Hi guys,

Getting back in the swing of this writing now!!

This week I just want to update you on a few bits that have been going on and some upcoming plans I have. First off its been really busy here with loads of new clients coming in getting ready for the new rugby season and of course with the way the county hurling and football championship has gone guys are trying to stay in shape for when the club championship kicks back in!!!

Despite this I have managed to get some continued learning done by attending a seminar with former All Black S+C Coach Ashley Jones and re taking my CPR/ AED course. The Ashley Jones seminar was possibly the best €20 (yes €20) I have spent, he spoke on many different topics with the main one being an outline on his philosophy of Strength and conditioning for rugby. A number of take home points were noted and I took a certain amount of satisfaction in that his philosophy closely matches my own :-)

I guess there were two things that really stuck in my head though firstly from a training point of view:

• Strength underpins everything!

And secondly from the point of view of how the industry is running.

• At the moment there is a large emphasis on Sports Science within the strength and conditioning world. Strength and Conditioning is an art and although there is a place for this Sports Science a true coach at times must work by gut feeling it is not enough to rely on the 1% ers.

As I said I also renewed my CPR/ AED this week and although not as glitzy as some of the courses and seminars around it is something that every coach, player…. everyone should attend!

As far as the coming week is concerned I will be attending the second half of the week with the IRFU on the CCC course. My main reason for going down to Limerick is to take part in the practical speed session with Ian Jefferies from the UKSCA and hopefully have some more methods to implement with the teams I work with.

To finish with and add on to the content of my last article my sister has provided me with a receipe for a healthy option desert and judging by the reactions she got when she made it I will be making up a batch!!

Pineapple Whip

Whole pineapple

1 cup Milk almond milk

Tablespoon all natural honey (optional)

Basically clean and cut pineapple into chunks and leave in freezer over night. Add almond milk and blend until it hits the texture above. Serve chilled

Mike