If you are contemplating working with a champion, a potential champion, or anyone with untapped talent - be prepared, be very prepared.
In 1998 Sir Steve Redgrave stared at Ingham and demanded to know, "Are you going to make me go faster?" Ingham had been trained and developed as a scientist, but in that single instance he questioned everything he thought he knew. Applied science in elite sport has boomed. Science has radically changed elite sport, but one thing remains as the guiding focus - the summit of performing to your best and winning. This applies to the athlete, the coaches and increasingly for the applied practitioner.
In this book Ingham draws on the lessons learned from a career in the intense, unforgiving rollercoaster of elite sport; helping, supporting and developing some of the best athletes in the world, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Hayley Tullett, Kelly Sotherton, and Jessica Ennis-Hill as they pursue their goals.
His journey shows that all the knowledge in the world will get you only so far, but it is with trust, team-work, critical thinking, adaptability, accountability and altruism that you can truly support a champion.
Industry Reviews
Jessica Ennis-Hill says, "When I am stood on the start line, I need to know I have prepared in a meticulous way. Using applied science, gives me confidence to perform to my best. Throughout my career, Steve has provided me with a way of making science, objectivity, innovation and ideas useful for my preparation and performance. If science can be applied to the complex world of heptathlon, it can probably be applied to anything - this book shows you how."
Sir Steve Redgrave says, "Five Olympic gold medals do not come easy. An athlete requires unremitting focus and the willingness to explore all possibilities for self-improvement. Support staff need to adopt the same approach in developing their own performance. 'How to support a champion' is a good read for all those working in high performance.
Sir Matthew Pinsent says "There are very few people that I would consider an insider to our efforts to win at successive Olympics but Steve was one of them, 'How to Support a Champion' tells it like it is and is a superb insight into what is required of anyone who supports other people, let alone elite athletes."
