what do u mean work, its just an accurate measure of internal body temp.
Sorry to be vauge I just meant do we know how internal body temperature varies with different kinds of stressors? I am most interested in this.
ahh i see, it doesnt differ with different stressors. its an indicator of what those stressors are doing to the body. for example stimuli “a” isnt going to give me a diffrent temp reading than stimuli “b”. simply a significant increase in temp can indicate overtraining but so can a decrease.
That was a bad pun. 
I tell you this if I approached any athlete with a rectal thermometer and suggested they bend over I proffer I’d see a serious challenge to the WR.
The simplest way is to …
- assess the athlete as they walk into the gym or whereever
- Listen to them speak (are they bitching moaning more than ususal etc)
- Look in there eyes
- Watch them warm up - especially the warmup with light weights at the snatch
More invasive
- Hand dynamometer
- Vertical Jump
- Omega Wave
- Tendo Units
- Heart Rate Monitors (but they are just a pain in the … eh … neck)
Most invasive
- Rectal Thermometers (Sorry James)
By the way James do you use this method?
How have you found it in terms of reliability as a measuring tool?
I remember a story once about a group of lads on camp one time.
Late one night one of the lads was very sick but no one was sure what it was, but he had a high temperature …
… so one of the other ‘great minds’ decided to run off and get a thermometer.
Great idea.
He landed back with a snazzy digital one
So they opened yer mans mouth and put it under his tongue, then they debated for 5 minutes as to how long they should take the temperature for, not only that but they couldn’t figure out how to operate it …
Anyway eventaully one them called 2 of the girls who had just come in …
The girls came over and the lads told them they couldn’t work this fancy thermometer …
The two girls burst out lauging at the guys and the poor lad in the bed with a VAGINAL thermometer under his tongue.
Sounds good to me (minus the last one ). Regarding watching the warmup, i have noticed that it is much easier to notice CNS fatigue with the more complex movements. (Falling drills and rolls in my case and no i don’t deal with soccer players ). Has anyone noticed a similar correlation?
yes becuase of the demands on the cns, but they are also the most dnagerous if there is extreme fatigue.
if you choose to do it or not is up to you but i choose to not be squemish about what can give me more insight on my training. some people are willing to do more than others.
I like the idea of just keeping consistent eye on your athlete with a clock as well. I have never had a coach that has timed me consistently. The grip test is an interesting idea, im assuming thats done at the beginning of the workout? The rectal temp, is also interesting, but an idea I think ill stay away from (when testing an athlete do you bring up when its time to do it, or does the athlete bring it up cheerfully).
My next question would be for timing how much room for error can you give an athlete? Some anxious coaches that are worried about overtraining, might stop there athelets as soon as a small dip in time occurs, is that smart, becuase there might be another reason for the dip.
Also what about the coach who has 20 youth athletes or just ot many athletes to clock all the time, what would be helpful for them to do?
what you do is right after hes finished a set in the squat rack, sneek up behind him and just jam it up there it the only way to get an accurate reading… j/k
Is that for a vertical jump test?
depends on angle of entry, it can also be a broad jump test.