Insights

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going Citius, citius, and well… citius The Olympic motto promises us "Citius, Altius, Fortius", or faster, higher, stronger. However, I feel that in the modern race for efficiency, the nuance of "higher" and the depth of "stronger" may have been lost in favour of "Citius" or “Faster”. I cannot help but look around within my own research area, and in sport practice more broadly, and feel like every destination these days has a well-use

I have a PhD in motor development. I’ve spent 15 years in this industry. And yet, I often feel dumber than ever after discussing skill acquisition theory. If you’ve ever sat in a coaching seminar feeling lost while experts toss around words like perception-action coupling , degeneracy , or attractors , I have a secret for you: It’s not you. It’s the theory. The "Empty Words" Fallacy In academia, we often use the Obfuscation Fallacy (or the "empty-words-fallacy"). It works li

Ever felt like you’re being “herded” into a specific way of coaching? For a long time, Europeans were certain all swans were white. Meanwhile, in Australia, everyone knew for a fact they were black. Both groups were right within their own worlds, but they were trapped in observation bias —an echo chamber of their own making. In modern coaching, we’ve built similar walls. If you aren’t using the "jargon of the day"—terms like constraints-led approach or ecological dynamics —

Have you ever wondered how some coaches seem to just know what to do? They make quick decisions that lead to success. This ability often stems from years of experience and a deep understanding of their sport. In fact, many coaches develop their intuition through hands-on experience, refining it over time. The Importance of Intuitive Judgment for Coaches Many coaches develop intuition through years of hands-on experience. It is refined, honed, and chiseled by repeated exposure

Learn how to balance clean, confidence-building drills with challenging sessions that build long-term competence and real game-day performance.

Discover how to balance confidence and challenge using the Goldilocks principle — and design practices that maximise learning and game transfer.

Discover how to give feedback that builds athlete learning and independence — and why silence is often your most powerful coaching tool.

Discover why dynamic coaching outperforms the “set and forget” approach. Learn how to adjust practice design in real time to keep athletes in their learning zone.