Aggregation of marginal gains

I love the philosophy espoused by Team GB Cycling's psychiatrist Steve Peters (see pic left) and coach Dave Brailsford.

They talk a lot about what they call 'aggregation of marginal gains' - making tiny improvements wherever you can which adds to a constant total improvement. It is the most optimistic and inspiring philosophy for sport

On the Team Sky website http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17547_5792058,00.html Dave Brailsford explains: "We've got this saying, 'performance by the aggregation of marginal gains,'" Brailsford continued. "It means taking the 1% from everything you do; finding a 1% margin for improvement in everything you do. That's what we try to do from the mechanics upwards.

"If a mechanic sticks a tyre on, and someone comes along and says it could be done better, it's not an insult - it's because we are always striving for improvement, for those 1% gains, in absolutely every single thing we do."

All these tiny gains gradually add up to a larger gain. I'm holding onto this thought in my veteran novice attempts to improve my hockey playing. I motivate myself by making sure that after each training session or match, however down I feel about my performance, that if i can take one tiny thing from it and improve the smallest amount it's moving in the right direction.

Indeed, the marvellously positive ''AMG" mantra as the team cycling coaches call it, applies well to any endeavour in life as well as sport.

Liz Hollis

Field hockey - my new obsession

It passed my by at school - I was more interested in gymnastics than standing in the cold on a muddy field. But in my forties I have just discovered field hockey. It's tough starting from scratch and coming up against players who are the same age but have been training solidly since school - or indeed highly skilled younger players. But I keep plodding on trying to improve my skills and I'm now into my second season playing with the second team whenever I get the chance. Not sure what position I should play yet - am usually put in left wing or left half. I'm not just enthusiastic I would say that I have become fanatical about this marvellous sport - probably because it's the first time I have been part of a sports team. There's vast room for improvement but that's part of the appeal - as well as the fitness benefits. There's a lot of failure involved (missed balls, when your team loses, not being selected for the team, injury, messing up a tackle, being outplayed) but the joy of the small successes when they come more than compensate. I've discovered it late in life - but for me it has to be the best sport.