Today’s podcast is with Eamonn Flanagan. Eamonn Flanagan is the Lead Strength & Conditioning Consultant at the Sport Ireland Institute, where he oversees strength and conditioning support for Ireland’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes. He holds a Ph.D. in Sports Biomechanics and spent over a decade in professional rugby, working with the Scottish Rugby Union, Edinburgh Rugby, and the Irish Rugby Football Union. Eamonn appeared on episode #250 and has just created a new course on plyometrics in conjunction with Sportsmith

Training methods such as extensive plyometrics and reactive strength testing have become more common in training team sports. At the same time, it’s easy to lose sight of the whole in athlete development when chasing plyometric variables too far.

On today’s show, Eamonn explores the application of plyometric training, including the impact of surface type on performance, the Reactive Strength Index's role in assessment, and strategies for optimizing reactive strength. We also cover plyometric intensity, using extensive plyometric methods, and tailoring programs to individual needs, concluding with balanced approaches to training and performance.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

17:05- Impact of Surface Type on Plyometric Training

22:53- Reactive Strength Index Influence on Plyometric Assessment

25:57- Reciprocal vs. Unilateral Movement Tension Analysis

28:25- Optimizing Performance Through Reactive Strength Training

31:28- Jumping Exercise Progression for Athletes

35:01- Dynamic Acceleration Plyometrics

36:05- Performance Enhancement Through Contrast Training Methods

39:51- Balancing Intensity Levels for Athletic Adaptations

48:34- Enhancing Athletic Performance Through Extensive Plyometrics

49:44- Tailoring Plyometric Training to Individual Needs

1:01:20- Tailoring Plyometric Training for Enhanced Performance

Quotes

(8:42) "I think as an athlete and as a coach, there's always a bit of a balancing act between. Around ego, you know, what do I want to do versus what do I need to do?" - Eamonn Flanigan

(12:30 “An athlete might be on field multiple times a week, but if it's on a soft, you know, very, very compliant surface, I'm not sure how relevant that is to, let's say, what we might expect from adaptation from extensive plyometrics” - Eamonn Flanigan

(13:40 “Let's say in the last Olympic cycle, working with a taekwondo athlete who is, you know, indoors on mats in bare feet. And so the difference in kind of foot, ankle, calf integrity between the two, you know, the taekwondo athletes spending a lot of time in single leg stance, you know, there's an athlete that I'm probably bypassing extensive work pretty quickly” - Eamonn Flanigan

(30:00) “Very often like plyometric ability or that basic quality or reactive strength, it's, it's very neglected. I think sometimes it's not something that is often included. And as a result, I think there's, there's always some, I think there's often some easy wins there” - Eamonn Flanigan

(37:00) “If you're doing repeat hurdle jumps or you're doing, you know, a set of pogo jumps or some bounding. There's also a point at which, you know, if you hit a bad replacement, you just end up like it gets worse and worse and worse. You know, I think, you know, again, varying within a set both up and down allows you to come back down again and build it back up again” - Eamonn Flanigan

(41:10) “I am a little skeptical as to how much, you know, what might be less than 50 reps of an exercise in a week can have on, you know, the, the, the, the running gate of an athlete who's sprinting x number of strides ...

Today’s podcast is with Cal Dietz and Mike T Nelson, authors of Triphasic Training II. Today's podcast features Cal Dietz, of the University of Minnesota and co-author of Triphasic Training, and Dr. Mike T. Nelson, a leading expert in exercise physiology, neurological training concepts, and metabolic flexibility.

Sports performance is like a tree in many respects. It starts with standard strength training methods, then branches out and integrates varying aspects of total human performance. From the period between the original Triphasic Training to Triphasic Training II, Cal has worked through many aspects of athletic performance, interconnecting physiology and neurology. Mike’s work spans many interconnected aspects of human performance, and compliments Cal’s work with physiological underpinnings.

On today’s podcast, Cal and Mike share insights from their new book, Triphasic Training II, focusing on optimizing human performance for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. Primary topics in this episode will be practical neurological training concepts, the origin and evolution of the GOAT drill, evolving warmups and training integrations, athletic capacity building, oscillatory training, and much more.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Lila Exogen.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

3:55- Embracing Curiosity and Experimentation in Coaching

9:20- Optimizing Strength Training with Triphasic Concepts

15:12- Neurotransmitter-Stimulating Go Drill for Performance Optimization

17:34- Enhancing Performance Through Brain-Stimulating Drills

24:54- Enhancing Performance through Integrated Brain Training

28:32- Enhancing Physical Performance Through Vestibular Training

45:05- Optimizing Nervous System Coordination Through Dosage

48:34- Optimizing Athlete Performance through Targeted Challenges

51:59- Enhancing Coaching Through Experimentation and Data Collection

1:00:13- Aerobic System Development Through Heart Rate Variability

1:02:39- Cognitive Decision-Making in Athletic Performance Optimization

1:11:53- Optimizing Athletic Performance Through Physiological Integration

1:14:44- Utilizing Metrics for Individualized Athletic Recovery

1:21:31- Systemic Movement for Enhanced Athletic Performance

Quotes

(27:50) “If you see kids who do not move athletically, there's something off with them now, you know, modern-day that could be maybe just too much exposure to video games or they could be, they have like I have some severe eye issues, vestibular issues, etc.” Mike T Nelson

(32:45) “That frustration is a key factor. If you're frustrated, you're pushing yourself on all these different levels with all these” Cal Dietz

(34:40) “When we work out, it's basically, we come, we do one GOAT drill, and then we do our 1080 sprint protocol, one rep, and then we come back, and while the resting, they do the GOAT drill again. And so we end up doing four to six go or four to five go drills before the workout” Cal Dietz

(35:50) “I've gotten emails from coaches, high school football coaches. Like, a kid could never catch over his left shoulder for whatever reason, so they all had him on. Well, now he's catching over the left shoulder. When they started integrating that drill in their passing drills” Cal Dietz

(53:55) "The higher level coaches I watch, they all appear to talk less."  Mike T Nelson

(59:54) "The biggest thing with oscillatories is that we feel that our ability to stay injury-free has been increased because of the high speed, because that's how the muscle is getting hurt and that's how it's supposed to function on the field." Cal Dietz

(1:17:05) "In general, the more developed your aerobic system is,

Today’s podcast is a Q&A episode with Joel Smith. Topics include the role of roughhousing games for individual sport athletes, sandbag training, and rhythm-cadence in movement. Joel explores youth sports trends, breaking jump plateaus, and the benefits of flywheel loading. He also covers infrasternal angle training, rotating speed and plyometric days, and integrating team play with weekly speed work. This, plus, a discussion on the value of band resistance in sports training rounds out this comprehensive conversation on optimizing athletic performance.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

00:14- Roughhousing games for non-team sport athletes

08:42- Training Changes Over the Year

33:23- Observations on Youth Sports

36:44- The Role of Fun in Training

40:37- Jump Imbalances and Breaking Jump Plateaus

44:53- Flywheel Loading

46:37- Infrasternal Angle Concepts and Training over Time

53:36- Sprint and Jump Training Programming

59:14- Utilizing Exergeny in Training

1:00:43- Games as Speed Training

1:05:37- Basketball vs. Plyometrics

1:08:24- Band Resistance in Sport Training

About Joel Smith

Joel Smith is the founder of Just Fly Sports and is a sports performance and track coach in Cincinnati, Ohio. Joel hosts the Just Fly Performance Podcast and has authored several books and coaches in both the high school and private sectors.

Joel was a strength coach for 8 years at UC Berkeley, working with the Swim teams and post-graduate professional swimmers, as well as tennis, water polo, and track and field. A track coach of 17 years, Joel coached for the Diablo Valley Track and Field Club for 7 years and also has 6 years of experience coaching on the collegiate level, working at Wilmington College, and the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. He is currently coaching high jump at Milford High School.

Joel has coached 4 national champions, multiple All-Americans, and NCAA record holders in track and field. In the realm of strength and conditioning, his programs have assisted 5 athletes to Olympic berths that produced 9 medals and a world record performance at Rio in 2016.

Today’s podcast features Bill Hartman and Chris Wicus. Bill Hartman. Bill Hartman is a physical therapist and in-demand educator with his modern approach to human mechanics and training. Chris Wicus is a health and performance professional with 15 years of experience, a former professional ultimate frisbee player, and a 2nd-degree black belt in karate. He has coached a wide variety of athletes across 17 sports and has been mentored by many top experts in the field.

Bill and Chris host the “Reconsider” podcast together and speak on various cutting-edge approaches to human movement in a way that prompts thinking on existing processes in the field, and how to move forward with current understandings of training and biomechanics.

One key link between on-field performance and weight room training is the dynamics of propulsion through the gait cycle. Bill and Chris often use the example of cutting mechanics—going into and out of a cut—which applies to sprinting, jumping, throwing, strength training, and directional changes, highlighting human movement as a series of turns, rotations, and gait phases.

Today's podcast dives into the dynamics of propulsion and the gait cycle, linking field performance with weight room training. Bill and Chris explore "into and out of the cut" mechanics as they apply to sprinting, jumping, throwing, strength training, and directional changes. They compare change of direction to acceleration and top-end speed while discussing propulsion's impact on breathing, reciprocal motion, orientation, performance, and injury prevention. This was a truly illuminating episode and one that garners numerous notes and insights.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

00:55- Propulsion Phases Influence Cut Maneuvers in Motion

8:23- Agility, Relative Motions Training, and Links Between COD and Acceleration Ability

24:28- Late Stance Propulsion for Enhanced Velocity Performance

27:35- Optimizing Performance Through Relative Motion Training

43:42- Proper Breathing in Optimal Performance Training

56:05- Enhancing Control Through Relative Motions in Split Squat

1:04:31- Pelvic Pressure Dynamics and Squatting Depth

1:15:30- Oscillatory Impulse Split Squat Training for Athletes

1:19:03- Explore Bill's Model on UHP Platform

Quotes

(2:15) “Propulsion is moving forward through space in contact with the medium” - Bill Hartman

(9:32) “For you to move what you perceive to be straight sideways, that is actually a turn away from the ground contact” - Bill Hartman

(10:50) “Everything is a turn. And that's why one of the dirty words would be a sagittal plane. Because when we're talking about dynamic movement, we're moving on helices” - Bill Hartman

(13:50) “There's lots of time accumulated with these IR demands with like a 5 10, 5 pro agility, whatever. So that's going to prime you. My assumption would be I would see better starts and accelerations and I would see better shorter sprint performance. But like you had even mentioned intuitively, 200m maybe wouldn't be as good as I need to display ER, I need to be off the ground. That lives in the opposite place from like an agility drill” - Bill Hartman

(16:40) “The sharper the cut, the, the, the, the greater your capacity to have to slow down so you can actually, actually change directions. And so this is an acquisition of relative motion in internal rotation which could have a beneficial effect… if we were just doing say a flying 20, that's a whole different story because the amount of relative movement that you would, that would be required in that circumstance is actually less” - Bill Hartman

Today’s podcast features David Grey. David is the founder of David Grey Rehab, where he works with clients from all walks of life. David’s specialty is assessing his clients' gait cycle in depth to develop a plan to help restore the movement or movements they struggle to perform.  David has learned under many great mentors in the world of human movement, athletic development, gymnastics, Chinese martial arts, and biomechanics, and is an expansive thinker, blending many elements of human movement together in a down-to-earth way we can all resonate with.

Although there are some differences between rehabilitation and performance strength and power training for athletes, there are also a lot of similarities and connections. The more we can understand good training from both worlds, the more effective our programming and outcomes can be.

On today’s episode, David speaks on various aspects of foot training, along with both targeted and overcoming isometric adaptations. He also gets into concepts of loading and intensity in the rehab space, and what tends to be missing from many rehab programs. David covers this and much more in this practical and informative episode.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

4:17- Sustainable Solutions for Foot Issues Through Orthotics

8:17- Gradual Conditioning for Injury Prevention

11:25- Achilles Tendinopathy Treatment Strategies and Outcomes

12:15- Consistent Methods for Sustainable Fitness Progress

24:19- Intermuscular Coordination in Rehabilitation Exercises

26:17- Optimizing Muscle Function through Inhibition Techniques

27:42- Isometric Exercises Enhancing Nervous System Coordination

29:14- Tendon Health and Safe Training Positions

38:49- Competition-Driven Intensity for Optimal Rehabilitation

50:42- Heavy Loading for Achilles Strength

59:13- Movement Improvement Through Rehab-Inspired Training Approach

Quotes

(5:59) "You need to separate out: This is for analgesic effect before my session and this is separate to that. I am doing these exercises to get stronger or to improve whatever other qualities I need." - David Grey

(7:03) "I will work a lot with how their foot moves. Not because a Pronated foot or a supinated foot is a better foot. Just because I would like, if you have joints, I would like them to be able to move and they don't have to be able to move a lot, but just to be able to move a little bit at least" - David Grey

(7:20) "Not all, but some of the best world-class sprinters that I've been lucky enough to work with have the most mushed-up feet." -David Grey

(29:14) "When you see the shake, you know something is happening." - David Grey

(38:15) "I think it's actually especially in my world, in the rehab world, people will not give you their all. They're holding back either because they're purposefully holding back or they're subconsciously holding back, but they really will not give you their all" - David Grey

(43:58) "It's intensity and competition both missing in rehab hugely. And it's a huge problem. Humongous problem." - David Grey

(44:49) "The stimulus to heal needs to be greater than whatever hurts you."

(59:39) "I just think this is good training, to be honest." - David Grey

About David Grey

David Grey is the founder of David Grey Rehab, a renowned movement and rehabilitation specialist dedicated to helping athletes and individuals overcome chronic pain, prevent injuries, and optimize performance. David has gained international recognition for h...

Today’s podcast features Katie St. Clair. Katie St. Clair is a seasoned strength coach, educator, and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is the founder of Empowered Performance, a program and academy designed to elevate the standards of coaching through an in-depth understanding of biomechanics, anatomy, respiration, and creative thinking. Katie's work focuses on empowering other coaches and movement professionals to create transformative experiences for their clients by fostering a love of movement.

The human body is a highly intricate system, with countless ways to approach its training—whether focusing on mechanics, mental aspects, muscles, or connective tissues. Every part is interconnected, with systems and joints working harmoniously to create movement.

In today’s episode, Katie delves into training patterns centered around the feet and hips, as well as the exploratory process she uses to deepen her understanding of movement and training strategies. She highlights the significance of understanding connective tissue behavior and its foundational role in performance programs. Additionally, Katie discusses the importance of incorporating ballistic and athletic movements into programming for all types of individuals, alongside other key principles of human performance.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

3:31- A Connective Tissue-Centered Dynamic Exercise Training Approach

13:40- Optimizing Performance Through Corrective Movement Integration

22:42- The Nature of Repetitive Movements in Performance Training

27:26- Single-Leg Hinging Progression for Movement Optimization

31:13- Optimizing Glute Activation Through Hinging Techniques

44:10- Enhancing Range of Motion Through Ballistic Exercises

46:31- Reconnect with Joy Through Dynamic Movements

1:01:52- Optimizing Glute Activation with Foot Pronation

1:05:08- Enhancing Exercise Performance through Foot Coordination

1:14:53- Optimal Foot Mechanics for Exercise Performance

Quotes

(8:40) “What am I trying to do with the joint? How is that impacting the connective tissue? So what's my speed and tempo looking like when I'm doing this? How stiff is it making someone or how compliant?”

(17:40) “Today I did a squat and a bench press six sets of five reps. I mean I was done with that pretty quickly, so then the rest of the hour I can spend playing around with accessory work where I'm just exploring different concepts. I just like to have fun with my body.”

(24:00) “It's actually being creative, which is the one thing that is missing from learning, in my opinion, and that's on all scales, like children.”

(35:35) “You're not feeling your posterior chain and you're not feeling your glutes, and you're feeling your back or your SI joint. Something's going on. Yeah, you need some sort of constraint. You could be hiking your hip or arching too much through the low back, you could be too far back on your heels. Maybe you need to push into your forefoot to get things to really kick on, depending on how your center of mass is organized. So I always love getting in somebody into a hinge position that struggled with it for a long time.”

(45:11) "The ability to allow people to self organize and have that dynamic propulsive experience and yielding experience. And that's what creates a lot of change."

(1:05:31) “Sometimes if have somebody in a hinge, I might put a wedge under their first met head just to allow basically to decrease...

Today’s podcast features Eric Guthrie, Director of Strength and Conditioning at George Washington University. Eric has over a decade of experience in sports performance, working with a wide range of sports. He currently works directly with lacrosse and gymnastics. A graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in Health & Human Physiology, Eric was a standout punter for the Hawkeyes, where he served as a permanent team captain and even earned an opportunity with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Play-based training is on the rise in athletic development, and for good reason. It is a primal and effective way to deliver, not only a high level of stimulation and salience (attention) to the session but also to create memorable and joyful experiences for the individual. The key with any tool is to understand how to use it in context, achieving a balanced and effective use.

On today’s episode, Eric digs into his keys in building movement challenges for athletes, using play for conditioning and movement qualities, and facilitating a program that continually scales into an athlete’s growing needs. He goes in-depth on how he chooses the degree of play and variability in a program, and how to build training with all parties in mind, sport coach, strength coach, and athlete. We also dig into some awesome mind, body, and environmental factors in training, conditioning, and performance. This was a practical and insightful podcast on one of the most powerful existing tools in athletic performance, the power of play.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

 

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

5:26- Athlete-led Movement Challenges for Engaging Training

13:16- Enhancing Athlete Engagement Through Play-Based Training

17:39- Novelty-Driven Movement Engagement for Athletes

23:07- Enhancing Athletes' Performance Through Movement Competency

30:33- Athlete-Led Movement Challenges Enhance Training Experience

34:24- Enhancing Athlete Development Through Playful Training

37:39- Enhancing Team Cohesion with Contact Integration

40:55- Agile Conditioning through Game-Based Fitness

49:13- Fun Fitness Games Enhancing Athletic Performance

1:04:13- Motivation Through Competitive Status Systems in Training

1:09:29- Confidence Building through Weight Room Progression

Quotes

(14:40) “That's the sneaky part of it. How can you fit that in without them really realizing it? They're probably expecting a certain thing when they come in. We're gonna lift weights, we're gonna run. Toes on the line, this certain level of discipline. Quote, unquote discipline, which I think is sometimes overdone, but sometimes you need to have that starting out. And then can you build towards the more open and free”

(17:32) "If you love it, then you'll want to come. You'll become obsessed with it and you'll come back and you'll give great effort and then the results will follow."

(36:33) "We've had those discussions as a staff too. It's like what? What is our role? Is it this one to five years of performance drive that as high as you can or is it like lifelong lessons or skills."

(39:20) “Wheelbarrow walk. You're getting way better than just holding a plank for two minutes. Getting the engagement and dynamic, you know, repetition without repetition”

(44:00) “(For a more play-based conditioning approach) We had a more veteran team so I think they had a bigger base of play, sport practice, and sport play under them. So a younger team might need more of that base building for lack of a better term...

Today’s podcast features Derek Hansen. Derek is a renowned International Sport Performance Consultant with over 35 years of experience working with athletes across all levels and disciplines in speed, strength, and power sports. Derek started in Track and Field and continued in sports performance to work with numerous athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLS, and NHL, along with Olympic medalists. As the former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Simon Fraser University—NCAA's first non-U.S. member—Derek now specializes in speed development, performance planning, and return-to-competition protocols.

If we zoom out and scan decades of fitness and human performance, we see methods go in, and out of style. In our current realm of athletics, we have put speed and power outputs heavily under the microscope, while energy system development and aerobic training have been played down (along with general physical education and physical competencies in young athletes). In looking at injury rates and longevity of athletes, it’s important to take a look at where we may be pushing too far, and where gaps need to be filled.

On today’s episode, Derek covers the pendulum swing, and the importance of aerobic development, even in speed and power-seeking athletes. He also gets into the modern direction of acceleration training, as team sport training has moved into heavier resisted training protocols, relative to the past. Derek also touches on the artful side of training and coaching, mindfulness, overspeed sprint training, simplicity of programming application, and much more.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

7:56- Value of Basic Circulatory Warm-up Routines

10:24- Benefits of Incorporating Aerobic Running in Training

22:24- Jerry Rice's Holistic Endurance Training Approach

26:42- Enhancing Performance Through Mindful Nature Training

34:38- Traditional vs Digital Learning: Note-taking Strategies

44:06- Optimizing Acceleration Training with Sled Work

50:30- Sprint Mechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance

55:00- Optimizing Training Loads for Enhanced Performance

58:38- Enhancing Acceleration: Sleds and Hill Sprints

1:01:37- Optimal Hill Gradient for Athletic Conditioning

1:09:46- Optimal Resistance Levels in Sprint Training

1:15:06- Optimizing Running Speed with Relaxation Techniques

1:23:36- Achilles Injury Rates and Considerations in Modern Sport

1:28:20- Muscle Oxygenation Training for Enhanced Recovery

Quotes

(4:40) “I always try to simplify things. So one of the simplest things when I was working with Charlie Francis was he would have very complicated, complex explanations for things, but sometimes he would say, like, you know, oh, what's this person's problem? Well, they're just tight. You just need to loosen them up. That would be the end of the conversation”

(9:51) "It's kind of like the bro science has kind of taken over basic physiology and I think it's, it's kind of hurt us."

(16:00) “We're pushing speed and specificity but, but at the same time, you know, having a well-rounded, balanced program is really important, particularly for the injury prevention side”

(21:00) “I think of people like Jerry Rice and, you know, was he the fastest guy? No, but he did do a lot of longer runs and runs in the hills and stuff like that”

(32:00) “I have vinyl records because listening to a vinyl record takes more time and patience. To put the needle on the groove and all that.

Today’s podcast features sports performance coach, Vern Gambetta, owner of Gambetta Training Systems. Vern is a globally respected leader in sports performance training, with over five decades of experience in coaching and consulting across multiple sports. Gambetta has profoundly influenced the field of athletic development, and his innovative approaches to functional movement, strength training, and sport-specific conditioning have shaped the practices of coaches, trainers, and athletes worldwide.

It's interesting to think of the idea of “nothing new under the sun”, in physical training. Vern has been through half a century of training means and methods, using methods both popular and forgotten. So often in our own training and coaching journies, we look back and think “That was a great training series, I should do that again”!

In this episode, Vern speaks on complex training (although as he mentions, he just calls it training), getting into spectrum training, and the evolution of his leg circuits. He talks about his history with isometric training, along with PNF concepts that are highly effective, but forgotten by many performance coaches. He also gets into priming and potentiation, rhythmic aspects in training, looking at training transfer through the lens of track and field, and much more in today’s episode.

Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games.

Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com

TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

11:19- Tailored Training for Optimal Athletic Performance

16:04- Track and Field Coaching and Sports Performance Concepts

25:33- Optimal Movement Patterns for Youth Athletes

37:41- Female Athlete Success Through Multilateral Training

39:16- “Spectrum Training” for Optimal Athletic Performance

42:33- Triphasic Muscle Nature of PNF Rehabilitation and PNF Techniques

49:04- Athletic Priming with Varied Lift Combinations

53:53- Enhancing Training Circuits with Added Resistance

58:09- Rhythm-Based Velocity Training for Athletic Performance

1:00:18- Progressive Coaching: From Slow to Explosive

Quotes

"I don't call it complex training, I call it training." - Vern Gambetta"

“I just so thankful for the background in track and field, and also having competed in the decathlon at a very low level to understand how things fit together because as a coach, if I did too much in the weight room, strength training wise, I was going to compromise something else” – Vern Gambetta

"The rule of never sacrificing range of motion for resistance." - Vern Gambetta

“What I want them to be able to do is be able to make optimum shapes relative to what they have to do in their sport and strengthen the connections and that they're able to make better shapes. And that what that does is that develops a more robust athlete. And a healthy athlete” - Vern Gambetta

“I've been doing isometric using isometrics and training since I first started strength training in 1963, and it's never not been part of my programs” - Vern Gambetta

“And then there was a guy, Dr. Pat O'Shea at Oregon State, who wrote a lot about it, where basically you'd set your pins in a rack and you say if your max squat was 400 pounds, you'd put 500 pounds. And you drive it up for maybe four or five inches against the top pin, and then you'd hold it for six counts. And I did that. And, man, the lifts went sky high” - Vern Gambetta

“I do these, I call them spectrum workouts where you go from isometric to fast eccentric to eccentric, fast eccentric. There's concentric work to regular tempo to total ball...

Today’s podcast features speed coach, Cody Bidlow. Cody is a track sprints coach, athlete, and founder of Athlete X and SprintingWorkouts.com. He has been a head track & field coach at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, AZ, and a coach at EliteU working with NFL combine prep athletes. An all-conference sprinter for Grand Canyon University, Cody has been a personal coach for professional MLB athletes, track athletes, and consults for coaches around the world.

To sprint fast takes an immense amount of effort and focus. To sprint one’s fastest in their early 30s takes a deep understanding of the training process and individual factors that account for top performance.

On today’s episode, Cody speaks on speed training in regards to his current sprinting personal bests at age 32, and how he has dialed his training in this recent year. We speak on many aspects of training on the level of intensity, essentialism, workout regulation, resisted sprinting, complex training, and much more.

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View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Main Points

2:37- Cody’s Recent Training Gains, Along with His New Role as a Father

10:00- Using Strategic Breaks for Enhanced Performance

12:33- High-Intensity Athlete Training for Performance Improvement

19:05- Natural Approach to Sprinting Techniques

23:13- Optimizing Training Intensity on a Busy Schedule

29:53- Maximizing Intensity for Effective Workouts

32:41- Performance Optimization through Autoregulation in Training

41:18- Enhancing Performance Through Auto-Regulation Communication

55:11- Enhancing Sprint Performance Through Resisted Load Variation

1:00:29- Concurrent and Complex Training Paradigms for Sprinting Success

1:05:14- Optimal Training Methods for Narrow vs. Wide ISA Types

Quotes

(26:34) I'd rather walk away from the session knowing that I ended on my best note. I can, you know, ride the dopamine high of seeing that, you know, nice time and having a fun time out at the track and let that be the stimulus for the day rather than, oh, well, the book over here says that I need to do, you know, 350 meters and I only did 240. - Cody Bidlow

(34:10) I would say that my training is very autoregulated, but it's not to the point where I'm looking at, oh, velocity dropped by 2.5%, so that's why I'm going to shut it down, It's more, I can tell within myself that I'm getting to a point where I'm starting to get fatigued from this workout – Cody Bidlow

(38:24) Are you really going to run faster on this next one? Yes. Okay, do it. Are you going to be safe? Are you or are you going to get hurt? No, I'm not going to get hurt. Okay. Yeah, do it. - Cody Bidlow

(44:43) If you just simply ask them, like, how do you feel? They're gonna say good. Bad. You know, they're just gonna say some kind of basic thing because they may not really grasp what I mean by that question. - Cody Bidlow

(45:03) So I would try to ask questions in a way where we're getting a little bit deeper. Like, I'd maybe be specific about how do your hamstrings feel? Do you feel like you're going to be able to run as well on the next one? Or what did you feel on that rep? - Cody Bidlow

(46:32) The athletes who really want to be good, they're always going to say, yes, I'll always take another rep. The athletes who are lazier, they don't care as much, or, you know, whatever their mental mechanism is, they always. It's almost like, yeah, I'm good. Yeah, I'm done. It's not even necessarily that I want to get better.