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Maximizing Success in the Weight Room: A College Strength Coach’s Playbook

A man lifts a barbell while bench pressing at the gym. Next to him
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Summary

Based on prior experience with multiple weight room technologies, University of Colorado S&C Coach Steve Englehart now relies on the Output Sports system for velocity-based training, readiness monitoring, driving intent, and guiding return-to-play protocols.

As the Director of Strength & Conditioning for the Colorado Men’s Basketball and Olympic Sports teams, my priority is to create an elite training environment where athletes can perform at their best. This requires a strategic approach that balances workload, readiness, and individualized programming. Over the years, I have tested numerous technologies, but often felt there are trade-offs between efficient weight room flow and useful/accurate tech.  

In this playbook, I will break down four key training protocols and philosophies that drive our success: 

  1. Velocity-Based Training (VBT). 
  2. Readiness monitoring. 
  3. Return-to-play markers. 
  4. Driving intent and competition in the weight room. 

I will also summarize how the Output Sports system helps us achieve a unique balance of accuracy and efficiency in each these areas while also be simple enough for our athletes to run themselves. Output is and end-to-end system for strength coaches which utilizes a single wireless, portable sensor for athletic testing and VBT, a mobile/tablet capture app that directs S&C sessions and drives athlete intent, and a centralized coaches’ hub for leaderboards, analytics and building and managing athlete workouts. We chose Output because it provides a unique blend of versatility, simplicity, efficiency, and affordability for weight-room technology and it prevents the age-old issue of needing a whole suite of technology to drive a data-driven S&C session.  

We chose Output because it provides a unique blend of versatility, simplicity, efficiency, and affordability for weight-room technology and it prevents the age-old issue of needing a whole suite of tech to drive a data-driven S&C… Share on X

1. Velocity-Based Training (VBT): Enhancing Precision in Strength Development 

Why & What: VBT is essential for modern strength training because it provides real-time adjustments based on an athlete’s actual performance rather than relying on estimated percentages of one-rep max. It also helps drive intent to maximize athlete adaptation. This approach ensures that training loads align with an athlete’s daily physiological state, optimizing gains while reducing unnecessary fatigue.  

This is especially important given our athletes’ busy game and travel schedule at Colorado. By utilizing bar speed as a performance indicator, VBT helps prevent overtraining, facilitates progressive overload, and allows for dynamic adjustments based on fatigue levels. Unlike traditional fixed-percentage training, which may not account for day-to-day variability, VBT ensures that every set is performed at the optimal intensity. 

By utilizing bar speed as a performance indicator, VBT helps prevent overtraining, facilitates progressive overload, and allows for dynamic adjustments based on fatigue levels. Share on X
A man straining as he lifts a barbell while bench pressing at the gym, with another person standing behind him, spotting and assisting.
Image 1. Buffaloes athletes utilising VBT to maximize their training intent.

Furthermore, VBT helps in power development, particularly for explosive sports like basketball and track, where speed of movement is just as critical as strength. Training at specific velocity zones enhances neuromuscular efficiency, ensuring that athletes produce maximum force at game-speed movements. 

How Output Helps: 

  • Provides real-time feedback on bar speed and power output, enabling athletes to adjust loads instantly whether we are on the road or at home in our weight-room. 
  • The athletes view their VBT workouts in the app and seamlessly follow their guidelines for the day. 
A smartphone and laptop display a fitness app with a Performance Testing Day 1 - Strength & Power workout plan. A small black device with blue light sits beside the phone. Both screens show lists of exercises and workout details.
Figure 1. Output workouts.

2. Readiness Monitoring: Knowing When to Go and When to Slow 

Why & What: Athlete readiness is a cornerstone of effective training and injury prevention. Each athlete responds differently to stressors such as high training loads, travel, and competition. Monitoring daily readiness ensures that we adjust workloads accordingly, aiming to reduce the risk of injury and maximizing performance. When readiness is overlooked, athletes may train too hard when fatigued, leading to poor adaptations, decreased power output, and increased susceptibility to overuse injuries. 

When readiness is overlooked, athletes may train too hard when fatigued, leading to poor adaptations, decreased power output, and increased susceptibility to overuse injuries. Share on X

Readiness testing evaluates neuromuscular and physiological markers such as jump height deficits, mobility restrictions, and reactive strength. This is particularly crucial in team sports like basketball where external stressors, including travel and game schedules, significantly impact performance. By tracking trends over time, we gain insights into how individual athletes respond to various stimuli, enabling us to optimize recovery protocols and make informed decisions on training loads. 

How Output Helps: 

  • Measures jump tests, RSI, and mobility to assess neuromuscular fatigue. 
  • Customizable ‘traffic-light’ dashboards for any combination of surveys and measures that fit our training use-case. These also allow you to set custom thresholds for when to flag a measure that is in the red or green. 
  • Allows remote monitoring for athletes away from campus. 
A smartphone displays a fitness app summarizing a 10-5 Test with metrics like reps, RSI, contact time (bar chart), jump height, and flight time, all under the Colorado Center header.
Figure 2. Sample 10-5 reactive strength data in the Output capture app. The sensor is placed on the foot to get accurate jump data and we have a sensor for every athlete—meaning we save a huge amount of time versus testing with force plates or jump mats.

3. Return-to-Play: Data-Driven Rehab and Recovery 

Why & What: The return-to-play process must be carefully structured to ensure full recovery while minimizing re-injury risk. Subjective assessments alone can lead to premature return, increasing the likelihood of setbacks. Objective data allows practitioners to track progress and make evidence-based decisions about an athlete’s readiness for return. 

Rehabilitation should focus on restoring full function, not just reducing pain. This means systematically rebuilding strength, mobility, and power while addressing movement compensations that could have developed post-injury. By comparing pre-injury baseline data with recovery progress, we can ensure that an athlete’s movement mechanics, strength levels, and explosive capabilities are fully restored before they return to competition. 

By comparing pre-injury baseline data with recovery progress, we can ensure that an athlete’s movement mechanics, strength levels, and explosive capabilities are fully restored before they return to competition. Share on X

An effective return-to-play protocol also considers asymmetries between limbs, which can lead to compensatory patterns and increased injury risk. By tracking these metrics, strength coaches and medical staff can implement targeted interventions to correct imbalances before the athlete is cleared for competition. 

How Output Helps: 

  • Provides objective movement data to track rehab progress and ensure progression. This includes early-stage markers like balance and mobility and late-stage markers like single limb power and reactive strength. 
  • The Output Hub enables us to create rehab dashboards that show key targets, any asymmetries of significance, and engage the athletes in the benefits of their rehab exercise.  
A laptop screen displays a dashboard with a line graph comparing metrics over 365 days, and charts below showing detailed statistics for back squats, including overall peak power and estimated max.
Figure 3. Sample dashboard used for RTP and athletic development tracking.

4. Driving Intent: Fostering Competition and Engagement

Why & What: Athletes perform best when they are fully engaged and motivated. Training should not only develop physical attributes, but also cultivate a high-performance mindset. Creating an environment where athletes push themselves fosters long-term development, resilience, and competitiveness. 

A key factor in driving intent is providing immediate and meaningful feedback. When athletes see real-time performance data, they develop a stronger connection between effort and outcome. Leaderboards, benchmarks, and peer competition reinforce this culture, ensuring that each training session is executed with purpose. 

A key factor in driving intent is providing immediate and meaningful feedback. When athletes see real-time performance data, they develop a stronger connection between effort and outcome. Share on X

While leaderboards and intent have long been a focus in weight rooms for compound lifts like back squat and bench press, we implement competition across the whole force-velocity spectrum including plyometrics, med ball work, kettlebell movements and ‘traditional’ VBT exercises. 

How Output Helps: 

  • Displays real-time leaderboards to enhance competition. These can be updated in an instant to a new metric and exercise. 
  • Relative leaderboard option enables people to rank versus their percentage of their own personal best—this creates competition across all athletes and the chance for anyone to top the leaderboard. 
  • Versatile measurement of movements where max intent is essential (e.g., med balls, plyometrics).  
A person uses a laptop displaying a sports fantasy dashboard with player lists, stats, and team management options on the screen. The interface shows various selectable tabs and user information.
Figure 4. We use Output leaderboards in real-time to create competition for the exercises and metrics that matter the most.

Final Thoughts: A System That Elevates Performance

By embracing real-time feedback, seamless integration, and objective decision-making, coaches can unlock their athletes’ full potential while fostering a competitive and efficient training environment.  

Output Sports has become an integral part of our training programme and philosophy. It isn’t just a tracking device—it’s a performance optimization tool that bridges the gap between coaching intuition and data-driven programming. By implementing Output Sports into our VBT, readiness, return-to-play, and athlete engagement strategies, we maximize every session in the weight room without the traditional complexities of multiple technologies.  

While there can be a stifling amount of weight-room tech options on the market right now, if you prioritize intent in your athletes’ training, simplicity and efficiency in analysis and intervention, and don’t want to spend a crazy budget, I highly recommend trying Output for your program!  

Author

  • Stephen Englehart

    Stephen Englehart serves as the Director of Strength & Conditioning for Men’s Basketball and Olympic Sports at the University of Colorado, a position he has excelled at since joining the athletic department in 2011. Since April 2016, he has been the driving force behind the strength and conditioning program for the Colorado men's basketball team. Englehart has expertly guided the physical development of eight players who have successfully transitioned to the NBA, including seven draft picks and three first-round selections. In his inaugural season (2016-17), he played a crucial role in the development of Derrick White, who became a first-round draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs and subsequently won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2024. White also proudly earned an Olympic Gold Medal with the USA Basketball team in Paris. In the 2023-24 season, Colorado showcased exceptional talent with three former players drafted into the NBA: Cody Williams (10th pick to Utah), Tristan da Silva (18th pick to Orlando), and KJ Simpson (42nd pick to Charlotte). This remarkable feat tied Colorado with Kentucky for the second-most draft picks from any school, with Connecticut leading by a narrow margin with four. Thanks in part to Englehart's work, the Colorado basketball program has consistently achieved at least 20 wins in five seasons, culminating in a school-record 26-win season in 2023-24. The Buffaloes have made two NCAA Tournament appearances and would have certainly added a third if not for the cancellation of the 2020 postseason. Coach Englehart has also worked at the University of Hawaii, Portland State University, and Southern Methodist University.

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A man lifts a barbell while bench pressing at the gym. Next to him
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