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This article is probably not what you think it is—it will have little to do with business (something I know nothing about anyway), and more to do with enhancing your coaching skills. One of my goals over the previous summer was examining how to be a better salesman, so that I could do a better job of communicating to others in the program why we do what we do and get them more involved—these people primarily being athletes, coaches, therapists, and administrators.

You see, after 5 years of working as the head strength and conditioning coach in a university, I figured I had things pretty much figured out. Our teams were showing up, working hard, and getting great results. Then I noticed that whenever we brought in a new coach or new group of athletes (AKA “freshmen”), I had to gain that trust and sell myself all over again. Sure, developing a great team culture of “this is how we do things” helps, but in order to get everyone on board, I needed to step up my game because some people didn’t catch on right away or were used to a different style of training. They didn’t fully trust what we did in Sparta (our weight room), as it was unfamiliar to them.

So, I kept doing my best to enhance my art of coaching skillset by being myself, treating others with respect, explaining why we did things, and getting results. But this only went so far with the group of disbelievers—there were still those that were hesitant to fully commit to the program (athletes) or advocate for what we did in our weight room (coaches). It was then that I realized that I couldn’t just be satisfied with being a great coach and let the results speak for themselves—I needed to learn to sell what we did so that both coaches and athletes would be enticed to dive in deeper. Learning to sell would arm me with more persuasive tactics, better communication methods, and a deeper understanding of what the end user (i.e., the buyer) wanted so I could package my message accordingly.

What follows is a summary of what I have been doing over the last year to enhance my impact across our teams by being better at selling what we do in Sparta. It encompasses what I have learned as well as what I plan to do better in this area of being a “salesman” in the collegiate S&C sector.

If you want to be better at selling your product (program, methods, etc.), you need to push a little further into just how you communicate with your stakeholders and persuade them that what you are doing is best for them and their athletes at this time. The eventual goal is that your athletes buy in and work hard, coaches trust you, therapists get along with you, and your admin lets you do your thing. Here are some strategies that I have found that help and will hopefully give you some guidance as well.

1. Show How Great You Are

One of the best ways to increase buy-in and have people be happy with the work you do is to be good at it. This means delivering results, being a nice person, and being someone that athletes enjoy training with and coaches enjoy talking to. No amount of “selling ability” will save you if you simply suck at your job.

Once you have that aspect covered, it all comes down to demonstrating your ability. Now I am not talking about “nerding out” on your athletes with the science of training or walking around with your many certifications in a booklet to show your coaches. I would always prefer to remain humble and have my good work be passed along from athlete to athlete (or coach) through word of mouth. Nothing helps sell others like a good testimony. In fact, I started asking athletes for a quick 2 to 3 sentences on the impact our S&C department has had on them and posted them on our social media page to help with this very thing. If a respected athlete says you are doing a good job, it goes a long way in swaying others to buy in more.

Another great way to demonstrate to others that you are crushing it is to show them when given the chance. Again, don’t walk around with your accolades in your hand, but when meeting with coaches about their team, have your testing data ready to share. That way, if they come at you with questions about your methods, you can show that it is working. Hard to argue with cold, hard facts. If an athlete starts to question or doubt, again, this can be a good time to mention that the process has worked for others and how, with your help, other athletes in the program were able to meet specific goals. This is not a time to beat your chest, go over the top, or be annoying (we all know that person)…but when given the opportunity, you need to be your biggest advocate and show people that you know your stuff and prove it!

2. Explain the “Why” of Your Program

If you want people to do what you need them to do, you need to know why you are doing it and be able to communicate that to each group in a different way so it speaks to their needs.

For example, you have your team do Olympic lifting. Great! Why? If it is because some Power 5 school is doing it, that isn’t going to cut it. You have to know the real why, so that you can communicate it effectively. As Michael Boyle puts it, you need to be able to know your stuff well enough to explain it to a 7-year-old or your grandmother. Yeah, you have to know it really well.

And that answer will change by group/team/individual. For example, each of the groups you interact with will be asking a different question about what you do and you need to have an answer for each:

• Athletes: “How will this help me get better (bigger/faster/stronger)?”
• Sport Coach: “How will this help us win games?”
• Therapist: “How will this help reduce injuries?”
• Admin: “How will this make us better and make an impact on the athletes?”

So… how will Olympic lifting accomplish each of those things?

My solution for this is to know the why that is right for them and learn to speak their language. When an athlete is asking why they are doing something, being able to explain it in a way that will demonstrate the performance gains (or even aesthetic ones) will go a long way.

With a sport coach, therapist, or admin, they might not get the chance to ask you “why” as often (as you simply don’t see them as much), but when they do it matters. I’ve been in meetings with sport coaches where they shredded my programs and demanded to know why we were doing certain exercises over others (for example, trap bar jumps instead of hang power cleans with hockey players). In order to understand their side and be able to clearly and effectively communicate the why, I had to ask more questions. “What do you like about doing hang cleans for your team?”

Turns out, they wanted power production and saw a video on pro athletes doing it.

So, I explained how trap bar jumps developed power in a more sport-specific (and force-time-specific) way than cleans, how it was safer for their wrists, would save time and energy for them to train harder on the ice (less time/mental energy to learn), and showed demos of pro athletes who were doing trap bar jumps. Conversation was much smoother after that.

So, while you knowing the “why” of your program is vital, it is even more vital that you can communicate that message to the various stakeholders so they can grasp it for themselves. Like learning to speak multiple languages, it will take time, but it will make you more versatile in how you communicate and who you can reach with your message.

How is this done? Study the sport, have a reason in your head each time you program an exercise, and whenever you see an athlete perform that movement, remind yourself why (and feel free to remind the athletes why in a start-of-session briefing). Explaining your message is much easier if it is top of mind. Not rehearsed (this isn’t as difficult as you think it is). It is as simple as watching your athletes move as you normally do, but as they execute a movement and you are watching their form, just a quick note of “that split squat is going to help their sprint speed while reducing the load on their spin” to yourself is all you need to keep it top of mind and ready to fire off when asked.

3. Communicate on THEIR Terms

This is one I struggled with for a long time. I am a big email guy. I will shove emails down your throat all day, but please don’t call me (the introvert in me hates that). However, I have learned that I need to communicate with my audience the way they are most receptive to, not just the way I want to, if I want to communicate my message and make sure the stakeholders are receiving it.

What I mean by that is everyone has a method of communication they prefer. Once again, I love email. Most athletes prefer text or social media DMs. Male ice hockey players love phone calls for some reason. Regardless of what it is, you need to communicate to them when able and appropriate. I am not saying you should send DMs to athletes all the time about important info. But knowing someone’s preferred communication method can help them respond to you in a timely fashion (and/or even receive the message in the first place).

This means I text or call our coaches, post on Instagram more often, and send messages into the team group chat through our weight room leaders. I’d still rather send an email—most often I still do, and the message to the team is simply “Hey, can you tell your teammates to check their email?” This has greatly increased the receptivity of my communication and reduced the amount of “Oh, I didn’t see that email” coupled with a blank stare when I bring up a topic/point I made before.

It also depends on what your message is and what medium works best. For example, I have a sponsorship through a supplement company to get a discount on their products. If I want to communicate info regarding that deal and give out my discount code, it would make sense to send it via email as most people probably order things online through their laptop instead of their phone (I mean, at least I do anyway). If I have a message I need to communicate on a Saturday, guess what? I’m not using email as everyone goes dark until Monday. So, if that is the case, I send a text or a message in the team chat to make sure everyone sees it.

Knowing the recipient’s communication preference is important, but so is understanding the logistics of your message and the implications of acting on it as well.

Sales Bonuses

Some extra ways I have found to increase my “selling ability” to athletes and within the department are:

• Be a good storyteller. Analogies are huge for me to get my message across in a way that makes sense instead of just spitting science at people all the time.
• Highlight successes. As Dale Carnegie states, “Be lavish in your praise.” If you want people to go the extra mile for you, highlight them when they do. This can be in a weekly email newsletter or social media post. By letting people know you “see them” and appreciate them, it will increase buy-in all around.
• Be adaptable. Whether it is for an injury, wanting a recovery session due to a tryout camp coming up, or an athlete who wants to spend a little more time working on their sprint form, being willing and able to modify the program to suit the needs of that person goes a long way in showing you care and demonstrating that you will work for them if they work for you.

One last helpful tip I can share is that last summer I reread How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, which that has loads of tips for this exact topic and is a must-read for anyone working with other people.

Peace. Gains.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

The profession of strength and conditioning is a gratifying and rewarding career choice. One of the aspects that makes this true is the collegiality amongst coaches who are willing to help you improve the performance of your athletes and educate and mentor you to become a good strength and conditioning coach so that you, in turn, can help others advance the strength and conditioning profession.

However, I have also noticed what appears to be a shift in the strength and conditioning profession with the popularity of various social media sites such as X (Twitter), which give a voice to coaches on specific topics and issues related to strength and conditioning. The following article will address four issues that I have noticed in the profession and ways that, as coaches, we can improve these areas, which could enhance the strength and conditioning profession.

Problem 1: Younger coaches need to understand and learn some of the older training methods used by pioneers in strength and conditioning, which have produced some of the world’s top collegiate, professional, and Olympic athletes.

One of the issues I see is that younger coaches are not taking the time to learn and appreciate the older methodologies of strength and conditioning and are more focused on understanding the newer methodologies of training or what they see on social media. Most of these supposedly new training methodologies are not new at all. For example, one of the newer training methodologies you see on social media is how we have started to focus on plyometrics. There are countless videos that show athletes jumping up on 50-inch boxes or even higher that are not using correct jumping and landing techniques, which could lead to serious injury.

To ensure that your athletes are jumping and landing with the correct technique, good plyometric training should start with a progression:

1. Low-volume non-countermovement jumps
2. Countermovement jumps
3. Double contact
4. Continuous jumps

Following this progression ensures that the tendons and ligaments are getting stronger and able to adapt to the imposed stress and demands that will be placed on them in various training sessions.

Each phase of the training should have a specific goal. For example, non-countermovement jumps do not use the stretch shortening cycle and are a good exercise for improving the start. Countermovement jumps start to utilize the stretch shortening cycle, which trains the ability of the athlete to apply more force and move faster. The double contact jumps work on being elastic, and the continuous jumps work on further improving that elasticity. Good programming will include jumps, hops, and bounds in the sagittal, frontal and transverse plains.

Similarly, another training methodology that I see frequently used is accommodating resistance. Accommodating resistance training is designed to improve the bench, squat, and deadlift by adjusting the resistance in the exercise’s concentric or eccentric contraction to align with the strength curve using bands and chains. The use of accommodating resistance is a popular training method used by experienced powerlifters to increase the bench, squat, and deadlift to overcome a sticking point and ultimately then add a few pounds to their maximum lift. The problem is that some coaches use bands and chains on younger athletes who have not yet developed relative or absolute strength—coaches should be aware of why accommodating resistance has traditionally been used and how to use this training method appropriately with their athletes.

The Westside, Triphasic and Heavy Supramaximal Training could be good training systems for more advanced athletes; however, the root of these training programs comes from the basic training principles that the Eastern Bloc countries have used for years. The Westside is composed of Soviet and Bulgarian training methods, which include a maximum, dynamic, and repetition workload and the conjugate periodization model. This training system could be used for training powerlifters or even advanced weightlifters, but I do not think this training system would be a good way to train a middle or high school and even a collegiate athlete.

Triphasic training is a system that involves training the eccentric, isometric, and concentric lifting phases in different training blocks with the goal of stressing these areas in the various exercises to improve strength and power by using a modified, undulating periodization model. The Triphasic style of training stems from a training system called the Complex Parallel that the Soviets used in the 1960s to expose athletes to several areas of focus for each workout.  Supramaximal Training (a newer training method, considered part two of Triphasic training) is a form of eccentric training with higher loads that athletes are typically not accustomed to.

These can be effective training methods for various sports or athletes; however, the specifics of them can also be very confusing for a younger strength and conditioning coach or intern just entering the profession. At this point, they may not yet have the basic knowledge to discern which program would be best for the level of athletes they are currently working with.

Older, more experienced coaches can find ways to reach out to younger coaches and educate and mentor them so they understand the basic training methods and systems of periodization, strength, power, speed, plyometrics, and conditioning to reduce the chance of injury and improve athletic performance. If we want to improve the strength and conditioning profession, we need to understand that young coaches (or even experienced coaches) learn what they’ve been taught and then figure out what hasn’t been taught on their own. One of the problems with not being taught the correct way and trying to figure it out on your own is that you just might develop training programs and exercise techniques that do not improve athletic performance, but instead lead to serious injuries. Younger coaches also need to contact some of these older coaches for help and mentorship so they can learn and develop into more well-rounded strength and conditioning coaches.

Problem 2: Arguing on social media without recognizing it can burn bridges for the future.

Another stumbling block I see is the amount of arguing on social media sites (often on X). We all have an ego, and sometimes, we let our egos and emotions get in the way of our thinking. As a coach, I know it might not be a good idea to let your ego get in the way of professional behavior, and I have also fallen into this trap. I do not think that most coaches who participate in this behavior realize that what they are doing is unprofessional and could burn bridges that might limit other opportunities for you down the road in your career.

If you disagree with a coach, first try messaging them to discuss the concern privately. This shows professional respect for the coach and develops a positive relationship you might need in your coaching career. The coaching profession is a tight knit circle of coaches who, more than likely, have come from branches that connect somewhere on the coaching tree. I once got into a discussion with a coach on X concerning a training system that he posted online, and he had called out several experts and well respected coaches online while advancing his own training style. I responded to him online and quickly realized that I had only added fuel to the fire. I then sent the coach a private message informing him why I thought his posts were not professional—he replied, thanked me for letting him know, and apologized.

I think every coach should take the time to read Coach Kurt Hester’s book Rants of a Strength and Conditioning Madman. Coach Hester states:

“Brand yourself to your athletes and not on social media. When your career is over and the only thing of any substance is how many lives you impacted and not how many ‘Likes’ you accumulated.”¹

We can seem so caught up in creating our next social media post and seeing how many likes and followers we can get that we may have forgotten why we are in this profession. I’ve also done the same, simply regurgitating information I have read or heard on a podcast while trying to increase my follower count or get easy likes on social media. Some coaches appear to equate the number of likes and followers a coach has to their knowledge of strength and conditioning. Every coach in this profession needs to understand that in a heated moment, you might have crushed or embarrassed a coach and put a W in your win column. Still, in reality, you actually just put an L because a burned bridge and unprofessional behavior can foreclose future opportunities in this and other professions.

Problem 3: Coaches not providing credit for where they learned things.

As professionals, we need to take the time to give credit to the coaches who have taken the time to show us and mentor us on some of the training systems that they have used to achieve success. We have all learned something from someone else at a clinic or conference, or been given a simple answer to a question that has provided us with the correct information to help our athletes or clients.

You can give credit to another coach you learned from during your next presentation, or in a discussion with another coach you could be having. I have learned a lot from Michael Boyle at MBSC, Lee Taft, Lance Walker, and several others in the field of strength of conditioning, and I always try to recommend their books and videos when talking with other coaches in the field. Giving a coach credit can go a long way in developing a relationship with that coach. As Isaac Newton said,  “If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”—likewise, we need to take the time to recognize the giants in our profession.

Problem 4: Not being willing to pay it forward.

Finally, a last issue I’ve experienced is the opposite of the above—fellow coaches not answering another coach’s question. I remember approaching a well-known coach at the NSCA Coaches Conference in San Antonio years ago—he told me I had to schedule an appointment to meet during the conference to answer any questions.

To be good at anything, you need to be willing to invest in your education, which takes time and can be expensive; however, just because you invested time in yourself does not mean you are too busy to answer a coach’s question or give them professional career advice. I have heard from younger coaches that when they asked an experienced coach a question, they were directed to buy one of their programs and told they would find their answer in the program. Experienced coaches need to take the time and be willing to share information, because younger coaches are in the development/growth field and “hoarding” information knowledge only hurts other athletes who want to get better.

I think some coaches are so advanced in this profession that they have forgotten they were once eager young coaches who just wanted to get better and achieve an advanced level in strength and conditioning. Some caution is understandable, there are coaches who will ask a question to draw you into an argument or try to embarrass you—and in a situation like this, it is always best to be professional and move on. You will also have coaches who are too lazy to read on their own to learn or attend a clinic; as a professional, you can discern these types of coaches.

Final Thoughts

As a strength and conditioning professional, I have stopped arguing with coaches on social media sites over a training philosophy or the videos they post with bad exercise techniques. If you do not agree with a coach or want to know more, take the time to reach out to the coach and discuss it privately to maintain and develop a professional relationship.

Additionally, always take the time to give the pioneers in this profession credit for their contributions to strength and conditioning. We would not be where we are today if not for the mistakes they made along the way and their successes, both of which have helped make us better coaches. Always be grateful for the opportunity to answer a coach’s question and give back to the profession. If you are too busy to answer a question, you are too busy to be in this profession. The strength and conditioning profession was founded on coaches helping coaches. Finally, I heard a well respected expert in strength and conditioning, Coach Lance Walker, state: “In our profession, everyone gets better and that doesn’t make us very special. People Just Get Better When You Work Them.”  This should make you realize that we may not be as remarkable as we think.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Reference

1. Hester, K. (2019). Rants of A Strength and Conditioning Coach Madman

A common theme throughout the strength and conditioning field revolves around the purpose, if any, that “speed” or “agility” ladders serve. I used quotation marks around the terms “speed” and “agility” because we know that ladders do not inherently train speed or agility in athletes. So, what can this attention-grabbing piece of equipment help with? Before we get into some potential benefits of using what is often deemed silly, let us first look at what these ladders do NOT do.

“Speed” ladders do not directly improve speed. Speed training can be broken down into:

• Technical work
• Acceleration work
• Max velocity work.

Within each of these categories, there are also primary, secondary, and tertiary speed training exercises. Primary exercises directly improve speed by specifically training with the appropriate speeds and technique. An example of a primary acceleration exercise is a pushup start.

Secondary exercises assist in speed training, but the speed or technique might be slightly altered. An example of a secondary acceleration exercise is a heavy resisted sprint: a sled pull so heavy that sprinting technique is broken down. The athlete is still receiving force production training that can benefit acceleration, but with a reduction in specificity due to technical breakdown.

Lastly, tertiary exercises complement the positions and characteristics of speed training, but in a much more general sense. An example of a tertiary acceleration exercise might be a broad jump: a plyometric exercise that targets horizontal force production, but which looks and feels nothing like sprinting. All of these types of exercises have their place in training, and although ladders often require athletes to move at higher speeds, the drills primarily used with ladders are very unlike sprinting.

“Agility” ladders also do not directly improve agility. Agility is defined by the NSCA as “the skills and abilities needed to change direction, velocity, or mode in response to a stimulus” (Haff & Triplett, 2016). Like with speed training, the ladder does not encourage the use of proper mechanics for changing direction and becoming more agile. Furthermore, most ladder drills do not incorporate changing direction, velocity, or mode in response to a stimulus, which is a key component of agility.

So, Where Do Ladders Fit into Athletic Development?

Here are four areas where athletes may benefit from the use of ladders in training.

1. Warm-ups

Ladder drills can be beneficial in raising the heart rate of your athletes. In following the RAMP protocol (Haff & Triplett, 2016), the warmup should begin with activities that elevate “body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, blood flow, and joint fluid viscosity via low-intensity activities.” The ladder can certainly accomplish all of these when done appropriately.

Additionally, sticking with the RAMP protocol, the ladder may also serve to potentiate the nervous system for subsequent training. In fact, 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Christian McCaffrey has a video in which he discusses beginning his training sessions with the ladder. In the video, he explains that he uses the ladder to get his “feet warm,” his “hips moving,” and “brain synced up” with his body. Incorporating ladder drills in this way can provide a similar stimulus to more traditional track-based drills, like A-marches and A-skips, giving coaches another tool in their toolbox for athlete development.

2. Coordination/Timing

Using the ladder in your warmups can not only serve the purpose of warming the athlete up, but you might even be able to get some coordination improvements as well, depending on the training age of the athlete. Younger or newer athletes will certainly experience rapid improvements in their motor control and coordination.

Challenging the body with ladder drills done at faster paces can help improve the rate coding ability of your body (Enoka & Duchateau, 2017). Rate coding is the speed at which neural impulses are conducted to the individual motor units within the muscle (Deschenes, 1989)—this can be key for enhancing Rate of Force Development (Enoka & Duchateau, 2017), which is critical for improving sport performance (Iguchi et al., 2011; Sheppard et al., 2008). Some of the ladder drills shown above, like the “Lateral 1 In, 2 Out” or the “Snake” are examples of drills that can help improve rhythm and coordination in your athletes.

3. Extensive Plyometric Contacts

Using the ladder can also increase the number of extensive plyometric contacts within a session. Although extensive plyometrics may not be as effective as more intensive plyometrics at training Rate of Force Production, they still serve a purpose in helping athletes develop adequate tissue tolerance and capacity for handling more intense plyometrics.

This might be most beneficial during a general physical preparation (GPP) block, to help prepare the athletes for more intense movements later on. Additionally, training our athletes to repeat submaximal plyometric efforts can also be critical for sports that require more endurance and repeated efforts, such as soccer. Each drill shown in this article can be strung together for a quick ladder series before your training sessions, and you can add sets to the series as the weeks go on and your athletes build up a plyometric base.

4. Engagement

“You need to get him/her going on the agility ladder this offseason.” This is a common suggestion that I hear from parents, athletes, and coaches alike. Ladders attract a lot of attention, especially when elite athletes are completing the drills smoothly and gracefully.

Many athletes acknowledge the significance of being able to execute their movements on the court or field with fluidity, and recognize the ladder as a way of improving this quality. This engagement factor of using ladders should not be overlooked.

Athletes want to use the ladders (though often for misguided reasons), and this desire alone can be enough to drive intent, and bring about the aforementioned improvements to timing and coordination. Of course, as with any training plans, it is important to inform athletes and coaches of the WHY behind everything you do, and drive the education of your athletes.

Taking it to the Training Ground

Returning to the opening section—where I discussed primary, secondary, and tertiary exercises for training speed and agility—you might classify ladder drills as tertiary exercises for accomplishing this goal. Increasing rate coding and coordination between the brain and the rest of the body can indirectly increase speed and agility, as well as athletic performance.

Are there more specific and more beneficial drills for training speed and agility? Absolutely. By no means should ladders replace sprinting drills or change of direction/agility drills. But are there appropriate uses of ladder drills in training? Of course. By adding ladders to your coaching toolbox, you can spice up your warm-ups, reap some enhanced coordination benefits, add in some extensive plyometric contacts, and drive greater intent from your athletes.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

Deschenes, M. (1989). Short review: Rate coding motor unit recruitment patterns. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 3(2), 34-39.

Enoka, R.M., & Duchateau, J. (2017). Rate coding and the control of muscle force. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 7, 1-12.

Haff, G. G., & Triplett, N. T. (2016). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4^th ed.). Human Kinetics.

Iguchi, J., Yamada, Y., Ando, S., Fujisawa, Y., Hojo, T., Nishimura, K., Kuzuhara, K., Yuasa, Y., & Ichihashi, N. (2011). Physical and performance characteristics of Japanese division I college football players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(12), 3368-3377.

Sheppard, J. M., Cronin, J. B., Gabbett, T. J., McGuigan, M. R., Etxebarria, N., & Newton, R. U. (2008). Relative importance of strength, power, and anthropometric measures to jump performance of elite volleyball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(3), 758-765.

As a high school coach, my role is not just about teaching skills, but also about conveying the reasoning behind our methods. This is a shift from the past—I grew up in an era where the question “why?” was met first with “because I said so” and then “just do it.” But now, as coaches, we have the opportunity to be more than just authority figures. We can be mentors who guide our athletes by helping them understand the ‘why’ behind our methods, making those athletes feel valued and integral to their own development.

It’s time to shift our perspective. Many modern high school athletes are seeking the ‘why,’ yet coaches at clinics—especially football coaches—are quick to label kids as “not the same as they used to be.” But what if this change is a good thing? Could a team of athletes who understand the ‘why’ behind the play call or the unilateral squat be better prepared to execute? Instead of focusing on the differences between generations, let’s embrace change. Let’s be confident in our ability to answer the question why? and empower our athletes with knowledge.

This article seeks to convey the meaning behind the pursuit of understanding, identify how understanding concepts translates to skill development, and encourage coaches to investigate how we communicate our programs. While many references are made to football coaches, athletes, or situations, the message’s applications are relevant to other sports coaches and the field of strength and conditioning as a whole. The article is divided into three sections:

1. Why we, as coaches, often neglect exploring the ‘why’ behind our methods.
2. What the research says about the importance of knowing and communicating our reasoning.
3. Practical methods for exploring our why and tips on integrating these communication tactics moving forward.

1. Digging Deeper into the ‘Why’

This may surprise some of my friends (heavy sarcasm), but I was habitually in trouble in my youth. I was sent to a small Christian school with a stringent set of rules. Being a natural troublemaker, this posed a problem at points in my academic career—that is, until I was asked not to return to that school and found my way to a public school. It wasn’t that I was innately a ‘bad kid’; I was just naturally inquisitive about the process. I needed to know the why behind everything. Not out of a sense of rebellion, but rather as a means of understanding so that I could better perform whatever the task or assignment.

Naturally, this made elementary math rather boring to me—2+2=4, 5×6=30, and so on—but when I found geometry, calculus, and physics, I flourished because I could rationalize the process. This wasn’t just in academics either. As a basketball player, I needed the why behind the weaknesses of the 1/3/1 defense. I wanted to know exactly where to attack when I was on offense and where other teams would try to attack us. As a lackluster athlete, this helped me for a time, but my natural gravitation to the why allowed me to flourish when I found coaching.

One of my favorite activities is sitting in the room with coaches who are talking shop. I love to listen to their reasoning for everything and reflect on our program. Early in my career, this carved out a deep connection between my processes and the reasoning behind each one. As I’ve been lucky to learn from some amazing coaches thus far in my career, I’ve realized that our ability to understand our reasoning and answer the question why? is one of the most powerful attributes in a coach’s arsenal—not only to develop our own systems, but in engaging the athletes we are entrusted with.

When I first took over the program in my current role, for example, players often expressed their desire to train heavier than prescribed. This stems from their association with football performance and the connection to maximal strength capabilities, but at the core, this is simply because this was the only way they had ever seen training done. My response would often be: “Why don’t NFL teams pay the competitors from the World’s Strongest Man competition to be their offensive and defensive line?” Through conversation, this began to flesh out the need for strength development for our athletes while at the same time communicating that strength is not the only attribute supporting high-level performance. Now, this is a reoccurring conversation in our program, but our athletes who realize the reasoning behind what they’re being asked to do have embraced the task and have seen the greatest reward because of the connection between the ‘what’ and the ‘why’.

Across the country, football coaches are famous for answering the question of why? with some iteration of “we won a lot of games doing it that way.” This can often lead to the follow-up question: “I get that you won games running a 4-4 defense, but why did you choose to do it that way?” A quick glance at social media displays example after example, myself included, of coaches’ conversations where ego and feelings stand in the way of communication and learning.

We may often feel as if a coach is asking the question: “Why do you like ‘X’?” or generally disagreeing with a method as a personal attack or some arbitrary attachment to their own system. What about human nature connects us so deeply to the way we do things that the thought of altering or even questioning those methods brings thoughts of disdain or disgust? I’m not here to answer those questions, but let’s talk further about the science of why.

2. Reasoning, Motor Learning, and Skill Development

You don’t have to be a research nerd to understand the power of the ‘why.’ Industry leaders in the business world value understanding of practice and place communication of reasoning in high regard. In an article for Forbes, Stacy Pezold references several primary reasons that communicating a company’s why behind their practices better serves the organization:

1. An employee’s understanding of company practice leads to increased productivity and greater confidence for the employee in completing the task.
2. It casts a vision for the company and promotes critical thinking and innovation.
3. The better an employee knows the why behind the methods, the more likely they are to align with the company’s vision and take ownership of their work.

Would you like a team of athletes who are more bought into the vision and what you are asking them to do? Explain the why.

This may seem obvious when working in the corporate world, but that has nothing to do with athletics. Or does it? Sports are one of the only places within society that continuously challenge the limits of our physical, mental, and psychological states. This consistent challenge of limits leads to the dynamic nature of sports performance. As these limits have been challenged, research has focused on how to better push the proverbial ceiling on performance. One of the primary sports psychology or mental components of performance comes in the form of anticipation.⁴ This often manifests in the coach’s office as comments like “he just always knows where to be,” “she’s never flustered,” or “that kid always seems to be one step ahead.” Increasing an athlete’s ability to anticipate what is coming is a significant marker for increased performance capability.

Athletes who better grasp the entirety of their task have a higher likelihood of expressing greater perceptual-cognition relationships. Perceptual cognition is the ability of an individual to “capture, process, and actively make sense of the information that our senses receive.”¹ This means that the more effectively an athlete or coach understands the why, the easier it is for the athlete or coach to pick up on an external stimulus, filter the stimuli in terms of the threat level to the task, and streamline the response, whether physical or mental. An example of this is the better understanding an offensive tackle has of the concept of wide zone or outside zone, the greater the likelihood the athlete will be able to adjust to a walked-up outside linebacker to the play side. Increasing the understanding of why increases the individual athlete’s ability to execute.

The same can be said of coaches. Understanding the meta-cognitive impact on our ability to implement the program frees coaches to improve their ability to implement the programs we build. Practically speaking, the better an assistant S&C coach understands the reasoning behind the exercise selection, volume and intensity protocols, or the other training variables, the more effectively they will coach the program—even if they were not the one who wrote it.

The better our ability to understand the ‘why’ behind our methods and communicate that reasoning, the more significant the impact our methods will have. Communicating the connection between exercises or methods and on-field performance can empower our athletes and help avoid conflict or misunderstanding before athletes inevitably ask: “Why are we doing this?”

3. Practical Steps to Embracing ‘Why’

When high school teachers are asked about the markers of a successful high school education, many mention that they want to develop critical thinkers capable of making their own decisions. While this is a valid goal of the secondary education system, are we really fostering this in our classrooms, weight rooms, and film rooms? We’ve established the potential benefits of increasing understanding from athletes and fellow coaches, but what are some practical methods to accomplish this?

In his book How to Become a People Magnet, Marc Reklau gives readers tips for improving communication and attracting people toward a common goal. One of the 62 lessons he proposes is #9: It’s what they want, not what you want. In the related chapter, he states: “We have to speak their language, use the words they would use, and talk in terms of what they want.”

I will be the first to acknowledge that I don’t understand the current teenage/TikTok vocabulary. Reklau is speaking less literally—he’s not saying we must speak the same diction as our audience, but more that we must use our words to connect to that audience’s soul, purpose, and drive. Equating our methods to their physical, performance, and team goals will increase the buy-in we will likely receive. An example of this could be speaking to the soul of most 14-to 18-year-old boys by programming curls, shrugs, and other pump-chasing exercises as a tradeoff to buy equity in what we need down the road. No one I know loves to do the Cossack squat, and I mean no one. But there are many benefits to our athlete’s development in doing them with attention to detail. When introducing the exercise, communicating the implications of the Cossack squat on player health and performance will likely increase the attention to detail with which the athlete executes their reps.

Teach the anatomy. At the most basic level, every coach knows (or should know), the basic gross anatomy required for performance regardless of the last time you stepped into a classroom. Take a few moments each day to educate your athletes about a muscle group they’re using, the energy systems of their sport, or how the spring ankle exercise impacts their sprint, jump, and change of direction ability. These little moments of education promote the athlete’s confidence in us as practitioners and communicate that we value their personal development. This fosters an atmosphere of discovery and empowerment in the weight room, meeting room, and practice field. Embracing the ‘why’ behind our methods promotes an environment where confidence, pride, and understanding are valued.

The Final Challenge

To bring this thought full circle, I would argue that with many of the football coaches I referenced earlier who repeat “this is how we’ve always done it”…the method itself may not be wrong. And, the coach may not be wrong for implementing the method in question—it may be a valid reason for why all those games were won.

I would challenge those of us “new-age” coaches to craft our questions in a manner that does not seek to embarrass or call out other coaches. Is our intent actually to understand, or are we seeking to invalidate a method by exposing a lack of reasoning? This can be equally as alarming a practice as incorporating a method without a reason. We should strive to deeply understand our methods and communicate those methods to create a driven and aligned training and performance environment.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

1. CogniFit. (2016, February 18). CogniFit. Perception- Cognitive Ability CogniFit.

2. Feraco, T., & Meneghetti, C. (2022). Sport practice, fluid reasoning, and soft skills in 10- to 18-year-olds. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16.

3. Frömer, R., Stürmer, B., & Sommer, W. (2016). Come to think of it: Contributions of reasoning abilities and training schedule to skill acquisition in a virtual throwing task. Acta Psychologica, 170, 58–65.

4. Pezold, S. (n.d.). Paycom BrandVoice: 4 Benefits You Gain When You Explain the “Why.” Forbes. Retrieved May 31, 2024, from

5. Williams, A. M., Ford, P. R., Eccles, D. W., & Ward, P. (2010). Perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport and its acquisition: Implications for applied cognitive psychology. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25(3), 432–442.

Single leg training is here to stay—the benefits of how it can help improve stability and strength outweigh any misconceptions people may have. Some veer from single-leg methods as they require more coordination, stability, and time.

For these types of training, the landmine is an amazing tool that can be the best investment for younger, developing athletes as it aids in rotational strength, speed, and versatility. You can even get creative like I do here and add attachments that can better serve your sports needs and demands.

The ease of use and vector angle at which most exercises start from allow for a safer setup and the ability to be explosive when needed.

1. Landmine RDL

If you are prioritizing glute work with your athletes, this version of the landmine RDL can work to help build more muscle without sacrificing the poor genetic coordination that may have been passed down to them.

The setup

1. Start with being lined up parallel to the landmine, as we will be doing more of a contra-lateral movement with the load coming from the inside while you hold the end handle on the outside.
2. From here, you will use larger plates and grab the plate with the inside hand for added stability.
3. Descend with a hinge, keeping a slight bend in the knee while you shoot your hips backward until you can’t bend more without rounding the back and losing tension on the glutes and hamstrings.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Why it works?

1. Adding stability to a movement can increase its ability to build muscle. Adding the grip with the hand will allow you to load heavier, without the limiting factor of your balance being the issue.
2. The landmine allows you to progressively overload more than dumbbells, which can get awkward as you get over 80+ lbs per arm.
3. There is a slight horizontal vector component with the landmine—you can lean inwards and bias the hips as well, which can give you even more bang for your buck.
4. The setup is one most can use in a garage without needing access to a gym

Programming suggestions

1. Use as an auxiliary exercise after heavier squats or deadlifts.
2. Stick to rep ranges of 6-8. Any more makes it much easier to lose form and risk injury.
3. Cycle in on lower body days or pull days in 6-8 week blocks.

2. Landmine Lateral Lunge

Next, the lateral lunge is an exercise many coaches and athletes neglect. It’s hard, uncomfortable, and you can’t load heavy, so it strips the ego out of the lift. The movement does, however, have a massive benefit in terms of the muscles worked:

• Quadriceps
• Gluteal Muscles
• Hamstrings
• Abductor Magnus (inner thigh)
• Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO)

The lateral lunge also includes many proprioceptive benefits, starting with:

• Helping the body become resilient to odd movements and positions outside the sagittal plane.
• Increasing quad, glute, and hip strength.
• Stabilizing the spine and improving posture.
• Improving balance and coordination.
• Regaining strength coming back from an injury.

The setup

1. Start standing, holding the landmine in the top position with your body leaning in towards the plate at your chest, core tight.
2. Step to the right a few feet with your right leg, taking a relatively large step.
3. Land, keeping your left leg slightly bent to allow more range for your working leg, bend your right knee and push your butt back, lowering slowly.
4. Lower as far as you can comfortably, aiming to get thigh parallel to the ground. Then explosively drive up and to the left, driving back to a standing position.
5. Do 3 sets of 6-10 reps per side.

Why it works?

1. It’s not as awkward feeling.
2. You can lean IN towards the plate, allowing you to shift a majority of the weight on the working leg while keeping better balance and being able to load heavier.
3. You can get a deeper stretch reflex from the muscles worked by the vector angle, allowing more angled flexion of the hip and knee.

In a typical side lunge, you’ll step one foot out at your side, then sink your hips back and bend your knee to lower your butt to the floor. As you lower to the floor, you’ll keep your opposite leg straight.

However, in this version you are bending both knees to allow for more depth in the lunge and the working leg is the one closest to the landmine. You can “feel” by placing more weight on that leg to make it do most of the work and it can fire up high threshold motor units in the hips to create more dynamic stability around the joint.

3. Landmine Row to RDL

Next is a favorite of mine for a combination move. These often get a bad rep because of their limitations with load and exercise selection, but I find this one to be stellar for many reasons.

The setup

You can combine the movements by doing a single leg RDL right into a row or, as shown above, I like doing the row first, then finishing off the legs on the single leg Romanian Deadlift last.

Why it works?

1. Isometrics work to build tendon resiliency and improve motor control, which are essential for a developing athlete.
2. Posterior chain work is a prime need for athletes in general and this variation has a “pre-fatigue” set in by starting out with the isometric, so the load goes a long way since you are limited by what you can row.
3. This variation also strengthens hips as the landmine allows a more focal vector plane to be able to shift your bodyweight towards the midline, another added benefit that will be quick to neutralize or prevent injuries from occurring.

4. Landmine Skater Lunge

This is a unique exercise I find very beneficial for hockey and any sport requiring frontal plane movement.

The setup

The setup is key, where you have to position the end of the bar in the crock of your elbow and have a lean in towards the anchor point.

From the starting position you simply descend back into a reverse lunge and return back to the start, where I find keeping tension on the working leg crucial for overall hypertrophy. Key points:

1. Lean IN towards the anchor point, roughly 60 degrees from parallel.
2. Place the end of the bar in the crook of your elbow and push your weight against the inside of the plate.
3. Keep tension on the working leg as you perform repetitions, with a good guide being in the 6-10 range.

Use this as an accessory exercise to your deadlift day and watch your unilateral strength and stability on the field improve.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

Shopping, traveling, socializing, eating, sleeping, and leisure exercising: the advent of digitalization has permeated virtually every aspect of modern life. This impact extends not only to our everyday routines, but also to high-performance sports across all levels, including high school and university sports. Digitalization has become deeply ingrained in these athletic settings, showcasing its transformative influence on optimizing human performance and pushing the boundaries of athletic achievement. One notable area of athletic development appears to be trailing in terms of digitalization, however, and that is resistance training.

Looking out on the sports field, GPS systems have revolutionized how coaches and sports scientists monitor athletic capacities and performance, offering a vast array of digitalized metrics, from speed and distance to heart rate variability and associated derivatives such as player or training load. Video analysis tools, meanwhile, have become crucial assets by offering a comprehensive perspective on athletes’ actions, opponents’ strategies, and team dynamics. These tools allow coaches to digitally capture, review, and analyze footage from training sessions, scrimmages, and competitive matches with unprecedented detail and precision.

Even traditional pen-and-paper methods like wellness questionnaires have largely shifted to digital platforms. This transition enables real-time insights into athletes’ physical and mental states, offering coaches and support staff quick and useful insights for adjusting training sessions “on the go.”

In weight room settings today, however, resistance training monitoring still predominantly relies on traditional methods supplemented by occasional manual tracking. Coaches and athletes often use pen-and-paper methods or spreadsheets to record “key metrics,” such as sets, reps, loads lifted, and exertion experienced during strength and power training sessions. Additionally, direct observation and feedback from coaches play a vital role in assessing form, technique, and exertion levels.

While some advancements in technology may be incorporated—such as accelerometers, linear position transducers, and cameras—the core of resistance training monitoring remains rooted in established practices. This reliance on traditional methods highlights an area where further integration of digital tools and innovations could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of resistance training programs in athletic development.

Optimizing Resistance Training Monitoring and Prescription With Barbell Velocity

A primary method of digitalizing resistance training in athletic settings is through monitoring barbell velocity. Indeed, using barbell velocity to monitor and prescribe resistance training falls under the umbrella term velocity-based resistance training—a training methodology that is not so novel anymore, with dozens of research articles coming out yearly and showcasing its utility in real-world settings.¹

By utilizing tools such as accelerometers with associated smartphone applications, coaches and athletes can capture detailed data on barbell velocity in real time. This is important, as barbell velocity can be utilized in at least four different ways to optimize performance and help coaches make better-educated training decisions.¹

1. By continuously tracking barbell velocity during workouts, coaches can assess athletes’ daily readiness to train. More specifically, fluctuations in movement velocity may indicate variations in fatigue levels or recovery status.^1,2 This information enables coaches to adapt training loads and volumes in real time to match individual readiness levels, thereby optimizing training adaptations and minimizing the risk of overtraining or underperformance (i.e., loads are higher or lower than they “should be” on a given day).
2. By providing augmented velocity feedback, athletes can refine their execution of each repetition to maximize training effectiveness. Research has shown that kinetic and kinematic outputs are significantly enhanced with barbell velocity, increasing by approximately 8.4% when feedback is provided during resistance training.³ Acute improvements in motivation, competitiveness, and muscular endurance have been reported to occur with augmented velocity feedback.³
3. Real-time monitoring of barbell velocity provides athletes with objective feedback on their exertion levels during resistance exercises. Movement velocity during resistance training can be used to predict how many repetitions athletes are capable of doing in a given set^4,5 and how many repetitions they have left in reserve after completing a set^6,7 without asking athletes a single question. This allows for greater control of a training stimulus and, hence, better fatigue management, which can have implications for recovery strategies.
4. Tracking barbell velocity in real-time allows coaches to quantify neuromuscular fatigue induced by each set and assess the rate at which fatigue develops during a given workout.^8,9 By analyzing changes in velocity over successive repetitions or sets, coaches can identify patterns of fatigue accumulation and adjust training variables accordingly to manage fatigue and optimize performance outcomes. This precise monitoring of neuromuscular fatigue dynamics enhances the effectiveness of resistance training programs, promoting efficient recovery and long-term athletic development.^10,11

With all this data, coaches can make informed decisions regarding training load, volume, and recovery strategies to optimize long-term athletic development while minimizing the risk of unnecessary stress or potential injury. Furthermore, the digitalization inherent in the velocity-based approach to resistance training enables the seamless integration of historical training data. This capability allows coaches to track athletes’ progress over time and tailor training prescriptions accordingly.

By leveraging digitalization in resistance training monitoring, coaches can enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of training programs, ultimately empowering athletes to realize their full potential.

The Future of Velocity-Based Resistance Training is Versatility

Despite the well-researched benefits of the velocity-based approach to resistance training and the inherent digitalization it entails, its widespread implementation still lags behind popular technological advancements like GPS systems. There are several reasons why this might be the case.

For instance, the suitability of existing velocity-based monitoring devices for a wide range of resistance exercises is a concern. Many devices are designed primarily for barbell movements, limiting their applicability to other types of resistance exercises, such as body-weight exercises or machine-based workouts. Similarly, many velocity-tracking devices focus solely on velocity metrics, which may not be seen as a justifiable purchase. In this regard, having additional features such as barbell path analysis, along with rotation and inclination tracking, could provide coaches with insights into movement mechanics and technique efficiency during resistance exercises.

Furthermore, the weight and bulkiness of some devices may impede athletes’ movements or limit their versatility, rendering them impractical for certain training scenarios. Coaches may also hesitate to adopt velocity-based training due to the perceived complexity of integrating yet another piece of technology into their toolbox. This reluctance may stem from the fact that coaches are already utilizing other technological tools, such as optical measurement systems or flywheel machines, each requiring its own software and protocols. Thus, the challenge lies in seamlessly integrating a velocity-based approach to resistance training into existing training methodologies without overwhelming coaches or justifiably disrupting established workflows.

A solution to these issues can be a versatile device like Enode, an accelerometer-based technology. This compact, wireless device offers comprehensive monitoring capabilities and movement analysis features across a wide range of exercises, including free-weight, body-weight, and machine-based movements. Furthermore, its compatibility with other commonly used modalities of training, such as flywheel machines and jumping exercises, provides coaches with a holistic view of training data regardless of the training modality employed in the weight room.

By consolidating all data streams into a single software platform, coaches can easily monitor and analyze training progress across different exercises and modalities using Enode, facilitating informed decision-making and personalized training interventions. This integrated approach to performance monitoring has the potential to streamline coaching workflows, optimize training outcomes, and foster long-term athlete development. Therefore, the integration of accelerometer-based technology such as Enode in the weight room could represent a significant leap forward in overcoming the obstacles associated with digitalization in resistance training, offering a promising avenue to augment performance monitoring and advance athlete development over time.

In considering the overarching trend of monitoring training loads and our increasing reliance on it, particularly through GPS data, it begs the question: are we truly capturing the full spectrum of training stressors, particularly those inherent in resistance training?

While GPS technology offers valuable insights into athletes’ external workload, the absence of comprehensive monitoring of resistance training could leave a significant gap in our understanding of the overall training load experienced by athletes. Given the pivotal role of resistance training in many athletic development programs, ensuring proper monitoring of this component is imperative. As such, integrating accelerometer-based technology for comprehensive resistance training monitoring becomes not only desirable but essential for a more holistic and informed approach to athlete management and performance optimization.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

References

1. Weakley J, Mann B, Banyard H, McLaren S, Scott T, Garcia-Ramos A. Velocity-based training: From theory to application. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2021 Apr 1;43(2):31-49.

2. Banyard HG, Nosaka K, Vernon AD, Haff GG. The reliability of individualized load–velocity profiles. International journal of sports physiology and performance. 2018 Jul 1;13(6):763-9.

3. Weakley J, Cowley N, Schoenfeld BJ, Read DB, Timmins RG, García-Ramos A, McGuckian TB. The Effect of Feedback on Resistance Training Performance and Adaptations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023 Sep;53(9):1789-803.

4. Miras-Moreno S, Pérez-Castilla A, García-Ramos A. Lifting velocity as a predictor of the maximum number of repetitions that can be performed to failure during the prone bench pull exercise. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 2022 Jun 14;17(8):1213-21.

5. Jukic I, Helms ER, McGuigan MR. The fastest repetition in a set predicts the number of repetitions completed to failure during resistance training: The impact of individual characteristics. Physiology & Behavior. 2023 June 1;265:114158.

6. Jukic I, Prnjak K, Helms ER, McGuigan MR. Modeling the repetitions‐in‐ reserve‐velocity relationship: a valid method for resistance training monitoring and prescription, and fatigue management. Physiological Reports. 2024 Mar;12(5):e15955.

7. Pérez-Castilla A, Miras-Moreno S, Weakley J, García-Ramos A. Relationship between the number of repetitions in reserve and lifting velocity during the prone bench pull exercise: an alternative approach to control proximity-to-failure. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2023 Aug 1;37(8):1551-8.

8. Sanchez-Medina L, González-Badillo JJ. Velocity loss as an indicator of neuromuscular fatigue during resistance training. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2011 Sep 1;43(9):1725-34.

9. Jukic I, Castilla AP, Ramos AG, Van Hooren B, McGuigan MR, Helms ER. The acute and chronic effects of implementing velocity loss thresholds during resistance training: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and critical evaluation of the literature. Sports Medicine. 2023 Jan;53(1):177-214.

10. Pareja-Blanco F, Sánchez-Medina L, Suárez-Arrones L, González-Badillo JJ. Effects of velocity loss during resistance training on performance in professional soccer players. International journal of sports physiology and performance. 2017 Apr 1;12(4):512-9.

11. Pareja-Blanco F, Villalba-Fernández A, Cornejo-Daza PJ, Sánchez-Valdepeñas J, González-Badillo JJ. Time course of recovery following resistance exercise with different loading magnitudes and velocity loss in the set. Sports. 2019 Mar 4;7(3):59.

There are many disparate factions throughout both the strength and conditioning and track and field coaching professions. The role that heavy barbell strength training plays in the development of speed for competitive sprinters and jumpers is among the most contentious topics and inspires further divisions. Even in the age of endless data, a battle rages on between coaches who insist that lifting heavy weight on big compound movements is critical to the development of speed, and those who believe that traditional strength training makes athletes slower.

Truth is often difficult to nail down, especially when there are examples of athletes who get faster as they get stronger as well as those who get slower as they get stronger. To get to the bottom of it, let’s dismantle some of the most common claims disseminated by those who downplay the role of traditional strength training for speed athletes.

Four Common Claims Against Heavy Strength Training for Speed Development

While none of these claims are without some merit, there are some misconceptions that fuel anti-lifting sentiment that are worth addressing:

1. Peak strength is irrelevant because it takes too long to generate when ground contacts during sprinting can be under .1 seconds.
2. The speed of heavy lifting is slow, so it trains your body to move slowly. If you lift, it should be light and fast.
3. Lifting heavy weights will add too much muscle, and the extra weight will slow you down.
4. Lifting weights makes you sore and tired, which prevents athletes from being able to achieve high speeds in practice.

Some coaches prevent all or most strength training because of the negative impact that some methods or styles of training can have on sprint performance. With a more nuanced view of how to attack the weight room, we can dismantle these claims to integrate heavy lifting into a comprehensive training plan to improve speed.

Claim #1: Peak strength is irrelevant because it takes too long to generate when ground reaction forces in sprinting are applied in under 1/10^th of a second.

One area both camps agree on is the importance of force in creating speed. The disagreement then lies in what training methods are best for increasing the magnitude of force production within the time and technical constraints of sprinting.

Force and Speed

When it comes to speed, force production is critical. It is a well-documented phenomenon that force applied to the ground is a key distinction between elite and sub-elite sprinters. This has to do with both the ability to produce force rapidly, as well as how technically efficient the athlete is at applying the force to the ground. Ground reaction forces for elite sprinters can exceed six times bodyweight on ground contact once they reach top speed. For a 170lb sprinter, that’s 1020lbs, or 4,500 Newtons of force that the body must apply to the ground that is then applied back to the body to propel it down the track.

Many coaches who argue against heavy strength work make the case that since peak strength generally takes .3-.5 seconds to generate in most barbell movements—and these enormous ground reaction forces have to be applied during ground contacts that are less than .1 seconds—peak strength really isn’t all that important because there isn’t enough time after the first two steps out of blocks (when ground contacts are longest) to generate that level of force. So, while increasing strength could help with initial acceleration, it does little for top speed.

It’s true that peak force production on heavy barbell movements takes longer to produce than what ground contacts permit. But attempting to mimic in the weight room the same time constraints that are present during sprinting is to misunderstand the way increased strength contributes to speed.

Conventional strength training helps raise the ceiling for force production, and as long as it is performed alongside effective sprint training, the increase in force production is occurring in parallel with the requisite sprint training that serves to improve the efficiency and speed of force application.

The time constraints are true, but one way to look at this problem is that you are only capable of exerting a certain percentage of your force capacity in less than 1/10^th of a second. As your capacity rises, so too does the absolute value of the same percentage that can be applied in the same time. In other words, there is a downstream effect of strength wherein higher levels of force can be applied within the same timeframe. So as strength improves, so too can the amount of force applied to the ground in under 1/10^th of a second.

Claim #2: The speed of heavy lifting is slow, so it trains your body to move slowly. If you lift, it should be light and fast.

It is true that the velocity of a movement decreases as the weight on the bar increases. If weight is added continuously, eventually everyone will reach a point at which velocity = zero and the weight cannot be lifted. Most athletes tend to reach their maximum intensity on movements used to improve strength like deadlifts, squats, presses and their variations at an average velocity of around .3 meters/second.

Compare this velocity to lighter ballistic movements like jumps that can have peak velocities near 3 meters/second, and we see that the jump is going to be much closer to the speed of limb movement during sprinting than lifting heavy weight under a bar will be. The assumption is that low-weight, high-velocity movements should replace heavy strength work for speed development because they are closer to the limb velocities of sprinting.

Superficially this is a logical conclusion, but the truth is that slower velocities at higher intensities don’t necessarily train you to move slower when you sprint. In fact, it can have the opposite effect when performed appropriately. This is because of the sequential nature of motor unit recruitment. Motor units are recruited to perform work based on the work demand. This selection process differentiates between low-threshold motor units (LTMU), which are called upon for most daily activities and comprised of a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers, and high-threshold motor units (HTMU), which are only called upon when the forces required for movement reach a certain force threshold. These HTMUs tend to be made up of a higher percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which have a higher contractile velocity, force output, and contribute to greater sprint speeds.

So even though movement typically slows down as the intensity increases, there is a higher demand on the working muscles, and the nervous system signals those HTMUs into action. In this scenario, slow movement recruits fast twitch fibers. An important caveat is that the intensity must be high enough that weight moves slowly despite trying to move it fast. Intent is a critical component. Intentionally moving light weight slowly will not force the recruitment of HTMUs in the same way.

If high intensity movement is practiced regularly, the neurological connections that are formed become more accessible when performing other movements like sprinting and jumping, allowing athletes to express higher levels of force within the time and technical constraints of specific training.

The second part of this claim—that lifting should always be light and fast—can be problematic too. Light and fast movement can have their place in athletic development. But trading heavy lifting for light and fast barbell movements under the guise of it being more transferrable is misplaced. Some higher-velocity movements—like light Olympic lifts and speed squats or presses—can train athletes to decelerate at the end of the range of motion in order to control the bar. This deceleration can train athletes to slow down during a phase of the movement where they should be trying to move as fast as possible.

To avoid deceleration, the solution is to turn these movements into a ballistic variation by either adding weight (Olympic lifts), throwing the bar, leaving the ground, or adding accommodating resistance with bands or chains. These all have merit within a program too, but we don’t have to choose between lifting heavy and ballistic training. The two can co-exist within a training program. However, turning everything into a ballistic movement in the weight room runs the risk of overtraining the same qualities that are often addressed in practice between sprinting, plyometrics, and throws. Spending time on the other end of the force-velocity curve developing max strength can help raise athletes’ force-producing capacity that can be expressed within the time constraints of ballistic training.

Claim #3: Lifting heavy weights will add too much muscle, and the extra weight will slow you down.

While there is truth to the idea that athletes can eventually reach a point where extra body weight can negatively impact speed, and there is a correlation between strength and size, there is more to the story when it comes to lifting heavy, building muscle, and improving speed.

Let’s start by looking at the first claim in that statement: will lifting heavy weight add muscle? Here are a few things we know about muscle growth, or hypertrophy, and training that leads to it:

• All other factors being equal, a muscle with a greater cross-sectional area is capable of generating more force than one with less.
• Even though strength and size are related in this sense and can increase simultaneously, they are different qualities that can be targeted separately through various training methods.

Strength is not just a function of cross-sectional area of a muscle. It is also related to neurological factors like motor unit recruitment and motor control. So even though more cross-sectional area can mean increased strength, it is also possible for two muscles with similar cross-sectional areas to have significant differences in the levels of force they can generate. By avoiding training that stimulates muscle growth and focusing on methods that target neurological adaptations, we can limit the stimulus for hypertrophy while still reaping the rewards of improved strength as it pertains to sprint performance.

Building Muscle 101

To build muscle, training must induce muscle protein synthesis (MPS). This can be done through a variety of training methods that work through several primary, MPS-triggering pathways. Methods that emphasize mechanical tension, metabolic fatigue, and muscular damage while training close to failure tend to stimulate MPS through the activation of mTOR, a key regulator of muscle growth.

For sprint and jump athletes who want to get stronger without getting bigger, the key is to minimize exposure to methods of training that emphasize tension, fatigue, and damage. This can be done while continuing to train under heavy loads on large compound movements for most of the competitive season while keeping volume very low. The big compound strength movements, like squat, bench press, deadlift, and their variations, as well as movements that target power like Olympic lifts, can be trained consistently between 80-90% of 1 RM, or whatever other method is used to track intensity like RPE or VBT.

Keeping total volume under 10 working reps (ex: 4×2, 3×3, ramp up to heavy singles) at those intensities keeps a few reps in reserve, allowing athletes to target neurological adaptations via high threshold motor unit recruitment without creating the stimulus for hypertrophy.

One of my favorite methods is simply ramping up using singles or doubles to a top set of 1 at 85-90%. While muscles will still create high levels of tension, producing it in short spurts generally doesn’t create enough sustained tension or metabolic fatigue to initiate significant protein synthesis. By adding in a rapid eccentric component for movements like squats and presses, or removing it altogether in some cases like pulling from the ground and dropping the weight, there isn’t enough microtrauma to induce significant muscle protein synthesis either. The result is frequent recruitment of high threshold motor units to perform high intensity work without creating the conditions for significant hypertrophy.

Now that we know it’s possible to get stronger without getting bigger, let’s examine the second element of the claim: will extra body weight slow you down?

The Paradox of Muscle Mass

Body weight is a critical consideration for sprinters. All other factors being equal, if two bodies with different weights apply the same force into the ground while sprinting, the lighter one is going to move faster because the force is being applied back to a lighter body. These are differences in relative force—the force generated compared to the mass of the body producing it.

But for much of an athlete’s career, there is an inverse relationship between speed displayed on the track and strength, power, and body weight. In other words, sprint times can decrease as strength, power, and body weight increase. In other words, increasing mass is sometimes necessary for an athlete to develop the strength and power needed to improve speed.

For evidence of this phenomenon, look at the starting line for the Olympic 100m dash final. Donovan Bailey, Maurice Green, Justin Gatlin, Usain Bolt, and Lamont Marcell Jacobs—the winners of the last seven Olympics in the 100m dash—don’t look to be lining up for the marathon, and they don’t look like those lining up for a high school state championship 100m final either. The guys running 9.5-9.8 seconds are almost always going to have more muscle mass. To use an automobile analogy, it is because the mass adds to the size of the engine, rather than adding passengers in the car.

Theoretically, if there were no limit to the strength athletes could acquire over time without adding muscle, they could continue chasing strength forever because their relative strength would also continue to rise. Unfortunately, every athlete will reach a point of no return—the body weight at which relative force production starts to decline as body weight increases, even as absolute strength continues to climb.

Consequently, speed athletes can’t increase mass in perpetuity. Those on the line in the Olympics may be heavier than high school sprinters, but they also aren’t usually mass monsters. This means gaining muscle isn’t the career suicide that many make it out to be, but it isn’t always a performance enhancer either. There is a sweet spot each athlete must find to optimize relative force production without interfering with the demands of sprinting.

Claim #4: Lifting weights makes you sore, which prevents athletes from being able to achieve high speeds in practice.

When an athlete gets sore after a hard training bout, what they are typically referring to is delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. DOMS is the result of a novel training stimulus due to sudden increases in tissue stress, which can stem from a variety of stimuli like volume, intensity, and range of motion. All these changes can create microtrauma, or damage, within an unprepared muscle. In addition to the changes in stimuli, it is typically accentuated eccentric movements that are the most likely to cause DOMS because of the amount of microtrauma that is created.

DOMs can impact speed on two levels:

1. The soreness itself can lead to restricted movement and lower force production that alters sprint and jump mechanics, preventing near-maximal speed from being achieved. If you want to improve speed, max or near-max velocity must be trained in practice. On this point, it is true that soreness can prevent high speeds from being achieved.
2. The microtrauma that causes DOMS can be a precursor to a more severe injury when the high force and speed requirements of sprint training create tension that exceeds the muscles’ diminished structural capacity due to this damage. These are often the conditions that lead to perhaps the most common injury among sprinters and jumpers—pulled hamstrings.

While the second half of this claim is true—soreness can prevent high speeds from being achieved—the anti-heavy lifting coaches often mistakenly blame heavy strength training for creating soreness. What gets ignored is that it is unlikely to cause soreness if it isn’t a novel stimulus. Consistency in training and regular exposure to high intensity movements is critical to avoid the likelihood of recurring or poorly-timed soreness.

The best course of action is to consistently perform movements that the athlete is familiar with in a training scheme that does not make large, sudden jumps in volume, intensity, or range of motion, and is purposefully arranged throughout a training week with consideration of what the priority is in practice. This means not randomly skipping weeks in the middle of the season. Eliminating exaggerated, eccentric training in-season, especially for hamstrings prior to high intensity sprint and jump sessions on the track, can be beneficial too. Fortunately, we can satisfy all these conditions and still lift heavy weight.

Why The Bad Reputation?

Part of the reason heavy lifting gets a bad reputation as a tool for speed development is because of the perceived impact it has on the top-end speed of athletes in other sports—particularly American football and competitive powerlifting—who can get slower as they get bigger and stronger.

This is really an unfair comparison, as neither football players nor powerlifters typically emphasize technical sprint training or encounter top-end speed situations. Even in football, where speed is a valuable quality, acceleration and change of direction are more commonly trained in the sport than top-end speed.

Unfortunately, heavy lifting gets the blame for degrading speed in these two sports when it is likely increasing bodyweight combined with a lack of true top-end speed training that are the culprits.

Key Takeaways

• Increasing absolute strength can also improve the amount of force athletes are able to apply during brief ground contact times.
• Though heavy lifting is relatively slow, it can improve sprint performance by improving force production through increased motor unit recruitment.
• You can lift heavy weights without gaining significant muscle mass, provided volume is kept low.
• Muscle mass can often be a performance-enhancer for speed athletes.
• Soreness can be avoided in-season with consistent exposure to relatively high-intensity movements, avoiding accentuated eccentric movements, and maintaining only small fluctuations in volume, intensity, and range of motion.

The weight room can be a challenging realm to navigate when it comes to using it as a tool for speed development in sprint athletes. Like any training, there is inherent risk in strength training, and track coaches and athletes are notoriously hyper-aware of anything involving bodyweight, soreness, and slow movement. But keeping these ideas in mind can help mitigate risk and traverse this minefield of competing opinions to ensure that the weight room can be used as a tool to develop sprint performance.

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF

As an entrepreneurial coach, your expertise and passion drive your business. However, navigating the complex landscape of liability insurance and contract management is crucial to protecting your practice and ensuring longevity.

With years of experience in the coaching industry and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges coaches face and the best practices that can help mitigate risks. This article will delve into the importance of liability insurance, key contract considerations, and how to structure these elements effectively.

Why Liability Insurance Matters

Liability insurance is a safety net that shields you from potential legal claims. It covers various risks, including bodily injury, property damage, and professional negligence. Without this coverage, a single lawsuit could devastate your finances and reputation.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), 35% of personal trainers have faced legal action at some point in their careers. This statistic underscores the critical need for robust liability insurance. Legal disputes can arise from various situations, such as a client getting injured during a session, misunderstandings about the services provided, or allegations of negligence.

Types of Liability Insurance

1. General Liability Insurance: Covers third-party bodily injury and property damage.
2. Professional Liability Insurance: Also known as Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, this protects against claims of negligence or inadequate work.
3. Product Liability Insurance: Essential if you sell supplements or fitness products, covering claims related to product defects or harm.

Example: Jane, a personal trainer, was sued after a client injured themselves during a session. The client was performing a box jump, but misjudged the landing and fell, resulting in a severe ankle sprain. Jane’s professional liability insurance covered the legal fees and settlement costs, saving her from financial ruin. This real-life scenario highlights the importance of having the right insurance coverage to protect against unforeseen incidents.

Choosing the Right Policy

When selecting a liability insurance policy, it’s crucial to consider the specific needs of your coaching practice. Research different insurance providers, compare coverage options, and read reviews from other coaches to ensure you choose a reliable insurer. Consult with an insurance broker who specializes in professional liability to get tailored advice and find the best policy for your business.

1. Research Providers: Start by researching insurance providers that specialize in professional liability for coaches. Look for companies with good reputations and positive reviews from other coaches.
2. Consult an Expert: Speak with an insurance broker who understands the unique needs of fitness professionals. They can help you find the right coverage and explain the terms of the policy.
3. Compare Policies: Compare the coverage options, premiums, and exclusions of different policies. Ensure that the policy covers all the potential risks associated with your coaching practice.

Insurance Red Flags

While selecting a policy, be wary of the following red flags:

1. Excessive Exclusions: Policies that exclude common risks related to your practice can leave you vulnerable. For example, if a policy excludes coverage for injuries resulting from weight training, it might not be suitable for a strength coach.
2. Low Coverage Limits: Ensure the policy provides adequate coverage limits. Policies with low limits might not cover the full cost of a lawsuit, leaving you to pay out-of-pocket.
3. Lack of Tail Coverage: Tail coverage extends the policy’s protection beyond its expiration date for incidents that occurred during the coverage period. Without this, you could be unprotected once the policy ends.

Contract-Based Concerns

Contracts are the backbone of your business agreements, outlining the terms and conditions of your services. A well-drafted contract can prevent misunderstandings and provide legal protection.

Crafting Effective Contracts

I spoke with Anna Kate Tillison, a personal trainer, who emphasizes the importance of clear, concise contracts: “Within your contract, it’s crucial to outline every facet of the training arrangement, encompassing session schedules, financial terms, and protocols for cancellations.”

A comprehensive contract not only sets expectations but also protects both parties in case of disputes. It serves as a legal document that can be referred to if any issues arise, ensuring that both the coach and the client understand their rights and responsibilities.

A comprehensive contract not only sets expectations but also protects both parties in case of disputes, says @trayner_dave. Share on X
Key Elements of a Coaching Contract

1. Scope of Services: Clearly define what services you will provide. Be specific about the types of training, the duration of each session, and any additional services such as nutritional advice or online coaching.
2. Payment Terms: Outline the cost, payment schedule, and accepted payment methods. Specify if payments are due upfront, per session, or on a monthly basis, and include any late payment penalties.
3. Cancellation Policy: Specify the notice period required for cancellations and any associated fees. This helps manage your schedule effectively and ensures clients are aware of the consequences of last-minute cancellations.
4. Liability Waiver: Include a clause that limits your liability for injuries or other issues. This waiver should clearly state the risks involved in the training and that the client agrees to participate at their own risk.
5. Confidentiality Agreement: Protects sensitive client information. Ensure that personal data, progress records, and any private information shared during sessions are kept confidential.

Kate Jones, a strength coach and gym owner, includes a detailed liability waiver in her contracts, ensuring clients understand the risks involved and agree not to hold her liable for injuries sustained during training sessions. This proactive approach helps protect her business while maintaining transparency with her clients.

Drafting Your First Contract

1. Use Templates: Start with a standard contract template designed for coaches. Customize it to fit your specific services and business model.
2. Legal Review: Have a lawyer review your contract to ensure it complies with local laws and effectively protects your interests.
3. Client Communication: Clearly communicate the terms of the contract to your clients. Ensure they understand all clauses, especially those related to cancellations, payments, and liability.

Integrating Research and Coaching Insights

Staying informed about industry trends and legal requirements is essential. Regularly review publications such as the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and attend industry seminars to keep your knowledge up-to-date. This ongoing education helps you stay ahead of potential legal issues and provides the latest best practices for your coaching business.

For example, research from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research highlights the increasing importance of virtual coaching and the associated legal implications. Understanding these trends allows you to adapt your contracts and insurance policies accordingly.

Voices from the Field

Learning from experienced coaches can provide valuable insights into best practices. For instance, John Galloup, owner of LVL WOD gym, advises: “Consistently revisiting and refining your contractual agreements and insurance coverage can serve as a proactive measure against unforeseen legal complications.”

Networking with other coaches and participating in professional forums can also offer practical advice and shared experiences. This peer support is invaluable in navigating the complexities of liability insurance and contract management.

Wrap-Up

Navigating the realms of liability insurance and contract management is vital for entrepreneurial coaches. By understanding the importance of insurance, crafting thorough contracts, and staying informed through research and peer insights, you can protect your business and focus on delivering exceptional coaching services.

Ensure your practice is secure. Review your insurance coverage and update your contracts today!

Since you’re here…
…we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — SF