Today’s guest is Sam Portland. Sam is a UK-based athletic performance coach and creator of Speed Gate Golf and the Sports Speed System. After a career in professional sport, he now consults with athletes and teams while mentoring coaches toward healthier and more sustainable careers. Sam has worked with athletes from Premiership Rugby, American football, the Olympics, and beyond, and also runs a grassroots “combine program” designed to fill key gaps in long-term athletic development.

In this episode, Sam unpacks the evolution of modern athlete performance, highlighting the role of rhythm, movement, and overlooked details of transfer from training to sport. From the simple power of a jump rope to the deeper psychological layers of coaching, Sam’s insights spark critical thinking and creative training solutions. This is a conversation packed with practical takeaways, helpful for any coach or athlete.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

Use code “justfly20” for 20% off of LILA Exogen Wearable resistance gear at www.lilateam.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

0:41 – Jump rope, rhythm, and movement foundations.

8:17 – Start with sport specificity: enroll in the sport first.

16:07 – Reject the bloat — prefer simple, efficient training.

23:13 – Simplicity wins: fewer, better training "flavors."

26:58 – Depth over width in warm-ups — give athletes time to groove.

31:09 – End positions are consequences — focus on what happens between them.

33:31 – Beware shiny systems — find what actually transfers to sport.

38:34 – Make training game-relevant: play, don’t just test.

40:37 – Play-first approach: teach skill through sport-like practice.

45:35 – Threat removal and the neurology of speed.

54:32 – Warm-up blueprint and the Sports Speed System (book).

Quotes from Sam Portland

“It's elastic driven… it requires lots of coordination, lots of timing. You have to be able to sit in this pocket of rhythm.”

“I actually just ordered a heavy rope as well for conditioning… let's put it on steroids.”

“What first module… needs to be enrolled in a sport? Because that's how you're going to be actually working backwards from the principle of specificity.”

“Our profession is incredibly bloated in terms of… how much ownership of adaptation can we keep hold of and attribute to our job without them just playing sport.”

“Now her best dish has three—that’s where we need to be heading.”

“We're going to play in sport, Joel. That's what we're going to do.”

“When you can get that speed not afraid, guess what—you've got space for sport.”

“Secret is consistency. Don't change on that at all because that is your tick box.”

“Residuals don't matter for team sports.”

“The book was written as a field guide…if a 14-year-old picked it up could I make myself better? Yes. If a 20-year coach picked it up could they improve with nuance? Yes.”

About Sam Portland

Sam Portland is an athletic performance coach from the UK, the creator of speed gate golf and the Sports Speed System. Following a lengthy career in professional sport, he now consults with athletes/teams and helps guide coaches to happier, healthier, and more financially fulfilling careers.

Sam has worked with premiership rugby, American football, Olympic athletes, and international competitors across a plethora of sports, including hockey, bobsleigh, and track and field.  Aside from this, Sam keeps in touch with the grassroots aspects of athlete preparation by hosting his ‘combine program’. This program is a long-term athletic development program that fills the essential gaps in physical literacy that are not fulfilled at school or by club sports.

Today’s guest is Phil Nash. Phil is a Manager of Coach Education at EXOS. He is a seasoned strength and conditioning professional who leads EXOS’s efforts to develop and educate coaches worldwide. Phil specializes in bringing practical, science-based training methods—like plyometrics and medicine-ball work—into performance systems, and regularly shares his expertise at major industry conferences

On today’s show, we dig into training models ranging from the force–velocity curve to the idea of infinite games, exploring how these frameworks influence the way we view athletic performance. Phil offers his perspective on blending structured training with the freedom of play, highlighting adaptability and growth as central themes in coaching. This episode provides clear, practical insights for coaches and athletes alike on building both physical capacity and mental resilience.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and the Vert Trainer

Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer

Use code “justfly20” for 20% off of LILA Exogen Wearable resistance gear at www.lilateam.com

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

5:12 – Phil’s Journey into Coaching and Performance Training

12:40 – Exploring the Interplay of Science and Coaching Art

22:18 – Building Strong Athlete-Coach Relationships

32:07 – The Role of Autonomy and Curiosity in Development

43:51 – Balancing Physical Preparation with Mental Readiness

55:46 – Using Constraints to Guide Skill and Movement

1:07:12 – Learning from Mistakes and Coaching Growth

1:18:09 – Phil’s Reflections on Longevity and Evolving as a Coach

Quotes from Phil Nash

“Coaching isn’t just applying science; it’s interpreting it through the lens of people.”

“Relationships are the glue that holds performance together.”

“Curiosity is the foundation of growth; for athletes and coaches alike.”

“Constraints aren’t restrictions; they’re invitations for creativity.”

“Mistakes are part of the process; if you’re not making them, you’re not pushing boundaries.”

“Longevity comes from curiosity and humility, not from clinging to old ways.”

About Phil Nash

Phillip Nash, MS, CSCS, currently serves as Manager of Coach Education at EXOS, the global, science-driven performance company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. With a background in strength and conditioning (as indicated by his CSCS credential), Phil leads initiatives that shape and elevate the training and development of performance coaches across EXOS’s network of facilities and educational platforms.

Phil's role centers on designing and delivering innovative coach education programs that empower trainers, therapists, and performance professionals to implement EXOS’s holistic training system—built on Mindset, Nutrition, Movement, and Recovery- in diverse settings ranging from elite athletics to corporate wellness.

He is frequently involved in delivering performance education sessions at major industry events.

Today’s guest is Tim Shieff. Tim is a former world champion freerunner and Ninja Warrior competitor, and the founder of Way of the Rope. After years of high-level competition, he discovered Rope Flow as a way to restore rhythm, coordination, and resilience in movement. Today, he shares this practice worldwide, blending athletic creativity with a simple, sustainable philosophy: low-tech equipment for a high-tech body.

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of diverse movement practices in athletic training. From track and field to parkour, breakdance, swimming, and rope flow, we explore how these disciplines shape skill development and reveal the qualitative aspects of elite sport movement. Tim also shares his journey from traditional sports to discovering the benefits of innovative movement, offering powerful insights on how athletes can unlock agility, strength, and resilience by taking a holistic approach to training.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

5:36 – Exploring Yoga, Biomechanics, and Training Through Injury

10:43 – Discovering Movement Connections Through Slow Practice

23:26 – Parkour Training as a Unique Learning Process

31:41 – Balancing Intensity, Recovery, and Longevity in Training

42:08 – The Value of Gentleness in Building Strength

53:30 – Using Constraints to Improve Movement Awareness

59:08 – Applying Martial Intent and Precision in Movement

1:01:31 – Rope Flow as a Tool for Coordination and Rhythm

1:11:17 – Integrating Jump Rope and Rope Flow into Athletic Training

Tim Shieff Quotes

“Yoga gave me a way to keep moving through injury—it wasn’t about doing less, it was about moving differently.”

“When you slow things down, you start to feel the sequencing. That’s when you notice where the leaks are.”

“Parkour taught me adaptability. It’s not about repeating drills, it’s about solving problems in movement.”

“If you chase intensity every session, you won’t last. Longevity comes from balancing work with recovery.”

“Strength doesn’t always come from force. Sometimes it comes from gentleness and precision.”

“Constraints are teachers. When you take options away, athletes discover new solutions on their own.”

“You have to train both ends of the spectrum—the slow and the fast, the gentle and the intense.”

“Martial intent is powerful. Every move should have purpose, not just be going through the motions.”

“Rope flow is rhythm in motion—it’s about learning how to coordinate without overthinking.”

“Jump rope gives you stiffness, rope flow gives you fluidity. Together, they balance each other.”

About Tim Shieff

Tim Shieff, founder of Way of the Rope, is a former world champion freerunner turned movement innovator. Born in Connecticut in 1988 and raised in Derby, England, Tim first expressed his athletic creativity through breakdancing before transitioning into a professional freerunning and parkour career. He rose to prominence by winning the 2009 Barclaycard World Freerun Championship and competing in international events like Red Bull’s Art of Motion, along with TV appearances on MTV’s Ultimate Parkour Challenge, American Ninja Warrior, and Ninja Warrior UK, where he captained Team Europe in the USA vs. The World specials.

After years of competition, Tim began struggling with chronic injuries, which led him to explore biomechanics and new approaches to movement. In 2018, he discovered Rope Flow through inventor David Weck, an experience that became a turning point in his career. Inspired by the practice’s ability to restore rhythm, coordination, and flow, Tim trained extensively with Weck before bringing his own vision to life. In 2020, with Weck’s blessing, he launched Way of the Rope, an educational platform built around programs such as “8-Weeks to Fluidity,” which help people rediscover athleticism and body awareness through rope-based movement.

Beyond physical training, Tim’s philosophy is rooted in simplicity and sustainability. He believes in the mantra, “Low tech equipment = high tech body,” and his team crafts ropes from recycled materials with biodegradable packaging, reflecting a deep commitment to both people and the planet. By making his work accessible worldwide and offering flexible pricing to those in need, Tim has transformed Way of the Rope into more than just a training method—it is a mindful, ethical practice dedicated to helping individuals move with freedom, fluidity, and purpose.

Today’s guest is Dr. Michael Schofield. Mike is a New Zealand sports scientist and track and field coach with a PhD in biomechanics and strength and conditioning. He has coached athletes to Olympic, World Championship, and Commonwealth Games finals in the throws, while also developing national-level sprinters and weightlifters. His strength and conditioning work spans multiple sports, from golf to stand-up paddleboarding. Mike has done substantial research in, and is a subject matter expert in the role of connective tissues in athletic movement and force production.

This podcast explores the crucial functions of connective tissue in athletic performance. We examine how tendons, ligaments, and fascia support movement, prevent injuries, and contribute to force production. Mike also disperses exactly what fascia and connective tissue does, and does not do in animal (and human) movement profiles. Through the podcast, Mike reveals the mechanisms of connective tissue and how understanding it can improve training outcomes.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

2:10 – The Role of Connective Tissue

5:27 – Exploring Elasticity in Motion

7:25 – Muscle vs. Fascia: A Complex Debate

16:14 – Understanding Strength and Sequencing

23:49 – The Importance of Movement Literacy

36:13 – Fascial Lines and Their Impact

44:31 – Training the Fascial System

49:14 – Functional Training Insights

54:31 – The Role of Balance in Performance

57:26 – Understanding Tendon Stiffness

1:14:04 – Compliance vs. Stiffness in Athleticism

1:18:55 – Training Strategies for Different Athletes

Michael Schofield Quotes

“Connective tissue is not just scaffolding—it’s an active part of how force is transferred and how movement is sequenced.”

“Elasticity is rhythm. It’s the ability to recycle energy instead of relying on constant muscular effort.”

“When we talk about strength, we’re really talking about sequencing. If you load too heavy too soon, you can actually break the sequence.”

“Movement literacy comes before strength. If an athlete can’t explore movement, then the strength they build is fragile.”

“Fascial lines are not rigid anatomy—they’re adaptable patterns. They change depending on how you move.”

“The fascial system responds to rhythm, variability, and oscillation. It’s a spring system, not a muscle system.”

“Functional training is not about copying sport skills. It’s about training qualities that transfer.”

“Balance is contextual. Sometimes you challenge it, sometimes you support it. Machines can actually help you wire high rates of force by providing stability.”

“Tendon stiffness isn’t about being tight—it’s about efficiency. It’s how well you can store and release energy.”

“Every athlete needs a different recipe of compliance, stiffness, sequencing, and raw strength. There’s no one-size-fits-all.”

About Michael Schofield

Dr. Michael Schofield is a sports scientist and track and field coach from New Zealand, specializing in biomechanics and strength and conditioning. He holds a PhD focused on track and field throws and a Master’s degree in strength and conditioning with an emphasis on golf performance.

Over his coaching career, Dr. Schofield has guided athletes to Olympic, World Championship, and Commonwealth Games finals in shot put, discus, and hammer, while also developing national-level sprinters and weightlifters. His expertise as a strength and conditioning coach spans a diverse range of sports, from stand-up paddleboarding to golf, applying a scientific yet practical approach to improving athletic performance.

Driven by a passion for both research and applied coaching, Dr. Schofield continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge sports science and the daily realities of high-performance sport.

Today’s guest is Boo Schexnayder. Irving “Boo” Schexnayder is a world-class coach and consultant with over 44 years of experience in track and field. Renowned for producing 26 NCAA Champions and 8 Olympic/World Championship medalists, he co-founded Schexnayder Athletic Consulting and founded the Track and Field Academy. A former LSU coach and USA Track and Field leader, Boo’s expertise in biomechanics and training design extends to multiple sports, making him a sought-after mentor worldwide.

It's common to think that, as time moves forward in any discipline, that discipline becomes better. What seems to define much of athletic performance and sport itself is that outputs become the priority while movement quality and literacy become watered down.

On today’s podcast, Boo gives wisdom into the process of comprehensive athletic development by leaning into general strength and movement training. He goes over his movement batteries, scramble circuits, training diversity, and tempo sprints. Boo also gives his take on the use of supramaximal eccentrics, covers hamstring injury prevention strategies, and discusses his sprint-float-sprint protocols, alongside a sea of further training wisdom.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and LILA Exogen wearable resistance.

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

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

1:25 – The evolution of general strength since the 90s

23:12 – General strength across track and team sports

28:47 – Adding multi-directional work for linear athletes

37:18 – Managing tempo volume for higher intensity

42:50 – Polarized training over middle-ground tempo

44:14 – Using tempo for restoration, not breakdown

47:24 – Short sprints on low days to cap tissue load

48:50 – Eccentric overload within a balanced profile

57:08 – Sprinting and mobility for hamstring resilience

1:12:02 – Setting fly-float-fly zones by max velocity

1:12:52 – Coaching lessons that shaped training design

Quotes

“General strength is nothing more than organized calisthenics, hurdle mobility, medicine ball, and weight room circuits—things that prepare the athlete to do more specific work later.”

“The problem is when coaches think more volume automatically means more adaptation. In reality, more often means less intensity, and intensity is the driver.”

“You can’t just live in the weight room and call that athletic preparation. The body has to move in multiple planes and directions to be resilient.”

“Sprinting itself is the best hamstring exercise—done well, it’s the most specific and most protective thing you can do.”

“Tempo is not about running people into the ground. It’s about rhythm, relaxation, and restoration.”

“We’re not trying to build superheroes in the weight room—we’re trying to build athletes who can apply force efficiently in their sport.”

“Acceleration is simple: push hard, push long. Max velocity is rhythm and posture—completely different skills.”

“Short accelerations, 10 meters or less, can safely live on low days. They touch speed without adding unnecessary tissue load.”

“Coaches get too enamored with exercises. What matters is how the training fits into the bigger puzzle.”

“The art of coaching is not how much you can add, but how much you can subtract while still making the athlete better.”

About Boo Schexnayder

Irving “Boo” Schexnayder is an internationally respected coach and consultant with over 44 years of experience in training design and biomechanics. Best known for his 18 years with LSU Track and Field, he is recognized as one of the greatest field event coaches in NCAA history, producing 26 NCAA Champions, 18 Olympians, and 8 Olympic or World Championship medalists, while contributing to 13 NCAA team titles.

Beyond his success on the track, Boo co-founded Schexnayder Athletic Consulting and has been a leading voice in coaching education, serving as program director of the USTFCCCA Track and Field Academy and holding leadership roles with USA Track and Field. His expertise extends into professional and collegiate sports across football, basketball, soccer, golf, and volleyball, where he has designed programs for speed, power, and rehabilitation. A former mathematics teacher from Vacherie, Louisiana, Boo is known for blending science with simplicity, earning global recognition as a mentor, educator, and one of the most trusted figures in athletic performance.

Today’s guest is Kathy Sierra. Kathy Sierra is a computer scientist, author, and horse-movement innovator who bridges neuroscience, learning psychology, and equine training. Co-creator of the award-winning Head First programming series and founder of the JavaRanch community, she later turned her expertise in intrinsic motivation toward her lifelong passion for horses. Through her Panther Flow approach, Kathy helps horses and riders unlock confident, curious, and expressive movement, sharing her work worldwide through courses, workshops, and writing.

In training and movement, drilling “perfect form” is standard practice. The more we get into how humans learn, the more we realize that “perfect form” is a myth, and learning is a far more complex venture. Using both differential learning (variety) and constraints helps athletes hone in on their own optimal (and robust) technique, without needing to constantly be looking for one “perfect” way to do things.

This is not only true in animals, but also in humans and in machine learning. On this week’s episode, Kathy covers aspects of training horses using the same motor learning concepts that work best in humans. She also goes into how and why robots learn to move better based on constraints, trial and error, versus a “perfect technique” type of programming. This is a fascinating and wide-ranging discussion on human movement, learning, and sport skill.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

0:06 – Introduction to Horse Training Insights

11:16 – Discovering the Community of Movement

21:40 – The Power of Natural Movement

32:19 – Emotions in Movement and Skill Acquisition

41:22 – The Impact of Coaching on Authenticity

53:51 – Techniques for Encouraging Movement Exploration

1:00:23 – The Power of Pattern Interrupts

1:11:34 – The Role of Exploration in Coaching

1:15:18 – Adapting Like Animals

1:22:42 – Embracing Novelty for Movement

1:29:25 – The Myth of Optimality

1:35:18 – Serendipity in Learning

Quotes

“If they don’t feel safe, they’re not going to move in a way that’s authentic or open.”

“Sometimes the best thing you can do as a coach is to wait and watch before you say anything.”

“You can’t cue someone into confidence—it has to be experienced.”

“When the environment invites them to explore, you don’t have to force the learning.”

“I’d rather see ten different solutions than one perfect one that only works in one situation.”

“Novelty wakes up the system. It changes the way they see and feel the task.”

“If all you ever give them is the ‘right way,’ you’re taking away their ability to problem-solve.”

“The emotions tied to the movement are as important as the mechanics.”

“Animals adapt because they have to. We can train people to do the same by giving them variety.”

“Sometimes the magic happens when the plan gets interrupted.”

“There’s no one optimal way—there’s only what works for that body in that moment.”

“When they discover it for themselves, it sticks in a way no amount of instruction can match.”

About Kathy Sierra

Kathy Sierra is a trailblazer who bridges technology, neuroscience, and horsemanship. Trained in exercise physiology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and later in computer programming at UCLA, she built a remarkable career in tech as co-creator of the award-winning Head First programming book series, founder of the JavaRanch community, and instructor in interaction design for intrinsic motivation at UCLA Extension and Universal Studios. After years of shaping how people learn complex topics, Kathy turned her attention to her lifelong passion for horses, creating Intrinzen and later Panther Flow, an approach to equine movement and motivation rooted in neuroscience, learning psychology, and pain science. Inspired by her experience rehabilitating her own horse, Panther Flow emphasizes intrinsic motivation to help horses rediscover confidence, curiosity, and joy in movement. Today, Kathy shares her work through courses, workshops, and writing, helping both horses and humans move with more freedom, expression, and resilience.

Today’s guest is Tim Riley. Tim Riley is the Director of Sports Performance at Kollective in Austin, where he leads one of the nation’s top NFL off‑season training programs and works with elite athletes across the NFL, NBA, PLL, and AVP. He also serves as a Lead Performance Coach with C4 Energy and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Texas Men’s Lacrosse team. Beyond the weight room, Tim shares his knowledge through his podcast, Coach Em Up, and his social media platforms.

On today’s podcast, Tim speaks on how he synthesizes the complexities and possibilities of training into his intuitive process. On the show, we cover numerous items of speed and strength training, digging into the daily training process. We also cover the help and use of strength machines, conditioning, capacity, training stimulation, and much more.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

1:00 – The Need for Simplicity in a Complex Coaching World

6:08 – Is Complexity Distracting Us from What Actually Matters?

11:55 – What Are Athletes Actually Feeling During a Drill?

18:42 – How Do We Make Coaching Feel Less Robotic?

25:30 – What If the Goal Isn’t Perfection, But Exploration?

32:09 – Can We Trust Athletes to Self-Organize?

39:46 – When Do We Step In, and When Do We Step Back?

47:22 – How to Handle “Messy” Reps and Unscripted Movement

54:11 – Are You Coaching for Output or Adaptability?

1:01:18 – Letting Go of the Illusion of Total Control

Tim Riley Quotes

“I try to make our training something that gets them excited to walk into.”

“We’re not playing for points in a warm-up. It’s okay to do things that look a little messy.”

“The more you can create an environment where they’re not thinking about the constraints, they’re just immersed in it, the better the movement.”

“It doesn’t always need to be, ‘You did this wrong. Do it again.’ It can be, ‘What did you notice? What did you feel?’”

“You don’t always need to be the one solving the problem. Sometimes they’ll solve it better than you can.”

“The more we can back out and just watch, the more we start to learn about what the athlete actually needs.”

“We’ll run circuits that don’t have a ‘right way’—just a way that feels good and makes them think.”

“I’ve had athletes say, ‘That felt smooth,’ and that’s more important to me than what the data says.”

“I’d rather build something that sustains energy over time than something that just looks impressive on paper.”

“A lot of athletes don’t need more drills—they need more ways to engage with what they already know.”

“We’re not trying to fix people. We’re trying to help them organize themselves better.”

“When they start to ask their own questions about movement, that’s when I know something is clicking.”

About Tim Riley

Tim Riley is the Director of Sports Performance at Kollective in Austin, TX, where he leads one of the nation’s premier NFL off‑season training programs and works with athletes from the NFL, NBA, PLL, and AVP. He also serves as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Texas Men’s Lacrosse team and is a Lead Performance Coach with C4 Energy, designing strength and performance initiatives for athletes nationwide.

Launching his career in 2017 through NPTI under Professor Dave Boetcher, Tim has since built Tim Riley Training LLC and earned certifications including NASM, Precision Nutrition, and USAW. Mentored by leaders such as Mo Wells, Trey Hardee, and Dr. Pat Davidson, he has developed a reputation for precision in off‑season and in‑season regimens. His holistic philosophy blends physical preparation with mental resilience, and he extends his impact through his podcast, Coach Em Up, and his social media platform @timrileytraining.

Joel Smith speaks on 12 reasons why athletes and coaches may hit a plateau in their performance programs. These include:

1. Lack of stimulation in the training environment

2. Too much stimulation in the training environment

3. Not enough creativity or novelty

4. Lack of a clear plan

5. Too much weightlifting

6. Not enough weightlifting

7. Monotony from failing to wave training loads

8. A lack of representative play and exploration

9. Deficits in skill learning

10. Programs that feel too constricting

11. Athletes not feeling truly seen or heard

12.  Gaps in belief and motivation

In this episode, we’ll unpack these elements one by one, while also exploring practical methods coaches and athletes can use to break through these plateaus and unlock new levels of performance.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

1:10 – Lack of Stimulation in the Training Environment3:18 – Too Much Stimulation in the Training Environment6:00 – Not Enough Creativity or Novelty7:36 – Lack of a Clear Plan10:20 – Too Much Weightlifting12:12 – Not Enough Weightlifting13:44 – Monotony from Failing to Wave Training Loads16:00 – A Lack of Representative Play and Exploration18:25 – Deficits in Skill Learning20:47 – Programs That Feel Too Constricting23:00 – Athletes Not Feeling Truly Seen or Heard25:03 – Gaps in Belief and Motivation

Quotes

“Lack of this stimulation threshold can be the thing that's keeping an athlete from breaking through to the next level of their performance.”

“If you simply put a timer out, you’re timing your sprint now, maybe you’re still by yourself, but it’s actually timed. If I took an untimed sprint and a timed sprint and I put a GPS on that and you weren’t aware of it, but those timed sprints are typically, unless you’re overthinking, going to be faster than just running fast for the sake of running fast.”

“When I take competition as well as a task and a little bit of a problem to solve and I mix those together, I can get things that really can stimulate athletes almost beyond what the individual pieces can do.”

“The art of creating stimulus within a single training session is a very powerful thing.”

“One of the best ways to warm up to dunk a basketball is to play pickup basketball 20 or 30 minutes. You’re feeling more activated and ready to go than just about any traditional canned activation series.”

“I believe in those systems that actually are overly stimulating that a lot of that is also a coach is super intense, but can’t shut it off. You need to be stimulating, you just have to be able to shut it off and understand when and how to rest.”

“Creativity in coaching and training is simply the ability of a coach to reinvent themselves in their training program and to deliver the basics in a new and fresh way.”

“A lot of times those switches to another training group are met with instant gains and progress, and a lot of that instantaneous gain is just simply the novelty. It’s the change.”

“Before you can break the rules you have to know the rules.”

“Weightlifting itself initially is going to be a really powerful and good stimulus to the athlete, but you’re going to get to a point where the continued strength gains are more about squeezing and stiffness and compression than they are stimulating neuromuscular coordination.”

The goal is to rely on the sport itself, to rely on speed itself, to rely on jumping itself, primarily more than how can I lever this weightlifting exercise to get me a little bit more.”

One of the biggest deficits in ultimate athletic performance is how we learn, how we put together skills, and how we use things such as differential learning, constraints, analogies, and amplifying the error.”

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 guest is Michael Zweifel. Michael is the Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at UW–La Crosse, now in his fourth season with the program. He previously founded Building Better Athletes (BBA Performance) in Dubuque, Iowa, training athletes from youth to pro levels. Michael also coached at Clarke College and the University of Dubuque. A former record-setting wide receiver, he won the 2011 Gagliardi Trophy and still holds the NCAA all-divisions career receptions record (463).

In athletic development, the “5 S’s of performance”: Strength, Speed, Stamina, Suppleness, and Skill are often brought up. What tends to be the case is that those 5 elements are weighted in that order, with skill mentioned, but rarely or ever studied in how to improve it.

On today’s show, Michael discusses his own creative approach to skill development in American football players with an emphasis on building artistry and adaptability in his players. He speaks on the nature of constraint-based coaching that helps athletes improve their arsenal of movements on the field, as well as their decision-making skills amid chaos. We also touch on the crossover between basketball and football, and ultimately, the art of long-term development of skill in one’s sport and as an athlete in general.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

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

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

0:12 – Programming for High School vs. College-Level Athletes

5:03 – Balancing Strength and Movement Skill in Team Settings

11:09 – Developing the Skill of Lifting in Young Athletes

15:34 – Rethinking Readiness: Performance vs. Output

19:43 – Using Split Squats and Progressions for Movement Quality

26:30 – Training the Foot and Ankle Without Overengineering It

31:58 – Prioritizing Play and Variability in Movement Prep

36:30 – Gaining Buy-In Through Fun, Autonomy, and Context

44:52 – Avoiding the Trap of Over-Cueing and Technical Obsession

50:33 – Defining Transfer: Performance, Practice, and Perception

55:51 – Evolving Coaching Philosophy with Experience

Quotes

“I think we overplay how technical we have to be early on with lifting. It’s not wrong to be technical, but it can almost create fragility in the way we approach training.”

“The lift is the skill. So when we coach that, it’s not just about strength—it’s about how you coordinate, how you stabilize, how you organize your body under load.”

“I think fun and autonomy are critical. If an athlete walks out of a session with a smile, I don’t care how perfect the sets and reps were—they’re going to come back and buy in again.”

“You can tell when someone’s trying to feel their way through a movement—that’s when you know you’re doing something valuable.”

About Michael Zweifel

Michael Zweifel is in his fourth season on the UW–La Crosse football staff in 2025, serving as the Eagles' Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach  Prior to UW-La Crosse Michael founded and led Building Better Athletes (BBA Performance) in Dubuque, Iowa, coaching athletes across youth, high school, college, and professional levels.

From 2013 onward, Michael also contributed as the strength and conditioning coach for Clarke College baseball and as the wide receiver coach at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) beginning in 2022.

A standout athlete, Michael won the 2011 Gagliardi Trophy as the nation’s top NCAA Division III football player. He holds NCAA records—including 140 receptions in a season and a career-total 463 receptions across all divisions. He earned his bachelor’s degree—summa cum laude—in exercise science from Dubuque University in 2011 and completed his master’s in kinesiology at the University of Texas at Tyler in 2015.

Today’s guest is Will “Hoss” Ratelle, former All-Big Sky linebacker turned strength and conditioning coach, with experience at the University of North Dakota, the NFL, and the CFL. Known for his intense, results-driven training style, Hoss blends his pro football background with evidence-based methods to build size, speed, and resilience in athletes. He’s also the creator of popular programs like “Hoss Concurrent” and a respected voice in the online performance space.

Most fitness and training education tends to be rigid, centered around fixed sets, reps, heart rate zones, and prescribed loads and timing. While this structure has value, athletes eventually need to move beyond it and enter a more adaptive, natural rhythm of training. Sets and reps can serve as a starting point, but great coaching gives training a feel, one that fosters ownership, problem-solving, and deeper athlete engagement.

On today’s episode, Will Ratelle shares practical strategies for building training protocols that allow for flexibility and athlete autonomy. He discusses how to keep athletes dialed in during strength and power work, while also diving into topics like hamstring rehab, velocity-based training, and more.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength.

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View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)

Timestamps

0:12 – Transitioning from College S&C to Academia and Private Sector

5:41 – Training Adjustments for Harsh Winter Environments

9:35 – The Role of Giant Sets in Strength Training

15:11 – Building Competition and Problem-Solving into Small Group Training

18:05 – Time-Based Plyometrics for Better Autoregulation

22:50 – Applying Time-Based Models to Jumps and Olympic Lifts

27:21 – Minimalist Approach to Accessory Work in Training

30:54 – Using Velocity-Based Training for Autoregulation

41:25 – Hamstring Rehab Strategies Using Sled Work and Sprint Progressions

44:37 – Perspectives on Nordics and Eccentric Hamstring Training

Quotes

[27:37] “I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with accessory work. It’s just, do we need to be spending 45 minutes doing it after we’ve already done our main lifts and jumps and throws?”

[9:59] “I try to keep the training process as simple as possible because it’s really easy to complicate things.”

[11:40] “I’ve gravitated more toward giving people time constraints and letting them auto-regulate how much work they do within that time.”

[23:01] “I think jumps and Olympic lifts lend themselves well to time-based prescriptions because the output tends to fall off naturally as people fatigue.”

[15:42] “Competition tends to bring out the best in people. If you structure things in a way where it naturally encourages people to compete, it’s a win.”

[45:06] “I’ve started to care less and less about Nordics being the answer for hamstring health. I just think sprinting is the best thing we can do.”

[31:30] “Velocity-based training is helpful because it provides objective feedback—if you’re not hitting the numbers, there’s no argument to keep pushing.”

About Will Ratelle

Will “Hoss” Ratelle is a dedicated strength and conditioning coach with deep roots in collegiate athletics and professional football. Rising from a standout linebacker at the University of North Dakota, Ratelle earned All-Big Sky honors twice and set single-season tackle records before transitioning into a professional football career, with stints on special teams in the NFL (Atlanta Falcons and Kansas City Chiefs) and a return to linebacker with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from UND (2015), Ratelle moved into coaching, completing internships in the UND Strength & Conditioning Department (2015–2017). He played a pivotal role in developing the football program’s speed and agility systems during a historic 2016 Big Sky championship season. Fully integrating into the staff, Will served as Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach, supporting football, men’s and women’s tennis, basketball, and volleyball teams

Certified by the CSCS and CSCCA (2019), Ratelle combines elite athletic experience with practical training protocols. He is known for crafting holistic programs that fuse Olympic lifting, sprint/plyometric development, and fundamental athleticism, aimed at maximizing size, strength, speed, and resilience.

In addition to his coaching roles, Will actively shares his expertise through published articles (e.g., SimpliFaster), podcasts, and TrainHeroic programs such as “Hoss Concurrent” and “Hoss Project 2.0,” training countless athletes to build robust, multi-sport athleticism across platforms