Watching a young kid fly down a crowded theatre staircase made me wonder how much of our movement capacity we really lose with age — and how much we simply stop using. What changes as we get older, what can still be trained, and how much of that old physical freedom can we get back?

Sprint acceleration changes as we get older, but understanding what changes gives us a better idea of what to train. We look at research into Masters sprint acceleration and what it tells us about strength, power, force application and the role of both S&C and track training.

How much training is enough after 50? For Masters athletes, the answer is rarely a weekly number. We look at training load, recovery, strength, endurance, speed and the demands of the athlete’s actual goals to ask a better question: is each part of the week producing a useful adaptation?

For me, athlete video is about much more than checking technique. It gives me another piece of information about how training is progressing, how an athlete is responding and whether something needs to change. In this article, I look at what I’m actually looking for when an athlete sends me training footage, and how it fits into the bigger coaching picture.

Why train movements your sport rarely uses? For Masters athletes, training across different planes can support performance, strengthen less-used muscle groups and improve control in positions your sport may not challenge very often.

Swimming five days a week gives you plenty of training. But the gym can develop strength, power and physical resilience in ways the pool cannot. Here’s why that matters for Masters swimmers.

Life gets busy and training doesn't always go to plan. Sessions get shortened, moved or missed completely. So how much does that actually affect your performance, and what should you do when you can't fit everything in? I look at how I’ve managed my own disrupted month and why one missed session probably matters far less than you think.

Has training become easier as I’ve got older—or simply more precise? This article explores why effective Masters training is not about removing challenge, but about applying the right stimulus while managing fatigue, recovery and injury risk more carefully.

Technique is central to swimming performance, but it can only be expressed as well as the body allows. This article explores the key physical qualities that underpin successful Masters swimming—including strength, power, stability, mobility, robustness and recovery—and explains how targeted strength and conditioning helps swimmers train more effectively, maintain technique under fatigue and continue improving over time.

After 35 years of coaching Masters athletes across multiple sports, I've become less interested in finding the perfect exercise and far more interested in understanding what an athlete actually needs. Eighteen years coaching the same athlete reinforced that lesson. The exercises changed. The thinking behind the program barely did.

Why increasing strength doesn't always translate into faster sprint times, and why power, coordination and stiffness often become more important as athletes mature.

Many masters athletes assume frequent injuries are simply part of getting older. But is age really the problem? This article explores why some athletes remain remarkably resilient into their 50s and 60s, why intelligently managed intensity may be part of the solution, and how adapting your training—not avoiding challenge—can help keep you healthy and performing at your best.

Athletes rarely describe the issue of being uncomfortable in the blocks as a loss of speed. Instead, they describe how the start feels. They talk about feeling rushed, stuck or awkward. Often they describe a sensation where they're working harder to get out yet somehow generating less momentum. Some say they feel as though they're spinning their wheels during the first few steps, while others talk about standing up too early or feeling like a baby giraffe trying to find its f

Many masters athletes assume losing explosiveness is simply part of getting older. While ageing certainly plays a role, training habits often have a bigger influence than people realise. In this article, we explore why speed and power tend to decline, the mistakes many athletes make, and what you can do to maintain explosiveness well into your later years.

Generic training programs often appear fantastic - espcially in the age of AI. But generic progams are based on averages and assumptions - they certainly do not reflect the diverse individuals who are Masters athletes.

Many masters athletes still have the capacity for quality speed work — they just need to tweak the structure of the session and improve the way they recover both for it and from it.

Your calves are responsible for absorbing force, producing force, and helping the body move efficiently. Every stride, jump, acceleration, and change of direction relies heavily on the lower leg. If the calves are weak or poorly conditioned, the rest of the body often pays the price.

The goblet squat looks simple but is one of the most valuable strength exercises for athletes. Holding a weight at the chest naturally encourages good posture and exposes flaws like knee collapse or poor trunk control. It builds squat mechanics, core stability, and mobility simultaneously. For runners, swimmers, and field athletes, it bridges bodyweight and barbell work. Control, depth, and alignment matter more than load, making it a powerful assessment and development tool.

Both Personal Trainers and Strength & Conditioning coaches play important roles within the fitness industry. The key difference lies in the outcome they are targeting

For masters athletes, especially those balancing life, work, and injuries, that kind of support can be the difference between a season that sputters and one that actually delivers.