Equestrian Federation of Ireland

1. Equestrian FederationofIreland Presented by: Niall Hobbert Exercise Specialist & Sports Performance Coach

2. Seminar Breakdown • Introduction from myself, and from each coaches • Philosophy of each coach related to their chosen sport • View on whether or not athlete training fits in the grand scheme of the three disciplines.

3. What is Training? • Is it training for training ? • Is it training for psychological benefits? • Training for physical improvements? • Training for a purpose? – Olympics, grand slams, RDS, & many more • Training for optimal performance as one with both horse and rider?

4. Principles of Training • Specificity – the type of exercise carried out is specific both to the muscle group being used and specific to the sport. Different forms of training techniques & exercise produce different training / performance effects and RESULTS.

5. Principles of Training • Overload – maximizing your athletes performances & training gains, the performance coach MUST push their athlete (s) and systems harder than normal. Physiological levels improve, training thresholds must be raised. • F - Frequency • I - Intensity • T - Time • T - Type

6. Principles of Training • Progression – as your athlete gets stronger, fitter & more confident in their abilities a higher level of exercise is required to stimulate progress • = athlete progresses by OVERLOADING • Different ways to manipulate Overloading: • Tempo’s, less recovery, up the weights lifted, increase cardio speeds etc

7. Principles of Training • Recuperation – REST is essential between Training sessions and Events. This allows for physiological and neurological adaptation to occur. Allows for muscle regeneration and injury prevention

8. Principles of Training • Reversibility – if training stops for a period of time due to injury, off season knocked out of comp, etc loss of Physiological gains can occur quickly • “IF YOU DON’T USE, IT YOU LOSE IT”

9. Functional Training • What is function? • Def: full spectrum of related work through multiple planes, joints in full range of motion (rom) and proprioceptive demands • Specific to Sport: • “Freedom to allow CONTROLLED movement patterns, either single jointed or multi jointed that enhances the athlete’s performance mechanics & results in being energy efficient” - (N.Hobbert 1999)

10. How to Facilitate Functional Training? • To facilitate a Holistic approach to any athlete, one should adhere to working with: • Physical therapists / sports psychologists • Performance coach • Govern body • Trainer (horse) • ATHLETE / HORSE • If the above is adhered to successfully you will create the “Complete Athlete”

11. Facilitation of Functional Training Key elements to successfully achieving Functional Training: • Adapt performance models to PRE / REHABILITATION, Training cycles. • Demands of the sport will dictate the specific conditioning programs for your athlete. • Relate / have a correlation that – Training = Rehab & Rehab = Training • Work capacity of your athlete, as it is a limiting factor on performance & General well – being.

12. Facilitation of Functional Training What is Proprioception? Def: What is Athleticism? Def: “the ability to perform movements at optimum speed with precision, style & grace” – Vern Gambetta

13. Movement Patterns • Sensory Development • Auditory • Visual • Tactile 5 most common movement patterns • Push • Pull • Bend • Extend • Squat

14. 3 Types of Strength • General Strength – exercises that are directed towards the development of the “Force component of power” – weight training and other traditional forms of resistance that do not seek to imitate any aspect of specific sport or skill.

15. 3 Types of Strength • Transitional Strength – Purpose of these exercises is to Start the process of converting General Strength into Specific Strength. These are sometimes considered similar to sport specific movements. Force and speed of movement start to come in to play here.

16. 3 Types of Strength • Specific Strength – exercises characterized by the movement patterns & mechanics of the particular event (Show jumping, Eventing, Dressage). There is a much higher degree of skill, speed, propriception and balance of movements required.

17. HighGeneral Strength Transitional Strength Specific Strength Low Slow Medium Fast Force Speed

18. Muscle Fibers Type 11a (6 – 12) Slow / Fast Twitch Type 1 (12+) Slow Twitch Type 11b (1 – 5) Fast Twitch • 5 Main Causes of Fatigue in Competitive Sports • Accumulation of fatigue substrates – lactic acid (fitness levels) • Depletion of energy substrates (lowering of Glycogen levels) Nutrition • Changes in the physio- chemical state (lowering of blood ph) • Disturbed co-ordination of movement • Lowering of neural conduction

19. Workshop Pick a Discipline – (Not you own) • Breakdown what physiological needs you think is required to maximize an athletes performance for that discipline? • Produce a typical training cycle that you as the coach implement for both Horse and Athlete?

20. Practical Theory • Selection of exercises – justification of selection • Demonstrate some of the exercises with a subject • Source of knowledge – books, videos, seminars, experience, etc????