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In recent years, force velocity profiling in sprinting has become more accessible to coaches. With great works being published by JB Morin and Dr. Pierre Samozino, Micheal Cahill, Matt Cross, Cameron Josse, and many others, the popularity and accessibility of force velocity profiling has become easier to understand and perform for coaches with devices as readily available as a phone camera and an app or a spreadsheet.

From what I have read from other coaches, much of the process and training seems to follow these steps:

1. Perform force velocity profile testing with the athletes you coach. Depending on the results and interpretations, determine what distance and velocity decrement you need to have your athletes work at.
2. Perform a sled-pull load-velocity profile. If you are not familiar, a sled-pull load-velocity profile would involve having your athletes perform an unresisted, timed acceleration and then performing between 3-5 more sled-resisted accelerations with an incremental increase in weight on the sled. The results are then analyzed in a spreadsheet to allow you to determine the slope of the load-velocity relationship so you can predict what load will cause each velocity decrement.
3. Based on the velocity decrement you believe you need to target and based on the results of the load-velocity profile, set up a training cycle where your athlete uses a specific weight that is estimated to provide the specific velocity decrement you are targeting for the next training cycle.

The popularity and accessibility of force velocity profiling has become easier to understand and perform for coaches, says @CoachJonHughes. Share on X

I believe this method can be improved upon with some simple tweaks.

One problem with the above process is found in the testing of the load-velocity profiling. Like any other testing done with athletes in a real-world setting, the load-velocity profiling results can always be influenced by a variety of factors out of your control. For example:

• How much sleep the athlete got the night before.
• What their eating or hydration habits were like the day of testing.
• The weather on the day you tested (if you are not fortunate enough to have an indoor area).
• General athlete readiness.

This leads to downsides similar to those resulting from using an estimated one rep max for percentage-based training in weight room training. Sometimes, the estimated maxes are not accurate and day-to-day readiness can vary the true on-the-day max by amounts of up to 15%, giving you a 30% range to be working in.

This is one reason velocity-based training and autoregulation in the weight room has become almost a standard for many programs and coaches—it allows each athlete to work at the exact weight they need to be working at on that day based on their readiness. I believe this approach can and should be taken when it comes to training acceleration with sleds.

Velocity-based training and autoregulation in the weight room has become almost a standard for many programs and coaches, says @CoachJonHughes. Share on X

Proposed Improvements

I’m not going to rehash how to perform force-velocity profiling or load-velocity profiling, there are already many great research articles and resources written on how to perform those by authors much smarter than I. What I will cover below is a simple way to perform an autoregulatory approach once you have determined the velocity decrement you believe the athletes you coach need to be working at. One other positive of this approach is that it eliminates the need to perform load-velocity profiling in a dedicated testing session because it is essentially done on the fly during the workout.

In this example, we are going to assume it’s been determined through force-velocity profiling that the athlete needs to use the following workout parameters: 20m accelerations with a 20% velocity decrement.

Step 1 – Set up your automatic timing system to the distance your training session dictates.

Step 2 – After the athlete is warmed up, have them complete a rep unloaded. Note the time, and calculate the time needed for the specific velocity decrement. For example, let’s say the athlete runs 2.90 seconds to 20m.

1. First, convert the time to average velocity – 20m/2.90s = 6.89m/s.
2. Next, multiply the velocity by the percent of velocity the athlete would be running at after the decrement. So, for a 20% decrement, multiply their average velocity by 0.80. This gives you a velocity of 5.51m/s.
3. Then convert this back into a time: 20m/5.51m/s = 3.63 seconds.

So, the athlete needs to find a weight that with a maximum effort would slow them down to where they are running approximately 3.22s for 20m.

Step 3 – Using research that has established estimates for percentages of body weights that cause certain decrements to occur, take an educated guess at how much weight needs to be on the sled.

Step 4 – Have the athlete perform a sprint with that weight, note the time and then adjust the weight for the next rep if needed. Within 2-3 reps, you should have narrowed it down to a certain weight that gets the athlete close to the target time and velocity decrement.

The first time you perform this, it might take some trial and error to find the correct weight (one downside compared to just selecting a weight based on a profile). However, this is going to be much more accurate based on how the athlete is presenting on the day, and the benefits will increase throughout the training cycle.

When you start the next workout, you should have the recorded weights that were used during each rep from the last session along with the times hit. Looking back at this data will allow you to dial in the weight needed very quickly for the next training session.

The benefit of this method is that it is going to account for the athlete’s readiness each training session, as well as account for improvement throughout the cycle instead of just selecting a weight and using it for the duration of the entire cycle. This becomes even more dialed in if your workout includes a contrast session where you are mixing both loaded and unloaded reps.

Each time an unloaded rep is run, use that as the new target time and recalculate the loads for the next set (an example workout/chart is shown below under point 2). Many times, the athletes’ unloaded reps will end up being much faster because of the potentiation effect, allowing you to increase the weight for the next set.

The athletes’ unloaded reps will end up being much faster because of the potentiation effect, allowing you to increase the weight for the next set, says @CoachJonHughes. Share on X

3 Tips to Effectively Apply This Process in Your Sessions

1. Create charts. Calculating the target goal time needed for the velocity decrement for each athlete can take a little time, especially if you have multiple athletes and you are trying to stick to a strict rest schedule. I use a chart like in the picture below that allows me to just easily convert the time the athletes do hit to the target velocity decrement they need to hit. I have multiple charts for each decrement percent and distance I use for workouts and then have it laminated so I can take it out to the track.

2. Track each rep and the weight used. This is recommended for several reasons. One, it allows you to look back from rep-to-rep—as well as workout-to-workout—to see progress and know approximately how much weight each athlete needs to be using each week. Two, it will allow you to look at trends throughout the cycle and across multiple cycles. I use a chart like the one below that can be tweaked depending on the workout. Print it out and and track the weights and times in real time at practice.

3. Perform these sessions in a loaded/unloaded complex and set/rep scheme. For instance, a common scheme is two reps loaded, one rep unloaded. Many times, the unloaded rep after the loaded reps will be faster than the first rep performed that day because of the potentiation effect, meaning a weight adjustment needs to be made, usually adding 2.5-5lbs. Again, this only becomes clear by tracking the times in real time, making it a more accurate workout than simply selecting a load to use a whole cycle based on a load-velocity profile test that might have been done 3 weeks ago on a bad day.

Additional Notes/Suggestions

I perform these workouts using a Freelap timing system, with the start cone set 1m beyond the start line. It’s important the athletes are mature and focused enough to start in the same spot on the line and in the exact same way each time to help eliminate timing inconsistencies. If you are using a system that is set on the lane lines, make sure the athlete has centered the sled in the lane before they start running. I have had a few cones hit with the sled, but luckily no damage has occurred!

When the athletes know every rep is being timed, it also motivates them to use maximal effort during each sled pull. They begin competing against themselves by trying to hit a faster time to be able to put more load on the sled.

One thing to watch out for is the mechanics of the run. Your athletes must be disciplined enough to still understand that they need to hit good postures, shapes, and rhythms. While they are trying to run fast to the assigned distance, I want to make sure they understand that their rhythm still needs to be in context of running a 100 so that they do not lose the proper postures and overstride. There are ways to achieve a faster time to a short distance, but it does not set them up in good shape to be able to continue that acceleration down the track in the context of a 100m race.

Your athletes must be disciplined enough to still understand that they need to hit good postures, shapes, and rhythms, says @CoachJonHughes. Share on X

For more information on load velocity profiling and force velocity profiling, check out the work by some of the authors listed at the beginning of this article.

Let me know what you think of this process and training approach on Twitter: @CoachJonHughes

Further Reading

“A Spreadsheet for Sprint Acceleration Force-Velocity-Power Profiling,” by JB Morin & Pierre Samozino, jbmorin.net.

“Interpreting Power-Force-Velocity Profiles for Individualized and Specific Training,” by JB Morin & Pierre Samozino.  Researchgate.net, Dec 2015.

“Sled-Pull Load-Velocity Profiling and Implications for Sprint Training Prescription in Young Male Athletes,” by Cahill et all, Researchgate.net, May 2019.

“Force-Velocity Profiling In Sled-Resisted Sprint Running: Determining the Optimal Conditions For Maximizing Power,” by Matthew R. Cross. Auckland University of Technology, 2016.

“Force Production Capacities In Sprinting. How to Optimize the Force – Velocity Profile?” by Pierre Samozino, 1080 Motion webinar.

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The KATN® Strength Engine is a new piece of equipment that I have already found to be of great benefit to my athletes in their training sessions. The Strength Engine is a portable resistance trainer that can be used to develop strength and speed qualities. At first glance, it appears to be just another tool to add resistance to sprints, but I found that it offers much more.

At first glance, the KATN Strength Engine appears to be just another tool to add resistance to sprints, but I found that it offers much more. Share on X

The Strength Engine has been an asset due to its accessibility and versatility. These are the two key indicators I consider when buying new training equipment:

1. It can be used virtually anywhere, traveling in a backpack, and it’s easy to set up and break down.
2. It can be used in private or group training sessions with athletes of all levels.

While in use, KATN only takes up the space of the lane needed for the exercise; when not in use, it takes up virtually no room, and I store it under my desk.

The objective of this article is to dive into what the KATN Strength Engine is, how it’s worked for me, how I’ve found it compares to similar equipment, and finally, to show it off in action for you to see for yourself.

What Is the KATN Strength Engine?

The actual product is a small, orange, vented block with rope fed through it. The rope length can be customized and ranges from 50 to 150 feet, allowing you to select the appropriate size for your training space. The rope is stored on a spool, which makes setup and clean-up efficient.

The block has a turning mechanism that adjusts the amount of resistance given. This makes it quick and easy to adjust the resistance for different athletes or exercises. While not necessary, I wrote numbers on each corner of mine so I could be more exact with the tension provided and to make it easier to adjust when training multiple athletes.

How to Set Up the KATN

To set up the Strength Engine, you will need to use the anchor strap to lock down the block to a sturdy spot. Many facilities have anchor points in the walls or ground that can be used; if not, you can also anchor them to a heavy loaded sled. If outside, it’s easy to anchor it to a soccer or field goal post, and you can even anchor it to a car tire.

• Once anchored down, run the spool out until there is no more rope in it.
• When finished, you will be left with one long side of the rope and one short side where the exercise will be performed from.
• Then, take the spool and place it under the Strength Engine block. This will help with a smooth flow of resistance by supporting the block.
• Keep the rope lines straight and separate during training, ensuring an athlete doesn’t step on the rope.

How It’s Worked for Me

In the private sector, I work with a wide array of individuals with various needs. That is why it is essential to have versatile training equipment.

When considering how to lay out a training session, I want equipment that will make my life easier and benefit the athletes. Some things may look great on paper but aren’t optimal in the real world. Coaches must work within their own setting and reality.

My biggest concern was that the Strength Engine would slow down my larger group sessions. Now I primarily use it in my group training sessions, and the flow remains excellent. Share on X

At first, my biggest concern was that the Strength Engine would slow down my larger group sessions, leading to more headaches than help. Now I primarily use the Strength Engine in my group training sessions—up to around 10 athletes—and the flow remains excellent. While it is an effective training tool, a contributing factor to this efficiency was some front-end education and etiquette regarding the product. Teaching the athletes how to operate and adjust the tool has helped my sessions, and I think all training tools should be addressed in this manner.

In my larger group sessions, I have operated KATN in two ways. First, I keep a belt connected to each side of the rope the entire time.

• The athlete steps up and slides into the belt before performing the exercise.
• The other rope with the belt is pulled back to the starting spot for the next athlete.
• The process is repeated.

This works well, but the belt does create additional drag on the rope and can affect the resistance being given to the athlete performing the drill.

While this may not be a major issue, there is a second option if you’re just trying to get the group through the drill at a timely pace. Depending on how many belts you have, you could give each athlete their own belt or group them with another athlete to share.

We are fortunate to have several belts and can equip each athlete with their own, so the starting athlete walks up and hooks their belt to the end of the rope and performs the exercise. This drags back an empty rope to the start, which the next athlete will hook up to. Keeping the rope free allows the resistance to be a little more precise. Either method works well, and I have used both depending on the group.

I use the Strength Engine for several exercises but primarily with sprints and other movement exercises such as skips, bounds, and jumps. I find the easy-to-adjust resistance works best when training several athletes at once, and the resistance allows for fluid movement when performing rhythmic exercises like skips and bounds.

I apply it with my strength training sessions as well as incorporating overcoming isometrics and more traditional exercises like presses, pulls, and lunges. More movements will be demonstrated later in the article, but that is the bulk of my training with the Strength Engine.

How Does It Compare to Other Products?

While there are several other resistance-based sprint trainers on the market, I’ve found the accessibility portion to be what separates KATN from the crowd the most. I am biased, and the sled is my favorite training tool but carrying around a heavy sled to off-sites or fields is an inconvenience. If you’re at a facility that may not offer a lot of storage space, the Strength Engine can provide a solid alternative.

My training experience with other products is limited, so I do not want to speak about alternatives I haven’t personally used. I am only here to offer my experiences using the Strength Engine. You can make any decisions you like for what may be best for your specific situation, such as a Run Rocket, Vertimax Raptor, or EXER-GENIE.

I think future developments for the Strength Engine are where there will ultimately be more separation. Along with everything I have already mentioned, KATN also has a lifting platform and is in the process of offering a load cell with their product to test for force metrics when performing exercises.

This continues to add value to the accessibility and versatility of the Strength Engine. The lifting platform allows for a complete home gym setup where you can perform major compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows, along with the necessities of bicep curls, triceps extensions, and any other accessory movements you may find fit.

Video 1. KATN RDL.

Video 2. KATN SA overhead press.

I used the lifting platform to perform two sets of five reps of squats, and it was unlike any squat session I have ever trained. I was exhausted, but I didn’t have the usual wear and tear from a barbell. I don’t think this will replace the barbell, but it certainly offers you a different training option and greater training experience if you train from home or on the road.

I don’t think this will replace the barbell, but it certainly offers you a different training option and greater training experience if you train from home or on the road. Share on X

Video 3. KATN squat.

The addition of the load cell is a more affordable means of finding and utilizing data for those who may not have been able to in the past. The load cell attaches to the Strength Engine and is then synched through Bluetooth directly to your phone to a training app. The training app will allow you to monitor current and previous numbers from an entire selection of exercises and ones you can create.

Video 4. IMTP.

When examining the specific training metrics of an exercise, you can easily edit and isolate periods of that movement to better pinpoint peaks and eliminate unnecessary information. For someone like me who isn’t deeply involved with technology, this is useful to my coaching sessions—I don’t feel like I’m in a laboratory, stopping to look at data ever set.

Movement Training

Movement and speed training is where the Strength Engine gets the most reps at our facility. It is a great option due to the consistent, smooth application of the resistance.

Movement and speed training is where the Strength Engine gets the most reps at our facility. It is a great option due to the constant, smooth application of the resistance. Share on X

I prefer using the Strength Engine when adding resistance to skips and bounds. These exercises require fluidity and rhythm, and the steady give from the resistance allows the athletes to be powerful but not choppy and hesitant like you may find when they perform these exercises with a sled.

Skips

I still perform the standard progressions of skips, starting with marches and gradually working toward more dynamic means of power skips. When given even a little resistance, I find that the athletes can create faster and more forceful ground contacts, enhancing the movement.

Video 5. A progression from marches to skips.

Bounds

Bounding helps teach athletes to be powerful and drive away from the ground upon contact. We perform straight or bent leg acceleration bounds within our program, and I highly recommend resisting with the Strength Engine instead of bands or sleds. 

Video 6. Resisted bounds.

Multidirectional-Based Movements

Multidirectional-based movements, such as lateral shuffles, runs, skips, and bounds, are great foundational movements that can be progressed through the Strength Engine. The additional resistance forces the athlete to drive with the appropriate edge of the foot and leads to higher intent for the movement.

Video 7. Lateral shuffles, backpedals, and other movements.

Sprints

Without a doubt, the primary movement we perform with the Strength Engine is sprints. Resisted sprinting is a vital part of speed development for athletes, and the Strength Engine is a fantastic option to use in your sessions.

Video 8. Resisted sprints.

Piston sprints are essentially an athlete running in place, moving slowly upon each contact. A set may be five seconds in duration but only go 3 yards. Turn the resistance high on the Strength Engine and allow the athletes to be violent in their sprint. If they are covering too much ground, crank the resistance up.

Video 9. Piston sprints.

Jumps

I love using the Strength Engine to perform jumps. The resistance forces the athletes to be powerful where it counts, focusing on driving away from the ground. And there is no elasticity with the Strength Engine, so there is no concern about athletes getting pulled back in like they can be with a band.

There is no elasticity with the Strength Engine, so there is no concern about athletes getting pulled back in like they can be with a band. Share on X

Video 10. Broad jumps.

Broad jumps are my go-to, and I often pair them with sprints (whether resisted or not). With the Strength Engine, you can perform single, double, triple, or continuous jumps. You can also begin working on other jumps, such as lateral jumps for a different stimulus and carryover.

Pogo jumps are another jumping exercise we perform with the Strength Engine. While pogo jumps are a more vertical-dominant exercise, the resistance allows the athlete to get some vertical height while loading the ankles and calves as they push down the field.

Video 11. Pogo jumps—I have athletes perform these with moderate resistance and cue my athletes for quick yet forceful ground contacts.

Sled Alternatives

Sled exercises are a staple of my programming for strength and speed development. While not the same (I think sleds look cooler), the Strength Engine can be turned up to a heavy resistance and be an excellent alternative for performing these exercises. KATN has measured the Strength Engine up to 900 pounds of resistance, so it is safe to say that your athletes will not be too strong for it.

Video 12. “Sled”-style drag exercises.

Though I still use sleds often, I admit that just turning the Strength Engine to create a higher resistance is easier than loading a sled with several 45-pound plates. Any exercise you perform on a sled can be executed with the Strength Engine.

Strength Training

The ability to also use the Strength Engine as a means for strength training makes this product much more beneficial at our facility. The absence of an eccentric component works well for youth athletes just learning to perform basic movements—and it can be safer—while the load can still be made heavy enough to challenge your strongest athletes.

The absence of an eccentric component works well for youth athletes just learning to perform basic movements, while the load can still be made heavy enough to challenge your strongest athletes. Share on X

There are countless exercises and variations that you can use for the upper body, but here are some specific examples I have used in training.

Upper – Pulls

Video 13. Upper – pulls.

Upper – Press:

Video 14. Upper – press.

Upper – Accessory:

Video 15. Upper – accessory.

Lower – Lunges:

Video 16. Lower – lunges.

While almost every movement performed off the Strength Engine will require some lower-body strength or involvement, I did want to make a note about the use of the Strength Engine with lunges—turning the Strength Engine to a moderate to high load will help you overload the lower body in that unilateral, lowered position.

Rotation

Using the Strength Engine to perform rotational exercises offers freedom and a different load than a band since the tension of the Strength Engine will be consistent throughout.

Video 17. Rotation.

There is no restriction here, but I have used it to perform standing rotations along with rotations coming from a press or row.

Overcoming Isometrics

Isometrics is something I keep in my athletes’ programming year-round. I specifically use overcoming isometrics for potentiation, training strength in a specific joint angle, and even to cue proper body positioning for those learning.

You can set up the Strength Engine for overcoming isometrics by either setting the resistance level so high that it won’t move or simply stepping on the line so it ceases any drag.

When performing the isometrics, you can use the sled handle attachments or the belt to perform a variety of movements.

Video 18. Iso with sled attachment.

Video 19. Iso with a belt.

Final Evaluation

The KATN Strength Engine has been a welcome tool in my training programs. It allows me to successfully train large groups without hesitation and is versatile enough for me to be able to perform almost any exercise needed.

I would highly recommend giving this product a try, especially if you train offsite, away from a typical facility, or are just looking for a more accessible way to load and challenge your athletes.

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Coaching a collegiate track and field team in the United States had been a dream of mine for 20 years. Being from the south of England, this did present some obstacles—not the least of which was that I was at best a mediocre athlete. So, I would be unable to fast-track the process by getting a scholarship to compete for an American university and get my foot in the door via that route. (Not to diminish anyone who has entered the profession that way, but it is clearly advantageous to be around the coaching staff as an athlete for four years if you then want to work at that institution.) I also didn’t have the reputation built by being an international athlete that, again, opens doors.

Having wrapped up my first year of college coaching at University St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, I wanted to write about my experiences—and a little background about where I had come from before that is important to frame my insights. Heading into this job, I had a pretty sound theoretical understanding of sprint training and programming and came from a career that developed strong communication skills. But while these are extremely important aspects of college coaching, there is much more to the job, and I am sure that as I continue to gain experience, I will learn there is far more that I still do not know.

Looking back on the past two decades, my desire to coach in college influenced quite a few decisions I made along the way. For example, I decided to qualify as a teacher, which:

1. Offered me the potential to travel (helpful when hoping to work in another country).
2. Enhanced my understanding and experience with regard to the pedagogical process.

As it turned out, this career move helped more than I could have realized once I entered the coaching profession.

As discussed in my article “9 Lessons I Learned from Speed Experts,” I was extremely fortunate to be able to interact with some of the best coaches and athletes in the sport and ask questions (at what I assume was—and still is—quite an annoying rate). Consequently, the different things I tried were not just stabs in the dark, but I was guided through some of the thought processes by excellent practitioners.

Taking advantage of the potential for travel that teaching offered, in early 2013, I applied for several jobs in the United States. Not only was I not offered any, but I did not even get an interview. At the same time, around 100 teaching jobs were advertised in Dubai, and I was lucky enough to be offered one. That’s where I got my first opportunity to do some paid coaching work, although it was typically on a session-by-session basis. I did not have a “squad” of athletes, but I was essentially consulting with athletes, typically teenagers, who wanted to get faster for athletics or another sport.

Throughout the early part of the pandemic, I became far more involved in the social media scene regarding sprint training and was invited to write for SimpliFaster—both of which helped get my name circulating a bit more (though I am under no illusion that I’m well known). In January 2021, my wife was offered a new job in Houston, and a friend of mine, Kieran Showler-Davis (who coaches at Carson-Newman), forwarded me a job posting for an assistant track and field coach at University St. Thomas. I reached out to a few people I had met through my track and field journey to see if they had any contacts at UST, and a couple did—Matt Kane at Florida State, and Richie Mercado at St. John’s High School in Houston. I passed on my resume via those channels while also applying through the official means, and after the interview process, I was delighted to discover I had been offered the job.

What follows are some of the aspects of my job that I didn’t understand much before I started. I think it would have been helpful to read something like this before I took the position.

Lead image of Coach Maris with Josiah on the left and Makale on the right, both 100m and 200m sprinters.

1. Know the Rules Involving the Calendar and Compliance

One of the first things required of me when I started the position was to take the NCAA Division 3 rules test. The test was in an open book format, so it was not hugely challenging. However, looking through the rule book, what struck me was simply the size of the document, a 259-page PDF! The rules are designed to protect the athlete and minimize the risk of their involvement in athletics impacting their studies and capacity to earn their degree.

A lot of the rules are common sense, so I approached every scenario as such. If there was anything I was unsure about, I would speak with our assistant athletic director, Nik Barjaktarevic, who looks after NCAA rule compliance for UST. For example, I was invited to be on a Twitter Space call discussing the recruiting process and my experiences, but I was not sure if I was allowed to do this since I might be interacting with some potential recruits. So, I had Nik check the details for me, and it turned out I was fine to be on the call, but I could not discuss the specifics of our program or promote it.

Additionally, the Director of Cross Country and Track and Field, Coach Ryan Dohner, took care of a lot of the planning, which helped navigate many of the obstacles that the rules had put in place. For example, as a Division 3 institution that participates in both indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, we are allowed to coach the athletes in person for 24 weeks per year, but Coach Dohner largely took care of arranging the training calendar. This did present some challenges, however, as we set our calendar to train from mid-September until the week of Thanksgiving and then had no in-person contact with the athletes until mid-January. Then, after one week of in-person training, we had our first competition of the season.

We provided voluntary workouts for the athletes during this period of non-contact, and they were able to ask questions and provide feedback. But as a coach, I could not stay on top of them regarding the sessions by following up and asking how they had done, so the ball was very much in their court in terms of communication. As with many teenagers, they were not too forthcoming.

Would the season have started better if we had more in-person contact with the athletes directly before the first meet? I’m not sure. I can say that the athletes all improved noticeably on their performances from the first meet, but that could just as easily have been down to them getting used to competing again and the specific stimulus from the competitions themselves.

2. It Starts with Recruiting

As I mentioned, I never got the opportunity to attend college in the United States and never went through the recruiting process as an athlete (nor did I see other athletes or coaches go through it). I knew that this was perhaps the most critical part of the job in terms of building a successful team. While, of course, speed can be developed through effective training, genetics will always be the trump card. There were also considerations regarding the athletes’ personalities:

• Would they be receptive to coaching?
• Would they be a team player and help support the positive environment we wanted to build at practice?

I never went through the recruiting process as an athlete (nor did I see others go through it). I knew that this was perhaps the most critical part of the job in terms of building a successful team. Share on X

Additionally, they needed to meet the academic requirements, and we needed to be confident they would be able to take care of their academics once admitted. Otherwise, the time they could need from us to ensure they maintain good academic standing is time we can no longer invest in other team members. Coach Dohner and the other assistant track and field coach, Jarrick Wright, were great at answering any questions I had, and they gave me some pointers to get going. Still, to learn, I just needed to get some time in the trenches and figure out the methods that were the most comfortable for me.

I essentially saw it as a numbers game: the more athletes I approached, the more who would be interested. Using MileSplit, I got a rankings list and worked out roughly what performance level would be appropriate for me to recruit…and then went to work. The MileSplit lists include the name of the high school that the athlete attends, so I hunted out the coaches’ contact information from the various high schools and reached out to as many as I could.

When doing this, I noticed that the responses that came back were typically short, regardless of whether they were positive or negative. I took this to mean that these coaches were busy (who knew?), so they probably did not want to read a lengthy email. Consequently, while I made an effort to personalize every email (I think generic emails can put people off in general), I kept them as concise as possible.

Once connected with an athlete, I did the same: personal and concise. Where possible, I communicated via text message, believing it was more in tune with how my demographic preferred to correspond. In addition, I always did my best to respond promptly to any contact from a recruit; while this is a natural trait of mine, it was reinforced in my teaching career. An easy way to help get a parent on my side was to respond to emails outside of work hours and to do so promptly. I believe it demonstrates that you genuinely want to help, and it’s not just a job.

I typically had one phone call with each recruit to learn a bit about them, tell them about the school and our track and field program, and provide them with the opportunity to ask questions. I got into a pretty good routine regarding the information I would give them, and the more I did it, the more I got a sense of what was important to potential student-athletes and what the benefits of attending UST may be.

With local recruits, in particular, I always invited them for a visit, and it soon became apparent that it made sense to have multiple recruits visit at the same time. Not only was it more efficient, but the group visits created more energy throughout the tour and gave them someone in their situation to speak with if, for example, they were watching the team practice.

It made sense to have a few recruits visit at the same time. Not only was it more efficient, but the group visits created more energy throughout the tour, says @davidmaris958. Share on X

However, it also became apparent that there was an upper limit to the number of recruits on a visit that was manageable. If I had four recruits visiting, and together we met the admissions team to discuss the academic and financial aspects of attending UST, then dealing with individual queries left other recruits listening to a lot of information that perhaps was not relevant to them. And I don’t want a recruit leaving UST feeling like they’d been left waiting or bored.

Of course, the rules dictated a lot of what I was able to do and not able to do while recruiting. This became a steep learning curve once recruits accepted offers and wanted to sign a celebratory form and put it on social media.

I think part of this is down to the cultural difference of being a Brit living in America. In Britain, we typically do not celebrate anything as much as is common in America. So, it was a foreign concept to me when recruits who had committed to UST wanted to know if they could now come for an official visit—which was essentially for ceremonial purposes—and when the best time to sign was. It took a few conversations with Nik before I was comfortable handling these requests.

3. Prepare to Offer Mentorship and Guidance

While I entered the job somewhat naïve regarding recruiting, it was something I knew would be a rather significant part of the role. I had not really anticipated the amount of time needed to mentor my athletes through aspects of their lives that had nothing to do with track and the importance of doing so.

I hadn’t anticipated the amount of time needed to mentor my athletes through aspects of their lives that had nothing to do with track and the importance of doing so, says @davidmaris958. Share on X

We have a couple of systems in place to support the athletes academically. They are expected to sign into the library for three hours per week to study, and we meet with them twice per semester on a one-to-one basis to check through their grades and offer advice should there be any issues in any of their classes (or we do this weekly if the athlete is ineligible or close to it). The main benefit of these policies is that they provide an extra layer of accountability.

Once a student goes to college, especially if they are living away from home for the first time, there is a level of newfound freedom that is highly seductive…but what perhaps is not quite so alluring is the responsibility required to manage this. As a department, we try to put a little structure in place to help ease the transition from being a high school athlete living with parents to being a college athlete living independently.

If any logistical issues arose, I was often the first person the athletes came to—and this has definitely been the case with athletes I have been recruiting this year, ready to start at UST this fall ahead of the 2022 track and field season. Issues regarding housing, information about signing up for classes, and getting schedules in place are all examples of things that athletes have asked me about. While I may not have all the answers, I can refer them to the relevant person, and I am becoming more familiar with how more of these processes operate.

In addition to academic and logistical issues, as coaches, we become the first port of call for some personal issues as well. Terence Burke, a friend of mine and former coach at San Francisco State, once told me that as their coach, we are probably the adult athletes see more than any other, so a bond develops. As with anything, though, it took experiencing this firsthand to really get a good understanding of what he meant.

It was humbling when athletes reached out and asked if I would write a letter of recommendation for them or be a reference on an application for a summer job. In many cases, the connection with the athletes goes far deeper than what happens for a couple of hours each day on the track or in the weight room.

It could be argued that effective mentorship is the most important part of the job as we help young athletes navigate the path toward adulthood, says @davidmaris958. Share on X

This is an area where my previous career in teaching was highly beneficial; a fundamental principle of being an effective teacher is building positive relationships with young people and guiding them through challenges, something that is directly applicable to a collegiate coaching position. While I mentioned that recruiting may be the most critical part of the job in terms of building a successful team, from a more holistic perspective, it could be argued that effective mentorship is the most important part of the job as we help young athletes navigate the path toward adulthood.

4. Time Management Is Critical

A factor that I had not considered when I began this role was time management and my schedule. Coming from teaching, time management was largely dictated for me. I knew exactly where I needed to be and what I needed to do at each point in the working day (except for lunch and free periods).

I am lucky enough to have a great head coach, Ryan Dohner, and a great athletic director, Todd Smith, who do not demand that I need to be in the office while working. I have about a 40-minute commute each way to work when there is no traffic, and those of you who know what Houston traffic can be like know that the journey time would most likely double if I were expected to remain at the office until 5 p.m.

When I first began in the position in late July 2021, we had no athletes on campus—there were no workouts to lead, and I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Other than compiling a list of athletes I was going to approach and try to recruit, I wasn’t too sure what else I was supposed to be doing…and this made me feel a little uneasy. I was sure some things needed to be done, but I wasn’t sure what they were. And if I had an idea, I also likely wasn’t sure of the best way to tackle that task.

Within a couple of months, I learned that this feeling would be counterbalanced by busy periods when I would be at the track at 6:30 a.m. to set up for a 7:00 a.m. workout. After training, I would head to the office and take care of administrative tasks and emails, or if I had a recruit visiting, I would show them around the campus. At around midday, we may have a weight room workout, so I would then leave campus and head home at around 1:30 p.m.

In the evening, I may have two or three recruiting calls. These typically take 30 minutes or so each by the time I’ve followed up after the call and sent the recruit information on majors they may be interested in, connected them with admissions to outline the application procedure, and sent them a link that can give them a guide as to how much of an academic scholarship they may be entitled to. Meanwhile, other recruits may be texting me questions or information, which takes time to manage.

Once the competition season starts, I could be away for a night or two for meets at the weekend, a time during which some of the other required tasks cannot be tended to. The point here isn’t to necessarily justify how busy I am but more to indicate that time management strategies are helpful in a job like this. These strategies can help create a more consistent work pattern and help me avoid times when I feel like I’m twiddling my thumbs and not doing a lot, while also avoiding times when I’m in bed at 10:30 p.m. managing texts and emails, knowing my alarm will wake me at 5:30 a.m. the following day for practice.

The point here is to indicate how time management strategies are valuable in a job like this, helping to create a more consistent work pattern, says @davidmaris958. Share on X

Toward the end of the year, I felt like I had a better handle on managing my time, but this is an area I think I particularly need to continue to work on to strike a better life/work balance.

Other Odds and Ends

There have been several other things that I had not really considered would be a part of my responsibility when going into collegiate coaching.

Taking equipment, such as batons, to the meet: This sounds ridiculous, but when competing in the U.K., I never thought about where the equipment came from. When it was time for a relay, an official simply appeared with a baton and gave it to us, and at the end of the race, we returned it. I had no idea I would be the one responsible for ensuring we had our own baton for any relays we entered.

Planning the team’s schedule: I think the slight cultural difference in the U.K. is at least partly responsible for my lack of consideration of this. In the U.K., track and field—or “athletics” for any international readers—operates inside a club system. The club is entered into a league within that system, and the club and league officials determine the fixtures. The coaches are then given a calendar for those meets, and the athletes are given the opportunity to race at those meets.

As college coaches, we are responsible for finding appropriate competitions, contacting their organizers, and entering them. This does bring with it some challenges as a small school in Houston surrounded by several schools with rich track and field heritages—we are not always automatically able to enter.

Arranging travel and driving vans: Again, in my experience as an athlete in the sport, the coach wasn’t responsible for travel arrangements. This was taken care of by the club officials higher up in the organization. While Coach Dohner takes care of most of these arrangements, I have been involved in ensuring hotels are paid and booking transport.

I wasn’t too surprised to discover I would be required to drive vans to local meets, but I have become VERY familiar with the stretch of the I-10 between Houston and San Antonio!

It sounds ridiculous, but one of the most challenging parts of the job is trying to provide meals on a budget that 30–40 athletes in their late teens/early 20s will all like, says @davidmaris958. Share on X

Arranging lunch for the team at meets: This is potentially one of the most challenging parts of the job! It sounds ridiculous, but it is a logistical nightmare to try to provide meals on a budget that 30–40 athletes in their late teens/early twenties will all like. I still have no idea what the best way to approach this is, as democracy doesn’t always keep everyone happy. Everyone wants to share their opinion, and getting food from multiple places becomes time-consuming and has its own logistical challenges.

Concluding Thoughts

I have had a great time in this job throughout my first year (except when arranging lunches), and I have really grown to enjoy the recruiting aspect of the role as well. The athletes I have worked with have all been great, and while there was a period of us getting to know each other and the expectations, I do not think it could have gone any more smoothly than it did. We had some great results from our athletes at the conference meet, including sixth place in the men’s 100 meters, three out of the top six places in the women’s 100 meters, and first place in the women’s 4×100 meter relay.

We have more great young people joining our team next season, and I think we will only get more competitive in our conference, which I’m excited about! This article has highlighted my lack of experience heading into this role. While I was transparent about that throughout the application process, I hope UST isn’t questioning why they decided to hire me!

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

Coaching is confidence. One decision after another, from team formation to practice design to in-game tactical maneuvers, a relentless and rapid express of yes this but not that, if X then Y and not Z, here we stop and there we go. And each of these decisions must be made with boldness and faith in the rightness of that choice—sure, coaches perpetually adjust on the fly, but even those course corrections are not an act of doubt but a demonstration of resolve.

Each successive decision about that which we will do simultaneously requires us to reject that which we will not. “Reject” seems like a harsh word, but in a choppy sea of it depends, unwavering absolutes are a means by which we can project certainty and vision: we never Olympic lift, we never play a zone against that formation, we never train in sand. To inspire trust in those we’re charged to lead, our coaching egos drive us to put a proverbial boot to the throat of each exercise, drill, tool, process, or option we’ve cast away—starving those alternatives of oxygen makes our own choices appear that much more robust.

Starving alternative exercises, tools, and processes of oxygen makes our own choices appear that much more robust, says @CoachsVision. Share on X

So we watch our coaching peers and make sweeping judgments: I may not know everything, but at least I know not to do what THAT Bozo’s doing.

That moment is bracing—a win. We know none of the why, none of the context, nothing about the past-present-future of the athletes involved, nothing but the immediate display of what we’ve deemed useless—and we grind down our boot heel and flex.

Warm-ups, Rituals, and the Lure of Low-Hanging Fruit

Nearly a decade ago, when I began coaching youth soccer and softball, I always knew what was wrong the moment I saw it. Indecision is paralyzing, and without relevant hands-on experience of my own, how else could I move forward absolutely certain that what I was doing was right?

In particular, watching other teams warm up, my judgment was a nail-pointed shiv.

The static stretching circle of players who’ve learned that if they just count to 10 REALLY LOUD during each variation, they won’t have to move a muscle for the next 10 minutes? The straggling jogathon laps around the goal posts before practice? The rote dynamic routine or Tom House arm care exercises, each performed like the obligatory Macarena at your uncool cousin’s way too hot outdoor wedding?

Trash.

As ready as I was to puncture those bloated and wasteful warm-ups, nothing got my blade out faster than watching elementary school-aged softball players come bouncing up to the practice field and, before anything else, be forced to take a knee across from a partner down the right field foul line for the sport’s pervasive, penitent, form throwing warm-up. Kids who’ve sat through a long school day showing up for a sport played out in the dirt, and on minute one, they’re immobilized in the outfield grass, wrist-flicking balls back and forth until allowed to stop and move on.

If I saw your players doing this, in that split second, I knew you didn’t get it. Didn’t get coaching, didn’t get kids, didn’t get athlete development, none of it.

Back in the day, I learned to throw the way you learned to throw—by throwing stuff. I threw rocks at light poles and street signs. I threw pinecones at the trunks and branches of the trees they’d fallen out of. I threw footballs, dodgeballs, tennis balls, baseballs. If something could be crumpled, wadded, and thrown at another kid’s head, I crumpled it, wadded it, and took aim.

When she was four, my older daughter, Riley, invented a game she called “Balls, Balls, the Incredible Balls Game.” This involved taking a bucket with every ball she owned out to the sidewalk—rubber bouncy balls from preschool parties and pizza parlor vending machines, baseballs, racquet balls, whiffle balls, tennis balls, golf balls—and then one after another, she would chuck every ball in the bucket as hard and as far as she could while I tried to catch each on one hop.

During the early stages of my softball coaching career, Deb Hartwig, then a director of coaching for USA Softball and an assistant coach for SDSU, led a half-day coaching course in San Diego in which she eviscerated the knee-down throwing warm-up, shredding the ritual in a merciless comedic diatribe. Validation! I was right all along! Just throw the damn ball!!!

The thing about low-hanging fruit, though, is those qualities—easy, ripe, sweet—are also things that don’t last, says @CoachsVision. Share on X

The static stretching circle, the pre-practice lap, the technique throwing warm-up, these rituals are low-hanging fruit. Dangling right in front of your face, ripe for the picking. Sweet. Grab it, fix it, and make a day-one difference. The thing about low-hanging fruit, though, is those qualities—easy, ripe, sweet—are also things that don’t last.

What Do Agility Ladders Have to Do With Any of This?

My soccer players don’t jog in practice. No lap around the goal posts, no patterns where the purpose is to accumulate running volume from point A to point B, no box-to-box gassers or suicides. In warm-ups, we focus on the first three steps of acceleration, COD variations, and short relays with and without the ball. We regularly sprint 30s. And for “conditioning,” we play a range of small-sided transition games that involve repeat, sub-max sprints with limited rest between reps.

This is partly a function of scheduling—I have at most two 90-minute practices a week, and jogging is slow and time-consuming. (I encourage my players to jog on their own as a self-directed activity and believe a basic KPI for any player over age 10 is the ability to knock out a 5K without keeling over.)

The absence of jogging is also partly due to my own playing experience. In high school, my varsity practices began with a “grass lap”: a 3/4-mile loop around the entire high school field complex. For capricious and arbitrary reasons, our coach would routinely interrupt each practice with multiple grass laps meted out as a group punishment for failures of execution or attitude—and then we concluded each practice with another 2–3 grass laps for “fitness.”

Every practice began and ended with a punishment, sandwiched around more in the middle.

Not long ago, however, I heard a very accomplished coach refer to the pre-practice laps as one of his most cherished moments in all of soccer. The lads roll out from the locker room, and this is their time—transitioning from the cares of their day to the joy, camaraderie, and demands of the pitch. The athletes run at a pace of their own choosing, banter and bond, and have a known constant before moving on to the ever-changing variations of training.

Same lap, different purpose.

The low-hanging fruit I’ve seized on in the past—what if we replaced that worthless jog with my focused series of hops, jumps, backpedaling, and sprint variations?—may appear obvious based on my own biased perspective, but what if that warm-up lap is serving a legitimate purpose?

I realized that an activity that seemed worthless based on my own biased perspective was actually deliberately applied by that coach and served a legitimate purpose, says @CoachsVision. Share on X

Sure, some pre-practice field jogs are nothing more than a diversion while a punctuality-challenged coach hurriedly cones off their pitch, just as some static stretching circles have no deeper purpose than being the way they’ve always done it. But those rituals can also be deliberately applied as a focused transition from the individual to the collective, as exercises in self-organization, as a culture-building routine by a coach creating the environment in which they believe their team will thrive.

The dreaded form throwing warm-up? What I used to zealously knife I now regard as something I just prefer not to do. The players I’ve coached through the years have strong, accurate throwing arms, and we come out to the field and let it fly. I also know a large number of players with strong, accurate throwing arms who’ve spent years starting every practice on one knee tossing the ball back and forth.

My starting point is the energy and intent to fire the ball around, and from there we teach and cue how to do that with the proper form and technique. Other coaches choose to begin with the proper form and technique, and from there they teach and cue the energy and intent to do so at game speed.

Different mindset, different tools, different process—same destination.

No, Seriously, What Do Agility Ladders Have to Do With Any of This?

The ladder is one of those ingenious products that can be summed up in two words: portable hopscotch.

Take a group of coaches out to watch kids playing hopscotch on a playground and they’ll pipe in with all the foundational athletic qualities they see being developed: coordination, balance, rhythm, jump and landing variations, proprioception, and the crucial kinesthetic awareness needed in team sports where players must control their bodies in concert with lines, zones, bases, balls, opponents, and other external factors.

Have that same group of coaches watch a 15-second clip of an athlete doing ladder drills on Instagram or Twitter, and it’s an attack-dog frenzy. Because, at some point, someone in marketing decided to call this simple tool a “speed ladder.”

I coach speed, chief…and that ladder, that ain’t it.

Low-hanging fruit. Easy picking. Knowing none of the why, none of the context, nothing about the past-present-future of the athletes involved, nothing but the immediate sight of that which has been deemed useless—post on social media your athletes using an agility ladder and RIP your mentions.

Knowing none of the why, none of the context, nothing but the immediate sight of that which has been deemed useless—post on social media your athletes using an agility ladder and RIP your mentions. Share on X

True story: seven years ago, after a softball tournament in central San Diego, an agility ladder materialized in my rolling cart with our buckets, balls, nets, and catching gear. Maybe another coach mistook my cart for their own, maybe they’d just seen a viral video of a trainer throwing their ladder in the trash and felt compelled to surreptitiously ditch theirs.

Whatever the case, depending on the age and experience of my players, I now bring that ladder out to the soccer field as often as every 6-8 weeks and as rarely as every six months.

• Higher frequency with young players who are first learning 1v1 skill moves. Just as a player who cannot yet balance on one leg cannot strike a ball with power, a player who cannot adjust their cadence cannot manipulate the ball with a 1v1 move on the dribble. The constraint of the ladder brings players to the front third of their feet and targets their approach to space, both keys to ball skills from sole-rollovers to scissors to stepovers. Moving from ladder patterns without the ball into skill moves on the ball makes a seamless and fun progression for a process that can otherwise feel like “work.”
• Lower frequency with older players, though ladders can be useful during those growth spurts where spatial relationships change and what took five steps a few weeks ago now suddenly takes four. Mostly, though, ladder warm-ups add variety—particularly when combined with mini-hurdles, poles, and other obstacles. High knees, bunny hops, in/out patterns, the Icky Shuffle, 180 and 360 jumps, the players get their heart rates up, apply multiple takeoffs and landings, and do so with enthusiasm and intent.

A useful tool—and no, no one has gotten any faster with it.

Videos 1 & 2. Ladder drills promote the postures and foot positions common with many 1v1 moves in soccer.

With older and elite athletes, Tony Villani at XPE Sports uses ladders as a principal element of his Game Speed method. These are used to train foot placement and change of direction angles to create separation or close space, essential elements of invasion games.

“We always use the ladder, not for footwork or even agility,” Villani explains, “but rather to learn one aspect of change of direction…which is FOOT PLACEMENT.”

Villani describes having a great change of direction as:

1. Being able to recognize or anticipate a COD as soon as possible.
2. Controlling your speed or being able to decelerate into a controlled speed to COD.
3. Then what FOOT PLACEMENT and body position numbers 1 and 2 help create.
4. Then a COD can happen. Depending on 1–3, that dictates what best COD can be used.

Video 3. Tony Villani demonstrates how he uses a ladder in four ways to attack COD: 1) Find force to stop; 2) Attack 45; 3) Roll 90; and 4) Sit inside and come down on your inside foot.

The 10-yard down marker is always 10 yards. The bases on a softball field are always 60 feet apart. The 18-yard box is always 18 yards from the goal line. And the ladder’s squares are fixed. Over time, players grow and adapt to how to reach these landmarks. When coaches verbally (or literally) trash ladders…it is like throwing away a perfectly good pancake flipper because it’s not so good for turning over hot dogs on a grill.

Semantics (or, Judging the What Without the Why)

Like many, I commonly refer to “speed ladders” as “agility ladders,” which I know is also a misnomer. No, ladders do not, in fact, train agility—there’s no decision-making or dynamic, reactive component. And while perhaps a cousin to closed COD drills, this tool for  “portable hopscotch” is really about developing foot placement, coordination, spatial awareness, and body control.

What you call something only matters if changing the terminology changes the purpose.

What you call something only matters if changing the terminology changes the purpose, says @CoachsVision. Share on X

Years ago, I worked with a sports scientist who viewed the term “muscle memory” with the same disdain I held for the form throwing warm-up: please, muscles are bundles of fibers; they have no capacity whatsoever “to remember.” We were talking about the identical phenomenon—consistently repeated movement patterns governed by the central nervous system—but that conversation about outcomes in training went off the rails over a debate between a layman’s shorthand and scientific literalism.

Different tools, same destination.

Yes, words matter…they matter because they are pliable, malleable, and powerful tools for human communication. When we use those tools to jockey for status, when we use them as a shiv, we have ceased to communicate.

Asserting semantic dominance—being the one to body up and impose our will over what a word must mean—flashes temptingly in front of our face; it’s that low-hanging fruit—ripe, easy. There’s no such thing as *mental toughness;* there’s only prepared or not prepared. A *sub-max sprint* is, by definition, not a sprint. *Aerobic base*…do you even know what either of those words means in the first place?

Now we’re not communicating.

Words are not numbers. I can’t say seven to effectively mean six or eight. But if I say agility ladder, and you understand that I mean a tool for portable hopscotch, we don’t need to argue the sports science definition of “agility”: the words have served their purpose. Then, we can rationally discuss whether portable hopscotch is a valuable way to spend ten minutes of practice time or whether perhaps another tool/method could produce an even better result with those same ten minutes.

It doesn’t matter if what you call mental toughness I call resilience and another coach calls grit—we mean the same thing, and what’s important is how we go about developing it with the players we have.

I don’t have to like a warm-up or implement it—I just have to be willing to respect WHY you choose to do it. From there, we are on common ground, says @CoachsVision. Share on X

In my days attacking the form throwing warm-up, one thing I never did was stick around and connect that warm-up to how that coach’s team actually played the game. I don’t have to like it or implement it—I just have to be willing to respect why you’re choosing to do it. From there, we are on common ground.

And when starting on common ground, we can begin to make progress.

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

For a strength coach wishing to establish a winning culture, there is nothing more important than creating buy-in from all the athletes and coaches in the program. When athletes and coaches buy in, they are buying into you and your training program. They believe that following your program will give them the platform for enhancing performance and overall success in their sport. There are several factors a strength coach must address, including having an established training system. Many different systems can work, but it is imperative to use a system that fits your specific situation.

Unified vs. Specific Training

The most basic decision a strength coach will make is utilizing either a unified or specific training system. A unified strength training system is one in which all teams/individuals—regardless of sport—perform the same training. Utilizing a unified system for strength training has several advantages for the strength coach working with a large volume of athletes. Some of the advantages include:

• Utilizing the same cues.
• Narrowing down the exercise pool.
• Training multiple sports simultaneously.

This can make the strength coach’s life much easier in terms of overall management.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is a specific training system, which utilizes a strength training program that is specific to an individual athlete and/or a specific sport. Some of the advantages of a specific training system include:

• More skill-centered programs working toward a specific sport.
• Individual attention to address specific needs.
• Easier buy-in.

A bird’s-eye view of these two options would lead most of us to believe that the specific training system is the better option. But what if the strength coach is in a position where specific training programs are not the right choice? What if the strength coach has no additional staff and must train large volume of athletes from a variety of sports with limited time and resources? Well, in that case, maybe a unified system is the better option.

But what about the individual sports coach who seeks more specific adaptations for their athletes? How about the athletes themselves, who may see unified programming as “watered down”? A strength coach using a unified system needs to have answers for these questions if they want to have athletes and coaches who are 100% bought-in to their training system.

How can a strength coach offer a unified training program that can still provide specificity? By making the unified program specific. Share on X

So, how can a strength coach offer a unified training program that can still provide specificity? The answer: You make the unified program specific.

Why Make Unified Programming Specific?

A unified training program that’s made specific can seem like the best of both worlds.

Buy-in

When utilizing a unified program, it is important to create a vision for the athletes that your program is “specifically designed” to enhance athletic performance, regardless of sport. Making sure the athletes and coaches (and parents) understand that virtually all athletes need to accelerate, decelerate, jump, and change direction. In a weight room, all athletes need to squat, hinge, push, and pull. All athletes need a strong and stable core.

In addition, many of the movements in sport are similar and therefore share specificity. This will help create that vision for the athletes and coaches that your program offers specifically what they need.

Performance

As an athlete develops more strength, there will be a need for sport-specific exercises that translate that strength to enhanced performance. In most cases, it is futile to work on specific strength without a solid base of strength created from both relative and general strength exercises.

How to Make Unified Programming Specific

So, how can you add specificity to unified programming?

1. Link the Exercise to the Sport

When designing a program, strength coaches need to understand the movements and energy systems utilized by the athletes. It is also advantageous for the strength coach to highlight how the exercises within the program are already sport-specific.

Let’s say I have one of my “mixed” S&C classes with athletes from a variety of sports, and I am introducing the training for the session. I will explain the value of the exercise, demonstrate proper technique, discuss the cues for the exercise, and then describe how the given exercise is similar to the movements used in a variety of sports.

That conversation would go something like this. “Our second-tier exercise today is the step-up. This is an important exercise to develop single-leg strength and balance. Step up onto the 18-inch box, punching the foot down while driving the opposite knee up… PUNCH and DRIVE. This movement can be seen in a variety of sports settings, such as a basketball player driving to the basket during a layup, a long jumper jumping off the toe board, or any number of different athletes jumping to catch a ball (outfielder robbing a hitter of a homer over the fence, soccer player getting their head on the ball first, or a receiver/defensive back getting the football at its high point).”

How about a landmine lateral lunge? What specific sports movements are found there? I like to pick specific athletes from different sports and have them perform a sport-specific movement.

So, I’ll pick a volleyball player in the class and say, “Show me the position you’d get into when getting ready to dig out a spike from the opposing team.” Then I’ll pick a baseball player and say, “Show me the position you’d be in to field a grounder.” Then I’ll pick a tennis player and say, “Show me the position you’d get in while hitting a forehand volley.”

At this point, the athletes have seen three different sports and ONE common position. Then I have them demonstrate the exercise with a light implement to show the athletes the correlation between the specific sport movement and the specific sport exercise.

How about a medicine ball side throw? What sport-specific movements are found here?

• A baseball or softball player swinging a bat.
• A lacrosse player taking a shot on goal.
• A track and field athlete throwing the discus.

Bottom line, the exercises within the unified training system are applicable across a variety of sports, making them all ‘specifically’ similar. Share on X

During the training session, I often add a specific cue for the athlete based on their preferred sport. For example, while a baseball player is performing a side medicine ball throw, I’d say “swing for the fence!” or for a shot/discus thrower I’d say “let it fly,” or for a lacrosse player I’d say, “shoot!” Bottom line, the exercises within the unified training system are applicable across a variety of sports, making them all “specifically” similar.

2. Provide Exercise Selection Options

Options enable the athlete to have some autonomy within the unified program. Athletes have the ability to select an option that still meets the goal of the main exercise but provides a more specific adaptation or gives the athlete an individual choice based on individual needs.

For example, if barbell bench press is the main exercise, an athlete may opt to do dumbbell alternating bench press instead. This may be the case for an overhead athlete who wants to focus on more shoulder stabilization and/or a freely moving scapula. Another example could be a basketball player choosing to replace a clean with a hex bar jump due to recovering from a sprained wrist.

Another option for athletes is not to choose a completely different exercise but to make a simple “tweak” to it. For example, if the main exercise is a hex bar deadlift, a swimmer or track and field sprinter may choose to use a staggered stance for a more specific adaptation to mimic the start from the blocks. Another example is for athletes to do medicine ball rotational throws that best mimic their sport. This could be a baseball pitcher doing a punch throw or a golfer doing a scoop throw.

The way I provide the exercise selection options and tweaks to the athletes is threefold:

1. I list and demonstrate the options while going through the pre-training explanation.
2. The options are listed for athletes to view in the workout. (I use a program design software that enables me to write all the options in the “Exercise Instructions” area.)
3. We have a video library our student-athletes can preview and review prior to a new phase of training.

During the in-season, our athletes utilize more complex and contrast training. This is the perfect time to utilize the options and tweaks. As an example, during the in-season, one of the exercise pairings we “complex” is a split squat with a jump or med ball toss. Our track and field sprinters do a landmine split squat paired with med ball “start” toss. The throwers do a banded split squat from the pins paired with a med ball punch throw.

3. Set Phases of Training Based on Sport Season

The final method for making unified programming specific is to set up the weight room in sections to allow fall, winter, and spring sports to follow the unified system at different phases. I set our athletes into two groups:

• Fall-Spring
• Winter

I only have these two groups because my programming repeats itself every six months. That is, I use 6–7 different phases of training, it takes six months to complete, and then we start over. Therefore, fall and spring athletes do the same training phases throughout the year, whereas winter athletes train in a different phase. To clarify even further, in the month of January, fall and spring sports train in phase 1 (volume) of our programming; however, winter sport athletes train in phase 4 (speed-power).

The final method for making unified programming specific is to set up the weight room in sections to allow fall, winter, and spring sports to follow the unified system at different phases. Share on X

Having the training set up based on sport with fall-spring and winter groups is an important piece to my program design. It goes back to buy-in and performance. First, for buy-in, athletes appreciate the fact that during the latter part of the in-season, there is some autonomy, less volume, more recovery, and more focus on “specific” exercises. Second, everything boils down to performance. It allows the athletes to “peak” during their competitive season.

Level Up Your Programming

Linking the exercises to a variety of sports movements, enabling some athlete autonomy, and ensuring there is focus on specific sport performance has given our programming a big boost in terms of buy-in. We’ve added more S&C classes to our curriculum to meet the demand, and the majority of our sports continue to train over the summer months.

Athletes, coaches, and parents are becoming more and more aware of the advantages of a high-quality training program. Being able to describe a training program that takes into consideration the specific demands of individual sports is an attractive quality for most informed parents and coaches. Making a unified program with some specific exercises, options, and proper scheduling can bring your training program to a whole new level.

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

The topic was aerobic and anaerobic metabolic contributions to performance and how athletes should train for their sport. The class was exercise physiology. High school wrestlers were used as the example to make a point.

A typical wrestling workout (at least at that time) was jogging for miles before or after practice.

The professor argued that because wrestling matches are short in duration and exchanges within those matches typically consist of short bursts, the sport is anaerobic in nature and aerobic training therefore had little to no impact on performance. Instead, sprint workouts or other high intensity interval training methods mimicking the time constraints of a wrestling match were more appropriate training methods (so it was said).

Weeks before then, however, we had learned that anaerobic metabolism kicks in only after the aerobic system has been “maxed out.” A fair comparison may be to a hybrid car: once the electric motor is tapped out and the car needs more juice, the gas motor kicks in.

Wouldn’t it make sense, then, that the bigger the electric motor, the less work the gas one has to do?

We had also recently discussed the concepts of oxygen debt and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). A bigger aerobic engine should, theoretically, make up that debt faster than a smaller one. Yet, there seemed to be something that made a certain amount of intuitive sense about the basic argument: how does jogging slowly help a wrestler in a two-minute bout?

‘How does jogging slowly help a wrestler in a two-minute bout?’ asks @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

Indeed, the debate persists today. A prominent strength coach recently tweeted his position that a cardio base is overrated, and strength coach Twitter did what strength coach Twitter does and talked about it for a few days. In the wake, another prominent voice asked if walking counts as cardio, and the engagement was comical.

Which is it? Does “cardio” count? Should team sport athletes ditch aerobic training altogether, prioritize it, or somewhere in between?

In we go.

Transference: The Only Principle that Matters

The goal of training is simple: to improve sports performance. It is not to make athletes sweat, to become an elite technician in the weight room, or to mimic sport itself. These may very well be means to the end of improving sport performance, but let us not forget that they are indeed means to an end and not the end itself.

The goal of training is simple: to improve sports performance. It is not to make athletes sweat, to become an elite technician in the weight room, or to mimic sport itself, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

Let us also move away from the notion that fitness testing and training must always resemble sport. Testing that does resemble sport may very well be warranted, but that does not mean fitness testing which does not resemble sport is always unnecessary.

The purpose of testing is to evaluate a particular quality; 1RM tests quantify maximum strength and aerobic tests assess the robustness of the aerobic system.

If we believe that maximum strength or aerobic health influence performance in a particular sport, periodically evaluating those qualities via testing is appropriate, even though standing up with a loaded bar across your traps isn’t an activity you’ll see on the field or court of play.

The degree of similarity between a training method and actual gameplay is not informative of how that training stimulus may impact gameplay. The fact that walking uphill on a treadmill at 140 beats per minute doesn’t remotely resemble a football game is not evidence that such activity will not improve player outcomes.

The degree of similarity between a training method and actual gameplay is not informative of how that training stimulus may impact gameplay, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

It is also certainly not evidence that it will. The point is to think critically and reassess the eyeball test. While we’re on the topic—if long-duration isometrics are back in, are wall sits cool again?

Asking Better Questions

As mentioned earlier, when a prominent strength coach stated on Twitter that a cardio base is overrated, strength coaches went nuts. It is telling that some agreed with the statement while others vehemently disagreed. Perhaps this is the next frontier of fitness ideology.

Rather than scoff at the statement, I believe a better approach would be to ask oneself “what about this coach’s experience has led him to believe this is true?” Perhaps he has only worked with high level athletes who were gifted aerobically, and thus never saw a need to train it. Perhaps his training methods are so successful without incorporating cardio that he feels it unnecessary. Or perhaps he meant exactly what he said and nothing more: that he simply finds it “overrated,” which of course does not mean unimportant or irrelevant. Football players are not triathletes, after all.

How may aerobic training and adaptations impact team sports performance? Indeed, research has helped us answer this question, but let us not skip the thought experiment. In addition to research, let’s think.

My exercise physiology professor constantly challenged us to provide a “physiologic rationale” for our positions and thoughts. A physiologic rationale is a justification for why a thought could or could not be true based on physiology.

What might a physiologic rationale look like for the statement “aerobic fitness impacts anaerobic performance”?

Primary Aerobic Adaptations

To answer that question we must first understand basic physiology. The “big rock” adaptations to aerobic exercise are as follows, in no particular order:

• Increased capillary density
• Eccentric cardiac hypertrophy
• Increased mitochondrial density
• Increased aerobic enzymes
• Increased vagal tone

It is easy to see how each of these factors (outside of vagal tone, which has indirect implications) directly influence VO2 max and aerobic performance. With a little thought, we can also see how they benefit anaerobic performance.

Increased capillary density allows for more oxygen and glucose to be delivered to working tissue, and for more waste products to be removed. Although anaerobic metabolism by definition does not involve oxygen, glycolysis does require glucose. Further, as muscle tissues hypertrophy and become more physiologically demanding, delivery and removal demands would seem to increase as well.

Eccentric cardiac hypertrophy allows for an increase in stroke volume and greater cardiac output. More blood flow = more nutrients delivered. Couple this with increased capillary density, and blood flow delivery capacity significantly increases. Additionally, what I feel is often overlooked is that eccentric cardiac hypertrophy allows for a lower heart rate during submaximal work. In effect, it helps delay fatigue during fast but not all-out efforts that tap into anaerobic resources.

Eccentric cardiac hypertrophy allows for a lower heart rate during submaximal work. In effect, it helps delay fatigue during fast but not all-out efforts that tap into anaerobic resources, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

Mitochondrial density essentially refers to how many mitochondria are in your muscle cells. Density is technically the absolute number of mitochondria in relation to the size of the cell (hypertrophy), but that’s somewhat of a technicality in this discussion as we’re really chasing greater absolute mitochondria numbers—we’re not seeking an increase in density via atrophy.

In any case, mitochondria are classically known as the “powerhouses of the cell.” More mitochondria allows for more ATP production via aerobic metabolism, resulting in greater ATP production capacity overall. Aerobic enzymes catalyze aerobic metabolism, so the more of those that are around, the more aerobic metabolism is available.

If more ATP is produced aerobically, less must be produced anaerobically to accomplish the same output, thus sparing anaerobic reserves. Consequently, metrics like maximal aerobic speed (MAS) are, to state the obvious, heavily influenced by these aerobic constituents.

Aerobic Contributions to Anaerobic Performance

MAS is fine, but how exactly does increased capillary and mitochondrial density help athletes jump higher, and why would eccentric cardiac hypertrophy improve a sprint time?

They don’t.

Well, I’ve contradicted myself, haven’t I?

Aerobic health does not directly improve maximal performance. Let me be clear: aerobic fitness will not directly improve your sprint speed or jump height.

Let me be clear: aerobic fitness will not directly improve your sprint speed or jump height, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

If you had a genie in a bottle and were immediately granted a doubled aerobic capacity, your 40 time would not instantaneously drop, but the speed at which you run a fade nine plays into a two-minute drill would be significantly better than otherwise. You might actually look fast still, instead of looking at the sideline tapping your helmet, or pretending your route was a three step stop instead of a 50-yard sprint.

Indeed, research has shown us that aerobic health is highly related to repeat sprint ability (RSA), or the ability to run fast over and over with minimal decrements in speed.^1-6 It is established that the presence of oxygen is required to resynthesize phosphocreatine (PCr) stores,^7-8 which is likely one of the primary mechanisms by which aerobic adaptations support repeated efforts of high output.

Thus, although “cardio” won’t directly help your 40 time (more on that coming), it could be the difference between being fresh enough to make the play in the 4th quarter, or coming up a half yard short and giving up the game-winning touchdown.

For a non-football example: aerobic fitness could be the difference between performing at 95% of your maximum capacity instead of 88% in the final seconds of the game. That 7% difference could be the difference between winning and losing, and that effect compounded over a season or a career could make or break a multi-million dollar contract, scholarship opportunity, or simply a lifetime of good memories and the confidence that comes with them.

Aerobic fitness could be the difference between performing at 95% of your maximum capacity instead of 88% in the final seconds of the game, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

What I’m saying is that aerobic fitness prevents fatigue from setting in, thus delaying fatigue-related performance drop-offs. And to again drive the point home: say an athlete runs 10 sprints with 30 seconds of rest between each; the more aerobically fit they are, the closer in time the first and last sprint will be. The less “in shape” they are, the slower and slower the sprints will get.

Training a Racehorse

This ability to repeat sprints is frequently considered as a fitness metric and performance outcome—and it most certainly is both—but put that principle into a training environment and we call it “work capacity.”

Certainly, volume drives results to an extent. I believe aerobic health plays a significant role in volume tolerance, and the ability to withstand high volumes of training is:

1. Advantageous for driving adaptation; and
2. Protective against injury.

I can’t point to a study to verify it, but something tells me that withstanding repeated bouts of high effort without breaking down mechanically or physiologically must contribute towards athlete health and injury prevention. Although not direct support for my previous claim, aerobic fitness has been shown to decrease injury risk during high‑speed running.⁹

Recovering between sets/plays is what allows athletes to maintain high levels of performance throughout, and indeed aerobic metabolism is what drives recovery.

When dealing with training constraints like time, recovery becomes a significant factor. For example, when accruing acceleration volume where an athlete may run up to 30 short sprints or more in a single session, recovery certainly becomes critical, as the goal is for all sprints to be at near maximal performance. Slow sprints are wasted ones.

Indeed, if one athlete tolerates just 10 short sprints before performance diminishes but another can conquer 30…do we not think this may play a role in athlete adaptation? If we can effectively deliver a powerful stimulus of 30 sprints vs. a relatively weak one of just 10, will that not deliver greater adaptation? I do understand this is nuanced, but rather than diving into the “it depends” scenario, in general, an increased work capacity is positive and allows for more intense training sessions to be positively received.

The minimal vs. maximally effective dose argument is at play here.

Beyond volume quality, however, is the ability to recover from a workout. Of course, adaptation (read: improvement) happens not during exercise, but afterwards, while recovering from the training session.

Of course, adaptation (read: improvement) happens not during exercise, but afterwards, while recovering from the training session, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

Pat Davidson once posted that hanging out with people you like is probably one of the best forms of post-exercise recovery, and that post changed the way I thought. Optimal adaptation cannot occur while in fight or flight mode, so shifting away from a sympathetic state and upregulating parasympathetic activity is of paramount importance post-exercise. Laughing and breaking bread with people you like sets that stage.

Further, aerobic training both acutely and chronically upregulates vagal tone, making it easier to adapt to training.

Thus, aerobic fitness can not only increase the amount of high quality volume afforded to an athlete, it also makes it easier to adapt to that volume.

Greater dose + greater adaptability = greater outcome.

Going back to the genie in a bottle thought experiment: although doubling aerobic capacity won’t make you faster immediately, taking that new and improved work and adaptation capability into training over a year or a career may very well result in a faster you down the road.

Formula One Cars vs. Toyota Corollas

I believe this is also a Pat Davidson analogy. I noticed early in my training career that those with low training ages do not require as much rest between sets as those with higher training ages. Where a 21-year-old linebacker might very well need 3-5 minutes rest between sets, a 14-year-old in his first month of training might be fine with a fraction of that.

At first I was a bit perplexed by this. It did, after all, defy the guidelines I read in the CSCS textbook!

When a Formula One car guns it at full speed, it (and probably its driver!) are going to need a significant amount of maintenance and recovery before racing again. The car may need to go to the shop, the engine will need to cool, and the driver may need to re-collect himself as well.

When a Formula One car guns it at full speed, it (and probably its driver!) are going to need a significant amount of maintenance and recovery before racing again, says @KD_Kyle Davey. Share on X

But when you’re trying to beat the yellow light and you go pedal to the metal in a Corolla, there is very little consequence. Even if you hammered the gas for a solid 5-10 seconds on the freeway, the car and driver will be just fine.

So it is with training. Those with no engine can gun it and be ready to do so again very quickly. Those with big engines, however…

This basic premise provides two suggestions:

1. As an athlete’s strength and power grow, so too should aerobic capacity.
2. Aerobic capacity sets the stage for future development and success, and should be prioritized in youth athletes so the aerobic engine grows along with the anaerobic one.

Clean Up In Zone Two?

With aerobic robustness currently in the S&C spotlight, it’s not surprising that zone two training has seemingly re-emerged and is making the rounds.

Low intensity, steady-state training is not a novel concept. In fairness, I have not seen anyone claim it to be. Still, it is funny to see it making the rounds through the S&C circles when it is classically taught in physiology textbooks as one of the, well, textbook training methods for aerobic development.

I am happy the discussion is being had, but I do wonder if some will get lost in the weeds and go in too deep on aerobic training for power- and speed-based athletes. There is more to conditioning than low-intensity steady state exercise. Prescribing zone two training once or twice per week and hoping it will check all the aerobic boxes is wishful thinking. Tempo runs, training at and just above lactate threshold, and yes, even repeat sprints and oxidative work in the weight room all have a place on the curriculum. Guys like Joel Jamieson, Mark McLaughlin, and Alex Viada have excelled in this arena.

Beyond that, at the end of the day, field and court sports are indeed anaerobic by nature. Scoring well on an RSA assessment or a 30-15 intermittent fitness test does an athlete little good if he or she is simply not physically gifted enough to see the field or court in the first place.

For the sake of transparency, it is worth noting there is some research that shows little to no correlation between aerobic fitness and RSA,^10-12 which partly begs the question: even if aerobic fitness does contribute to repeat sprint ability, by how much? That is a question I don’t believe is answerable at this point. I do believe it plays a significant role, but I can’t point to a percentage and say “aerobic fitness improves RSA by X%.”

As with all other training factors, balance and finding the lowest hanging fruit is key. Aerobic fitness deserves a seat at the table.

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. Sanders, G. J., Turner, Z., Boos, B., Peacock, C. A., Peveler, W., & Lipping, A. (2017). Aerobic capacity is related to repeated sprint ability with sprint distances less than 40 meters. International journal of exercise science, 10(2), 197.

2. Aziz, A. R., Chia, M., & Teh, K. C. (2000). The relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance indices in field hockey and soccer players. Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 40(3), 195.

3. Bishop, D., & Spencer, M. (2004). Determinants of repeated-sprint ability in well-trained team-sport athletes and endurance-trained athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 44(1), 1.

4. Jones, R. M., Cook, C. C., Kilduff, L. P., Milanović, Z., James, N., Sporiš, G., … & Vučković, G. (2013). Relationship between repeated sprint ability and aerobic capacity in professional soccer players. The Scientific World Journal, 2013.

5. Korkmaz Eryılmaz, S., & Kaynak, K. (2019). Relationship between repeated sprint ability and aerobic fitness in college volleyball players.

6. Doyle, B., Browne, D., & Horan, D. (2020). The relationship of aerobic endurance and linear speed on repeat sprint ability performance in female international footballers. Int. J. Hum. Mov. Sports Sci, 8, 147-153.

7. Turner, A. N., & Stewart, P. F. (2013). Repeat sprint ability. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 35(1), 37-41.

8. Haseler, L. J., Hogan, M. C., & Richardson, R. S. (1999). Skeletal muscle phosphocreatine recovery in exercise-trained humans is dependent on O2availability. Journal of applied physiology, 86(6), 2013-2018.

9. Malone, S., Owen, A., Mendes, B., Hughes, B., Collins, K., & Gabbett, T. J. (2018). High-speed running and sprinting as an injury risk factor in soccer: Can well-developed physical qualities reduce the risk? Journal of science and medicine in sport, 21(3), 257-262.

10. Castagna, C., Manzi, V., D’OTTAVIO, S. T. E. F. A. N. O., Annino, G., Padua, E., & Bishop, D. (2007). Relation between maximal aerobic power and the ability to repeat sprints in young basketball players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 21(4), 1172-1176.

11. Aziz, A. R., Chia, M., & Teh, K. C. (2000). The relationship between maximal oxygen uptake and repeated sprint performance indices in field hockey and soccer players. Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 40(3), 195.

12. Rodríguez-Fernández, A., Sanchez-Sanchez, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Nakamura, F. Y., Rodríguez-Marroyo, J. A., & Villa-Vicente, J. G. (2019). Relationship between repeated sprint ability, aerobic capacity, intermittent endurance, and heart rate recovery in youth soccer players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33(12), 3406-3413.

Too often, when I go to high school track meets, I see horizontal jumpers fouling their attempts, jumping off the wrong leg, and having out-of-control flight and landing mechanics. Much of this is due to coaches and athletes not having access to a runway, board, or sandpit. If you coach the horizontal jumps, you know how important it is to be able to train with all three of these.

Unfortunately, many coaches don’t have that ability for an assortment of reasons. The most common of these are:

• The track is under construction.
• It is indoor track season.
• It is too cold outside and/or there is snow on the ground.
• The school doesn’t have a track.

If you coach the long jump and don’t have access to a runway, board, and/or sandpit for whatever reason, you can still train for success. Be creative. This article will provide solutions and actionable ideas to make the most of your situation.

If you coach the long jump and don’t have access to a runway, board, and/or sandpit for whatever reason, you can still train for success. Be creative, says @KCPerformance_. Share on X

It is obvious why athletes need a proper training environment to succeed in the horizontal jumps. I coach in Rhode Island, where we have indoor track season in the winter and outdoor track season in the spring. This means that during the indoor season, I can’t use the track for most of the season because it is cold, and we have plenty of snowfall. I don’t let this get in the way of our expectations to develop proficient jumpers. I have an athlete who jumped 22 feet 4 inches and never practiced on a regulation long jump runway with a board or sand pit. It can be done.

Make Your Own Board

A board is important. Jumpers need to practice their steering abilities and approach to the board. I created a board using white athletic tape, though there are a variety of other tapes you can use. I always have athletic tape on hand, and it’s relatively easy to see. I’ve also used chalk in the past to draw a board.

When you measure out the board, it is essential to use the exact standard measurements. This means the length of the board should be 1.2 meters, and the width of the board should be 20 centimeters. The tape may become worn, especially if you use it frequently, so it is essential to replace the tape as needed throughout the season.

If you have wide-enough space, you can even tape down multiple boards to create multiple runways. I like to have multiple boards since it allows me to dedicate a runway to beginner jumpers and more advanced jumpers. Plus, when you tape a board, it means it’s portable. So, if you tape a board and realize it is not in the most appropriate spot, you can always move it.

Video 1. Example of an athlete using a makeshift runway and taped board on an inside track.

Set Up a Runway

There’s nothing groundbreaking in this paragraph, but I do need to point out a few things. The most important part of the makeshift runway is to give the jumpers an appropriate and safe space to approach and then decelerate in. I am lucky that my school has an indoor 150-meter track, which means I have enough space to dedicate to a long jump runway.

The runway and board should be two very different colors so the jumper can clearly see the board and steer toward it as needed. Make sure your team knows which lane or space is dedicated to jumpers. Depending on where you’re making a runway (e.g., a hallway), you can mark it off with cones, chalk, or other landmarks.

Do not place the board in an area with heavy foot traffic because that will distract the jumper. Give them their space; the last thing anybody wants is the jumpers worried that somebody might run into their area while they are in the middle of their approach.

Create a Safe Pit

Jumping without sand is not ideal since sand helps to reduce impact and cushion landing forces. I have two alternatives that I use during the indoor season. One is a high jump landing pit that is safely connected as it would be during the high jumping event at a track and field meet. The other consists of gymnastics mats stacked on each other, creating about a foot of padding between the floor and the top of the mat. Both options have their pros and cons.

The great thing about connecting a few high jump mats is that we create a large surface area on which we can practice competition-type landings. The downside is that the pit is about 3 feet off the ground, so we have to do our take-offs off a 4–6-inch box. We really only use this type of setup if we want to practice our flight and landing mechanics. We also never make full approaches with this setup. For an 18-step long jumper, the farthest we jump from is a 12-step approach. We do not use this type of setup too often because I feel that doing most of your training off a box can create bad habits.

Safety is the number one priority here. If there is somebody who I feel can’t safely perform this type of jump off a box onto a high jump pit, then I simply don’t have them do it. I haven’t had any issues with this setup so far.

Stacking gymnastics mats on top of one another is a good option for practicing approach mechanics, steering abilities, the penultimate step to takeoff technique, and the beginnings of the in-air technique. Again, with this option, like the last, we never do competition approach lengths. It is simply unsafe, and if we are working on technique, I like to slow things down while we are learning.

Stacking gymnastics mats is a good option for practicing approach mechanics, steering abilities, the penultimate step to takeoff technique, and the beginnings of the in-air technique. Share on X

This type of setup works well for shorter approach lengths, skipping drills, run-run-jumps, etc. This is how we perform most of our long jump practice. It is important to give plenty of space past the “pit” for the jumpers to decelerate safely without harming themselves. The longer the approach, the more room they need to decelerate. Approach lengths usually vary from 6–12 steps.

Video 2. Stacked gymnastics mats stand in for a sand pit to enable athletes to practice approach mechanics, penultimate step to takeoff technique, and steering indoors.

The Important Stuff

The approach work and what happens on the ground are the most critical aspects of the long jump. If an athlete has poor approach mechanics, penultimate, and takeoff, then we don’t need to practice our flight mechanics or landings just yet. Good landing and flight mechanics are side effects of technically sound approaches. Within this setup, I instruct the jumpers to extend the swing leg after takeoff and land on the opposite foot they took off from. This teaches them the motion of the hang and hitch-kick without them even realizing it.

What happens on the runway and on the board is far more important than what happens in the air and on the landing. This is because everything that happens in the air is set up and created by what happens before it. What comes before the in-air stuff? The takeoff, penultimate step, approach run, and starting position. Without these four things in good shape, everything happening in the air and on the landing will be flawed anyway. An optimal landing does not occur without an optimal takeoff and approach run.

This is a challenging idea for kids to understand. They want to do competition-length approaches, jumps, and competition landings into a sandpit all the time and usually don’t like settling for anything less. The best advice I can give regarding this is to provide athletes with the best logical and sound rationale as to why you train them this way and how they can become very proficient at the long jump event without ever touching a sand pit during training.

Explain rationally to athletes why you train them this way and how they can become very proficient at the long jump event without ever touching a sand pit during training, says @KCPerformance_. Share on X

Get Better Results

This is the setup I have used, and it has worked very nicely. We have seen significant performance improvements and school records being broken while using this setup. Being creative and resourceful as a high school coach is always important, especially if your budget and facilities are less than ideal.

I would begin implementing this setup as soon as possible so your jumpers can safely improve their performance. None of these things guarantee that your jumpers will be better—just like anything else, it comes down to the coaching. Make sure you use these recommendations wisely and safely; as always, make sure they work for your situation and the athletes in front of you.

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

In 2011, I started my first internship at Longwood University under John Hark and Rick Canter. I was a Business Administration major with an interest in lifting weights and the desire to coach, but I didn’t know what exactly. A friend I trained with was interning for Coach Hark and suggested I reach out to him as well.

I understood only the basics of training (I went to the gym and worked out) and knew nothing about sports performance. The terms “kinesiology,” “biomechanics,” “triphasic,” “tier system,” and “energy system development” meant nothing to me, and to say I felt inadequate would be an understatement. I had no idea what I was doing, but within the first week I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do.

I’ve experienced three drastically different internships in my career, all at the college level. Overall, my time at Longwood was my best experience even though it was the “smallest” school. Why? It was the perfect blend of science and practice in a supportive environment. I was able to learn about the field and the science behind training, and most importantly, I coached every day for three years.

As I stepped into a full-time role, I wanted to develop an internship program that gave interns the best experience possible—a program that blended scientific truths, offered practical experience, and prepared interns to pursue any and every sector in the strength and conditioning field.

When developing an internship program from scratch, there were a few things I considered.

1. Start with Why

Determining the why behind a program will help guide us in the future when it comes to the growth or evolution of the program. The heart of any good program is rooted in education and service. We want to educate interns on the foundational principles of training, give them the practical experience to land a full-time job, and have a servant’s heart to guide them through this field. We tell our interns this in our first meeting and even during the interview process because it’s important for them to know what guides our decisions during this program.

We want to educate interns on the foundational principles of training, give them the practical experience to land a full-time job, and have a servant’s heart to guide them through this field. Share on X

If we’re starting an internship program to contribute to the future of the field, we’ll introduce and keep great people. If we’re starting an internship program to have bodies to clean and organize the weight room, then we shouldn’t have one in the first place.

I’m not saying interns shouldn’t do these things, because it’s part of the day-to-day responsibilities of any coach. I clean and organize the weight room every day. However, it can’t be the only thing a person experiences during their time with us. These types of internships push good people away from the field and leave them questioning what they saw in coaching in the first place.

2. Create a Deliberate Interview Process

Interview processes create the results they’re designed to produce. If we’re frustrated with the final product, then we need to change the interview process. This process should filter out any applicant that doesn’t fit our ideal candidate or culture. I’m not saying turn everyone away, but we need to be deliberate. Questions and discussion should require critical thinking, allow applicants to show their personality, and be transparent about what this position and career entails.

While marketing the internship, be upfront about the expectations and day-to-day experience interns will have. This includes the number of hours required, what the daily work looks like, and how they’ll be contributing to the department and training. This will help limit the number of applications and find the people we’re looking for.

To be honest, I’ve never turned away a person for an internship. However, we have open and honest dialogue during the interview. We describe what the field is like, what our jobs are day-to-day, and the long-term effort needed to be successful. This has led to applicants either realizing they want to go elsewhere or deciding this is exactly where they want to be. If a person is hesitant to get into this field based on this conversation, then this field probably isn’t for them.

3. Prepare Interns for the Next Step

Our goal at the end of our program is for interns to be able to coach from day one of their next stop. This doesn’t matter if it’s high school, college, private, or tactical: we want our interns to be confident in their ability to lead a room and program effectively.

Our goal at the end of our internship program is for interns to be able to coach from day one of their next stop, says @coachrgarner. Share on X

As a side note, I believe the most important skill of being a coach is public speaking. If we can’t speak confidently in front of large groups, then we’re going to struggle to lead a room. A coach may lack knowledge but still land a job because they can speak to and direct a crowd of people.

To fill our internship positions, we focus on recruiting freshman or sophomore students to our program. Why? This gives them an early start on their career to see if this field is something they’re interested in. Conversely, some may step in and realize it isn’t for them. That’s progress: now they know and can pursue other sectors instead of finding out they hate their “dream job” the last semester before graduation.

For those who decide this field is for them, we can pour into these students and guide them in the right direction. If they show potential, we can mold them into “assistant coaches,” and they’ll become another coach on the floor for the next 3–4 years.

By getting students in year one or two versus their last semester of college, we give them a massive advantage in the job market. If they intern from their sophomore year on, they could have three different internships under three different staffs by the time they graduate. With that much experience and networking, they’ll be able to land a GA or full-time position upon graduating. At the very least, they’ll land an excellent internship under a high-level coach. (I’d advise pursuing a big-time internship the summer before their senior year.)

4. Develop a Curriculum

Educating interns should be a significant portion of our program. As coaches in the field, it is our job to lead and educate the next generation. Developing a curriculum ensures we are teaching the foundational topics and skills needed to be successful without going off-track or missing topics.

If we don’t have a written-out curriculum, then it can be hard to stay on task or have a progression of topics. There are times when we want to sit down and answer any questions interns have, which can lead to great discussions, but we still need to have a curriculum in place.

Table 1 shows a sample of the curriculum we’ve previously used. We focus on the practical side because most students lack this experience. Since they’re getting the detailed science in class, we want to fill in the back-end with practical information to help present the whole picture. Do we discuss scientific topics? Absolutely, but the practical side is what separates average from great coaches. Topics covered include lifting technique, assessment, warm-up, injury modification, Excel, programming, and professional development.

The two biggest takeaways for our interns were always the Excel workshop and video calls with coaches. It’s vital to show interns how to use Excel, as most have never used it, and Excel is a strength coach’s best friend. This is a unique skill set for coaches. It also helps applicants stand out and may land them a job, as not every place will have resources yet to manage and distribute their workouts. 

5. Let Interns Coach

The purpose of internships is to connect the classroom to the real world and letting interns coach is as real world as it gets. If we only instruct our interns to clean, then we’re wasting their time. What’s the best way to serve and educate interns? Letting them coach under our supervision.

In my first internship, I was able to coach and lead different parts of workouts regularly. Although I lacked the scientific knowledge compared to my peers, I could lead and coach a room better than most, setting me apart. Starting out, I preferred learning how to coach from the floor versus from a place of deep scientific knowledge, believing I could learn biomechanics, energy system development, and programming on my own. However, learning the soft skills of communication, emotional awareness, critical thinking, and time management takes time and often requires positive and negative experiences to form. In the end, soft skills typically make or break a hire, which is why internship programs should focus these skills.

Soft skills—communication, emotional awareness, critical thinking, time management—typically make or break a hire, which is why internship programs should focus these skills, says @coachrgarner. Share on X

To get interns started, I have found it useful to organize a coaching progression (shown in table 2) and have them lead the warm-up, explain the workout, handle time intervals, lead post-stretch, or coach a rack. Start small and work up.

Some interns can step in on the first day and lead, while others may take more time. Overall, what matters is that we’re letting our interns coach more with time. I’ve had internships where I led teams for a whole year, and others where I wasn’t allowed to coach until the last day of the internship. I know exactly which one had the greater impact on my development as a coach.

6. Integrate Technology into the Experience

The use of laser timers, jump mats, heart rate monitors, and other technology is prevalent in our field today. If the department owns and uses technology, take the time to teach interns how to use it, how to collect and organize data, and how to interpret the data to make training decisions.

For the future of our profession, it’s crucial we teach interns how to use this technology and also to not be controlled by it. Technology is a tremendous tool, but at the end of the day, coaches must make the training decisions. Screens can’t replace the coaching eye.

There may be a time where a department has no technology available. Considering this, it’s important to educate interns on ways to train and evaluate programs without technological assistance. They might be hired somewhere without a budget, and it’s important we don’t set them up to be unable to show the administration that they can do their job effectively.

7. Teach Interns How to Train

We hear this all the time, but it’s the truth. An intern doesn’t have to be the strongest person in the room, but they need to know how to train. We learn by doing, and this is especially true when it comes to lifting. Getting under the bar is the best teacher we have. The only way we’ll know what a heavy squat feels like is to get under the bar and do it. The same can be said for speed and jump development. As a coach, if we’re going to prescribe something, we need to know what it feels like and what the recovery process looks like after the fact.

As a coach, if we’re going to prescribe something, we need to know what it feels like and what the recovery process looks like after the fact, says @coachrgarner. Share on X

If schedules align, we have interns train with the S&C staff. This is often when we get to know each other and build a stronger relationship. Personally, I have interns follow the program I’m doing unless they have a dedicated training plan or goal, such as Olympic weightlifting. My caveat is if I see they aren’t training consistently and diligently, then they’ll start training with the staff.

The other option is to follow the training plan the athletes are doing. I’ve seen this be a tremendous bonding tool for the interns and athletes. If the team knows the intern is following the program, they’ll ask them about the workout, how it felt, and the difficulty. On the flip side, the interns know how the athletes will feel during training and can coach them through it.

An underrated experience that we also need to teach is what constitutes hard training. To me, this means training when we don’t want to, pushing ourselves beyond our limits, and experiencing productive discomfort. This doesn’t mean reckless, excessive, and dangerous training, but there is a place for experiencing tough training cycles with amplified intensity and volume.

Build a Program for the Future

A well-rounded internship program can be a tremendous asset to any school or department. It provides a place for interns to learn and gives coaches a network of potential assistant coaches to hire in the future. Although we may be hesitant to let interns coach or lead specific parts of training, it’s critical to their development.

Although we may be hesitant to let interns coach or lead specific parts of training, it’s critical to their development, says @coachrgarner. Share on X

Interns don’t need to write programs or take over entire teams. We can easily let them explain workouts, lead warm-ups, or coach athletes walking around the room. The practical experience is what internships exist to provide. Our internship programs should provide opportunities for interns to learn and experience what coaching is like with the support of a professional to help them progress. Remember, interns will determine the future of our profession, and their experiences will positively or negatively impact the next generation.

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