Andre Schembri’s TRAAINER continues to find ways of innovating itself in order to remain an important platform in the sporting market; as they launched a new phone application across both Apple and Android.
As a business, TRAAINER’s focus is to optimise performance potential, working with individuals in their pursuit of athletic development with round-the-clock support in all aspects of their game.
TRAAINER only demonstrate this with the number of elite-level players they work with. But they are keen to be at heart of all levels, including in here in Malta in the domestic game.
TRAAINER’s methodology consisted of having in-person consultations with players that were part of their programme.
With the introduction of this new app, TRAAINER’s modus operandi will change and instead, players can be in touch with the programme through their phones, with easy transaction, high-level support at a low cost.
Nonetheless, the physical consultations will be still kept as an option should the user themselves want to go into more depth about their development or have queries on any particular aspect of their game.
“If a player is on the application, their physical development is far beyond appearance, but in the metrics of their data, performance levels,” Jack Bassett, Managing Director of TRAAINER, told the Times of Malta.
“In essence, the app is a development platform aimed at elevating their game, looking to optimise the performance of our clients, as we look to how we can add gains of 5% or 10% over a sustainable period and how we can translate those gains in better showings within their performance, targeting long term performance as pose to short.
“In the app, we have devised training programmes that utilise videos with every exercise, while providing active feedback and monitoring the client in every aspect, including items like their feelings and sleep.”
The training programmes offer something new and something supportive of an athletes on field focus, focusing on various physical aspects such as strength and hypertrophy, speed and power, and also energy systems.
Bassett, who previously worked at Premier League leaders Arsenal, explained that this app is available for anyone interested and it can be downloaded through their Instagram profile or their website https://www.bridgeathletic.com/store/traainer-48785.
The app includes access to far more than training programmes, with nutrition packs that are available for purchase, created by Craig Umenyi, former First Team Performance Nutritionist at Tottenham Hotspur and current owner of SZND.
Asked about this change in methodology, Bassett explained that while they were working specifically with a small group of 16 Maltese players, they are aware that there is still more talent to be tapped on our shores.
“We want to focus on how we could improve the whole landscape of athletic footballing performance in Malta and as a business how we could improve over 100, 200 players without providing wider access to our services,” he said.
“The best way to do that was via the app that delivers a high-level service, with access to a team of professionals and allows for the users to enjoy their experience, at a much lower cost.”
While working with the 16 players they had, Bassett pointed out that they noticed monumental gains from those clients, from their physical shape to their performance both in the gym and on the pitch.
“Our cohort of players experienced a level of care shown at the highest sporting level. They had access to our world-leading team of industry specialists, in strength and conditioning, nutrition and psychology, whilst also utilising our team of football insights experts,” Bassett added.
Besides Bassett and Schembri themselves, TRAAINER’s team is expectational and includes a pool of talent within itself, accessible to view on their website, but it’s no understatement to say they are amongst sporting’s elite, with experience ranging from Formula 1 with Red Bull, Team GB in the Olympics, and many Premier League football clubs. With all its staff still featuring in those roles.
Recently, TRAAINER collaborated with the Malta Football Association conducting a battery of sophisticated tests on over 200 players across sessions throughout the year, with the aim of providing performance insights on the physical capabilities of all national team players and supporting the MFA staff with technical expertise.
“We wanted to assist the Malta Football Association with their testing programme to
allow them to gain more insights into their players,” Bassett underlined.
“I think the Malta FA have a fantastic team who are driven by performance data and want to understand how to interpret that data even more. We couldn’t be happier to support an organisation in constant pursuit of marginal gains.”
These tests, whose objective is to optimise performance, which is line with TRAAINER’s philosophy, were conducted at the start, during and at the back end of the season to have an accurate picture of the development throughout a whole season.
Bassett added that he hopes that more clubs in Malta can look at those type of tests or look at their ability hold CPD’s, to pick TRAAINER’s brains and apply it how they deem fit to their respective teams, especially at youth level.
Having worked in youth football at high level, Bassett and the team were interested to see and understand how the youth game in Malta works.
He travelled often to our islands to assist to a number of training sessions and league matches, getting a good grasp of how the football movement works here.
“I think there are several factors that hinder Maltese players from making it abroad,” he said.
“Rather than a question of what’s missing, I think it’s more of an issue of what can be changed.
“You need to look at creating adaptable players, concentrating on creating far more competitive environments, where you can assess a players individual’s ability in several components. One vital point to note is players need to be allowed to thrive, express themselves and be in their prime physical condition. Ensuring players are not overworked is essential in this.
“I know that in Malta, there are schools that concentrate on sports where they train five days a week and then go to participate in a sport afterwards, every single day. In addition, they also have football three times a week with their clubs, have additional training sessions with the MFA not to mention the one or two matches.”
Bassett shed light on this to point out that there is a huge physical load on the players and for example in England, the young players train and play less. However, this is only done through well planned effective schedules to compliment the player.
“Working harder and longer doesn’t always result in success, being dedicated, well applied in working smarter and being efficient with what you do, will lead to far more success” he added.
“Hopefully athletes, clubs and national governing bodies will welcome our app in
the support and transparency it offers”.
