Supporting Champions

117: Costas Karageorghis on music and performance

This week’s guest is Costas Karageorghis
Costas is a professor of sports psychology at Brunel University. I first knew of Costas, many years ago as “Piano Man”, as he was sat at the piano in a bar at a BASES conference, skilfully and joyfully playing away entertaining conference attendees. Only the next day did I find out that that music was his specialist topic. Since, Costas has become renowned for his research on the effects of music on exercise and sports performance.
In Costas’ book Applying Music in Exercise and Sport, the preface begins with a quote from Confucius, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. What is fascinating is that the link between music and sport isn’t more widely explored. In this discussion we explore the connection between sports and music, starting with on one of my favourite indulgences -the sports montage. We delve into how music can support exercisers, how it can make exercise seem easier, how it can be used to help performers get ready for competitions, how music preferences diverge based on culture, within teams and based on your circumstances.
I start by asking Costas what he thinks about the Supporting Champions podcast music.
 
Links
SAVI Group on Twitter https://twitter.com/SAVIBrunel
SAVI playlists on Spotify Brunel SAVI Group
On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/brunel_music_and_driving
 
Hi, I’m Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I’ve been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub 
https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
 
If you’re working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems – take a look at what I offer here – https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ 
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

116: Kate Hays on the psychology of the Lionesses

This week’s guest is Dr Kate Hays
Kate is Head of Women's Performance Psychology at The English FA
Kate is just about as richly experienced a practitioner and leader in sports psychology as you are likely to meet. Kate has worked on the Front line in Olympic sport, in particular in the sport of diving, working with Olympic Champion Tom Daley; she has worked in professional rugby at Harlequins RFC and as a leader Kate was the Head of Psychology at the English Institute of Sport.
In this conversation I speak to Kate about her experiences in support of the England women’s team in the lead up and during the winning run at the European Championships. Kate shares the insights into handling the pressure, embracing the excitement and buzz of the tournament while staying in control and delivering to the plan. Kates shares the characteristics that you should be interested in developing if you’re interested in developing a winning culture, some of which are non-negotiables and some of which are created from within.
If you’re listening in because you want to hear what went on behind the scenes for the Lionesses, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you’re tuning in to hear about what makes a successful team, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you are tuning in to hear about a great performance psychologist works, how psychology support has evolved from one-to-one, behind closed doors work to on-pitch, integrated and woven into the fabric everything a great team does - then you won’t be disappointed.
 
Links
Follow Kate on Twitter
https://twitter.com/DrKateHays
England Women's team
https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team
 
Hi, I’m Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I’ve been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.
 
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you’re working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems – take a look at what I offer here – https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ 
 
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/
 

115: Joe Baker on the tyranny of talent

This week’s guest is Joe Baker
Joe is a Professor at the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University in Toronto
Joe’s work specialises in optimal human development, largely to understand how someone gets to, and stays at, the highest levels of performance. This means he works in the areas of skill acquisition, talent identification and athlete development. He has recently written a book called the Tyranny of Talent, which pokes and probes of the ideas of what talent is, how it is typically thought about, worked with and developed (or attempted to be developed) in many elite environments. What are the pitfalls, pivot point and priorities in supporting people all the way through their athletic, sporting and exercising journey.
Joe is a true expert in the field and he brings an erudite wisdom to this discussion, but he is also active in helping others switch their mindsets to begin to think again about how we can develop people.
 
Links
Link to The Tyranny of Talent - https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1738644103
 
Link to Joe's page at York University - https://www.yorku.ca/professor/bakerj/
 
Joe on twitter https://twitter.com/bakerjyorku
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.
 
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/ Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/
 
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

114: Christian Swann on using goals effectively

Happy New Year!
This week’s guest is Christian Swann. Christian is an associate professor at Southern Cross University and specialises in research around goal setting and mental health.
In Christian’s early research he noticed an interesting observation. While working with elite golfers he asked them what sort of goals they set for themselves. To his surprise the types of goals they set didn’t conform with the typical, off-the-shelf literature, such as outcome specific goals. This led him to delve a lot deeper into the area and astutely began to question many of the premises upon which goals setting methods are based, finding in many instances, that frameworks such as SMART goals do not comply with the basics of goal setting theory. Who knew? Well, probably a lot of us who have tried to use them?
This is what we get into in this discussion, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of different ways of setting goals, weighing up process goals, outcome goals and performance goals. We discuss the use of open goals and ‘do your best’ goals and how to apply goals whether you are a learner or expert.
If you’re setting goals for yourself right now or setting them for others - this discussion is well worth your attention.
 
Links
Follow Christian on Twitter https://twitter.com/cswannpsych
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

113: Nick Tiller on harnessing scepticism

Nick is a senior research fellow in Exercise Physiology at Harbor UCLA Medical Centre.
For over a decade, Nick has been scrutinizing the commercial health and wellness industry through the critical lens of scientific skepticism. Where he finds nonsense he has called it out, campaigned for a stronger stance against snake oil, bogus claims and myths.
Nick is also the author of The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science which we discuss in this conversation. The book was named one of Book Authority's "Best sports science books of all time".
As you will also hear Nick is passionate, sometimes frustrated, some times exasperated with this area. Kudos for him for taking it on - I think we all have a role to play in this area and as you’ll also hear, I passionately believe this book is essential reading for any coach or sports scientist.
 
This is the last podcast of the year - we'll be back in the New Year with a super helpful episode about goals!
 
Links
Nick's website https://www.nbtiller.com/
The Skeptic's Guide to Sports Science
https://www.routledge.com/The-Skeptics-Guide-to-Sports-Science-Confronting-Myths-of-the-Health-and/Tiller/p/book/9781138333130
 
Is 2023 the year to set up your side-hustle?
Take a look here at the course that people like you are using to guide setting up your own consultancy.
https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/set-up-your-own-performance-consultancy/
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/
Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

112: Lucy Gossage on triathlon, training and supporting cancer patients

This week’s guest is Dr Lucy Gossage
Lucy is a triathlete and doctor and on underpinning that a phenomenal person.
Lucy started her career almost by accident, just trying out in triathlon for fun, then got the bug, entering her first ironman and steadily realising that she could go pro and taking 12 Ironman titles. In between swimming, biking and running, Lucy studied medicine at Cambridge, where she also undertook PhD in kidney cancer and is now a consultant oncologist at Nottingham University Hospital
We talk about how it all started for Lucy, her rise to being pro, how she managed the effort of medical and triathlon training. We discuss how she preferred not to overcomplicate her training, keeping things simple and unfussy, in this case not use a scientific approach.
We also discuss her career as a cancer doctor, how this gave her perspective through the hard days training and racing, how she copes working with patients suffering each day and how she is campaigning through the charity ‘5k your way’ a community based initiative encouraging those living with cancer to stay physically active.
 
Links
Lucy Gossage https://lucygossage.com/
Follow her on Twitter https://twitter.com/lucygoss
5 k your way https://5kyourway.org/
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
 
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

111: Andy McNab on special forces performance

This week's guest is Andy McNab
Andy McNab is perhaps the most recognisable name of any special forces operator in the world. Andy served in the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland where he was awarded the Military medal for gallantry, he entered the Special Air Services in 1984 and worked on both covert and overt operations including and drug operations in the Middle East and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland Andy is best know for commanding an 8 man SAS patrol designated Bravo Two Zero in Iraq, which he wrote about in the book bearing the same name. The book tells of a mission that was compromised leading to three of the eight dying and four (including Andy being captured, held and tortured for 6 weeks).
I wanted to talk to Andy about his choices to join the military, what selection is like for special forces applicants and what qualities are selected for. And Andy as you’d expect tells it like it is. There is a clarity of understanding about what is required, how you undertake highly specialised manoeuvres and how you achieve high-performance under the intensity of combat.
But this isn’t all just aggression and attack (although there is a bit of that). Listen carefully and you’ll hear a profound lessons in how you select people, how you train people to perform and how you deliver when it matters.
We also discuss the finding that Andy is a diagnosed psychopath, or more specifically a functioning psychopath, how he found out, what that meant for his military performance as well as how understanding that has helped him engage more effectively in day-to-day life. It was an honour to speak to Andy, not everything in special forces applies to our sporting and working lives, but here are some super interesting insights in this conversation - of which I have no doubt you could apply - it certainly, certainly offers a contrast. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Links
Andy's new book DOWN TO THE WIRE
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions.
I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
Listen to the podcast https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/category/podcast/
Links Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

110: Ryan King on operating in complexity

This week's guest is Ryan King.
Ryan is a strength and conditioning coach by trade. He has a background working at the EIS and England FA. In addition to his conditioning work Ryan has led numerous teams, for example managing the women’s pathway team, the performance support team and the innovation work at the FA. Ryan is now a performance strategist at Kitman labs and a performance consultant for his own business Blended Intelligence.
But beyond the job titles is the way Ryan works which is highly considered, thoughtful and holistic. When I say holistic I mean he fully respects the climate, environment, the timing as well as the problem on the table. In this discussion we explore how to work in simple and complex situations, creating systems but being flexible and measuring our impact. But central to this is harnessing people and their full capability to create performance. I don’t think I will ever tire of speaking to Ryan he is one of these people who always brings fresh insight and perspective.
 
Links for Ryan
https://twitter.com/Blended_Team
https://blended-intelligence.com/
 
Hi, I’m Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I’ve been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed  and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub
https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
***Applied Pro Practitioner courses are now discounted
USE CODE APPLIED2022 for £50 off until 15th Nov
Sign up now to take advantage of live sessions with tutors***
If you’re working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems – take a look at what I offer here – https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

109: Tom Geraghty on psychological safety

This week’s guest is Tom Geraghty
Tom runs a business that supports and coaches people and teams in the area of psychological safety. He has created a reputation in this niche, through his work, his online contributions and a very impactful newsletter each week. Tom hasn’t come at this topic through what you might think is the traditional and formal psychological route, but from the position of a worker in an environment seeing how leaders misuse their position, create caustic environments and make people feel not only rubbish but inhibited too. And Tom then had sense and will to learn why, how, what and when these environments arise and how he could support people to make things better, to feel safer so that you can unlock their potential and performance.
I really enjoyed this conversation with Tom, his deep thinking really added value and I hope you enjoy it too.
Links
Twitter https://twitter.com/tom_geraghty
Website https://psychsafety.co.uk/
Newsletter https://psychsafety.co.uk/newsletter/
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed  and now I want to share those performance strategies with you.
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub
https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
***Applied Pro Practitioner courses are now discounted
USE CODE APPLIED2022 for £50 off until 15th Nov
Sign up now to take advantage of live sessions with tutors***
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

108: Jenny Coe and Amy Whitehead on myths of sports coaching

I have two guests for you this week, Jenny Coe and Dr Amy Whitehead
Jenny Coe is former international basketball player for Ireland and has spent her working career developing coaches and players, first at UK coaching and now working as a Head of Performance and Wellbeing with West Ham Women’s Football Team. Jenny also runs her own company Impact the Game a company that supports coaches and athletes in the area of sports psychology.
Amy is a Reader in Sport Psychology and Coaching at Liverpool John Moores University, where she leads the Coaching and Pedagogy Research Group at LJMU and specialises in research in stressors and coping during competition.
But the main reason that Jenny and Amy are on today is that they have co-edited a super interesting book called Myths of Sports Coaching, collating a range of common misconceptions and tackling them head on, giving sense over superstition, but also a clear understanding as to why myths have originated which I think really helps people see where some ideas such as
Learning styles
10,000 hours
Deliberate practice
Do you have to walk it to talk it
and do coaches need to be cruel to be kind
As I stated in my testimonial on the back of the book, The work, illuminated by leading authors, scholars and practitioners, is indispensable for anyone supporting and championing others through coaching.
I hope you enjoy this wide ranging conversation as we get into several of the concepts that the book addresses.
 
Links for guests
https://twitter.com/jennycoady10
https://twitter.com/a_whitehead1
https://www.sequoia-books.com/catalog/whiteheadcoe/
 
Hi, I'm Steve Ingham Sports and Performance Scientist co-founder at Supporting Champions. I have the privilege of supporting over 1000 athletes of which over 200 have gone on to win World or Olympic medals. For the last 25 years I've been fascinated by, researched and applied innovative ideas to help people succeed  and now I want to share those performance strategies with you. 
I help aspiring and professional Performance Science and Support Staff improve their skills, experience and mindset for working with sports performers through a range of online courses and an exclusive community hub https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/onlinecourse
If you're working in sports performance or business and want to get support to develop your team and systems - take a look at what I offer here - https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/speaking/
 
Links
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_steve
https://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampions
Supporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs
Supporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions
https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/