Training the overhead athlete is a topic that is shrouded in myths and misconceptions. On the week's episode coach Dan Noble joins us to discuss how his training methods for overhead athletes have spanned the whole spectrum and how he came to his current approach. In addition we talk about the nuances of sports-specific preparation, preparing athletes for training camp, and more.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/02/hmmr-podcast-episode-294-the-overhead-athlete-with-dan-noble/

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More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can follow Noble on Instagram (@coachnoble45) and learn more about Noble Sport Performance on their webpage.
• Noble was previously a guest on Episode 111, Episode 165 on circuit training, and Episode 253 on individualization. He was also a panelist on Episode 178 where we provided consulting for ice hockey preparation.

Coaching at a military academy presents some unique challenges. In addition to preparing athletes to compete at a high level in their sport, strength coaches are also involved in the physical education program, basic training, and more. On this week's episode coach Taylor Lorbiecki joins us to talk about some of her creative solutions she's implemented at the Air Force Academy.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/02/hmmr-podcast-episode-293-inside-the-academy-with-taylor-lorbiecki/

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More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can learn more about Lorbiecki on the Air Force Academy webpage and follow her on Instagram (@taylorlorbiecki). She'll be presenting at GAIN 2023 as well.
• A compilation of HMMR Media's resources on physical education can be found here. We also discussed La Sierra High School's physical education program in this episode, which Vern Gambetta has written about before.
• Tracy Fober has been a big mentor of Lorbiecki. Fober has contributed articles to HMMR Media, and was a guest on Episode 125. She also has her own podcast with Donie Fox where Lorbiecki was a guest. Fox is also a HMMR contributor and a recent guest on GAINcast 261.
• More resources discussed on this episode: Video Lesson 12: Mini-band exercise library with Steve Myrland and GAINcast 257 with Bill Knowles

On this week's episode we cover a hodgepodge of topics including: best practices for jump testing, jumping on the TCU speed bandwagon, knees over toes training, and defining rest periods in training.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/01/hmmr-podcast-episode-292-this-and-that/

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More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• The podcast is also brought to you by Swift Performance and GAIN. Swift makes some of the leading sprint and jump testing equipment. Nick and Martin will also both be presenting at GAIN 2023 in June, so we hope to see you there.
• This article from CT Sport Science takes a balanced look at different jump testing methods and their pros and cons. Warren Young also put together a similar comparison for HMMR Media and also compared different types of vertical jumps.
• Here's the video that started the discussion on TCU football's speed training.
• Isometrics were one topic we discussed a bit more on the year-end episode with Vern Gambetta.
• For more about bending the knee, read this historical perspective from Dr. Karl Klein that scared people off of squats, and contrast it with modern approaches like knees over toes training.

Every coach aims for technical improvement, but few have a clear method for achieving it. Throwing coach Nathan Ott has a clear process. It starts with defining the key engine an athlete uses to move, creating a plan together with the athlete, and maintaining focus and accountability. He joins us on this week's episode to discuss how he views technical development, its interaction with physical preparation, and examples from world champion Brooke Andersen.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/01/hmmr-podcast-episode-291-whats-your-engine-with-nathan-ott/

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More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can learn more about Coach Ott on his Penn State biography. You can also follow him on Instagram (@Coach_Nathan_Ott) and Twitter (@Coach_Nate_Ott).
• Ott, as well as other top coaches, recently presented at the National Hammer Throw Summit. You can still sign up for access to video replays here.
• Ott's former teammate Greg Watson shares similar influences and they have both molded them into their own system. Watson was a guest back on Episode 64.

The year is coming to end, which means it is time for our annual combined episode of the GAINcast and HMMR Podcast to discuss the state of training for sports. We share highlights from our favorite episodes of the year, discuss training trends like isometrics, microdosing vs. split training, and what we’ll be trying out in 2023.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/01/hmmr-podcast-episode-290-state-of-the-sport-with-vern-gambetta/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• We recorded similar episodes to kick off 2022 (Episode 264), 2021 (Episode 239), 2019 (Episode 188), 2018 (Episode 135), and 2017 (Episode 83).
• Some of our favorite HMMR Podcast episodes of 2022: HMMR Podcast 285 and HMMR Podcast 287 with John Smith, HMMR Podcast 283 with Kara and Russ Winger, HMMR Podcast 280 with Mitch Courser, HMMR Podcast 267: with Andy Bloom, HMMR Podcast 266 with Lance Deal, and HMMR Podcast 284 with James de Lacey.
• Some of our favorite GAINcast episodes of 2022: GAINcast 257 with Bill Knowles, GAINcast 242 with Jeremy Fischer, GAINcast 241 with Warren Young, and GAINcast 236 with Rob Gray.

High performance success has a lot of factors. Even each factor, such as technique, is multifaceted. It is hard, or even impossible, to focus on everything at once. Success, therefore, comes through finding focus. On this week's podcast coach Tony Ciarelli joins us to talk about he tries to find focus in his periodization, and also in his approach to teaching technique.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/12/hmmr-podcast-episode-289-finding-focus-with-tony-ciarelli/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can learn more about Ciarelli's background on his UCI website biography.
• Ciarelli was also a guest back on HMMR Podcast 28. German national discus coach Rene Sack also discussed how he's modified and used block periodization in HMMR Podcast 211.
• For more about the discus and throwing events, check out our throwing resource hub with links to all our top resources on the topic.

As the year comes to close, we look back to share some quick tips from what we learned this year, new things we are trying out, lessons from the John Smith interviews, and how to successfully blend different training methods.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/12/hmmr-podcast-episode-288-quick-tips/

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More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• We referenced several past episodes in this podcast, including: HMMR Podcast 285 and HMMR Podcast 287 with John Smith, HMMR Podcast 243 with Michael Conroy, HMMR Podcast 28 with Tony Ciarelli, as well as resources from Dr. Anatoliy Bondarchuk.

Last month Ole Miss coach John Smith joined our podcast for a rare interview looking at his unconventional approach to strength and power training. The conversation got a lot of people thinking and left us with many more questions. Thankful we were able to get him back on this week's episode where we dived into many more throws-specific topics such as throwing heavy and light implements, peaking strategies, individualization, technical models, motor learning, and more.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/11/hmmr-podcast-episode-287-part-2-with-john-smith/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• This episode continues the conversation we started with Smith on HMMR Podcast 285. You can learn more about Smith's background on the Ole miss webpage.
• We referenced the Working the Earth article by Smith on his linear approach to the rotational shot put. Smith also has done an interview with Long & Strong Throwers Journal which details a bit more about his own background, and this article about his work with Raven Saunders in 2017.
• Nick Garcia's master's thesis was on throwing multiple weight implements. You can read about some of his findings here. We've also written about heavy and light hammers, as well as short heavy hammers, and the use of weight throw as a training tool for discus and shot put.
• For more throwing resources, check out the HMMR Media throwing hub which combines our top videos, articles, lessons, and other content about all of the throwing events.

It’s time to open the listener mailbag again. On this episode we answer listening questions, with a focus on questions about planning, organization, and even throw in a rant to top things off.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/11/hmmr-podcast-episode-286-planning-qa/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can find all of our top resources on planning and periodization on our topic page.
• For more on Nick's modular training templates, watch his latest video in the HMMR Classroom: Video Lesson 19 on the training session. You can also learn more about modular training in this article and how it can be individualized.
• We referenced Video Lesson 28: Advanced medicine ball training for more ideas on training elasticity.
• You can hear us answer more questions on Episode 272, Episode 257, Episode 247, Episode 246, Episode 241, Episode 213, Episode 199, Episode 176, Episode 174, Episode 143, Episode 126 and Episode 89.
• In regards to youth training, we referenced the recent GAINcast 253 with Paul Kilgannon.

When we chase power we often look to strength coaches for the answers. But some of the most powerful athletes in the world are throwers. Coach John Smith thinks we're asking the wrong people; we should be looking to the throwing coaches for the best examples of how to develop powerful athletes. Smith is one of the most successful in the NCAA. On this week's episode he talks about how he developed his unconventional approach to strength and power training, and much much more.

For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/10/hmmr-podcast-episode-285-the-real-strength-guy-with-john-smith/

» Support the show: join HMMR PLUS to get full access to our coaching resources.

More notes:

• This episode is brought to you by HMMR Plus. Become a member for full access to our videos, articles, and podcast archives.
• You can learn more about Smith's background on the Ole miss webpage.
• Smith also has done an interview with Long & Strong Throwers Journal which details a bit more about his own background, and this article about his work with Raven Saunders in 2017.
• For more throwing resources, check out the HMMR Media throwing hub which combines our top videos, articles, lessons, and other content about all of the throwing events.