Interview with Jeff Connors, Assistant Athletic Deirector for Strength & Conditioning at East Carolina University.
Topics Covered in this Podcast

What motivated Coach Connors to write Strength Coach: A Call to Serve
The biggest lessons learned from his father and coach
The changes with instilling discipline with today's athletes
Hiring a staff and communicating foundational principles in philosophy
General overview of the off-season program
Adapting the training to enhance acceleration
The key components that every athlete needs
Advice for young coaches trying to to get into the profession

Buy Strength Coach: A Call to Serve
Strength coaching is, in many ways, a scientific endeavor, blending the latest theories of performance enhancement with practical strategies to build mobility, speed, flexibility and power. But for Jeff Connors it is also a calling.
For thirty years Connors has devoted himself to helping collegiate athletes excel on the field by grinding away relentlessly in the weight room, and through those decades he has crafted his own distinctive philosophy of his profession, using both his heart and his head.
Part memoir and part training manual, this book gives football fans, strength coaches and exercise enthusiasts alike a thorough inside look into Connor’s world -- where speed and power can lead to Saturday victory and young men forge character through long, tireless hours away from the roar of the crowd.
Elitefts™ Collegiate Line Podcasts at elitefts.com™ Coaching Articles at elitefts.com™ Sports Performance Articles at elitefts.com™ Articles by Mark Watts Mark Watts' Training Log Elitefts™ Q&A; Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes Mark Watts on Twitter

Elitefts SPP: Jeff Connors Interview

The Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast is the premier resource for strength & conditioning coaches, sports performance professionals, and athletes of all levels. Bringing you the best information from the scientific foundations to the practical application.  Combining the latest cutting edge research, anecdotal evidence, and under the bar experience.

Health & Fitness

Mark Watts is The Director of Education at elitefts™ and the NSCA Ohio State Director. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Professional and Applied Studies at Urbana University. He has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science & Health Promotion from California University of PA and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Clarion University of PA. Watts has worked with athletes in over 20 different sports at the Division I, II & III levels for over 15 years as a strength & conditioning coach at places such as Denison University, The United States Military Academy at West Point, Allegheny College and Clarion University. Watts competes in both powerlifting and strongman competitions. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and is a USMC veteran.

SPP - The Final Episode

Bob Alejo

Assistant AD/ Director of Strength & Conditioning
North Carolina State University

Topics Covered in the Podcast

How Coach Alejo got started in the industry
How the game of baseball has progressed
Communication with Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists
Abdominal Injuries  in Baseball
Baseball Players vs Throwers

Tommy John's Epidemic... A different take
Total body strength is the best way to increase bat speed
More resiliency in younger arms
Innings thrown vs pitches thrown
Monitoring the Bullpen
Baseball is performed from your toes to the ends of your fingers

Assessments
Approach athletes like they're damaged goods
Its not a one day deal

Go to Exercises
There is no exercise you should avoid
Pressing overhead for overhead athletes
Finding the Research
About balance more than movement
Variances between the

In-Season Training
High Intensity during the season
Decrease the slope of the decline by lifting heavy
If you can't gain strength at the rep range how can you maintain it?
Low Volume reduces fatigue and soreness

Conditioning and Speed
Rest,sets, and intervals
Quantify everything
Low intensity tempo work
Tempo to Speed Endurance to Speed
Everything comes down to 1st step speed

Strategies to build rapport with Sport Coaches
Everything data driven!
Start correlating your data
If you are going to be fast, you need to be strong, If you are strong, you can change direction

Best advice for young coaches
Technology has enabled coaches to contact anyone
You don't need to guess anymore
Call your peers
Your group is your group. Get them better first


Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

The Bob Alejo File
Assistant AD/Director of Strength and Conditioning Bob Alejo oversees all of the strength and conditioning efforts of the department, and coordinates the day-to-day efforts of the men's basketball team.Prior to joining the Wolfpack staff in April, Alejo served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Oakland A's, a position he also held from 1993-2001. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of the organization's year-round physical preparation at both the major league and minor league levels. Prior to rejoining the A's, Alejo was the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UC Santa Barbara from 2005-2008. During that time he was also a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team as strength and conditioning coach for the Gold medal-winning men's beach volleyball team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. From 1984-1993, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach at UCLA where he worked with 23 men's and women's teams, including the men's basketball team while current Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried was an assistant coach. During his tenure in Westwood, the Bruins racked up 25 national championships and produced more than 100 All-Americans. Prior to joining the Bruins' staff, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach for football at his alma mater, Chico State. He earned his B.A. in physical education from Chico State in 1982 and is a member of the Wildcats' Athletic Hall of Fame after a successful baseball career.An accomplished lecturer and author, Alejo is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (through the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Certification Commission) and holds the advanced NSCA Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach distinction. He has also been elected to three halls of fame: Chico State Athletics, Chico State Baseball (inaugural inductee) and the Chico Professional Baseball "Legends of the Diamond."
www.elitefts.com

Elitefts SPP: Bob Alejo Interview

Joe Hashey
Synergy Athletics
Fitness Business Empire
 
Topics Covered in the Podcast
How Joe got started
 

4 Knee Surgeries.... and a lot of questions
The Start of Synergy Athletics
Transitioning from only athletes to the adult population
Psychology of completion

 
What do need to know to start the training process
 

What the athlete wants and what the parents think they need
The responsibility of college preparation
Using communication with coaches as a learning experience

 
A general look at the training philosophy
 

Concurrent Periodization with High School and College Athletes
Repetition method to prepare for Max effort and dynamic effort
Training Athletes vs training lifters
Athletes need to know, like, and trust you
Understanding bar speed 

 
Relationship Building

Three phases: Individual, family, community
Referrals vs giving back

What athletes really need
 

Appropriate recovery
Sleep cycle
Travel Teams
Nutrition
Not a work-ethic issue.... at all

 
Teaching skills related to the business word
 

Understanding learning styles
Match the mental to the physical goals
Uncomfortable equals opportunity for growth

 
How professional development has evolved

Mature as a business person as much as a training
Trainers approach to business vs business owners approach to business
The point of diminishing returns
Social Media Impact
Find people to network with

Training Football Players
 

Linear periodization for conditioning
One good lift in per session, then address weaknesses
Training In-season during the off-season
Make better at the sport not the work-out

 
The Best advice for Trainers and Gym Owners

You must be a life-long learner
There are people that have done what you want to do

The Joe Hashey File
Certified Strength And Conditioning Specialist, NSCA (2007 – present)CPR and AED Certified (2006 – present)Masters in the Arts Of Teaching – Colgate University (2006)
 
Achievements:Youtube Partner – 8.2 Million Views on Fitness Videos.Men’s Fitness, Contributing Author (2012)Men’s Health, Contributing Author (2012)Speaker NSCA National Conference, Las Vegas (2011 and 2012)Speaker Central Ohio Strength Clinic (2011)Author “Powerful Muscle Recovery Manual” (2011)Speaker NSCA Vermont (2011)Author “Bull Strength Conditioning Manual” (2010)Speaker at Strength Coach 101 (2009)Contributing Author – EliteFts, Straight to the bar, Critical Bench(2008- present)Author “Bull Strength Training Manual” (2008)Secrets of Strength Development Seminar Attendee (2009)Head Modified Baseball Coach (2008 – 2009)High School Assistant Football Coach (2006 – 2009)Strength and Conditioning Coach – Hamilton High School (2005-2006)Semi Professional Football All-Star (2004-2005)Colgate University Football Player (2000-2002)
www.elitefts.com

Elitefts SPP: Joe Hashey Interview

Fred Eaves
Director of Wellness and Athletic Performance
Battle Ground Academy
Topics in this Podcast
Topics Covered in this Podcast
How Coach Eaves got started in the profession
Taking over a New Program

Assessing the situation 
Identifying roadblocks
Exceed expectations
Under-promise over-deliver

The Multi-Sport Athlete

Over-specialized and under-generalized
The correlation between the number of sports played and injury rates
The throwback kid: physicality, mentality, and resiliency
The benefits of competing in other sports year round

Assessments

Block Zero (Wildcat) assessments
The Dynamic Movement Screen
Relative strength
Movement quality

Scheduling

8-period rotating schedule
Tier System for everyone
Regressing non-athletes in class
Wildcat, white, grey, gold, blue programs
Technique then Velocity then Load
Counter-culture what the world tells us
Do more of what they are not getting

In-Season Adjustments with the Tier System

Manipulating sessions, volume, and intensity
In-season: keep high intensity and control the volume
Empowering older athletes
RPE scales and HS athletes

Programming

Rotating schedules for athletes
30 minute sessions during school hours
MWF = Strength training, TH = Movement and Restoration
Complex for the strength coach = simple for the kids and coaches
Mixed gender versus boys and girls only

Go to Exercises/ Drills

Trap Bar DL
OlympicLifts
Every situation is unique
Overhead Squat
Swiss Bar Presses
Exercise selection for stress management
Baseline with 3 regressions and 3 progressions

Monitoring/ feedback

Why monitor if we can't do the basics
 Be the best you that you can be
APRE numbers for tracking
Can't be numbers driven
If you are only looking at the end number, you are not getting the whole picture
Fighting against the Culture

Mentoring/ Character Development

The most important aspect of the job
Model the behavior
Be accessible
Transactional versus transformational
All you leave behind is how you effect, Trickle down, cyclical
Set the legacy
Perception is reality
Put accountability back on the player

Advice for young coaches

Differentiate yourself
Humility
It is a unique field.. Sacrifice
Bringing others down to build your up
Stay in the Eye of the Storm

How to contact you/ social media
The Fred Eaves File
Fred Eaves is currently the Director of Wellness and Athletic Performance at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, TN. He has 16 years of experience in the field that includes stops at UT-Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee, and Louisiana State University as well as multiple high schools in the state of Tennessee. Eaves was voted the 2013 Samson Equipment and American Football Monthly Central Region High School Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Battle Ground Academy’s Athletic Program has had tremendous success in the last year with state championships in men’s basketball, men’s soccer, Final Four appearances from baseball, women’s soccer, and a State Quarterfinal appearance from the football team. Eaves holds degrees from UT-Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech University, Lincoln Memorial University, and the University of Missouri. He currently serves as the Tennessee State Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Coach Fred Eaves is entering his second season as the Defensive Line Coach for the Wildcats.  This is also Coach Eaves 16th year coaching overall. Coach Eaves coached three State Championship football teams and 1 state championship weightlifting team before coming to BGA. In addition to coaching, Coach Eaves is the Wellness and Athletic Performance Coordinator for all BGA students and athletic teams. Coach Eaves has trained 32 NFL Draft picks as well as 10 NCAA All-Americans. Among these players are Jerod Mayo, Arian Foster, and Randall Cobb. Coach Eaves has also been a featured author for American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies. He is also a featured speaker at the Hammer Strength clinic series. Coach Eaves has been a strength coach collegiately at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, The University of Tennessee, and Louisiana State University. He is married to Kristy Eaves and has two step children: Savanna and Grant Allen.
- Battle Ground Academy
www.elitefts.com

Elitefts SPP: Fred Eaves Interview

Mark McLaughlin

Physical Preperation Coach
Owner of Performance Training Center

Topics Covered in this Podcast
Mark's Journey

Catastrophic injuries in youth athletics
3 cases that got Mark's attention to research training
Individual Training to Volunteer to Facility Owner

Assessments

Extensive medical questionnaire
Subjective information form athlete: What are your goals
Omegawave assessments
Warm-up and performance testing
Sports Specific Conditioning
Strength Assessments
How much time are they willing to train?

Balancing the athletes schedule with training

Number of games, fitness level, particular team or coach

Communication with Sport Coaches

Educating parents and the athletes to avoid
The Training is only one part of it
Recovering is a crucial aspect
Recovery need s to be individualized and personalized
Recovery becoming natural
Avoid glycolytic and lactic environments
Allowing athletes to recover naturally
HRV Fight or Flight vs. Rest and Relax

Training Youth Athletes

Ban AAU Basketball and youth club sport games
Educate coaches and parents
A Platform for the education process
Can science give us the data we need
Governing bodies

Long Term Athletic Development Model

The coaches don't have the tools to manage the process
Education for when is the right and wrong time
Differences between males and females
The Formula 1 Analogy

HRV and other technology

Charlie Francis observation of Ben Johnson
Jay Schroeder Auto-regulation
Coaches becoming great listeners
Technology to embody the mission statement
Buddy Morris, Tom Myslinski and the Omega Wave
Observation plus training methodologies
Learn from other coaches and how they implement their programs

Athlete Buy-In

Quality trumps quantity
Reducing Injuries in Athletes
Educating parents and athletes on playing sport year-round
Reducing games = reducing injuries
Consistency of being active
Helmets on before 9th grade?
Concussions reducing exposures
Best practices in terms of techniques

 What Athletes Need to Work on

Running technique can fix itself depending on age
Jumping, landing, bounding, etc
Strength training: single leg bodyweight movement first
Squat, Deadlift, Depth Jumps, etc. when the athlete is ready
Its not the exercises but how they are integrated

The best advice for young coaches

Be extremely open on everything
Best practices of the most successful companies
Develop a deep passion for learning
Communication by embodies your values and must connect with a multitude of work

The Mark McLaughlin File
 
Founder of Performance Training Center. Mark attended college at the College of Sante’Fe in New Mexico. He is a native Oregonian currently living in Portland. His passion of all athletics flourished throughout his teen years. He participated and competed on various teams and in a variety of sports. Through his years of participation in sports and later in his education, Mark developed a deep commitment not just to sport but also to the complete well being of the athlete. This passion and commitment leads to continual self-education in the field of athletic performance enhancement. Mark has been active in the field of athletic performance enhancement since 1997. Mark has trained over 700 athletes on every competitive level ranging from Olympic, professional (NFL, MLB, CFL), college, high school and grade school athletes. As well as working with individual athletes, Mark works and consults with professional organizations (NFL, MLB, NBA), NCAA universities, high school, club, and youth sport organizations. In addition to Mark’s training and consulting services, he conducts speaking engagements with various organizations locally, nationally as well as internationally.
www.elitefts.com

Elitefts SPP: Jeff Connors Interview

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