PodcastsEducationThe Constraints Collective

The Constraints Collective

The Constraints Collective
The Constraints Collective
Latest episode

93 episodes

  • The Constraints Collective

    #93 Round Up 10

    29/05/2026 | 31 mins.
    # Round Up 10 — May 2026 In this month's update, Ian Renshaw and Professor Keith Davids catch up on the latest from the Constraints Collective world before diving into a rich discussion on skill adaptation, movement variability, and the dangers of template-based practice. Using Ian's experience with a golf putting mat as a springboard, they explore Bernstein's principle of "repetition without repetition" and ask whether tools that prescribe exact movement patterns work against the kind of functional variability that underpins real skill development. The conversation moves into degrees of freedom — how beginners freeze their movements and how skilled performers learn to exploit them — drawing on Ludovic Seifert's fascinating research with ice climbers and the 1964 work of AJ Templeton, who was quoting James Gibson on reading greens long before ecological dynamics had a name. They also celebrate the release of the Palgrave Handbook of Creativity in Sport, which features multiple contributions from the TCC community, and share updates on a skill adaptability series that's rapidly gathering momentum. --- If you're getting value from our podcast check out our membership options and coaching community at [www.theconstraintscollective.com](https://www.theconstraintscollective.com) where you can access podcast summaries, narrated presentations, early release podcasts and monthly online meet ups with experts from the Constraints Collective. Support the running of the podcast at [patreon.com/TheConstraintsCollective](https://patreon.com/TheConstraintsCollective).
  • The Constraints Collective

    #92 Zama Xolani Mofokeng

    21/05/2026 | 45 mins.
    In this episode we are joined by Zama Xolani Mofokeng a South African gymnast from Tembisa, Gauteng Province who has broken world records for consecutive one-handed back handsprings, performed not in a gym, but on public streets. Zama shares his lived experiences of perceptual-motor learning, intrinsic motivation, environmental adaptation, and the constraints-led approach.
    If you're getting value from our podcast check out our membership options and coaching community at www.theconstraintscollective.com where you can access podcast summaries, narrated presentations, early release podcasts and monthly online meet ups with experts from the Constraints Collective.

    Support the running of the podcast at patreon.com/TheConstraintsCollective
  • The Constraints Collective

    #91 Are you switched off from physical education and sport?

    09/05/2026 | 57 mins.
    In this episode Ian  and Keith discuss why millions of people are put off exercise for life by bad PE memories. The culprit? Traditional formats that reward the already-skilled and humiliate everyone else (the beep test being a prime offender). They discuss solutions to this problem and explain how small tweaks can make all the difference to people's experiences.
    If you're getting value from our podcast check out our membership options and coaching community at www.theconstraintscollective.com where you can access podcast summaries, narrated presentations, early release podcasts and monthly online meet ups with experts from the Constraints Collective.

    Support the running of the podcast at patreon.com/TheConstraintsCollective
  • The Constraints Collective

    #90 Dave Keelty and Sam McKenzie

    30/04/2026 | 1h 38 mins.
    In this episode we are joined by Dave Keelty and Sam McKenzie, high performance practitioners working at the cutting edge of sport. We explore talent development and coach development and New Zealand's "Balance is Better" philosophy, discussing how coaches can individualise training within team sport environments.
    Link to Dave's Deep Dive platform https://the-deep-dive-coaching.beehiiv.com/
    If you're getting value from our podcast check out our membership options and coaching community at www.theconstraintscollective.com where you can access podcast summaries, narrated presentations, early release podcasts and monthly online meet ups with experts from the Constraints Collective.

    Support the running of the podcast at patreon.com/TheConstraintsCollective
  • The Constraints Collective

    #89 Exploring Niche Construction in Sport Coaching

    14/04/2026 | 1h 2 mins.
    What do beavers building dams have to do with coaching elite athletes? More than you'd think.
    In this episode, we dive into niche construction theory. A concept borrowed from evolutionary biology, and explore how coaches are constantly shaping the environments that shape their players. From Pep Guardiola transforming English football, to Sri Lanka losing its ability to play spin on perfect pitches, to why Pelé's barefoot training on uneven ground made him a genius.
    They unpack how the environments we design don't just teach skills, they select for them. And why the role of the coach isn't to bark instructions, but to build the niche.
    Whether you work with beginners or elite performers, this one's going to make you rethink every session you've ever run.
    📄 Paper: Niche Construction in Sport Coaching: An Ecological Dynamics Analysis — Rothwell, Stone & Davids (2023), Sports Coaching Review
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/21640629.2021.1974692?needAccess=true
More Education podcasts
About The Constraints Collective
Our mission is to transform practice environments in sport by equipping coaches with the knowledge, understanding and skills to bridge the gap between skill acquisition theory and practice.
Podcast website

Listen to The Constraints Collective, Begin Again with Davina McCall and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features