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As strength and conditioning coaches, we aim to improve the athletic performance of our athletes and strive for a healthy and high performing team. The beauty of this profession is that everyone attempts to reach this goal differently; everyone has their own philosophy, their own mentors, their own biases, their own personal experiences, and their own way of doing it.

No one program is an exact copy of another; even if it starts off that way, it will inevitably change to fit the new training environment, team, culture, and group of athletes.

We take real pride in how our strength and conditioning programs look, what our progressions are, and how our testing numbers have changed. These are all inherently good things—they hold us accountable to our work and can lead to an evaluation of the extent to which we are or are not doing a good job. We should be constantly learning best practices for the training and care of our athletes, have growth rather than fixed mindsets, be curious to learn from all sports and coaches, and always be willing to adapt or change our minds if sufficient evidence causes us to rethink our old methods.

I find it funny, though, how over the past five years of working at Furman, one of the biggest learning curves for me has actually been letting some of my programming go and giving it over to the athletes. Giving them a choice during optional workouts is a no brainer for me now because:

• The buy-in is high
• The intent is high
• The energy is high
• The attendance is high

One of the biggest learning curves for me has actually been letting some of my programming go and giving it over to the athletes, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Giving some of the choices up to the athletes is so effective that, in some cases, the overall training frequency during the summer is actually 50% higher than if they just choose to attend the mandatory team lift sessions.

Two years ago, I wrote an article on how we incorporate autonomy as part of our training process at Furman. Over these past couple of seasons, I’ve seen some developments within that autonomy training and I’d like to write in further detail about what’s changed in our process since then, what the athletes have taught me about autonomy, and how it’s the easiest way for our athletes and coaches to level up a development program.

Training Frequency

Summer training is one of the most significant uninterrupted phases of training for most Division 1 men’s basketball teams. For us at Furman, this consists of eight weeks of weight room sessions and on-court workouts from June to the end of July/early August. Within this time frame, I’m given three to four lift sessions a week. The biggest reason I’m able to train the guys more than that during the summer block is because I offer optional workout times/days and, within these sessions, give them the autonomy to choose which exercises and workouts they perform that day.

As a result of this, there is not a day I come into work that I’m not training an athlete, whether that is a Monday morning or a Sunday afternoon (yes, unfortunately our schedule in college athletics is rather varied). This is something that reflects our program’s culture of hard work, development, and deliberate improvement now model (#ALLDIN).

For the sessions that I’m given in which the players have to be there, I’m able to program holistically and specifically to the athletes’ needs. With the 13 scholarship players we have, I usually write between five and eight different programs. These mandatory sessions usually last one hour and are performed either with the full team present or in smaller lift groups based on class schedule.

Outside of these mandatory sessions, as noted earlier, I give the athletes the choice to get in extra work throughout the week. These sessions are optional and usually last 20-40 minutes, with the main difference being the freedom I give them to choose what they want to do in these sessions. If an athlete wants to train on a non-team lift day, it’s likely they will have an idea of what they want to work on for that lift, so I’m very comfortable letting them carry out this plan. After they complete that self-prescribed workout, the athlete feels they have taken a step in the right direction on their own personal development journey.

After they complete that self-prescribed workout, the athlete feels they have taken a step in the right direction on their own personal development journey, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Employing Athlete Autonomy

An example of an optional autonomy workout could be that the athlete wants to work on “power and feeling explosive” during this particular session. They enjoy Olympic lifting, so want to do some hang cleans and box jumps to “feel bouncy.” I suggest jump rope to warm up and a barbell complex before we do a more specific hang clean warm up. The athlete tells me they also want to “work some arms” after the power work. I ask the athlete how many sets and reps they want to do in the A series—I then use my knowledge of programming and their weekly load so far to discuss the best set and rep scheme. This is a great time to check in on the athletes training knowledge and briefly educate why performing eight reps on a hang clean isn’t ideal for power development!

After the reps and sets have been discussed, the athlete can perform the hang cleans and box jumps under my supervision. For the B series they want to do some biceps and triceps work, so I have them choose two arm exercises, we discuss sets and reps, and I supervise the B series. During the lift, I take the opportunity to check in on their diet, stress, sleep, life, etc. I may even jump in on the B series with them. At the conclusion of the lift, they’ve just completed a micro-dose of training stimulus (20-40 mins) between their larger doses of stimulus (~60 mins) on the mandatory lift days. This extra session is a win-win and is one of the biggest reasons why I love these optional autonomy sessions—what could have been a three-day S&C training week has now become a four-day training week.

If I were to add up the extra sessions the guys performed this past year—which I in fact did keep a record of—the number would FAR exceed that of just the mandatory lift sessions. While this is an obvious statement, I would question you right now, how many optional sessions do you think your athletes actually perform with you? How could you increase that number? How do you get athletes to come in and train on days that aren’t mandatory?

If I were to add up the extra sessions the guys performed this past year, the number would FAR exceed that of just the mandatory lift sessions, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Our model at Furman has shown that giving athletes autonomy on these extra days leads to a significant increase in buy-in and the perceived value of the weight room to their development, which then leads to increased participation in these sessions, which results in an increase in training frequency, which, when added up, makes a huge difference to the end result. It’s similar to how we view warm-ups. Working on physical capacities in the weight room and on court warm-ups for 5-15 minutes each day might not seem like much, but when this is added up over weeks, months, and years, that’s a lot of physical capacity development. The same can be said for these smaller lift sessions between the longer mandatory sessions.

For example, let me break it down to you with a summer training block:

• 8 weeks of summer training, 4 mandatory hour sessions a week, 0 extra sessions a week = 32 total S&C sessions
• 8 weeks of summer training, 4 mandatory hour sessions a week, 1 extra session a week = 40 total S&C sessions
• 8 weeks of summer training, 4 mandatory hour sessions a week, 2 extra session a week = 48 total S&C sessions

Going back to my opening point, if our jobs are centered on athletic performance development, how many training opportunities would you like your athlete to have that would contribute to meeting those performance development goals: 32, 40, or 48?

Now, I understand some of you may be scoffing at this and saying you’d prefer 32 quality sessions with adequate rest between than 48 sessions to better elucidate the imposed stress and compensating response to the S&C program. This is a valid statement for some professional athletes, especially those who compete in weight lifting competitions. However, for our college basketball athletes, a day off will likely involve them shooting on the gun, watching some film with a coach, going to the training room to get some treatment, and/or getting a stretch from me.

If we had a heavy leg day the day before and the athlete wants to come in the weight room for some core work and arm accessory work (yes, bis and tris), is that going to have a negative effect and blunt some of the training adaptation for the lower body from the previous day’s sessions? I’m hedging my bets by saying no, especially for low training age athletes—which is often the case with collegiate basketball players. They need as much time in the weight room as possible. Some post-lift foam rolling and stretching is always recommended, too, so their recovery could even be improved with this extra session.

Some post-lift foam rolling and stretching is always recommended, too, so their recovery could even be improved with this extra session, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Preparing Athletes for the Future

Now, to add some more context to these optional autonomy lifts: will I be the primary coach in some of these sessions and tell an athlete what to do that day? Absolutely, it’s my job to know more than they do about the training process and athletic development. Will some athletes come in for extra sessions and ask me to give them a lift for that day? Yes. Will I get low-minute guys in extra during the season to keep working on certain physical qualities that will best prepare them to play when called upon? Yes. Will I get low-minute guys in on game days to do some power work to prep them for the game but also to give them some jump exposures so that if they don’t play, they’re getting some game intensity work in? Yes.

However, in order to really increase training frequency, in my opinion some autonomy sessions are needed. I’ve had athletes say “I’ll come in tomorrow (to the weight room), but only if I get to choose what I’m doing.” Come on in. I’ll take this 10 out of 10 times if it means an athlete gets an extra training session in. I’m certain everyone reading would too, but ask yourself: would an athlete feel comfortable asking you this? Or, would they fear being laughed at? In order to drive up training frequency, the weight room has to be seen as a place of development, not pain; as a place of improving on court performance, not an Olympic weightlifting hall or a military barracks where the consequence for asking a coach the wrong question results in burpees. Nothing screams insecurity or power trip to me more than athletes not having a say in their development in the weight room.

For me to think I know it all regarding athletic performance development is ludicrous. For me to think I know it all about a sport I played up until I was—wait for it—12 years old, is beyond dumb. Let the athletes take the wheel some days and work on what they want to work on. If you ask the right questions, you can learn a lot during those autonomy lifts. The athlete feels respected and trusted to give an opinion on their current program and whether they feel it’s making a difference in their physical capacities, and it gives you a chance to better understand their needs and what works for their body versus others’. If an athlete is always doing some type of plyometrics on these optional autonomy sessions, it’s likely they don’t currently feel explosive enough. Perhaps a conversation should take place to dive deeper into this. That talk could unearth something that has been on the athlete’s mind for a while.

Allowing autonomy also helps prepare the athlete for the next steps in their career. We’ve had numerous athletes play abroad and have some mandatory S&C sessions with their respective teams’ S&C coach. “Champions do extra,” though, right? So, if the player wants to get an extra session in and the S&C coach isn’t available, it’s up to the athlete to create a workout and execute it. If the countless optional sessions they’ve had at Furman can better prepare them for these workouts or a hotel game day workout, then great!

Allowing autonomy also helps prepare the athlete for the next steps in their career, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Giving an athlete autonomy also, to an extent, shows you the athlete’s internal motivation and drive to succeed. With our athletes at home for May, it’s fun to see who reaches out to ask for programs, who sends me clips of them training, and who goes radio silent for the month! If for whatever reason they have a change in training environment, are they able to think for themselves and create a solid workout without me being there? I really hope so!

Programming with Autonomy in Mind

I take a lot of pride in the detail I put into my programming and the years that it has taken me to produce a solid, well thought out, holistic program. I also feel very proud when my athletes come in to train on optional days and I see them train with good form, give great effort, and carry out a solid lift. I see my coaching role as a teaching role; I want to transfer all the pertinent knowledge I have about performance to my athletes. If I haven’t taught them anything and have only instructed them on the what not the why, that’s a complete failure on my part.

To keep track of the extra sessions, I create a very simple Excel file which labels the semester of training we are in, the players’ names, and which days they train. This gives me weekly and monthly totals. This information is great for holding athletes accountable to their goals and also keeps me in check with doing the same. If an athlete’s goal is weight loss, I have to make sure they are seeing me more often than the team lifts twice a week. It’s also a way to write notes regarding the stretches I performed pre- and post-practice so I can hold myself accountable to helping them best prepare and recover for practices/games.

I recently asked one of my athletes why he likes the autonomy lifts; he replied, “They are the most fun lifts, the best energy sessions.” He also said how he liked that—from my perspective as a coach—I then get to see what everyone wants to work on and maybe that can help me program for them.

This athlete always loves doing core work. Aside from the fact that he wants a six-pack, it’s helpful for me to see that and to keep challenging him with different core exercises. The athlete also referenced the best energy to our Saturday morning sessions in the summer. For some guys, that could be their sixth lift of the week. To have them in on a Saturday morning, often doing prowler sprints and racing against each other, is a great sign of where our culture is at.

As an added tidbit, my own workout on those Saturdays is to do one exercise of each of the athlete’s whiteboard workouts, for as many rounds as I can before our leadership guys call time on the lift. It’s a great way for me to interact with the guys and gives me an opportunity for some sweat equity with them! As to why he feels they are the best energy sessions, it makes sense that everyone’s spirit is up and they are having fun, they did after all choose to be there that day to get extra work in. Letting them be the DJ on my Apple music account probably contributes to that extra energy, too!

Working out with the team is a great way for me to interact with the guys and gives me an opportunity for some sweat equity with them, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Game Day Lifts

On rare occasions, I have a real lightbulb “wow” moment when coaching the team. One of those moments happened in-season this past year. I have an optional lift every home game day that takes place an hour before we meet as a team for film. It’s open to everyone. My walk-ons and redshirts always come, and low-minute guys come also. One particular low-minute guy had struggled in the weight room his first year with us; his effort was below standard and we had many a conversation about improvement and being held accountable to one’s body of work.

Fast forward to this season and I’m having to stop the athlete from lifting for too long during one of his autonomous game day sessions, in fear of a residual fatigue effect for the game later that day. He didn’t want to stop—he wanted to keep training. From being in a mental space of not enjoying the weight room and not applying himself fully, I’m now having to take the dumbbells out of his hands and tell him to get a stretch before heading to film. I wonder if he would have had that attitude of self-improvement that day if I had created the workout for him? Self-motivation is a beautiful thing when you’re in the driving seat of your development, not the passenger seat.

Self-motivation is a beautiful thing when you’re in the driving seat of your development, not the passenger seat, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Basketball Autonomy

Basketball athletes show autonomy most days they are in the facility. Every time they choose to shoot on the gun or with a partner, they are making a decision to work on an area of their game they want to improve. They may decide one day to try and hit a certain number of consecutive free throws, or work on some ball handling; again, it’s a decision they get to make regarding which skills to improve. So why can’t the same thing be applied to weight room work? Why can’t the athlete make that decision to work on a specific area a couple of times a week?

Recovery Autonomy

Let’s all assume you have a trustworthy, hard-working athlete with a great attitude. I am a firm believer that this athlete inherently knows what works for them from a recovery perspective. Nowhere is autonomy more impactful and prevalent than in an athlete choosing which recovery modality to use to reduce soreness and make them feel more recovered before the next session. Take, for example, an athlete who hates ice baths; they stress them out and they can’t sit it one for longer than a minute. Compare that with an athlete who tolerates them well and can be in there for 15 mins.

Recovery is all about downshifting the sympathetic nervous system and upregulating the parasympathetic nervous system. You want the athlete relaxed, you want nasal breathing, you want to reduce their stress to encourage effective recovery. The athlete you made have an ice bath is all tensed up hating the ice bath; they don’t want to be in there and would probably name a few alternative therapies that would help them recover more optimally.

As much as I enjoy giving the athletes a say in their physical development, I would argue the case even more so for giving them a say in their recovery. Giving them the choice and some decision making will again lead to further questions and understanding of the coaches’ and trainers’ point of view, which will contribute to a more effective individualized holistic athletic performance program for that athlete.

As much as I enjoy giving the athletes a say in their physical development, I would argue the case even more so for giving them a say in their recovery, says @SCoach_Aldo. Share on X

Conclusion

As a strength and conditioning coach, I want to be a facilitator for student development, encouraging self-discovery and ownership with all aspects of their learning and training. Our aim should be creating an environment that allows room for experimentation, reflection, and growth.

Give it a try—for your next optional session, when an athlete texts you and wants to train, ask them what they want to work on. Say that you are there if they need guidance and that the weight room is open and available for whatever they want to work on. Do let me know how it goes. I’m raising my morning coffee in a toast to autonomy. Give the athletes a say in their development and watch the buy-in and results reach a new level.

Since you’re here…
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Every basketballer is, on some level, interested in jumping higher. The problem is that it’s incredibly difficult to make meaningful progress on your vertical while in-season. Your entire bandwidth is conditioning and going to games and practices. Most student-athletes will be lucky if they can find time to get in the weight room once or twice per week.

This is why the off-season is the perfect opportunity to get some serious reps under your belt, so by the time the next season rolls around, you’re faster, stronger, and jumping waaaay higher.

Today I’m going to tell you a few of the crucial things high school or college-level hoopers should be thinking about if they want to make meaningful progress on their vertical jump this off-season.

Let’s begin!

Specialize in a Single Sport as Early as Possible

Having played both basketball and volleyball in high school at the state and national representative levels, I really struggled with managing all the various commitments to different teams in each sport. I never really found myself with a proper off-season, which hindered my ability to make the sort of progress I wanted in the gym.

My recommendation is to choose a single sport and not over-commit yourself to too many teams, tournaments, or camps, such that you actually get a full 8–14 week off-season.

If you’ve found yourself with 3–4 sporting commitments per week, even during the off-season, you’re really going to be overdoing it from a total training volume perspective when you add a 4–6 day per week vertical jump program into the mix.

The off-season is a golden opportunity to focus on your physical development as an athlete and should be treated as such.

Begin with a Proper Deload

The first step to a successful off-season is to give yourself the better part of a week to let your body heal. This is particularly important if you’ve just gone through a grueling post-season.

The key to a successful deload is to be disciplined.

While a wide range of approaches to deloading can be effective, sitting around playing 2K all day and vegging out on the couch isn’t one of them! Let’s keep it simple with some principles that I’ve personally had success with.

The first step to a successful off-season is to give yourself the better part of a week to let your body heal. This is particularly important if you’ve just gone through a grueling post-season. Share on X

Keys to a Successful Deload

What we’re effectively trying to do here is let our body repair the worn-down muscles and connective tissues while still sending a signal to the brain that says we’re continuing to use our muscles…. So heal them but don’t atrophy them.

• Reduce volume by 50%­–70%: You’ll still want to do some training, but it will be a tiny fraction of what you’re used to. If when you previously walked into the gym, you’d do 5×5 back squats, just do two sets. It should feel like the worst workout you’ve ever had, stopping your working sets right before you start to feel something!
• Maintain fairly high intensity in the weight room (~90%): This means you should still be lifting about as heavy as you were prior to the deload but easing off just a little bit. Lifting relatively heavy will ensure you hang onto all your strength and muscle throughout the deload. Shoot for about 90% of the weight you were using the week prior to your deload, but don’t push it if you’re too banged up.
• Eliminate or modify jump volume: If you were doing lots of jumping or plyometrics toward the end of the season, you have the option of entirely removing plyometric training during the deload or simply switching out exercises for lower-intensity alternatives. For example, instead of doing 10 depth jumps per session, you might do 4–5 box jumps instead.

Video 1. Box jumps are ideal for deloads, as they’re a fantastic way to continue jumping while eliminating those brutal landing forces, which will help your joints recover.

You can also continue doing extensive plyometrics like pogo jumps and single-leg line hops but reduce the overall volume to about half.

• Lots of movement: Movement promotes blood flow. Blood carries nutrients to our muscles, which enables the healing process to take place. Instead of relaxing on the couch all day, make sure you get outside and do at least 1.5–2 hours of low-intensity steady-state activity.

This can be as simple as a very light jog or walk, some yoga, or even just going to shoot some hoops for a couple of hours.

If you have access to a swimming pool, hydrotherapy of any sort is a great way to get some movement in the “lowest impact” environment on Earth! The water effectively bubble-wraps your body so your joints can focus on healing. Simple movements like butt kicks, high knees, leg swings, and flutter kicks all work great. You could also just swim a few laps as long as that’s relatively easy for you.

• Include mobility work/static stretching: Fifteen to 20 minutes of some very basic mobility work will help prevent you from getting tight during the deload week. I also recommend spending 2–3 minutes stretching out your calves, hips, quads, and glutes/lower back. Spend a little longer on areas that you feel are particularly tight.
• Maintain your diet: You need to be super conscious of your diet during the deload week to not gain unwanted body fat. If you feel as though you’re burning significantly fewer calories than you were at the end of the season, you might actually want to reduce your overall caloric intake slightly. You still need to eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods and get in plenty of protein.
• Sleep: When it comes to recovery, the real magic happens during sleep. Since this whole week is about recovery, you should ensure you’re consistently getting as close to eight hours of sleep as possible.

How long you should deload for will be determined by how much fatigue you have accumulated during the season. I recommend five days for most athletes, give or take.

The amount of fatigue you’ve accumulated during the season will determine how long you should deload for. I recommend five days for most athletes, give or take. Share on X

If you’ve had a brutal post-season and your body feels like it’s been hit by a truck, take a full seven days to deload. If you didn’t get much action toward the end of the season and feel mostly fine, a four-day deload should be plenty.

Create an Off-Season Game Plan

If you really want to shock everyone when you return to the court next season as a completely upgraded athlete, you’ll need to be strategic about your approach to the off-season.

I’m about to cover the four most important things to consider if you’re interested in maximizing your vertical jump progress this off-season. Use these recommendations to formulate your own off-season game plan.

1. Prioritize Durability and Longevity

Basketball is one of the highest-impact sports, which means it’s incredibly taxing on your body, particularly your joints—this is why most NBA players will retire before their 30th birthday. One of my biggest regrets as an athlete was not taking better care of my body as a senior in high school. I lifted and jumped at least six days a week.

The result?

Tendonitis, meniscus tears, and painfully slow progress on my vertical jump. My recommendation is to treat your body the same way Lebron treats his. Sure, you probably can’t afford to spend over $1 million per year on your body, but you need to approach it with the same mindset.

Optimize for longevity.

Strive to be like Kadour Ziani, who is still freaky athletic in his late 40s, and not like me, embarrassingly immobile in my late 20s.

I strongly recommend you start by familiarizing yourself with the ‘knees over toes’ methodology by learning how to bulletproof your ankles and knees. Share on X

I strongly recommend you start by familiarizing yourself with the knees over toes methodology by learning how to bulletproof your ankles and knees by integrating exercises like the Patrick step or Poliquin step-up. Whenever you run, change direction, or land, you’re in this exact position.

Historically, we’ve been taught to avoid training in this “knees over toes” position, and I was once told, “Your knees should never travel past your toes” when squatting. But then strength and performance coaches like Charles Poliquin, Carl Petersen, and more recently, Ben Patrick began having huge success having their athletes challenge this idea by exposing the body to this challenging position.

Almost 34% of collegiate-level basketballers have some sort of patella tendonitis. Vertical jump coach Nathanael Morton recommends that athletes with jumper’s knee (or any amount of knee pain) begin their training protocol focusing on knee durability and not proceeding to heavy lifts like squats and plyometrics like depth jumps until their knees are pain-free.

An example of a knee durability and rehab protocol workout might look like the following.

Video 2. If you have access to a sled you can pull, use that. If you have access to a treadmill, you can use that (power it off) and walk backward. Even just walking backward (ideally up a hill) will be effective.

These movements make fantastic warm-ups and do an exceptional job of driving blood flow into the knee. Perform the movement for 1–2 minutes until you notice a quad pump. I recommend 3–4 sets.

Patrick Steps

Video 3. Bend so that your working leg’s knee extends past your toes. Reach out as far as you can with your off leg and gently touch your heel to the ground.

Perform 2–4 sets of 15–30 reps.

Slant Board Eccentric Squats

Video 4. With your heels elevated, focus on a slow and controlled descent.

Perform three sets of 10 reps.

ATG Split Squat

Video 5. Starting with one foot out in front of you, lunge down in a controlled manner so that your front knee extends past your toes.

Perform 2–3 sets of 5–6 reps.

Morton recommends repeating similar workouts 4–6 times per week until you can get through the workout without pain. In addition to the above, I’d recommend doing tibialis raises to increase your ability to safely absorb landing forces using your muscles instead of your joints.

Never work through pain…and for the love of God, do your mobility and flexibility work!

The off-season is, above all else, an opportunity for you to mend your body.

Never work through pain…and for the love of God, do your mobility and flexibility work! The off-season is, above all else, an opportunity for you to mend your body. Share on X

After you’ve taken care of any tendonitis, niggling injuries, and poor mobility, you’ve earned the right to enter the weight room to start taking strides toward becoming bigger, faster, and stronger.

2. Take a Structured Approach for Best Results

Understand—at least on a surface level—what a strategic approach to increasing your vertical jump looks like. Depending on which program you choose to follow, you might hear phrases like:

“Accumulation → Transmutation → Realization”

Or even

“Foundation → Integration → Translation”

Put simply, you should break your off-season into 3–4 smaller periods, each with a particular training focus.

Initially, you’ll start with some sort of fairly light accumulation period where the goal is to build work capacity and get your body used to a structured training environment. During this phase, you’ll do pretty basic lifts at moderate weights, as well as mostly extensive plyometrics and only a couple more challenging movements.

The idea here is to ease into things and get our bodies used to lifting and jumping a lot.

Example exercises will include things like:

• Pogo jumps
• Ankle jumps
• Full-range back squats
• RDLs
• Pull-ups

Many programs will also focus largely on strength development during the first phase, as opposed to power/ballistic movements and plyometrics.

After 3–4 weeks of “building the base,” you’ll look to start ramping things up with more advanced movements where we’re really trying to drive adaptation using that foundation we established in the initial phase. Expect some more difficult higher-intensity (aka heavier) lifts, more intensive plyometrics, more power and ballistic movements, and some complex/conjugate training.

Example exercises will include:

• Heavy back squats
• Power cleans and med ball tosses
• Depth jumps
• Back squats followed by depth jumps
• Trap bar jumps
• Bounding

We aim to peak in explosiveness for the final 3–4 weeks of the off-season and then prepare our newfound athleticism for the court.

We do this by backing off slightly on the lifting/strength volume and upping the power and plyometrics. We reduce the weight used in our power movements and look to move the weight as fast as possible. The closer we get to the end of the program, the more focused we become on jumping.

We do another small deload in the last week of the program to flush out any accumulated systemic fatigue, and the result will hopefully be your highest jumping performance yet!

Choosing the Right Program

Unless you’re a sports science major, you likely won’t understand the complexities of the effective programming and periodization that go into a well-constructed vertical jump program.

For most athletes, I believe it’s smarter to outsource your vertical jump program to an expert who has created a system designed for maximum progress over the duration you have available.

I believe it’s smarter for most athletes to outsource their vertical jump program to an expert who has created a system designed for maximum progress over the duration available. Share on X

Sixty dollars is a fairly small cost for complete guidance over 14 weeks—that works out to $0.60 per day to help you optimize your training and create the most impressive transformation possible.

There’s a vast range of different vertical jump programs on the market, and I’ve personally purchased each of them to determine which products make the most sense for which athletes.

Here are a few things to consider…

Duration

Vertical jump programs typically range in duration from eight weeks to 16 weeks, with a couple of exceptions going for longer. You must identify exactly how long your off-season will be before beginning your pre-season commitments.

Some athletes might only have eight weeks available, whereas others might have a full 14 weeks. Before investing in a jump program, find out how long it goes, so you can get something that’s a good fit for you.

Access to Equipment

I can appreciate that not every athlete will have the luxury of a fully kitted-out gym. Some of you will have access to only very basic equipment, and some of you will have no equipment whatsoever…

Certain jump programs require certain types of equipment, whereas others require no equipment at all. Figure out what equipment you imagine you’ll have access to, then pair that up with an appropriate program.

Experience Level

Certain programs are very challenging, whereas others are super simple and geared more toward beginners. Ask yourself how much experience you have in the weight room and with plyometrics.

If this is your first attempt at meaningfully increasing your vertical jump, start with a program geared more toward beginners and younger athletes.

My recommendation?

I recommend Overtime Athletes’ Elite Vertical Academy because it checks all of the boxes:

• Includes a “beginner” version for younger and less experienced athletes.
• Includes a “bodyweight” version for athletes who don’t have access to equipment.
• The main program still has a lot of advanced movements in it, so it’s great for more advanced athletes too.
• Its 12-week duration is ideal for most off-seasons.
• Significantly more affordable than other options.

I’ve written a full article comparing each of the different vertical jump programs you’re welcome to check out for more information.

3. Don’t Neglect Skills Work and Upper Body Training

As a younger athlete, I was so obsessed with being able to dunk that I had no interest in skills work. As a result, I ended up with a horrific handle and an inability to finish around the rim—despite being able to jump reasonably well.

Make sure you’re still dedicating at least 1–2 sessions per week to skills. I’d recommend allocating some time to ball handling and shooting—focusing on shots you’re likely to take in a game.

It’s also very easy to fall into the trap of only training legs and completely skipping upper body day when you’re focused on increasing your vertical jump.

Luckily, most decent vertical jump programs these days realize the importance of a powerful upper body and bake a healthy amount of upper body training into the program. But if you’re creating your own vertical jump program, remember to include each of the three following movements:

1. Chin-ups—Often referred to as the “upper body squat,” this compound movement hits most of your upper body and is a super-efficient way to build general upper body strength.
2. Bench press/shoulder press—Or push-ups/military press if you don’t have access to a bench. Being a strong presser has a massive carryover to how well you’ll be able to pass the ball.
3. Med ball tosses—With the many different variations of med ball tosses, you can build upper body power that will directly impact your arm swing when jumping, but it will also make you a far better passer.

I believe doing the above three exercises just 1–3 times per week is all you need to maintain and develop upper body strength and power while you’re focusing primarily on developing your vertical jump.

You should also keep playing some basketball each week (~1 session), just to help with basic conditioning and keeping your eye in.

If you’re playing pickup basketball 2–3 times per week, you’ll likely not get the most out of your vertical jump program, which will have you training 4–6 days per week already.

4. Double Down on Diet and Sleep

I cannot stress how important this is—if you’re treating yourself like a professional athlete, getting eight hours of sleep per night is table stakes.

Eating a clean diet with adequate amounts of protein is a given. Just being on break is not an excuse to get sloppy with your diet. Your shopping list should include foods like the following:

• Rice
• Chicken
• Pasta
• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Red meat
• Salmon

We also know that vitamin D levels correlate with the size and number of fast-twitch muscle fibers—those you use when jumping. So ensure you get plenty of sun every day and aren’t cooped up inside playing video games all day!

Your fast-twitch muscle fibers also prefer carbohydrates as a source of energy, so I recommend fueling up with rice, pasta, and oats instead of taking a low-carb/keto approach.

It doesn’t matter how hard you train or how diligently you follow your jump program; you will never make meaningful progress if you’re not taking your diet and sleep seriously. Share on X

Remember, it doesn’t matter how hard you train or how diligently you follow your jump program; you will never make meaningful progress if you’re not taking your diet and sleep seriously.

Final Thoughts

Every so often, you’ll notice a guy show up to pre-season training looking like a completely different athlete…they’re taller, stronger, faster, and wait, what’s that? He just threw it down on a fast break!?

Damn, that guy really leveled up during the off-season!

You can be that guy.

Create a game plan, follow a structured program, and take your nutrition and recovery super seriously. Treat your off-season as an opportunity to level up, not an excuse to relax and slack off.

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. Patrick, Ben. Knee Ability Zero, Onyx Publications, 2021.

2. Beyond the Rim 1, Nathanael Morton.

3. Hutchinson MK, Houck J, Cuddeford T, Dorociak R, and Brumitt J. “Prevalence of Patellar Tendinopathy and Patellar Tendon Abnormality in Male Collegiate Basketball Players: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Journal of Athletic Training. 2019 Sep;54(9):953–958.

4. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, Taft TN, and Anderson JJB. “Athletic performance and vitamin D.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009 May;41(5):1102–1110.

The human performance and injury restoration fields are invariably dynamic and rapidly evolving as technology continues to influence our environment. This may be even more evident within the sports sector, where performance and biometric data are becoming more influential for decision-making than ever before.

As a coach or practitioner, there are some fantastic benefits to this hypercompetitive market, as the influx of new tools, technology, and tracking devices provide continuously deeper insight to analyze the human body. But, as we’ve all experienced, not all that shines is gold—for every high-quality product, there are 10 terrible ones. Despite this, as I will cover in this article, we should not be trapped by dogma or dismissive of the value of technology or nuanced equipment in our field.

One innovative company that has become a staple in both strength and conditioning and physical therapy facilities over the last few decades is Keiser.

Keiser is preferential in any given restoration or reconditioning phase. But considering shoulder mechanics, there is even more reason to implement Keiser in your return to play programming. Share on X

Keiser equipment utilizes a compressor system to provide pneumatic isotonic resistance. The pneumatic resistance creates a different stimulus when compared to static and even cable or band loading. Primarily, the Keiser provides a smooth resistance type that promotes acceleration throughout the full range of motion. This is a distinct advantage compared to static loading, which has a proverbial deceleration period as you approach the terminal range.

Along with providing a different type of resistance, Keiser equipment allows you to apply a very specific amount of resistance (in increments of around half a pound). The resistance type and specificity can be particularly advantageous for cases of return to play, as the Keiser tends to be more “joint friendly” in a general sense. Another distinction to the Keiser cable is the free motion anchor point, which promotes a favorable mechanical advantage for the athlete by not being confined to a fixed point (fulcrum). The maneuverability of the fulcrum functions similarly to bands or a landmine in that it allows the athlete to slightly manipulate and position their body in a way that de-emphasizes mechanical stress on the joints.

While the Keiser equipment is quite versatile and can be utilized in myriad ways, in this article, I focus specifically on the way I have used Keiser for shoulder restoration. The paragraphs above allude to why the Keiser is preferential in any given restoration or reconditioning phase. But considering the mechanics of the shoulder, I believe there is even more reason to implement Keiser in your return to play programming.

Injury Restoration and RTP

Despite being a strength and conditioning coach, most of my career has been developed around working with injured athletes and return to play concepts. This has created a unique role that has afforded me a specific skill set that is somewhat unconventional for a strength and conditioning coach. Nevertheless, I have always sought out methods, equipment, and applications that are pragmatic for getting athletes back on the field and establishing full health and confidence. Even the most powerful and athletically gifted athletes can have their confidence shattered by sustaining an injury. This fragmented confidence becomes evident as athletes begin to transition back to normal training and are tasked with stressing their bodies again.

From the point of view of a strength coach, we want to take this into consideration when programming and selecting exercises. Most notably, conventional compound movements (i.e., bench press, push press, back squat) often provoke the greatest sense of discomfort or even intimidation. This isn’t to say we need to remove the conventional lifts entirely, but I believe there are preferential options as we initiate this restorative phase—such as the Keiser. Tying this into shoulder restoration specifically, I have found that the Keiser, being generally less imposing than static loading, can enable the athlete to concentrate primarily on performing the work at hand rather than feeling concerned about their injury.

Keys for Shoulder Restoration

Whereas the primary role of the physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other members of the early phase rehab team is largely focused on localized treatment and rehabilitation, I believe the primary role of the strength coach is to reintegrate the injured area into the body. For the shoulder, this starts by emphasizing the core and thoracic spine, which collectively represent the foundation for shoulder health.

Trying to improve shoulder function while neglecting the core is no different from trying to rehab a knee while neglecting foot function, says @danny_ruderock. Share on X

Trying to improve shoulder function while neglecting the core is no different from trying to rehab a knee while neglecting foot function. These kinetic relationships are paramount for fully restoring injuries, and the shoulder is no exception to this. Considering the general setup for Keiser exercises, we are able to implement a wide variety of movements that promote this kinetic relationship between the core and the shoulder girdle, as well as the shoulder with the lower arm/wrist.

Beyond the core strength and function of the thoracic spine, we want to look to additional kinetic relationships of the shoulder—the fascial arm line, anterior structures (pec muscles, clavicle), and posterior structures, which predominantly include the scapulae. The fascial arm line will be addressed mostly indirectly, but an important consideration here is to provide exercises and movements that permit full ranges of motion.

There is a direct relationship between the inferior joints (i.e., elbow, wrist) and the shoulder. As we seek to restore injured sites, we must put a premium on the positioning of surrounding joints. What you will notice with many conventional movements is compensation at the wrist or lack of extension at the elbow, which are compensations for incomplete shoulder mechanics. For this reason, I prefer to use load types and setups that minimize this, and I see the Keiser as a valuable option for just that.

Additional focal points, closing margins of difference, and completely reintegrating the injured area back into the body are largely developed around two points:

1. Unilateral loading
2. Open chain movements

When recovering from any extremity injury, shoulder included, there will be obvious decrements in strength and power and muscle atrophy. I am a full believer in mostly unilateral loading, injured or not, but for the case of restoration, I find this to be non-negotiable. We want to stress the body independently in an effort to address these functional differences.

Similarly, the open chain nature, as provided by Keiser movements, is another key element to restoration. Open chain movements help the athlete redevelop the kinesthetic and proprioceptive acuity in a way you don’t typically receive from static loading. When a body part has become dormant due to prolonged immobilization, re-establishing the proprioception and kinesthetic acuity is paramount for the athlete.

Incorporating the Keiser into Your Shoulder Restoration

One of the best elements of the Keiser is the inherent versatility it provides, and this applies not just in the sense of exercise variations but also in the way you can work it into your program. Generally speaking, I get the most use of the Keiser during my accessory blocks, but for the sake of shoulder restoration, I also find ways to work Keiser options into my primary blocks.

One of the best elements of the Keiser is the inherent versatility it provides, and this applies not just in the sense of exercise variations but also in the way you can work it into your program. Share on X

Two examples of using the Keiser in a primary block are a single arm shot put and a low-to-high transfer. I use these types of movements in lieu of contemporary options such as BB/DB chest presses, push presses, or even a landmine press if the athlete is in earlier phases of the RTP timeline. This relates to what we addressed in the opening paragraphs, in that the Keiser allows for acceleration throughout a full range of motion, which is preferable for scapular mechanics.

Video 1. Differences between pneumatic vs. static resistance.

The secondary and accessory blocks are where I really get the most out of the Keiser, and this applies to virtually any athlete I work with. While I love band work as much as anyone, there is a limitation to isolated band loading for some RTP cases with the amount of eccentric tension toward the end range. Conversely, the Keiser can be loaded precisely to allow the athlete a greater range of motion under load. I know that I’ve been preaching total body and integration throughout this article, but there is absolutely a time for isolating areas or muscle groups. Here is a good example of a simple rotator cuff series using the Keiser below.

Finally, the value of the Keiser can be demonstrated through the ability to perform rotational and bending patterns, both of which are essential for full shoulder restoration. Incorporating rotation and bending patterns for shoulder health speaks to several points, namely, the importance of core strength and trunk stability. I believe the obliques are a critically neglected muscle group for shoulder health, and that is particularly a foundational piece for overhead or throwing athletes.

There is an array of patterns utilizing the Keiser that directly address the lateral core—a few of my more common selections include the long lever chop, lunge with cross chop, and reciprocating push-pull. True to the theme of kinetic integration, these three also demand rotator cuff activation and glenohumeral stability across multiple vectors, another element of “bang for your buck” movement options.

One Part of Training Prescription

There is a fundamental difference in strength training applications when working in the restorative space as compared to a developmental or more conventional endeavor. Atop these differences, coaches need to recognize the effects of load type and movement parameters and how these impact the joint or tissue in question. While there is plenty of room for interpretation and discourse on optimally loading or training healthy athletes, I believe there is less room for it in restorative cases. Whereas performance outcomes are more driven by production and quantitative values, athlete restoration is guided more by position, function, and feel.

While there is plenty of room for interpretation and discourse on optimally loading or training healthy athletes, I believe there is less room for it in restorative cases, says @danny_ruderock. Share on X

From the distinct advantages of pneumatic resistance, specificity of load and position, and the open chain and globally integrated nature of Keiser, I believe these qualities offer a preferable option for athletes recovering from injury. As with any specific equipment or training modality, this shouldn’t be seen as a panacea for training outcomes. In other words, as much as I love the Keiser, this should be seen as a part, not an entirety, of training prescription. But as I’ve experienced, the Keiser does represent a good portion of my programming for shoulder restoration cases, and I have seen tremendous outcomes from doing so.

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

Picture this: You’re at a conference, and you know it’s an S&C seminar because there are a lot of oversized humans squeezed into khaki trousers they aren’t used to wearing. This might be one of the only times you see these people out of shorts. A speaker is presenting—a legend of the industry—but to be honest, their material isn’t that different from when you saw them speak a couple of years back.

Afterward, you go to sit at the table with the guys you know and enjoy their company, sharing the same stories you all told last year. You go to the bar to strike up a conversation with someone, but somehow, you’re once again agree-debating about which squat variation is best or why Olympic lifting is overrated. You go over the same arguments before turning in.

The next day, you tag some of the big names who were there on social media and enjoy the rest that the conference has to offer before heading back to your facility. On the journey home, you reflect on what you’ve learned, and you struggle to truly justify the weekend’s value to your director when you’re back. You came away stimulated, but a week later, not much has changed in your practice, and you settle back into doing the same things you’ve always done.

Sound familiar?

Dollar for dollar—or hour for hour—sometimes the whole conference CPD (continuing professional development) experience can leave you wanting for actionable, direct change and growth in your own practice. This isn’t to say that’s always the case; some conferences are fantastic learning and networking opportunities that further learning and broaden educational horizons. However, the passive conference experience—pay (lots of) money, get accreditation points, let everyone on social media know you were there, go home—likely doesn’t represent an efficient use of time or value for money when it comes to actually getting better.

When we program for our athletes, we’re deliberate and purposeful with what we do, so why shouldn’t our approach to furthering our own learning be the same, asks @peteburridge. Share on X

Without wanting to sound preachy, if a big conference once or twice a year is what you view as furthering your own knowledge, you probably aren’t thinking big enough when it comes to bettering yourself. When we program for our athletes, we are deliberate and purposeful with what we do, so why shouldn’t our approach to furthering our own learning be the same?

How Can We Do That?

Well, first and foremost, you must truly own your own development. Take responsibility for “getting better at getting better.” We can bemoan a shallow conference experience or the sheer volume of information out there being paralyzing…or we can actually do something about it. This is the difference between being passive and being purposeful in furthering our own learning.

With so much information available and everyone so readily connected (if you can count someone you’ve never met on LinkedIn wishing you a happy birthday as a “connection”?!), it has become much easier to access expertise and engage in dialogue to grow our practices. However, with so much out there, sometimes it can be hard to filter the signal from the noise.

Dan Pfaff once said, “We are swimming in a sea of knowledge, without the life jacket of wisdom to keep us afloat.” This is exactly what it feels like sometimes when you go on Twitter! Having purposeful strategies to further your learning can make the process much more efficient and cost-effective.

Here are a few of the strategies that have helped me get better at getting better. Have a look and see if these can help you too so that when you look back, you can say that you have had over 10 years of experience rather than 10 one-year experiences!!

1. Adjust Your Attitude

The first step toward upgrading our practice is changing our attitude toward self-improvement. This usually starts with a strong dose of humble pie, admitting you have much to learn. Nothing is worse than being the guy high up on the Dunning-Kruger curve, thinking you know everything!

The Japanese have a concept of “Kaizen.” The word means continuous improvement—and it is a word incredibly relevant to coaching. Coaching is a never-ending process of evolution and refinement. Any time I ever think I’ve got it all figured out, I remember a quote I heard from one of the lockdown Zoom-athons (a time when everyone seemed more open to personal development, almost to the point of Zoom CPD call fatigue!). In it, Loren Landow spoke about the acronym “SAS,” which stood for “Still Ain’t Shit.” It means that it doesn’t matter what letters you have after your name or which teams you’ve worked for—the athlete doesn’t care; they just want the best you can give them.

To do that, you must continue to sharpen your own sword. For those who want to truly achieve this, it is imperative to accept the vulnerability of not knowing, be open to challenge, and, more than anything, be curious to know more about what we are lucky to do.

I once accessed help from a coach educator who made me analyze footage of myself coaching using a GoPro, tracking what I said and how I cued. It was excruciatingly awkward watching the footage, and I was a bit embarrassed watching it, frankly. But if we ask our athletes to be comfortable being uncomfortable, shouldn’t we do the same?

If we ask our athletes to be uncomfortable being uncomfortable, shouldn’t we do the same, asks @peteburridge. Share on X

This process made me realize I talked too much and didn’t give my athletes space to fail, as I was trying to be heard all the time, likely reducing the level of learning going on. I gained a better understanding of the language I used and am less likely to fall into the trap of over-coaching.

I now use a self-evaluation tool that I adapted from the world of teaching and melded into an S&C context to critically evaluate my sessions. This has led to me being a lot more deliberate with what I see, what I say, and how I say it.

I worked with a coach a few years ago who, in his first meeting with the playing group, said that the team wasn’t performing and may not be good enough right now—not the most positive of starts! However, after this somewhat somber opening, he accepted that this was where we were, but it was okay because the playing group was going to learn faster than anyone else, and it was more about what we were going to become. After a rough start, they won the league two years later.

On reflection, this approach of being brutally honest—admitting that some things aren’t good enough but that this is acceptable as long as you get up to speed quickly—can be comforting when you realize there are knowledge gaps in your own practice. Shaky on your ability to coach cleans? Don’t control large groups very well? Unsure of how to program conditioning sessions? Rather than being seen as an area of weakness, that attitude adjustment allows you to turn it into a fantastic opportunity to grow.

2. Hunt Down the Experts

Knowing what you don’t know is the first step, but action is required to determine how you can improve those knowledge or skill gaps in your practice. Everyone learns differently, and many mediums are available to capture some of that wisdom to keep yourself afloat.

One of the easiest ways to start is to ask: “Who in this area is good?” or “Who do I know who knows more about this than me?” From there, you can decide how to best access the learning you are about to embark upon. A few tools can help in this area: If you’re a bookworm, a quick search of available textbooks might help. If you’re more science-y, utilizing sites like Research Gate or Google Scholar to find journals is a good way to dive straight into the research. At the very least, you can find out who is studying/publishing within this area a lot.

For a less academic entry point, finding those thought leaders on social media and following some of their work is an easy way to start filling that knowledge gap. Quite often, these people post helpful videos, presentations, or infographics. For example, Yann Le Meur has cornered the market on making infographics that sum up research papers. Jurdan Mendiguchia now takes his studies on changing sprint mechanics and uses short videos to get the main points across. For a more modern approach, you can use AI tools such as ChatGPT to guide you to expertise—you can even use it to geolocate the experts who are more local to you!

A recent example from my own learning was isometric training. I knew a bit about it, but I needed to know more before I had any chance of utilizing it effectively with my athletes. I started with an article by Alex Natera, then read a few chapters by Cal Dietz, before enrolling in an isometrics course that exposed me to other people who were already implementing it within their practice. I felt comfortable enough with the “why?” to experience more of the “how?” so I started adding run-specific isometrics to my training. Having stress tested it on myself (picking up cues, knowing the software, seeing the results, etc.), I was in a much better position to use it confidently with my athletes.

3. Set Up CPD Calls

If you are looking for a more interactive experience, direct CPD calls or chats can be a fantastic way to kick your learning into overdrive. Once you know which people have knowledge in an area, and you are curious to know more…reach out!! It continues to surprise me how much bespoke learning you can do by reaching out to experts and asking good questions. On numerous occasions, researchers have been more than happy to share their work and insight, and they quite often love hearing how it might be applicable at the pointy end of pro sport. It is relatively easy to set up once you know how, but the process I usually use is as follows:

• Find the person you want to talk to—read their research and understand their context, how they might have used this strategy or training tactic, and how this might be applicable in your environment.
• Find their contact details—Quite often, staff members’ emails are on team websites, researchers’ emails are on their papers, or they have active social media profiles to which you can send a direct message.
• Formulate good-quality questions—take your time and get a good understanding of what you want them to help you with and what you are curious to delve deeper into. You don’t want to waste their time, so ensure you’ve prepared beforehand. Sending a list of questions is advised, as it can help guide the conversation. Show that you are genuinely interested in their work and passionate about knowing more in this area.

On numerous occasions, researchers have been more than happy to share their work and insight, and they quite often love hearing how it might be applicable at the pointy end of pro sport. Share on X

From there, you might have a few questions that they can answer over email, often referring you to some of the key work done in that field. If they have piqued your interest, ask for a more in-depth call. Often this will be done on a professional basis, but I continue to be surprised by how some people are happy to chat for free if you ask good enough questions and offer insight from your viewpoint that might be useful to them.

I have too many examples to list, but what starts as a couple of emails can lead you to bespoke, usable insight into their areas of expertise. In the isometric example above, I ended up Zoom calling Paul Comfort, who provided great insight into the data hygiene aspect of tracking isometric training. When I was looking into F-V profiling, JB Morin was able to adapt one of the Excel resources from his website to fit how we captured our speed times.

With some practitioners, it has been mutually beneficial, to the point that I have been able to collaborate with them on projects in the applied setting at the elite level (which is rare for most sport science research). The scientists often want to hear our performance questions because that often helps guide their research, allowing them to go and hunt down the answers!

Make In-Person Visits

If you really want an immersive experience, an in-person visit is a great way to get a deeper understanding. It can take a bit of time to cultivate relationships, but they can be of great value. Seeing a conference presentation or following a few tweets is very different from seeing things up close in their proper context. Not only do you see the coaches in action, but you are afforded an opportunity to ask multiple threads of questions about what you saw on the day.

Seeing a conference presentation or following a few tweets is very different from seeing things up close in their proper context with an in-person visit, says @peteburridge. Share on X

An example I had recently was a visit to see Lassi Laakso at Lugano Ice Hockey Club in Switzerland. It came about from me reading a very good article of his on resisted speed. I reached out with a few questions, and then we had a few discussions over email and Zoom on how we both implemented resisted speed training. Fast forward a year, and I was in my off-season on holiday in Lake Como with my wife. Knowing that it wasn’t too far from there to get to Lugano, I managed to sort out a day to see Lassi coach and talk shop on all things athletic performance.

I went there with a specific interest in resisted speed, but going to an environment outside of rugby allowed me to see a coach looking at things through a different lens with different performance problems. Lassi was doing some things around groin injury prevention that I hadn’t really been exposed to much before within rugby because it is a less prevalent injury than it is in ice hockey. Implementing some of these strategies has helped me put together a much better program for our kickers, who sometimes suffer from overuse-related groin issues. The best bit was that I dragged my wife to Lugano for the CPD visit, but Lugano was such a hidden gem that we stayed for two more days, and it was the highlight of the trip!

Another example is my journey of improving my speed training knowledge. One of the key influencers of my practice is Jonas Dodoo. I first saw him speak at a few conferences and really liked his philosophies around training that he shared on social media.

I realized I needed to get a more in-depth insight into how he went about things, so I paid to go to one of his coach development days. The insights picked up from there were game-changing. We stayed in touch and have collaborated on a few projects since then. He remains a fantastic sounding board whenever I have speed-related problems. All of this came about from an in-person visit where I had the opportunity to ask a million and one questions!

Another great way to do in-person visits is to get someone to come into your environment. This could be paying for a relevant expert to provide in-house learning or an interested practitioner who wants to see and learn from you as much as the other way around! Either way, there is great potential for them to cast an eye on your program and provide good checks and challenges.

A “philosophy document” or a “performance strategy document” that sums up your approach to developing key physical capacities (speed, power, conditioning, etc.) is not only a great resource to possess on its own, but it can also be used to frame conversations with experts when you invite check and challenge of your processes. Similar to the SOPs (standard operating procedures) the military uses, it acts as a North Star to guide how you do things. You can then use relevant experts to check whether you’re on the right track or if you need to change some of your practices.

Deliberately bringing in someone who tends to see things differently or outright disagrees with how you do things challenges you to justify why you do things at a deeper level, says @peteburridge. Share on X

Some of the most memorable visits I’ve been a part of have been ones where we have almost deliberately brought someone in who tended to see things differently or even outright disagree with how we did things. Doing this stops you from getting caught in intellectual echo chambers and challenges you to justify why you do things at a deeper level. Sometimes these kinds of visits force you to change your stance on things, and other times they can actually strengthen your beliefs, even with dissenting voices!

In-person visits also allow multiple staff members to experience the CPD, increasing the number of perspectives. Sometimes the most valuable conversations are when the person visiting has left! This is because the most insightful discussions often occur afterward, once you’ve all had time to digest and debrief as a group. This is another strength of the in-house visit; the broader perspective allows you to summarize the key takeaways as a group much more clearly.

I have tried to build the space to allow for a debrief into more visits. I find reducing the intensity of what can sometimes be quite an arduous day—by either going for food or catching up in a more informal setting afterward—adds even more value. I have found that going to Five Guys at the end of the day gets people to reflect a little more honestly, unincumbered by social politeness or not wanting to offend anyone!

One of my fondest memories of this was my first year as an intern S&C coach. I was tasked with being the chaperone for a group of researchers attending one of our games after they presented to us the day before. I went into this thinking I’d get a few hours to ask more questions all by myself and really nail down some key takeaways I could help grow my practice with—unfortunately, the researchers had other ideas. They got blackout drunk so quickly that the only takeaways were cheap pizza and doner kebabs!!

Putting It All Together

To sum up, all these strategies rely on you being able to plan and be purposeful with your learning. Much like how we periodize our players’ years, we should do the same with our own. An honest self-evaluation can help you “know what you don’t know” and provide a road map of how to best spend your time for CPD.

An end-of-year review summarizing the key things you’ve picked up during the year enables you to knot together all the different CPDs you may have done and see how it has changed your practice. Share on X

One of the things I do that has helped me is an end-of-year review summarizing the key things I’ve picked up during the year. This enables you to knit together all the different CPDs you may have done and see how it has truly changed your practice.

Finally, we need to understand that it is less about trying to be the finished product (no one truly is!) and more about the process of being curious to learn more and improve our own practice that counts. We challenge our players to be the best they can be; why shouldn’t we do the same with ourselves?! Having efficient processes for self-improvement is imperative in getting better at getting better.

Hopefully, some of the bits I’ve picked up on my journey can be useful to you on yours too. Failing that, I’m always available for a good burger and a chat about physical 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

Like many other health professionals (and lay people), I used to believe I needed to take dietary supplements like branched-chain amino acids and begin every workout with a pre-workout drink to maximize my gains. I thought that cutting carbohydrates was the only way to lose fat and that a yearly detox was essential to keep my body free of toxins.

More often than not, it’s fitness fanatics, gym rats, and weekend warriors who believe in dogma and myths—but this can also be true of health professionals like me. A lot of the myths about physical fitness and performance have their beginning in the fitness industry. Regrettably, these ideas and myths are passed on from more senior gym members to newbies. They are seen as facts and accepted as accurate without being questioned.

These myths often overcomplicate fitness and are, in many instances, directly counterproductive to people’s goals. Fitness myths can be viewed like viruses: highly contagious and resilient to extermination once they’ve spread. Ideas can either help us grow or destroy us.

Fitness myths can be viewed like viruses: highly contagious and resilient to extermination once they’ve spread. Share on X

Unfortunately, myths can be significant energy thieves. We only have a limited amount of energy each day. Spending a lot of energy on ideas that are counterproductive to our goals will reduce or even eliminate our chances of reaching them. If my vacation goal is to do a cross-country road trip from Chicago to LA, driving in the opposite direction will be a waste of time and disadvantageous to my goal. The same can be said for many of the myths below: they squander our valuable time and often also our hard-earned cash.

I still remember working late nights as a personal trainer in a small box gym, getting stressed since my evening meal was typically consumed late. I recall the self-directed anger and blame because I could not keep an optimal eating schedule; therefore, it was very liberating when I learned that frequent meals do not stoke the metabolic fire and that eating a late dinner would not magically turn the food into fat.

Rely on Research, Not Myths

The primary purpose of this article is to help people refrain from squandering a large amount of energy on counterproductive myths, thereby increasing their chances of succeeding with their goals. If knowledge is power, misinformation is inability.

To objectively and critically evaluate a given health claim, we need to look at objective research data. We cannot just rely on our own subjective experience. Experience and memory are highly prone to errors. They are subject to multiple statistical inaccuracies, not to mention that we lack a valid comparison between ourselves and a comparative control group.

Humans have an incredible capacity to fool themselves, which is why the scientific method is such an essential tool for gaining objective and reliable information. Therefore, if we want factual and accurate nutrition or physical fitness knowledge, we should use the highest quality of information, i.e., research.

The problem with your subjective experience is this: You’re trying to cut a big hole in your living room to fit an extra window but using your arms and hands to measure the size of the hole you need to make. The main problem is not that what you measure cannot be correct; the main problem is that you don’t know if you’re right or wrong. This is why we use a measuring tape; it adds a degree of objectivity to our measurements.

The List of Myths

Below are 21 of the most common myths in the realm of performance and physical fitness:

1. Cutting carbohydrates is the fastest way to lose weight and fat mass.

Fact: Cutting carbohydrates is not necessary to lose weight. A calorie deficit, which is a negative calorie balance, is the primary factor responsible for weight loss. The primary goal of any weight loss diet should be to maintain a calorie deficit.^1,2

2. Branched-chain amino acids are essential if you want results in the gym.

Fact: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are not needed. Adequate protein is sufficient; aim for 1.4–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Using protein supplements is a safe and convenient way to increase protein intake. However, getting adequate protein can be done without supplementation, i.e., by eating ordinary food.^3,4

3. A yearly “detox” diet is needed for a healthy body.

Fact: Detox diets are nonsense, and you don’t need them. The idea that toxins accumulate in the body is a myth and not based on current knowledge. However, detox diets can increase health risks and lead to nutritional inadequacy.^5,6

4. Sugar and carbohydrate intake are the leading cause of the obesity epidemic.

Fact: Sugar or carbohydrates do not cause weight gain. Any macronutrients that lead to a calorie surplus can cause weight gain. Carbohydrates are not more fattening than fat. An argument can be made that protein is the least fattening compared to carbohydrates or fat.^7,1

5. Sugar causes diabetes.

Fact: Sugar does not cause diabetes. Diabetes (type 2) is a multifactorial disease, where a diet with a calorie surplus combined with a sedentary lifestyle leads to problems with insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Early developmental factors (such as prenatal exposure) also have a role in susceptibility to diabetes.^8,9

6. The obesity epidemic is caused by eating fast food.

Fact: Obesity is not only caused by eating fast food, and that is an overly simplistic view. The most plausible primary driver of obesity is a consistent caloric surplus, highly influenced by an “obesogenic” environment characterized by extreme availability of hyper-palatable, highly tempting, energy-dense foods.^10,11

Obesity is not ONLY caused by eating fast food, and that is an overly simplistic view. The most plausible primary driver of obesity is a consistent caloric surplus. Share on X

7. Stretching will lengthen your muscles.

Fact: Static stretching does not make your muscles longer. The idea that you can “lengthen” your muscles is a bit of a stretch because you can’t anatomically change the length of your muscle tissue; if you could, in fact, lengthen your muscles, it would compromise joint integrity and joint stability. It would also compromise the contractile properties and, as such, also lead to decreased functional capabilities.

“Plastic deformation” is the technical term for lengthening your muscles. Current research refutes the idea that we can lengthen our muscles through regular stretching routines. Most likely, the force needed for plastic deformation is far outside the human physiologic range—meaning it is outside the capabilities of regular stretching routines.

The main reason stretching leads to increased flexibility is alterations in the sensation such that stretch tolerance or the onset of discomfort occur at increased joint positions, thereby increasing flexibility. A curious fact is that research has shown that resistance training, when done with a full range of motion, has similar effects on flexibility as stretching.^12–16

8. Pre-workout static stretching is required to decrease injuries and muscle soreness.

Fact: Static stretching does not reduce injuries or decrease the risk of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Do stretching if you like it, but skip it if you only do it because you think it will reduce injuries or muscle soreness. It should be noted that some research indicates that static stretching negatively influences performance¹⁷ during warm-up routines and should generally be avoided.^18–27

9. Protein powder will cause kidney failure.

Fact: Using protein powder (typically whey protein) is safe and has no negative effects, nor does it adversely affect renal function in healthy, active individuals.^28,29

10. Fasted aerobic exercise is needed to burn fat.

Fact: Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning does not burn fat better. Fasted aerobic exercise has the same effect as non-fasted aerobic exercise. Our bodies do not work that way; the body is not better at burning fat in the morning than later in the day.³⁰

11. Sit-ups are the best way to get visible six-pack abs.

Fact: “Spot reduction” is the technical term for reducing fat mass in a specific spot, like the abdominal region. Spot reduction does not happen; our bodies do not work that way.

Spot reduction does not happen; our bodies do not work that way. Share on X

As Professor Brad Schoenfeld noted: “It’s a physiologic impossibility. All the sit-ups in the world won’t give you a flat stomach.” The belief that you can spot-reduce most likely comes from wishful thinking and dubious marketing tactics, like some health professionals seeking to increase their popularity and revenue.^31–34

12. Running causes “wear and tear” in your knees.

Fact: Recreational running is not bad for your knees; recreational running actually has a protective effect against hip and knee osteoarthritis. Research has found that 13.3% of competitive runners have hip and knee osteoarthritis, while only 3.5% of recreational runners and 10.23% of sedentary and non-running individuals have it.³⁵ So competitive runners and sedentary individuals have almost similar occurrences of osteoarthritis. In contrast, recreational runners have a much lower occurrence of osteoarthritis.^36–40

13. Eating smaller frequent meals will increase your metabolic rate.

Fact: Eating smaller and more frequent meals does not increase your metabolic rate. Increased meal frequency does not increase total energy expenditure or metabolic rate. Frequent meals do not play a significant role in weight loss. Furthermore, the thermic effect of food is determined by the micronutrient type and size of the meal, not the specific time of eating it.⁴¹

14. Eating protein right after you work out and within the “anabolic window” is essential for gains.

Fact: Eating protein right after a workout is optional. The so-called “anabolic window” of opportunity is more like a barn door of opportunity; the feeding window is quite broad. The practical implications are that a 60-minute resistance training session could potentially have two 90-minute feeding windows on both sides of the session.⁴²

The so-called ‘anabolic window’ of opportunity is more like a barn door of opportunity; the feeding window is quite broad. Share on X

15. The optimal reps for muscle hypertrophy are only 8–12.

Fact: The optimal rep ranges for muscle hypertrophy are not only 8–12 reps. Recent research has found that muscle hypertrophy can be equally achieved across a wide range of rep ranges if exercise is done to near technical failure. Practical applications of this could be summarized as follows: if the goal is hypertrophy, do as many repetitions as possible.⁴³

16. Organic food is more nutritious and, therefore, healthier.

Fact: Organic food is not more nutritious. No significant health benefits result from consuming organically produced food compared with non-organic food. However, organic foods may decrease exposure to residues of pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But this comes at a cost; organic products typically cost 10%–40% more than non-organic products.^44–47

17. Not eating breakfast is detrimental to weight loss.

Fact: Not eating breakfast is not detrimental to weight loss. Eating or skipping breakfast does not affect weight loss. Weight loss and fat loss are primarily influenced by total daily calorie intake. Any meal that leads to a calorie surplus will lead to weight gain, regardless of the time of the given meal. Research does not support eating breakfast as a good strategy for losing weight. Eating breakfast could, in fact, be counterproductive in that it may cause an increase in total daily calories.^48,49

18. Many dietary supplements are needed to get good results.

Fact: Most dietary supplements are not needed to get good results. BCAA, testosterone boosters like Tribulus Terrestris, fat burners, pre-workout (PWO), ZMA, omega-3 fatty acids, and multivitamins are all heavily marketed with large, undocumented claims. However, only three supplements have consistently shown an effect and are supported by the full body of research. The three supplements are: protein powder^28,50 (however, food is equally as good), creatine monohydrate,⁵¹ and caffeine.⁵²

19. Carbohydrates are more fattening than fat.

Fact: Carbohydrates are not more fattening than fat, and the reality is that carbohydrates are not easily turned into fat. “De novo lipogenesis” is the technical term for a highly regulated process in which carbohydrates, protein, or alcohol are converted into fat. Still, it does not, in most cases, contribute significantly to total fat balance.

Excess carbohydrate energy can lead to a caloric surplus, thereby increasing body fat stores. However, not by conversion of carbohydrates to fat; instead, the process of breaking down fat is reduced, and fat storage is thereby increased.^53–55

20. Coffee causes dehydration.

Fact: Coffee does not dehydrate. Coffee has long been claimed to be a diuretic and, as such, cause dehydration. Research data shows that when consumed in moderation, coffee has similar hydrating qualities as water. But research does indicate that high coffee intake (caffeine intake of 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) can cause an acute diuretic effect. However, that means an 80-kilogram/176-pound male needs to drink around five cups of coffee (225 ml/8 oz per cup) to get an intake of 480 mg of caffeine, causing an acute diuretic effect. As a reference, the FDA and EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) have cited 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with dangerous or harmful effects.^56–58

21. Experience gained in the gym is the only valid “evidence” needed.

Fact: Experience and memory are highly prone to errors^59–61 and are subject to multiple statistical inaccuracies. When trying to find causal connections (causality), experience in itself is severely flawed. “Causal inference” is the technical term describing strategies that allow scientists to draw conclusions about causality based on objective data.

As such, personal beliefs and experiences are unreliable sources of knowledge about causal connections.⁶² The scientific method should be utilized when assessing causality within our complex and multifactorial environment.

The main problem is not that our experience cannot be right but that we do not know if it is. Share on X

The primary weakness of experiences is that they are uncontrolled, subjective observations. As such, they are subject to numerous flaws, like confirmation bias, memory errors, confounding variables, and multiple other cognitive biases. The main problem is not that our experience cannot be right but that we do not know if it is.

Fairy Tales Aren’t Real

This research and its implications are both good and bad news. The good news is that, through advances in our knowledge, we have a much more complete picture of what can help us get results and achieve our goals. The bad news from this research is that there are no quick fixes or shortcuts; there are no magic training regimes or dietary supplements that are a quick shortcut to results and our goals. This is a challenge for professionals or companies trying to sell quick fixes unsupported by the research.

Hopefully, you now have some more quality knowledge, so you don’t waste a lot of energy on counterproductive myths and hard-earned money on something that is only a fairy tale. And aren’t we getting a bit old for fairy tales?

Remember that if knowledge is power, then myths are energy thieves.

Thanks to nutrition researcher and educator Alan Aragon for inspiration and feedback on this article.

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

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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

Six years ago, I felt lost coaching track and field. I had mentors that couldn’t answer my questions. I wanted to learn more about programming and periodization. I wanted my head coach to offer me feedback or, even better, adopt my training recommendations. My USATF Level 1 Coaching course offered a basic guide to technique and technical coaching, but managing a team through the arc of a season eluded me. Instead of accepting these guidelines as my only path forward, I decided to write my own guide, “7 Principles of High School Track and Field to Guide Coaches in All Sports.”

Today, I still receive emails from coaches and parents about that article, and I’ve noticed some commonalities among their inquiries. With so many questions left unanswered, I didn’t want others to feel the same way I did when I started coaching. Revisiting my correspondence relating to the 7 Principles, I found that the most consistent themes from those email queries related to:

• Team management
• Resources
• Context for performance

If I had the opportunity to rewrite the article, I would embed these themes within the principles to which they apply best. Each theme fits every principle in some way. However, instead of a revised edition, I decided to use anonymous excerpts that exemplify these themes and then write my own generalized responses to their inquiries. I hope these FAQs resonate with you and that the responses support your continued efforts to offer the best athletic experience possible.

Team Management

Team management is planning. It’s programming and scheduling. Almost all the questions I have received include some reference to team management because this topic is largely ignored in track and field coaches’ education.

Almost all the questions I’ve received include some reference to team management because this topic is largely ignored in track and field coaches’ education. Share on X

In my first years coaching track and field (or soccer), I struggled with this too. Stepping into any leadership role with a large team isn’t easy, especially when some athletes train for events within different event groups, like sprinting and throwing or jumps and hurdles. Effective planning ensures that each athlete receives the attention they deserve from their respective coaches. This may seem rather intuitive, but I assure you, without adequate assistance or a good plan in place, it is no easy feat.

Question 1 – Middle School Track Coach #1

“I’ve been recruited to coach track this spring for the first time… I have a throwing coach and a high jump coach, but I am left with the overall organizational role. We have a large team (60+ runners) and I’m feeling most overwhelmed with how to meet the needs of sprinters, distance runners, race walkers, hurdlers, and jumpers all at the same time, or at least with similar workouts and drills.”

Question 2 – Middle School Track Coach #2

“I am new to coaching T&F and will be coaching 5th–8th graders. What would be a good initial week of practices to get new kids excited while keeping ‘seasoned’ ones engaged and not bored?”

Response: Every athlete should know when and where to train every day of the week. The schedule for each event group should be posted and shared with everyone. Monday should have a plan, Tuesday should have a plan, etc. Whether you’re the only coach or you have three assistants, identify where and when you and your staff will spend their time during practice as well.

This may seem like a daunting task, but advanced planning will save you time. You’ll have more time to spend on coaching rather than managing athletes within any given practice. High school and middle school track and field are no different for team management. If anything, planning becomes more challenging in high school as coaches contend with more outside factors, like homework, social media, music lessons, and other extracurriculars.

Everyone should know the same dynamic warm-up, which shouldn’t last more than 20 minutes. After a quick team briefing, everyone splits into their respective event groups for two 45-minute workout blocks. Each block will train technique, fitness, or some well-crafted combination. When Block 1 is over, everyone moves on to Block 2.

Athletes need to learn how to manage their time too. Missing the last rep in a workout is not the end of the world. With purposeful, high-quality work, “less is more.” Practice ends after Block 2. If you’re efficient, you can be done sooner. Kids and their parents will appreciate you all the more for it.

With purposeful, high-quality work, ‘less is more.’ If you’re efficient, you can be done sooner. Kids and their parents will appreciate you all the more for it. Share on X

Here are three sample practice days that can apply in a high school or middle school setting:

Mon 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Warm-up and team announcements

Mon 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Jumps coach: Easy jumping drills LJ and TJ

Throws coach: Easy throwing drills

Head coach: Running mechanics drills for distance runners, sprinters, hurdlers

Mon 4:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Jumps coach: Hurdles workout

Throws coach: Weight room for jumpers and throwers

Head coach: Coach sprinters and send distance runners on a long run

Tues 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Warm-up and team announcements

Tues 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Jumps coach: Big day for all jumpers

Throws coach: Big day for throwers

Head coach: Distance runners run tempo workout/sprinters and hurdlers play fun, easy games within sight

Tues 4:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Jumps coach: Hurdle drills

Throws coach: Throwers, sprinters, and distance runners in weight room

Head coach: Float and support others

***Jumpers go home early

Wed: All athletes OFF

Captains and coaches meeting, if necessary, 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Coaches meeting, if necessary

You: Parent communication, planning, team management, etc.

As in question 1, the schedule assumes there is a head coach and two assistants. I have included a similar three-day schedule for a team with only one coach below. This assumes practice is outdoors on a nearby 400m track, with access to a weight room afterward. Notice how the schedule accommodates safety, training volume, and exercise intensity.

Mon 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Warm-up and team announcements

Mon 3:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m.

Everyone except jumpers: Running drills and medium-intensity sprint workout

Jumpers: Big jumps for LJ and TJ with coach

Mon 4:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Everyone: Weight room with coach

Tues 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Warm-up and team announcements

Tues 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Throwers: Big throws with coach

Distance: Long run, on track if MS, or trail near school if HS

Sprinters, hurdlers, and jumpers: fun, easy games within sight

Tues 4:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Hurdlers: Drills and sprints through hurdles 1+2 with coach

*** Everyone else goes home early

Wed 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Warm-up and team announcements

Wed 3:30 p.m.–4:15 p.m.

Throwers and sprinters: High-intensity sprint workout

Distance and hurdlers: Calisthenics circuit

Jumpers: Drills and easy jumps practice with coach

Wed 4:15 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Everyone except distance: Weight room with coach

***Distance runners go home early

Wed 5:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m.

Planning, parent phone calls, captains meeting, if necessary

Programming matters because managing kids is and always will be the most challenging part of the job. Not every athlete needs to practice every day. Rest is just as valuable as training. Three practices per week are plenty. When athletes come up with excuses for missing their practice day, just let it go and move forward. Athletes who really want to improve won’t miss your practices.

When athletes come up with excuses for missing their practice day, just let it go and move forward. Athletes who really want to improve won’t miss your practices. Share on X

Adapt and be flexible. You’ll find that it’s easier to coach kids when they know you’re willing to accommodate their needs. When you’re punitive, kids will lose interest, disappear, or become dishonest. Obviously, if they take advantage of your accommodations, then you have to be firm and hold them accountable. Put pressure on the seasoned veterans of your system. Be easygoing with your newcomers. Teach them to love the sport just like you do.

Resources

The available resources allow coaches to improve their practice. I receive inquiries about resources because parents see the context or coaches understand team management but still want more tools to diversify and improve the overall experience.

Question 3 – High School Track Coach

“I love and have a passion for running but never coached before or was on a high school track team. Can you direct me to sources?”

Question 4 – Venezuelan Track Coach

“I am from Venezuela… I am a Spanish teacher and athletic coach. I’d like to know what kind of books or courses you recommend to become a better sprinting/jumper coach.”

Response: There are plenty of resources available online and in books for what drill fits what skill. I can offer that advice, but I’ve lost interest in it because that information is already built into coaches’ education. Instead, I care more about sharing resources for team management. Not enough resources are dedicated to helping coaches design better practices suitable to their facilities and staffing.

Resources can be people, videos, articles, or equipment, but I will always believe that the best resources are great mentors—the coaches who came before you have so much to share. When my mentors don’t know the answer, then I go online. I visit SimpliFaster, I hit the textbooks, or I see what coaches in other sports are saying.

Resources can be people, videos, articles, or equipment, but I will always believe that the best resources are great mentors—the coaches who came before you have so much to share. Share on X

When I began coaching, I voraciously devoured articles, books, and athletic blogs. None of that came close to the effect my mentors have had on my coaching. Find the people who are willing to guide your craft. I was lucky enough to have some excellent mentors (and also some terrible ones) who nudged me along. They helped me contextualize what I was reading and put it into practice.

My best mentors let me make mistakes. My mentors taught me a lot about athletics, but more importantly, they taught me how to talk to athletes, how to motivate them, and how to accept my mistakes. Event-specific knowledge is secondary to your communication skills. When I outgrew their support, I found someone new.

Coaches often ask me about resources for making practice more fun. I tell them that the warm-up is the best place for that. Playing games during the warm-up can reinforce good technical habits, and it should prime the body for greater physical demands. Run an obstacle course. Complete a relay race with limited mobility, like crab-walking or zig-zagging through cones. Play European handball or ultimate frisbee.

Keep young athletes moving and changing directions. Don’t push the intensity too high, however. You can read more about using games in training from coaches like Dillon Martinez, Jeremy Frisch, and Brandon Holder.

The warm-up should include running drills. This is an easy way to drill skills in a low-stakes environment. Plus, it lets your athletes “tinker” with good form. It’s okay to let kids figure this stuff out for themselves. That’s what play is for—figuring things out. You can always give simple cues like “use your arms,” “chest up,” or “relax” to improve their mechanics.

A fun warm-up might also allow you to identify the kids who may not want to play or participate that day. Pull them aside and deal with them separately. Give them something they can lead, like dynamic stretching. Find ways to connect with everyone, always. When in doubt, play games and keep practice fun.

Sometimes, our best resources are outside our sport. I read SimpliFaster’s blog because it offers perspectives from many coaches, usually from other speed/power sports. I’ve learned a lot from Tony Holler, Latif Thomas, John Brumund-Smith, Carl Valle, Erica Suter, Brett Bartholomew, and many more coaches. Find your people. Use what’s tried and true. As long as your athletes are developing their skills a little bit each week, and you’re challenging their fitness, you are serving their needs well.

Resources are abundantly available online, but I’ve found that one of the greatest resources for strength and conditioning is Instagram. I follow several widely respected gyms and individuals that provide a steady stream of content that keeps me thinking. GarageStrength, Squat University, MoveU, Whealth, Art of Coaching, Joe DeFranco’s Industrial Strength, Coach Garrish, Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning, and more.

Unfortunately, I don’t find nearly as much educational content for track and field. It’s not because coaches are trying to hide their secrets—I really don’t think there are any secrets at all. The problem is that track and field social media seems less dedicated to beginners and everyday folks. This is where S&C and CrossFit excel. They have found a way to make periodization, volume, and recovery accessible and important.

Context for Performance

This explains why an athlete is excelling, stagnating, or underperforming. I often receive questions from parents who are dissatisfied with their child’s experience or their performance on a school team. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to understand what variables affect performance, but it’s not always clear-cut whether those variables are coaching-related or outside our control.

Question 5 – Concerned Parent #1

“This year, I am very confused by my son’s college performance. His distance coach wanted him to try cross-country. He tried it and was not very good. In his first indoor meet, he ran the 600m and the 300m slower than he ran in high school.”

Question 6 – Concerned Parent #2

“I am frustrated watching an extremely athletic child get slighted by more than one of the coaching staff. As a junior, he had the fastest 400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m times, but he is not allowed to pick his events, and the coaches keep putting him in a non-competitive 4×800 relay. He is less than 2 seconds from the school 400m record and has only been allowed to run it once. He wants the record. He has not been allowed to run the 100m or 200m either.”

Response: Slight improvement should be the baseline for performance progression because teenagers expectedly undergo significant physical maturation during middle and high school. Great coaching, timely and consistent feedback, and a fun, rewarding team experience have the potential to progress athletes beyond that expectation.

I believe that no youth athlete should be told they cannot compete in the event of their choice. There are many coaches who don’t subscribe to that. I don’t get it. The athlete is number one. In 7 Principles, I stated that a coach’s “job is to guide (athletes) to success.” How can athletes be and feel successful if they’re training for events they don’t want to compete in?

I believe that no youth athlete should be told they can’t compete in the event of their choice. How can athletes be and feel successful if they’re training for events they don’t want to compete in? Share on X

I wish track and field teams weren’t like that, but it’s a reality that many athletes deal with. Avoid the long disagreeable parent phone calls by granting kids the opportunities they want. If you’re unwilling to budge on something as simple as this, don’t be surprised when athletes quit your team. Teams with new rosters every year are not a good look or a good sign. Kids are resilient—they will find a way to do the things they love, even if it means leaving their school team behind.

Performance can be compromised because there are too many athletes, and you don’t have enough time to specialize their training individually. The casual Monday/Wednesday athletes take time away from the dedicated athletes, who need greater technical support. Sometimes, athletic directors want these catch-all track teams to exist because they allow the kids cut from baseball or lacrosse to have a home. This would strain any passionate, knowledgeable coach who’s hoping to win a title or foster a stronger team culture.

Besides solid programming, independence and collaboration are among the best solutions for supporting advanced athletes. It’s okay to recognize your limits and encourage those athletes who need more to train elsewhere. After all, the athlete is number one, right? Their success will always come back to support your team! If you let those athletes co-plan the time you will spend together, you’ll have more time for the rest of the team, and you won’t feel like you’re underserving your best kids.

Keeping kids safe in a high-impact sport should be a priority. Often, I think coaches and athletes let limited time govern how much technical training they might complete in a given practice. One hour is enough time spent on technical skills when trained at low intensity for any youth athlete. That doesn’t mean they should go from triple jump drills to hurdles consecutively within the same practice! Instead, oscillate their weeks doing each event.

Perhaps in Week 1, they hurdle twice and jump once, and in Week 2, they jump twice and hurdle once. This should occur on separate days of the week. Double sessions with high-intensity events lead to injury, especially when compounded over consecutive days. Before you know it, athletes will have shin splints, and then they’re out for weeks to recover. Play the long game and keep your kids safe.

Call me a radical, but I believe youth coaches who don’t emphasize sprint technique and speed training do their athletes a disservice. Sprinting is foundational for long-term athletic success in track and field or cross country, and speed development is critical in all sports. Even if young athletes love distance running, a majority of their training should be sprint work.

Call me radical, but I believe youth coaches who don’t emphasize sprint technique and speed training do their athletes a disservice. Share on X

As athletes get older, they will have a more successful path in either speed or endurance events due to a strong speed reserve developed from years of prior training. A background in sprinting keeps options open for specialization. A background in endurance does not. If you want to run marathons at age 30, great. Endurance training will get you there. If you want to run a fast mile in your junior year of high school, you need to focus on speed and endurance.

When parents tell me about their child’s failure to perform in the sprints during the indoor season, my first question is always, “Did they run cross country in the fall?” Performance is a reflection of training.

Revisiting the 7 Principles

This is just a slice of the questions I’ve been asked, or are worth asking, about youth track and field. Parents want context for their child’s performance because their child’s performance arc does not seem to be progressing, and many factors can diminish performance, even beyond a coach’s ability to provide adequate guidance. But these factors don’t excuse bad coaching or a wretched team experience.

The 7 Principles:

1. The athlete is number one.
2. Emancipate yourself from volume.
3. Practice technical skills at least three times per week.
4. If your coach can’t explain how a drill translates to your performance, don’t do that drill.
5. Sequencing matters.
6. Plan collaboratively.
7. Be positive and have fun!

I wouldn’t change much about the 7 Principles. Programming matters would be an appropriate revision to sequencing matters. Perhaps I would add an eighth principle that empowers skepticism in all stakeholders—parents, athletes, and coaches:

8. “If you’re not improving, start asking questions.”

I believe that athletes should feel empowered to ask questions no differently than they do in their academic classes. We would all be better coaches for it. Track athletes rarely see beyond their own experience. They lack the experience, perspective, or courage to speak up and speak out when things don’t go their way.

Athletes should feel empowered to ask questions no differently than they do in their academic classes. We would all be better coaches for it. Share on X

Middle and high school sports often exist in silos for which athletes never see beyond their training. A healthy dose of skepticism goes a long way. Ultimately, coaches are educators. I believe kids are resilient, but that should not excuse mediocrity. We should always leave our athletes better off than when they arrived.

The most frequently asked questions are honest calls for help. They are asked for good reason because something isn’t happening as it should. I’d like to believe that most coaches know what drill suits what skill, when it should be used, and how often their athletes should lift weights or have the day off. I learned a little bit about how often and how intense in my coaches’ education courses, but I never learned how to effectively manage 60+ middle schoolers with varying interests for two hours on a Tuesday afternoon. I learned this from my own coaching, observing the good and the bad, and discussing what’s ideal with my mentors.

I have less experience in other individual sports, like swimming or tennis, but all high school sports require programmatic planning, and most teams rely on one adult to coach the team. Track and field is not a complicated sport. Resources are abundantly available, and context is in the results. What’s truly missing is management and programming—where athletes and staff ought to be every minute of every hour of every practice all season long. With such a process in place, the wins will follow.

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