Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
Written By Marcel Sng
Picture 1 - Good Coordination has its reward - A very good running style is the outcome
In the past, Ashley Liew did 4hr plus for the marathon a few years ago. He was
also an overweight student. Later on, canoeing as a CCA, he became very active and
over time took up triathlon when he was in Singapore Management University.
Three years back, he did 2hr 50 min plus in Singapore Standard Chartered
Marathon Race. Just last year, Ashley did 2hr 45min in Hong Kong Marathon 2011,
February, before he subsequently brought down the time to 2hr 41min in Gold
Coast Marathon 2011 in July. In the year 2011, he was named the fastest 10km track
runner in Singapore by Singapore Athletics for 10km doing a time of 34min
17sec.
In Meta-Sprint challenge which took place a few weeks back, Ashley took part in it and came in as champion in his age group in this biathlon race. In MetaSport Duathlon a few weeks
back, the most recent, Ashley came in age-group champion and overall second
Just last week, on Sunday, Ashley for the first time came in as the champion for the RUN 350 Half-marathon with a time of
1hr 14min 45sec
I realised that in order to do this, it is important to have a proper
training plan and a process of stages of development from young children to an
adult. I decided to ask Coach Rameshon and Ashley Liew on how a runner can
develop optimally. I believe that even other runners who come in as local top
runners of Singapore have similar attributes as well. Hence, to broaden our
knowledge on this I have asked both Coach Rameshon and Ashley Liew to answer to
all my interview questions.
An Interview With Ashley Liew and Coach Rameshon
How was your running training when you were young?
Ashley Liew: Although I never joined a sports CCA until JC, before that I was exposed to sports. I played recreational golf and tennis regularly, while during recess I would play some soccer. My mother and father supported
me wholeheartedly in all my non-sporting (and later sporting)
activities, sacrificing time, money, and energy. I was never in a
running CCA.
Can you tell us more about your sports when you were young?
Ashley Liew: During primary and secondary school, I was inclined to play games,
and even attempted intra-school running races for fun. Wanting to join sports formally, later on, I joined ACJC Canoeing (one of few CCAs that did not require background). At the end of JC2, I did my first marathon in 4h 29min.
Then what happened?
Ashley Liew: During Army, I ended up putting on a lot of weight. Despite this, during the many 2.4km tests we had to do, I realized my running times were decent. However running to me was something I needed to do to lose weight, so I did not have any structure. I also began triathlon in 2006
as a novel way to lose weight.
Then, when exactly did you decide to take up running?
Ashley Liew: I joined Aquathlon and Track & Field CCAs when I started at
Singapore Management University. At the 2007 Track IVP, my first formal track race, I could not even hit 40min at 10,000m. Wanting to improve
myself, and without a formal coach, I only managed small improvements:
39min 21sec for 10,000m and 3h 34min for the marathon in 2008.
Were you able to improve the time?
Ashley Liew: The breakthrough came after I started training with Coach Rameshon in
Dec 2008. By the end of 2009, my marathon time dropped to 2h51m. With
hard work and structure, I gradually improved to achieving my PBs of
34m17s (10,000m) and 2h38m (marathon).
Why do you think you may have improved in running overtime?
Ashley Liew: I believe the first reason for improving all my running times from
1,500m to the marathon, and even in triathlon, was having a proper training plan. My coach and I always have very good and regular personal communication and we set long-term and intermediate goals. The other reason for my improvements is the support and love of my parents. At an early age, according to Coach Rameshon, my involvement with recreational sports may have given me good hand-eye coordination which is helping me in running now. Seeing the Flexifitness Young Champions Program today, I
regret not being exposed to agility and endurance activities earlier.
Fortunately, I now have Coach Rameshon to impart some of this to me. He told me that good running training with no proper development in coordination will not help one to develop as a top runner in time to come.
Why is this so, Coach Rameshon?
Coach Rameshon: I have seen some runners having some problems with coordination when they
run. This good coordination comes from the parent's effort to help the young ones
to excel in sports. One fine day, these people will stay in sports and they
will take up running or their chosen sports for life. This is a key message for
everyone who would like to save money after 40 years plus, to live without
diseases and sicknesses.
Without good coordination, an above-average runner will stay as an above-average runner later on as well, not having the ability to rise to the next
step. Poor coordination with not give good running form and research and
current studies show that faster running comes from good running economy. World
records are now broken because of this. Good running economy comes from good
coordination. A person with good coordination and who is also good in running,
genetically speaking, will excel in running. In Ashley's case, good
coordination had brought him greater success.
Picture 2 - (Right to Left) Jeevaneesh, top 3 runners in Singapore succeeds with good coordination
Are there any disadvantages that both of you have?
Coach Rameshon: I believe that the sky is the limit. We need to take this advantage from age
6 to 15 years old where the Central Nervous System works the best to solve the motor 'muscle-memory' coordination. After this age, the motor program is more or less fixed.
That simply means that if one has poor coordination at 16 years old plus, it
will be hard to change the running style and technique etc and make the person good
in coordination. Once you miss the bus, you miss the bus.
As for me, 90 % of good coordination is better than just 70 %
coordination and this comes when we are young. The worse scenario is when a
person has 20 to 30% of good coordination.
Good coordination has helped us, but more can be done to excel and it comes
from when you are young. “Let me finish my studies and at the age of 20 I will
exercise”, if one says this sentence, they will only end up with poor
coordination in the later part of their life.
If given the youth of a 12-year-old, what will you do now which will enhance
running?
Coach Rameshon: I will go for a good motor programme. This may have given me the advantage
to even do a sub-2hr 20min for the marathon race if given the opportunity.
Can you share with us the knowledge that is helping you to coach better?
Coach Rameshon: It is maturation. It is the stages that a child has to go through from young before becoming an adult. Children are not miniature adults. We cannot give children adult-like activities. The sports activities for
different age groups are different. Various
activities are needed for different age groups to optimise the potential of a
child. This is the best gift a parent can give to a child.
Are you happy with the activities given to you as a child?
Coach Rameshon: Nowadays, children are glued to computers and are not doing enough activities,
so to speak, and this will definitely affect one's motor control development.
The children will not be able to optimise their potential. Currently, I have
heard of cases of children becoming rebellious when they are told to exercise
and to leave the computer games aside.
As for me, I was lucky to have done several games and sports that have
helped in motor coordination, even though a careful program designed to
maximise my potential would have suited me well.
Lastly, after hearing all about the physical development of a child, at which
age do you consider the best to learn motor program to improve coordination?
Coach Rameshon: It is from age 6 that one could start on the motor programme. At 12 years old, it is better late
than never kind of game for parents to play. The younger one is the better is
the quick motor control development. Two benefits will accrue, one is
performance improvement, and secondly, one can take a chosen sport as a lifetime sport if one starts sports early. A wide variety of activities which are out there will be
good for a child’s development, with some athletics skills given.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
