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Dr Stephen Bird, Senior Lecturer School of Human Movement
Charles Sturt University
Bathurst NSW 2795 Australia

Ph: +61 2 6338 4155
Fax: +61 2 6338 4065
Email: sbird@csu.edu.au

MS-Outlook vCard: Click here
Skype: drsbird


Strength & Conditioning Appointments: View Professional Activity link for complete description

As an elite performance consultant and advisor to professional sports teams and International sporting organisations since 2000, Dr Bird has provided professional strength & conditioning, performance nutrition and/or sports science research services to the following organisations and athletes;
   
Organisations/Teams Individual Athletes
  • Australian Rugby Union
  • Central West Rugby Blue Bulls
  • Indonesian Elite Athlete High Performance Program
  • Indonesian Olympic Committee
  • National Sports Committee of Indonesia
  • Western Region Academy of Sport
  • Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Club
  • Penrith Panthers Rugby League Football Club
  • Basketball WA, High Performance Program
  • Perth Wildcats, NBL
  • West Coast Waves, WNBL
  • Hayden White: Surf Ironman Series
  • Aisam Qureshi: ATP Tennis World Tour Mens Circuit. 2012 Doubles Ranking 9th
  • Suryo Agung Wibowo: Indonesian Athletics 100m SEA Games / INA record 10.17 s
  • Dedeh Erawati: Indonesian Athletics 100m hurdles INA national record 13.20 s

 

 

 

Selected Strength & Conditioning Publications: View Publications link for complete list

Bird, S.P. (2011). Implementation of recovery strategies: 100-point weekly recovery checklist. International Journal of Athletic Therapy and Training, 16(2), 16-19. Download the 100-point weekly recovery checklist.

The 100 point weekly recovery checklist was developed for the Indonesian Olympic Team in the lead up to the Beijing Olympic Games following initial examination of the weekly training schedules. Therefore, the primary goal was to develop a ‘practical approach to recovery’ that was easily implemented by the athletic trainers and allowed for daily application by the athletes. With this in mind, it was determined that developing a weekly recovery checklist that gave a numerical recovery goal per week (i.e., 100 points) would motivate the athletes to engage in self-initiated, proactive recovery strategies. Key points:

  1. Optimal training adaptation requires balancing training stress and recovery.

  2. Athletes must be proactive in the recovery process.

  3. Self-initiated, proactive recovery strategies assist athlete compliance.

  4. 100 point weekly recovery checklist is a useful athlete education tool.

Bird, S. P., & Barrington-Higgs, B. (2010). Exploring the deadlift. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 32(2), 46-51. | Free Access | Most viewed online article SCJ April, 2010. Featured article by publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins as 'Hot topic your peers are reading' |

The deadlift (DL) and its variations are widely accepted by strength and conditioning coaches as one of the ‘big three’ exercises prescribed to develop “total body strength”, specifically the hip and knee extensors, spinal erectors, quadratus lumborum, core abdominal musculature, back, and forearm muscles. While there are several reports addressing correct teaching technique, few provide clarification surrounding specific terminology and explanation of the different DL styles employed by coaches. Typically, the term DL is associated with both conventional and non-conventional styles (i.e., sumo), commonly used by athletes, with these two styles the basis of all other DL variants. A comprehensive review by Piper and Waller presents 11 variations of the DL, highlighting the vast manipulation of this fundamental exercise. This is an important consideration, as explanation of DL variations is often lacking, adding to the confusion surrounding DL terminology. Therefore, the purpose of this ‘From the field: exercise highlight’ is to provide strength and conditioning coaches with a brief overview of the application for common DL variations used in strength training program design. Specific emphasis will be placed on the Romanian deadlift (RDL), as it is critical in the teaching progression of the power clean.

Bird, S. P., & Casey, S. (2012). Exploring the front squat. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 34(2), 27-33. | SCJ Online | Second article in the 'Exploring' series |

This article explores the ‘‘front squat’’ (FSQ) and its variations as part of the ‘‘big three’’ (deadlift, power clean, and squat) exercises prescribed by strength and Conditioning coaches to develop total body strength, targeting the hip extensors (gluteus maximus), knee extensors (quadriceps), knee flexors (hamstrings), and core musculature (erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, obliques, rectus, and transverse abdominis). More specifically, the purpose of this article is to introduce strength and conditioning coaches to the FSQ teaching progression, with specific emphasis on developing the correct body positioning required for execution of the FSQ.

Bird, S. P., & Stuart, W. (2012). Integrating balance and postural stability exercises into the functional warm up for youth athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 34(3), 73-79. | SCJ Online | Comments: Key movement preparation strategy within the functional warm |

The goal of the functional warm up is to stimulate sensory and motor components related to preparatory (feed-forward) and reactive (feed-back) systems through functionally integrated movement patterns. This column presents balance and postural stability exercises that are easily implemented into the functional warm up as a movement preparation strategy for youth athletes.

Strength & Conditioning Internship (SCI) Program:

Western Region Acadmey of Sport SCI Program Sponsored by Anytime Fitness (Bathurst) an supported by Visualcoaching® Pro.

Since 2006 I have Coordinated the School of Human Movement Studies Strength and Conditioning Internship (SCI) program providing final year Bachelor of Exercise Science students professional mentorship in the many facets of strength and conditioning. Placements are conducted through the Western Region Academy of Sport and more recently (2010/2012) the Australian Rugby Union. The SHMS/WRAS SCI program provides students with proficiency skills and knowledge required as early career strength and conditioning professional. Interns complete 450 hours of professional placement, during which, they develop advanced planning and coaching of skills such as program design, lifting technique, conditioning and prehabilitation exercises. Interns are eligible for recognition under the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association (ASCA) Professional Coaching Structure at the Intern PSI Level and follow the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA): Strength and Conditioning Professional Standards and Guidelines.

SHMS/WRAS Strength and Conditioning Interns:

2012/13 Amanda Hopper, Andrew Schaefer, James Tatham, Mitch Cameron, Rachel Gale and Rick Duggan

2011/12 Norm Moore, Alex Kertesz, Craig McNulty and Sarah Trifogli.

2010/11 Will Stuart, Adam Safaric, Kelsea Burden and Angelina Church.

2009/10 Amie Partridge and Sheree Bilney.

2008/09 Sarah Feebrey and Ryan Nelson.

2007/08 Nathan Carroll and Ashleigh Dunleavy.

2006/07 Geoff Minett and Ryan Drew.

 

 

SHMS/WRAS Strength and Conditioning Publications:

Bird, S. P., & Stuart, W. (2012). Integrating balance and postural stability exercises into the functional warm up for youth athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 34(3), 73-79.
Moore, N. R., Kertesz, A. H. M., & Bird, S. P. (2012). A modified movement screen for pre-elite youth athletes. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 20(4), 44-53. Burden, K., & Bird, S. P. (2012). Assessment of functional movement in pre-elite youth netball players. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, (in review).
Bird, S. P., Church, A., Burden, K., Stuart, W., & Safaric, A. (2011). Western Region Academy of Sport Athlete Physical Development Model: Charles Sturt University, Australia. Safaric, A. J., & Bird, S. P. (2011). Agility drills for basketball: Review and practical applications. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 19(4), 24-32.
Moore, N., & Bird, S. P. (2011). Turkish get up: A functionally integrated exercise. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 19(3), 47-51.
McNulty, C., & Bird, S.P. Assessing core stability using the multi-level prone hold. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning (in progress)

SHMS/WRAS Strength and Conditioning Awards:

2012/13 - 2010/11 Strength of America Award: National Strength and Conditioning Association in conjunction with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, & Nutrition. Read more: Strength and Conditioning Internship (SCI) Program, School of Human Movement Studies and Western Region Academy of Sport.
2009 NSW Sports Safety Award for ‘Outstanding education’ Strength and Conditioning Internship (SCI) Program, School of Human Movement Studies and Western Region Academy of Sport.
2007 NSW Sports Safety Award for ‘Injury prevention’ Functional movement screening and injury prevention in pre-elite youth athletes. Strength and Conditioning Internship (SCI) Program, School of Human Movement Studies and Western Region Academy of Sport.