The Science of Being the Best

By Imago Group
Wednesday 29 August, 2007

In the sport arena, where success and failure can be separated by a split second, the ever-evolving science of fitness plays an increasingly dominant role in how athletes, teams and coaches prepare for contest.

At Sport Knowledge Australia’s (SKA) Optimising Physical Performance course in Sydney (29-30 October) representatives of the sport “strength and conditioning” industry will be privy to the latest research from highly regarded scientists and gain valuable insights into how forward-thinking sporting organisations are applying cutting edge knowledge.

Associate Professor Peter Reaburn, of Central Queensland University, a leading authority on fitness, and author of Training for Speed and Endurance, and Guiding the Young Athlete, among other titles, will be a key speaker at the course.

One of Reaburn’s keen interests is in seeing sport utilise established scientific principles to optimise athletes’ performances and minimise injuries. The one-size-fits-all approach he says has given way to tailored programmes, “One area impacting on every aspect of athlete development is the importance of recovery,” says Reaburn. “In the case of endurance, basic principles involve breaking down the sport, or the event, to know specifically what intensity of training is required for success in that sport or event.

“In a team environment you need to ensure that, as much as practically possible, training is individualised.”

Taking the Australian Wallabies as an example Reaburn says, “The likes of (backrowers) Phil Waugh, George Smith and halfback George Gregan will always have to be running during a game so will need more endurance fitness than, say, the wing players”.

And, as much as there may be pressure in a team environment for all athletes to work equally hard, nurturing the best from an older athlete often requires different techniques. “Ageing is a crucial concept,” according to Reaburn. “We refer to ‘training-age’ which is not based entirely on how old the person is, but on how many years of training they have behind them.

“The greater the training-age the less endurance, less high quality training is required and also recommended.”

Topics covered at the Optimising Physical Performance programme include; Maximising endurance performance, scientific training for strength and power, strategies to minimise fatigue and accelerate recovery, high performance nutrition, systems for monitoring and hastening rehabilitation and trends in coaching and sports technology.

Presenters are - Assoc Professor Peter Rearburn, Head of School, School of Health and Human Performance, Central Queensland University; John Marsden, Sport Science Coordinator, NSW Institute of Sport; Dr Helen O’Connor, University of Sydney, Discipline of Exercise and Sports Science; Professor Kevin Norton, Director of Research and Knowledge Services, SKA; Stephen Schwerdt, Head Fitness Coach, Adelaide Football club.

For more information on the course, please visit here.

ABOUT SKA: Launched in June 2005 with a Federal Government grant, SKA is jointly owned by the University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. SKA assists the continued global growth of the sports industry, helping more communities around the world to benefit from Australia’s strong sporting culture. Since its launch, SKA has delivered sport management programmes at the prestigious Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, run facility management courses in China and various seminars and courses in Australia on topics as diverse as player valuation strategies, genetic doping in sport, player welfare, executive sport management, elite sport coaching, major event management and facility management.

ATTENTION EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Interviews may be arranged by contacting –Imago Group – Liz Herbert, Mobile: 0407 234 221 Tel:+61 2 9331 7222