In this episode, I am debriefing a few questions that coaches have about how we use testing to maximize the output of our program.
Recently, I presented on back-to-back weekends at the Minnesota and Michigan Coaches Clinics, where I presented on numerous topics. One of these discussions, How to Use Data to Supercharge Your Program, is always a hit but often leads to many great questions after the session.
In this talk, I will discuss how we test, what we test, why we do the tests, and where we implement the data to enhance our work in preparing our athletes to compete.
For more on this topic and other related content for coaching speed, please grab a copy of the Sprinter's Compendium here:https://www.amazon.com/Sprinters-Compendium-Ryan-J-Banta/dp/1946208566/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Chris is a top-flight hurdle and sprints coach for Minnesota State! He has become a master educator, with numerous national champions and record holders under his belt. Coach Parno and I had a wonderful conversation about education, organization, dealing with different athletes, and his evolution as a coach over nearly two decades in the sport.
His recources: https://linktr.ee/chrisparno?utm_source=linktree_profile_share
For the Sprinter's Compendium: https://www.amazon.com/Sprinters-Compendium-Ryan-J-Banta/dp/1946208566/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Chris Parno enters his 12th season as the Associate Head Track and Field Coach. Parno leads the men and women's sprint/hurdle groups and serves as the recruiting coordinator. While being led by Parno, the maverick sprinters and hurdlers have experienced unprecedented success, rewriting the record books and establishing MSU as a sprints and hurdles powerhouse among Division II. On top of his coaching duties at Minnesota State, Parno serves as a USATF lead instructor for the Level 1 coaching certification programs, while also instructing for the Level 2 and 3 certification programs.
Coaching Honors:
-2024 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023-2024 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023-2024 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2023-2024 NSIC Indoors Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2023 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2023 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022-2023 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2022 USTFCCCA Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2022 NSIC Outdoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021-2022 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021-2022 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2021-2022 NSIC Indoors Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2021 NSIC Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2020-2021 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2020-2021 USTFCCCA Indoor Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2019-2020 USTFCCCA NATIONAL Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year Finalist (top 3)
-2019-2020 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2019 USTFCCCA Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2018-2019 NSIC Outdoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2018-2019 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2018-2019 NSIC Indoor Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
-2017-2018 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2016-2017 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2015-2016 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2015 USTFCCCA Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
-2014-2015 USTFCCCA Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year – Central Region
Coach Holler is best known for his impassioned philosophy, Feed the Cats, which involves drilling things down to their most essential elements to keep training fun. Tony and I had a unique conversation about his continued evolution as a coach and how the world has changed for him now that his message has spanned the globe. Coach Holler shared his continued pursuit of excellence and his new challenge of completing his first official book.
We discuss the evolution of the message to others worldwide and how to become a lifelong learner through sport. Tony shares how to manage the role of being an amplifier, problem solver, and consultant for coaches and athletes alike internationally. I am excited to share this organic and novel conversation with Tony. Please share this podcast with others who can benefit from the messages shared by the experts interviewed.
Tony will speak at the Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Clinic this December 12-14 2024.
To register, click here: https://na.eventscloud.com/ehome/808834
To learn more about Tony or purchase some of his work, visit him at the following locations
X- @pntrack
Instagram- coachtonyholler
Coachtube- https://coachtube.com/users/tonyholler
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@coachtonyholler
For the Sprinter's Compendium, Purchase it here:
Henk and I had an awesome conversation. He and chatted about all manner of speed training. We talked about what he believes coaches need to do less and more to help their athletes reach their potential. We discussed how to differentiate training for different types of athletes. How to identify the different types of sprinters. He talked about what a warm-up should be if we should warm up at all. Coach discussed what mental training should be and who to establish what type of mindset you are coaching. We conclude our wonderful chat with where he is looking to continue furthering his knowledge in the art of coaching.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
Today is the fourth and final installment of my talk at the Central California Coaches Clinic. We discuss what is active recovery. I chat about how to layout plyometric training and cool down methods. I finish the talk with quick suggestions about the weight room and injury prevention.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
It was a treat to spend time chatting with World Champion and Olympian Ronnie Baker. We covered a lot of bases in our chat. From his early beginnings all the way through to becoming a World Champion and earning a spot on the Olympic team. Our discussion on his strength training changes is worth the price of admission as well. Ronnie is a humble and gracious guy. However, don't let that fool you, this man is a serious competitor and no one wants to win as much as he does. Click and listen to our great chat now!
Follow Ronnie on Twitter @ronnie_baker14
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
This is Part III of my talk about sprinting. I take you quickly through a number of different workouts based on the still intense but extended sprint training. Clear your mind and open it to the possibility of longer options. Different events require different loads and interval lengths.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
We dive right in with a unique conversation on the podcast. In episode 35 we meet four-time Olympian & multi-time medalist Roland Schoeman. He and I went into the deep end on training young people, mental resilience, the myths of swimming, his training parameters, and MORE! Listen in, subscribe, and share.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To follow Roland on Twitter- @Rolandschoeman
In Part II we discuss the intricacies of rest and recoveries between intense workouts. I explain how to use games to make sports performance fun with acceleration. We talk about the load minimums and maximums that are unique to acceleration. I also explain how to use different systems to blend the training and keep it interesting. We explain the value of having actual cues for different movements for different contacts through challenging workouts. In maximum velocity, we discuss how to do the workouts correctly. Also, I educated the audience on how to force the body into new firing patterns to avoid rhythm lock or what the late great Charlie Francis called a dynamic stereotype. I explain what each of these training zones requires and how to use various movement patterns to make the CNS go into overdrive for adaptation into great maximal speeds.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
I thoroughly enjoyed my talk with Dr. Avedesian! We went WAY down the rabbit hole on injuries and sports performance. A lot of our discussion is cutting-edge research from a number of different sources. Jason Avedesian is a post-doctoral researcher at the Emory Sports Performance and Research Center. His research interests include ACL injury, sports-related concussion, and sensorimotor contributions to athlete performance and injury. Jason completed Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Kinesiology from Michigan State University, a Master’s degree in Biomechanics from Ball State University, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (Biomechanics) from UNLV.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
Today we start part one of our Central California Coaching Clinic Session: Coaching the Sprints A-Z. In this part, we break down how to set up a proper warm-up and attack daily drills for sprinters. Sprinters can be trained and you can move the needle for them through technical work. Click and listen to this episode and see how it's done. We talk about protocol, rotations, surfaces, and how to take advantage of the body's desire for novelty.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
Jonathan Marcus is an American running coach, meet director, podcaster, and total running geek.
Jonathan has over 15 years of experience and success developing runnings of all levels and abilities. He’s coached several US Olympic Trials and US National Championships qualifiers as well as individual champions at the high school, college, and professional levels.
In 2015, Jonathan founded High-Performance West. Originally a track & field club for national class athletes based in Portland, Ore., HPW has evolved to become an online platform that strives to inform, educate, and better running coaches of all levels by publishing regular free and paid subscription content of the highest quality.
In addition to coaching, Jonathan has dedicated his career in athletics to providing highly competitive opportunities for runners at the local and national levels. He is a founding meet director of notable American high-performance middle distance meets such as: Portland Track Festival, Adrian Martinez Classic, the USATF Middle Distance Classic (formerly OXY High Performance), and Sunset Tour. He also served as the elite fields coordinator for the Brooks PR Meet, an elite High School track & field meet, and the FloTrack Throwdown High-Performance Meet.
In 2011, Jonathan was recognized by USATF as the Long Distance Chairman of the Year for his efforts to advance long-distance running opportunities in the state of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Jonathan is the co-host of the On Coaching podcast with Magness & Marcus, started in 2015 with his good friend and colleague Steve Magness.
Steve and Jonathan founded the Magness & Marcus Scholar Program, a continuing education program aimed at providing distance running coaches of all levels with relevant and practical information and knowledge in the form of online courses and programs of study.
His most recent project, Super Running Training, provides 1-on-1 coaching, training, recovery, and club membership services to runners of all levels and abilities.
Jonathan currently holds a Level 1 Coaching Certification from USATF and Strength & Conditioning Certification from USTFCCCA.
He enjoys working with runners of all levels and currently lives in Oregon with his wife, Kristen.
Coach Marcus takes us through his myriad of mentors and experiences to develop him as a coach. Jonathan talks about what he learned NOT to do as a coach. He continues on to discuss the importance of creating great experiences for our athletes. Coach talks about stressing the process over accolades. Johnathan talks about how expectation is the killer of joy. We discuss the importance of the human element in coaching over the X’s and O’s. Coach Marcus talks about the vitality of funding needed for coaching and educators. Jonathan educates us on his takes aways he learned from going back to teaching the roots of track & field in high school. He then walks us through some of the training progressions he did with an abbreviated season. Coach explains how Covid has forced us to be better at what we do as coaches. We discuss the reality of the identity crises most coaches will face in their careers. Coach and I chat about reframing poor moments into something positive to better ourselves.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To follow Coach Marcus on Twitter @jmarpdx
1- Physically Resilient 2- Always Competing & Being Challenged 3- More Skill to Be Used at the Highest level 4- Different Coaches to Sheppard Talent 5- Bigger Network of Relationships & More a Part of the Community
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
Mike takes us through his development and mentors to bring him to the pinnacle of strength and conditioning. Coach Boyle talks about his time at Boston University and their hockey dynasty. Coach shares with us a story on if you can coach something you can coach everything! He educates us on the myth of fitness. Mike cautions against expert beginners’ syndrome. However, there is nothing wrong with listening to people with extreme points of view to understand the context. Boyle uses the feed the cats philosophy on limited weight training as the backdrop to understanding initially ideas that seem a bit too radical. We discuss together the value of Adam Grant’s book Think Again in reflecting on concepts that are new or foreign to us. Mike takes us through the “think again” concept as it relates to hexbar deadlift versus other weight room strength training exercises. Coach talks about the importance of building training that is inclusive casting a wide net over an expansive number of sports! He makes the argument that only getting better at bilateral bench, squat, and deadlift makes you a worse athlete. Instead, we should improve athletes globally and one of the very best ways to do it is through speed training. We go on to educate the audience about the dangers of a coach’s engrained bias and how to manage it as we develop. Additionally, Mike warns us about the internet expert and the pitfalls from not being able to filter the quality content from those who are suspect at best. Coach Boyle goes into the importance of making things simple. He references the book They Have Not Been Taught until they have learned as a great example of the mastery of complex concepts into their simple component parts. Mike highlights the value of cueing athletes “do this, not this, this” derived from the actual coaching legend John Wooden. Coach Boyle educates me on the best cue I have heard in a long time for Olympic Lifting. Mike shares with us three filters we should all have to be better coaches. We continue our conversation by deconstructing the “ok boomer” ageism in the world of strength and conditioning. We close our conversation with Mike predicting what will his lasting impact become on those he taught, coached, and mentored.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To contact Coach Boyle on Twitter: @mboyle1959
To learn more about Mike’s business and coach visit here: https://www.bodybyboyle.com/
Saturday Night Fight Debrief Answering questions we didn't discuss from Tony Holler & my debate over how to train the 400m.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
For a copy of the PPV Fight between #feedthecats vs #criticalmasssystem here: https://sellfy.com/fieldfocus/p/saturday-night-fights-400m-debate/
For the Sprinter's Compendium: https://www.amazon.com/Sprinters-Compendium-Ryan-J-Banta/dp/1946208566/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
I had the pleasure of returning the favor to my good friend Mike Cunningham by having him on my podcast. Mike is was a long-time coach and former instructor for USATF education. Now his current position is chief of sales at Gill Athletics and host of his very own podcast. He has had the unique opportunity through his previous and current career(s) to create a wonderful fellowship with coaches. Mike is wise and has a great perspective that we all should consider.
Mike and I discuss the importance of effective communication and how technology can help or hinder the process. Mike and jump into the importance of intent of our actions. Mike argues we need to do a better job of showing grace and opportunities for redemption. We go on to discuss the benefits of various points of view and the need to discuss them openly. Mike teaches the audience the benefit of focusing your mission on what value you can share not the effects of others. Cunningham goes into detail about why he felt it was important to shift from short-term thinking to long-term thinking and the podcast being an expression of that change. Mike talks about the value of everyone’s unique story and path in their development as a person. I ask him to explain the value of his time playing cards has helped him see the long game and learning in detail what are major motivators of people. After 100s of conversations with coaches Cunningham reveals what he discovered about what they have in common. We also chat about how mental health is important for our coaching friends and the value of a support network. Mike asks me to give my opinion on why so many coaches feel the urge to work way past the normal hours of work for their career. Mike makes the case that our experience opens our eyes to the need to become more selfless than selfish as mature as a coach. Cunningham catches me in an absolutist statement and holds me accountable for the truth behind my words. We close the conversation about the challenges around the word “just” and the importance of the concept of infinite influence.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To connect with Mike on Twitter: @MikeCunningham
To follow Mike's Podcast visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-track-and-field-connections-podcast/id1500782760
Mike Cunningham one of the nicest people in the world of sport honored me by having me on his Gill Athletics Connections podcast. It was a unique conversation about sports without "X's & O's." I know you will truly enjoy it plus.... I make a fool of myself numerous times it should make you chuckle. I am sharing our conversation now because following this Thursday's Thoughts I had Mike return the favor on my podcast. Without Mike's support, this podcast would not exist. I am humbled to call him a friend. Enclosed below are the show notes from our conversation.
"The life of a high school track coach is much different than one of a college track coach. And then sometimes there are a lot of similarities. Today we learn of Ryan's journey from athlete to the teacher to coach. The trials and tribulations have a lot to teach us about perseverance and passion. Lots of lessons on how to teach kids today whether it's history or sprinting, along with why to teach kids. Ryan did a great job of showing why he coaches and the real love of kids that drives him on a daily basis. He is also the author of the Sprinters Compendium. We learn of how the idea started to write a book and how it came to fruition. At the end, I put Ryan on the spot to perform and you will not want to miss it. I guarantee it!"
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To connect with Mike on Twitter: @MikeCunningham
To follow Mike's Podcast visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-track-and-field-connections-podcast/id1500782760
Kelly Starrett is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, author, speaker, and CrossFit trainer. His 2013 fitness book, Becoming a Supple Leopard, was featured on The New York Times' bestselling sportsbooks list. He is a co-founder, with his wife Juliet Starrett, of the fitness website The Ready State, formerly MobilityWOD. He has been described as a "celebrity" and "founding father" of CrossFit, as well as ranking on Greatist's 2017 list of the 100 most influential people in health and fitness. It was an absolute privilege to speak with him in an unforgettable conversation about life, sport, and the privilege of shaping people's lives for the better.
Kelly educates us on his background into the world of sport and his desire to provide a different system recovery as he struggled with overuse injuries. This led him into the world of physical therapy and eventually the multi-disciplined world of CrossFit. Coach Starrett pays homage to those who helped him create files, systems, and connect the dots to performance health. He and I dive into how to find the answers in training are all around us in the myriad of sports expressions. Kelly guides us into pitfalls when we base our exploration on the artifacts of scholarship. He argues we need to know the difference between “math and research” when it comes to developing future training theory. All in all, he argues we need to see the forest through the trees and that coaches must be interdisciplinary. Coach explains the need to included people in different fields. He points to the work of ALTIS as one great example of an interdisciplinary group modeling the ideals of this philosophy. Kelly and I then talk about the importance of the “synergist” from Howard Gardner’s book the Five Minds of the Future. Kelly makes the argument for the strength & conditioning room as one of the most important places for sport and not just for traditional weight training. I then ask coach Starrett to educate us on his principles of posture. We then discuss the value of combining coaching cues with the coach’s eye simultaneously with hard-fought wisdom. Kelly goes on to talk about what he loves about RPR and other human-based innovative technologies. Coach talks about how important it is we build a relationship with our athletes to take care of their needs and get to a point they should be able to compete pain-free. Kelly and I talk about the value of infinite influence. We finish up the talk discussing the future value of the coach on the community for healthy mental and physical to transform society for the better.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To part take in Kelly's Programs visit: https://thereadystate.com/
To follow Kelly on Twitter: @thereadystate
A while ago I have the pleasure of being a guest on Jimson Lee's site Speedendurance.com where we discussed a massive and comprehensive testing system for athletes. Today's post will be the SECOND of a two-part series. It is VERY important to watch part I here. We give a rationale for testing. Mr. Lee and I lay out how to structure on how to build guardrails for your data collection. We dive deep into talent identification for track & field. In our conversation, we educate the audience on testing for speed, power, agility, strength, injury prevention, endurance, and mental fortitude.
I have always appreciated Jimson's support. His website is a valuable resource for detailed training plans, sports science, and track & field fandom! After listening to our Thursday Thoughts go give his site a visit!
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
To follow Jimson Lee at Twitter @speedendurance
Gerry DeFilippo serves as head trainer and owns and operates Challenger Strength while also serving as the strength coach for the Jersey Hitmen. He orchestrates the programming and training for eight different Hitmen teams, which range all the way up to the Elite and Premier Junior's Level Programs.
Since founding Challenger Strength in 2016, Gerry has worked with college and college-bound athletes across multiple sports. In addition, he has had numerous articles published on EliteFTS, Muscles and Strength, and Elite Baseball Performance. He specializes in getting athletes bigger, stronger, and faster with a blend of strength and speed training.
Gerry has studied under and is certified by industry legends Joe DeFranco and James Smith. As a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist he specializes in athletic performance, pre-movement preparation, strength, power, speed, core training, program design, and mental toughness, all built on the seven pillars of athletic performance. Aside from being a Certified Physical Preparation Specialist, he is also an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, with a background in personal training and general fitness.
In addition, Gerry has a B.S. in Management from Rutgers Business School and spent three years as a college baseball player at Babson College in Massachusetts, and Rutgers University-Newark in New Jersey.
Gerry and I discuss the positive impact of his podcast on the world of sport’s performance. Coach DeFilippo discusses his development and molding his career through his mentors. Coach then stresses the importance of investigating the experience and education of other use admire as guideposts to help inform your own coaching. Gerry then enlightens us on how important an entrepreneurial college course changed the trajectory of his entire life. He then educates the audience about the power of a vision board and looking back on how it might have changed over the years. Gerry informs us about the benefits and challenges of being in northern Jersey, a hotbed for sports performance practitioners. Coach expands on the topic to explain why he thinks Challenger Strength has been able to separate the organization from the competition. DeFilippo discusses the importance of tracking and attention to detail for the individual client. Coach lays out a number of examples that S&C people should be tracking in their programs right now and how the root of all of it is quality testing. Gerry champions having a system so the athletes know what to expect and how to do things within the culture of the program. We drill down together why and what tests should be used to establish a profile for the athlete. Gerry and discuss when is it time to let a test go to streamline the process. Coach continues this conversation on cueing and when or when not it's needed. DeFilippo educates us next on his philosophy on unilateral and bilateral training. Gerry explains to us his work and ideas on the Conjugate System.
For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/
To purchase the Sprinter's Compendium, visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html
Follow Gerry on Twitter: @Challenger_ST
Muscles and Management Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/muscles-and-management/id1447817647
