5 Steps to Build Your Own Sport Science Programme: Step 3
Step 3: Scientific Research
With any athlete or team, a sport science practitioner must perform a needs analysis of the sport. This is to give you an understanding of the physiological demands, to provide you with evidence from which to base training recommendations.
This requires studying the scientific literature, as well as understanding the individual, their goals and their working environment.
It’s also very important to do your own testing and research, especially in boxing as there is not much scientific literature. By doing this you’ll build a database of the physical and physiological characteristics of boxers to help you profile your athletes.
- Needs Analysis
- BS: Searched and read the scientific literature for the physical, tactical, technical and psychological demands of the sport (read the four corners here).
- Create a testing battery
- BS: By using the needs analysis, we was able to select a range of tests to assess the physical characteristics of boxers.
- Invite boxers to test
- BS: Testing was free to competitive boxers, multiple sessions were advertised on social media and through e-mail.
- Analyse results
- BS: Analysed multiple sets of data to obtain a detailed understanding.
- Share findings
- BS: Most sport scientists share findings through academic papers, but this doesn’t really appeal to the boxing community. Our results helped write articles such as ‘Get Stronger Punch Harder’ and ‘Stronger Core Punch Harder’.
