In this episode of UNRACKED, NFL strength and conditioning coach Josh Nelson breaks down his approach to long-term athletic development in the NFL. You’ll get a deep dive into the methods, mindsets, and systems behind his coaching success at the collegiate, youth, and professional levels.

Whether you're a strength coach, personal trainer, or performance professional, this episode is packed with insights you can put into practice immediately.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• NFL Strength and Conditioning culture
• The strategies NFL coaches use to develop their players
• Strategies for balancing in-season and off-season programming

About UNRACKED by BridgeAthletic:

UNRACKED is a live interview series by BridgeAthletic where elite coaches and performance experts unpack their systems, philosophies, and tools of the trade. Hosted by Bridge coach Cooper Napoli, each episode gives you insider access to the strategies that power world-class results.

🎧 Subscribe and watch to level up your coaching, programming, and client results.

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Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on January 14, 2026.

Aram Grigorian, nutrition coach, co-host of the Other Side Lifestyle Podcast, and host of the Real Coaches Summit, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack coaching strategies for the general population.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How to structure programs for clients who aren’t athletes and why traditional methods often fall short
• Where these strategies show up when working with clients facing stress, sleep debt, busy schedules, and low confidence
• The adjustments he makes when clients have a history of injury or negative fitness experiences
• The importance of building trust quickly and prioritizing adherence while maintaining high coaching standards

Aram also shares a standout moment on why coaching “normal people” can be more complex than coaching athletes, and how focusing on recovery, repeatability, and small wins drives long-term results.

This is general population coaching from someone who lives it every day.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on December 18th.

Jim Krumpos, Associate Athletic Director of Sports Performance at the University of Arizona, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack long-term athletic development in the collegiate setting.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How long-term athletic development is structured at the collegiate level—and why it still matters in today’s evolving NCAA landscape
• Where LTAD shows up across Division I programs, from exercise selection to year-round training systems
• The adjustments he makes as roster turnover, transfer rules, and performance demands continue to shift
• How building strong, physical athletes and a culture of excellence creates sustainable, championship-level programs
• Real collegiate program templates and training frameworks he uses—shared directly inside Bridge

Jim brings over 26 years of experience to the conversation, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how elite collegiate programs are built, adapted, and sustained over time.

This is long-term athletic development from someone who lives it every day.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on November 19 at 5:30pm EST.

John Garrish, founder of South Florida Prep and Director of Athletic Development at North Broward Prep, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack long-term athletic development through the lens of the high school four-year cycle.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How long-term athletic development is structured across all four years of high school—and why the early years matter most
• Where foundational training, movement literacy, and character-building show up in the high school setting
• The adjustments he makes between underclassmen and upperclassmen, in-season vs. off-season, and varying maturity levels
• What actually gets athletes recruited by senior year—and what coaches often get wrong along the way

John also dives into the unique challenges of coaching teenagers, sharing lessons from building discipline, accountability, and performance in both private and school-based environments.

This is long-term athlete development, from someone who lives it every day.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on October 22, 2025.

John Quint, Neuromuscular Therapist, Functional Range Systems Instructor, and co-founder of Gain Acces, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack a modern, performance-driven approach to mobility—one that redefines function as a prerequisite for high-level output.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How internal strength training is structured and why it outperforms traditional “stretching”
• Where this approach shows up in elite sport, rehabilitation, and long-term athletic development
• The adjustments he makes when working with pain, limited range of motion, or high-skill demands
• Why mobility trained with intent becomes the foundation for resilience, movement quality, and skill acquisition

Drawing from his experience at Westside Barbell and years working with professional athletes worldwide, John challenges the idea that mobility is passive or secondary—making a compelling case that it’s a trainable performance quality.

This is mobility redefined, from someone who lives it every day.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on September 30th, 2025 at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

Erica Mulholland, strength and performance coach specializing in youth female athletes, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack the data, risks, and realities behind the youth ACL epidemic.

In this episode, she breaks down:

• How youth ACL risk develops and why the epidemic continues to grow
• Where movement inefficiencies show up across youth sports—from soccer and lacrosse to volleyball and basketball
• The adjustments she makes when athletes lack strength, movement literacy, or sport-specific coordination
• The core principle she emphasizes: building strong, resilient movers before building sport-specific specialists

A standout moment: Erica challenges the myth that “more sport = better athlete,” and explains why strength training is the real foundation for long-term athletic success

This is youth injury prevention and performance from someone who has spent over a decade coaching young athletes to be strong for sport—and strong for life.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on August 20th at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

Hunter Schurrer, Vice President of Performance at the University of Health and Performance, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack the systems and mindset behind elite Special Operations human performance.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How SOF human performance is structured and why it works
• Where it shows up across military, collegiate, and high-stakes training environments
• The adjustments he makes when operators face unpredictable demands, stress, and real-world constraints
• The core principle he lives by: humans are more important than hardware
• Plus—a powerful discussion on culture-building inside no-failure environments

This is Special Operations performance from someone who has lived it for over two decades.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on July 29, 2025.

Luka Hocevar, founder of Vigor Ground gyms in Seattle and Slovenia, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack program design for high-performance training.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How to build training systems that drive long-term athlete development
• Where progression models and recovery considerations fit into elite programming
• The adjustments he makes when scaling systems across different client populations
• How to balance individualization with scalability without compromising results

Luka brings a high-performance lens to the practical realities of designing programs that work at every level, from everyday athletes to pros in the NBA, NFL, and UFC.

This is program design from someone who's refined it across 12,000+ clients and elite environments.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on June 25, 2025. Todd Anderson, former NFL athlete and co-founder of Dream Recovery, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack the science and strategy behind sleep as a performance tool.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• What sleep actually is and why it's one of the most undervalued drivers of athletic performance
• How quality sleep directly impacts training capacity, recovery, and output.
• The adjustments athletes and coaches can make to optimize sleep in high-demand environments
• Actionable strategies to improve sleep quality and consistency

Todd brings both lived experience as a professional athlete and expertise as a recovery specialist, bridging the gap between science and application.

This is sleep optimization from someone who's built a career around it.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.

Note: This episode is from a live recording of UNRACKED, having aired on May 28, 2025. 

Tom Barry, CEO of Westside Barbell, joins Cooper Napoli to unpack the Conjugate Method and its real-world application across diverse training populations.

In this episode, he breaks down:

• How the Conjugate Method structures training through max effort, dynamic effort, and repetition methods to systematically develop strength
• Where it shows up in his context: from elite powerlifters to MMA fighters, ultra marathoners, and team sport athletes at Westside
• The adjustments he makes when working with athletes who have limited training availability (condensed 2-3 day schedules vs. the traditional 4-day split)
• His approach to exercise selection: rotating max effort lifts every 1-3 weeks to find and strengthen individual "grooves" while avoiding accommodation

Tom shares insights from over a decade under Louie Simmons' mentorship, explaining how Westside translates powerlifting principles into athlete development. The conversation gets tactical on wave loading, determining appropriate training intensities, and why increasing absolute strength raises the ceiling for all other physical qualities.

This is the Conjugate Method from someone who lives it every day.

Join us live for each episode. Follow @BridgeAthletic on Instagram to catch monthly announcements and be part of the conversation as it happens.

Watch the full video on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWugDFLfxg9yEcS3hPXIMlupx9gmIFFDN

What is BridgeAthletic? BridgeAthletic is the leading training software for coaching professionals. Design programs, track progress, and deliver world-class training at scale. Start your free trial today.

Use code "COOPER" at checkout to get your second month of Bridge at 50% off.