If you participate in any team sports, these articles are for you. Whether you looking to improve your football skills, basketball skills or some new hints for sports coaching, all the fitness training information is here… To browse our library of free sports training articles, browse using the categories on the left or use the search box.
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Team sport
Articles
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Peak Performance Launches Olympics 2008 Blog
Telling Non-Olympians how to do it too!
Rugby Training: Secrets of the Rugby World Cup Players
Scotland's Rugby Fitness Coach shares his rugby training tips
Fitness Training for Rugby Union
Rugby conditioning: the fitness standards rugby players and coaches should be aiming for
Weight Training Routines for Rugby Players
A rugby tackle requires explosive power – here are some strength training tips on how to get it
Women's Rugby: Resistance training for rugby
A women's rugby trainer divulges her rugby conditioning secrets from the World Cup
Preventing Injury: Risk factors for rugby players
Previous rugby injuries predict in-season problems for rugby players
Baseball Techniques Video: Pitching in baseball
Brad Arnsberg from Toronto Blue Jays demonstrates how to pitch in baseball
Soccer players' balance is inferior
Comparison of standing balance in dancers and football players
Team sports have sports psychology benefits
Never walk alone
Motivation in Sports Psychology
The motivational dynamics of sport
Sport Books: Football, Rugby, and more
Six of the best sports books of 2005
How caffeine boosts team play
Half-time nutrition – what’s best for maximising fulltime performance?
Half-Time Training for Team Sports
Half Time Strategy - Temperature
Coping With The Effects of Temperature on The Pitch
Powerful, Accurate and Injury Free Kicking - A Mental Guide
Kicking Training for Rugby and Football
Sports Books : A tour de force about the Tour de France
Sport psychology demystified - or not
carbohydrate electrolyte drink
How carbohydrate and electrolyte drinks help team sports players
Sports psychology article: Beset by 'Olympic phobia' and lacking in focus and toughness: a sport psychologist's damning verdict on the underperforming GB swim team
training for football and rugby
Football and rugby teams pre-season training
Soccer fitness training: Endurance training boosts performance in the field
warming up | substitute players
Warming up, substitute players & sitting on the bench
In the weeks building to an important tournament, a squash player needs a workout that can deal with both fitness and skills in a time-efficient way. A "pressure session" can handle both these demands in just 40 minutes and is also extremely specific to the demands of squash.
hip inuries | football | osteoarthritis
Hip inuries in footballers - osteoarthritis of the hip
Winning: The relevant question is not "Did you win?" but "Did you come up to your expectations?"
Weight And Performance: If you want to win more races, lose some weight.
Attitude Training: "Who is going to win? I am going to win!"
football | penalty taking | soccer
Football - penalty taking: How to win the shoot-out mind game
stress inoculation training | sports psychology
Learn how to 'inoculate' your stress, and take mental charge of your performances
Hydration: Drink your way to winning performances: the seven secrets of hydration.
Team Sports Cohesion and Success: What Is the Link?
Team Sports Cohesion and Success: What Is the Link?
Pre season training for soccer and rugby
Conference Report: How football and rugby teams should train before the season begins.
aerobic energy system | football
Football: What are the energy demands in this "maximal intermittent exercise"?
Top flight soccer refs cover 11k-plus per match, says new study
Marathon Winner: The remarkable schedule of the girl who won the New York Marathon.
Sport-specific Training: The ultimate training programme: an indispensable year plan for runners
soccer exercise | aerobic system
Soccer exercise energy demands
Sports Psychology - Thought Control
Sports Psychology - Thought Control
To win, you must prepare yourself to be the winner - not simply to "do my best"
choking | golf | sports psychology
Do Pro Golfers 'Choke'?
Boosting Performance: This new study shows that extra carbohydrate can boost performance in elite team-sport athletes as well.
The Eyes: Soccer: What makes a topnotch football player different from a mediocre performer? One key difference is in the way their eyes move, according to researchers at the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester.
psychometric testing | sports training
Psychometric testing: How the Giants kicked tradition into touch with psychometric testing
Fitness For Football: Endurance training boosts performance in the field
Sport-Specific Fitness
Australian swimming | British winning
Australian swimming inspires five tips to help produce more British medalists at Sydney 2000
Race Pacing
Crash Training: Doubling or even trebling the training load can produce amazing results, but you have to follow strict rules.
Biological clock-watching can give your performance an extra boost.
Motivation: Here's how to design a self-determined training programme that will drive you to new heights
endurance athletes race pacing
Endurance Athletes Race Pacing: If it makes sense to run the second half faster than the first, then why do the Kenyans go out so fast?
The sweet smell of sporting success
Footballers head injuries | Brain Damage
Young Footballers Show No Signs of Brain Damage
Is it their high-intensity training that makes black African runners so fast?
Competition & Emotional Control
Competition & Emotional Control
If you want to reach your peak level of performance and be a winner, especially in an endurance sport, you must accomplish five critical tasks:
Leg strength | knee injury risks
Leg strength and knee injury risks for endurance athletes: If you're a footballer, your knees are most at risk towards the end of a match.
Caffeine proves less of a help to team sports sprinters
Nutrition for soccer players: How soccer players can overcome the second-half slump.
bilateral co-ordination | training
Bilateral Co-ordination: Why dexterity alone just will not do: some lessons from a young piano player
Nutrition for Football Players | Football Diet
Diet and nutrition for football players: How soccer players can overcome the second-half slump.
Squash: The ball-boy servants who watched, waited - and conquered
Soccer coaching: a new measure of kicking accuracy
performance analysis | coaching | training
Performance analysis: What is Performance Analysis, and how can it be integrated within the coaching process to benefit performance?
soccer injuries | hip injuries
Soccer injuries: Why ex-pro soccer players have hip problems
football injuries | hip injuries
Football injuries: Why ex-pro footballers have hip problems
Rugby training: how rugby training should reflect the varying energy demands of players field positions
Sports psychology: Mental toughness: do you have what it takes to maintain focus, motivation and self-belief when the going gets hard?
Soccer injuries - Ankle sprains: the bane of soccer players
ankle sprains | football injuries
Ankle sprains: the bane of footballers
Questions
How does one effectively lead a sports team to reach their goals?
It is so difficult to motivate a group of people into doing their best and sacrificing themselves for the team.
Toxic benzene in drinks/gels/bars !!??
Hey, remember read the labels in all what you eat and drink: Ascorbic acid + Benzoate = benzene (toxic).
Should I use fast balling or spin balling in Cricket?
If it helps my height is 5feet 6inch and I am aged 17.
Any fast and effective ways to lose bodyfat?
I'm not afraid to work hard guys, all round I am pretty fit & quick but i would like to drop some bodyfat. Thank's to those who replied to my previous question they all helped me a lot. Cheers!
whats the best book on football training.
i play amateur football but i'm desparate to step up to the first team. i have trained hard but realise i need to keep the training football related, improve my strength, speed and stamina.
Does brand matter when buying gear?
I would like to buy good basketball shoes, but i cant decide where to buy from i mean should i stick to adidas or nike or try other brands and see comfort.
Whats a good half time warm up for an Australian rules footy team?
H, I'm just looking for ideas or what others do to warm up and motivate players before going back on for the second half. Especially if the team is down at the break.
How can i increase my leg-eye coordination
I play football but unless i am watching the ball i am unable to kick properly.
What are best core exercises to do for high school track team.
I have use of gym floor in early season and the football field later on. We are a small school with no med balls, ladders or other equipment.
I having been playing rugby for a few years and have been playing on the wing as i am quite fast, recently my coach has asked me to try out playing fullback because of my pace and effectiveness it wil
What do you think of the Peak Performance Premium area? (!)
As the main provider of information in this area, I'd like to find out what you think about the videos and the articles in particular.
Where I find the section on Recovery sessions?
Recovery sessions after contact sport with a 4 or 7 day turn around
Hi im currently at university doing an assignment looking at creating a 12 week pre season rugby programme for a university athlete.
'm 25 yrs woman.. am I too Old to get into training?!
I am 25 yr old woman, have always been into sport since school.., always enjoyed it but being from India, never had very good resources for training(other than cricket of course) plus women and sport
Effect of gender stereotypes on sporting goals/achievements?
any thoughts towards this topic? do you know of any articles i can read up on? thanks so much for your time
What muscles are used to push back for increasing running speed?
The quadriceps muscles contract hard across the front of the knee to pull the lower leg forward.
How do I increase speed, explosiveness, and my verticle leap?
I am an 20 yr old collegiate basketball player, wanting to improve my speed, foot speed, stability, explosiveness, and verticle leap.
Does landing on your toes add to speed and make the landing softer?
Coaches teach that landing on the toes add speed and make the landing softer.
Does pushing into the ground harder toss you higher or forward faster
One technique being taught is to toe off. Everyone toes off, so it is not clear what they mean by toe off to run faster.
How/where can i get job in performance analysis?
I am a final year sport science student seeking a future in performance analysis.
I have dificulty shaping the lower part of my stomach. What exercise can I do to reach that area.
How do you tell if you have shin splints. I have a pain in my left leg above my ankle, but I don't know what it is.
How do I loosen my hamstrings?
I have really tight ham strings and it affects me physically. What is a good stretch or exercise that will help me to loosen them.
I need to be able to sprint 50 meters very quickly. My sport being paintball, i have to have my head down keeping a low profile.
If i Drink Skimmed milk every day for a month and not drink anything else or eat anything else cept from veg and fruit.. will that be a healthy lifestyle?
Whats everyones views on the use of ice baths?
Does anyone here use them regularly? If so how long for?
Which england soccer player joined soccer at age of 17?
he plays for england and has his ever changing hair style. im trying to know every footballer. he still plays at the age of 33
Any tried and tested exercises to strengthen a badly sprained ankle?
I sprained my ankle really badly in September last year in a preseason match. Ive been trying to build it back up but its not as strong as it was.
Anyone have some good confidence tricks or methods to boost your confidence when you are playing soccer matches? This include being fearless of your opponents and self belief in executing plays.
How long and what yardage should a high school swimmer taper?
The high school swim team averages 4000 - 5000 per day six days a week. The end of the season consists of sectional, district and state competitions. There is one week between meets.
Hi byan how can i become an athete?
I really need to be an athlete, due to anspiration (realistic)i would really like to achieve. during high school, i ran for my school and i think i really want to be the person i want to be.
fitness and basketball skills testing
We are trying to develop benchmarks for fitness testing (sit up, beep test, agility run, vertical jump) and a 3 tier basketball skills test (lay up, rebounding, speed dribble etc for age groups 10 -18
Des resting heart rate affect your performance?
i am a 22 year old male having played soccer my whole life, my resting heart rate is about 68 beats per minute, this is quite high compared to other elite athletes, would this affect my performance, c
Diets/WorkOuts/any help for rugby?
I'm playing for a rugby team that is touring in Ireland this up and coming spring.
Opinion. If you could only do one aerobic exercise, which would it be?
Facts are lovely. Which one provides the best overall benefits?
If you could only do five exercises...
...what would they be?
12 weeks of resistance trainig - results
Anyone has any info on how much one would gain in results - for example in bench press - after training 2 times or 3 times per week for a month, two months, three months?
I am trying to plan strength programs for a range of ages from about 10 years through to 18-20 for netballers.
He ran track best mile time of 5:55 and ran cross country, best time of 20: 40 for a 5k. He is lean, but not skinny or fat. He is a decent sprinter, but can not jump high.
Has anyone implemented steps to address the Relative Age Effect?
The relative age effect is a bias in junior selection and talent ID processes that consistently favours children born in the earlier part of the year relative to the eligibility date for that age-base
I coach a varsity high school boys soccer team and during the off season I am not allowed to do any training, so I would like to set up an individual or group training program
I play a sport called gaelic, I need power speed an agility?
I am quicker than average 100m in 12.75secs but i like 2 lower this by 1 sec was wondering if any1 has any tips
Can you help me to make an aerobic program?
hi there, im intrested to know more about aerobic exercises and a program for that because im a trainer and need to know more about it and new exercises. Thanks.
I am a 16 year old girl who plays competitive netball.
What's the best way to get peak fitness for rugby - quickly?
I played rugby to a high level before breaking my jaw. I then took two years out the game and ran a couple of marathons.
Do you have a question for our community?
PP Online has over 10,000 registered users, all of them keen sportsmen and women, including many coaches, personal trainers and sports scientists.
Blogs
What do Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, AC Milan and Inter Milan all have in common? They all failed to register a win over the weekend!
I just haven’t had the time to write like before so I wanted to create a solid article which tackles a wide range of issues.
Have shoulder pains? You came to the right place.
“The 7 Deadly Sins of Lifting” this is another installment from A. Jay of a series of motivational articles.
www.BaseBall Southern Legacy.com
I am presently developing a web-site ie www.BaseBall Southern Legacy.com.My intrest are Coaching,Training,Nutrition,Fitness,New methods of Vo2max,and the proper method of Peaking an Athelete,too preve
next NLP Sports Practitioner Course that we run here at Mindtree Ltd.
Drug testing what's out there a physiotherapists view point
Testing Athletes for Drug Use Why do some “athletes” try to enhance their performances on the track and field by taking drugs?
Here is the first and not the last instalment of Nick Mitchell’s long awaited All Strength Q&A.
A frequent phenomenon that I have noticed over my time rowing, is the pre-event incompetence syndrome.
Are you making these mistakes as an Athlete?
Don’t get me wrong nobody’s perfect, especially me, many of these ideas came from my “Stupidity”, a rollercoaster of discovery, injuries and re-injury, does that sound about right?
It's been so long since my knee injury. You'd think I'd have got over it and be back on my bike as it were! . . But alas It's taking me a while to build my fitness up again.
Sports Medicine Foot and Ankle Rehabilitation
This article was a long time coming. After writing and then scraping and re-writing it is a good way to describe this.
The Insider’s Secrets to a Flat Stomach
Hey regular blog readers myself and Nick sat down and and had a conversation, long story short this article was born.
You can't take one step forward to walk or run while you remain centered over your feet/foot. You must fall and lift to start and continue. This according to Jack Nirenstein
Rotational Carbohydrates "RO-CHO" ?
Rotational Carbohydrates "RO-CHO" Article by Steve Blades. It is all about carbohydrate rotation for ultimate performance.
Another great read by Steve Blades aka "Marmite". If you are not making gains in the gym or the track this will change everything completely.
You are a Beginner, READ THIS!
A great,long article about everything on general bodybuilding ,training, nutrition and supplementation as a beginner.
Is it a case of hearts over minds as Keegan returns to Newcastle?
When Sam Allardyce left Newcastle United last week after less than a year, it became clear that cold, hard analysis wasn't behind the decision.
A great new update to hit Rawgrip.com, a great article for all of the new found health freaks this year.
Squat Rx Video Creator Interview
If you are a serious lifter you must have heard of the “Squat Rx” video series all over the net. The Videos are available on YouTube.
How Focused Are You at the Gym?
Sean discusses The Top 10 Reasons why you are slacking in the Gym and How to prevent this. He exposes some great Tips how to make your training sessions more productive for better end results.
Finally an article created for all you serious weight shifters. C Pikey discuses the truth about A massive Bench Press and gives some tips How To Improve your Weak Bench.
Glycemic Index in Athletes and Weight management
An article about the glycemic index of carbohydrates pertains directly to athletes and their performance.
A new article by Michael Nystrom discussing the protein intake amounts in athletes. Athlete Protein intake article
Is 'Glorious Failure' the Comfort Zone of the Scots?
After watching Scotland just miss out again last night, I was reflecting on our National character and how it shows itself in our National game of football (soccer).
Testing, testing... hello? So this is my first blog. I've clicked the category boxes for "team sport" and "football", so I suppose I have some sort of obligation to include those in my content.
It's a very exciting day for us today, because we've had our first major relaunch in 7 years.
When we set up the new PP Online site, one of our biggest aims was to create a place where anyone with a passion for sport could share their opinions and experiences.
How to Win the Rugby World Cup
Following on from England’s record 62 -5 win against Wales on Saturday I asked myself the broad question. What will win the world cup? Solid defence or Searing attack?
Rooney Ready to Resume Normal Service
I suppose recovery from fractured metatarsals gets easier with practise.
Delight for Barry as Hargreaves is ruled out
Gareth Barry will continue in central midfield after the double blow of losing both Frank Lampard and Owen Hargreaves struck England.
Gerrard Fit, Hargreaves a doubt, and Robinson clings on
Steven Gerrard has been passed fit ahead of England's crucial tie with Israel at Wembley this weekend. His potential midfield partner, however, Owen Hargreaves, remains a doubt. Steve McClaren said:
West Ham Expected to Be Major Movers on Deadline Day
With the transfer deadline closing in just under 11 hours, West Ham are expected to be major players as they seek a quick fix for their injury jinx.
Ahead of this week's game with Germany, here is the team England won't be fielding. In a 5-3-2 formation: Ben Foster Gary Neville Sol Campbell Michael Dawson Johnathan Woodgate
Injuries claim Solskjaer at last
At the age of 34, persistent knee injuries have finally called time on the career of Ole Gunner Solskjaer. His father, Oyvind, confirmed his retirement to the Norwegian press this morning:
Do frequent metatarsal injuries point to a winter break?
Like a figure in the corner, the ghost of his broken metatarsal still haunts Tim Cahill.
Scholes to return to action in three weeks
Alex Ferguson described the fact that Scholes injury is not serious as "100% good news".
Videos
Similar to agility drill 1 this drill can be used to teach “cutting” techniques when changing direction.
