This book links the increasingly important science behind the training and recovery of rugby players with easy to understand and practical examples of how this knowledge can be implemented on the training field or in the gym. The book is unique in the way that it outlines simple tools and techniques to improve rugby player performance. The book covers the latest scientific evidence on common training practices and theories and sums up their practical use for rugby players. The book will be an invaluable resource for those interested in the scientific training approach to team sport players including coaches, strength and conditioning personnel, physiotherapists, and sport doctors along with students and sports enthusiasts. In addition, while the practical examples used in the book are specific to rugby players, the scientific knowledge within the book would be useful to many athletes and coaches thereby increasing the scope of the book to many sports.

The Science of Rugby is the only book to examine the scientific principles underpinning the preparation of rugby players for high performance. Drawing on the very latest scientific evidence, and covering both codes (union and league), the book explores every aspect of preparation and performance that introduces best practice by leading coaches and sports science professionals from around the rugby world. The book covers key topics such as: Physical preparation and conditioning Strength and power training Monitoring match and training demands Match-day strategies for enhancing physical and technical performance Management of fatigue and recovery Training and playing in the heat Travel and jet lag Injury epidemiology Psychological preparation Performance analysis Biomechanics Nutrition Talent identification and youth development The book also incorporates several case-studies to demonstrate how scientific principles have been applied in practice. No other book bridges the gap between theory and applied practice in rugby, from grass roots to elite international standard, and therefore this is essential reading for any student, researcher, sport scientist, coach, physiotherapist or clinician with an interest in the game.

Sports officials (umpires, referees, judges) play a vital role in every sport, and sports governing bodies, fans, and players now expect officials to maintain higher professional standards than ever before. In this ground-breaking book, a team of leading international sport scientists and top level officials have come together to examine, for the first time, the science and practice of officiating in sport, helping us to better understand the skills, techniques and physical requirements of successful refereeing. The book covers every key component of the official’s role, including: Training and career development Fitness and physical preparation Visual processing Judgement and decision-making Communication and game management Psychological demands and skills Using technology Performance evaluation Researching and studying officials in sport Top-level officials or officiating managers contribute in the ‘Official’s Call’ sections, reflecting on their experiences in real in-game situations across a wide range of international sports, and on how a better understanding of science and technique can help improve professional practice. No other book has attempted to combine leading edge contemporary sport science with the realities of match officiating in this way, and therefore this book is vital reading for any advanced student of sport science, sport coaching or sport development, or any practising official or sports administrator looking to raise their professional standards.

The ideal handbook for those embarking on a career in personal training as well as experienced trainers looking to develop new skills and stay up-to-date with the latest methods.

The Language of Coaching examines how instruction, feedback, and cueing can have a significant impact on training and performance outcomes. The book offers a comprehensive collection of cueing frameworks to help coaches better communicate with athletes in any sport.

Physical training is a key part of preparing to play soccer (football) at any level, but organising a genuinely effective training programme requires both an understanding the physiological principles involved and a practical knowledge of the demands of the game. This book provides clear guidelines, an evidence base and a theoretical framework for proven effective soccer training. Includes: planning seasonal training to peak at the right time training for strength, speed, aerobic and anaerobic fitness designing appropriate sessions for training and rehabilitation best methods for recovery from exercise and reducing injury risk preparation for play in different environmental conditions evaluating the effectiveness of training programmes diet, sleep, lifestyle, young players and long-term development. Clear explanations of the physiological concepts and sport science research evidence are given throughout, and the book contains many examples to illustrate the training principles in practice. This is an essential text for students of the game and a valuable resource for coaches, physical trainers and sport scientists working in soccer (football).

Strength and Conditioning for Team Sports is designed to help trainers and coaches to devise more effective high-performance training programs for team sports. This remains the only evidence-based study of sport-specific practice to focus on team sports and features all-new chapters covering neuromuscular training, injury prevention and specific injury risks for different team sports. Fully revised and updated throughout, the new edition also includes over two hundred new references from the current research literature. The book introduces the core science underpinning different facets of physical preparation, covering all aspects of training prescription and the key components of any degree-level strength and conditioning course, including: physiological and performance testing strength training metabolic conditioning power training agility and speed development training for core stability training periodisation training for injury prevention Bridging the traditional gap between sports science research and practice, each chapter features guidelines for evidence-based best practice as well as recommendations for approaches to physical preparation to meet the specific needs of team sports players. This new edition also includes an appendix that provides detailed examples of training programmes for a range of team sports. Fully illustrated throughout, it is essential reading for all serious students of strength and conditioning, and for any practitioner seeking to extend their professional practice.

Discussing the various elements of the coaching process, this book takes an interdisciplinary approach to maximizing sports performance whilst avoiding common problems.

An athlete’s development from ‘ordinary’ talent to elite accomplishment in sport is a long one. The emergence and fine tuning of high level sport skills takes place in increments over many years and is a journey that fascinates sport scientists, sports coaches and sports fans alike. Developing Sports Expertise, the first available textbook for undergraduates in sports skills development, examines the science behind sports skill acquisition and explores the application of science to optimal sports training, and talent identification. The text also contains Coaches Corner insets throughout to provide effective day-to-day advantage based on in the text. Edited by three of the world’s leading scientists in sports skills acquisition and with contributions from both world class coaches and cutting edge researchers, this textbook provides comprehensive, authoritative guide to the field.

This title is directed primarily towards health care professionals outside of the United States. A title in the Advances in Sport and Exercise Science series, it provides valuable, current information for those involved in sports science, coaching science, physical education, and health promotion. Highly respected researchers and practitioners in the field have come together to produce a text containing a wealth of knowledge and experience in dealing with training at the highest level of athletics. Drawing on all available research literature, this book offers a significant contribution to training physiology by providing an in-depth explanation of coaching science using both theoretical and practical models for training across a wide range of coaching disciplines. Presents comprehensive coverage of the physiology of training. Outstanding list of contributors, including Olympic and World Championship Medallists from a variety of sports. Theory presented is underscored by practical examples across a broad range of athletics, providing a special blend of information combined with practical application. Exclusive chapters address training and medical conditions, as well as training and the environment. Clearly organized structure allows rapid access to desired information, making it a prime resource and practical teaching tool.