Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

REF 2021 Impact Case Studies

• The physical preparation of GBR Fencers for the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond

  The impact we achieved

  Our research on athletic development in fencing has challenged traditional practices through a research- and evidence-based ideology. Working closely with coaches and athletes from GBR fencing, Dr Turner’s research has spurred improvements in performance, preparation, and coaching in fencing, as well as influenced physical training in other sports, around the world. The key impacts include:

  • Physical preparation guidelines and testing battery, which contributed to Team GB athletes’ unprecedented achievements in the most prestigious international competitions, leading to the subsequent adoption of these fitness benchmarks by several other national fencing teams (e.g., Denmark, Sweden, Qatar, and Canada)
  • Total Score of Athleticism – a physical profiling system which informed the selection of fencers and their funding, and is now used globally across multiple sports, including the NFL, British Army, soccer, NATO, and the English National Ballet, as well as being incorporated into performance analysis software such as that used by Hawkin Dynamics
  • Curriculum changes to coach education programmes and manuals from grass roots to elite level, moving from teaching the traditional understanding of fencing physical preparation, to that based on Dr Turner’s research.

  The research behind it

  Research on elite athletes is inherently difficult. Athletes and their coaches are generally hesitant to participate in research due to reluctance to change their normal training, as changes can often contradict the traditional approaches they have used. Dr Turner overcame this by undertaking a series of graduated studies, from observational analysis through to gathering data from athletes during live international competitions, and finally requiring athletes to deliberately change their practice. More specifically, the impact of this case study is underpinned by research on the:

  • Physical characteristics enabling fundamental skills in fencing, which helped establish an evidence-based training system, the validation of a new agility test, and provided athlete benchmarks across the sport
  • Lunge and how athletes can develop it to improve speed and distance when attacking and retreating
  • Physiological demands of international competitions, gathered while working with the GBR Olympic fencing team preparing for the Rio Olympics. These studies were the first to analyse a range of health and performance data from athletes during highly-pressured environments – providing invaluable information, resulting in the validation of fitness testing and training designed around competition-based data.

  The people involved at Middlesex and beyond

  The research work was led by Dr Anthony Turner, in close collaboration with coaches and athletes from GBR fencing.

  Read the PDF of the case study submission

  ---

  

• Changed behaviour in elite sport practice through performance analysis interventions

  The impact we achieved

  Small changes in elite performance can have dramatic effects and attention to fine detail is crucial to making champions. Informed by science, performance analysts enhance elite coaches’ decisions by presenting performance visually, highlighting patterns and providing systematic reviews of opponents and other performance-related insight. Our performance analysis-based research findings resulted in improved preparation and performance of athletes competing at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic games, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth games, and the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.

  We achieved this impact through the:

  • Development of more accurate performance profiles of opponents and greater tactical planning
  • Introduction of training adaptations to improve performance
  • Improvements in communication between coaches and performance analysts.

  The research behind it

  Impact has resulted from the introduction of performance analysis interventions that have changed behaviour in elite sport practice. It has been achieved through working in close collaboration with several elite sports organisations and players nationally and internationally, including England National squash squads and elite players, UK Sport, and High Performance Sport New Zealand. Research findings were also utilised by GB Olympic and Paralympic teams, through further advisory work with individual analysts and the delivery of specific workshops. Our researchers produced knowledge through projects which:

  • Resulted in a new methodology for data capture in squash, providing situationally specific information related to playing patterns. This is also applicable to and used in other sports, including dance and football and has, following further development, culminated in a better understanding of the factors affecting decision-making
  • Determined the extent to which tactical shot selections vary within players as a consequence of the standard of their opponent
  • Studied different Olympic and Paralympic sports (including cycling, para swimming, gymnastics, judo, wheelchair rugby, modern pentathlon, and sailing) through the development of consultancy services for the English Institute of Sport (EIS), Ireland Rugby Union team, Lawn Tennis Association and Leicester City FC
  • Evaluated “what” the performance analysts working for the EIS were delivering to GB Olympic and Paralympic coaches, highlighting the importance of understanding the communication processes between analyst and coach, particularly during coach planning sessions.
  • Identified best practice for dissemination and the effectiveness of the performance analysis delivery.

  The people involved at Middlesex and beyond

  Middlesex Professor Nic James led on this body of research, parts of which were undertaken in collaboration with researchers in the UK and abroad.

  Read the PDF of the case study submission