power and movement in the specific sport will take care of any general movement deficits.
Like I said, I don’t think one is better than the other, just different. I think being somewhere in the middle is the way to go. If you qualitatively screen your athletes’ movement (as those who read this blog know I favor the FMS) and rule out potential risk, then you can place them in a more aggressive training program (and if they fall into a higher risk category, you can hold them back a little and work on more foundational tasks). Having a deeper understanding of the movements needed in sports and the energetic demands will help you create a comprehensive program that not only addresses the athletes’ strength but also enhances their sports preparation.
Learning is fun and attending lectures, workshops, and conferences is a great way to expand your knowledge and expose yourself to other ideas. Hope to see you at the next event!
Patrick
patrick@optimumsportsperformance.com
20 comments
Patrick. Thanks for the review. Not an easy thing to provide a comprehensive review the day after you get back…though I’m sure you worked on some of it on the plane.
As for American vs European, I highly suggest you interview Thomas Lam for your site. As you’ve probably noticed, while I cannot say I’m an expert on sport conditioning, I make an effort to remind strength coaches to not forget about all those things that don’t start with “move” and end with “ment”.
Working along side Thomas truly helped me appreciate the programming and implementation side of the strength and conditioning game.
If you do decide to interview him, please make sure you give me a heads up. I have some thoughts on how to guide the questions.
Thanks again for sharing your review.
Jeff
Thanks, Jeff.
I’ll shoot you an email this week.
patrick
Patrick,
Thanks for the review. I was impressed by your thoughts on European and American coaches. Movement quality is important, but we (Europeans) struggle with scientific quantification of movement. I’m well aware that FMS is a quantification of quality, but it’s not scientific enough. On the other hand, we’re just plain ignorant. The work of Janda is huge in the States and although Janda was from Eastern-Europe, it is rare that an (West-)European strength coach would know his name. Although I believe that strength is an important part of performance, I’ve seen no evidence that increasing strength beyond a basic level, will improve performance or reduce injury. Although professional Dutch soccer and hockey teams have gyms, time spent there is minimal compared to game player athletes from the States. We (the Dutch) still manage to end up in the top three in the world. This is not an easy feat, with a population of only 16 million. I followed courses in the States, visited strength coaches there and it helped my programs tremendously. So, I can only sympathize with your thoughts that ‘best of both worlds’ would be ideal.
Thanks again for sharing your insights.
Chi
Chi,
Thanks a lot for your comments! I enjoyed your comparison between coaches from the states and Europe. Is there anywhere that we (myself and those reading along) can find out more information about yourself and what you are doing in your training programs?
Great stuff.
Patrick
Patrick,
Mike Boyle requested some stuff on soccer and I have sent two articles to him, last week. If he finds it useful, you’ll see some of my thoughts appearing on strengthcoach.com. And I’m still trying to find my way in the forums there, so we probably meet up there.
Thanks for your interest.
~ Chi
Fulton Crab House and Goofy’s Candy Store must be acknowledged.
As was the dufis who tried to balance on his device with a tray full of glasses.
This is an interesting conversation. While in Arizona, I met a physical therapist of one of the Premier League teams. He stated that while some of the top teams devote plenty of time and attention to strength & conditioning, very many teams just play. He says that S & C really isn’t in the culture as of yet.
That is not to say that they don’t have “sports scientists”, just that it is far different from say, what the German national team does.
Anyone hear/know different?
Thanks for the review Patrick. While it will never be the same as being three in person, it is great to take away some tidbits here and there for those (like me) who were not able to make it.
Thanks for taking the time to write it up.
rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)
http://www.ExtremeHumanPerformance.com
Chi – Excellent, I look forward to checking out your stuff! Perhaps I can get you to do a guest blog or an interview on some of your ideas for training soccer athletes?
Charlie – Good call! Fulton’s Crab House was excellent. I went there twice in my 4 day stay! The goofey candy store was insane. That fudge filled oreo cookie covered in chocolate was one of the best desserts I have ever eaten.
Jeff – Interesting stuff. Hopefully some other coaches will chime in and offer more insight. The comparison between coaches of different countries is always cool.
Patrick
No problem Mike, glad you enjoyed it. Let me know if you would like anymore information from some of the lectures.
Patrick
[...] was a quote that Jon Torine, Head Strength Coach for the Colts, used during his lecture at the NSCA National Conference to emphasize the importance of using objective testing in the training [...]
[...] was a quote that Jon Torine, Head Strength Coach for the Colts, used during his lecture at the NSCA National Conference to emphasize the importance of using objective testing in the training [...]
Enjoyed your review Patrick. I wish I had known you were in attendance! I too see the difference in the European & American “angles” and being a European myself tend to immerse myself in the sport science also – it HAS to guide what we do.
Jon’s talk was excellent – I saw it at the UKSCA (which was 90 minutes) and have to agree with you – it needed to be that length at least in Orlando as he had to rush through and also took slides out.
Ian, as always, was on top form.
UK based coaches 2 for 2 on knocking out their mic!
@Jeff Cubos
Especially the Dutch coaches have been successful all over the world. One of them coached two teams for three months with mediocre players at best. Both teams South Korea (World Cup 2002) and Russia ((EC 2008), reached the semi-finals. Nobody believed that there wasn’t a special strength and conditioning program. They ‘just’ played.
The coach from Bayern Munchen is Dutch and until recently FC Barcelona had a Dutch coach. Bayern supplied most of the players of the German nation team and Barcelona supplied most of the players for the Spanish team. The World Cup (2010) just finished with 1. Spain, 2. The Netherlands, 3. Germany. All three are heavily influenced by the Dutch. They all have weight rooms, none of them rely on that for their success. You could of course debate whether they do the right exercises, but for now, we can state that you don’t need it to become world champion.
Conditioning can be done on the field with the ball. In a game of 90 minutes, the average player has 60 to 90 seconds of ball contact. The other time is spent on walking, jogging, running and sprinting. There are 100 to 150 bouts of sprinting, which will lead to cumulative fatigue. It will make teams vulnerable and one third of the goals are in the last 15 minutes.
Conditioning makes it possible for mediocre teams like South Korea and Russia to get to the semi-finals on the world stage. No weight room needed, just some grass and a ball.
Patrick,
I love to do a guest blog on conditioning from a Dutch perspective. Give me some time, though, but let me know how to proceed.
~ Chi
Howard, I agree, those were two great lectures. I really wish I knew you were there this weekend.
Chi – Excellent. If possible, just shoot me an email, so I have a way to contact you, and we can set something up when you are ready.
Patrick
Jeff
Just saw your post. It really does vary a lot in the PL from my first hand experience. Some have bought in, others haven’t. It really depends on the manager and his views. In my humble opinion, those teams with European style sport scientists, but with some American influence in S&C are doing the best!
Patrick
It truly was a last minute thing – got flown down for a meeting about my dissertation and future work. Fingers crossed will be in PHX sometime before Christmas can get together then.
Look out for some updates and blog posts my way soon!
HSG
[...] NSCA National Convention Review by Patrick Ward [...]
Good discussion.
Patrick and Chi, If you don’t mind, could you cc me or send me Chi’s email address.
Thanks,
Aaron
[...] month I attended the NSCA National Conference and watched a lecture on sprint biomechanics given by Jon Goodwin. The lecture was easily the [...]
Leave a Comment