Nigel’s Friday Challenge (2)
It’s Friday again so here’s this week’s challenge – all set to music!! Select your favourite song/record (it must have at least two verses and a chorus, preferably three of each)Look at the video of Alex – you need the 3rd and 4th exercises in his video routine. https://bratclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alex_clegg_core_ex_1.mp4 The 3rd exercise shows him doing alternate squat thrusts, the 4th shows him doing ‘flutter kicks’ Start your music; whilst the verse is playing you have to do the alternate squat thrusts (look how Alex’s knees drive through and his back is as straight as he can get it)… Keep going until the chorus kicks in – flip over onto your back and do the flutter kick exercise (straight legs, back flat on the floor with your shoulders ever so slightly raised off the floor). DO NOT bend your knees, your legs must be straight with your feet pulled back slightly…
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (1)
Welcome to the first in the series of Nigel’s Friday Challenge. ‘Double Maths’ Oh yes, it’s the dreaded double maths session on a Friday! Before attempting the exercises please make sure you have warmed up and stretched – you won’t be able to do them without warming up properly. Exercise 1Take a look at the video clip of Alex;https://bratclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alex_clegg_core_ex_1.mp4 The last exercise he does is a ‘Side raise’. One hand on the floor, straight arm to keep the body up, opposite arm up in the air, one leg sitting on top of the other, hips raised up (not sagging in the middle) and his body is straight (head and feet are in a straight line).Once in this position you have to raise the top leg (as Alex does) and hold that position whilst reciting the 4 x table. In other words;Leg up, and shout out “1 x 4 = 4, 2…
BRATs at Home Core Fitness
As we all adapt to the rapidly changing conditions there is still plenty you can do. Just because the world is in lockdown doesn’t mean that your body has to join it. Multi-event athlete Alex Clegg has filmed himself doing a handful of core exercises which you can try indoors in order to build-up, maintain or improve your core strength – see the link below. https://bratclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alex_clegg_core_ex_1.mp4 Try each one in turn, do say 5 of each, then 10 of each, then 15 of each – that’s a great starting session for you. Coming SoonAlso watch out for Nigel’s ‘Friday Challenge’.Each Friday, Nigel Clegg will set everyone in the club a challenge based on one or more of these exercises – get practising today as Friday will come around before you know it! Stay safe and stay fit!!!
Meet the Triathlete – March – Rob Slater
March’s edition of Meet the Triathlete catches up with one of the club’s most admired swim coaches; not only a very popular and long standing member of the club but also a tasty triathlete….meet Rob Slater!
BRAT Juniors Star at Regional Indoor Final
This is the first year that BRAT have competed in the Sportshall athletics series and we’ve done fantastically well to have juniors from the club chosen to represent Birmingham against the counties of Hereford and Worcestershire, Shropshire and Warwickshire. In the Under 11’s, Evie was really proud to have been selected from BRAT to represent Birmingham. She was asked by the Birmingham Team organiser to be the Girls’ Team Captain! She was selected to compete in 5 events, more than any other member of the team. Her events included 2×1; 4×1 relay; Over and Under relay (hurdles and through a tunnel); speed bounce and standing long jump. She performed fantastically in all – a super effort. Additionally, we had athletes competing in the U13 and U15 age groups in the afternoon session. The U13 girls team came 2nd, just 2 points behind Warwickshire. The U15 girls team also came 2nd.…
The National Cross Country Championships – Wollaton Park
Saturday the 22nd February saw the pinnacle of the cross country season, a historic race, one which is a rite of passage for most cross country runners – The English National Cross Country Championships. The familiar venue of Wollaton Park always holds potential for a brilliant cross country course and this year was no exception. As we arrived, the mud was evident and absolutely everywhere. We’d anticipated mud, but this took mud to a whole new level … it was going to be great fun! As we collected the numbers and set up camp there was a real buzz of excitement as thousands of club runners from under 11 to seniors came back from races caked in mud and frantically wrapped tape round their spikes before heading to the start. Our two-women-team saw co-captains Eloïse Lee and Molly Browne donning the club vest at the biggest event of the season.…
Midland XC League 2019-20
Saturday 8th February saw the final Midland XC League race of the season take place in Leamington Spa. Clubs and University teams from across the Midlands competed over four races between November and February with this year’s league taking us from the rolling hills and icy rain of Burton Dassett to a very hilly and boggy course in Stratford, then onto a challenging trail race in Trentham and through the infamous ditch of Leamington! The BRAT women have been out in force this season, welcoming old faces and new to XC – and what a season it has been! The season opener in November could not have been in worse conditions with heavy icy rain and a muddy hilly course it really was about as tough as XC gets. Anne Kenchington led the team home with a superb start to the season taking on the hills and conditions no problem…
AGM
Would you believe a year has almost passed since the last BRAT AGM….!?! Well, it has and so the Exec would like to give notice for the BRAT 2020 AGM. All members are encouraged to attend to have a say in setting the direction of the club for the following year, and to elect members on to the Exec to ensure the smooth running of the club next year, and beyond. Where: The Blue Coat School, Pavilion When: 10th May 2020 – 6pm Look out for more information coming up, including which posts/roles are up for election, ways that you can get involved, highlights from 2019-20, club targets and priorities for 2020-21, and constitutional amendments.
Midland Indoor T & F Championships
Ten of our T&F athletes entered the Midland Counties Indoor Championships on February 8/9th at the HPC , Birmingham and in a very successful weekend came away with 3 medals, one of each colour, along with multiple personal bests. Spurred on by being in a warm, dry arena away from storm Ciara, which was lashing the country, Lily Smith continued her magnificent progress in the Long Jump winning the U15 title in a new pb of 5.04m, despite this being her first year in the age group. Mali Lloyd Griffiths, just missed out on a medal by dropping down to 4th in the final round but nevertheless still recorded a pb of 4.83m. Our other medal winning performances came in the senior men’s 60m Hurdles, where 3 BRATs lined up in the final. This was a very close race with only 0.5 s separating all 6 finalists, but in a…
Meet the Triathlete – Lauren Turvey
February’s ‘Meet the Triathlete’ catches up with one of BRAT Club’s highest performing triathletes. Having finished in 7th place at the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne 2019, we were delighted to get to know a little more about ultra speedy: Lauren Turvey!
Super Saturday (part 3)
Meanwhile up in Telford the BRAT mens XC team went into the final league fixture looking to secure promotion back to Div.1 at the first attempt. The top of the table was very tight so despite sitting in second place before the race (3 to go up) there was no room for complacency.Under the expert guidance of Martin Ludford (team manager) the team secured 2nd place on the day to anchor themselves in 2nd place in the league. Not to be outdone the B-team also finished second on the day securing 1st place overall in the B-competition.Well done all – Division 1 awaits next winter.
Super Saturday (part 2)
Meanwhile over at the High Performance Centre several junior BRATs were competing in the Midland Indoor Championships.Lilly Smith (pictured above) continued her improvement taking Gold in the U15 Long Jump with a jump of 5.04m. This is currently 12th best in the UK this year and only the 8th BRAT lady (any age group) to ever exceed the 5m mark.Mali Lloyd-Griffiths narrowly missed the podium by just 4cm (about the width of a credit card) finishing 4th in 4.84m. An Excellent start to the 2020 season.