Jack Sanders - Integrated S&C
Connection. Growth. Responsibility.
To build meaningful relationships and shared experiences. To have the curiosity and drive to continuously pursue development. To take control of what's controllable; consciously choosing how to think, behave and respond.
These are three of the values that continue to surface when I consider the reasons behind what I do. My 'why', so to speak.
One of the main privileges of being a strength and conditioning coach is having the opportunity to provide a service for something unique to all of us: the journey. In doing so, I get to embark on my journey of exploration, discovery and contribution.
This purpose has taken me on a path to performance sport via grassroots competition, physical education and personal training environments. The people, places and outcomes may differ, but the process of supporting the journey remains constant.
Through a broad range of experience and education, including an MSc Strength and Conditioning, I began to understand the key scientific principle which forms the backbone of the art of coaching. Since 2017, I've been testing, challenging and refining what is rapidly becoming a strong strength and conditioning philosophy; it has been shaped by the experience of working in a variety of different sporting environments, including my role as Lead S&C Coach for Welsh Triathlon and here at RÁS.
The integration of a comprehensive strength and conditioning programme with endurance sport has, historically, been greeted with mixed views and preconceptions. But with emerging evidence-based research, athletes' experiences and coaches wisdom, coupled with the performance improvements across endurance sport, it's evident that strength is a key component to achieving a personal best performance. In many ways, it's the glue that supports our body to move and function efficiently:
Developing a robust athlete, capable of handling the demands of competition and training;
Identifying and improving deficiencies in range of motion;
Addressing the common sites and causes of injury;
Increasing force production, rate of force development and power to weight ratio;
Supporting specific physiological goals i.e. improvements in running economy through strength training and plyometrics; and,
Developing pre-training warm-up routines to increase range of motion and muscle activation.
Effective strength and conditioning doesn't replace, nor replicate your sport-specific training, but supports it in collaboration with you and your coach. It removes limitations and enhances opportunities for you to thrive whilst not detracting from the most important aspects of your prescribed programme.
My philosophy is simple:
Person first: Placing you at the centre of everything that we do.
Holistic: Considering the bigger picture, beyond the demands of you as an athlete.
Less is often more: Maximising adaptations whilst minimising the cost.
We emphasise simplicity and doing things to the highest standard. We identify the 'why', collect the relevant data and provide effective solutions. The screening process, in collaboration with a physiotherapist, is pivotal to this process.
Comprising of three phases which align with your yearly training plan, each screening is designed to support specific aspects of your physical preparation. Just as a great training plan moves from general to specific, each screening builds upon the last to prepare you for the season ahead.
Between each screening, additional strength and conditioning support can be provided to meet the needs of each individual athlete. This is where the science and art of coaching flourishes, with programmes evolving far beyond the screening data. Through regular communication, bespoke performance indicators and subtle adjustments to training, we begin to see the biggest transfer to training. Growth occurs, old limits are surpassed, and new potential emerges.
This ongoing interaction between an athlete, their coach and support staff, all working towards a collective vision, is what makes my role so energising and is what is behind supporting you on your unique journey.
