Ep. 2: Strong Young Gunners: Arsenal’s Blueprint for Long-term Athletic Success with Des Ryan

In this episode, I speak to Des Ryan, the Director of Performance and Coaching at Setanta College and former Head of Sports Medicine and Athletic Development at Arsenal. We discuss topics such as long-term athletic development (LTAD), the Arsenal Arrow approach to youth athletic development, the importance of progression and mastery, incorporating strength training in busy schedules and much more. I met Des last year at the LTAD Network conference in Vienna where he was one of the presenters. He is a leading expert in the field of youth athletic development and it was a privilege to have him on the show. Hope you enjoy it!

Show Notes

• The importance of Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD)

• The Arsenal Arrow Approach

• Progression and Mastery in Youth Athletic Development

• Building Relationships and Creating a High Challenge, High Support Environment

• Fitness Testing and Monitoring

• Incorporating Strength Training in Busy Schedules

• Training Weeks at Arsenal Academy

• Growth and Maturation Considerations

• Sport Specialization vs. Sampling

• Preventing Burnout and Overuse Injuries

• Monitoring Workloads and Readiness to Train

• Balancing Intensity and Conditioning in Younger Age Groups

• Advice for Parents and Coaches

Connect with the guest:

• Instagram: @desryan75

• X: @deasun0

Connect with me:

• Instagram: Follow @evans.performance for additional insights and content.

Links to the Episode! (Available on all platforms)

Have a great day,

Liam