Sports Performance

Realising sporting potential is a complex balancing act; even professional sports men and women have to accommodate personal commitments within their training programmes. For most people training has to be fitted in around the demands of work and family.

The basic principles of sports training are well known: to reach sporting potential it is necessary to have a well defined starting point and objective. The objective is probably stretching but should be realistic. To reach the objective it is necessary to train hard with minimal disruption from injury and illness and to have a relaxed, focused mental condition. In support of these requirements we provide:

  • Physiological assessments to determine the starting point, performance potential and track progress;
  • Coaching to help determine objectives and training programmes, providing continued interactive support as required;
  • Nutritional advice and assessments to help optimise nutrition during training and competition; and
  • Massage therapy for the treatment of injuries, recovery from hard training and competition and event massage for optimal competitive performance.

Our coaching services are described below, massage therapy and nutritional assessments are described in more detail on separate pages.

Where possible, sport specific assessments have been identified and tests are carried out using protocols recognised by sports governing bodies. This approach means that results can be compared with available normative data to measure progress and predict performance potential.

Combined with nutritional assessments and sports/remedial massage, Fit for Purpose offers a complete package for athletes of all levels.

Train your mind

A simple look at the television interviews of top sports people before a competition illustrates a tendency to a similar mental approach, an optimistic anticipation based on confidence in a well executed training programme. Contrast this with the discussions that go on at the less elite level where people generally drag up excuses to explain why they aren’t as fit as they could be even before the competition has begun; what chance do they have of performing to their potential?

It is the job of the coach to instill confidence in the athlete, at the point of competition no more training can be done so you have to look forward and do your best rather than focus on past disappointments.

The mental aspects of training are just as important as the physical and for that reason we work to improve mental fitness as well as physical fitness, particularly in the more interactive and detailed coaching plans.