Supporting Champions

Sian Allen, a performance scientist with a background in statistical modeling of sports performance, discusses wearable technology. She shares insights on monitoring devices for sleep, heart rate, and activity, and explores the future of technology and human support. Allen also discusses the challenges and benefits of AI in sports science and compares the accuracy of different wearable devices. She highlights the importance of considering personal context when interpreting data and discusses future developments in wearable technology and the value of data interpretation and accessibility.

This week’s guest is Jean Gomes. Jean is a New York best-selling author and a business consultant to 100s of CEOs and businesses. He is CEO and founder of Outside who utilise the latest research to support and develop wellbeing, leadership and organisational culture. His clients over the years include Google, Nike, Schneider, BMW, Tik Tok, but also includes the Lawn Tennis Association, UK Sport and Manchester City. In his new book ‘Leading in a Non-Linear World’ Jean delves into the latest research into mindset and how we’ve been limping along with an outdated definitions for years - making the case that it is more than just the beliefs and mental models that we carry. We get into this idea in our discussion and explore self-awareness, how we need to be more aware of how our emotions are formed, how to build a healthier, more agile mindset, the value of interoception and perspectives of resilient people. Ultimately this is a book about self-management - how we lead ourselves so that we’re better able to lead others. This is a concept that is central to everything we do at Supporting Champions. Jean brings a lucidity to the work that he does, he strives to be more human and connected in how he creates and supports others to high-performance and interestingly over the years he has evolved as a consultant and as a leader. You’ll get a sense of this is our discussion - how he’s stayed abreast of research, thought about what he’s seeing and observing and curated ideas to help others - kind of like the best applied scientists!   ***Applied Pro Practitioner courses are now discounted USE CODE APPLIED2023 for £50 off until 7th April Sign up now to take advantage of live Q&As with tutors*** Go to https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse   Links Leading in a non-linear world https://www.weareoutside.com/leading-in-a-non-linear-world Mindset monthly https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/mindset-monthly-7001265313933619201/ Evolving leader https://www.weareoutside.com/evolving-leader   Links Hi, I’m Steve Ingham ...   I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse       Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/  

This week’s guest is Dr Mark Burnley Mark is an exercise physiologist by trade, currently an academic at Loughborough University, having previously been at Brighton, Aberystwyth, Kent and Wolverhampton. Mark’s background is in oxygen uptake kinetics, having undertaken much of the pioneering work on priming - which I’ve used extensively in my work with athletes. Much of Mark’s work has centred around the concept of Critical Power and the physiological landmarks that distinguish different exercise intensities - essentially exploring ways in which we can distinguish the way our body responds differently in different domains of exercise. This is relevant because these landmarks offer us some logic to how we might go about setting training zones. And that is what we get into in this discussion. We delve into what the key landmarks are, what happens when you exercise in, below or above different landmarks. We explore the strengths, mistakes and pitfalls of different types of zone structures, debating laboratory, field, precise prescriptions or margins, whether to use heart rate, power, speed, breathing as some of the ways to regulate exercise intensity. As you can imagine the discussion goes in all different directions and what we’ve tried to do is define each concept as we go, just in case you’re not familiar with the various terms. But rest assured you’re in safe hands with Mark, his keen intellect, exacting precision combined with an eye for the applied practical implications of this topic - are all delivered with highest level of clarity in his communication. Links to Mark Mark on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@all-outphysiology2177 Mark on Twitter https://twitter.com/DrMarkBurnley --- Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed  and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.  I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/ Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

This week’s guest is Costas Karageorghis Costas is a professor of sports psychology at Brunel University. I first knew of Costas, many years ago as “Piano Man”, as he was sat at the piano in a bar at a BASES conference, skilfully and joyfully playing away entertaining conference attendees. Only the next day did I find out that that music was his specialist topic. Since, Costas has become renowned for his research on the effects of music on exercise and sports performance. In Costas’ book Applying Music in Exercise and Sport, the preface begins with a quote from Confucius, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. What is fascinating is that the link between music and sport isn’t more widely explored. In this discussion we explore the connection between sports and music, starting with on one of my favourite indulgences -the sports montage. We delve into how music can support exercisers, how it can make exercise seem easier, how it can be used to help performers get ready for competitions, how music preferences diverge based on culture, within teams and based on your circumstances. I start by asking Costas what he thinks about the Supporting Champions podcast music.   Links SAVI Group on Twitter https://twitter.com/SAVIBrunel SAVI playlists on Spotify Brunel SAVI Group On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/brunel_music_and_driving   Hi, I’m Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I’ve been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub  https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse   If you’re working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems – take a look at what I offer here – https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/  Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

This week’s guest is Dr Kate Hays Kate is Head of Women's Performance Psychology at The English FA Kate is just about as richly experienced a practitioner and leader in sports psychology as you are likely to meet. Kate has worked on the Front line in Olympic sport, in particular in the sport of diving, working with Olympic Champion Tom Daley; she has worked in professional rugby at Harlequins RFC and as a leader Kate was the Head of Psychology at the English Institute of Sport. In this conversation I speak to Kate about her experiences in support of the England women’s team in the lead up and during the winning run at the European Championships. Kate shares the insights into handling the pressure, embracing the excitement and buzz of the tournament while staying in control and delivering to the plan. Kates shares the characteristics that you should be interested in developing if you’re interested in developing a winning culture, some of which are non-negotiables and some of which are created from within. If you’re listening in because you want to hear what went on behind the scenes for the Lionesses, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you’re tuning in to hear about what makes a successful team, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you are tuning in to hear about a great performance psychologist works, how psychology support has evolved from one-to-one, behind closed doors work to on-pitch, integrated and woven into the fabric everything a great team does - then you won’t be disappointed.   Links Follow Kate on Twitter https://twitter.com/DrKateHays England Women's team https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team   Hi, I’m Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I’ve been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.   I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you’re working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems – take a look at what I offer here – https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/    Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/  

This week’s guest is Joe Baker Joe is a Professor at the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University in Toronto Joe’s work specialises in optimal human development, largely to understand how someone gets to, and stays at, the highest levels of performance. This means he works in the areas of skill acquisition, talent identification and athlete development. He has recently written a book called the Tyranny of Talent, which pokes and probes of the ideas of what talent is, how it is typically thought about, worked with and developed (or attempted to be developed) in many elite environments. What are the pitfalls, pivot point and priorities in supporting people all the way through their athletic, sporting and exercising journey. Joe is a true expert in the field and he brings an erudite wisdom to this discussion, but he is also active in helping others switch their mindsets to begin to think again about how we can develop people.   Links Link to The Tyranny of Talent - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1738644103   Link to Joe's page at York University - https://www.yorku.ca/professor/bakerj/   Joe on twitter https://twitter.com/bakerjyorku   Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.   I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/   Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

Happy New Year! This week’s guest is Christian Swann. Christian is an associate professor at Southern Cross University and specialises in research around goal setting and mental health. In Christian’s early research he noticed an interesting observation. While working with elite golfers he asked them what sort of goals they set for themselves. To his surprise the types of goals they set didn’t conform with the typical, off-the-shelf literature, such as outcome specific goals. This led him to delve a lot deeper into the area and astutely began to question many of the premises upon which goals setting methods are based, finding in many instances, that frameworks such as SMART goals do not comply with the basics of goal setting theory. Who knew? Well, probably a lot of us who have tried to use them? This is what we get into in this discussion, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of different ways of setting goals, weighing up process goals, outcome goals and performance goals. We discuss the use of open goals and ‘do your best’ goals and how to apply goals whether you are a learner or expert. If you’re setting goals for yourself right now or setting them for others - this discussion is well worth your attention.   Links Follow Christian on Twitter https://twitter.com/cswannpsych   Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/ Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

Nick is a senior research fellow in Exercise Physiology at Harbor UCLA Medical Centre. For over a decade, Nick has been scrutinizing the commercial health and wellness industry through the critical lens of scientific skepticism. Where he finds nonsense he has called it out, campaigned for a stronger stance against snake oil, bogus claims and myths. Nick is also the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science which we discuss in this conversation. The book was named one of Book Authority's "Best sports science books of all time". As you will also hear Nick is passionate, sometimes frustrated, some times exasperated with this area. Kudos for him for taking it on - I think we all have a role to play in this area and as you’ll also hear, I passionately believe this book is essential reading for any coach or sports scientist.   This is the last podcast of the year - we'll be back in the New Year with a super helpful episode about goals!   Links Nick's website https://www.nbtiller.com/ The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science https://www.routledge.com/The-Skeptics-Guide-to-Sports-Science-Confronting-Myths-of-the-Health-and/Tiller/p/book/9781138333130   Is 2023 the year to set up your side-hustle? Take a look here at the course that people like you are using to guide setting up your own consultancy. https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/set-up-your-own-performance-consultancy/   Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/ Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

This week’s guest is Dr Lucy Gossage Lucy is a triathlete and doctor and on underpinning that a phenomenal person. Lucy started her career almost by accident, just trying out in triathlon for fun, then got the bug, entering her first ironman and steadily realising that she could go pro and taking 12 Ironman titles. In between swimming, biking and running, Lucy studied medicine at Cambridge, where she also undertook PhD in kidney cancer and is now a consultant oncologist at Nottingham University Hospital We talk about how it all started for Lucy, her rise to being pro, how she managed the effort of medical and triathlon training. We discuss how she preferred not to overcomplicate her training, keeping things simple and unfussy, in this case not use a scientific approach. We also discuss her career as a cancer doctor, how this gave her perspective through the hard days training and racing, how she copes working with patients suffering each day and how she is campaigning through the charity ‘5k your way’ a community based initiative encouraging those living with cancer to stay physically active.   Links Lucy Gossage https://lucygossage.com/ Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/lucygoss 5 k your way https://5kyourway.org/   Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/   Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

This week's guest is Andy McNab Andy McNab is perhaps the most recognisable name of any special forces operator in the world. Andy served in the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland where he was awarded the Military medal for gallantry, he entered the Special Air Services in 1984 and worked on both covert and overt operations including and drug operations in the Middle East and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland Andy is best know for commanding an 8 man SAS patrol designated Bravo Two Zero in Iraq, which he wrote about in the book bearing the same name. The book tells of a mission that was compromised leading to three of the eight dying and four (including Andy being captured, held and tortured for 6 weeks). I wanted to talk to Andy about his choices to join the military, what selection is like for special forces applicants and what qualities are selected for. And Andy as you’d expect tells it like it is. There is a clarity of understanding about what is required, how you undertake highly specialised manoeuvres and how you achieve high-performance under the intensity of combat. But this isn’t all just aggression and attack (although there is a bit of that). Listen carefully and you’ll hear a profound lessons in how you select people, how you train people to perform and how you deliver when it matters. We also discuss the finding that Andy is a diagnosed psychopath, or more specifically a functioning psychopath, how he found out, what that meant for his military performance as well as how understanding that has helped him engage more effectively in day-to-day life. It was an honour to speak to Andy, not everything in special forces applies to our sporting and working lives, but here are some super interesting insights in this conversation - of which I have no doubt you could apply - it certainly, certainly offers a contrast. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Links Andy's new book DOWN TO THE WIRE   Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/ Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/