141 episodes

Steve Ingham, performance scientists, leader and author, explores the science, art, purpose and origins of high-performance. Steve interviews and discusses these concepts with the people who have been there and done it, whether it’s achieving at the highest level, been the driving force in making remarkable performance happen or those who have explored and researched aspects of human performance in real-depth.

Supporting Champions Steve Ingham

    • Education
    • 5.0 • 6 Ratings

Steve Ingham, performance scientists, leader and author, explores the science, art, purpose and origins of high-performance. Steve interviews and discusses these concepts with the people who have been there and done it, whether it’s achieving at the highest level, been the driving force in making remarkable performance happen or those who have explored and researched aspects of human performance in real-depth.

    137: Stuart Biddle on Exercise and Mental Health

    137: Stuart Biddle on Exercise and Mental Health

    In this episode, we're joined by Prof Stuart Biddle, a leading figure in the psychology of physical activity, based at the University of Southern Queensland.
    Stuart's extensive work in exercise science and psychology provides groundbreaking insights into how exercise impacts our wellbeing.
    Our discussion today spans Stuart's illustrious career, from his early days contributing to the foundational layers of exercise science to his current work, which includes a significant focus on the mental health benefits of physical activity. We delve into his latest collaborative research, which offers new insights into exercise as a potent intervention for depression, examining the effectiveness of various forms of physical activity and their impact on mental health.
    As we get into the research and the implications, we inevitably go off on a few important tangents
    What type of exercise is most effective for depressive states?
    Is one type of exercise more beneficial for men vs women?
    Is moderate or intense exercise more effective?
    How do you coach people to start and sustain exercise?
    And importantly how do you get children to eat more fruit and vegetables?
    Stuart’s knowledge of this landscape is vast, but it is clear, conditional, nuanced and specific. It is little wonder he advises the World health organisation on physical activity policy. But also listen in as we take this digression from our more traditional focus on performance, this discussion is littered with advice about how we encourage, coach and make an impact on others.
    The cherry on top of the cake is a just the best quote about physical activity ever from the one and only Per Olof Astrand!
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10870815/
    https://twitter.com/stuart_biddle
    https://staffprofile.unisq.edu.au/Profile/Stuart-Biddle
    https://www.routledge.com/Psychology-of-Physical-Activity-Determinants-Well-Being-and-Interventions/Biddle-Mutrie-Gorely-Faulkner/p/book/9781032172033

    • 1 hr 9 min
    136: Andrew Rogers on Mental Health Development

    136: Andrew Rogers on Mental Health Development

    Joining me this week is Andrew Rogers, a Chartered Consultant Clinical & Forensic Psychologist with over two decades of experience spanning elite sport, business, healthcare, prison services and more. As co-director of Changing Minds UK, Andrew brings a real wealth of knowledge on the psychological aspects of high performance, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
    In our conversation, we focus on mental health for sports performers, exploring the unique challenges they face and how coaches and support staff can play a pivotal role in their wellbeing. 
    Andrew is a guide for me as I attempt to ask pertinent questions, know that I don’t know enough in this area and that I am as liable to make a mis-step, due to a growing, evolving and increasingly conversant landscape of mental health. Andrew, fortunately is a leading expert and sheds light on how awareness, stigma, and literacy have changed over the years and what that mean for us all.
    We discuss the specific mental health challenges encountered in the high-pressure environment of sports, how these challenges shift with escalating competition, and strategies for acclimatising to stress. 
    Andrew also shares insights on supporting young athletes and navigating the fine line between encouraging perseverance and recognising when to pull back.
    This episode is about understanding mental health in a sporting context, gaining literacy in this area, and reflecting on how we can all contribute to a healthier, more supportive environment for athletes. But whether you're a coach, a parent, or anyone interested in the intersection of psychology and performance, perhaps for your own performance, I’m sure this discussion with Andrew Rogers will be helpful as well as illuminating.
    Links:
    www.changingmindsuk.com
    www.linkedin.com/in/changingmindsuk 

    • 1 hr 40 min
    135: David Robson on The Intelligence Trap

    135: David Robson on The Intelligence Trap

    In this episode I speak to David Robson, an award-winning science journalist. David's insightful exploration into the realms of cognitive psychology and human behaviour, particularly in his books 'The Intelligence Trap' and 'The Expectation Effect,' offers a fresh perspective on how our minds work, especially in high-performance environments.
    David's journey in science journalism has led him to uncover fascinating aspects of human intelligence and the surprising pitfalls that even the brightest minds can encounter. In this conversation we explore some of the many concepts that David surfaces in his books, such as 'dysrationalia,' a term that challenges our understanding of the expert mind, and explore the balance between evidence-based wisdom and the ever-present risk of misinformation.
    We'll also discuss David's approach to identifying and navigating the minefield of lies and misinformation, a skill increasingly crucial in our information-saturated world. His insights on the dichotomy of genius types and the controversial topic of multiple intelligences are thought-provoking to say the least.
    In 'The Expectation Effect,' David examines how our beliefs and expectations can shape our reality, a concept with profound implications in the world of sports and high performance. We'll discuss the nuances of this effect, including the power of the placebo, the importance of mindset, and the intriguing concept of eustress for longevity and performance.
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-robson-5761791b/
    Twitter: @d_a_robson Website: https://davidrobson.me/

    Intelligence Trap Book:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Intelligence-Trap-Revolutionise-Thinking-Decisions/dp/1473669855

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Intelligence-Trap-Revolutionise-Thinking-Decisions/dp/1473669855

    Expectation Effect Book
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Expectation-Effect-Your-Mindset-Transform/dp/1838853308
     
    -
    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/
     

    • 1 hr 31 min
    134: Dr Alison Maitland & Jenna Ashford on Drop The Struggle

    134: Dr Alison Maitland & Jenna Ashford on Drop The Struggle

    In this episode, we're exploring the themes of mindfulness, acceptance, and actionable confidence with authors Dr. Alison Maitland and Jenna Ashford, as they discuss their latest book, 'Drop the Struggle.' This thought-provoking work challenges readers to embrace discomfort, engage with the present, and focus on what truly matters. Alison and Jenna bring a wealth of experience to the table, and they start by sharing their backgrounds, providing context for the insights that follow. The book's central message encourages moving beyond the confines of positive thinking, advocating for a more nuanced approach to personal and professional challenges. The conversation delves into the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a framework that underpins the book's philosophy. Alison and Jenna address the natural human tendencies of nerves, comparison, and competition, reframing these as part of our survival mechanism. Key skills and perspectives from 'Drop the Struggle' are highlighted, including the concept that our thoughts are merely words and pictures, not dictates that we must follow. The authors also discuss the transformative power of acceptance and the importance of aligning actions with values, rather than solely seeking happiness or adherence to rules. What I really enjoyed about this discussion was the insights into changing habits, embracing setbacks, and the 'Do What Matters' matrix—a tool for identifying priorities and overcoming obstacles. I hope if you are struggling, wrangling and tussling with stresses and thoughts that are unhelpful that this discussion can help.
    Links
    Find Alison on Linkedin here:
     https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmaitland001
    Find Jenna on Linkedin here:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-ashford-nee-woolven-b00b424a
    Find Drop The Struggle here (Drop the Struggle can also be found in other bookstores)
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drop-Struggle-Transformative-Achieving-Potential/dp/1914110269
    -
    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/
     

    • 1 hr 7 min
    133: James Collins on applied nutrition

    133: James Collins on applied nutrition

    In our latest episode of Supporting Champions, we had the opportunity to engage in a fascinating conversation with James Collins, recognised as a leading Sport & Exercise Nutritionist. In elite sport he has worked with Team GB Olympic teams and athletes over three Olympic Games. He joined Arsenal Football Club in 2010, where he spent seven seasons as the club’s first performance nutritionist. He has worked as a consultant with England Football, France Football (2018 World Cup winners), and is currently a consultant with Chelsea FC. He was a project lead of an international team of 31 authors to produce the ‘UEFA Expert Group Statement on Nutrition in Elite Football‘, the best practice guidelines within the sport, published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM).
    James is Managing Director of INTRA Performance Group working with talent from elite sport and entertainment from their Harley Street clinic. He was previously elected President of The Royal Society of Medicine’s Food and Health Forum and is author of the acclaimed book ‘The Energy Plan‘ (Penguin Random House).
    Throughout our discussion, James shares his journey into the world of sports nutrition, providing insights into his experiences and the lessons he's learned along the way. His unique perspective, shaped by years of working with both individual athletes and team sports, offered a deeper understanding of the diverse nutritional strategies required in different sporting contexts. James has in recent years begun to branch out and apply his nutritional advice to businesses and take on interesting individual cases including a musician taking to one of the main stages in Glastonbury last year, the parallels between athletes and musicians seemingly not too dissimilar.
    https://twitter.com/jamescollinspn?lang=en
    http://jamescollinsnutrition.com/
    https://www.intraperformancegroup.com/
    https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/439206/the-energy-plan-by-james-collins/9781785042294
    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/
    LinksTwitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_stevehttps://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampionsSupporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champsSupporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-championshttps://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/
     

    • 1 hr 8 min
    132: Amy Edmondson on the right kind of wrong

    132: Amy Edmondson on the right kind of wrong

    In this episode of Supporting Champions, we're joined by Amy Edmondson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and a leading authority on psychological safety. We delve into her new book, "The Right Kind of Wrong," a title that intriguingly challenges our perceptions of failure.
    Our conversation begins with Amy's sharing her expertise on creating environments that foster growth, development, and performance. Amy's perspective is particularly timely, as there's a growing appetite for understanding and skillfully nurturing psychologically safe spaces.
    Amy emphasizes that better teams don't necessarily make fewer mistakes but are more open to discussing them. This is exemplified in her NASA example, where tired teams, who had been working hard together, outperformed fresh teams. We explore whether psychologically safe teams take more interpersonal and task-based risks.
    Amy decodes sports contexts and consequences, addressing how results-focused environments can create fear-based decisions. We delve into the nuances of failure, error, and judgment in relation to goal setting, and how psychological safety, while promoting excellence, isn’t about comfort but about enabling intelligent risk-taking and learning from complex failures.
    We wrap up the conversation by discussing the best and worst examples of enhancing performance through psychological safety, the increasing embrace of interpersonal skills by coaches, and the predominant factors influencing psychological safety.
    Notes
    Follow Amy on Twitter https://twitter.com/AmyCEdmondson
    Order Amy's book here https://amycedmondson.com/
     
    *** UNTIL 1st FEB - you can get 50% off our Setting up Your Own Consultancy Course ***
    https://www.supportingchampions.co.uk/set-up-your-own-performance-consultancy/ use code CHAMPS50
    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/
    LinksTwitter at https://twitter.com/ingham_stevehttps://www.tiktok.com/@supportingchampionsSupporting Champions on Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champsSupporting Champions on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-championshttps://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions/

    • 56 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
6 Ratings

6 Ratings

GurnDawg14 ,

Supporting Coaches

This podcast is a great way for coaches and any high performing leaders to reflect, learn, and engage in meaningful personal and professional development.

Charles Ashford ,

Really insightful!

Steve does a fantastic job of unpacking these discussions to provide the listener with a wealth of valuable information. Unlike most podcasts, it is not super rigid in structure and the guest is given plenty of time to explain their answers, thoughts, and theories. A new favourite of mine while driving.

Buffalo2018 ,

Insightful conversations on sports performers

Steve brings high quality and depth of conversation to this podcast. I enjoy the range of guests he has on; from fellow practitioners, to elite athletes, to consultants from other fields. Often the questions on podcasts just follow a script, but Steve really engages with the guests, leading to free-flowing and knowledgeable discussions.

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