Steve, Author at Steve Banks Outdoors

Skill Acquisition course

Steve is running his signature Skill Acquisition course online on the 21st & 22nd December. He’ll be presenting this in his usual way i.e. no Powerpoint, and trying to maintain the usual flexibility and interaction with participants to ensure everyone maximises their understanding of critical factors in learning. For those new to this provision, it will not be a rerun of the information you may have been exposed to on various education courses or national governing body coaching awards. Steve has specialist academic training and knowledge in skill learning and, therefore, how we can aid that process for ourselves and others. He’s keen to communicate and translate the scientific evidence accurately so that it is accessible for learners and coaches of any level and discipline.

The December 2020 issue of Human Movement Science is now published and Steve’s latest academic paper is freely available via the following link until December 25th: authors.elsevier.com/a/1c12LcBxf01X0

By Steve|December 4th, 2020|Skill Acquisition|Comments Off

Winter walking in the Lake District

Winter has arrived and with it the opportunity to get out into the snowy mountains. If you’re interested in going out mountain walking in the Lakes in winter conditions but don’t feel confident to do so, Steve will be happy to provide support and guidance for groups of up to 4. Please call to discuss your needs – Steve will be pleased to hear from you. 07796 213817

By Steve|December 4th, 2020|Keswick Guided Walks, Mountain, Winter Mountain Walking|Comments Off

Canoe Leader assessment

We are still aiming to run our Canoe Leader assessment on the 19th & 20th December in Cumbria with all required Covid-19 precautions in place. There is currently one place available for anyone interested in joining the course – possibly the last one to be run in the UK under the present BC scheme. Please get in touch if you’re looking for this assessment and we’ll do our best to help.

By Steve|December 4th, 2020|Canoe|Comments Off

Skill Acquisition paper published

Steve has just had his latest academic paper published in Human Movement Science. Steve’s research examined the impact of a distal versus a proximal external attentional focus in continuous, open skills – that is, skills which have a repetitive action and in which the participants have to respond to external variables beyond their control (e.g. weather, water conditions, opponents etc.). Steve’s work demonstrated the importance of a prescribed distal focus if performance is to be optimised.

Elsevier (the publishers) have provided a free to access share link for the first 50 days of publication, so if you are interested in understanding more about critical issues in skilled performance, irrespective of skill level, age, gender and so forth, then have a look here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1c12LcBxf01X0 .

The link will work until December 25th, after that time only the abstract will be visible as Elsevier will then only make it available through purchases and subscription services. If you have any questions about this or other skill acquisition issues please contact Steve. You can also consider coming on Steve’s signature Skill Acquisition course which is packed with evidence based information to aid your learning, as well as the learning of anyone whose skills you are helping to develop.

By Steve|November 8th, 2020|Skill Acquisition|Comments Off

Sea kayaking the Cumbrian Riviera

St. Tropez? Well, not quite, though paddling back into Whitehaven harbour at dusk with a stunning sunset might make you wonder. A great day out was had all the way around St Bees Head to Fleswick Bay and back with a private client in early November sunshine. We had spectacular scenery, exciting seas under the cliffs at high water and the whole place to ourselves. We were also pleasantly surprised to find that Whitehaven outer harbour now boasts a new launching ramp for small craft, making it much easier to get to the water either by carrying boats from the adjacent parking or by using a trolley.

Steve offers private coaching and guiding in sea kayaking, canoeing, white water kayaking, mountain walking, climbing and caving. He also runs a wide range of personal and leadership qualification courses in these activities. If you’re interested in trying a new activity or developing your skills he’ll be pleased to hear from you and happy to help.

Check Steve’s website for current activity and course dates and costs and/or get in touch with Steve on 07796 213817 or steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

By Steve|November 8th, 2020|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Canoe Leader assessment

Steve has put on an additional British Canoeing Canoe Leader assessment for the 19th & 20th December. The course has plenty of interest but some spaces are still available if anyone is in need of this course. As with all assessments, Steve will be very happy to discuss the course with candidates in advance so they know what will be expected and how the two days will be run. The assessment will be based in Cumbria; the exact venues will be based on the weather and conditions at the time, though Steve will be able to give you an idea of potential venues.

By Steve|November 1st, 2020|Canoe|Comments Off

Sea Kayak Leader assessment

Steve is putting on an additional Sea Kayak Leader assessment course for the 28th & 29th November based in Cumbria. There are enrolments on the course but spaces are still available. The details are up on the website (click here), though please get in touch for more comprehensive information and to discuss the course with Steve.

UPDATE: Due to the latest Covid-19 lockdown we will not be able to run this Sea Kayak Leader assessment on the dates above. We’re currently looking at rescheduling the course once we’re permitted to operate again and will post the new dates as soon as they’re available. In the meantime, if you are interested in this course please get in touch for a discussion and so that we know what dates will work best for you too.

By Steve|October 28th, 2020|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Yukon canoe expedition

Due to the ongoing coronavirus situation, we’ve decided to postpone our canoe expedition down the Wind River in the Canadian Yukon until the summer of 2022. Whilst we have sufficient interest, both we and our potential clients are still concerned about committing to the trip due to the lack of a resolution to the pandemic in the short term. We are hopeful we’ll have both a vaccine with a high effectiveness coupled to high takeup of it by 2022 which will permit us to travel more safely. To replace this trip in 2021 Steve is going to run his Assynt canoe trip in May, as well as an additional week-long canoe expedition in the Outer Hebrides in the subsequent week. Details are posted on the canoe expeditions page – please get in touch if you are interested in these amazing, remote canoe journeys.

By Steve|October 24th, 2020|Canoe|Comments Off

Sea Kayak Leader training

Following a successful Coastal Navigation course which, for the first time, was run both in person and simultaneously on Skype, we had an exciting weekend on the Sea Kayak Leader training course. Day 1 saw a 10m tide at Roa Island with fast currents and rapidly changing water levels providing entertaining conditions for the trainees. We also had some great encounters with the Atlantic grey seals, though it was disturbing to see one with a tight band of some kind of waste round its neck which it clearly couldn’t escape from, and another which had lost most of a flipper – possibly from a propeller. It reminded us, if we needed it, that human activity and waste is having a devastating impact on our oceans and how sea kayakers can see up close and first hand the damage. On Day 2 we went to St Bees where we had wind and waves at the top of the award remit giving us an exciting day under the 100m high sandstone cliffs. Overall we had a great breadth of environments and conditions, so thank you to everyone who came to do their courses with us.

Next up we have Sea Kayak Leader assessment at the end of the month, followed by Canoe Leader training in early November. Space is still available on both events so please get in touch if you are keen on either course.

By Steve|October 19th, 2020|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader training and assessment

We ran our Advanced Sea Kayak Leader training and assessment courses from the Isle of Seil and had a great time in a wide variety of exciting and challenging conditions day and night. The courses were full to bursting, so thanks are due to everyone who decided to take their course with me as well as to Dave Brown for co-staffing them (and for the blog photo). Many thanks also to Michael at Argyll Kayakers Cove for going to great lengths to make his site Covid-19 safe and for allowing us to use it. The next Advanced Sea Kayak training course will likely be in the spring, though assessments for all British Canoeing leadership awards are changing from January 2021: I’ll post a separate blog in due course to explain that as I start to advertise those courses, though do feel free to contact me in the meantime for details. Our next sea kayak events are a Coastal Navigation course and Sea Leader training from the 16th to 18th October, followed by Sea Kayak Leader assessment on the 31st Oct – 1st Nov weekend. Canoe Leader courses are also coming up soon so please check the website for details.

By Steve|October 12th, 2020|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

STEVE BANKS OUTDOORS

About Steve

Skill Acquisition course

Winter walking in the Lake District

Canoe Leader assessment

Skill Acquisition paper published

Sea kayaking the Cumbrian Riviera

Canoe Leader assessment

Sea Kayak Leader assessment

Yukon canoe expedition

Sea Kayak Leader training

Advanced Sea Kayak Leader training and assessment