Athletics News – Greg Rutherford: Athletics Must Move With Its Time To Develop Its Talent – Athletics

The former Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth long jump champion has been put to the test with the star of the Morgan Lake high jump as part of the identification program. British Rowing talents.

With the help of SAS, its official partner in analysis, British Rowing has developed the ALP (Athlete Longitudinal Profiling) project to simplify the process of identifying and selecting talent and maintaining the domination of British Rowing in the sport.

Rutherford has had direct experience of the UK rowing-specific World Class Start evaluation, which included strength and endurance tests, and the 31-year-old was blown away. by the detail of the analysis.

"Athletics is often a very archaic sport and the data analysis is not used enough – all of these things can be used to improve the training methods and understand how well they are doing. improve yourself, "he said.

"The approach taken by British Rowing is something I did not understand, it's fantastic and it's going to open up a sport that people would presume would not suit everyone, which is a wonderful thing.

"I think SAS's expertise in data analysis could be used in all sports as we modernize and move into the 21st century – some sports being blocked in the past – we will realize that training and development based on statistics really helpful.

"Rather than saying if a person is tall and has to jump high, she is actually looking at her power and statistical output so you can have her as a data sheet to see what would work best for you. she.

"I think it's a great way to do it and I hope there'll be a little more in the future because we can maximize people's potential rather than just look at their attributes." physical. "

Since 2014, SAS has been working with British Rowing to improve its data analysis capabilities and capabilities, enabling the team to optimize successful course programs.

The specific rowing tests and the ALP project make it possible to accurately determine whether Rutherford and Lake would have a chance to progress or not to the World Class Start program.

The measurements were recorded in Rutherford and Lake before taking part in a resistance test on a Concept2 DYNO machine and an endurance test on a Schwinn Airdyne arm / leg bike.

And after being pushed through the tests, Rutherford admitted to being surprised to discover that he possessed many of the qualities required to compete as a rower.

"It's amazing to see this cross.Something that I've always been a strong supporter of is that athletes try other sports because unless you try, you do not know." if we can be good at another sport, "he said.

"The process of identifying the talents of British Rowing is very different from that of athletics and I learned that even though rowing is never a sport to which I am". I thought, I'm not bad, which is fascinating to me.

"Before doing anything else, we measured the height and span of the arms and the first thing that was said was that I was 2 cm less than what they expected as a minimum for a rower.

"So even before we started, the dreams were slightly broken, but it was interesting that once we got into the leg press test, I set a new record. then showed that you could create it in a slightly different way, and in athletics it does not work that way. "

Although he retired from the long jump earlier this year, Rutherford said he was busier than ever since he was hung up on his picks – and he still has elite-level competition plans.

The 2012 London champion hopes to trade the sandbox against the velodrome and revealed that he planned to take part in track cycling trials before the end of the year to see if he could make the cut.

"What I'm saying about cycling – and I want to be very clear about that – is that I'm not saying I'm going out there and that I'll be the new big thing, the new Sir Chris Hoy," I said.

"I'm going to try to see if I'm good at that, it's a very technical sport, there's so much to learn and I've never cycled in a velodrome." There are so many things to do and I will try.

"If they say," Yes, you have the gross ability to be very good, "then I will train for that, if they say," You are good but we will see ". I do not think it's going to be enough for me – I have to be very good or nothing. "

Sportsbeat 2018