Julian Lo Casto, Head of Performance and Nutrition at Challenger Strength, joins the show to discuss what actually goes into building elite basketball athletes. Julian recently released his first book, The Foundation: The Proven System for Building Elite Basketball Athletes, and this conversation centers around the principles behind that system.

We dive into the most common mistakes basketball players make, the myths young hoopers often fall for, how athletes should structure their weekly schedules, and how to approach sprint and jump training throughout the year—including why AAU season should be treated like a mini in-season.

Julian also shares lessons from the business side of private-sector training, including how to consistently show parents that their athletes are improving, the sacrifices he’s made along the way, and why he still prioritizes protected time for family and himself, even without perfect work-life balance.

Check out Julian’s book The Foundation: The Proven System for Building Elite Basketball Athletes by [clicking here].

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

06:13 Common Myths in Youth Basketball Training

13:27 In-Season Training: Maintaining Strength and Performance

17:56 Educating Parents: The Importance of Consistency

23:29 Structuring a Balanced Training Schedule

31:35 Maintaining Speed and Strength During the Season

35:25 Communicating Progress to Parents

38:01 Establishing Clear Metrics for Success

41:58 The Importance of Skill Development

45:58 Ruthless Consistency in Business and Training

49:16 Sacrifices on the Path to Success

53:21 The Foundation: A Resource for Young Athletes