Services Offered

Coaching Practice:

Road & mountain bike training - skills, endurance, power, speed.

Improvements in cycling, whether recreational or competitive, come from the development of good technique, effective skills and the “Triple”, endurance, power & speed. The time competitive cyclists spend training is among the highest in all sports. Good coaching enables you to compress the time you need to spend on skills & technique & maximize the impact of your riding time by training with a purpose for every workout.

Triathalon – Maximize your strengths. Bridge your weaknesses.

When you maximize your strengths & bridge your weaknesses, triathlon becomes one of the most exciting & satisfying of all endurance events. In such a complicated, demanding sport, having a good coach to help you organize & focus your training is almost indispensable.

Distance running - 5K to ultra, technique, leg strength, improved threshold, running economy.

Beware the one-size-fits-all running program. Distance runners need considerable strength throughout the body. Look at Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2009 New York Marathon, for example. A strong body will resist injury & deliver energy consistently under high levels of demand, such as endurance racing. So I focus on strength.

A high threshold is another way of saying a runner can deliver near maximum power over a long time. So I focus on raising the threshold. And running economy is the twin of high threshold. If power isn’t put to use economically, it becomes wasted effort. Running economy is learned through practicing the running technique that suits you best.

Open Water Swimming & Overcoming Fear of Water (offered through affiliate, Jim Montgomery)

Open water swimming is tough to get a handle on. If you plan to do well in an Ironman, you want to get out of the pool & train in open water. I’ve asked my good friend Jim Montgomery to help out with open water and fear of water training. He’s an Olympic Gold Medalist & he is certified in overcoming fear of water training.

Core & Strength training - the foundation for power & injury-free performance.

In my mind there are two kinds of athletes, those who core train & those who don’t. Those who do have a significant advantage over those who don’t. I suggest you make core work about 10% of your total weekly training time during your competitive season & then up that to about 25% in the off season. Mix core work with repetitive movement practice & you will see gains in your economy of effort.

Sport specific core work for Golf & Tennis.

I consider these to be endurance sports because the events last multiple hours & require intense focus of effort. When I work with golfers & tennis players, I package training for ballistic power with fine motor control & cardio fitness suitable for multi-hour performance.

Summer Endurance Sports Camps for Kids @ The Greenhill School, Dallas, TX.

I supervise four camps at the Summer On The Hill camp @ The Greenhill School in Dallas. The camps are: Bike Skills; Swim-Bike-Run; Speedability; Skate boards- In-line skates & Roller Skis. For more information, click here.

Physiological Evaluation For Adults & Children. (through affiliate Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen)

A clear understanding of your fitness markers can refine the blueprint for your training program. What is your VO2 max? What is your body type, fast twitch, slow twitch, somewhere in the middle? Is your heart performing as well as it could? Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen is a leading researcher in altitude training and endurance sports physiology. There is probably no one better qualified to provide you with a physiological assessment & advise your coach on your training protocol. By appointment through Coach Stewart Ball.

Altitude Training Protocols.

Altitude training can provide a 5 to 15% improvement in VO2 max, which can mean a visit to the podium, for elite athletes. Even if you are not elite, altitude training can boost your body’s capacity to handle more intense training. Coach Ball can write an altitude training protocol for you, including advice on location, duration & your daily workout plan.

Endurance Sports Injury Recovery Using the Alter G (through affiliate Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen

The Alter G is a gravity neutral treadmill, which allows an injured athlete to train without weight bearing stress. It’s a great way to keep your cardio fitness while injured.

In addition, if you are prone to overuse injuries, the Alter G should be part of your regular workout regimen in order to alleviate stress on your back & legs & help you stay free of injury.

Questions or comments? Contact Coach Stewart Ball.