THIRST For More Podcast

We were sold a story about youth sports: focus early, grind one sport year-round, and your kid gets ahead. The research says the opposite. Early specialization is linked to more overuse injuries and burnout -- and it does not reliably produce better athletes.

In this solo episode, Brandon breaks down what the science actually says about youth athlete development vs. early specialization, and gives you an age-by-age playbook you can use with athletes and families right away. Built for strength coaches, personal trainers, gym owners, and parents. Every claim is sourced.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why development vs. specialization is a false binary
• What the injury research shows (and what it does not)
• Whether early specialization even produces elite athletes
• The truth about youth strength training and growth plates
• Load management, rest, and maturation vs. birthday
• How to have the parent conversation without losing the client
• An age-by-age youth development playbook

RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Jayanthi et al. Sports-specialized intensive training and injury risk in young athletes. Am J Sports Med 2015;43(4):794-801.
• Myer, Jayanthi, DiFiori et al. Sport Specialization, Part I. Sports Health 2015;7(5):437-442.
• Lloyd, Faigenbaum et al. Position statement on youth resistance training: the 2014 International Consensus. Br J Sports Med 2014;48(7):498-505.
• Lloyd, Cronin, Faigenbaum et al. NSCA Position Statement on Long-Term Athletic Development. J Strength Cond Res 2016;30(6).
• Lloyd & Oliver. The Youth Physical Development model. Strength Cond J 2012;34:37-43.
• Cote. Developmental Model of Sport Participation (DMSP).
• Gullich et al. World-class vs national-class training histories.
• McLellan et al. systematic review; Carder et al. meta-analysis (samplers vs specializers).
• AAP: Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Young Athletes (rest and time-off guidance).

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

THIRST Coaching Lab - get help not only writing, but improving your program design with biweekly calls with other coaches and trainers

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

We measure bar velocity to two decimal places. Most of us have no idea whether an athlete finished practice down one pound or five.

This episode is not a reminder to drink water. It is a breakdown of what the peer reviewed research actually shows about hydration and performance, including the places where the research openly contradicts itself, followed by a system you can run on Monday morning with a bathroom scale and a whiteboard.

We cover why the hydration conversation got distorted first by industry funded research and then by the overcorrection against it, and why the popular drink to thirst message came out of a self paced endurance world that looks nothing like a prescribed weight room session.

Then we get into the mechanisms. Reduced plasma volume and what it does to stroke volume and heart rate. Impaired heat dissipation and why hydration policy and heat acclimatization policy are the same policy. The central nervous system effects on effort perception, and why that quietly breaks any RPE or RIR based autoregulation you are running. And the recovery tax, where I separate what is mechanistically plausible from what is actually supported by trials.

On the evidence: the meta analytic findings on muscle endurance, strength and anaerobic power, the three qualifiers that most coaches leave out when they quote those numbers, and why vertical jump is structurally blind to hydration status.

On the myths: why the dehydration and electrolyte model of muscle cramping is far weaker than most of us were taught, what the altered neuromuscular control model explains better, and why passive stretching working within seconds tells you almost everything you need to know.

And on safety: exercise associated hyponatremia, why sports drinks do not prevent it, why the early symptoms mimic heat illness, and the simple weigh in weigh out heuristic that helps you tell them apart on the field.

Finally, the system. The sweat rate test step by step with a worked example. The weight, urine and thirst monitoring method and how to act on the flags. Before, during and after protocols. And how to actually run all of it with a team of forty athletes and eleven minutes.

RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Savoie et al. 2015, Sports Medicine, hypohydration and muscle performance meta analysis
• Goulet 2011 and 2013, British Journal of Sports Medicine, ecological validity of dehydration protocols
• Sawka et al. 2007, ACSM Position Stand on Exercise and Fluid Replacement
• Schwellnus et al. 2009, British Journal of Sports Medicine, cause of exercise associated muscle cramps
• Miller et al. 2016, Muscle and Nerve, EAMC and neuromuscular fatigue
• Hew Butler et al. 2015, Third International Exercise Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Statement

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

THIRST Coaching Lab - get help not only writing, but improving your program design with biweekly calls with other coaches and trainers

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Your online clients are not quitting because of the screen. They are quitting because somewhere in the move to virtual, you stopped coaching them and started sending them files.

In this episode of THIRST For More, we take apart the most comfortable excuse in the fitness industry: "online coaching just is not the same."

A 2025 randomized controlled trial in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research finally ran the comparison our industry has been arguing about for five years. Same ten week program. Three delivery models. In-person supervision. Remote app-guided coaching. And a self-guided PDF.

Session adherence came in at roughly 88 percent, 81 percent, and 52 percent.

Now look at where the cliff actually is. The gap between having a coach in the room and having a coach on a screen is about seven points. The gap between having a coach on a screen and having no coach at all is nearly thirty. We have spent five years fighting over the wrong gap.

This episode is not a pitch for online coaching. It is an honest look at what you genuinely lose when you go remote, what you do not lose, and what you were never actually doing on purpose in the first place.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

• What the supervision literature actually says, and why the mechanism behind it is almost entirely transmissible over a screen
• Why Mazzetti 2000 is the most misread study in this entire debate
• The meta-analytic effect size for supervision, and why it is smaller than you think
• The 52 percent cliff, and why your real competition is not the trainer down the street
• What the telehealth therapeutic alliance research proves about human connection at a distance
• Why self-determination theory suggests your in-person client may actually be the weaker coaching outcome
• The five pillar Virtual Connection System, built to install this week
• The business math nobody runs, and two pricing rules worth dying on
• An honest segment on where this argument could be wrong

RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Gavanda S, Held S, Schrey S, et al. Optimizing Resistance Training Outcomes: Comparing In-Person Supervision, Online Coaching, and Self-Guided Approaches: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2025; 39(11): 1129-1137.
• Mazzetti SA, Kraemer WJ, Volek JS, et al. The Influence of Direct Supervision of Resistance Training on Strength Performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2000; 32(6): 1175-1184.
• Gentil P, Bottaro M. Influence of Supervision Ratio on Muscle Adaptations to Resistance Training in Nontrained Subjects. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2010; 24(3): 639-643.
• Lacroix A, Hortobagyi T, Beurskens R, et al. Effects of Supervised vs. Unsupervised Training Programs on Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2017; 47(11): 2341-2361.
• Fisher JP, et al. Supervised versus unsupervised resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Everybody owns a speed and agility ladder. Almost nobody asks whether it works.

In this episode we put the most popular tool in youth and team sports under an evidence-based lens, and make the case that the way it is usually used may be leaving your athletes slower than their own potential. This is not ladder-bashing. It is a reframe: keep the tool, but stop calling it speed training.

We cover what actually determines sprint speed (force into the ground, not fast feet), why real agility requires reacting to a stimulus the ladder never provides, what the transfer research really shows, and the two mechanisms - training intent and opportunity cost - that turn a harmless-looking drill into a real cost. Then we hand you the full replacement toolkit you can use tomorrow with almost no equipment.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. Why faster athletes are not repositioning their legs faster, they are applying more force
2. The real definition of agility and why in response to a stimulus changes everything
3. Why the ladder is a closed, pre-memorized pattern and not speed or agility
4. What the transfer research does and does not support
5. The two ways the ladder can actively cost your athletes speed
6. The narrow, honest place the ladder does belong
7. A no-equipment replacement plan for real speed and agility

RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Weyand and colleagues on ground reaction force as the determinant of top running speed, Journal of Applied Physiology, 2000
• Weyand and colleagues follow up on the biological limits to running speed
• Sheppard and Young, agility literature review, Journal of Sports Sciences, 2006
• Change of direction versus reactive agility transfer literature

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Most coaches use pogo hops as warm-up filler - and that is exactly why their athletes stay slow. In this complete guide, we break down the one little drill that builds reactive strength: the foundational, fast stretch-shortening-cycle quality that your big strength work will not give you on its own. You will learn the real science, the mistakes almost everyone makes, a full 5-stage progression, and exactly how to program, dose, and measure it. No equipment. No hype. You cannot out-squat a leaky ankle - so let us fix that.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. Why reactive strength is a separate quality from maximal strength
2. The stretch-shortening cycle, and fast vs slow SSC
3. Reactive Strength Index (RSI) and why it is your scoreboard
4. What actually adapts: tendon stiffness and elastic energy return
5. What a pogo hop is, and what it is NOT
6. The 6 mistakes that kill the adaptation
7. The 5-stage pogo progression
8. Programming, dosing, and how to autoregulate with your eyes and ears
9. How to measure progress, from no-tech to force plates
10. Application for youth athletes, older adults, and return-to-play

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Pogo hops train reactive strength and fast-SSC ability - not warm-up filler.
2. The mechanism is solid: tendon stiffness and elastic energy return build a better spring.
3. Coach the details - quick over high, quiet over loud, stiff over soft, intent on every contact.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

You cannot debunk a client out of a fad diet. And every time you try, you lose.

In this solo episode, we get into the conversation every coach handles badly: what to do when a client shows up excited about the latest fad diet. The instinct is to correct them. That instinct is what costs you the client.

We cover why fad diets win (it is not about the food), what the research actually says about diet method versus adherence, why being right backfires, and a 5-step framework with exact client scripts you can use on Monday.

For coaches, personal trainers, and gym owners who are tired of being right and want to be trusted instead.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. The 4 emotional jobs a fad diet is actually hired to do
2. Why the evidence does not say what most evidence-based coaches think it says
3. How psychological reactance turns your good advice into the thing pushing clients away
4. A 5-step framework for navigating any fad diet conversation
5. Exact word-for-word scripts for 5 common client scenarios
6. Why calm is a business strategy and trust is the real product

KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Mann, T., et al. (2007). Diets Are Not the Answer. American Psychologist, 62(3), 220-233.
• Dansinger, M. L., et al. (2005). Comparison of Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone Diets. JAMA, 293(1), 43-53.
• Gardner, C. D., et al. (2018). The DIETFITS Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 319(7), 667-679.
• Brehm, J. W. (1966). A Theory of Psychological Reactance.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Every coach has that client. The one who argues with every program, ghosts every third session, or texts you at midnight expecting an answer by breakfast. Your certification taught you anatomy and programming. It never taught you the hardest skill in this industry: people.

In this solo episode, we retire the phrase "difficult client" for good. You'll learn why that label is quietly costing you retention and revenue, and you'll get a 5-step system the best coaches use to turn their hardest clients into their most loyal ones.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. The false binary that keeps coaches stuck (it's not the client OR you)
2. Why difficulty is data, not a verdict, and the bond / goals / tasks model that decodes it
3. The 6 types of difficult clients and which part of the relationship is actually breaking
4. The two engines behind the behavior: stages of change and the 3 basic needs
5. A 5-step system: diagnose, roll with resistance, reset expectations, set boundaries, and when to actually let a client go

KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Bordin (1979), working alliance: bond, goals, tasks.
• Miller and Rollnick, Motivational Interviewing: rolling with resistance.
• Deci and Ryan, Self-Determination Theory: autonomy, competence, relatedness.
• Prochaska and DiClemente, Transtheoretical Model: stages of change.
• Ericsson, deliberate practice and expertise.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Most athletes finish the season slower, weaker, and more banged up than they started. That is not bad luck. It is a coaching decision with a delayed invoice.

In this episode we go through exactly what the research says about holding onto strength, power, and speed across a full competitive season, why so-called maintenance done wrong is really just managed decline, and the step-by-step framework to keep athletes sharp without burning them out.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. How fast athletes actually detrain, and which qualities you lose first
2. Why power and speed fade before maximal strength, and why that is the dangerous blind spot
3. The minimal effective dose, and how one quality session a week can hold the line
4. The interference effect, and why the sport is already supplying your conditioning
5. How to monitor and autoregulate so you prevent burnout instead of causing it
6. A six-step in-season programming framework you can run this week
7. How to taper into the games that actually matter

KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Mujika & Padilla (2000), Detraining I & II — Sports Medicine
• Ronnestad, Nymark & Raastad (2011), In-season strength maintenance frequency — JSCR
• Bickel, Cross & Bamman (2011), Exercise dosing to retain adaptations — MSSE
• Hickson (1980), Interference effect — Eur J Appl Physiol
• Wilson et al. (2012), Concurrent training meta-analysis — JSCR
• Gabbett (2016), Training-injury prevention paradox — BJSM
• Pareja-Blanco et al. (2017), Velocity loss in resistance training — Scand J Med Sci Sports
• Bosquet et al. (2007), Tapering meta-analysis — MSSE

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

My FREE Newsletter — training insights, programming education & no-fluff content delivered straight to your inbox

Free 3-Minute Performance Audit — find out what's actually limiting your results (and what to do about it)

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

The fitness industry sells periodization as complicated, sacred science. The research tells a very different story. In this episode of THIRST For More, we strip periodization down to what it actually is, walk through every major model, and look at what the peer-reviewed evidence really says about which one works best. Then we hand you a simple, defensible framework you can use with almost every client this week.

If you have ever built a beautiful training spreadsheet that fell apart by Wednesday, this episode is for you.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. What periodization actually is, in plain language (week, block, year)
2. The shaky theoretical foundation most certifications never mention
3. The four main models explained simply: linear, undulating, block, and concurrent
4. What the research really shows about periodized vs non-periodized training
5. Why the specific model you choose matters far less than you have been told
6. A simple four-step framework for programming general population clients
7. Who actually needs advanced periodization, and five common mistakes to avoid

KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Williams et al. (2017), Sports Medicine, periodized vs non-periodized training for maximal strength.
• Grgic et al. (2017), linear vs daily undulating periodization for hypertrophy.
• Rhea et al. (2002), Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, linear vs daily undulating for strength.
• Harries et al. (2015), Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, systematic review of linear vs undulating programs.
• Afonso et al., methodological critique of the periodization literature.
• Issurin (2010), Sports Medicine, block periodization.
• Buckner et al. (2017), General Adaptation Syndrome misapplied to resistance exercise.

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.

Eight of the most stubborn myths in the fitness industry, and the peer reviewed research that buries every one of them. This episode is for the coach, personal trainer, or gym owner who is tired of repeating bro science and ready to make evidence the standard of their practice.

In this episode we break down why training to failure is not required for hypertrophy, why soreness is one of the worst metrics for training quality, why the idea that lifting makes women bulky is biologically wrong, and why most of the supplement industry is selling noise. Every claim is sourced to peer reviewed research, and every myth comes with a practical coaching alternative.

WHAT WE YOU WILL LEARN

1. Why training every set to failure may actually reduce your long term muscle growth

2. The hormonal reasons women cannot get bulky from lifting heavy without pharmacological help

3. Why the most sore lifters are often not the ones growing the most muscle

4. The settled science on spot reduction and what actually changes a problem area

5. How to program cardio without compromising strength or hypertrophy gains

6. What the research actually says about protein timing and the so called anabolic window

7. Why static stretching before training may be hurting your performance

8. The very short list of supplements that have real research support, and why everything else is marketing

KEY RESEARCH REFERENCED

• Schoenfeld and Grgic 2019 on training to failure and hypertrophy in the Strength and Conditioning Journal
• Schoenfeld et al 2017 meta analysis on volume and muscle hypertrophy in the Journal of Sports Sciences
• Roberts et al 2020 on sex differences in resistance training adaptations in Sports Medicine
• Watson et al 2017 on resistance training and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women
• Damas et al 2016 on muscle damage and hypertrophy in the Journal of Physiology
• Vispute et al 2011 on abdominal exercise and spot reduction in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
• Wilson et al 2012 concurrent training meta analysis in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
• Mandsager et al 2018 on VO2 max and all cause mortality in JAMA Network Open
• Schoenfeld Aragon and Krieger 2013 on post workout protein timing in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
• Morton et al 2018 protein intake meta analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
• Behm and Chaouachi 2011 on static stretching and performance in the European Journal of Applied Physiology
• Kreider et al 2017 creatine supplementation review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, fitness, or professional advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare and fitness professionals before making changes to your training, supplementation, nutrition, or health practices. Individual results may vary. The host and producers are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any information, suggestions, or procedures discussed in this podcast.

Subscribe & Review:

If this episode added value to your training knowledge, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Your feedback helps us reach more fitness enthusiasts, coaches, lifters, athletes or anyone who can benefit from quality training information.

About Brandon Smitley

Instagram: @bsmitley @team.thirst

Subscribe On YouTube!

Website: THIRSTgym.com

Brandon Smitley is a world renowned strength coach and athlete for over a decade. He and his wife, Adrian, own Terre Haute Intensity Resistance and Sports Training (THIRST) where they work with youth athletes and personal training clients of all ages. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in Health and Fitness, and his Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Physical Education and Coaching. Brandon has been awarded Personal Trainer of the Year Awards from Purdue University and Indiana State University as well is the 2020 Reader's Choice for Best Personal Trainer in Terre Haute, IN and the Wabash Valley.

Brandon is a sponsored athlete with Elitefts and NutraBio where as a competitive powerlifter he currently holds the all-time world record squat in the 132 pound weight class, with a 567 pound squat. He also holds a 330 pound bench press, and 510 pound deadlift in that weight class, totaling 1377 pounds, ranking 4th all-time. He provides online coaching and programming around the world, and has personally worked with over 200 athletes in the US, UK, France, Italy, Mexico, Canada, and other countries. Brandon’s been published at Elitefts, Muscle and Performance, and Muscle and Fitness magazine.

He holds his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level One Sports Performance (USAW), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certifications, and is educated in PRI for Fitness and Performance.