The Role of Physical Competence in
Athlete Development
WORKSHOP AIMS
• Recognise and understand what Foundation movements are
and the value and benefit they have within your sport.
• Understand the impact of foundation movement on athlete
development program and injury reduction
• Understand how foundation movements can be taught, identified
and developed.
• Explore how these movements can be introduce and develop
within your own sessions.
Physical literacy
• Numeracy – how did you learn to count?
• Literacy – how were you taught to read?
• Physical literacy???
serve
forehand strike
Hand eye
coordination
run
coordination
balance
backhand lob
rotate
flexibility jump
lunge
agility
speed
tracking
volley
spatial
Change
awareness direction
reactions
hop
twist
stop
pivot
gallop
roll
Physical literacy
• Numeracy – how did you learn to count?
• Literacy – how were you taught to read?
• Physical literacy ????
Activity.
List basic/core/fundamental skills (a,b,c’s) of your own sport.
Think of the range of movement and skills that an ideal
young athlete would have in their foundation.
serve
forehand strike
Hand eye
coordination
run
coordination
balance
backhand lob
rotate
flexibility jump
lunge
agility
speed
tracking
volley
spatial
Change
awareness direction
reactions
hop
twist
stop
pivot
gallop
roll
serve
forehand strike
Hand eye
coordination
run
coordination
balance
backhand lob
rotate
flexibility jump
lunge
agility
speed
tracking
volley
spatial
Change
awareness direction
reactions
hop
twist
stop
pivot
gallop
roll
‘Keystone Movements’
Squat, Lunge Hinge,
Push, Pull,
Brace, Rotate
the foundations to…..
Locomotion
Running, Walking, Bounding, Hopping,
Crawling, Jumping, Landing
Non-Locomotion
Reaching, Bending
Manipulative
Catching, Controlling, Throwing, Bouncing,
Striking, Kicking, Dribbling
All stations on the ‘Force‘ continuum
Integral to every block in your pyramid
Triple Flexion and Extension
“Bend and straighten”
Seen in:
Squat (Double and Single Leg)
Lunge
Hinge (Double and Single Leg
Landing
Now think about Pull, Push,
Brace, Rotate…
Keystones in your foundation
• Using the a,b,c’s in your pyramid, identify where
the keystone movements are incorporated.
• For each block mark the initial of any keystone
that you feel is essential for that movement to
be executed correctly. E.g. ability to stop would
require a brace
Practical
• Considering all the a, b, c’s on your list, identify
where the keystone movements are
incorporated.
• Are there any that do not have one of the
keystone movements?
• What is the implication of this for you and your
athletes?
Keystone movements
• How to coach the
Squat Lunge Hinge
Upper Body Pull and Push
Brace
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach a squat?
• Main 5 Scoring Points. Executing all 5 points scores 5.
 Depth – Upper thighs parallel to the floor
 Ankle, knee and hip alignment (knees don’t collapse in or feet
don’t turn or collapse)
 Equal stance on both legs (hips don’t swing to favour one side)
 Heels down
 Trunk in proper alignment (trunk angle parallel to shins)
•
Double Leg Squat – Arms ahead.
•
• Lets try. How did you score?
Trunk aligned with Shins
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach a lunge?
• Main 6 Scoring Points. Executing all 6 points
scores 6.
• Step over opposite knee without any lateral
shift in hip or trunk
• Step over opposite knee without shin of trail
leg turning out or in during pull-through
• Step over opposite knee without any hinging
of torso at hips (torso should remain vertical
from side)
• On landing: feet hip width apart when
viewed from the front
• On descent: ankle, knee and hip aligned
(shin remains vertical; no collapse of
back/front knee in)
• Return smoothly and in balance
Lunge
Correct alignment at midstride.
Step over opposite knee.
Upright torso.
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach a hinge?
• Athlete stands upright with feet hip-width
apart and toes pointing forward
• Athlete grips the broom with both hands facing
toward them with fingers and thumbs wrapped
around the broom
• Torso braced
• Bum out and knees slightly bent but “locked”
• Arms remain straight throughout
• Lower chest to just above hips by rotating
at the hips and then raise back to upright
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Straight line from hips to
shoulders.
Knees slightly bent but “locked”
• Main 5 Scoring Points. Executing all 5 points scores 5.
 Hinging occurs at the hips and not knee or lower/middle back
 Knees slightly bent but “locked” (no additional bending of knees during
movement)
 Torso braced in proper alignment (chest out)
 Broom remains close to thighs
 Depth – Chest lowered to just above hips
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach an upper body pull?
• Athlete lies under the bar with heels raised
Supine Row - Standard
on low box
Correct position from side. Straight
• Athlete grips the bar with both hands facing line.
away from them with fingers and thumbs
wrapped around the bar
• Athlete lifts hips off the floor, sets the
shoulder blades down and back and braces
so that the torso and legs are horizontal when
hanging (no sag in hips)
• Athlete raises their chest to bar and returns to horizontal straight arm
hanging position with chest directly under the bar
• Main 5 Scoring Points. Executing all 5 points scores 5.
 Chest to touch bar
 Body remains straight and braced at all times (no sag in hips)
 Legs remain straight throughout
 Shoulders remain ‘down & back’
 Elbows tight to ribs (no visible gap between elbows and ribs)
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach an upper body push?
• Athlete sets the shoulder blades down and
back and supports the weight on hands and
feet
• Hands placed in a comfortable position,
fingers forward.
• Full body braced
• Lower the chest to floor and return
Push Up - Standard
Correct position from side. Straight
line. Elbows close to Ribs.
• Main 5 Scoring Points. Executing all 5 points scores 5.
 Chest to touch floor
 Body remains straight and braced at all times
 Head remains in neutral position at all times
 Shoulders remain ‘down & back’
 Elbows tight to ribs (no visible gap between elbows and ribs)
PRACTICAL- So how do you
coach a brace?
• Athlete sets the shoulder blades down and
Prone Plank - Standard
back and supports the weight on forearms and
Correct position from side. Straight
feet
line. No sag in hips
• Elbows directly below shoulders
• Feet hip-width apart
• Full body braced
• Squeeze bum to rotate front of pelvis upward
• Head remains in neutral position at all times
• Hold for 15s
• Main 4 Scoring Points. Executing all 4 points scores 4.
 Body remains straight and braced at all times (no “sag” or raising of hips to
create “pike” position)
 Bum remains squeezed and pelvis rotated to avoid excessive arching in lower
back
 Head remains in neutral position at all times
 Shoulders remain ‘down & back’
Keystone movements
• Explore how, when and where you could
use theses tests.
• Identify the benefits of using them for the
coach and athlete.
Analysing movement
• Identify which part of the movement is
breaking down.
• Explore potential causes
• If unchecked what are the implications –
physically and technically?
U15 National squad
U15 National Netball Captain
“Injury – the underlying driver must
be movement. Tissues do not just
tear or become dysfunctional.”
Andy Franklin-Miller
Poor movement (+ inappropriate training and load progression) = Micro-Trauma
Continued exposure to same training = Compensatory Movements and Postures
Continued exposure to same training =Degeneration and Macro Trauma
Continuous exposure to same training = Catastrophic Tissue Failure
Current trends
•
•
•
•
•
AOSSM 2009 – 5-14yr = 40% of total
Armstrong 2009 - silent epidemic
Dublin – groin strains
ACL – girls
LTA 16-23yr – 28 out of 33
Movement vocabulary as foundation for
sport specific development
Sport specific
Actions and arena skills
Developed though progressive pressure
from speed, endurance, load,
opposition and equipment
Foundation movements with keystones in place
Coached through every direction, plane, amplitude, speed
and force
The Four Pillars
Technical (Actions and postures of
the sport)
Tactical (Arena / competition skills)
Physical (Movement efficiency,
consistency and resilience;
Metabolic fitness
Mental (Behavioural)
Integrity and stability of movement
Horizontal Pulling
Shoulder Stability
& Control
Trunk – Hip association / Stability
Ankle, Knee
& Hip Integrity
Single Leg Stance
Vertical Stability
Can you identify the keystone
movements here? Discuss in pairs
Trunk Stability / Rotation
under load
Trunk – Hip / Stability
Under load
Ankle, Knee
& Hip Integrity
Under load
Single Leg Stance
Vertical Stability
Under load
Under load
(C) Movement Dynamics UK Ltd
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(C) Movement Dynamics UK Ltd
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(C) Movement Dynamics UK Ltd
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(C) Movement Dynamics UK Ltd
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Progression
• What are generic ways by which we
progress and develop skills. E.g.
increasing number/ intensity
Any more variables?
TASK: Can you name these variables?
Where does this come in to play in your sport?
Progression
1.Think of the keystone movements and
explore how to develop these using your
ideas.
2.Now explore how you would develop them
to become more sport specific. Use your
own sport.
Planning sessions
• Identify the approaches/methodology you
may use as a coach e.g. tell, set tasks,
buddy
• Identify how you might structure a session
– what would you include?
• How might you structure a session to
include the foundation and keystone
movements.