Sports Performance Research & Guides

Expert articles for athletes and parents in Birmingham, Manchester and the West Midlands — written by FA-qualified coaches using real performance data.

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Sports Performance Research & Guides

Sprint Mechanics

Why Most Athletes Are Braking With Every Stride — And How to Fix It

Ground Contact Time: The Hidden Variable That Separates Fast Athletes From Slow Ones

How Arm Mechanics Affect Sprint Speed — The 10% Gain Most Athletes Miss

Why Weak Hip Extension Is Costing Your Athlete Metres Every Sprint

Stride Frequency vs Stride Length — Which Should You Train First?

The First 10 Metres: Why Acceleration Mechanics Win Races Before Top Speed

Drive Phase Technique: The Body Angle That Unlocks Explosive Acceleration

Ankle Dorsiflexion and Sprint Performance: The Joint Nobody Trains

Sprint Posture in Youth Athletes: Correcting the Forward Lean Myth

Reactive Strength Index: The Missing Link Between Gym Work and Sprint Speed

Why Stopping Fast Is as Important as Going Fast — Deceleration Mechanics Explained

3 Drills That Fix Overstriding in One Training Session

Testing & Data

Force-Velocity Profiling: The Complete Guide for Parents and Coaches

Your Athlete Has a Velocity Deficit — Here Is What That Actually Means

Force Deficit Training: Why Some Athletes Need More Gym Work Not More Sprinting

Force-Velocity Profiling by Football Position: What Strikers and Defenders Need Differently

What Is Pmax and Why Does It Matter for Your Athlete's Training?

How to Read Sprint Split Times — What 5m 10m 20m and 30m Data Tell You

Force-Velocity Profiling for Rugby Union — Why Props and Wingers Need Opposite Training

Horizontal Force Production: The Underappreciated Driver of Sprint Acceleration

How Force-Velocity Profiles Change During Puberty — What Parents Need to Know

Countermovement Jump Analysis: What Height Alone Does Not Tell You

The Link Between Bilateral Asymmetry and ACL Injury Risk — What the Data Shows

The 5-0-5 Agility Test: What It Measures and Why We Use It for Every Athlete

Injury Prevention

Hamstring Injury Prevention Through Sprint Profiling — What Data Reveals

ACL Injury Prevention: Why Screening Before Injury Is Better Than Treating After

Bilateral Asymmetry in Youth Athletes — The Injury Risk Nobody Is Testing For

Overuse Injuries in Youth Sport: How Data-Driven Training Reduces Risk

Groin Injury Prevention in Football: The Role of Adductor Strength and Asymmetry

Return to Play After Injury: Using Performance Data to Know When Athletes Are Ready

Knee Pain in Young Athletes: Osgood-Schlatter and Sprint Training — What Is Safe

Ankle Sprain Prevention: How Agility Training and Force Testing Reduces Risk

How to Adapt Training During Growth Spurts — Protecting Young Athletes

Shoulder Injury Prevention in Rugby: Strength Power and Movement Screening

Shin Splints in Young Runners: Causes Prevention and Safe Training Resumption

Detecting Muscle Imbalances Before They Become Injuries — The EPP Screening Protocol

Youth Development

U8 Speed Training: What Is Safe What Works and What to Avoid at Age 7–8

U10 Athletic Development: The Foundation Phase Every Young Athlete Needs

Is Your U12 Ready for Performance Testing? A Guide for Parents

U14 Strength and Conditioning: What Is Safe and What Produces Real Results

The U16 Sprint Programme: 12 Weeks to Measurable Speed Improvement

U18 Pre-Academy Physical Testing: What Clubs Are Looking For

Early Sport Specialisation in Youth Athletes: What the Research Actually Says

Why Multi-Sport Youth Athletes Are Better Performers at 16 Than Early Specialists

Speed Training for Girls Through Puberty: The Physiological Guide for Parents

What Age Should Boys Start Strength Training? A Science-Backed Guide

The Physical Demands of Youth Football: What U10 to U18 Players Actually Need

Youth Rugby Physical Development: Building the Right Qualities at the Right Age

Pre-Season

Pre-Season Football Programme 2026: The Data-Driven Approach to Arriving Ready

Pre-Season Rugby Preparation: Physical Testing and Programming for the New Season

What to Test in Pre-Season: The 5 Metrics That Predict Performance All Year

The 8-Week Pre-Season Sprint Training Block That Actually Produces Results

Pre-Season Strength Programme: Building the Foundation for a Full Season

Pre-Season Agility Work: The Sessions That Transfer to Match Performance

Why Clubs Should Test the Whole Squad in Pre-Season — Not Just the Starters

Maintaining Strength and Speed In-Season: The Minimal Effective Dose

End-of-Season Testing: Using Data to Plan the Off-Season and Pre-Season

The Off-Season Athletic Development Window: Your Biggest Opportunity of the Year

Pre-Season Cricket Preparation: The Physical Testing That Unlocks Performance

Pre-Season Netball Testing: What to Measure Before the Season Starts

Local Guide

Speed Training in Birmingham: The Complete Guide to EPP at Alexander Stadium

Sports Performance Testing in Sutton Coldfield — Your Nearest EPP Venue

Athletic Training at Perry Barr — World-Class Facilities at Grassroots Prices

Speed Testing for Walsall Athletes — How to Get to EPP

Performance Testing for Wolverhampton Athletes — EPP at Alexander Stadium

Youth Sport Coaching in Solihull — EPP Services for West Midlands Athletes

Athletic Development in Erdington and North Birmingham — EPP at Alexander Stadium

Speed Coaching for Great Barr Athletes — Alexander Stadium Is Your Local Performance Centre

Youth Football Performance Coaching in Handsworth and West Birmingham

Sports Performance Testing in Tamworth — Vision Football Factory and EPP

Athletic Training for Lichfield Athletes — Distance Directions and What to Expect

Sports Performance Testing for Coventry Athletes — Worth the Journey to EPP

Football