Speed, Strength & Performance Training Articles | Atlas High Performance Blog

The Atlas High Performance Blueprint: Elite Performance Guide for Women’s Football

13/10/2025

The Atlas High Performance Blueprint: Elite Performance Guide for Women’s Football

You’re dedicated. You put in the hours on the pitch, you perfect your touch, and you study the game. But you know there’s another level. You see the players on TV—the ones who seem to glide past defenders, win every header, and possess that explosive first step—and you ask yourself: what's the difference?

The gap between a good player and a truly elite one isn’t just about skill. It's about building a world-class physical engine to power that skill. At Atlas High Performance, we believe that understanding your unique physical profile is the first and most critical step on the journey to the top. It's not about guesswork; it's about data.

This is your guide to understanding the physical qualities that define the best in the game, and how we measure them to build your personal blueprint for success.

How to Plan Your Training Week for Match Day Performance: Smart Scheduling Tips for Athletes

7/8/2025

How to Plan Your Training Week for Match Day Performance: Smart Scheduling Tips for Athletes

Planning a training week can feel overwhelming, especially when schedules change, competitions pile up, and you’re not sure where to fit your key sessions. In this article, we break down how we at Atlas HPC approach training week design for athletes — whether you’re in-season, juggling matches, or working towards a major competition.

By understanding competition priorities, training effects, and how to balance load and recovery, you can train smarter, avoid burnout, and be primed to perform when it counts.

Game Week Nutrition Plan: Expert Strategies to Maximise Match Day Performance

6/8/2025

🥗 Game Week Nutrition Plan: Expert Strategies to Maximise Match Day Performance

🎯 Why Game Week Nutrition Matters
In the final 48 to 72 hours before a match, performance isn’t built through training anymore — it's built through fueling, recovery, and preparation.

Think of nutrition during match week as your final prep to showcase everything you’ve trained for. If you don’t fuel it, you can’t express it.

What you eat now will decide whether you’re ready to run, recover, and make great decisions on the pitch — or whether you fade under pressure.

This guide breaks down how to eat, hydrate, and prepare in the final 2–3 days before a big game.

Game Day Nutrition Strategy for Athletes: Winning Tips for Peak Performance

6/8/2025

🥇 Game Day Nutrition Strategy for Athletes: Winning Tips for Peak Performance

🎯 Why Game Day Nutrition Matters

Game day nutrition isn’t just about what you eat an hour before the match. It’s the icing on the cake of a well-planned week of fuelling. If you’ve followed a solid plan in the 2–3 days leading up to the match, your game day nutrition is about topping up, staying sharp, and avoiding gut issues — not scrambling to make up for poor habits.

This guide helps you understand what to eat and drink before arrival, during warm-up, and at half-time, to perform and recover at your best.

Managing Stress and Controlling the Controllables at Atlas High Performance Centre

14/4/2025

Managing Stress and Controlling the Controllables at Atlas High Performance Centre

At Atlas High Performance Centre, we know that success in sport isn’t just about how hard you train in the gym. It’s also about how well you manage stress outside of it. Whether you're preparing for the All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships or a key match in your season, stress management is a critical part of performance.

This guide gives a high-level overview of different types of stress, how to manage them, and how to stay focused on what you can actually control. These strategies apply across sports and levels - from youth athletes to adults, dancers to footballers.

Effective Goal Setting: A Practical Framework for Athletes

14/4/2025

Effective Goal Setting: A Practical Framework for Athletes

This is a bonus piece on something that doesn’t get talked about enough: goal setting. A few of you have asked how to approach it, and I also want to share how we think about goals from a coaching perspective - how we design them with you in mind, and more importantly, how you can start setting better goals for yourself.

We want to move you toward owning your goals. That way, coaches act as guides and sounding boards, not the only people steering the ship. Because when motivation dips - and it will, especially during the off-season - it helps to have your own framework in place.

The full presentation is available at the end!

Unlock Your Speed: Performance Assessments Now Available at Atlas High Performance Centre

10/4/2025

Unlock Your Speed: Performance Assessments Now Available at Atlas High Performance Centre

Are you working hard to run faster, move quicker, and boost your athletic performance but not sure where to start? Whether you're searching for the best speed exercises, workouts to improve sprint speed, or wondering how to increase speed for sports, it all begins with one thing: a clear understanding of your current performance.

At Atlas High Performance Centre, we offer Performance Assessments for Personal Training that break down exactly what you need to improve speed, acceleration, and overall fitness

Best Exercises to Improve Sprint Speed

10/4/2025

Best Exercises to Improve Sprint Speed

Sprinting is one of the most important athletic skills, whether you’re a footballer, rugby player, or just looking to move faster. If you want to increase your sprint speed, the key is to develop explosive power, efficient sprint mechanics, and strong force production.

Many athletes search for how to improve sprint speed, but the best approach is a combination of specific sprint drills, strength training, and plyometric exercises. Below, we break down some of the best exercises to improve speed so you can start training smarter and getting faster.

Performance Assessments at Atlas High Performance Centre – February 24th

13/2/2025

Performance Assessments at Atlas High Performance Centre

Is your child looking to run faster, move better, and gain a competitive edge in their sport? Speed is a game-changer in football, rugby, GAA, and other field sports, and improving sprint mechanics can make all the difference. At Atlas High Performance Centre, we’re offering speed and performance assessments for young athletes (ages 11-16) throughout the year! This is a unique opportunity to measure and improve sprint speed, agility, and movement mechanics with expert coaching.

MAXIMAL AEROBIC SPEED: A GUIDE TO IMPROVING ENDURANCE AND PERFORMANCE

1/10/2024

MAXIMAL AEROBIC SPEED: A GUIDE TO IMPROVING ENDURANCE AND PERFORMANCE

For athletes involved in endurance sports - or any sport that requires sustained high-intensity effort - understanding your Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) can be a game-changer. While it's a concept often utilised by elite coaches and sports scientists, MAS is increasingly gaining attention among athletes at all levels. Knowing your MAS can help you tailor your training, improve endurance, and enhance your overall athletic performance.
In this article, we’ll dive into the science behind MAS, how it impacts performance in endurance sports, and why every athlete should be aware of their MAS.

What Is Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS)?

Maximal Aerobic Speed (MAS) is defined as the lowest running speed at which an athlete reaches their VO₂ max - the maximum rate at which the body can take in and use oxygen during exercise. Essentially, MAS is the speed you can sustain using your aerobic energy system, meaning the system that uses oxygen to fuel exercise. At this speed, your body can supply enough oxygen to the working muscles to maintain activity without producing excessive fatigue. If you push beyond your MAS, you start using your anaerobic energy system, which doesn't rely on oxygen but causes a buildup of lactic acid. Lactic acid accumulation can lead to muscle fatigue and a decrease in performance.