The first post in the PRPerformance guest writing series is from Dr Spencer Boyle. Spencer is a rare breed in that he remains incredibly active both as a researcher (at Northumbria University), and practitioner. In this blog, Spencer shares some of his insights, and outlines his philosophy behind his approach to “Natural Fitness”. I really enjoyed reading this one, and it’s guaranteed to make you stop and think about your perception of fitness and wellbeing, and what it could, and maybe should look like for you. Be sure to follow @DrBoyleNatFit on twitter for info and updates.

This blog post is slightly different to one’s previously written - as opposed to giving a look at a specific point of interest, I’m going to try and outline a broader perspective of training, both in the sense of strength/speed training, and conditioning.

In sports falling under the grappling umbrella, it would be nonsensical to ignore the necessity of strength characteristics. Although technical mastery and proficiency allow for certain throws, take-downs and scrambles to be executed with timing outweighing physical effort - strength and force can (and often do) still play a factor in the difference between turning the corner on a double leg, finishing the sweep, and ultimately, imposing your will on your opponent in the battle of brains and brawn.

This blog post aims to tackle the common issues many fighters face when it comes to making weight effectively. It pains me to see and hear of some of the methodologies being adopted by fighters and their coaches, in an attempt to shed weight throughout a camp, and particularly in the final days/hours prior to a weigh-in. Not only are some methods pointless, with extremely little to no evidence to support their benefit, but many that are commonly adopted are also dangerous when it comes to athlete well-being and health.

The first insight on the PRPerformance “Athlete Stories” series, comes from England International Footballer, Lucy Staniforth. Lucy was part of the Women’s World Cup Squad in 2019, and is about to return to International duty to defend the She Believes crown that she, and the England squad won last time around.

Lucy shares some of her biggest influences in getting her to this point in her career, her future aspirations, and delves in to some of the obstacles she has had to face head-on along the way. A great read for any athlete that has had to deal with serious injury, and a reminder that mindset plays an enormous part in making it to the pinnacle of any sport.

A you a combat sport athlete? Do you want to hit harder? If the answer to the first question is yes, I can guarantee the answer to the second question is a resounding yes. This article delves in to some of the fundamental principles associated with developing knockout power, as well as myth busting some common practice that still haunts combat sports today.

Carbohydrate intake is probably one of the most disputed and often misinterpreted components of performance nutrition. This posts gives a brief overview to the concept of “Fueling for the work required”, and why it should remain in the forefront when you’re deciding what to eat - particularly when it comes to competition.

You might already have access to professional Strength & Conditioning support, you might be reading this wondering if you need a S&C coach, or you might not even know what one is. The role of the Strength & Conditioning coach has become a highly sought after profession in recent years, and has led to an incredibly saturated market. One thing is for sure though, a S&C coach has the potential to be a significant cog in an athlete’s machinery.

I have never met an athlete that had no interest in being faster. No matter what the sport, whatever level, it pays to move quicker than your opponent. This post hopefully gives a little insight into the PRPerformance approach to speed development, and wets the appetite for my E-Book, coming soon…