Part 2 of a two-part series on mobility assessment addresses the thoracic spine and upper extremities. As with part 1, Coach Louis Howe explains how to calibrate and use a smartphone for measurements. He also demonstrates how to perform six specific tests and collect objective data on them.

Coach Joshua Brewer, a Functional Range Conditioning® mobility specialist, has successfully reduced the number of non-contact ACL injuries experienced by athletes under his care. In this article, he presents his plan for ACL injury reduction—especially as it pertains to female soccer athletes. This includes detailed joint assessments, as well as warm-ups and exercises (complete with many demonstrations).

Are single-leg exercises like the Bulgarian lunge and high step-ups superior to squats as some strength coaches claim? Coach Kim Goss investigates and shares facts and fallacies surrounding single-leg training for weightlifters, especially regarding the Bulgarian lunge.

A compilation presenting a complete list of articles on SimpliFaster that dive into details of the GymAware system. Including work from Carl Valle, Bryan Mann, and Shane Davenport, the blogs anthologized in this post highlight the best ways to apply velocity-based training (VBT) and weight room tracking. We included all of the relevant articles that showcase what is possible with the hardware and cover key concepts that are extremely useful for coaches.

While big boxes are impressive for athletes to show explosive force, low boxes are versatile for teaching different expressions of athleticism. Coach Lee Taft presents his low box exercise training progression, which uses variations in vertical displacement jumps to improve athletes’ elastic responses and the multidirectional force application emphasis seen during change of direction in sport.

Most sprint coaches believe we can train true sprinting only two or three times per week. Coach Assise wonders whether a properly managed, higher density program in the off-season would yield better results. In this post, he presents a hypothetical training phases and their possible outcomes.

Dr. Fergus Connolly and Cameron Josse present the Four-Coactive Model of player preparation, which includes tactical, technical, psychological, and physical elements. These components are dependent on one another, and they are essential—along with health—for a player to be able to execute effectively both on and off the field.

Closed change of direction drills are a highly specific tool that builds physical antifragility and prepares athletes for unforeseeable worst-case scenarios in their sport. Coach Daniel Kadlec uses simple, pragmatic drills to lower the risk of failure and create success despite the often-compromised positions athletes face.