Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast (Sports and Fitness)

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Syndication

Mark Watts is The Director of Education at elitefts™ and the NSCA Ohio State Director. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Professional and Applied Studies at Urbana University. He has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science & Health Promotion from California University of PA and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Clarion University of PA. Watts has worked with athletes in over 20 different sports at the Division I, II & III levels for over 15 years as a strength & conditioning coach at places such as Denison University, The United States Military Academy at West Point, Allegheny College and Clarion University. Watts competes in both powerlifting and strongman competitions. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and is a USMC veteran.

Direct download: SPP_65_Mark_Watts.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:21pm EDT

Bob Alejo

  • Assistant AD/ Director of Strength & Conditioning
  • North Carolina State University

Topics Covered in the Podcast

  1. How Coach Alejo got started in the industry
  2. How the game of baseball has progressed
  3. Communication with Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists
    1. Abdominal Injuries  in Baseball
    2. Baseball Players vs Throwers
  4. Tommy John's Epidemic... A different take
    1. Total body strength is the best way to increase bat speed
    2. More resiliency in younger arms
    3. Innings thrown vs pitches thrown
    4. Monitoring the Bullpen
    5. Baseball is performed from your toes to the ends of your fingers
  5. Assessments
    1. Approach athletes like they're damaged goods
    2. Its not a one day deal
  6. Go to Exercises
    1. There is no exercise you should avoid
    2. Pressing overhead for overhead athletes
    3. Finding the Research
    4. About balance more than movement
    5. Variances between the
  7. In-Season Training
    1. High Intensity during the season
    2. Decrease the slope of the decline by lifting heavy
    3. If you can't gain strength at the rep range how can you maintain it?
    4. Low Volume reduces fatigue and soreness
  8. Conditioning and Speed
    1. Rest,sets, and intervals
    2. Quantify everything
    3. Low intensity tempo work
    4. Tempo to Speed Endurance to Speed
    5. Everything comes down to 1st step speed
  9. Strategies to build rapport with Sport Coaches
    1. Everything data driven!
    2. Start correlating your data
    3. If you are going to be fast, you need to be strong, If you are strong, you can change direction
  10. Best advice for young coaches
    1. Technology has enabled coaches to contact anyone
    2. You don't need to guess anymore
    3. Call your peers
    4. Your group is your group. Get them better first

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes


The Bob Alejo File

Assistant AD/Director of Strength and Conditioning Bob Alejo oversees all of the strength and conditioning efforts of the department, and coordinates the day-to-day efforts of the men's basketball team.

Prior to joining the Wolfpack staff in April, Alejo served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Oakland A's, a position he also held from 1993-2001. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of the organization's year-round physical preparation at both the major league and minor league levels. 

Prior to rejoining the A's, Alejo was the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UC Santa Barbara from 2005-2008. During that time he was also a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team as strength and conditioning coach for the Gold medal-winning men's beach volleyball team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. 

From 1984-1993, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach at UCLA where he worked with 23 men's and women's teams, including the men's basketball team while current Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried was an assistant coach. During his tenure in Westwood, the Bruins racked up 25 national championships and produced more than 100 All-Americans. 

Prior to joining the Bruins' staff, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach for football at his alma mater, Chico State. He earned his B.A. in physical education from Chico State in 1982 and is a member of the Wildcats' Athletic Hall of Fame after a successful baseball career.

An accomplished lecturer and author, Alejo is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (through the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Certification Commission) and holds the advanced NSCA Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach distinction. He has also been elected to three halls of fame: Chico State Athletics, Chico State Baseball (inaugural inductee) and the Chico Professional Baseball "Legends of the Diamond."

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_64_Bob_Alejo.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 2:42pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Joe Hashey Interview

Joe Hashey

Synergy Athletics

Fitness Business Empire

 

Topics Covered in the Podcast

How Joe got started

 

  1. 4 Knee Surgeries.... and a lot of questions
  2. The Start of Synergy Athletics
  3. Transitioning from only athletes to the adult population
  4. Psychology of completion

 

What do need to know to start the training process

 

  1. What the athlete wants and what the parents think they need
  2. The responsibility of college preparation
  3. Using communication with coaches as a learning experience

 

A general look at the training philosophy

 

  1. Concurrent Periodization with High School and College Athletes
  2. Repetition method to prepare for Max effort and dynamic effort
  3. Training Athletes vs training lifters
  4. Athletes need to know, like, and trust you
  5. Understanding bar speed 

 

Relationship Building

  1. Three phases: Individual, family, community
  2. Referrals vs giving back

What athletes really need

 

  1. Appropriate recovery
  2. Sleep cycle
  3. Travel Teams
  4. Nutrition
  5. Not a work-ethic issue.... at all

 

Teaching skills related to the business word

 

  1. Understanding learning styles
  2. Match the mental to the physical goals
  3. Uncomfortable equals opportunity for growth

 

How professional development has evolved

  1. Mature as a business person as much as a training
  2. Trainers approach to business vs business owners approach to business
  3. The point of diminishing returns
  4. Social Media Impact
  5. Find people to network with

Training Football Players

 

  1. Linear periodization for conditioning
  2. One good lift in per session, then address weaknesses
  3. Training In-season during the off-season
  4. Make better at the sport not the work-out

 

The Best advice for Trainers and Gym Owners

  1. You must be a life-long learner
  2. There are people that have done what you want to do

The Joe Hashey File

Certified Strength And Conditioning Specialist, NSCA (2007 – present)
CPR and AED Certified (2006 – present)
Masters in the Arts Of Teaching – Colgate University (2006)

 

Achievements:
Youtube Partner – 8.2 Million Views on Fitness Videos.
Men’s Fitness, Contributing Author (2012)
Men’s Health, Contributing Author (2012)
Speaker NSCA National Conference, Las Vegas (2011 and 2012)
Speaker Central Ohio Strength Clinic (2011)
Author “Powerful Muscle Recovery Manual” (2011)
Speaker NSCA Vermont (2011)
Author “Bull Strength Conditioning Manual” (2010)
Speaker at Strength Coach 101 (2009)
Contributing Author – EliteFts, Straight to the bar, Critical Bench(2008- present)
Author “Bull Strength Training Manual” (2008)
Secrets of Strength Development Seminar Attendee (2009)
Head Modified Baseball Coach (2008 – 2009)
High School Assistant Football Coach (2006 – 2009)
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Hamilton High School (2005-2006)
Semi Professional Football All-Star (2004-2005)
Colgate University Football Player (2000-2002)

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_63_Joe_hashey.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 2:49pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Fred Eaves Interview

Fred Eaves

Director of Wellness and Athletic Performance

Battle Ground Academy

Topics in this Podcast

Topics Covered in this Podcast

How Coach Eaves got started in the profession

Taking over a New Program

  1. Assessing the situation 
  2. Identifying roadblocks
  3. Exceed expectations
  4. Under-promise over-deliver

The Multi-Sport Athlete

  1. Over-specialized and under-generalized
  2. The correlation between the number of sports played and injury rates
  3. The throwback kid: physicality, mentality, and resiliency
  4. The benefits of competing in other sports year round

Assessments

  1. Block Zero (Wildcat) assessments
  2. The Dynamic Movement Screen
  3. Relative strength
  4. Movement quality

Scheduling

  1. 8-period rotating schedule
  2. Tier System for everyone
  3. Regressing non-athletes in class
  4. Wildcat, white, grey, gold, blue programs
  5. Technique then Velocity then Load
  6. Counter-culture what the world tells us
  7. Do more of what they are not getting

In-Season Adjustments with the Tier System

  1. Manipulating sessions, volume, and intensity
  2. In-season: keep high intensity and control the volume
  3. Empowering older athletes
  4. RPE scales and HS athletes

Programming

  1. Rotating schedules for athletes
  2. 30 minute sessions during school hours
  3. MWF = Strength training, TH = Movement and Restoration
  4. Complex for the strength coach = simple for the kids and coaches
  5. Mixed gender versus boys and girls only

Go to Exercises/ Drills

  1. Trap Bar DL
  2. OlympicLifts
  3. Every situation is unique
  4. Overhead Squat
  5. Swiss Bar Presses
  6. Exercise selection for stress management
  7. Baseline with 3 regressions and 3 progressions

Monitoring/ feedback

  1. Why monitor if we can't do the basics
  2.  Be the best you that you can be
  3. APRE numbers for tracking
  4. Can't be numbers driven
  5. If you are only looking at the end number, you are not getting the whole picture
  6. Fighting against the Culture

Mentoring/ Character Development

  1. The most important aspect of the job
  2. Model the behavior
  3. Be accessible
  4. Transactional versus transformational
  5. All you leave behind is how you effect, Trickle down, cyclical
  6. Set the legacy
  7. Perception is reality
  8. Put accountability back on the player

Advice for young coaches

  1. Differentiate yourself
  2. Humility
  3. It is a unique field.. Sacrifice
  4. Bringing others down to build your up
  5. Stay in the Eye of the Storm

How to contact you/ social media

The Fred Eaves File

Fred Eaves is currently the Director of Wellness and Athletic Performance at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, TN. He has 16 years of experience in the field that includes stops at UT-Chattanooga, the University of Tennessee, and Louisiana State University as well as multiple high schools in the state of Tennessee. Eaves was voted the 2013 Samson Equipment and American Football Monthly Central Region High School Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. Battle Ground Academy’s Athletic Program has had tremendous success in the last year with state championships in men’s basketball, men’s soccer, Final Four appearances from baseball, women’s soccer, and a State Quarterfinal appearance from the football team. Eaves holds degrees from UT-Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech University, Lincoln Memorial University, and the University of Missouri. He currently serves as the Tennessee State Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Coach Fred Eaves is entering his second season as the Defensive Line Coach for the Wildcats.  This is also Coach Eaves 16th year coaching overall. Coach Eaves coached three State Championship football teams and 1 state championship weightlifting team before coming to BGA. In addition to coaching, Coach Eaves is the Wellness and Athletic Performance Coordinator for all BGA students and athletic teams. Coach Eaves has trained 32 NFL Draft picks as well as 10 NCAA All-Americans. Among these players are Jerod Mayo, Arian Foster, and Randall Cobb. Coach Eaves has also been a featured author for American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies. He is also a featured speaker at the Hammer Strength clinic series. Coach Eaves has been a strength coach collegiately at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, The University of Tennessee, and Louisiana State University. He is married to Kristy Eaves and has two step children: Savanna and Grant Allen.

Battle Ground Academy

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_62_Fred_Eaves.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 10:58am EDT

Elitefts SPP Mark McLaughlin Interview

Mark McLaughlin

  • Physical Preperation Coach
  • Owner of Performance Training Center

Topics Covered in this Podcast

Mark's Journey

  1. Catastrophic injuries in youth athletics
  2. 3 cases that got Mark's attention to research training
  3. Individual Training to Volunteer to Facility Owner

Assessments

  1. Extensive medical questionnaire
  2. Subjective information form athlete: What are your goals
  3. Omegawave assessments
  4. Warm-up and performance testing
  5. Sports Specific Conditioning
  6. Strength Assessments
  7. How much time are they willing to train?

Balancing the athletes schedule with training

  1. Number of games, fitness level, particular team or coach

Communication with Sport Coaches

  1. Educating parents and the athletes to avoid
  2. The Training is only one part of it
  3. Recovering is a crucial aspect
  4. Recovery need s to be individualized and personalized
  5. Recovery becoming natural
  6. Avoid glycolytic and lactic environments
  7. Allowing athletes to recover naturally
  8. HRV Fight or Flight vs. Rest and Relax

Training Youth Athletes

  1. Ban AAU Basketball and youth club sport games
  2. Educate coaches and parents
  3. A Platform for the education process
  4. Can science give us the data we need
  5. Governing bodies

Long Term Athletic Development Model

  1. The coaches don't have the tools to manage the process
  2. Education for when is the right and wrong time
  3. Differences between males and females
  4. The Formula 1 Analogy

HRV and other technology

  1. Charlie Francis observation of Ben Johnson
  2. Jay Schroeder Auto-regulation
  3. Coaches becoming great listeners
  4. Technology to embody the mission statement
  5. Buddy Morris, Tom Myslinski and the Omega Wave
  6. Observation plus training methodologies
  7. Learn from other coaches and how they implement their programs

Athlete Buy-In

  1. Quality trumps quantity
  2. Reducing Injuries in Athletes
  3. Educating parents and athletes on playing sport year-round
  4. Reducing games = reducing injuries
  5. Consistency of being active
  6. Helmets on before 9th grade?
  7. Concussions reducing exposures
  8. Best practices in terms of techniques

 What Athletes Need to Work on

  1. Running technique can fix itself depending on age
  2. Jumping, landing, bounding, etc
  3. Strength training: single leg bodyweight movement first
  4. Squat, Deadlift, Depth Jumps, etc. when the athlete is ready
  5. Its not the exercises but how they are integrated

The best advice for young coaches

  1. Be extremely open on everything
  2. Best practices of the most successful companies
  3. Develop a deep passion for learning
  4. Communication by embodies your values and must connect with a multitude of work

The Mark McLaughlin File

 

Founder of Performance Training Center. Mark attended college at the College of Sante’Fe in New Mexico. He is a native Oregonian currently living in Portland. His passion of all athletics flourished throughout his teen years. He participated and competed on various teams and in a variety of sports. Through his years of participation in sports and later in his education, Mark developed a deep commitment not just to sport but also to the complete well being of the athlete. This passion and commitment leads to continual self-education in the field of athletic performance enhancement. Mark has been active in the field of athletic performance enhancement since 1997. Mark has trained over 700 athletes on every competitive level ranging from Olympic, professional (NFL, MLB, CFL), college, high school and grade school athletes. As well as working with individual athletes, Mark works and consults with professional organizations (NFL, MLB, NBA), NCAA universities, high school, club, and youth sport organizations. In addition to Mark’s training and consulting services, he conducts speaking engagements with various organizations locally, nationally as well as internationally.

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_61_Mark_McLaughlin.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:27pm EDT

Chris Doyle
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Football
University of Iowa
 
Topics Covered in This Podcast
How Coach Doyle got started
  1. Strength & Conditioning and Football
  2. Same characteristics lead to success for any coach
  3. Sport Coach - Strength Coach Relationship
Biggest area of concern with 1st year players
  1. Be on Time, Listen-learn-apply, and work hard
  2. Teach athletes how to think
  3. Counter the recruiting process
  4. Adopt the team mindset
  5. We create habits and our habit creates us
  6. Teaching the program
Assessments
  1. Hybrid to FMS, back to a hybrid assessment
  2. Commonalities of Corrections
  3. The stack joint approach
Basic Off-Season Template
  1. The mistake of peaking everything at once
  2. 3 phases of the off-season
  3. Speed Training set-up
  4. Higher exposure, shorter volume
  5. Competitive Speed work. Measure it, rank it, post it
Exercise Selection
  1. Exercises must be: ground based, multi-joint,  and three-dimensional
  2. Five different levels in the program
  3. Block Periodization with older athletes
In-Season concerns
Two different groups are either playing or not
It's important to know who we are
 
Iowa Football
  1. We don't find talent we build it
  2. How little can we train and still gain in-season
  3. Technology to Modifying behavior vs modifying training
  4. Uncommon discipline, uncommon maturity
Developing rapport with athletes
  1. Everybody wants someone to believe in. Our job is to get people to believe in themselves - Dan Gable
  2. Flexibility with athletes
  3. Never allow your athletes to set the standards they don't know what they're capable of - Joe Moore
  4. Get in the rack and not hiding in your office
Staff Development
  1. Coach has learned more from his staff than they learned from him
  2. Read together, program together, think together
  3. Loyalty through the intern program
Advice for young coaches
  1. Maintain a beginners mindset
  2. How thirsty are you for knowledge?
  3. Read on a variety of subjects
  4. Go and visit good people
  5. Watch the best work in your field
  6. We don't coach weights we coach people - Johnny Parker
  7. Want to get paid well, offer something money cant buy
  8. Successful people aren't innovators they are early adapters - Mike Boyle
The Chris Doyle File

Chris Doyle is in his 16th year as strength and conditioning coach for the University of Iowa football program.

As the head of Iowa's strength and conditioning program, Doyle has helped the Hawkeye program participate in 11 bowl games since 2001, including the 2014 Outback Bowl. The Hawkeyes posted an 8-5 overall record in 2013, including a 5-3 Big Ten record to tie for second in the Legends Division. The Hawkeyes won bowl games following the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons, defeating ranked opponents in both 2009 and 2010. The Hawkeyes have ranked in the final top 10 of both major polls four times in the past 12 seasons.

Iowa has appeared in seven January bowl games since 2001. The Hawkeyes have won 6-of-11 bowl games under Kirk Ferentz and his staff, including four January bowl victories. The January Bowl wins have come over Florida (2004 Outback), LSU (2005 Capital One), South Carolina (2009 Outback) and Georgia Tech (2010 Orange).

Iowa has won 97 games over the past 12 seasons, including 57 Big Ten games. The Hawkeyes earned a share of the Big Ten title in both 2002 and 2004 and tied for second in 2009. Iowa has finished in the Big Ten's first division in 11 of the past 13 years.

Doyle is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCCa). He was presented with the certification of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach in May, 2013. The certification is considered the highest honor that can be achieved in the coaching profession of Strength and Conditioning, and represents professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise and longevity in the field.

The NSCA named Doyle the Big Ten Strength Coach of the Year in 1999. He was one of 20 nominees for the Professional of the Year Award, given annually and selected by the NSCA membership. The award recognizes college professionals who have shown excellence in strength training and conditioning programs.

He served as director of strength and conditioning for the University of Utah in 1998. Under Doyle's direction the Utah basketball team played in the national championship game. While in Utah, Doyle also served as state director for the NSCA.

Doyle was assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Wisconsin from 1996-98. He oversaw the training programs for football and hockey teams during this time. The Badger football team participated in two bowl games (Copper and Outback) and the hockey team won the WCHA championship during his tenure.

As a strength and conditioning professional, Doyle has tutored 180 student-athletes who have advanced to the professional ranks in the NFL, NHL and NBA. Iowa has had a total of 40 players selected in the past 10 NFL drafts, including six in each of the 2010, 2011 and 2012 drafts, and three in the most recent NFL Draft.

Overall, 49 Iowa players have been drafted in the past 12 years, with six first round selections and nine players being selected among the top 50 picks. In addition, 53 additional Hawkeye players signed free agent contracts in the past 10 years. Iowa, since 2003, has seen five former walk-ons selected in the NFL Draft.

Over the past 12 years, 114 of 128 (89 percent) of Iowa's senior starters were selected in the NFL Draft or signed to an NFL free agent contract. Six Hawkeyes were selected in the 2012 NFL Draft, while six additional seniors signed free agent contracts immediately following the draft. Iowa and Alabama were the only two programs to have a first round draft selection in three consecutive years (2010-12).

Doyle has mentored 49 former assistants who have advanced in the field of Strength and Conditioning, with 19 becoming head strength and conditioning coaches.

Doyle served as offensive line coach at Holy Cross from 1992-95. He also worked as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 1991 and Syracuse in 1990. Notre Dame won the 1992 Sugar Bowl following the 1991 season and Syracuse won the 1990 Aloha Bowl.

Doyle was a three-year starter on the offensive line at Boston University from 1986-88. He served as a student assistant for the football program there in 1989.

Chris earned his B.S. in human movement from Boston University in 1990 and his M.Ed. in education from Boston University in 1991.

Doyle was born June 30, 1968. Chris is from Quincy, Massachusetts, and attended Boston College High School. He was inducted into the Boston College High School Hall of Fame in November, 2004. Chris and his wife, Tia, have three sons, Declan, Donovan and Dillon.

Strength and Conditioning Mission Statement
The University of Iowa Football Program is committed to providing the ultimate training experience for each student-athlete. Our focus is to build the total athlete while reducing the risk of injury through individual evaluation and program design. Developing strong relationships with each athlete is a fundamental building block essential to the success of Iowa Football.

Doyle's Coaching Career
Iowa Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, 1999-present
Utah Director of Strength & Conditioning, 1998
Wisconsin Assistant Strength Coach, 1996-97
Holy Cross Offensive Line Coach, 1992-95
Notre Dame Graduate Assistant, 1991
Syracuse Graduate Assistant, 1990

Direct download: SPP_60_Chris_Doyle.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:41pm EDT

Evan Marcus

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Minnesota Vikings

Topics Covered in this Podcast

How Coach Marcus got started

  1. Getting an edge in athletics
  2. D3 to DI
  3. Meeting Rock Gullickson
  4. Not just Xs and Os but communicating with Athletes

Challenges at coaching at the professional level.

No matter what level, coaches are there to help athletes

Character Development
Your assessments, the biggest issues you face with athletes

  1. Don't assume anything
  2. Breaking everything down to its implest terms

Communication with private sector coaches

  1. Player would preferably train with former college coaches
  2. Expectations with more buy-in

Communication with the Medical Staff

  1. Point A to point B
  2. Overall goals for the players

Training before and during OTAs

  1. Working with professionals
  2. Knowing what to expect
  3. "Go-to" exercises with progressions and regressions
  4. Giving freedom to choose exercises
  5. Focusing on movement speed for older athletes

In-season training

  1. Maintain = good enough
  2. Being the strongest during the season

Technology in terms of readiness

Staff development

  1. No mixed messages for athletes
  2. The trust factor with staff
  3. Everyone believes in the same things

Advice for young strength coaches.

  1. Just because you are in the NFL doesn't make you a good strength coach
  2. Taking advantage opportunities
  3. Young coaches don't want to pay their dues
  4. Trying out what you read

 The Evan Marcus File

Having joined the Vikings in 2014 as Head Strength and Conditioning coach, Evan Marcus enters his 9th NFL season this fall and has been in the field for 25 seasons.

In Marcus’ first offseason with the Vikings, he oversaw a complete transformation of the club’s weight training facility and revamped the strength and conditioning philosophies. Under Marcus’ direction, the club now uses a free weight based program, which places an emphasis on power, speed and quickness.

During his NFL career, Marcus has been a part of 2 Division Champions- New Orleans in 2000 and Miami in 2008. The 2000 Saints won their NFC Wild Card playoff game over St. Louis at the Superdome to give the franchise their 1st playoff win in the 34-year history of the club before advancing to the NFC Divisional Round against Minnesota. The NFC West title for the Saints was their 1st since the 1991 season and marked the 1st winning season for the club in 8 years. The 2008 Dolphins went 11-5 to win the AFC East, completing one of the great turnarounds in NFL history after going 1-15 the previous season. The 10-win improvement tied the biggest single-season jump in NFL history. The AFC East championship was the Dolphins’ 1st Division title since 2000.

Marcus oversaw strength and conditioning efforts at Virginia from 2011-13 as Director of Football Training and Player Development for the Cavaliers, marking his second stint in Charlottesville, the first coming as Head Strength Coach from 2003-06. Combined with his leadership at UVA, Marcus was head strength coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2008-10 and held the same position in 2007 with the Atlanta Falcons, where he worked with then DC Mike Zimmer.

Marcus began his NFL coaching tenure from 2000-02 as an assistant with the New Orleans Saints. His start in the field came at the college level with positions at Arizona State (1991-92), Rutgers (1993), Maryland (1994), Texas (1995-97) and Louisville (1998-99).

A 1990 graduate of Ithaca College, Marcus earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science. As a student-athlete he lettered 3 times as an OL with the Bombers and was a starter on the NCAA Division III national championship team in 1988.

A native of Union, NJ, Marcus attended Cranford High School. He earned his master’s degree at Arizona State in 1992. Marcus and wife, Lori, have a son, Jake, and daughter, Anna.

Bio from Minnesota Vikings

Direct download: SPP_59_Evan_Marcus.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 2:30pm EDT

Tobias Jacobi

  • Strength & Conditioning Coach
  • Assistant Football Caoch
  • Teacher

Strong Rock Christian School

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. The Journey
  2. The family sacrifice
  3. Gong from a a head position
  4. Dealing with being let go
  5. Being humble and
  6. You cannot be successful without an ego in this profession
  7. Becoming a better coach by fitting in with other coaches
  8. The transition from college to high school
  9. The multi-sport athletes
  10. Parents vs sport coaches
  11. Getting kids strong in limited time
  12. As little specialization as possible
  13. Consistency is king
  14. Box Squats for all athletes
  15. Chris Doyle and programming
  16. Assessments for athletes
  17. Coach Jacoby's 5 Specific Assessments
  18. What a typical training week looks like
  19. What Coach Coach Jacoby wants all his athletes to talk with him
  20. Taking pride in your last name
  21. Implementing a leadership program
  22. Communicating with Sport coaches and parents
  23. Face-time is vitally important
  24. Have the best interest of the athlete in mind
  25. E-Mail is the devil
  26. Get out of the weight room
  27. If the only time coaches see you is in the weightrom than that is all you will ever be to them.
  28. Advice for young coaches
  29. Figure out what you don't know and learn it.
  30. Call or visit the best coaches in the industry

Tobias Jacobi File

Past Job Experience
Strong Rock Christian School; May 2014 - Current
East Carolina University; January 2012-May 2014
Charleston Southern; May 2008-January 2012
Kent State; July 2006-April 2008
Western Carolina University; July 2002-July 2006
Elon University; June 2001-July 2002
North Carolina Chapel Hill; August 2000-May 2001
Cumberland University; November 1999-August 2000
Education
Cumberland University
B.S. Physical Education 2000
minor Health

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_58_Tobias_Jacoby.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 11:42am EDT

Mike Boyle

Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning

 

Topics Covered in this Podcast

The Beginnings

How Coach Boyle got his Start

Having Mike Woicik as a roommate

Appointing himself as the BU Strength Coach

Training

Training for Hockey

Getting strong is getting strong regardless of sport

Why there is a steroid problem in Track & Field

Defining strength in an unconventional way

Unilateral Training for Sports

The Bilateral deficit research

The influence of Mark Verstagen

How a coach defines strong vs what is strong for their sports

Youth Training

What we are doing wrong

The Matheny Manifesto

The 10,000 Rule

Greg Rose's Cyclone Circuit

Basic Motor Qualities

Early Specialization

Soccer in Brazil and Baseball in the Dominican

The number 1 problem in youth sports....the parents

The responsibility of the strength coach

Staff Development

Pick the Right People

Get people that want to work

Educating through a solid set of resources

Book club for professional development

Making the coaches do the workout

Advice for Young Coaches

Unlike the rest of the business world

Make yourself invaluable

Whats our conversation going to be like when I see you

Recommending coaches for future jobs

Contact Info

 

The Michael Boyle File

 

Michael Boyle is one of the foremost experts in the fields of Strength and Conditioning, Functional Training and general fitness. He currently spends his time lecturing, teaching, training and writing. In 1996 Michael co founded Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, one of the first for-profit strength and conditioning companies in the world. Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning exists for one reason: to provide performance enhancement training for athletes of all levels. Athletes trained range from junior high school students to All Stars in almost every major professional sport.

 

Prior to Co- founding Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, Michael served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Boston University for 15 years, also for the past 25 years he been  the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Men's Ice Hockey at Boston University.  Mike also was the Boston Red Sox  strength and conditioning coach in 2013 that won the World Series. In addition to his duties at Boston University and the Red Sox, from 1991-1999 Boyle served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Michael was also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the 1998 US Women's Olympic Ice Hockey Team, Gold Medalists in Nagano and 2014 Silver medalists in Sochi, and served as a consultant in the development of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 

Michael has been a featured speaker at numerous strength and conditioning and athletic training clinics across the world and has produced 20 instructional videos in the area of strength and conditioning available through M-F Athletic. Michael has also lectured all over the world. In addition, Michael published Functional Training for Sports for Human Kinetics Publishers. Mike and his wife Cindy have 2 children, Michaela and Mark and reside in Reading.

Courtesy of MBSC

Direct download: SPP_57_Mike_Boyle.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:16pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Ted Perlak Interview

Ted Perlak

Assistant Athletic Director for Strength & Conditioning

University of Delaware

  1. How Ted Got Started in
  2. Development of Your Staff
  3. Sport Coach Relationships
  4. Starting Over of as a New Coach
  5. Durability
  6. Five Things every coach wants and every athlete needs
  7. Adjusting the facility
  8. Communication at the beginning of the year to add buy-in
  9. The lost art of technique
  10. Not what you emphasis it what you tolerate and what you allow
  11. Its about Progress
  12. The Four "Knows" of Programming
  13. Why you Eat the Frog First
  14. Fitting exercises in the Training template
  15. Back to Front Approach
  16. The Conjugated Tier System under Prilepin's Table
  17. Training Schedules
  18. Two 2-Week Microcycle
  19. Collision vs Contact vs Non-Contact Sports
  20. Preparing for Practice
  21. Using Velocity Based Training In-Season
  22. SS Yoke bar and Chains for squat progressions
  23. Expecting the Worse to be surprised
  24. Nutrition with Athletes
  25. The added benefits of Velocity based Training
  26. What is the biggest challenge with Freshman
  27. What Coach Perlak does to make himself a better coach
  28. The internet and strength & conditioning
  29. There are two types of strength coaches
  30. Advice for Young Strength Coaches
  31. What Ted Learned from Joe DeFranco
  32. Personalities and Communications

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

Articles by Ted Perlak

The Ted Perlak File

Ted Perlak, who spent the last 12 years as a strength & conditioning coach at the NCAA Division I level, has been named head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Delaware, Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Eric Ziady announced Friday.

Perlak, who most recently worked as strength & conditioning coach at Colonial Athletic Association newcomer Elon University, will begin his tenure at Delaware on May 19.

“We are excited to have Ted join the Blue Hens family and serve as the leader of our strength and conditioning program,” said Ziady. “This position is critical to the success of our athletics teams here at Delaware and we are confident that Ted’s knowledge and innovation in this area along with his hard work and dedication will help prepare our student-athletes for great success on the playing fields.”

At Delaware, Perlak will be responsible for the strength and conditioning efforts for Delaware's 21 sports programs and nearly 600 student-athletes, designing and implementing strength and conditioning plans for all of the Blue Hen men's and women's athletic teams. His primary role will be working with the UD football and volleyball programs.

“It’s a great honor to be named the head strength & conditioning coach at the University of Delaware,” said Perlak. “During the interview process I had the opportunity to see the vision of the administration and it is something I’m excited to be a part of. The opportunity to work with Coach (Dave) Brock and his staff along with all the other coaches makes this 100 percent a place my family and I want to be. I can’t wait to get started.”

Perlak spent the 2013-14 season at Elon, a current member of the Southern Conference that sponsors 17 intercollegiate sports, including football. The Phoenix will join the CAA as a full-time member in all sports this fall.

“I am really excited to welcome Ted and his family to the University of Delaware,” said Brock, who will begin his second season as head coach this fall. “This hire represents a great opportunity to upgrade one of the most critical areas of all successful football programs. I can't wait for Ted to get going with our players as we enter the summer phase of our strength and conditioning.”

Perak previously spent eight seasons at Fordham University, including the last six seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach. While at the Bronx, N.Y. school, he worked closely with the football, basketball, soccer, softball, and track and field teams.

Prior to his stint at Fordham, Perlak served as the director of strength and conditioning at Iona College for two years. While at Iona, he was responsible for the design, implementation and coaching of all varsity athletic programs. He also supervised and organized staff participation in off-season and preseason workout sessions.

Perlak served as the strength and conditioning coordinator at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pa., in 2004 where he designed and executed the strength and conditioning program. He was also responsible for off-season and preseason workouts.

Perlak has been involved with the United States Olympic Training Center, serving as a strength and conditioning resident intern from January until May of 2004. In that role he assisted the staff in developing and implementing programs for Olympic, Olympic hopefuls, Pan-American, and Paralympic individual athletes and national teams.

A 2001 graduate of Worcester (Mass.) State College, Perlak was a four-year starter and two-time captain with the football team before earning a bachelor's degree in health science with a concentration in exercise science.

Following a year in which he served as the strength and conditioning coordinator at his alma mater, Perlak worked at Temple University as an assistant and earned his master's degree in sport administration there in 2004.

A native of Pittsfield, Mass., Perlak and his wife, Christine, have a daughter, Rueby Mae.

University of Delaware Athletics

Direct download: SPP_56_Ted_Perlak.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 10:21am EDT

Elitefts SPP: Cory Schlesinger Interview

Cory Schlesinger

Assistant Director of Sports Enhancement for men's basketball

University of Alabama-Birmingham

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1.  The Nautilus Checklist
  2. A Strength Coach at age 19
  3. Intern to Director
  4. The advantage of being an assistant
  5. General and Foundational Strength
  6. Noon ball to a new job
  7. The Coyote Kettlebell Club with Dan John
  8. Primal Movements - Motor Skills
  9. Movement for Body Awareness
  10. Complexes for multiple modalities
  11. Assessments for basketball players
  12. Joint by Joint from the ground up
  13. Don't need to be a genius to see dysfunction
  14. Modifications by height
  15. Olympic Lifting Variations for taller players
  16. Multiple squat variations
  17. the Wingspan Phenomena; Training Spiders
  18. Off-Season = Should be most variation
  19. Changes in the culture of Basketball
  20. Physicality can dictate the way players play
  21. The beauty of the younger sport coach
  22. The Southern culture in basketball
  23. Players are not education and it's not their fault
  24. Technology in sports performance
  25. Technology reinforces what you already know
  26. How weight training can turn into regeneration
  27. Experience beats technology
  28. Perceived maxes based on velocity: Fast and Smooth
  29. Programming  strength training in-season
  30. Off-Season Training
  31. Linear periodization using RPE
  32. Olympic Complex
  33. Conditioning throw extensive complexes and sled work
  34. Key to communications need to be transparent
  35. Find the universal language
  36. Mentoring
  37. Learning how to learn
  38. Identify how others learn
  39. Feel to replicate
  40. Give credit where credit is due
  41. How to reach Cory.

The Cory Schlesinger File

Cory Schlesinger is an Assistant Director of Sports Enhancement to work with the Blazers' men's basketball program along with the men's golf program.

"Coming to UAB is a dream job and it is a destination," Schlesinger said. "Mainly because I get to work specifically with Coach Jerod Haase. I believe in Coach Haase, and I believe that he will win and win at a high level."

Schlesinger served a pair of internships at the University of North Carolina, in 2008 and 2009, while Haase was an assistant coach on Roy Williams' staff with the Tar Heels.

“Cory’s knowledge for strength and conditioning is something that I love,” Haase said. “He is always trying to learn and grow as a coach, but what he brings with his knowledge is what already really sets him apart from others. He is young and energetic like the rest of our staff and will fit right in.  We have a chance to be really good in a lot of different ways and I think strength and conditioning is in good shape.”

Schlesinger plans to not only get the Blazers' men's basketball players in best possible shape for the upcoming 2013-14 campaign, but also have their bodies ready for the long, grueling season.

"One of my major goals is to impact the team in the offseason but also in season, when traveling with the team on the road," Schlesinger said. "Whether it be training, nutrition, supplementation or regeneration sessions, I want the guys recovered and ready for the next game."

Schlesinger, a native of Hillsville, Va., spent the last three years as Director of Strength and Conditioning at Santa Clara University, working with student-athletes on the men's and women's basketball teams.

Prior to joining the staff at Santa Clara, Schlesinger spent time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. In addition, he was a sports nutritionist for the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) along with being a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and also earned certification in United States Weightlifting.

Schlesinger earned his master's degree in education with a concentration in exercise science at Campbell University in 2011. During his time as a graduate assistant, he worked with the volleyball, men's soccer, swimming and diving, golf and tennis programs, while also assisting with football.

A former basketball player at Berea College in Berea, Ky., Schlesinger graduated with a bachelor of arts in physical education with a concentration in exercise science and sports medicine in 2009. During his time as an undergraduate, Schlesinger completed a pair of internships at Wake Forest in 2007 under strength coach Ethan Reeve and a pair of internships at North Carolina in 2008 and 2009.

At UNC he worked under strength coach Jonas Sahratian where he helped train the men's basketball team.

"None of my experiences and I would not be where I am at today without Coach Jonas Sahratian," Schlesinger said. "He's my mentor and biggest influence and I owe everything to him for helping and guiding me."

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_55_Cory_Schleshinger.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:02pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Frank Wintrich Interview

Frank Wintrich

Director of Football Sports Performance

Brigham Young University

Topic in this Podcast

How Coach Wintrich got started
Assessments
Olympic Lifts
High Low Sequencing
In-Season Training
Technology
The ABCs
Advice for Young Coaches

The Frank Wintrich File

Provides the BYU football program with integrated short and long term physical preparation training. A highlight of this training is the implementation of the multi-year system of training known as P.A.D.S. This program incorporates a holistic approach to the development of athletes, ensuring the mastery of one skill before moving forward with the development of a more advanced skill. Training begins with developing the minds of athletes through the utilization of the Self Aware Athlete program. This educational resource teaches athletes how to understand their bodies in order to better provide for their everyday physical and emotional needs. Performance Program Principles dictate athletes train safely, with a focus on strength development along with skills specific to their individual needs and most importantly developing the Warrior Mindset – a program established in conjunction with former USMC Force Reconnaissance Marines and Sport Psychology PhD’s.

Years at BYU

  • 2015-present

Education

  • Bachelor of Science, Sports and Fitness Management – Kentucky Wesleyan College, 2002

Before BYU

  • Director of football performance, University of North Texas 2011-2014

  • Associate director of strength and conditioning, University of South Florida, 2008-2010

  • Director of athletic development, The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, 2006-2007

  • Assistant strength and conditioning coach,  Utah State University, 2004-2005

  • Coaching assistant,  Arizona State University, 2003

  • Head strength coach, Hardin-Simmons University, 2002

Playing Career

  • A team captain two consecutive years and a two-time All-American at linebacker for Kentucky Wesleyan College

Personal

  • Hometown: Seminole, Florida

www.elitefts.com

 

Direct download: SPP_54_Frank_Wintirich.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:12pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Eric Cressey Interview

Topics Covered in This Podcast

  1. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity
  2. The biggest changes Eric has seen in Baseball
  3. Assessments for athletes
  4. Communication with coaches
  5. Do no harm, do no good?
  6. Educating athletes
  7. Best scheduled scenario for In-season training
  8. This may not be bad, but is there something better?
  9. Emotional separaration of
  10. Traits of Elite level players
  11. Torso Injuries in Baseball. Why?
  12. Theres what you know and what you can implement - Mike Boyle
  13. Eric Cressey's "Bang-for-our-buck" exercises
  14. Deadlift tips for athletes.
  15. Speed Training for Baseball
  16. Replicating & Simulation versus carryover on the field
  17. The importance of Staff Synergy
  18. The Law of Repeated Exposures
  19. The best advice for young coaches
  20. How to reach Eric, upcoming events

The Eric Cressey File

Eric Cressey is president and co-founder of Cressey Sports Performance, with facilities located in Hudson, MA and Jupiter, FL.  A highly sought-after coach for healthy and injured athletes alike, Eric has helped athletes at all levels - from youth sports to the professional and Olympic ranks - achieve their highest levels of performance in a variety of sports.  Behind Eric's expertise, Cressey Sports Performance has rapidly established itself as a go-to high performance facility among Boston athletes - and those that come from across the country and abroad to experience CSP's cutting-edge methods.  Eric is perhaps best known for his extensive work with baseball players, with more than 100 professional players traveling to train with him each off-season.

Cressey, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, received his Master’s Degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science through the University of Connecticut Department of Kinesiology, the #1 ranked kinesiology graduate program in the nation. At UCONN, Eric was involved in varsity strength and conditioning and research in the human performance laboratory. Previously, Eric graduated from the University of New England with a double major in Exercise Science and Sports and Fitness Management.

An accomplished author, Cressey has authored over 500 published articles in all.  Eric has published five books and co-created four DVD sets that have been sold in over 60 countries around the world.  Eric has been an invited guest speaker in five countries and 19 U.S. states. His Master’s thesis, “The effects of 10 weeks of lower-body unstable surface training on markers of athletic performance,” was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, and Cressey was a co-author for the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA) High School Strength and Conditioning Certification. He serves on the advisory boards for both the IYCA and Precision Nutrition, and is a baseball consultant to New Balance.

As a competitive powerlifter, Eric holds several state, national, and world records. A mainstay in the Powerlifting USA Top 100 lifts in his weight class, Cressey is rapidly approaching Elite status with competition bests of 540 squat, 402 bench, 650 deadlift, and 1532 total in the 165-pound weight class.  He is recognized as a coach who can jump, sprint, and lift alongside his best athletes to push them to higher levels - and keep them healthy in the process.

Eric's writing and his work with athletes have been featured in such local and national publications as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, ESPN, T-Muscle, Yahoo Sports, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, Baseball America, The Worcester Telegram, Perform Better, Oxygen, Experience Life, Triathlete Magazine, Collegiate Baseball, Active.com, The Metrowest Daily News, Parents and Kids, and EliteFTS.  In the business world, Eric has worked with several start-up companies as both an angel investor and advisor.

Although prepared in a variety of bodies of knowledge, Cressey specializes in applied kinesiology and biomechanics as they relate to program design and corrective exercise; maximal relative strength development; and athletic performance enhancement. Feel free to contact Eric at ec@ericcressey.com.

About Cressey Performance

Cressey Performance is a high-performance training facility designed by athletes for athletes, and those looking to make a serious commitment to their long-term health. CP provides athletes with an environment in which they can identify and work toward quantifiable improvements both inside and outside the training facility.  With an emphasis on individualized goals and needs, each client is provided with unique programming and the coaching necessary to carry out these measures effectively. Recognized for its no-nonsense, motivating training environment with just the right mix of science and attitude, the knowledge displayed and results attained at CSP has led to success at local, national and international levels.

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_53_Eric_Cressey.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:45pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Gary Schofield Interview

Gary Schofiled

Heade Strength & Conditioning Coach

Greater Atlanta Christian School

NSAC Southest Regional Coordinator

Topics in this Podcast

How Gary Schofield got started.
From D3 Baseball to the NBA
Think different to make a difference
High School Strength & Conditioning in the Southeast
What a typical day looks like
Adapting the training for athletes that are in-season
Monitoring Athletes at the High School Level
What gets measured matters
The role of an Educator in a Physical Education Setting
Five Premises for Every High School Strength Coach
What does a High School plan look like
Three factors when developing a plan.
Speed and Agility Progressions for Athletes
Rest & Recovery is the best thing I have added to my program
4 phases of Agility Training
4 Phases of Linear Speed Development
Sports are not played for sport; sports are played for scholarships
The Criticism of CrossFit. Why?
Coaches Rock, Experts Rule
Can’t have impact without Connection
Coach Schofield’s Biggest influences

Coach Schofield on Twitter

Greater Atlanta Christian School

NSCA Southeast Region on FaceBook

Elitefts.com

 

Direct download: SPP_52_Gary_Schofield.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 12:12pm EDT

Elitefts SPP - Power Athlete Interview

Power Athlete

John Welbourn, Luke Summers, Cali Hinzman, Tex McQuilkin, Bobby Goodfellow

Topics in this Podcast

1. How did Power Athlete get started: From he NFL to training athletes
2. What is the most important takeaway for attendees of a seminar
3. The challenge of teaching lifters to be athletes: the missing link of movement
4. The mental barrier of training being the test
5. Starting position determines success on the field and the weight room
6. Adapting training to the population and their goals
7. Key component of the warm-up (targeting the population and the movements).
8. Addressing demands and Opportunity: Scaling across a population
9. ACL injury prevention strategies: Identify injury mechanisms, 4 factors
10. Performance Perspective Cueing
11. Coaching cues and addressing weakpoints for the Olympic Lifts
12. Emotional, tactical and mechanical cues
13. Using the Olympic lifts as a means to an end
14. Common mistakes with the Olympic lifts and strategies to fix them.
15. Violence in the Pull and Using Strongman implements to teach hip extension
16. The Tone of Coaches dictating athletic performance
17. Assessing grip training for the overall athlete
18. Speed and agility: progressions and the most carry-over
19. The 5 Exercise question, well maybe more
20. Motivating athletes in a variety of settings (collegiate vs private) etc.
21. What PA has coming up in terms of events and contact info

What is Power Athlete?
Power Athlete is a training system and community for building strong, efficient, fast, powerful athletes.

With performance at the forefront, we see the emergence of Power Athlete HQ, a site continuing where CrossFit Football leaves off; as an online resource dedicated to providing coaches and athletes of various backgrounds comprehensive insight into meeting their training goals.

From day one, CrossFit Football has had a singular focus to develop strength, speed, and athleticism in its power athletes.  While fitness is just one component of athleticism, efficient movement and stability are paramount in sport.  We strive for perfection of movement, strength of body and mind, and put an emphasis in training as we fight. Power Athlete HQ worked with thousands of athletes ranging from amateur to professionals and have decades of experience coaching and playing at professional levels.

One thing is clear: in competition, very few rise to the occasion, the majority tend to fall to the level of their training. To account for this, we believe in the persistent pursuit of perfection with our athletes.

The Power Athlete team is dedicated to providing relevant content to our followers with one goal in mind: creating strong, efficient, fast and most importantly, powerful athletes.

John Welbourn

John Welbourn is the creator/operator of CrossFit Football and Power Athlete. He is a 10 year NFL veteran. John was drafted with the 97th pick in 1999 NFL Draft. He went on to be a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999-2003, appearing in 3 NFC Championship games, and for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2004-2007. In 2008, he played with the New England Patriots until an injury ended his season early. Over the course of his career, John has started over 100 games and has 10 play-off appearances. He was a four year lettermen while playing football at the University of California at Berkeley. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Rhetoric in 1998. John also is owner of CrossFit Balboa, an S&C gym in Orange County, CA. CrossFit Balboa is one of a handful of Westside Barbell certified gyms in the world. In addition to training MLB, NFL and other professional and Olympic athletes, John travels the world lecturing on performance and nutrition. You can catch up with John as his personal blog on training, food and life, Talk To Me Johnnie.

Luke Summers

Luke has been training athletes in CrossFit, Weightlifting, and Olympic Lifting since 2007. He spent 6 years pushing pencils in “Corporate America,” spending 3 of those years moonlighting as a Strength & Conditioning Coach before and after work. Luke was an athlete his whole life and played multiple sports, but his primary focus was football. He played up through college until a neck injury forced him to hang it up. He travels with the CrossFit Football staff and has coaches a variety of athletes from amateur to professional levels in football, baseball, and track.

Cali Hinzman

A strength and conditioning coach since 2009, Cali has worked with numerous athletes spanning from rugby players to cross country skiers.Almost immediately after finding CrossFit in 2010, she was introduced to a program that better suited her athletic goals.With her existing background in powerlifting and football, she became a natural devotee to CrossFit Football and testament to it's effectiveness.In 2012, she left D.C. and headed for the state named after her to be a part of the CrossFit Football Seminar Staff and a Jedi of Power Athlete HQ.

Tex McQuilkin

MS, CSCS, CHES
Former collegiate lacrosse defensive midfielder, 4-year letter winner and 3-year team captain. Coached strength and conditioning collegiately with Georgetown University Men's and Women's lacrosse and Women's Crew, as well with the University of Texas at Austin's football program. Apprenticed under Raphael Ruiz of 1-FortyFour-1 studying proper implementation of science based, performance driven training systems. Head coached CrossFit Dupont's program for two years in Washington D.C. Received a Master's in Health Promotion Management from Marymount University in 2010, and has been a coach for Power Athlete since October, 2012.

Bobby Goodfellow

Bobby grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania where coal-country football and wrestling rule the land.  Like most kids in his blue collar town, Bobby played football, ran track and field, and wrestled from a young age.  It didn’t take long to see his affinity for football and it became the focus of his interests through high school.  Bobby competed in powerlifting and strongman, and was a professional ski instructor and alpine race coach throughout college.  After college, Bobby chased a job to Washington, DC, got the field sport bug, and jumped head-first into Super League Rugby – playing Inside Center for Potomac Athletic Club.

http://powerathletehq.com/

http://www.elitefts.com/

Direct download: SPP_51_Power_Athlete.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 10:30am EDT

Elitefts SPP: Ross Bowsher Interview

Ross Bowsher, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Arkansas Tech University

Topics in this Interview

How Ross got started in the profession
Networking through powerlifting
Mentors that allow their assistants to grow
"You can make it other ways"
Training is training no matter where you are
Motivating athletes: "You have to want to have to train”
Running a DI program at the DII level
Why hasn’t small schools adapted this model?
Trusting your assistant by trusting who they learned from
Velocity based training
Using Force plate to determine strength & speed qualities
Weak point training at the highest level
Brian Mann is the man using VBT for preparedness
Knowing your athletes: jousting preparedness by bar speed
Developing high force at slower speeds
Differences in technique based on body types
From Charlie Francis to Dwayne Carlisle; From the weight room to the field.
The speed work and the weight room are married
Working with Throwers
Weak Point training with throwers
The Law of Individual differences
You have to survive it to be great at it
The best of advice for young coaches? Compete
I am my best coach when I was training
If you have not pushed yourself, these kids do not believe you
Three things to learn from Johnny Parker
Harold Nash Moses Cabrera Box Squat
Max Effort DL with Pat Ivy
This does happen if you do not live the life

The Ross Bowsher File

Ross Bowsher, who has spent the last nine years as a strength and conditioning coach at the Division I level, has been selected as the first Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Arkansas Tech University, announced Director of Athletics Steve Mullins on Tuesday.

Bowsher, who most recently served as Sports Performance Assistant at Big Ten member Purdue University, will officially begin his duties at Arkansas Tech on July 1.

"We are excited to have Ross join the Tech family and serve as the leader of our strength and conditioning program," said Mullins. "The addition of a comprehensive strength and conditioning program will benefit all of our student-athletes and programs here at Arkansas Tech, and we are confident that the knowledge and expertise that Ross brings to this position will help prepare our student-athletes for great success in competition."

At Arkansas Tech, Bowsher will be responsible for the strength and conditioning efforts for Tech's 10 sports programs and nearly 300 student-athletes, designing and implementing strength and conditioning plans for all of the Wonder Boys and Golden Suns athletic teams.

"I feel privileged to be at Arkansas Tech," said Bowsher. "I feel like I've worked under two of the best strength coaches in the nation in coach Jim Peal and coach Duane Carlisle. I spent time at Purdue under coach Carlisle building a sports performance program from the ground up that is considered one of the nation's best, and I'm excited to bring what I learned under both coaches to Arkansas Tech."
 
Bowsher has served as the Sports Performance Assistant at Purdue from 2011-14, where he oversaw the sports performance programs for baseball and the track and field throwers while assisting with football. Previously, he spent 2005-2011 at Butler University on the staff of veteran strength and conditioning coach Jim Peal, who worked with four national championship teams, four Final Four squads, and one FCS national championship team in football.

Prior to joining the staff at Butler, Bowsher served as the Associate Director of Sports Performance at Athlete's Edge in Indianapolis from 2003-05.

Bowsher received an associate's degree in health and human performance from Vincennes University in 2001, before completing the NSCA 18-credit hour certification program in 2004 from IUPUI. In 2008, he earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from the University of Indianapolis. He is currently certified through the CSCCa.

He played baseball at both Vincennes and the University of Tennessee-Martin.

Bowsher has attained elite powerlifting totals in both the 242 and 275 weight classes, and is a member of the International Powerlifting Association and American Powerlifting Federation. He is currently in the top 50 in the world Power Lifting USA rankings in the squat and deadlift, and is in the top 100 in the bench press.            

Courtesy Arkansas Tech University

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_50_Ross_Bowsher.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:02pm EDT

Brian Thompson, PhD

Associate Professor of Exercise Science and Sport Studies
Director of Strength and Conditioning

Springfield College

Topics in this Podcast

How Brian Got Started
Managing the Duel Role
The Springfield Curriculum; 3 major components
What are the key requirements for every student
Looking in the Mirror
Advice on Internships
How does Coach Thompson evaluate graduate assistants
Coach Interactions with Athletes
The responsibility of carrying the torch
Coaches reacting to criticism
Scheduling teams in the small school setting
Traveling to China and observing training
Assessments
Programing Templates
What you should know by the time you earn your BS
The role of Nutrition in Coaches
Advice for young coaches
How to reach Dr. Thompson

Brian Thompson, PhD

Associate Professor of Exercise Science and Sport Studies
Director of Strength and Conditioning
Office: ATES 206
Email: bathomps@springfieldcollege.edu
Phone: (413) 748-3495

Courses Taught

  1. Advanced Strength and Conditioning
  2. Strength and Conditioning
  3. Strength and Conditioning Applications
  4. Exercise Testing and Prescription for Special Populations
  5. Stress Management
  6. Measurement and Evaluation

Biography

Brian Thompson is the director of strength and conditioning/head strength and conditioning coach, a professor of exercise science, and the graduate strength and conditioning program director at Springfield College, where he has worked since 1998. In addition to teaching in the applied exercise science program, he is responsible for the strength and conditioning program design and implementation for all 24 teams at Springfield College as well as teaching and advising in the graduate strength and conditioning program.  Thompson first started working in the field of strength and conditioning in 1987 and has trained athletes at the elementary school, middle school, high school, collegiate, professional, Paralympic, and Olympic levels. He has presented and/or conducted strength and conditioning related workshops in Australia, China, Mexico, Taiwan and throughout the United States. Thompson received a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Ball State University and a master’s degree and doctoral degree from the University of Illinois.

Certifications

  1. CSCS*D
  2. RSCC*D
  3. ATC
  4. LAT
  5. USAW
  6. FMS

Recent Presentations

  1. “Movement Preparation”, BA Thompson, Shandong Sports Bureau, May 30, 2014, Jinan, China.
  2. “Functional Movement Screening”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 28, 2014, Tianjin, China.
  3. “Developing Explosive Power”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 28, 2014, Tianjin, China.
  4. “Breathing Techniques in Strength and Conditioning”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 28, 2014, Tianjin, China
  5. “Functional Training in Sports”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 27, 2014, Tianjin, China.
  6. “Individual Differences in Training”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 27, 2014, Tianjin, China.
  7. “Periodization for Sports”, BA Thompson, Tianjin Sport University, May 26, 2014, Tianjin, China.
  8. “Strength and Conditioning Roundtable”, BA Thompson, International Performance Training Summit, May 25, 2014, Beijing, China.
  9. “Developing Strength and Conditioning Professionals – for coaches”, BA Thompson, International Performance Training Summit, May 24, 2014, Beijing, China.
  10. “Developing Strength and Conditioning Professionals – for athletes”, BA Thompson, International Performance Training Summit, May 24, 2014, Beijing, China.
  11. “Strength Training for Children” via video, BA Thompson, Institute of Physical Education and Sport in Algeria 1st International Conference, May 11, 2014, University of Khemis Milania, Algeria.
  12. “Strength and Conditioning”, BA Thompson, STCC Health and Wellness Club, March 7, 2014, Springfield, MA.
  13. “Upper Body Exercise Physiology”, BA Thompson, USOC Paralympic Summit, February 1, 2014, Champaign, IL.
  14. “Circuit Training for Wheelchair Athletes”, BA Thompson, USOC Paralympic Summit, February 1, 2014, Champaign, IL.
  15. “The Paralympic Athlete”, BA Thompson, New England ACSM Annual Fall conference November 15, 2013.
  16. “Practicum, Internship, & Fieldwork Placement Opportunities in 2014”, BA Thompson, New England ACSM Annual Fall conference November 15, 2013.

Recent Publications

  1. Luk, H.Y., Winter, C., O’Neill, E. & Thompson B.A.  The Comparison of Muscle Force Imbalance in Powerlifters and Jumpers.  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2013, April 15. [Epub ahead of print]
  2. Ambekonaker, J.P, Redmond, C.J., Winter, C., Nelson, C., Ambegaonkar, S., Thompson, B. & Guyer, S.G.  Ankle Stabilizers Affect Agility but Not Vertical Jump or Dynamic Balance Performance.  Foot & Ankle Specialist, December 2011 (4), 354-360.

Professional Memberships

  1. National Strength and Conditioning Association
  2. National Athletic Trainers Association

Courtesy Springfield College

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_49_Brian_Thompson.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:57pm EDT

Evan Simon

Head Football Strength & Conditioning Coach

Oregon State University

 

Topics in this Podcast

The Journey

The most important aspects of arriving at a new school and implementing your program

Big 10 - Pac 12 Stigma

Goals of the Winter phase

An overview of the winter program

individual differences with speed components

Using Prilipen’s chart to adjust volume

rotating auxiliary movements

Indicator Movements

Olympic Lifting Overhead Lifting

Manager of Stress

Assessments of athletes

mobility concerns with prehabilitation

Spring Ball considerations

Staff development (advice for young coaches

2 ways to get jobs

demanor and coaching cues

How can people reach Coach Simon

Evan Simon Bio

 
Courtesy: Oregon State University Athletic Communications
Release: 12/23/2014

Evan Simon was appointed Oregon State’s head football strength and conditioning coach in January of 2015. His duties include the development, implementation and monitoring of all strength and conditioning aspects of the Beavers’ football program.

Simon arrived in Corvallis after two years as the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Wisconsin. He helped the Badgers to New Year’s Day appearances in the Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowl.

Prior to working in Madison, Simon was the director of strength and conditioning at Utah State University from August 2009-January 2013. The Aggies appeared in two Famous Idaho Potato Bowl games – USU hadn’t played in a bowl game since 1997 prior to his arrival.

From January 2006-July 2009, Simon was the associate director of strength and conditioning at the University of Utah. He was part of staff that led Utah to a 13-0 season, a victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and a final national ranking of No. 2 following the 2008 season.

The native of Lexington Park, Md.,  also spent 15 months as the head strength and conditioning coach at Davidson College in North Carolina and over two years as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Kentucky.

Simon has been a speaker at several national strength and conditioning conventions. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a certified strength coach via the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.

He is a 2002 graduate of Frostburg State in Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education, and holds a master’s degree (2004) from Kentucky in exercise physiology.

He and his wife Linda have two daughters, Abbi and Robyn.

SIMON PROFILE
Assignment: Football Strength and Conditioning Coach
Year at OSU: 1st
Hometown: Lexington Park, MD  
Education:  B.S. in health and physical education from Frostburg State (2002); master’s degree in exercise physiology from Kentucky (2004)
    
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Football Strength and Conditioning Coach - Oregon State, 2015-present
Football Strength and Conditioning Coach – Wisconsin, 2013-2015
Director of Strength and Conditioning – Utah State, 2009-2013
Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning – Utah, 2006-2009
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Davidson – 2004-06
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kentucky – 2002-04

BOWL GAMES
2015 Capital One Bowl
2014 Outback Bowl
2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
2009 Sugar Bowl
2007 Poinsettia Bowl
2006 Armed Forces Bowl

 

Direct download: SPP_46_Evan_Simon.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:37pm EDT

Loren Landow

Founder of Loren Landow Performance

Director of Performance Enhancement - Steadman Hawkins Institute Denver

Topics in this Podcast

Mentally Preparing for the NFL Combine: 8 Weeks for 2 tenths
The training structure for combine prep
Positional and Individual Differences when teaching combine drills
The Biggest Mistakes athletes makes widen changing directions
What athletes do wrong on lei near acceleration starts
The Best strength training exercises for Speed and Agility
The Overlooked quality of Deceleration Training
How Brendan Schwab got Loren started training MMA fighters
Preparing Cat Zingano for her fight against Ronda Rousey
The Misconceptions: Why Strength & Power training is so important for MMA
There is no off-season in MMA. the organization of a training camp
Training when bodyweight is a factor
How Loren got into sports performance and who were his biggest influences.
The best advice Loren would give to young coaches
The best way to follow Loren

The Loren Landow File

Loren received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology from the University of Northern Colorado. He also holds a number of additional certifications:

  • Muscle Activation Techniques Certified Specialist
  • Resistance Training Specialist - Mastery Level
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)
  • USA Weightlifting (USAW) Certified Coach
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Advanced Level Trainer
  • American Academy of Health and Fitness Professionals: Essentials of Post-Rehabilitation
  • CPR/First Aid Certified

Coach Landow has trained hundreds of athletes in numerous sports to maximize their athletic potential while reducing their risk of injury. He has successfully trained over 400 professional athletes, including 30 NFL (football) All-Pros. Coach Landow has also trained the USA U-19 National Rugby Team, over 60 nationally and internationally ranked high school and collegiate tennis players. Olympians and athletes from the NHL (pro hockey), MLB (pro baseball), MLS (pro soccer), UFC (mixed martial arts), and NCAA (collegiate sports) have all been treated by Coach Landow.

In addition, Coach Landow serves as a consultant for several professional organizations. He is highly sought after for his ability to analyze and correct biomechanics. As a certified Muscle Activation Techniques Specialist, he utilizes soft tissue massage techniques to correct imbalances and enhance muscle regeneration. Through his various innovative methods, Coach Landow has made dramatic improvements in an athlete’s speed, power, agility, coordination, and balance.

Other notable achievements for Coach Landow include:

  • Member of the SPEED advisory council, a position reserved for the top performance coaches in the country
  • Nationwide presenter and speaker for the leading associations in the performance industry
  • Appeared on "Team Carwin" on the UFC program The Ultimate Fighter 16 television program.
  • Author of the book My Offseason with the Denver Broncos: Building a Championship Team (While Nobody's Watching)

Bio Courtesy http://www.shcdenver.com

http://lorenlandowperformance.com

http://elitesportsservices.com

http://www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP_48_Loren_Landow.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:21pm EDT

Interview with John O'Sullivan, Founder of Changing the Game Project

Topics in this Podcast

What motivated John to start the Changing the Game Project

 

The role of a Former Athlete, Coach and a Parent

 

Formal Education for Youth Sports Coaching?

 

Project Play

 

Playing games vs practice

 

The US Developing a slow players on the field

 

Early Specialization: The Race to Nowhere

 

The Trickle down effect of early competition

 

The Role of Physical Education with Youth sports

 

Naperville, Illinois PE Program

 

Group Dynamics of Gender Roles

 

The 7 Cs of High Performance

 

Are we communicating to the right people?

 

Social media and Youth Sports

 

How to reach John O'Sullivan

 

The John O'Sullivan File

John started the Changing the Game Project in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach on the youth, high school, college and professional level.  He brings to the table a wealth of practical, hands on knowledge garnered through years of working with players and their families on sport specific development, fitness and nutrition, college recruiting, and most importantly, nurturing positive, healthy, and supportive relationships between parents and their young athletes. He has complied much of this information in his #1 bestselling book Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids.

 

Originally from New York, John is a 1994 graduate of Fordham University, where he was a team captain as a senior, and a member of the 1990 Patriot League Championship team.  After a stint playing professionally for the Wilmington (NC) Hammerheads of the USL, John began his coaching career as the Varsity Boys Soccer Coach at Cardinal Gibbons HS in Raleigh, NC.  He then moved on to become the Assistant Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of Vermont, before delving into the world of youth club soccer.  Since that time, John has worked as a Director of Coaching for Nordic Spirit SC (Vt), Ann Arbor Youth Soccer Association (MI) and most recently as the Executive Director of Oregon Rush Soccer Club in Bend, OR.  He is currently the Central Oregon Regional Training Center Director for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer.  He holds his USSF A License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and US Youth Soccer National Youth Coaching License.

 

John received his BA in History from Fordham University, and his Masters in History from the University of Vermont.  He resides in beautiful Bend, OR, with his wife, Dr Lauren O’Sullivan, and two wonderful children and aspiring young athletes: Maggie Shea, age 7, and Tiernan, age 5.

http://changingthegameproject.com/

http://www.elitefts.com

 

 

 

 

Direct download: SPP_47_John_OSullivan.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:22pm EDT

Jonathan Mike Interview

Topics Covered in this Podcast

The Journey
Information overload. How to sift throughout the BS.
Supplementation takeaways
Zinc, Magnesium, and Vitamin D
The real deal on Gluten
The Science of Sleep
Carbs and Protein guidelines before sleep
Energy Systems
Increasing the Aerobic System without Volume
Isometrics specific to Joint Angle
The Benefits of Eccentrics among with basic guidelines
Ovetraining vs Overreaching and  the truth

The Jon Mike File

Jonathan Mike, PhD (candidate), CSCS, USAW, NSCA-CPT, studied exercise physiology at the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque). He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise science from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Mike has been lifting and training heavy for 14 years and has been competing in the sport of Strongman since 2007. He qualified for the national competition in 2009. He has a 635 pound raw deadlift and a 300 pound overhead press.

Direct download: SPP_45_Jon_Mike.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:56pm EDT

Simon Sinek Interview

Author of Start with Why and Leaders East Last

Topics Covered in this Podcast

The Golden Circle for Coaches
Urgent at the Expense of the Important
How to undersell and over deliver when getting hired as a coach
What Chip Kelly may be onto something
Why people believed in Martin Luther King Jr.
Leadership is a skill and a practice
Why Leaders eat last
Coaches set the tone for any team
Pitfalls as a Business Owner
The three most important aspects of presenting

About Simon Sinek

Courtesy of www.startwithwhy.com

Simon Sinek is an unshakable optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together.

 

Imagine a world where people wake up every day inspired to go to work, feel safe while they are there, and return home at the end of the day feeling fulfilled by the work they do, feeling that they have contributed to something greater than themselves. 

Described as “a visionary thinker with a rare intellect,” Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. With a bold goal to help build a world in which the vast majority of people go home everyday feeling fulfilled by their work, Sinek is leading a movement to inspire people to do the things that inspire them.
 
A trained ethnographer, he is the author of two books: the global best seller, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action and his newest book, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller, Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.
 
Fascinated by the leaders and companies that make the greatest impact in their organizations and in the world, those with the capacity to inspire, he has discovered some remarkable patterns about how they think, act and communicate and the environments in which people operate at their natural best. He has devoted his life to sharing his thinking in order to help other leaders and organizations inspire action.

He is best known for popularizing the concept of Why and for the talk he gave on the subject that became the second most watched talk of all time on TED.com. Sinek’s unconventional and innovative views on business and leadership have attracted international attention and have earned him invitations to meet with an array of leaders and organizations, including: 3M, Costco, Deckers, Ernst & Young, HSM, jetBlue, KPMG, Pfizer, NBC/Universal, the military, government agencies and entrepreneurs. Sinek has also had the honor of sharing his ideas at the United Nations, the United States Congress and with the senior leadership of the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Army.

 
Sinek shares his optimism with all who will listen. He speaks around the globe and has commented for local and national press, including The New York Times, Inc. Magazine, NPR, BusinessWeek. Sinek is active on Twitter and writes his own blog, simonsinek.com.
 
Sinek is an adjunct staff member of the RAND Corporation, one of the most highly regarded think tanks in the world. He is also active in the arts and not-for-profit world, working with charity: water, an organization devoted to helping bring clean water to the over 700 million people around the world who don’t yet have it. He also serves on the board of the Tami Stronach Dance Company.
 
He lives in New York.

www.elitefts.com

www.startwithwhy.com

 

Direct download: SPP_44_Simon_Sinek.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:59pm EDT

Elitefts SPP Charlie Weingroff Interview

Charlie Weingroff, DPT, ATC

Physical Therapist

Certified Athletic Training

Strength & Conditioning Coach

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. How Charile got into the field
2. The rationale behind Training = Rehab, Rehab = Training
3. Where we are getting it wrong when it comes to integrating scopes of practices
4. How and why training works (and doesn’t ) in a military setting.
5. Recovery as it relates to performance
6. Making the most of assessment tools

7. The Best rationale behid the FMS I've heard
8. The idea of Joint Centration for Performance
9. The 5 exercise Drill
10. Why the Box Squat is beneficial
11. Advice for young coaches, PTs, etc.
12. How to contact Charlie

The Charlie Weingroff File

Charlie is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.  He was most recently the Director of Physical Performance and Resiliency and Lead Physical Therapist for the United States Marines Corps Special Operations Command in Camp Lejeune, NC.  He is also Director of Clinical Education for the Vibraflex Whole-Body Vibration and Andante Medical, the makers of the SmartStep, mobile force plate.  He graduated from Ursinus College with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science in 1996, and went on to earn an MSPT in 1999 and DPT in 2010 from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Prior to returning to his home state of New Jersey in the Fall of 2006 after 12 seasons of professional basketball, he was the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach and Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA.   Among the highlights of his tenure in Philadelphia was being part of the medical staff that ranked 1st in the NBA in Player Missed Games in the 2005-06 season.

Through rehabbing patients, he subscribes to a movement-based approach popularized by the works of Dr. Vladimir Janda, Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, Dr. Stuart McGill, and Gray Cook.  In training athletes and clients, he champions the principles of the Functional Movement Screen and sound, evidence-based training principles.  Some of the methodologies Charlie is formally trained in include DNS, ART, Dry Needling, Graston, FMS/SFMA, and the RKC.

Aside from working with patients, athletes and clients, he is also under the bar himself.  In 2007, he achieved AAPF Elite status in the 220 weight class with a total of 1915 pounds. His best powerlifting competition total is 800 squat, 510 bench press and 605 deadlift.

Currently Charlie is training and rehabbing clients of all types at Drive495 in Manhattan, NYC and Fit For Life in Marlboro, NJ.  Charlie often teaches and speaks internationally and consults regularly with Nike, the Roddick-Lavalle Tennis Academy, Perform Better, and Equinox Fitness Clubs.

 

Charlie lives with his wife, Kristen, and dog, Rumble, in NJ.  You’re welcome to email him at charlie@charlieweingroff.com with questions for the Q&A section, to offer a comment, or to discuss a potential workshop at your facility.

http://www.elitefts.net/

http://charlieweingroff.com/

 

Direct download: SPP_43_Charlie_Weingroff.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:10pm EDT

Nick Showman

Owner - Showtime Strength & Performance

Owner - Natural Ohio Bodybuilding Association

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. Ownign two business at 25 tears old.  How Nick got to wear he is now.
2. Lessons learned from owning a facility
3.The most important factors in opening a facility
4. Designing the facility. What goes where
5. Initial assessments of athletes
6. Where we are filling in sports
7. What to look for with assessment tools. From landing to squatting.
8. Year long In-Season training
9. ImplementingCircuit training to address weak points
10. What are the most important movements fro all athletes in all sports.
11. Communication strategies with parents, sport coaches, and strength coaches
12. Marketing through education.
13. Hosting events for fundraising
14. The biggest challenges with youth athletes
15. Exercises to avoid
16. Olympic Lifts with athletes
17. Keeping Speed training simple and adjusting volume
18. Drills for success on the field or court
19. Creating a culture for success
20. How to reach Nick Showman

The Nick Showman File

Nick Showman
Owner Showtime Strength & Performance
National Academy of Sports Medicine- Performance Enhancement Specialist, Youth Exercise Specialist.

Previous Experience

  • Dension University- Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach 2009-2012
  • Granville High School- Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach 2010- 2013
  • Total Athletic Development- Sports Performance Coach 2010-2013
  • Columbus State Olympic Weightlifting Club Member 2009-2011

Since focusing on strength & conditioning, Nick has competed in bodybuilding, strongman, and powerlifting and learned training methods from the best in the world in each sport. 

Nick has helped athletes begin their athletic careers as children and has helped many athletes get to the collegiate level in sports.

 

www.elitefts.com

http://www.showtimestrength.com

Photo courtesy of Ken Snow

 

Direct download: SPP_42_Nick_Showman.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 2:44pm EDT

Nate Harvey, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for Olympic Sports at State University of New York at Buffalo

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. How Coach Harvey got started in coaching
  2. Transitioning from Football to the Olympic Sports
  3. The SUNY Brockport connection; D3 to Big Time S&C
  4. A typical template at SUNY Buffalo
  5. Adjusting the template based on sport
  6. Biggest misconceptions with the Conjugate system
  7. How the conjugate system fits in the collegiate setting
  8. How the conjugate system can help beginners
  9. Dynamic Effort Movements
  10. Go to movements for Max Effort work
  11. In-season considerations
  12. Developing rapport with sport coaches
  13. Assessing athletes
  14. Adding volume in a team setting
  15. Why coaches need to train
  16. Advice for young strength coach
  17. Building confidence in the weight room that a carries over to the field
  18. The RMU Strength & Speed Seminar
  19. How to reach Coach Harvey

@SUNYUBStrong

The Nate Harvey File

Harvey is entering his third year in the Sports Performance Program at the University at Buffalo. During this time he has either assisted in or directed the training of each one of UB’s athletic teams at one time or another.

Harvey holds a Master's Degree in Applied Physiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. During his time in graduate school at UB he also served as a volunteer assistant in the sports performance department.

Prior to his time at the University at Buffalo he spent time as a high school football coach, sports performance coach in the private sector and a Fitness Director for Xerox Recreation Association in Rochester, NY.

Harvey’s undergraduate work was completed at SUNY Brockport in Exercise Physiology and Physical Education. At Brockport he was a four year letter winner in football and eventual Usafootball.com All-American selection. He completed his undergraduate work with an internship in the Buffalo Bills strength and conditioning department.

He has been training himself for twenty years and uses this ‘under the bar’ experience to help his athletes reach their maximal potential. Recently, he earned his Elite Powerlifting status in August of 2009 in only his third competition entered.

Harvey resides in Buffalo with his wife Hillary and two children Natalie and Rocco.

@SUNYUBStrong

www.elitefts.com

http://articles.elitefts.com/features/interviews/3-questions-with-coach-nate-harvey/

Direct download: SPP204120Nate20Harvey.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:07pm EDT

Ashley Jones

Team Elitefts Columnist

Strength & Conditioning Coach

Author, Rugby Strength Coach

Topic Covered in this Podcast

1. How Ashley got started in the profession
2. Minimum requirements for raining athletes: Overseas vs the States
3. Misconception about Rugby training; Rugby vs Rugby League vs American Football
4. Programming considerations for Rugby
5. Assessments for Rugby Players
6. Differences between in-season and off season training for Rugby
7. Setting up the game week in-season
8. Developing a system for workload based on the individual
9. Similarities to NFL Coaching Philosophies
10. Technical vs tactical vs Physical preparation
11. Monitoring Conditioning and speed work
12. A more creative way to implement conditioning
13. Top-ups to address biomotor qualities
14. Strength Training for Rugby eBook
15. Advice for young coaches
16. Future plans and how to reach Ashley

The Ashley Jones File
Ashley Jones, MS, CSCS, is a rugby strength and conditioning coach who has worked with the elite of the game. Jones has been employed by the Crusaders (Super XV competition), New Zealand All Blacks, and the Australian Wallabies rugby teams over the last decade. He has worked in the sports physical performance conditioning and fitness industries since 1978 and has worked in various professional sports across three countries.

- Biography & photo courtesy of nsca.com

Articles by Ashley Jones

http://articles.elitefts.com/author/ashley-jones/

Buy "Engineering Physical Performance: Strength Training for Rugby: A Neural, Mechanical & Metabolic Approach Here:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=370&pid=6364

About the Book:

-New from International Strength and Conditioning Coach Ashley Jones.

-Ash shares his thoughts and specific training modalities in a raw cut to the tin information packed bible.

-No flashy graphics in this book, it is all about the information and the athletes.

-With 89 A4 pages this e-book allows Ash to share much of his world class experience and hands on insights into over 35 years at the coal face of strength training.

-Many of the world’s best rugby players have trained under Ash’s careful tuition including the All Blacks, Crusaders and Wallabies.

-An absolute must read for strength and conditioning professionals working in rugby.

Direct download: SPP204020Ashley20Jones.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:55pm EDT

Elitefts SPP Jay DeMayo Interview

Jay DeMayo

University of Richmond

Central Virginia Sports Performance Seminar

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. Coach DeMayo’s career path
2. Off-Season training for basketball
3. Monitoring athletes
4. Acclimating First-year players
5. The transition to In-season training
5. Program considerations for swimming and diving
6. Training divers vs swimmers
7. Plyometircs of swimming
8. Special Exercises for swimming
9. The CVASPS Seminar
10. Advice for young strength coaches
11. How to contact Coach DeMayo

The Jay DeMayo File

Jay DeMayo has been the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Men’s and Women’s Basketball at the University of Richmond since October 2005.  Jay is a graduate of the State University of New York College at Cortland where he was a two year starter on the Men’s Soccer team.  Prior to taking over the responsibilities of Men’s and Women’s Basketball at UR Jay worked with every team on campus as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach working.  During his tenure at Richmond, Coach DeMayo has worked with five All-Americans, and 10 Atlantic 10 championship teams.  Presently Jay is also responsible for the dry land training for NOVA Aquatics LLC, one of the top youth swim clubs on the eastern seaboard where he has coached over twenty athlete’s whom have qualified for Olympic Trials.

Coach DeMayo’s constant effort to better himself as a coach has brought him numerous certifications.  Coach DeMayo has his Level I coaching certification from USA Track and Field, is certified as an American Kettlebell Club Coach, United States Weightlifting Sport Performance Coach and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Coach DeMayo has also been a presenter for four consecutive years at the Pennsylvania State Clinic at Juniata College.  At the PA State Clinic Coach DeMayo has spoken on “Training Soccer Players, Developing a 3 Day Strength Training Program,”  “Max Effort Training for Sports,” and “Lift Preparation, The Next Evolution of the Warm Up,” “Developing a Progression for Auxiliary Lifts” and “Teaching the Squat and Deadlift.”  Coach DeMayo has also presented at the University of Richmond Sports Performance Clinic and with the Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball Academy.  Coach DeMayo has also been involved in developing the Basketball Strength Symposium in Raleigh, NC, and the Central VA Sports Performance Seminar.

Courtesy of www.cvasps.com

Direct download: SPP203920Jay20DeMayo.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:12pm EDT

Elitefts SPP Adam Feit Interview

Interview with Adam Feit

Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training

Founder of The Young Strength Coaches Corner

www.adamfeit.com

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. Adam's career path: paying dues
  2. The Springfield College advantage
  3. From a young assistant to a younger head coach
  4. Developing assistants for the next step
  5. Finding what makes you stand out as a coach
  6. Empowering assistant coaches
  7. Nutritional strategies for athletes
  8. Adjusting from college to the NFL
  9. The decision to make the move into the private sector
  10. Communication with youth athletes
  11. The experience of a private sector like RYPT
  12. The YSCC : From networking to coaching frustrations to career advice
  13. How to reach Adam

The Adam Fiet File

Courtesy of www.igotrypt.com

Certifications:

  • National Strength and Conditioning Association- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS)
  • Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association- Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (CSCCa-SCCC)
  • United States Weightlifting Coach- Level 1 Certified (USAW-1)
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine-Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES)
  • Precision Nutrition- Certified Nutritionist (PN-1)

Education:

  • B.S. Applied Exercise Science (Springfield College, 2006)
  • M.S. Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention  (California University of Pennsylvania, 2009)

Adam Feit is the Director of Sports Performance for Reach Your Potential Training and is responsible for the design and implementation of the center's sports performance programs. Adam brings a host of college and professional strength and conditioning and nutrition experience to Reach Your Potential Training. Previously serving as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach and Nutrition Coordinator for the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Adam designed and implemented the strength and conditioning programs for the Panthers' specialist and quarterback position groups. Adam also supervised the strength and conditioning programs for the offensive and defensive skill players while overseeing the entire team's performance nutrition program, including meal plan design, supplement protocols and on/off-site meal services.

Before joining the Carolina Panthers, Adam served as the Head Sports Performance Coach for Eastern Michigan University in 2010-2011. Adam designed sports performance programs for football and women's soccer, while supervising a full-time staff in charge of 21 varsity sports. While at Eastern, Adam implemented the university's first nutrition training table and supplement station and directed major advancements and renovations to the school's strength and conditioning facilities.

Prior to assuming head coaching responsibilities at Eastern Michigan, Adam served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Louisville's Football Team. At Louisville, he assisted with the design and implementation of the football team's athlete development programs through the 2008 and 2009 football seasons.

Earlier in Adam's career, he served as a Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for The Citadel in Charleston, SC. He also performed strength and conditioning internships with Arizona State University, US Olympic Training Center, University of Connecticut and Springfield College.

As a college athlete, Adam played football for Springfield College in Springfield, MA. During his years as an offensive lineman, he was a team captain and garnered all-consensus 1st Team All-American and All-Empire 8 League honors. As the Division III's East Region Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2006, he helped Springfield win its' only Empire 8 Championship and reach the second round of the NCAA playoffs. Adam also represented Team USA in the Division III All-Star game, the Aztec Bowl, in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Adam's passion for sports performance doesn't end with coaching. He is an active competitive lifter in Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting and strongman. Adam is married to Mary Kate Feit (Jones), also a sports performance coach and competitive lifter, and have a newborn son Cody. 

When not coaching, training or spending time with family, you can find Adam writing on his blog at http://www.adamfeit.com or working with his online social network of young strength and conditioning coaches with the YSCC (Young Strength Coaches Corner).

Direct download: SPP203820Adam20Feit.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:13pm EDT

Carl Valle Interview

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. The decision to take a risk

2. The gap between technologoy and application

3. From HRV to GPS: Assessing Readiness

4. Overtesting Syndrome

5. Practical procedures for testing

6. Facial Coding for readiness

7. Evaluating muscle tissue with TMG

8. Using GPS to adapt workload

9. Communicating and Education team coaches to morph tactical and physical training

10. VBT Training: A metric of a metric of a metric

11. Perspective on the athlete managment system

12. The 3 data sets that all coaches want

13. Technology and job securtiy

14. Jurassic Park for Coaches and the 3 levels of technology

15. Quick Take-a-ways for coaches: The 4 Ss

16. Speed training made simple for sport coaches

17. How to reach Carl

About Carl Valle

Since 1997 I have coached Track and Field at every level, from high school to the Olympic level in the sprints and hurdles. Having the privilege of working with great athletes that have been All-American and school record holders, many rewarding experiences made me love both the sport and working with great people. After years of seeing athletes fall through the cracks in the US  and abroad, I decided to create a unique solution to leverage the great coaching community and medical network by organizing those resources

Direct download: SPP203720Carl20Valle.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 10:58am EDT

Ryan Horn is the Director of Athletic Perofrmnace of Men's Basketball at Wake Forrest University.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. Ryan Horn's Career Path

2. Coming in to a new role at a new school

3. Utilizing Technology in the Athletic Performance Setting

4. "You can't manage what you don't manage."

5. Off-Season Training

6. The Upsidedown Pyramid

7. The role of the Athletic Performance Coach

8. "My job is not to ask questions, its; to give answers."

9. Assessment & Evaluation

9. "I'd much rather teach, than correct."

10. Off-Season carryover into the Season

11. Perceptual vs Objective monitoring for readiness

12. How to reach Coach Horn

 

The Ryan Horn File:

Ryan Horn is in his first season with the Wake Forest basketball program in 2014-15. Horn serves as the Demon Deacons' Director of Athletic Performance.

Horn joined the Demon Deacons in April 2014 after working under head coach Danny Manning at the University of Tulsa where he helped the Golden Hurricane win the 2013-14 Conference USA regular season and tournament championships--the program's first league title since 2003.

Horn spent three seasons at Tulsa and most recently directed the athletic performance programs for men's basketball and softball while assisting with football. He also previously worked with the Golden Hurricane women's basketball and women's soccer teams.

Prior to Tulsa, Horn spent five seasons at VCU as the associate head strength and conditioning coach. Horn was directly responsible for designing and implementing strength and conditioning programs for the Rams' men's and women's soccer, field hockey and golf teams while also assisting with men's and women's basketball.

Horn began his professional career as a volunteer intern at Robert Morris University and Liberty University where he assisted with all aspects of the strength and conditioning program for football and men's and women's basketball.

Horn played football at East Stroudsburg University for one season and James Madison University for three seasons.

Originally from Inwood, W.Va., Horn graduated from Shepherd University with a bachelor's degree in exercise science in May of 2007 and completed his master's degree through the VCU Center for Sports Leadership in 2008.

Horn is an approved mentor and strength and conditioning coach certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He is also a certified Sports Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting and a Level 1 Track and Field Coach through USA Track and Field.

Horn and his wife, Ashley, have two children: son, Landon, and daughter, Addison.

Courtesy of Wake Forrest Athletics

www.elitefts.com

Direct download: SPP203620Ryan20Horn.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:01pm EDT

Elitefts SPP - ACL Prevention with Dr. Tim Hewett

Timothy Hewett, PhD

Director, OSU Sports Health & Performance Institute
Director of Research, OSU Sports Medicine
Professor, Departments of Physiology & Cell Biology, Family Medicine, Orthopaedics and Biomedical Engineering


Topics in This Podcast

1. Recent trends in ACL injury

2. How the NBA utilized Dr. Hewitt

3. Biomechanical casues of ACL injuries

4. Post injury factors

5. Screening for risk factors

6. The best exericers for reducing ACL injuries

7. Prevention and training... one in the same

8. When to starting training to prevent ACL injuries

9. Why education is the most important aspect of prevention

10. How soon is too soon to come back from an ACL injury

11. Why reinjuries happen

12. The emotional toll from an ACL injury

13. Information about the ACL Workshop: 

www.regonline.com/2014aclworkshop

 

Education and Background

  • B.A. Anthropology from the University of Cincinnati 1984
  • B.S. Biology the University of Cincinnati 1984
  • Ph.D. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Cincinnati College of
    Medicine 1990

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Molecular Biology, Department of Pharmacology & Cell
Biophysics, University of Cincinnati 1993

Experience & Interests

As Director of Research, Dr. Hewett is responsible for the oversight and coordination of a multi-disciplinary research program, as well as the development of strategic OSU Sports Medicine priorities.

Hewett joined Ohio State in 2010 from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he served as director of the Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center. He is nationally recognized for his work in the area of knee injury prevention in female athletes.

Hewett, who also serves as a tenured professor in Ohio State’s department of physiology and cell biology, completed a doctorate in physiology and biophysics from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and has a post-doctoral fellowship in molecular biology. His research interests range from the molecular alteration of muscle contraction to the development of new methods for injury prevention and athletic development.

Hewett is a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine. He has more than 220 peer-reviewed publications, over 15,000 citations and an h-index of 70. He has authored a book and multiple book chapters.

He is a permanent member of the National Institutes of Health MRS Study Section and is on the Editorial board for several medical journals. He is an international expert in the field of injury prevention, especially of ACL injuries. Dr. Hewett has received several prestigious awards, including the NCAA, Excellence in Research, Systematic Review and O’Donoghue Awards from the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, the Rose Excellence in Research Award from the American Physical Therapy Association, the Clint Thompson Award from the National Athletic Trainers Association and a Young Investigator’s Award from the American Heart Association. He has been a Keynote speaker at many national and international conferences. His work has been cited on hundreds of occasions in lay press journals, including over ten in The New York Times, as well as Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fox News, NPR and CBS. Dr. Hewett is a member of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, The Orthopaedic Research Society and The American Physiological Society and is a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine.

 

Advising Narrative

I am a Professor in the Departments of Physiology and Cell Biology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Family Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, as well as the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University. I have a doctorate in Physiology and Biophysics and post-doctoral fellowships in Molecular Biology and Biomechanics. I am an international leading expert in the field of injury prevention, with a special focus on ACL risk factor and prevention research. Thus far I have published over 220 peer-reviewed articles with over 15,000 citations in the medical literature, an h-index over 65 and have also authored a book and several book chapters. A permanent member of the National Institutes of Health MRS Study Section, I also serve on the Editorial board for several medical journals. My awards include the NCAA, Excellence in Research, Systematic Review and O’Donoghue Awards from the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, the Rose Excellence in Research Award from the American Physical Therapy Association, the Clint Thompson Award from the National Athletic Trainers Association and a Young Investigator’s Award from the American Heart Association. My work has been cited on hundreds of occasions in lay press journals, including over ten in The New York Times, as well as Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fox News, NPR and CBS. My professional memberships include the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, The Orthopaedic Research Society and The American Physiological Society and I am a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine.

 

Books

American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Understanding and Preventing Non-Contact ACL Injury. Champagne, IL: Human Kinetics, January 2007.

 

12th Annual ACL Workshop
State of the Art Prevention and Rehabilitation Program

Saturday, October 11, 2014
from 8 am - 5:30 pm
Medical Education and
Resource Center (MERC)*
619 Oak Street
Cincinnati, OH 45229
Maps and directions may
be downloaded from
www.cincinnatichildrens.org
*This is NOT held at the Main Hospital.

This workshop is designed for physicians, athletic trainers, physician assistants, nurses, occupational or physical therapists, students, researchers, strength and conditioning specialists, sports medicine and orthopedic health care professionals.
The ACL workshop is a day dedicated to the prevention, training, and rehabilitation of athletes who are at risk for ACL injuries. The world renowned team at the Human Performance Laboratory in the Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center will detail the latest prevention programs for female athletes. We will utilize state-of-the-art 3D motion analysis to teach athlete screening techniques. We will also teach neuromuscular training methods that focus on proper core and knee control and landing techniques.

www.elitefts.com

 

 

Direct download: SPP203520Tim20Hewett.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:16pm EDT

Elitefts SPP - James "The Thinker" Smith

James "The Thinker" Smith Interview on Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast

Topics in this Podcast

Self-educated beginnings
Learning from SEAL training
How James connected with elitefts
Combining the WSBB and the Charlie Francis Training System
Segregation between the sport coach and the physical preparation coach
Relationships between physical preparation and high performance sports training
Thermodynamics to explain coaching systems
What James would do different at the college level
The problem with tactical performance training
Addressing the injury potential of collision/ combat sports
How to contact James

 

Direct download: SPP203420James20Smith.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:47pm EDT

Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals.

Topics in the Podcast

How Mike got into the Profession

How Mike hooked up with elitefts.com

Making the Connection between Rehab and Performance

The difference between medical based and performance based re-hab

The 2 sides of the R7 Philosophy origin

Creating systems for program design

Treat everyone like an athlete

Assessments and screening for new clients and athletes

What most athletes need and what their biggest weaknesses are

Mike's staple movements regardless of athlete or client

The benefit's of standardizing training templates

Progressions, Regressions, and Exercises Variations

The one thing that will help any athlete or lifter

Mike's advise for people getting into the profession

http://www.elitefts.net/

http://articles.elitefts.com/category/podcasts/audio/

 

Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals. - See more at: http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/who-is-mike-robertson/#sthash.SpfwXzgI.dpuf
Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals. - See more at: http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/who-is-mike-robertson/#sthash.SpfwXzgI.dpuf
Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals. - See more at: http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/#sthash.9BBe83cW.dpuf
Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals. - See more at: http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/#sthash.9BBe83cW.dpuf
Direct download: SPP_33_Mike_Robertson.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 11:23am EDT

Matt Rhodes Interview.

1. How you got to the position you are now.  A little history.

2. What are some of the steps you (and any coach) need to do when first taking over a program

3. What are some of the biggest differences you have seen in terms of the various universities you have coached at.

4. Basic program philosophy and who you set up your training program.

5. The exercises you could not do without, regardless of sport or season.

6. The changes you have seen in the industry from whenyou started out.

Matt Rhodes
Matt Rhodes, who possesses more than 10 years as a personal trainer, weight lifter and coach, has been named head strength and conditioning coach at Morehead State.
 
"Most of all, I look forward to working with our student-athletes," Rhodes said. "I'm very excited to be a part of the Morehead State family.  This is a great opportunity for me."
 
Rhodes served as an assistant coach at Rhode Island in 2013-14, where he supervised the strength program for men's basketball, men's track, baseball and softball.
 
"It became obvious after initial conversations that Matt was the right choice," said Senior Associate Athletic Director Richard Fletcher, who headed the search committee. "His enthusiasm for the field, plus his desire to see student-athletes succeed, made it apparent he would be successful in overseeing and continuing our goals of improving the strength and conditioning program."
 
He was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Albany (N.Y.) in 2012-13. Rhodes directed activities for women's soccer and baseball.
 
Rhodes also held coaching positions at Pittsburgh, Yale and Choate Rosemary Hall High School (Wallingford, Ct.).
 
He served as outside linebackers coach at Richmond for three seasons (1999-2001).
 
Rhodes was a member of the Massachusetts lacrosse program in 1995 and 1996. He transferred to Arizona and was a member of the football program in 1997 and 1998.
 
"Being a Division I athlete, Matt knows the everyday rigors our student-athletes face, and he can guide them in improving their overall physical condition, which in turn helps them succeed individually and helps their team succeed as well," Fletcher added. 
 
Rhodes earned his bachelor's degree from Arizona in 1999.
 
 
Direct download: SPP_32_Matt_Rhodes.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:28pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Alwyn Cosgrove Interview

Alwyn Cosgrove, Team Elitefts, Results Fitness

Born in Scotland and initially exposed to fitness training through an intense competitive sport martial arts background, Alwyn Cosgrove began reading and studying any training related material he could get his hands on. This led Alwyn to formal academic studies in Sports Performance at West Lothian College and then progressed on to receiving an honors degree in Sports Science from Chester College, the University of Liverpool.

During his career as a fitness coach, Alwyn began with assisting in martial arts lessons in 1986 and teaching fitness classes in 1989, and has studied under all of the top fitness professionals and coaches in the world and has worked with a wide variety of clientele, from general population clientele to several top level athletes, World Champions, and professionals in a multitude of sports.

A sought after expert for several of the country’s leading publications including a regular contributor to Men’s Health Magazine, Alwyn has co-authored five books in the “New Rules of Lifting” series and currently spends his time consulting on fitness training, training clients, training his staff at Results Fitness, speaking on the fitness lecture circuit, and coaching fitness trainers worldwide in their businesses. For the past 13 years, with his wife Rachel, Alwyn runs Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California – which has been twice named One of America’s Top Gyms by Men’s Health Magazine, a gym which specializes in programs for real-world, busy people and prides itself on “changing the way fitness is done – period!”

Direct download: SPP_31_-_Alwyn_Cosgrove.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:59pm EDT

Brian Cain Peak Performance
 
Topics Covered in this Podcast
 

 

1. How Brian Cain has helped me as a coach.
2. How Brian got into the mental conditioning game
3. Why mental conditioning and not sport psychology
4. The 4 Rs x 2
5. Process over outcome
6. Function over feelings
7. Run to Roar
8. Ten deadliest words
9. Change "have to" to "want to" to "get to"
10. Compared to What?
11. How people can get a hold of Brian

 

Brian Cain’s vast experiences in peak performance coaching, mental conditioning, and sports psychology make him your ideal coach, if you are looking to save time, maximize results and take your performance to the next level.

He has worked with some of the top high school, collegiate and professional teams and athletes; has motivated corporate audiences from 5 to 5,000 to reach their true potential; and has helped thousands of people like you break through their mental barriers and reach their peak performance.

Cain energizes and educates his audiences with a unique teaching style that keeps you on the edge of your seat, totally engaged in the transformation and learning process. His teaching style is unique to his personality.

A world-class educator, motivational and corporate speaker, Cain has worked with State, National, Olympic and World Champions to master the mental game. If you demand the absolute best from yourself and your team and are looking to DOMINATE the competition, you are exactly the audience who benefits from Cain’s custom mental conditioning and peak performance training programs – designed to help you achieve maximum success in a minimum amount of time.

Cain has helped thousands of successful coaches and athletes like you take their world-class performance to an even greater level through a comprehensive and consistent mental conditioning program. If you are tired of falling short of your potential and watching other coaches, athletes, and teams steal your success, or if you’re looking for that little 1% difference in your approach that will generate a massive difference in your consistency and results, Cain is the coach and corner man you need to unlock your potential and take your game to another level.

As you climb the ladder of success, there are fewer and fewer people who will tell you the truth, give it to you straight and teach you the exact success strategies you must master to take your already-successful performance to the next level.

If you are serious about competition and performing your best when it means the most, Brian Cain is the Peak Performance Coach and Mental Conditioning Expert you need.  Cain has helped thousands of successful coaches and athletes like you take their world-class performance to an even greater level through a comprehensive and consistent mental conditioning program.

If you are tired of falling short of your potential and watching other coaches, athletes, and teams steal your success, or if you’re looking for that little 1% difference in your approach that will generate a massive difference in your consistency and results, Cain is the coach and corner man you need to unlock your potential and take your game to another level.

For free mental conditioning tips and tricks, check out the most recent posts in Cains sports psychology blog. To learn more about how Cain can help you and your program, Contact Cain today!

Elitefts.com

 

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_29.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:53pm EDT

Interview with University of Buffalo Head Strength & Conditionign Coach, Greg Pyszczynski.

Topics in this Podcast

1. Making the transition as a first time head coach

2. Taking over a program with coaching turnover

3. Transitioning a new program during Spring Ball

4. Coach Pyszczynski's journery through coaching

5. Having so many different coaching influences

6. Greg's expertice on training the neck and head

7. External factors leading to head injuries

8. The trickle down effect with concussions

9. Quantifiable data with neck strength

10. The basic of implementing a program to reduce head and neck injuries

11. Standards for neck strength and size

12. University of Buffalo's Summer Porgram

13. Block Periodization in training Football

14. In-Season Football Training adjustment with the TV schedule

15. Motivatiing the next genreation of athletes

16. Advice for young Strength Coaches

 

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_27.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:52pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Joe DeFranco Interview

Interview with Joe DeFranco of DeFranco's Training Systems

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. How Joe became a pioneer with implementing maximal strength in sports performance
  2. Strength builds the foundation for all athletic activity
  3. How Joe adjusts his basic templates per sport, season, and training age
  4. From high school freshman to All-Pro: Brian Cushing's training evolution
  5. Preparing athletes for the NFL Combine
  6. The challenge of training WWE Wrestlers
  7. How Joe extended Triple H's career with his training
  8. The benefits of the box squat for athletes          
  9. Special strength exercises for speed development
  10. The use of prowlers and sleds in training

Articles by Joe DeFranco

DeFranco's Training Systems Official Website

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Joe20DeFranco20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 11:42am EDT

Elitefts SPP: Dan Baker Interview

Dan Baker of danbakerstrength.com and formerlly of the Brisbane Broncos

Topics Covered in This Podcast:

1. Coach Baker's transition from professional coaching

2. Wave-Cycling for In-Season training

3. Neuarl deload vs. Volumbe deload

4. Maintaining intesity in-season

5. Coach Baker's go-to lifts

6. Reflection of strength vs. building strength

7. Weekly in-season training schedule

8. Training for rugby vs. other sports

9. monitoring strength & power during the season

10. The PSychological aspect of training in-season

11. The state of strength & conditioning in Australia vs. the rest of the world

12. The biggest mistake when conditinign team sports

13. The biggest issues of LSD conditionign & circuit training

14. Integrating the Technical & tactical development with physical development

15. The best lessons Coach Baker got in the profession

Dan Baker is one of the worlds leading authorities upon strength and power training for sports athletes. A PhD in sports science specializing in the testing and training of strength and power, he has the scientific knowledge and practical know how to implement effective strength and power training for sports athletes. Unlike most Phd’s he does not work as a full-time lecturer or in a laboratory – he trains athletes. No science bullshit – just the stuff that works.

Some things about Dan Baker
As a strength & conditioning coach
Strength and power training coach of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby league team since 1995 (title winners 1997, 1998, 2000, 2006)
Former champion powerlifter and powerlifting coach
Strength and Conditioning Coach to elite international and national level athletes in the following sports – rugby league, rugby union, powerlifting, diving, soccer, track & field, netball, mixed martial arts to name a few
A Level 3 Strength and Conditioning Coach and Master Coach of Strength and Conditioning as recognized by the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association

As an Educator and Mentor for strength & conditioning coaches
Dan is the National President of the Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA) which is the not-for-profit body recognized by the Australian Federal Government to educate and accredit strength & conditioning coaches within Australia.
Dan continues to lecture to all levels of ASCA coaches, from Level 1 beginner Coaches through to the Level 3 Elite Athlete Coaches.
Dan is a sought after Educator of Strength & Conditioning Coaches because he makes the science easy and tells it straight. The practical implementation is what it is all about.
Life memberships
In Australian sport and social life, the “Club” is important. Dedicated club members are sometimes bestowed an honour titled “Life Member” for endless hours of dedicated work on behalf of the Club or Organization. Dan has three Life Memberships.
Dan is a Life Member of the ASCA.
Dan is a Life Member of North Kirra Surf_Lifesaving Club
Dan is a Life Member of the University of Queensland Powerlifting & Weightlifting Club.

Some cross-training workouts to enhance your energy system fitness

Recent trends in high-intensity aerobic training

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Dan20Baker20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:58pm EDT

Dr. Michael Yessis Interveiw

Dr. Michael Yessis received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and his B.S. and M.S. from City University of New York. He is president of Sports Training, Inc., a diverse sports and fitness company. Dr. Yessis is also Professor Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton, where he was a multi-sports specialist in biomechanics (technique analysis) and sports conditioning and training.

Dr. Yessis has served as training and technique consultant to several Olympic and professional sports teams, including the L.A. Rams and L.A. Raiders football teams, Natadore Diving Team, and the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Team. He has also trained hundreds of athletes in different sports and developed unique specialized strength exercises that duplicate what takes place in execution of the game skills. By doing these exercises athletes improve their performance on the field very quickly.

During his fifty plus years of working with athletes, and as president of Sports Training Inc, Dr. Yessis developed what has come to be known as the “Yessis System” for improving running speed. His three-step method has been successfully used to improve athletes in football, soccer, baseball, basketball, track and other sports.  Most notable is the improvement in sports technique.

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_25.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 2:33pm EDT

Scott Umberger, Co-Owner and Head Physical Preperation Coach at Umberrger Performance

 

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. How Scott got started in the field
  2. Basical Philosphy of Developmeing ther Athlete
  3. Social Media's influence on the profession
  4. One of the issues with CrossFit and Coaching
  5. Training youth athletes
  6. The nature of youth sports
  7. Asseesment and evaluation of Athletes
  8. Sprint and deceleration mechanics
  9. APRE procotocl in the private sector

Scott’s passion for performance enhancement started at an early age, stemmed by his desire to receive a Division I scholarship.

 

Sports Science Knowledge

 

One year interning at University of Pittsburgh under renowned coach, Buddy Morris changed everything. After working with Buddy,Scott spent two years working as Todd Hamer’s Assistant Strength & Condition Coach at Robert Morris University training 600 of their athletes.

 

The influence of James Smith, who is regarded as the leading American expert on Soviet Sport Science,  led Scott to an understanding of Sports Science held by handful of Americans.  Since Sport Science doesn’t exist in the U.S.(Scott confirmed this during his exploration of a PhD at PSU).  Scott’s knowledge has been obtained via mentorships, self study of his small library of translated foreign materials, videos, seminars with foreign Sports Scientist, and personal correspondence with leading experts and Sport Scientists.  This knowledge of non-U.S. Sports Science is essential because of the understanding of human performance that this non US research has uncovered through the study of 20,000+ elite athletes.  The funding for this kind of research does not exist in the US.  This monetary investment in Sport Science research is one of the very few ways that the world can be thankful towards communistic regimes.

 

Speed

 

Attempting to “get the edge” on the competition, Scott read and has tried everything that he could get his hands on.  Taken under the wing of D1 track coach, Waddie Freeman his senior year of high school, Scott reduced his 40 yard dash time from 4.6 to 4.4. Scott played football, baseball, and ran track in high school. This led him to compete at the Division I level in football and track at Robert Morris University.  Scott’s personal experience teamed with his extensive knowledge of the late sprint coach Charlie Francis’s methodologies present a very unique mix of knowledge and practice experience regarding speed development.

 

Strength

 

Scott spent three months training at the strongest powerlifting gym in the U.S., Westside Barbell.  There he gained an advanced knowledge of the three powerlifts, the bench, the squat, and the dead lift.  He also learned about the concept of strength and its application to specific athletic scenarios.
Scott currently competes in the sport of power lifting and has dead lifted 635 and bench pressed 420 in competitions. He has also squatted 645 and bench pressed 505 in training at a drug free body weight of 192.

 

Resume

 

As part of his 17,000 hours in the trenches training experience, Scott has worked with over a 2,000 athletes and clients:
• high school and college athletes
• Male and female athletes in hockey, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, softball, baseball, swimming, tennis, track.
• Fitness/figure competitors
• REAL Professional athletes (NHL, NFL, Arena Football , MLL&NLL-pro Lacrosse, World Championship Games.)
• Olympic Silver Medalist- USA Olympic Woman’s Hockey Team
• 3 All-Americans (track, swimming, hockey)
• 2 Hobe Baker Trophy Finalist (Heisman Trophy of College Hockey)
• A top 10 NCAA scorer in Men’s Hockey
• FINA Master World Championship Qualifying Swimmer
• ECAC/IC4A qualifying track hurdler
• Professional Hockey, Basketball, and Soccer players in Europe(Finland and Italy)
• Two Major D1 walk on football players- one who made OSU’s team when they were ranked #1 and WVU when they were top in the 20.
• Celebrities- Country Music Superstar Martina McBride and Actor Jake Gyllenhaal

 

Scott practices what he preaches.  Research is fantastic but it is useless if it’s not applied in a real world setting.  Scott studies and applies knowledge on himself before having his athletes use it.  He’s squatted 650 lbs, dead lifted 635 lbs in competitions and bench pressed 505 in the gym at a body weight ranging between 190-200 lbs.  In August of 2013 he completed a Tough Mudder Race(which is consider the most legit race of it’s kind in the US) which is a 12 mile “mud run” with 20+ obstacles.

 

Though it’s Scott’s formal education(BS, MS) that enhanced his abilities as a coach, it’s the intensive study of  ”The Soviet Sports Science,” as well as Sport Science stemming from sources outside of the United States(primarily Premier League Soccer and Australian Sports Science) that have really separated him from the majority of the field.   Real world success with real athletes using his “in trenches training experience,”  as well as a unique blend of leadership and knowledge of legitimate non US Sport Science makes Scott a rare commodity as a physical preparation coach in the US.

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Scott20Umberger20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:53pm EDT

Interview with Cal Dietz, Head Strength & conditionign Coach for Olympic Sports at the University of Minnesota and co-author of Triphasic Training.

Topics in this Podcast

What Cal attributes the success of his teams to

How Triphasic Training has evovled

Tripahsic Training in relation to non-cyclycal sports

General Overview of Triphasic Training

Approximate loads for eccentric and isometric training

Three-day undulating model

Post-Activation Potentiation & French Contrast Training

Peaking cycle, skill aquisition, and Olympic lifting

Sports-Specific conditioning

Advice for young strength & conditioning coaches

Cal Dietz's Bio

Cal Dietz has been the Head Olympic Strength and Conditioning coach for numerous sports at the University of Minnesota since 2000. Since Dietz's return to Minnesota he has developed the Strength and Conditioning Programs and over seen the daily progress in Men's Hockey from 2000-present, Men's' Basketball from 2004-2010, Women's Hockey from 2003-present, Men's Golf from 2000-present, Women's Golf from 2006-present Men's Swimming from 2000-Present, Track and Field from 2000-present, Baseball from 2000-2007, 2010 -present, and Wrestling from 2000 to 2004. During his tenure, Dietz has trained: a Hobey Baker Award winner, two Big Ten Athletes of the Year, athletes that have achieved 400 All-American honors, 29 Big Ten/WCHA championships teams and NCAA Team Champions, and 13 teams finish in the top four in the nation. He has consulted with Olympic and World Champions in various sports and professional athletes in the NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, and Professional Boxing.

Also, during his time at the university help founded and chairs the Sport Biomechanics Interest Group with its purpose to explore the physiological and biomechanical aspects of advanced human performance encompassing the various aspects of kinesiology, biomechanics, neuro-mechanics and physics. This will be achieved by utilizing extensive research theories and applied knowledge in the multi-disciplinary field of human performance. Utilizing through a collaborative effort which involving numerous professional perspectives from diverse areas of academia such also include professionals from Mechanical engineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Orthopedics, and Physiology. Dietz is also a member of the Gender Equity Committee at the University of Minnesota and currently represents the University as a member of the Big Ten committee to develop performance enhancing policy for anabolic and ergogenic aids.

During his time at the university, Dietz has given numerous lectures around the country, as well as publish several scientific articles and dozens articles on training. Most recently, Dietz co-authored the the top selling book, Triphasic Training: A systematic approach to elite speed and explosive strength performance.

Prior to returning to Minnesota, Dietz was the strength coordinator at The University of Findlay, overseeing 26 men's and women's sports, in addition to coordinating the university's fitness center, coaching the offensive line with the football program and teaching strength and conditioning classes. He is no stranger to Minnesota athletics after serving as a graduate assistant strength coach while pursuing his graduate degree. During this time Dietz was the first assistant to football and assisted with a Majority of Olympic Sports.

The Shelby, Ohio, native earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Findlay in 1996 and his master's degree from Minnesota in kinesiology in May, 2000. During his athletic career at the University of Findlay Dietz won three National team championships, two in football and one in wrestling. Highlights of his career was earning 2 All-American honors in Football and winning the NAIA National Duals MVP in wrestling. In 1995 he received the NAIA College Sports Magazine Athlete of the year and was inducted into the University's of Findlay's Hall of Fame in 2005.

Dietz married Karyn Bye, a member of the U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team which captured the gold medal in 1998 and silver medal in 2002. The couple resides in Hudson, Wis., with their daughter, Tatum Lynn Born in May 2003 and Brody Michael born July 2005.

Triphasic Training

Triphasic Training is the pinnacle of sports performance training. That’s not hype. Cal Dietz, strength coach at the University of Minnesota, has the results to back up this claim – a Hobey Baker Award winner, two Big Ten Athletes of the Year, over 400 All-Americans, 30 Big Ten/WCHA championship teams, 7 NCAA National Team Champions, and 14 teams that finished in the top four in the nation.

Over the past decade, Coach Dietz has worked with thousands of collegiate and professional athletes, incorporating the latest scientific research into developing his Triphasic Training method. His approach breaks down athletic movements into their three components -- eccentric, isometric, and concentric -- allowing for the continuous development of athletes, maximizing their strength, speed, and power.

In this easy-to-understand book, Coach Dietz has teamed up with exercise physiologist, Ben Peterson, to explain the physiological foundations of Triphasic Training and how they can be applied to training, making athletes bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. The authors give examples of complete programs, as well as examples of how to incorporate the Triphasic method into existing programs, with descriptions on adapting it to virtually any scenario.

Included in the book:

- 5 complete 24-week training programs designed for 6-day, 5-day, 4-day, 3-day, or 2-day training models.

- Over two dozen tables showing when and how to modify exercises to ensure continuous improvement in athletes.

- Peaking programs for football lineman and skill players; swimmers; baseball, volleyball, and hockey players (among others).

- A complete 52-week training program for football.

Buy the Book here:

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=134&m=PD&pid=6283

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Cal20Dietz20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:55pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Ron McKeefery Interview

Interview with Ron McKeefery, Director of Sports Performance at Eastern Michigan University.

Topics in the Podcast

1. His Presentation at the 2014 NSCA Coaches Conference
"Only if you sacrifice for a cause will you truly love it"

3. The "How to" of relationship building.
"We are in this instant gratification society"

5. The 3 Roles of being a Strength Coach (Technician, Manager, Entrepreneur)

6. Paying your dues in the field.
"Seventeen years in this profession and I am just learning how to ask the right questions."

7. The Internship Program and Hiring Assistants
"I try to hire what I'm not."
"Hire slow and fire fast."

8. Coach McKeefery's Biggest Influences

9. The first things that need to happen when taking over a program.
"Get the right thought into the player's head instead of their own."

10. How the weight room relates to the field

11. The importance of the lifting partner

12. The Iron Game Chalk Talk, Strength on Demand, and his transparent view on why he started his website.

13. Coach's Future Speaking Engagements

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Mark Watts' Training Log
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Elitefts™ Q&A
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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/elitefts-sports-performance/id780826169?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Mark Watts on Twitter
https://twitter.com/Elitefts_EduDir

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Ron20McKeefery20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:16pm EDT

Interview with Megan Young, University of Aubrun Strength & Conditioning Coach

As a native of Durham, NC, Megan Young attended the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. There, she earned a B.A. in Physical Education with a concentration in Exercise Science. She competed there as a NCAA Division I, varsity student-athlete, earning multiple awards in the Discus and Shot Put events. Megan went on to Baylor University to complete her master’s degree in Exercise Science, with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning. During that time she was a graduate teaching assistant and interned with the Baylor Athletic Performance Staff. Her duties were to assist with football and most Olympic sports teams. Coach Young is currently in her fifth year at Auburn University, where she is directly responsible for year-long programming and implementation of all strength and conditioning related activities for the Tigers’ women’s soccer and women’s basketball programs.  

 Coach Young is the Public Relations Director and serves on the Board of Directors for the Young Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. Coach Young has worked with multiple SEC conference and NCAA championship teams as well as professional athletes. Megan is currently working towards a PhD of Adult Education at Auburn University and holds the following certifications: NSCA CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist), USATF, Coaches Course Certification, USAW, Weightlifting Level 1 Certification and CSCCa, Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified – John Stucky Award Recipient

 

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Elitefts™ Q&A
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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/elitefts-sports-performance/id780826169?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Mark Watts on Twitter
https://twitter.com/Elitefts_EduDir

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_16.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:13pm EDT

Mark Uyeyama Interview

Mark Uyeyama (ooh-ee-YAH-muh) is in his fifth season with the 49ers, and second as head strength and conditioning coach, after having served as the assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2008-10. In 2011, Uyeyama was named Samson Equipment’s NFL Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year by American Football Monthly.

Uyeyama is responsible for overseeing the team’s strength and conditioning program, which includes strength, power development, speed, recovery and regeneration, as well as the nutritional program for the players. He brings an individualized approach to the strength and conditioning position within a team-based context.

Uyeyama served as San Francisco’s assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2008 to 2010 after having served as the head strength and conditioning coach at Utah State University from 2004 to 2007.

Uyeyama graduated from Utah in May of 2000 while working as a student assistant strength coach for two years. He then became a graduate assistant at USU before moving to another graduate assistant position at Arizona State from 2001 to 2003, when he was promoted to a full-time assistant.

Prior to working in the strength and conditioning field, Uyeyama played football at Butte Community College in Oroville, CA and Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD.

He earned a master’s degree in higher and post secondary education from ASU in May of 2003.

Uyeyama is married to his wife, Tara.

 

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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/elitefts-sports-performance/id780826169?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Mark Watts on Twitter
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Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_21.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:47pm EDT

Shawn Windle, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Indiana Pacers

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. What are the main objectives of the Indiana Pacer programs

2. Adapting training based on the hectice NBA schedule

3. What a typical training session looks like in-season

4. Getting the rookies up to speed on the Pacer way

5. Communicatin between personal trainers in the off-season

6. How the game of basketball has changed

7. Problem solving with the sports medicine staff

8. Advice for young strength coaches

The Shawn Windle File

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Indiana Pacers

 

Strength & Conditioning Coach

Rutgers University

 

Strength & Conditioning Coach

University of Connecticut

 

Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Shawn20Windle20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:02pm EDT

Carlo Alvarez, Coordinator of Sports Performance for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Topics included in the Podcast

Setting expectations

Spring Training organization

Communication trumps education

How basebal players have evolved

Reinforcing relationships with private sector coaches

Critical components of training at the high school level

Coach Alvarez's influences in coaching

How the field has changed in terms of methodology

Advice for young coaches in the field

 

The Carlo Alvarez File

Coordinator, Sports Performance

Pittsburgh Pirates

Director, Strength & Conditioning

St. Xavier High School

Head Coordinator, Strength and Conditioning

Cincinnati Reds

Asst. Coordinator, Strength and Conditioning

Cleveland Indians

Assistant, Strength and Conditioning

University of Notre Dame

Internship, Strength and Conditioning

University of Cincinnati

 

Head, Strength and Conditioning

St. Xavier High School

 

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Direct download: Elitefts_SPP__Carlo_Alvarez.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:45pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Brett Bartholomew

Brett Bartholomew: Performance Specialist at Exos (Formerly Athletes Performance)

Brett Bartholomew is a performance specialist at EXOS (formerly Athletes Performance) Phoenix, AZ. He currently directs the NFL program for all EXOS facilities and works with athletes ranging from major/ minor league baseball, United States Special Forces & Boxing/MMA.
 
Prior to working with Athletes Performance, Brett served as an strength & conditioning coach with Southern Illinois University-Carbondale as well as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He obtained his B.Sc degree in Kinesiology at Kansas State University, and his M.S. Ed from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where he studied and wrote research on the topic of Motor Learning. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S) and is a current member of the NSCA

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Elitefts™ Q&A
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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes
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Mark Watts on Twitter
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Direct download: Elitefts_SPP__Brett_Bartholomew.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:39pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Jeff Connors Interview

Interview with Jeff Connors, Assistant Athletic Deirector for Strength & Conditioning at East Carolina University.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. What motivated Coach Connors to write Strength Coach: A Call to Serve
  2. The biggest lessons learned from his father and coach
  3. The changes with instilling discipline with today's athletes
  4. Hiring a staff and communicating foundational principles in philosophy
  5. General overview of the off-season program
  6. Adapting the training to enhance acceleration
  7. The key components that every athlete needs
  8. Advice for young coaches trying to to get into the profession

Buy Strength Coach: A Call to Serve

Strength coaching is, in many ways, a scientific endeavor, blending the latest theories of performance enhancement with practical strategies to build mobility, speed, flexibility and power. But for Jeff Connors it is also a calling.

For thirty years Connors has devoted himself to helping collegiate athletes excel on the field by grinding away relentlessly in the weight room, and through those decades he has crafted his own distinctive philosophy of his profession, using both his heart and his head.

Part memoir and part training manual, this book gives football fans, strength coaches and exercise enthusiasts alike a thorough inside look into Connor’s world -- where speed and power can lead to Saturday victory and young men forge character through long, tireless hours away from the roar of the crowd.

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Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Jeff20Connors20Interview.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:38pm EDT

Buddy Morris Interview

There are coaches in the industry that have paid their dues above and beyond what most of their colleague have.  To day that Buddy Morris has paid his dues in order to get back the National Football League is an understatement.  With thirty-four years of coaching experience under his belt, Coach X starts his second stint in the NFL as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Arizona Cardinals. 

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. How the Arizona Cardinals job happened
  2. What's first on the agenda in Arizona
  3. High Low Sequencing and the weekly plan
  4. Adjusting volume of training based on position
  5. Acclimation and assessment
  6. Having a background in rehabilitation
  7. Paying dues and being comfortable with your level
  8. How things have changed in the NFL
  9. Modifications based on age and position
  10. Bringing in a world record holder as a coach
  11. Expectations for this year

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Direct download: Elitefts20SPP_20Buddy20Morris20Part202.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 3:20pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Bryan Mann Interview

Bryan Mann: Assitant Director fo Strength & Conditioning and Assitant Professor of Athletic Training and Physical Therapy at the University of Missouri

Dr. Bryan Mann has been competing in the sport of powerlifting since 1996. He is the assistant director of strength and conditioning at the University of Missouri where he has worked since 2004. He has many powerlifting accolades to his name in raw, single ply, and multi-ply lifting. He is a researcher and author, having written several research publications dealing with training in Division 1 athletics, specifically football. He has written three books, most notably the Complete Guide to Powerlifting for Human Kinetics with co-author Dan Austin.

Articles by Bryan Mann

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Powerlifting by Bryan Mann & Dan Austin

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=134&m=PD&pid=6046

Developing Explosive Athletes eBook

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=370&m=PD&pid=6453

The APRE eBook

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=370&m=PD&pid=6366

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Elitefts™ Q&A

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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes

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Mark Watts on Twitter

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Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_12.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 4:52pm EDT

David Allen, Elitefts™ Columnist & Owner of NBS Fitness

David Allen is the owner and head trainer at NBS Fitness, the top training facility in Memphis, TN. David is a former college strength and conditioning coach who now works with personal training clients and athletes of all ages, professions, and experience levels. David played football in college while getting his degree in exercise science with a minor in nutrition. NBS Fitness is host to the best powerlifters, strongmen, bodybuilders, and serious trainees in Memphis. David currently competes in powerlifting and has previously competed in bodybuilding and Olympic lifting.

Articles by David Allen

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Elitefts™ Q&A

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Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes

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Mark Watts on Twitter

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NBS Fitness

http://nbsfitness.net/

 

Direct download: Elitefts_SPP_David_Allen.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:29pm EDT

Interview with Martin Rooney

Elitefts™ Articles by Martin Rooney

http://articles.elitefts.com/author/martin-rooney/

 

Train to Win: 10th Anniversary Edition

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=135&m=PD&pid=6287

 

Rooney's Rules: Ordinary Thought for Living an Extraordinalry Life

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=135&m=PD&pid=6286

 

 

Training for Warriors: Trainig Secrets tha Every Fighter Needs to Win At

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?cid=134&m=PD&pid=929

 

Parisi Speed School Training DVDs

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=CB&cid=276&bid=58

 

Martin Rooney is an internationally recognized pioneer of strength and conditioning for the martial arts. He holds a Master of Health Science and Bachelor of Physical Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Furman University.

Martin was a four-time All Conference, and four-time MVP performer in Track and Field at Furman and a member of the United States Bobsled team from 1995-1997, 2000. Following his exposure to MMA in the mid 1990s, Martin began training with Renzo Gracie and started training fighters shortly afterward. Since the foundation of the TFW system, Martin has traveled as far as Brazil, Finland, Mexico, Japan, Russia, England, Holland, Sweden, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Austria and the Middle East to train, compete, and conduct seminars and help prepare world class athletes for competition. Martin has been the martial arts consultant to the NY Giants and the NY Jets for over 5 years and a coach on the 2007 IFL World Team Champion New York Pitbulls. Martin is currently a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under UFC fighter Ricardo Almeida and a black belt in Kodokan Judo under Olympian Teimoc Johnston-Ono.

Martin has lectured for the American College of Sports Medicine, the College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the UK Strength and Conditioning Association, the Finnish Coaches Association, American Fitness Professionals and Associates, Perform Better and has been commissioned by Nike to run speed testing camps at a number of major universities. Martin has also presented for numerous companies on leadership and teamwork including Fortune 500 companies such as Marriot International and Hasbro.

Martin and his training have been featured on ESPN, ESPN2, Spike TV, Sports New York, Fox Sports Net, Fox Fight Game, the NFL Network, HDnet, NBC.com, Bodybuilding.com, tmuscle.com and in the New York Times, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Journal, The Sporting News, Stack Magazine, FIGHT!, Fight Sport, Fighters Only, Grappling and Sports Illustrated for Kids.

He has written five books called “Train to Win”, “Success Patterns”, “The Team Renzo Gracie Workout”, “Training for Warriors”, and “Ultimate Warrior Workouts”, the latter two published by HarperCollins. Martin is also on the editorial council of Brazil’s Gracie Magazine and a regular contributor to Men’s Health and FIGHT!. Martin has also produced a 10-part DVD series on the Parisi Training Method and a 2-part series entitled “The Secrets of GameSpeed”. In all, these products have sold in excess of 100,000 copies to date.

In addition to training many world champion martial artists, Martin has also been a speed and conditioning consultant to the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona State University, University of Alabama, Oregon State University, Rutgers University, Montana State University as well as other athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA and numerous top Division I colleges across the country. He has also trained numerous Olympians including one gold, four silver medalists, and one US Olympic Trials champion.

Over the last 11 years Martin has also developed one of the top NFL Combine training programs in the country producing the fastest athlete at the 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 NFL Combine and first place finishers at ten different positions, including five all-time records. 130 athletes Martin has trained have been drafted to the NFL including the #2 pick overall Chris Long in 2008.

- See more at: http://www.trainingforwarriors.com/our-team/#sthash.j53KlzC0.dpuf

Martin Rooney is an internationally recognized pioneer of strength and conditioning for the martial arts. He holds a Master of Health Science and Bachelor of Physical Therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Furman University.

Martin was a four-time All Conference, and four-time MVP performer in Track and Field at Furman and a member of the United States Bobsled team from 1995-1997, 2000. Following his exposure to MMA in the mid 1990s, Martin began training with Renzo Gracie and started training fighters shortly afterward. Since the foundation of the TFW system, Martin has traveled as far as Brazil, Finland, Mexico, Japan, Russia, England, Holland, Sweden, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Austria and the Middle East to train, compete, and conduct seminars and help prepare world class athletes for competition. Martin has been the martial arts consultant to the NY Giants and the NY Jets for over 5 years and a coach on the 2007 IFL World Team Champion New York Pitbulls. Martin is currently a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under UFC fighter Ricardo Almeida and a black belt in Kodokan Judo under Olympian Teimoc Johnston-Ono.

Martin has lectured for the American College of Sports Medicine, the College Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the UK Strength and Conditioning Association, the Finnish Coaches Association, American Fitness Professionals and Associates, Perform Better and has been commissioned by Nike to run speed testing camps at a number of major universities. Martin has also presented for numerous companies on leadership and teamwork including Fortune 500 companies such as Marriot International and Hasbro.

Martin and his training have been featured on ESPN, ESPN2, Spike TV, Sports New York, Fox Sports Net, Fox Fight Game, the NFL Network, HDnet, NBC.com, Bodybuilding.com, tmuscle.com and in the New York Times, Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Journal, The Sporting News, Stack Magazine, FIGHT!, Fight Sport, Fighters Only, Grappling and Sports Illustrated for Kids.

He has written five books called “Train to Win”, “Success Patterns”, “The Team Renzo Gracie Workout”, “Training for Warriors”, and “Ultimate Warrior Workouts”, the latter two published by HarperCollins. Martin is also on the editorial council of Brazil’s Gracie Magazine and a regular contributor to Men’s Health and FIGHT!. Martin has also produced a 10-part DVD series on the Parisi Training Method and a 2-part series entitled “The Secrets of GameSpeed”. In all, these products have sold in excess of 100,000 copies to date.

In addition to training many world champion martial artists, Martin has also been a speed and conditioning consultant to the New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona State University, University of Alabama, Oregon State University, Rutgers University, Montana State University as well as other athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA and numerous top Division I colleges across the country. He has also trained numerous Olympians including one gold, four silver medalists, and one US Olympic Trials champion.

Over the last 11 years Martin has also developed one of the top NFL Combine training programs in the country producing the fastest athlete at the 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 NFL Combine and first place finishers at ten different positions, including five all-time records. 130 athletes Martin has trained have been drafted to the NFL including the #2 pick overall Chris Long in 2008.

- See more at: http://www.trainingforwarriors.com/our-team/#sthash.j53KlzC0.dpuf
Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_15.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 11:25am EDT

Elitefts SPP: Anthony Donskov

Anthony Donskov Interview

Donskov Strength & Conditioning is one of the premier training facilities in the country.  The biggest reason for this is its founder and head strength Coach, Anthony Donskov.

 

Donskov has established himself as one of the most knowledgeable and detail-oriented coaches in the industry.  His passion for continuing to improve as a coach in order to enhance the performance of his athletes is rivaled only by his undeniable core values in which he runs his business.

 

 

Every aspect of the comprehensive development of his athletes falls under these core values and the athletes at Donskov’s are immersed into a system of producing results.  There is a buy–in from the athletes and a collective culture of exceeding expectations from the coaches and interns.  Anthony Donskov is not only developing stronger, faster, and better conditioned athletes; but better young men and women.


Elitefts™ Collegiate Line
Podcasts at elitefts.com™
Coaching Articles at elitefts.com™
Sports Performance Articles at elitefts.com™
Articles by Mark Watts
Mark Watts' Training Log
Elitefts™ Q&A
Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes

Mark Watts on Twitter

Donskov Strength & Conditioning

Direct download: Elitefts_SPP_AD.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 12:27pm EDT

Buddy Morris Interview

Growing up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, my heroes were Pittsburgh sports figures.  The Steelers were almost surreal to me as a fan and other than attending Jack Lambert's Football Camp and training camps in Latrobe, Pennsylvania; they were untouchable.  The University of Pittsburgh Football players were in fact more than just giants of the game, they were part of our culture.  Guys like Jim Sweeney, Bill Fralic, and Mark Stepnoski were friends of my older cousins and in some way, almost like big brothers to all of us playing pick-up football in the cobblestone streets of the Iron City.  Dan Mario played baseball for my grandfather up until his junior year at Pitt. And, all of us "yinzers" were heartbroken when Tony Dorsett started wearing a start on his helmet and played for America's team. 

The icon who prepared most of those men was why, in a round-a-bout way, I became a strength and conditioning coach myself.  Buddy Morris has always been someone who most of us looked up to.  Even when he told you things you didn't want to hear about training and physical preparation.  Coach X became a staple of elitefts.com and videos of when Dave and Jim visited he and Mylo when they were coaching the Cleveland Browns still rank as some of the top learning experiences.

If there is one thing that is evident is that Buddy Morris was meant to be a strength coach.  Buddy makes no apologies for being who he is. He has the knowledge and the experience to validate what he believes, while always questioning whether there is a better way to do things. Buddy knows it was, is, and will never be about him.

"Buddy's one of the All-Timers, he helped start this profession," explains Joe Kenn, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Carolina Panthers. "Nobody talks enough about Buddy being one of the pioneers." With over 3 decades of experience, no one can deny Buddy Morris' impact on the strength and conditioning profession and the athletes he has coached.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. Taking over at the University of Buffalo
  2. Outside influences on loading parameters
  3. Good players make good coaches
  4. GPP for the athlete
  5. Speed work and the strength deficit
  6. Combine training
  7. Collegiate vs. NFL training
  8. The age of the internet
  9. What Buddy has learned from Charlie Francis
  10. Who else has been influence for Coach X
  11. Speed Training for sport
  12. Advice for young coaches

 

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

Elitefts™ Iron Subcultrue Podcast on iTunes


Download the ebook here!

American Football Physical Preparation was written to expose football players, physical preparation and sport coaches, to the concepts of one of the original coaches of physical preparation for football, Buddy “Coach X” Morris. In this book, you will find information regarding the theory, methodology, bioenergetics, biodynamics, and bio-motor abilities, as they pertain to American Football. This information is unique, as it explains why football is an alactic-aerobic sport, which bio-motor abilities are most important, how biodynamics play into exercise selection, and how each team, side of the ball, position, and even individual, needs their own specific programming.

In the final section of the book, you will find practical examples of training cycles, monthly blocks, training weeks, and individual workouts, all tailored for five distinct training groups: Line, Combo, Skill, Quarterback, and Kicker/Punter. As a whole, American Football Physical Preparation will give all readers an exclusive look, and insight, of how the training process is organized, programmed and implemented, in a large team setting for American Football.


Buddy Morris is a strength and conditioning legend, bodybuilder, and rehab specialist who will run our Performance Center. He has over 31 years of experience in the strength and conditioning field. He has worked as the Head Strength Coach for the NFL Cleveland Browns as well as the Head Strength Coach for the University of Pittsburgh for 20+ years. He has coached 5 NFL Hall of Famers and trains NFL players year round.

He is known nationwide and has contributed to numerous fitness magazines, books, and articles. His weight room at the University of Pittsburgh “The Pitt Iron Works” was named one of the top ten toughest gyms in America by Muscle & Fitness Magazine.  Buddy  was recently named one of the “65 Most Influential Strength Coaches of All-Time.”  Recently Tony “Goose” Siragusa, spoke highly of Buddy on Howard Stern’s radio show and in his new best selling book, “Goose.”

Ask Buddy “Coach X” Morris a Question

Articles by Buddy “Coach X” Morris


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Elitefts™ Collegiate Line
Podcasts at elitefts.com™
Coaching Articles at elitefts.com™
Sports Performance Articles at elitefts.com™
Articles by Mark Watts
Mark Watts' Training Log
Elitefts™ Q&A
Elitefts™ SPP on iTunes
Mark Watts on Twitter

Direct download: Elitefts_SPP_Buddy_Morris.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

Interview with Dan Stevens

From the first time I met Dan Stevens, one thing was evident; he cares about the athletes he trains as much as he loves training himself.  His professional life revolves around it.  Stevens, who is the head strength and conditioning coach at Thomas Worthington High School and Worthington Kilbourne High School, has mastered the art of being two places at once… literally.  A distinction and job title he earned via a coin flip of all things, after budget cuts in the Worthington, Ohio school district.

Stevens utilizes decades of under-the-bar experience and training athletes to and consistently build his knowledge base.  He is the epitome of a life-long learner, which is evident by his involvement with the elitefts™ Learn to Train seminars and the amount of correspondence he has with the best coaches in the profession.

I sat down with Dan in the weight room at Worthington Kilbourne High School and like every other time I have interacted with Dan, I gained perspective about coaching on so many levels.

Dan Stevens is a rock in a sea of new methods and under-qualified coaches. Stevens has survived the storm of change and has stood by his principles and his unwavering integrity.  Coach Stevens has one of the most important and influential jobs in the country, a fact he covets and a job he does extremely well.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. Balancing training between two high schools
  2. Training 5/3/1 in two days per week
  3. Training high school softball players
  4. What high school strength and conditioning programs really need
  5. Why more volume is important at the high school level
  6. Programming in 3-week waves
  7. Differences between training freshman and seniors
  8. Coach Steven's manifesto
  9. Specialization in high school sports
  10. Strength is the most important factor
  11. Five exercises Coach Stevens couldn't do without

    Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

  12. Elitefts™ Iron Subcultrue Podcast on iTunes


  13. Wish List: How I Became a Single Ply Powerlifter

    Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 6: Joe Kenn Interview

    Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 5: Todd Hamer Interview

    Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 4: Cam Davidson Interview

    Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 3: Tom Palumbo Interview

    Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 2: Chad Scott, Tim Kontos, & Jon-Michael Davis Interview

    Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview

  14. Five exercises Coach Stevens couldn't do without
Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_8.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:21am EDT

Elitefts SPP: JL Holdsworth & Nic Bronkall

Interview with JL Holdsworth & Nic Bronkall

JL Holdsworth - Owner

Nic Bronkall - Director of Strength & Conditioning

The Spot Athletics

Every time I travel to The Spot Athletics to met with JL Holdsworth and his staff, I learn a ton.  This time around, we filmed some plyometric videos with Nic Bronkall.  We also had an in depth discussion about weak muscle groups in the deadlift which forced my to review the basics of anatomy and physiology.  As usual, JL gave me some more drills and exercises to help with my weak points.  This time around, I got another drill to address my horrendous thoracic spine mobility issues using some bands.

While talking to JL and Nic, it was evident of how much they are on the same page and how passionate they are about helping athletes achieve their goals.  Along with the rest of the staff, JL and Nic take pride in how and why they coach.  It is because of this universal disposition that The Spot Athletics is truly unique. 

 

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. Rationale behind the Friday Technique Video series
  2. The internship process at The Spot Athletics
  3. Transitioning from the collegiate setting to the private sector
  4. Thoughts on conditioning
  5. The title of "Coach"
  6. Separating yourself
  7. Relationships with parents
  8. Assessing the needs of athletes
  9. Adapting programming from the assessment
  10. 5 drills or exercises every athlete should do
  11. 3 things you will never see The Spot Athletics' athletes do
  12. Specific skill vs. physical training

 Articles by JL Holdworth

Articles by Nic Bronkall

JL Holdsworth's Training Log


Nic Bronkall is the director of strength and conditioning at The Spot Athletics in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated with honors from Cleveland State University with a degree in health sciences with an emphasis on human factors and functions. He has also obtained his CSCS and USAW Level 1 sports performance certification as a coach. Nic worked under Tredell Doresy training and coaching a myriad Division I athletes. Nic also worked, for three years, as the strength and conditioning coach at a high school in north east Ohio.


With a BA in Exercise Science from Wayne State, Masters work at University of Kentucky in Coaching, a USAW Level-1 coaching certificate and well over 20,000 hours of practical experience, JL Holdsworth is one of the most respected strength coaches in the industry.

As a competitive powerlifter. JL has posted a 905 pound squat, 775 pound bench press, and 804 pound deadlift. He has also competed in mixed martial arts and grip competition.  He is the owner The Spot Athletics, where he works with athletes of all ages and sports disciplines.

I believe in highly specific training for each clients’ goals, specific sporting demands and individual weaknesses.  Most trainers put together a cookie cutter program and give it to all their clients.  However, my lifelong endeavor to learn about the human body enables me to bring each person past what they thought was their physical limit.  My programs address all areas of strength, the appropriate energy systems and a systematic conditioning of the nervous system to handle increasing work loads.  This produces maximal results in minimal time.  I also believe that the Fascial planes are the gateway to a healthy body and through myofacial release and highly specific stretching this system is trained and improved.  This individualized, whole-system approach allows goals to be reached faster and athletic ability to improve beyond what most think is possible.

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

Elitefts™ Iron Subcultrue Podcast on iTunes


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Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview

 

 

  1. Specific skill vs. physical training

Interview with Joe Kenn Part 2

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Carolina Panthers

Joe Kenn is undoubtedly one of the most influential strength and conditioning coaches in the industry.  The number of coaches that "House" has had an impact on stretches throughout the professional, collegiate, high school, and private sectors. Coach Kenn has been and mentor to me since I started reading his articles on elitefts™ and read The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook which outlines the Tier System; a system that I have used with my athletes with great success.

Joe has become a friend and I am able to speak to him regularly.  I was honored to introduce him when he presented at the NSCA National Conference this past summer and privileged to be one of the first to review his new eBook: The Coach's Strength Training Playbook for Football before it was released.  Here is my review of his manual:

In today’s saturated sports performance market, there are eBooks that surface left and right on various topics with an underlying motivation to make a profit. Most of these manuals turn out to be promotional platforms written by individuals who have never actually coached athletes in a team setting.  Real coaches want to cut through the creative formatting and flashy marketing without reading through another theoretical guide based not on anecdotal evidence but on personal beliefs.  This is not that kind of eBook.

Make no mistake, Joe Kenn’s “The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program” is anything but watered-down and solely theoretical.  Coach Kenn opens the doors to an entire off-season of training in a detailed format.  This data was collected during the off-season training of a highly successful team in a BCS conference with a number of NFL drafted players.  No component of preparation was left undocumented including sets, reps, percentages, target times, and performance testing data.

There is a reason Joe “House” Kenn is arguably the most decorated and influential strength & conditioning coach in the industry.  His attention to detail, straightforward guidance, and unwavering integrity is evident in every one of the 280 plus pages.  Coaches that truly want to help their athletes succeed on the football field and in the weight room will appreciate the effort and honesty of Coach Kenn’s writing.  This is the type of information that strength coaches covet and will flourish with.  A must read for any coach beyond the over-simplification of athletic performance. “The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program” is written from the sack. Words Win.

It was an honor to do this interview, although it didn't feel much like one; more of a conversation that we have had many times before.

Topics Covered in Part 2 of this Podcast

  1. Maximum Effort Training for the Front Seven Article
  2. Mental Toughness
  3. Young Coaches Platform and the"New Methods"
  4. Embracing the Process
  5. Surviving the Profession
  6. Advice for Young Coaches
  7. Coach's New eBook: The Coach's Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

Elitefts™ Iron Subcultrue Podcast on iTunes


The Coach's Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program


More from Joe Kenn:

Articles by Joe Kenn

 Joe Kenn’s Push, Jump, Punch e-book

 Joe Kenn’s The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook

 Joe Kenn’s Tier System Training System DVD

Joe Kenn’s The Sled Work Outs DVD

Joe Kenn is undoubtedly one of the most experienced and knowledgeable strength coaches in the industry.  As the head strength & conditioning coach of the Carolina Panthers and founder of the Tier System, coach Kenn is one of the most sought after presenters in the country.

 

Over the last 20 plus years, “House” has coached athletes at The University of Louisville, Arizona State University, The University of Utah, Boise State University, and his Alma Mater, Wake Forrest University.  The number of athletes and assistant coaches who have benefited from his guidance reaches throughout the profession.

 

The Joe Kenn File:

Year

Organization

Position

2011 – Present Carolina Panthers Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
2009 – 2011 Big House Power Competitive Athletic Training Owner/ President
2008-2009 University of Louisville Director of Athlete Development
2003-2007 Arizona State University Head Coach of Sports Performance
2001-2002 Arizona State University Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
1999- 2000 The University of Utah Director of Strength & Conditioning
1994-1998 Boise State University Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
1991-1994 Boise State University Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
1991 Wake Forrest University Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
1989-1990 Pine Crest Preparatory School Assistant Football, Head Wrestling, & Head Strength Coach

Awards:

  • NSCA Professional Coach of the Year - 2013
  • CSCCa Master Strength & Conditioning Coach – 2009
  • NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year award – 2002
  • NSCA Mountain West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year – 2000
  • NSCA Big West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year – 1998
  • NSCA All-American Strength & Conditioning Athlete – 1988
  • Wake Forrest University Bill George Award – 1987


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Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 4: Cam Davidson Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 3: Tom Palumbo Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 2: Chad Scott, Tim Kontos, & Jon-Michael Davis Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_7B2.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 1:42pm EDT

Elitefts SPP: Joe Kenn Interview Part 1

Interview with Joe Kenn

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Carolina Panthers

Joe Kenn is undoubtedly one of the most influential strength and conditioning coaches in the industry.  The number of coaches that "House" has had an impact on stretches throughout the professional, collegiate, high school, and private sectors. Coach Kenn has been and mentor to me since I started reading his articles on elitefts™ and read The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook which outlines the Tier System; a system that I have used with my athletes with great success.

Joe has become a friend and I am able to speak to him regularly.  I was honored to introduce him when he presented at the NSCA National Conference this past summer and privileged to be one of the first to review his new eBook: The Coach's Strength Training Playbook for Football before it was released.  Here is my review of his manual:

In today’s saturated sports performance market, there are eBooks that surface left and right on various topics with an underlying motivation to make a profit. Most of these manuals turn out to be promotional platforms written by individuals who have never actually coached athletes in a team setting.  Real coaches want to cut through the creative formatting and flashy marketing without reading through another theoretical guide based not on anecdotal evidence but on personal beliefs.  This is not that kind of eBook.

Make no mistake, Joe Kenn’s “The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program” is anything but watered-down and solely theoretical.  Coach Kenn opens the doors to an entire off-season of training in a detailed format.  This data was collected during the off-season training of a highly successful team in a BCS conference with a number of NFL drafted players.  No component of preparation was left undocumented including sets, reps, percentages, target times, and performance testing data.

There is a reason Joe “House” Kenn is arguably the most decorated and influential strength & conditioning coach in the industry.  His attention to detail, straightforward guidance, and unwavering integrity is evident in every one of the 280 plus pages.  Coaches that truly want to help their athletes succeed on the football field and in the weight room will appreciate the effort and honesty of Coach Kenn’s writing.  This is the type of information that strength coaches covet and will flourish with.  A must read for any coach beyond the over-simplification of athletic performance. “The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program” is written from the sack. Words Win.

It was an honor to do this interview, although it didn't feel much like one; more of a conversation that we have had many times before.

Topics Covered in Part 1 of this Podcast

  1. Coaching in the grid of the NFL season
  2. The transition from the collegiate setting to the professional level
  3. In-season training and exercises density
  4. The evolution of the Tier System
  5. Limitations on coaching at the college level

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast on iTunes

Elitefts™ Iron Subcultrue Podcast on iTunes


The Coach's Strength Training Playbook for Football: A Championship Program


More from Joe Kenn:

Articles by Joe Kenn

 Joe Kenn’s Push, Jump, Punch e-book

 Joe Kenn’s The Coach’s Strength Training Playbook

 Joe Kenn’s Tier System Training System DVD

Joe Kenn’s The Sled Work Outs DVD

Joe Kenn is undoubtedly one of the most experienced and knowledgeable strength coaches in the industry.  As the head strength & conditioning coach of the Carolina Panthers and founder of the Tier System, coach Kenn is one of the most sought after presenters in the country.

 

Over the last 20 plus years, “House” has coached athletes at The University of Louisville, Arizona State University, The University of Utah, Boise State University, and his Alma Mater, Wake Forrest University.  The number of athletes and assistant coaches who have benefited from his guidance reaches throughout the profession.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Joe Kenn File:

Year

Organization

Position

2011 – Present Carolina Panthers Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
2009 – 2011 Big House Power Competitive Athletic Training Owner/ President
2008-2009 University of Louisville Director of Athlete Development
2003-2007 Arizona State University Head Coach of Sports Performance
2001-2002 Arizona State University Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
1999- 2000 The University of Utah Director of Strength & Conditioning
1994-1998 Boise State University Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
1991-1994 Boise State University Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
1991 Wake Forrest University Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
1989-1990 Pine Crest Preparatory School Assistant Football, Head Wrestling, & Head Strength Coach

Awards:

  • NSCA Professional Coach of the Year - 2013
  • CSCCa Master Strength & Conditioning Coach – 2009
  • NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year award – 2002
  • NSCA Mountain West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year – 2000
  • NSCA Big West Conference Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year – 1998
  • NSCA All-American Strength & Conditioning Athlete – 1988
  • Wake Forrest University Bill George Award – 1987


Related Articles

Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 5: Todd Hamer Interview

Elitefts Sports Performance Podcast Episode 4: Cam Davidson Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 3: Tom Palumbo Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 2: Chad Scott, Tim Kontos, & Jon-Michael Davis Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview

Elitefts™ Sports Performance Podcast Episode 1: Dan John Interview


Todd Hamer Interview. 

There are coaches in our field who have made tremendous sacrifices to help their athletes and their assistants to improve in every aspect of their lives.  Todd Hamer not only understands the importance of developing and mentoring student-athletes from a physical standpoint, but takes pride in facilitating them to make a positive impact in all facets of their maturing process.

Todd Hamer is a friend and mentor who is continually combining a global, life-long learning process with real-world experiences which have made him one of the wisest strength & conditioning coaches in our field.  His track record of weight room management, long-term development of athletes, and the holistic preparation of assistant coaches is second to none.

I have invited Coach Hamer to speak at the Central Ohio Strength & Conditioning Clinic on three separate occasions and have watched him coach at Robert Morris University and at the elitefts™ Learn to Train seminars.  There has not been an interaction with Todd that I have not learned something about coaching athletes, mentoring people, and bettering myself.

This is an interview we did together at the Learn to Train 7 Seminar in November of 2013.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

  1. Balancing the training of so many sports at a smaller university.
  2. Developing assistant coaches and preparing them for the next job.
  3. The gap between the science of strength & conditioning and the practical application of it.
  4. Being a thermometer versus being a thermostat in the weight room.

 Articles by Todd Hamer


The 2013-14 athletic campaign marks the sixth season for Todd Hamer as head strength and conditioning coach at Robert Morris. Hamer is responsible for designing and implementing programs for each of RMU’s 23 Division I intercollegiate sports.

Named head strength and conditioning coach in May of 2007, Hamer came to RMU from George Mason University, where he served in the same capacity since 2004. At George Mason, Hamer was responsible for the women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, baseball, women’s soccer, softball and women’s track and field teams.

A graduate of Penn State with a Bachelor of Science degree, Hamer received a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to George Mason, Hamer was the head strength and conditioning coach at Marist College from 2002 to 2004. He worked with each of the 23 intercollegiate programs for the Red Foxes and was also responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Marist College Fitness Center. Before taking the position at Marist, Hamer was an assistant strength & conditioning coach at The Citadel in Charlestown, South Carolina.

In August of 2001, Hamer worked as a graduate assistant for Virginia Commonwealth University. At VCU, he worked with soccer, field hockey, track and field and volleyball in all aspects of strength and conditioning. He also assisted in the design of a new 5,500-square foot weight room at VCU.

A native of Moon Township, Pa., Hamer is a competitive powerlifter and competed in the International Powerlifting Association National Championships in 2002. He continues to compete and won the 2001 USAPL Virginia State Championship. In addition, he is a competitive member of the International Power Lifting Association. His best lifts are 545 pounds for squat, 425 pounds for bench and 540 pounds for deadlift. He is a regular presenter for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

- Courtesy of Robert Morris University Sports Information

 


Cam Davidson Interview

There aren’t many strength and conditioning coaches that get the opportunity to work with national championship teams or athletes. Cam Davidson has been a part of them in three different sports. Davidson, who is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Nittany Lions’ Olympic Sports has worked with men’s ice hockey, track and field, the four-time national champion women’s volleyball team, and the three-time national champion wrestling team, among others.  Davidson also trains three-time national champion and Olympic hopeful shot-putter, Ryan Whiting.

I had the privilege of witnessing Cam’s wisdom and his passion for strength and conditioning during his presentations, hands-on coaching, and his own training. He spoke at the Central Ohio Strength and Conditioning Clinic in May of 2012 on max effort training for female athletes where he displayed incredible knowledge of the scientific foundations and the practical application of his training modalities. Cam has the uncanny ability to communicate complex training methodologies in a very clear and enthusiastic manner. This summer while training at The Columbus Weightlifting Club, Cam visited the S4 Compound and coached me through the Olympic lifts.  He was also the key contributor on Olympic Lifting for Athletes: Using Static Holds to Improve Technique, published here on elitefts.com.

Cam Davidson is a friend, mentor, and an outstanding strength and conditioning coach.  It was a pleasure to do this interview.

Topics Covered in this Podcast

1. Cam’s Career Path

2. Transitioning from Small School Head Coach to Big School Assistant

3. Max Effort Training for Females

4. Being New to an Already Successful Program

5. Olympic Lifting Progressions for First-year Players

6. Four-Stage Squat Progression for Throwers

7. Training Athletes at the Highest Levels of Competition

8. Cam’s Biggest Challenges in the Profession

Cam Davidson enters his first year as the Penn State men’s hockey team’s strength and conditioning coach in 2013-14.

As an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the University, Davidson also works with Penn State’s women’s volleyball and track & field programs. During his time in State College, he also assisted in the design and application for the strength programs for the three-time NCAA defending national champion Penn State wrestling squad. In addition to his work with the school’s teams, Davidson serves as the strength coach for Penn State volunteer throws coach and 2012 Olympian Ryan Whiting.

Prior to working at Penn State, Davidson was the director of strength and conditioning at the College of Charleston from 2007-09. At Charleston, he designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for all 19 intercollegiate teams.

Davidson began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Wyoming, where he wrestled from 2001-02. Davidson went on to earn his master’s degree from Marshall University in 2006, while working with many of its athletic teams. In 2006-07, he served as an assistant basketball strength coach at Clemson.

A senior-level Olympic weightlifter, Davison has competed at the national level for the past three years. He is SCCC certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, CSCS certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, has his Level 1 weightlifting certification through USA weightlifting, and has taken advanced certifications through Columbus Weightlifting and Totten Training Systems.

- Courtesy of Penn State Sports Information

 

 

9. Athletes’ Impressions of the Coach’s Training

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_4.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:26am EDT

Tom Palumbo Interview

I first met Tom Palumbo in 2006 when he visited The United States Military Academy at West Point. I was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Army and Tom was the associate head strength and conditioning coach at The Ohio State University, a position he held until the Spring of 2012. As the director of strength and conditioning at Denison University, I had decided to intern for Tom at Ohio State in the summer of 2007. Tom’s passion for getting his athletes better, his diligence and practical application of anecdotal research, his tenacious work ethic, and his unwavering integrity has made him one of the most respected coaches at the collegiate setting.

I have witnessed firsthand, Tom Palumbo coaching in the weight room, mentoring interns, and presenting at conferences. I asked Coach Palumbo to present at three consecutive central Ohio strength and conditioning clinics, as well as many other regional and national conferences. As an internship coordinator, I would schedule multiple professional development trips each year. These were integral to the learning process for our student coaches.

Tom has used his experiences from the University of Georgia, The Pittsburgh Pirates, and The Ohio State University to organize and institute Flagler College’s first ever strength and conditioning program. In this interview from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Conference in Kansas City, Missouri last May, Tom and I discuss his journey and transition through the coaching field. He goes into detail about programming, internships, and his frustrations within the industry.

Topics covered in podcast:

    1. The career path
    2. The Challenges of starting a program from scratch
    3. Transitioning to a smaller school
    4. Using accommodating resistance
    5. Both sides of internships
    6. Off-season programming
    7. The stressors of the profession
    8. Dealing with sport coaches

Tom Palumbo begins his second season as Flagler’s strength and conditioning coach. He is the school’s first full-time employee in that position and started July 9, 2012.

Palumbo comes to Flagler from The Ohio State University where he served as an associate strength and conditioning coach since 2003. He directed the women’s lacrosse, women’s ice hockey, men’s swimming, women’s golf and rifle teams recently, but has worked with 28 sports during his time with the Buckeyes.

Prior to Palumbo’s time in Columbus, he had a stint as the minor league conditioning coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was the assistant director of strength and conditioning at the University of Georgia (1999-01).

He worked directly with 15 future Olympians as well as 33 all-Americans. Some of the notable student-athletes he worked with includes two-time gold medal winner Courtney Shealy (swimming), and gold medal winners Tessa Bonhomme (ice hockey) and Debbie Ferguson (track and field). Palumbo also worked with 2012 Master’s champion Bubba Watson at Georgia.

A native of Savannah, Ga., Tom graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor of science degree in microbiology. He also earned a master of education in physical education and sports studies from Georgia.

- Courtesy of Flagler College Sports Information
Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_3.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:21am EDT

Chad Scott, Tim Kontos, and Jon-Michael Davis Interview

I had the opportunity to sit down with three strength and conditioning coaches that I have the utmost respect for. Not only are these three gentlemen outstanding coaches, but they have been both friends and mentors to me.

I was introduced to Tim Kontos many years back through elitefts™ columnist Todd Hamer. Tim is one of the most respected strength and conditioning coaches in the industry and his work ethic, practical knowledge, and unwavering integrity are unparalleled.

I have known Chad Scott since the Spring of 2010 when he came to Denison University for a USA Weightlifting Certification and I met Jon-Michael Davis a few months after. In the summer of 2011, I brought my interns on a professional development trip to elitefts™ and also took them to Eastern Kentucky University. At the time, Chad Scott was still an assistant at EKU and he, Coach Davis, myself, and all of my interns spent the day talking shop. It was an invaluable learning experience for my guys as we talked about real-life coaching issues with brutal honesty. We also had a chance to poke fun at every stereo-typical coach, athlete, and NARP until I laughed so hard my face hurt. Chad and Jon-Michael are great men and role models for young coaches.

We all sat down in the lobby of the hotel during the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association National Conference in Kansas City Missouri in May. We talked about how each of them got their start in the field, advice for young strength and conditioning coaches trying to break into the profession, and the biggest challenges of being a strength and conditioning coach.

Direct download: Elitefts_SP_Episode_2.mp3
Category:Sports and Fitness -- posted at: 5:05am EDT

Dan John Interview

Dan John is one of the most influential and popular authors in the Sports Performance Community.  Dan has competed in Track & Field, Olympic Weightlifting, and Highland games a the highest level.  He was an All-American Thrower in the discus and still holds the American Record in the Weight Pentathlon. Dan John is the author of Intervention, Never Let Go, and Mass Made Simple.  He has also co-authored Easy Strength with Pavel Tsatsouline.  I had the opportunity to sit down and interview Dan for this podcast during the last day of discus camp.  Our discussion covered many topics including the need to write Intervention, his 4 quadrants, youth training in America, 3 musts for trainers, periodization, assessment, and teaching the hip hinge.

For the last several years, I have made the trip to Granville, Ohio to visit with Dan at John Powell’s Throwing Camp on the campus of Denison University.  The first year, my assistants and I sat in an on-campus apartment and talked for hours about training, the industry, and life in general. To say if was a invaluable learning experience is an understatement.

Year two found me making the trek to my former place of employment twice.  The first time ended up being an outstanding roundtable of sorts as Nic Bronkal, Elitefts.com™ Advisor, J.L Holdsworth, myself, Derek Fry, and Nick Showman joined John Powell and Dan John. Anytime, you have a collection of coaches able to share ideas without ego, everyone involved wins.

Books by Dan John

Easy Strength: How to get  lot Stronger than you Competition (with Pavel Tsatsouline)

Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer

Mass Made Simple: A Six-Week Journey into Bulking

Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Living, Lifting, and Learning


Videos by Dan John

Intervention: Course Corrections for the Athlete and Trainer

Dan John 3-DVD Set: Everything’s Over my Head, From the Ground Up, and Carried Away

Dan John has spent his life with one foot in the world of lifting and throwing, and the other foot in academia. An All-American discus thrower, Dan has also competed at the highest levels of Olympic lifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon, an event in which he holds the American record.

Dan spends his work life blending weekly workshops and lectures with full-time writing, and is also an online religious studies instructor for Columbia College of Missouri. As a Fulbright Scholar, he toured the Middle East exploring the foundations of religious education systems. His books, on weightlifting, include Intervention, Never Let Go, Mass Made Simple and Easy Strength, written with Pavel Tsatsouline as well as From Dad, To Grad.


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