The Complete Guide to Sports Training

The Complete Guide to Sports Training is the definitive practical resource for anyone wishing to improve their performance and for coaches looking to get the best out of their athletes.
The book demystifies sports science and provides athletes and coaches with the basic building blocks they need to maximise performance. Starting with the basics and progressing to the specific elements all athletes need - speed, endurance and power - this invaluable handbook explains the theory in simple, easy-to-understand terms before discussing the most effective training methods and techniques, as well as giving guidance on developing a training plan, sports psychology and training younger and older athletes.
This is the first time such a wealth of sports science knowledge has been available in one book and written in such an accessible style, and should become the sports training handbook for athletes, coaches and sports science students.

John Shepherd is a qualified coach in a number of sports and coaches athletes to Olympic standard, a sports journalist writing for a number of health and fitness magazines and the author of Ultrafit.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART ONE: The Sports Machine - The Human Body
The Body as 'Sports Machine'
The Cardiovascular System
Understanding the Energy-creation Processes
Muscles
Hormones, the Endocrine System and Sports Training
Adaptation and Rest
Young and Master Athletes and the Sports Life Cycle
Should Women Train Differently From Men?
PART TWO: Pre-conditioning for Injury-free Training
When is the Right Time to Pre-condition?
Pre-conditioning Factors
Pre-conditioning Exercises
Sample Pre-conditioning Routines
Further Pre-conditioning Thoughts
X-Training as a Form of Pre-conditioning

PART THREE: Warming Up for Sport
The Sport-specific Warm-up
Sport-specific Warm-up Exercises
The Relevance of Static Stretching to Sport
'Sharpening' Drills in Warm-up
PART FOUR: Developing Strength
'Channelling' Weights Strength and the Specificity of Exercises
Weight-training Systems
Back Safety and Neutral Spine Position
Selected Sport-specific Weight-training Exercises
Weight-training for Endurance
Kettlebells
Weight-training and Hormonal Response
PART FIVE: Developing Power
Plyometric Exercises
Selected Plyometric Exercises
Making Plyometric Exercises Even More Sport-specific
Power Combination Training
PART SIX: Developing Endurance
How to Improve Endurance
Building Endurance for Speed
Base-building versus Sharpening/Interval Training Methods
Measures of Endurance Performance
Fat Max
Rate of Self-perceived Exertion (RPE)
Altitude Training
Use of Resting Heart Rate (RHR) to Determine Over-training
Lactate and the Production of Lactic Acid
Interval Training
Endurance and the Brain
Avoiding Over-training Syndrome (OTS)
Training for Endurance and Weight-training - the Interference Effect
PART SEVEN: Developing Speed and Agility
Speed Types
Running Technique
The Impact of Footwear on Speed Performance
Developing Rotational Speed/agility Speed
Developing Agility and Rotational Speed for Rugby and Football
Further Useful Sources of Information for the Speed Athlete/coach
Over-speed Training
PART EIGHT: Training Planning
Goal-setting and Training Planning
Being a Full-time Athlete
Testing
The Training Pyramid
Recovery Strategies
The Training Variables
Competition and Peaking

PART NINE: Training the Mind
How to Apply Mental Training
Mental Toughness
Confidence/Self-efficacy
Skill Acquisition
PART TEN: Boosting Sports Performance: Nutrition
The Macronutrients
How to Calculate an Athlete's Calorific Requirements
Micronutrients: Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants
Nutritional Strategies to Combat Training-induced Soft Tissue and Cellular Damage
Supplements
Hydration
PART ELEVEN: Effective Coaching
Coaching Styles
Self-reflection
Coaching Philosophy - Art or Science?
Positive Approaches for Coaching Children
Recording Coaching Information
Selected Useful Websites for Coaches and Athletes
Index