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Third quarter. Tie game. Your star player is sitting on the bench during a time-out. Despite only playing a few minutes, he is unable to catch his breath. You advise him to put his hands behind his head and take a few big, deep breaths. The moment passes, and he lets you know he can go back in the game. You tell yourself you shouldn’t be too concerned. This is normal for kids, right?

Breathing deficiencies are more common than most coaches realize. Recent research has shown that 15-25% of athletes suffer from asthma-like symptoms.¹ On a team of 20 kids, 4-5 of the athletes are probably suffering from issues like wheezing, coughing, congestion, and an inability to reach their peak physical state.

Breathing is one of the many pillars of performance, yet breathing deficiencies are more common than most coaches realize, explains @TomBroback. Share on X

Why would you need to address breathing with your athletes? That is a great question that I hope to answer emphatically to encourage you to focus on this aspect of health and performance. Breathing is one of the many pillars of performance. Exercise, mindset, nutrition, and recovery are all other pillars that I talk about with other coaches and athletes. You may have more, and that works. Breathing will always be included because every athlete has to breathe in order to not only live, but to play their sport well.

Commons Issues Athletes Have with Breathing

Breathing drills matter to me because I grew up with asthma. As an active athlete my whole life, I faced additional challenges in my health and performance. I did not know of these drills growing up and firmly believe incorporating them on a regular basis would have changed my athletic career. The best education at the time was to go to a doctor, use an inhaler, and stop playing when it got too hard.

This message has all been too prevalent for athletes with breathing issues. Doctors and medications are still important, but there is so much more we, as coaches, can provide our athletes. Beyond this, there are common issues most athletes suffer from when it comes to breathing.

Less Is More

Contrary to popular belief, breathing should occur less frequently than usual. Over-breathing causes an excess release of carbon dioxide, which negatively impacts the release of oxygen from the red blood cells to the working muscles.² People think breathing more will increase the oxygen intake, yet our blood cells are typically near their capacity for oxygen molecules anyway. This is why breathing less often is better for your athletes to perform at their best.

If you don’t know whether your athletes are breathing correctly, consider this. Breathing cycles have been shown to be most efficient with a 5.5-second inhale and a 5.5-second exhale, giving us an average of 5.5 breaths/minute.³ Have each athlete count their breaths per minute. I bet a lot will have more than 10 breaths per minute and certainly can benefit from breathing drills.

Quiet, Not Loud

Along with breathing less often, breathing quieter will be more beneficial to your athletes. Taking a big, deep breath is going to affect the carbon dioxide pattern mentioned above. At rest, your athletes should barely be able to hear themselves breathe. Instructing athletes to take a large, deep breath is not the most efficient pattern to help them calm down and reset despite the common advice coaches give their players.

Along with breathing less often, breathing quieter will be more beneficial to your athletes, says @TomBroback. Share on X

Use Your Nose to Breathe

Noses are meant for breathing. Mouths are meant for eating. A large reason for this is nasal breathing will activate your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) more effectively than mouth breathing does.² When you combine this with the proper use of your diaphragm muscle, you maximize the efficiency of the human body. Considering that we breathe every minute of every day, we want to make sure we aren’t in an elevated sympathetic state from the way we breathe all the time. Nasal breathing for the win.

Hands on Knees Is Okay

Bonus time. This research article has made the rounds in the strength and conditioning community, and I feel it is of most importance to mention here. A 2019 study of recovery positions found athletes recovered better with their hands on their knees, rather than the typically coached behind the head position.⁴ Most athletes I know feel the knee position is more natural, and maybe we need to listen to this intuitive desire.

There is no worse feeling as an athlete, especially with asthma, than a coach yelling at you to get your hands behind your head as you gasp for air. We can work on forgetting what the optics look like and focus on what science tells us is best for recovery. Would you rather look tougher and not perform well? I don’t think so.

We have now identified the common issues athletes have with breathing. We know our society is wired to stimulate the sympathetic system all day, from text messages to breaking news to portable speakers to the stress of school and work. Helping athletes turn their brain, their nervous system, and their environment from a heightened sympathetic state to a more neutral parasympathetic state can be all the difference in creating a great workout session, an excellent practice, or the ability to get a good night’s rest.

Breathing Drills

Let’s dive into how to do this. Here are four common drills I use with athletes to help them breathe better, feel better, and most of all, perform better.

Belly Breathing

Belly breathing is a phenomenal way to get athletes into a better psychological state before a practice, workout, or game. The team at Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) has done a tremendous job of advocating for belly breathing as part of a complete program. Belly breathing emphasizes the use of the diaphragm, combined with nasal breathing, to calm the body and mind before a stressful event like a workout or game. It took me a moment or two to figure out this is a time we want increased PNS activity to better prepare the athlete for the massive amount of stimulus and stress about to occur.

Belly breathing emphasizes the use of the diaphragm, combined with nasal breathing, to calm the body and mind before a stressful event like a workout or game, says @TomBroback. Share on X

Video 1. You can do belly breathing in a variety of positions. I like to get the athlete on the ground with their hands on their sides to get full expansion and proper rib cage movement with each breath.

A darkened room can also help the athlete settle down their mind before competition. I advocate for 3-5 minutes of this, typically combined with RPR drills.

Breath Holds

Breath holds are an excellent exercise you can add to a workout program. This drill doesn’t take very long, but it is incredibly effective. The idea of this is to increase the tolerance of carbon dioxide in your body to improve the exchange of oxygen between your red blood cells and your working muscles.

Video 2. Working on holding your breath until you feel the urge to breathe will have a dramatic impact on performance, especially in athletes who do not breathe efficiently.

Holding your breath for a long time is impressive, but we are more concerned here with delaying the time it takes for your body to tell you a breath is needed.

7-11 Breathing Drill

This is an excellent drill to incorporate after the end of a workout. When we work out or practice hard, the body is elevated into a sympathetic state. In order to maximize our recovery time, we need to transition into a parasympathetic state as quickly as possible. This drill speeds up the process if you have your athletes do it directly after a session or practice.

Video 3. With 7-11 breathing, both numbers stand for seconds. The “7” is for a seven-second inhale, while the “11” is for an 11-second exhale.

Doing this for 3-5 minutes after a workout or practice can be a game-changer for your athletes. Once again, I prefer athletes to lie down and dim the lights and music if they can. If you don’t have time to do this after a workout or practice, instruct your athletes to get this drill in at home as soon as possible.

4×4 Box Breathing

Box breathing is a perfect drill to do right before bedtime. Similar to 7-11, box breathing will get your athletes in a parasympathetic state to calm their brain and nervous system before bedtime. The difference with this drill is there are breath holds incorporated. “4×4” stands for a four-second inhale, a four-second pause, a four-second exhale, and another four-second breath hold.

Video 4. Repeated box breathing for 3-5 minutes before bed can improve the quality and quantity of sleep, which athletes most desperately need.

Breath Has Power

You don’t have to be a respiratory therapist to understand the power of breathing drills. Respected resources like The Oxygen Advantage and Breath can help you take your athletes to the next level. I hope you start practicing these drills with your athletes. Performing 7-11 breathing after basketball practice, belly breathing before a state meet, or 4×4 breathing before bedtime can be a game-changer for your team.

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. Miller, M.G., Weiler, J.M., Baker, R., Collins, J., and D’Alonzo, G. “National Athletic Trainers’ Association position statement: Management of asthma in athletes.” Journal of Athletic Training. 2005;40(3):224-245.

2. McKeown, P. The Oxygen Advantage: Simple, scientifically proven breathing techniques to help you become healthier, slimmer, faster, and fitter. New York, NY: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. 2016.

3. Nestor, J. Breath: The new science of a lost art. New York: Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. 2020.

4. Michaelson, J.V., Brilla, L.R., Suprak, D.N., McLaughlin, W.L., and Dahlquist, D.T. “Effects of Two Different Recovery Postures during High-Intensity Interval Training.” Translational Journal of the ACSM. 2019;4(4):23-27. doi: 10.1249/TJX.0000000000000079

Carl Valle recently wrote an article on arm action that led me to unpack some of the research behind arm action and see how it matched with my own observations over the years.

There is still a debate about coaching correct arm action. Many coaches say they don’t bother to cue the arms. Others recognize the significance of doing so, even if it is some vague, half-hearted mumbling like “They serve to counterbalance the lower body.”

To be clear, I am not sure that the issue of “fixing arms” is an elite problem. Elite athletes and even those approaching that level almost always have the look down—that is, purposeful and contralaterally fused with the lower limbs. The goal of arm action should be to get them to not be an issue, as arms can be more of a hindrance than any sort of gateway to garnering All-State honors.

Sprinting is mostly about the legs and feet; however, let’s not kid ourselves that there isn’t some juice to squeeze out of the arms when dealing with our typical high school athlete. Share on X

Sprinting is mostly about the legs and feet; however, let’s not kid ourselves that there isn’t some juice to squeeze out of the arms if we are dealing with our typical high school athlete. A lot of the issues I see with arms stem from a lack of long-term development and a deficient skill base. The athlete simply works against themselves and resists that which should occur naturally.

My goal isn’t to dissect specific angles but to merely continue the conversation that perhaps the issue of arm action isn’t as simple as some make it out to be.

Arm Action During Acceleration

“During the start of the sprint, the body’s center of mass leans forward, suggesting that the relative momentum of the horizontal component of both arms may not be canceled.”

This quote originates from a research paper titled “Scapula behavior associates with fast sprinting in first accelerated running.” It points out that there is a distinction between what the arms may contribute during the athlete’s forward-leaning acceleration phase and when they’re upright running. The arms move more forward and backward during the acceleration phase, whereas in upright sprinting they move up and down. In the same study, subjects were restricted with tape at the scapula, thus limiting arm drive. As a result, the athletes were not able to achieve as deep of a forward lean. This tells me that limiting the arms compromised balance.

Another research article titled “Body position determines propulsive forces in accelerated running” states that this matters because “Higher accelerations were generated by lower, but more forward oriented forces. The orientation of the maximum force vector strongly correlated with the forward lean of the body at toe-off.” Good accelerators know how to apply force horizontally from deep body angles, and arms have quite a lot to do with it.

Still another study discovered that “Arms contributed 22% of the body’s kinetic energy, indicative of the importance of these segments during the pushing phase of the block start.”

So, whether or not you feel the need to have interventions related to the arms, we cannot ignore that they are important. I have seen many high school athletes who function as if they have taped scapulas.

If you remove the tape scenario from the equation, their passive and rigid arms are a major impediment to body angles and drive during initial acceleration. Of course, the legs are still the driver, but the general lack of motor skills causes the legs and arms to be nearly disengaged from each other.

We know that strength correlates to acceleration abilities; however, thinking strength work (especially purely upper body work) is the sole answer to anything sprint-related is where some coaches and athletes still run afoul. Carl remarked in his article that boosting strength numbers isn’t enough to guarantee improvements in pure arm action, but the force production capabilities and postural benefits of having a strong upper body don’t mean it isn’t a piece of the puzzle.

Next Steps

Admittedly, this is a lot to sort through. One of the mistakes I used to make more frequently was saying too much, too early. Armed with good intentions, I would force instructions onto a runner trying to learn the basics of sprinting and ultimately paralyze them. Cues for arms can work, but exactly who with and when is another story. It is not my goal to just give a list of cues here. A shy freshman might need to “Use more violence with your arms,” and this direction to increase the intent is nice, but it doesn’t mean it is a long-term fix.

Cues for arms can work, but exactly who with and when is another story, says @grahamsprints. Share on X

“Split and rip” may be appropriate for someone who is too passive on the downstroke during acceleration, as long as they continue to build and don’t end up striking an acceleration pose for the camera. I am fine with any cue as long as it keeps the act of sprinting subconscious and hindbrain.

I do like continual drilling and using basic movements as reference points during specific sprint workouts. While no drill mirrors the range of motion and speed of the arms during true sprints, all drills require purposeful contributions from the arms to be considered “good drills.” Quantification of improvements with drills feels largely subjective, but one thing I look for on video is that when a foot first contacts the ground, the arms are nearly parallel to each other and ready to flex and extend with the contralateral leg.

It isn’t that any drill is a magic fix for arm action, it is more about making arm contribution a nonnegotiable habit for as many movements as possible. Certainly, a specific drill could be the starting point or the thing to revisit to make a change.

As far as more authentic sprinting solutions, I think hills and sleds are the way to go. These are both excellent means to provide an environment suitable for the athlete to make mistakes, refine the movement, and have a fighting chance to figure it out. The most obvious benefit of hills and sleds is that they make it necessary to use greater drive and arm action to complete the repetition. This makes it possible to maintain body position longer, and the speed of the run is technically submax. Athletes are usually less worried about artificial low heel recovery and mimicking the look of their favorite sprinter and instead can improve just by using natural strategies from experiencing the hill or the added weight behind them.

I am a fan of using one of these items per week early in the season and eventually progressing to a contrast workout with a flat ground rep in close proximity to the hill or resisted sprint, which serves as the reinforcement. I find hills and sleds pair well with cues in the form of analogies.

If you want to improve limb synchronization, leave the strength exercises masquerading as sprints alone, says @grahamsprints. Share on X

I do not particularly enjoy using sleds so heavy or hills so steep that the repetition becomes a laborious double-foot support sled pull or a hill trudge absent of motor skill learning. If you want to improve limb synchronization, leave the strength exercises masquerading as sprints alone.

Video 1. Hills and sleds can provide opportunities for an athlete to naturally use greater drive and arm action. Avoid going so steep and heavy that it negatively impacts limb synchronization.

Arms During Maximum Velocity

“The vertical range of motion of the body CM was increased by the action of the arms. The arms were found to make a small but important contribution to lift, roughly 5-10% of the total. This contribution increased with running speed.”

This quote comes from a study called “Upper Extremity Function in Running. I: Center of Mass and Propulsion Considerations.” It was done on a treadmill at running speeds of 3.8 m/s, 4.5 m/s, and 5.4 m/s. This is a far cry from sprint velocity, but as the speed increased, the vertical lift contributed by the arms also increased. It would not be farfetched to think that the arms also increase lift during a full sprint. This is different from the horizontal drive that the arms are thought to provide during acceleration. With no major forward lean, the arms move up and down relative to the trunk. The forward and back swinging cancels out any horizontal momentum.

Ralph Mann spent some time studying 200m Olympic finalists and found that the “faster sprinters had a greater arm displacement from the shoulder (135° versus 118°) and elbow (84° versus 67°), as well as joints with a greater average speed from the shoulder (525°/s versus 490°/s).”

As I said previously, I don’t think arm action is a problem for elites, and this doesn’t necessarily mean that arms are the deciding factor. However, it is clear that faster runners have the arms to match their lower body.

I have seen jumpers at the high school level truncate their flight and hurdlers flail due to some degree of arm issues. I am far from a biomechanist, but it does seem worthwhile, especially early in development, to provide long-term development opportunities with the arms. In acceleration the arms are about creating power, and during upright sprinting they are about matching and amplifying the reflexive “snap” in the lower body.

Most coaches are aware of stretch reflexes occurring in the lower body, at least on a general level. In my opinion, lots of high school sprinters make their arm action too deliberate. There must be some reflex in the upper body to match the rate of speed of the legs below. It isn’t about pumping the arms harder.

This is why it becomes crucial to relax, remain free of tension, and use an appropriate range of motion. When watching videos of my faster sprinters, you can see how the arms mirror and support the legs. When the arm is near max extension, so is the contralateral hip. It seems like the stretch placed on the pec at this point aids in creating an elastic and natural movement of the arms and spine. At foot strike the ground contact is brief, while the arms ideally are close to parallel and beginning to both move upward, working in concert with the legs/feet to perhaps amplify the vertical forces. The arm closes into max flexion as it passes the hip along with the opposite leg.

Arms are important to create balance and rhythm but without proper motor skills and limb synching, the athlete limits their velocity potential on any given day.

What to Do About It

As with arms during acceleration, the goal is to put the athlete in proper training scenarios to feel the contribution from their arms and kind of figure it out.

I do employ some arm cues as well, although I am trying to be more selective about when to speak on it. I have found cueing the athlete to get the arms or elbows “down” creates an athletic and more purposeful look. High school sprinters often drive their arms and hands “up,” which makes them appear robotic because the arm stays locked closer to 90 degrees throughout. The range of motion is often cut short, and they seem more likely to excessively cross over their midline.

Cueing them to “cross the hip with the hand” appears to yield a more reflexive and natural arm swing because of the stretch placed on the pec and shoulder. This strikes me as being similar to an athlete bench-pressing and bouncing the bar off their chest, which is of course dangerous but enables them to move more weight. An easy way to get an athlete or coach to understand this is to stand in place and do an arm swing both ways.

1. 1. Swing your arms upward.

 

1. Swing your arms, focusing on getting the elbows down and hands across your hips.

Of course, arm swing speed from a stationary position is irrelevant for sprint speed but #2 should feel more elastic and natural.

Drills can be valuable in terms of impacting the sprinter from a development perspective, but it is the patience that is the payoff and not any one drill. There are certainly drills, like the strike drill and prance, that I feel strongly about in terms of their ability to impact an athlete quickly.

The best way to improve arm action is with sprint reps that focus on rhythm and motor learning. This goes beyond just tempo work, although surfing the whole sprint velocity curve is one way to avoid pace lock.

The best way to improve arm action is with sprint reps that focus on rhythm and motor learning. This goes beyond just tempo work…, says @grahamsprints. Share on X

Without going into too much detail on each sprint variation, these are the ones I like the most to encourage natural and productive arm movement during upright sprinting. Paired with the previously stated cues, these function as “super drills” that inform the sprinter of their arm and leg cohesiveness.

• • Stair runs at different speeds

 

• • Ins and outs variations

 

• • Buildups

 

• Wickets at different spacings at or slightly shorter than current stride length

Another tool I have used is a cheap, homemade “WeckMethod pulser.” I am no expert in his methods, and I don’t try to be. The small Mentos gum containers are a good size, and I filled them halfway with BBs and then wrapped them in electrical tape. I have seen great results with some of my athletes during the last couple of seasons.

Kids often seem to run faster on relays, and I wonder if the baton does something to their arm that makes it a better lever. This goes beyond athletes merely getting electrified to run with their teammates. I have had conversations with John Garrish, who originated this idea. He says kids seem to run better with something in their hands. I would agree, although I can’t really say why.

I do know the sound of the “pulser” rattle provides another sensory cue for the athlete. During flight, the BBs shift to the other side of the container, and at foot strike they collide with the inside, providing the athlete with feedback on their range of motion, purpose, and reflexive snap. We must cue the athlete not to grip the container tightly, or the tension can flow upstream to other areas and dilute the effectiveness of the teaching tool. This is why something like an Exogen forearm sleeve could be a more suitable alternative, since the hand remains empty.

In a study titled “Effects of arm and leg loading on sprint performance,” subjects ran with lead rods in their hands weighing 0.2 kilograms, 0.4 kilograms, and 0.6 kilograms. It was discovered that “a) Arm loads of <0.6 kg do not seem to interrupt spatiotemporal variables and hence introduce technique breakdown, (b) preference would be to affix load to the lower area of the arms, which increases the rotational inertia and ensures that the hands are not gripping a load.”

These two tools may be another way to add variability to certain exercises without fear, as it does not change stride length, frequency, overall rhythm, or even velocity. Be cautious of tight grips or weights above 0.5 kilograms, as they could change things for the worse.

A Call to Arms

I am certainly no expert in this area, but I have seen lots of bad movement firsthand and can see how faulty arm action hinders my athletes. Merely getting it to not be a major issue can make a difference. Sprinting is still mostly about the legs, but arms that work in concert with them can be a game-changer or at least level the playing field.

Coaching the arms should be about using natural interventions and placing the athlete in a position to subconsciously get more purpose out of their arms. Arms play a huge role in balance and rhythm and increase drive during acceleration and vertical forces when upright.

Coaching the arms should be about using natural interventions and placing the athlete in a position to subconsciously get more purpose out of their arms, says @grahamsprints. Share on X

While arms might not be an issue for elites, the fastest runners have more range of motion and speed at the arms than their slower counterparts.

Cues can help, but my preferred ways to address arms include drills, sprint tasks, and some outside-of-the-box tools that keep sprinting closer to fully hindbrain. This may be a long-term development goal rather than an instant fix, and I have seen coaches impatiently discard things before they have a chance to work. An athlete with terrific motor skills may not need any intervention, and it is best to say nothing to them at all and leave their arms alone.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to anything related to training, so coaches should carefully explore and figure out what, if anything, their athletes need when it comes to arm action.

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 the era of feudalism, the local landowner graciously allowed poor people to live on his land and work it for him. In exchange, the landowner generously provided military protection and law and order, and he allowed each worker to retain a portion of the output. Certainly, a degree of income inequality existed under such a system, but there are natural limits in place when trading goods and services is the primary means of exchanging value. If you own 10 times the number of turnips as your neighbor, you’ll simply become the owner of a lot of moldy turnips in two weeks or so, and 100 horseshoes aren’t useful when you only have one horse!

Times Are Changing

This all changed with the Industrial Revolution, during which three key developments collided to fundamentally change society. These changes are felt to this day:

1. Division of labor.
2. Technological development.
3. The advent of paper money and banking.

This meant that humans could now specialize in a particular task or duty, boosting their productivity. Coupled with new technologies like steam-powered machinery, they were able to produce far more of value than they were ever likely to consume themselves. Industrially minded individuals now had the recipe for the creation of huge wealth, and for the first time it could be stored indefinitely in the form of currency without it going to waste or being lost or stolen.

In short: The Industrial Revolution made it possible, for the first time in human history, for a limited number of individuals to hoard huge sums of wealth. With a booming population and high demand, these individuals took their profits, bought more machines, hired more workers, and doubled down to further consolidate their monopoly on wealth (and the power that follows wealth). In the years 1800 to 1920, wealth inequality increased one-hundredfold in the United States. The political cost of this gap appears to have been the rise of populism and Fascism in the 1930s, and World War II. Interestingly, the highest that wealth inequality has been since then was around the time of the global financial crisis in 2008. Judge for yourself the political ramifications in the 2010s.

It would be overly dramatic to suggest that working as a strength coach in professional or collegiate sport is akin to working in a 19th-century textile mill, but the parallels are there. Share on X

What is clear, though, is that while capitalism and the profit motive are the most powerful engines of productivity we have, those on the bottom rungs of the system suffer disproportionately. Industrialists used their financial and political monopolies to drive up the hours worked by their staff to exploitative levels (12 hours per day, six days per week, no vacation or sick pay), giving no heed to working conditions (think one toilet for several hundred people), and swiftly firing and replacing anyone who complained. “Don’t want your job? No problem, we have 10 people who do.”

Hmmm… unregulated, near-exploitative work hours, flat or worsening pay, a hugely oversupplied workforce that is easy to fire and replace, and a huge income disparity between those at the top and the bottom. Coaches, does any of this sound familiar?

It would be overly dramatic to suggest that working as a strength coach in professional or collegiate sport is akin to working in a 19th-century textile mill, but the parallels are there. The 40-hour week is a joke in high-level strength and conditioning. Sixty is closer to the norm, and seven days a week in-season is par for the course, based on my own experiences and those of my colleagues.

Field Saturation and the Pay Gap

As the market has flooded with aspiring strength coaches while jobs have remained relatively fixed, market dynamics have caused wages to plummet. A colleague told me that the same job he did for one organization 20 years ago now pays 50% less (without accounting for inflation), with more rigorous educational and professional requirements. The same job I did in 2010 now pays less in real terms when accounting for inflation. I personally know of multiple coaches with two degrees and six-figure student debt looming over their heads who have worked at the NCAA Division 1 level for less than $15,000 per year.

It is common these days for head sport coaches in football and basketball to make in excess of 100x the salary of the lowest-level strength coach working with the team, says @RUGBY_STR_COACH. Share on X

Conversely, the compensation at the top of the field continues to rise, widening wealth inequality. Every year, the same article is written about how university presidents, sport coaches, and even head strength coaches are being paid more than ever before. It is common these days for head sport coaches in football and basketball to make in excess of 100x the salary of the lowest-level strength coach working with the team. For context: nasty, cutthroat Wall Street currently sits at 221:1 for its CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio. The trajectory for sports, where we talk endlessly of family and “being in it together,” is not a good one.

In professional sport, but particularly in college sport, the gap between the image the organization projects to its customers (fans and athletes, respectively) and the experience of the staff is comical. I have personally worked elbow to elbow with three colleagues in an “office” that legitimately was a closet in a former life, and I’ve had cockroaches run around my feet where we were expected to use the bathroom and shower. I complained, but nothing happened. I’m sure my experiences were not unique, and you have stories of your own.

The unspoken understanding was that the organization didn’t need to change, because if I didn’t want to be there, they could find someone who did. Ultimately, I didn’t want to be there, and sure enough, they replaced every member of the previous staff in short order, for less money, and with no change to the system that caused everyone to leave in the first place. The reason you don’t hear about it is because careers can be ended with a phone call. If you challenge the status quo, you can be swiftly blackballed and find yourself on the outside looking in. The bosses know it, and their staff knows it, so they keep the code of silence.

To be clear: I’m a grown-up. I chose that job. I could have chosen to be any number of things besides a strength coach. But it doesn’t make it right or necessary. Ultimately, worker exploitation serves neither the organization nor the employer. We see again and again that winning organizations are filled with people who love to work there and whose core members often remain in place for years before success arrives; winning organizations don’t change the seats on the bus every 12-24 months.

So why is it that factory workers don’t work 72 hours a week, 52 weeks a year today? Why aren’t they forced to share one bathroom for an entire shop floor? Why do they get sick pay, health, and retirement benefits? Why is it that an “unskilled” auto worker hired in 2007 or earlier now makes an average of $28-$38 an hour, whereas I, with my two degrees and decade of experience, made the Virginia state minimum of $7.25 and no benefits (in reality less, on account of hours worked) in 2018? The answer is organized labor.

The Labor Movement exists because of the premise that while individual workers are easy to ignore, fire, and replace, they cannot be so easily ignored when they speak and act as a collective. Over the years, labor unions have been responsible for negotiating rising wages, improved working conditions, enhanced benefits, and legal assistance for workers. If you’ve ever benefited from sick pay, taken a weekend off, or utilized employer health insurance, you’ve felt the benefit of the union movement.

From Minimum Wage to Millionaire Coaches

We are overdue for a similar coming together of strength & conditioning professionals. For too long, a strength & conditioning career has been the preserve of only those with pockets deep enough to afford one—first, the burgeoning cost of qualification (another article for another day), and second, the sometimes years of interning and GAships that must be conducted before the terrible wages even begin.

Our field is missing out on the talents of potentially huge numbers of bright, hard-working, but poor coaches who simply can’t afford to enter the workforce. An organized movement of coaches can work with the governing bodies and the institutions to lower the financial barriers of entry. The creation of a parallel career path such as a nationally recognized paid apprenticeship would be one potential option.

Our field is missing out on the talents of potentially huge numbers of bright, hard-working, but poor coaches who simply can’t afford to enter the workforce, says @RUGBY_STR_COACH. Share on X

A strength coaches union can also advocate for the raising of minimum wage standards. Why was I paid $7.25 per hour? Because the school knew they could get away with it. The idea that the money just isn’t there falls on deaf ears. Division 1 institutions routinely sit on endowments in the billions of dollars. “But Keir, you can’t tell donors how their money should be spent.”

Well, you can certainly advise them, and in any event, the University of Texas just spent $40 million on a buyout for the head football coach. That works out to $100,000 for every one of the approximately 350 full-time members of staff in the Athletic Department with plenty of change left over. The money is there, it’s just not there for you, and it will remain as such until schools are contractually obligated to pay it.

Let’s respect the time of the coach and establish clear boundaries for hours worked, mandatory days off, actual vacation time, and contact dead periods. It is now illegal in Germany and France to contact workers via email or telephone unless it’s an emergency. These are not tiny economies, and sport is not the only profession that wants to win. If it is good enough for the largest economies in Europe, it’s good enough for college sport.

By acting as an organized group, strength & conditioning professionals can pool legal resources for issues such as termination, accident and injury of athletes, responding to overbearing sport coaches, or even negotiating a share of the vast bonuses afforded to senior coaches and administrators. We can even go a step further to pool educational resources and raise the collective professional standards. Let membership to a union act as a badge of quality that commands a higher price.

Socialized Strength or Capitalized Coaches?

To be clear, I am not a dyed-in-the-wool commie socialist. I am a business owner myself (albeit a small one), and I expect that, as the man at the top, I reap the greatest reward for incurring the greatest risk. The greater your contribution, the more you should benefit. But I also make sure that my employees take a share of the profits, and their wages rise over time as mine do. That I should get richer and happier as they get poorer and more miserable is neither conscionable nor advisable.

Improved worker conditions and wealth creation are not mutually exclusive. We’ve all heard of the amenities provided for Google’s workers, from food, to exercise facilities, to sleep pods. People want to work there and give their all. It certainly would have made me hang around longer as a university strength coach!

Improved worker conditions and wealth creation are not mutually exclusive, says @RUGBY_STR_COACH. Share on X

Happy workers hang around longer and willingly work harder. For a historical example, do a search for Henry Ford’s $5 revolution for reference. At the time, it represented a near doubling of pay, while reducing hours worked for a great swath of Ford’s workers. The move gets credited as a major driving force behind the creation of the American middle class while further boosting Ford’s domination of American auto manufacturing. These examples were PR coups for both Google and Ford, and both companies still made money hand over fist.

Do not underestimate the lengths to which sports organizations will go to avoid negative press. Simply witness the swiftness with which an employee is scrubbed from their history and website when a DUI or similar indiscretion occurs. A union movement of strength coaches should bear this in mind. If an organization will not respond to the carrot of positive press, there is always the stick of negative press. Draw media attention to those institutions that exploit their workers, create poor conditions, or risk endangering their athletes by hiring unqualified individuals who, often through undue influence from the sport coaches, put athletes in the hospital or worse.

Remember also the nuclear option of organized workers: industrial action. Organizations will act to protect the bottom line even more than their public image. You can imagine the chaos a department walkout on week 1 of the semester or season would cause. Such action, while drastic and to be used as a last resort only, demands attention.

What about the “scabs”—those individuals who would cross the picket line, stay outside of the union, and undercut the competition to secure employment? Isn’t a union doomed to fail as long as such people operate within the field?

Perhaps, but I would highlight the examples of both the Screen Actors Guild and the NFL Players Association. Both unions operate in outrageously competitive fields, and the line outside the door of people willing to work for free is a long one. Nonetheless, both have been able to secure improved wages, conditions, and rights for their workers while driving up the quality of work. Hollywood and the NFL still profit to the tune of billions every year. It can be done.

Making Change Today

What now? We have to recognize and state publicly that change is needed. If the NSCA, CSCCa, or UKSCA are the true coach advocates they claim to be, they need to follow the example of the ASCA and set wage expectations. Create or associate with a workers union and incorporate membership into the accreditation structures. Refuse to affiliate with or advertise jobs for teams or institutions that fall short of the expected standards.

If the NSCA, CSCCa, or UKSCA are the true coach advocates they claim to be, they need to follow the example of the ASCA and set wage expectations, says @RUGBY_STR_COACH. Share on X

If you’re a director or administrator, put your money where your mouth is. Until a union is created, build the kind of working conditions for your coaches where, if you suddenly had to work the same job tomorrow, you’d be happy to do so. When a union does exist, hire only union workers. Send a message to your coaches that you are the family you say you are, and crow as loudly in the press about it as you do when a new locker room or stadium is constructed.

Lastly, if you are an in-the-trenches coach, recognize that a small personal financial and professional sacrifice—say, in the form of union dues or not crossing the picket line—pales in comparison to the collective benefit to the profession as a whole, and that such action benefits those at the very bottom, and smooths the path for those who follow in your footsteps.

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

Many teams and athletes have all kinds of ways to assess recovery, from strap-on heart rate monitors to assessing acute power through vertical jumps to more advanced testing prevalent in professional sports. However, none of these are particularly accessible to an individual training on their own or for trainers working with individuals in a private-sector setting, especially if it’s an online coaching setting where you’re not physically present for the workouts.

Yet, there is one piece of technology that’s increasingly popular and accessible to everybody: wearable technology. With wearable technology—or “wearables,” as the cool kids call them—any individual can get critical info such as heart rate data, sleep statistics, and more right on their smartphone, easily and in a noninvasive manner. The most popular wearable technology brands include Fitbit, the WHOOP Strap, and Oura, and you could even throw the Apple Watch into the conversation. Whichever device you choose, look for two important features:

1. It should provide 24/7 monitoring and be made to be worn day and night. If you don’t wear it at night, for example, you’ll miss key sleep and heart rate data.
2. It is only a tracking device. By staying focused on the data, the device commits all its memory and resources to data tracking and management. For instance, you wouldn’t want to find out your brain surgeon spends most of their time working their second job as a librarian. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just wouldn’t want them as my brain surgeon.)

With this in mind, the WHOOP Strap, Oura Ring, and higher-end Fitbit models check both boxes. I’ll save the more nuanced differences between them for another article.

While wearables have their drawbacks, they democratize the data once previously held by high-level coaches. And with that data, everybody from elite athletes to everyday gym-goers can get insights into their health and performance previously reserved for the best of the best. If you’re training in a team setting but don’t have the resources to provide, for example, a set of Polar heart rate monitors to everyone, you may find that a majority of athletes already collect heart rate data with their personal wearable.

Of all the metrics present on wearable devices today, I don’t think there are any that are more misunderstood than heart rate variability, or HRV. Share on X

However, most of your athletes won’t really know how to use the data to make changes. They’ll get their fancy new wearable watch but then ignore everything it tells them. I don’t believe this is a fault of the individual’s willpower; rather, it’s that they don’t know what they’re looking at. And more importantly, even if they did know what HRV and REM sleep were, for example, they wouldn’t know what to do about them.

Once you teach your athletes what the most common metrics on their wearable device mean, they can then use that information to manage their workload, enhance recovery, and ultimately improve performance. Plus, you give them the skill set to do this on their own, independent of the team setting.

If you’re in a private one-on-one setting, you can take this even further, using the wearable data as an integral part of managing their training, recovery, and overall health.

And, of all the metrics present on wearable devices today, I don’t think there are any that are more misunderstood than heart rate variability, or HRV. HRV has become one of those fancy acronyms synonymous with data, tracking, and high performance. But the problem with it, and a problem with a lot in our field, is how to take a valuable tool like HRV and communicate it in a simple way for our clients and athletes to understand it. What is HRV? What does it mean for our clients?

HRV is a measure of how much your heart rate varies (hence, the name heart rate variability).

For a general understanding of HRV, including exactly what it is and where it comes from, refresh your memory here. But the HRV derived from a wearable device is slightly different from the HRV you collect at any given time of day. If you collect HRV during your athletes’ workouts, that’s not what I’m talking about here.

When Does the Wearable Assess HRV?

Obviously, heart rate and HRV depend on the athlete’s activity. If you’re working out and all of a sudden do a sprint, your heart rate will shoot up, thus affecting the HRV score. These HRV scores are not what the most common wearable devices measure, and they have separate meanings and applications. The HRV that shows on a wearable device is taken while you’re sleeping. The HRV taken during sleep shows general signs of readiness and recovery for the day, rather than assessing a particular moment. Waking HRV has different meanings and applications, but that’s not what a wearable device refers to when reading an HRV score for the day.

The HRV shown on a wearable device is taken while you sleep. It shows general signs of readiness and recovery for the day, rather than assessing a particular moment. Share on X

What Do Wearable HRV Scores Mean?

For the first several days (or even weeks) of looking at an athlete’s HRV data pulled from their wearable device, you’ll start to see a general pattern and reasonably assume what their “baseline” HRV score is. Of course, the more baseline data you have—like the control for any experiment—the more reliable it will be. When working with someone, they’ll often have had a wearable for some time and will have weeks of HRV data piled up that you can look at and make sense of.

In any case, after an athlete has established what their HRV hangs around when they’re well recovered, you can then be on the lookout for variations away from normal. The higher the HRV score, the better recovered and more prepared for stress an athlete is.

Why a Higher HRV Score on Your Wearable Signifies Better Recovery (and Vice Versa)

When our parasympathetic nervous system is more dominant, our heart rate at rest (like sleep, when the wearables pulls HRV data) will be lower. Then, when your heart rate increases because of increased oxygen demands, the rise will be greater, and you’ll have an overall higher HRV. A higher HRV signals that the parasympathetic branch is more dominant and you’re well-recovered.

There are exceptions to this, as this article aptly articulates. But for the vast majority of people, the exceptions only matter after they first learn the general trends. And for most trainees, understanding that in most instances a higher HRV corresponds to enhanced readiness, and vice versa, is a simple benchmark and framework they can use to take action on.

How to Take Action on Changes in HRV

The HRV score on a wearable device will change due to a number of factors. If over the last 3-4 days your HRV has kept creeping down, that’s an indicator that your sympathetic nervous system is overpowering, and you’re not recovering optimally. And, of course, that could be a result (and likely a combination of) a number of factors: Your immune system could be under attack, you could be not sleeping well, you could be dehydrated, or maybe you just added a new stimulus to your training.

Often, the first factor you’ll want to look at with your athletes is their workouts. Have you increased the volume or intensity? This, of course, could explain the decrease in HRV. If you respond to these obvious changes in stress by focusing on recovery methods or otherwise aiming to lower stress, you will soothe HRV back into the normal range.

However, sometimes HRV will decrease, and you won’t have an easy answer for the cause of the increased stress. This is where I’ve seen the best value from looking at wearable HRV data. You have to work with the athlete to try to identify where the stress is coming from. Is their sleep wildly off? Are they stressed with work or school and need changes made to their workout program because of it?

As trainers and coaches, we’re often with our athletes for a few hours per day, max. The HRV data can give us an insight into supporting them during the other hours of the day. Share on X

This most often leads to a deeper conversation beyond training, and into deeper facets of the athlete’s lifestyle—and even their life. As trainers and coaches, we’re often with our athletes for a few hours per day, max. The HRV data can give us an insight into supporting them during the other hours of the day.

Additionally, HRV fluctuates from day to day, but maybe not so much that it causes concern and warrants a deeper conversation. But I encourage the clients I work with to respond to even slight changes. If their HRV is above normal, even slightly, I encourage them to throw in an extra set to take advantage of the fact that their body is well recovered and prepared, and vice versa.

What Makes Looking at HRV on Your Wearable So Valuable

Even when you can’t detect changes in your stress and recovery, the autonomic nervous system can, and one of the clearest ways that’s reflected is in HRV. In other words, HRV is a very “touchy” metric. It’s sensitive, in the best way possible.

For example, before you get sick, your HRV might take a noticeable hit. Your immune system is under attack, and that adds stress that will ultimately show up in your HRV. When you encourage athletes to look at and “listen” to their HRV score, they can halt or blunt the effects of that sickness by prioritizing recovery when they see their HRV drop on their wearable.

This, in a nutshell, is what makes HRV so powerful. It gives a deeper look into the body’s stress and recovery beyond what we can physically feel. It’s like getting to talk to the unconscious part of your brain: the autonomic nervous system. That’s right, it’s giving consciousness… to unconsciousness. Give it a minute; it’ll make sense.

This, in a nutshell, is what makes HRV so powerful. It gives a deeper look into the body’s stress and recovery beyond what we can physically feel. Share on X

Training Factors: Using HRV to Measure Adaptation

When you increase a number with training factors, from volume and intensity to adding a new kind of stimulus, you can expect your athletes’ HRV to dip. Then, after some time, they will adapt to it, and their HRV will come back up. Knowing this, you can also use your HRV score to assess how, or how quickly, your body is adapting to a new stimulus. If, for example, you have your client go from training three days per week to four, you can see how that affects their HRV and how long it takes to return to baseline. Once they’re at the baseline, you can then add another new training stimulus to keep challenging the body and make continual progress.

But you also have to consider that HRV might be affected by other factors. You may have to look at nutrition, hydration, sleep, stress, or other health conditions that could impact your athlete’s HRV.

The number of factors might be overwhelming. But it should also be empowering. If you see HRV go down, that doesn’t mean the athlete’s sleep is messed up or the training volume is too high, necessarily. Rather, HRV is made up of a multitude of factors that all form the puzzle that is your health and performance.

We can’t begin to improve that puzzle—to tweak one of these factors here or there for the better—without being aware that adjustments need to be made. The moment we’re aware of what’s going on is the moment we can take control and make the necessary changes.

How Do I Manage My Athletes’ HRV?

The tendency here may be to ask, “How can I improve my athletes’ HRV?” But we don’t necessarily want the HRV number to stay high. In fact, training should and will cause a downward bump in your HRV. But having the data can help you add in the right amount of stimulus and gauge how it affects your autonomic nervous system. You can add just enough new training to spur stress and ultimately adaptation, but not so much that it causes a setback. This is where a knowledge of HRV provides key insights into training.

However, if you haven’t added stress to a training program, but your HRV decreases, that’s the time to look at other factors like lifestyle factors to assess what could be signaling a sympathetic response in your autonomic nervous system. Check the simple boxes first, like hydration and sleep. See if those bring your HRV back to baseline and go from there.

One common element I’ve noticed among high performers is that their sleep hygiene is off. Sure, they lie in bed for eight hours, but the room is too hot or too bright, or they work out too late at night, and that disrupts their sleep and, ultimately, their recovery.

Second, just make sure they’re adequately hydrated. It’s one of the common factors, and it’s so easy to fix. Encourage them to start drinking more water and see what effect that has on HRV.

As you work with your athletes on making changes in response to their HRV, over time you’ll empower them to make changes on their own. Share on X

As you work with your athletes on making changes in response to their HRV, over time you’ll empower them to make changes on their own. Sure, you’ll still work with them to manage their workload and recovery, but you’ll also give them the knowledge to manage their lifestyle on their own. Understanding HRV gives them the awareness to understand theirbody better; to become more in tune with its subconscious messages and adjustments.

What Happens When You Use the Wearable Data and Make a Change? Make Another Change.

When you add stress in, at first it will have a negative effect on HRV. The body will have to start working harder to recover. But then HRV will go back up, and it will hit the inflection point where it was before the new stimulus. That inflection point begins the super-compensation phase. This phase is what allows athletes to take on that stress again, in a different way. If we put the same stimulus on their body after compensating, the dip in their HRV won’t be as low. And then maybe next time it’ll have an even smaller effect on HRV, and eventually it won’t affect HRV at all.

That HRV score now tells us that we need to do something again to change the stimulus. This is how we progress, and how we get better, and how we can use HRV as a guide from a fitness standpoint.

Now that you know what HRV is, what factors affect it, what to be aware of, and what applications you can make, you can use it to actually improve the health and performance of your athletes.

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

I started my career training the general population in a commercial gym. Client retention was fairly straightforward. (I won’t say easy, but straightforward.)

I had the opportunity to develop a relationship with the key stakeholder, the client, with each and every session I delivered. They were there, I was there, we trained, laughed, became friends, chummed around, and life was good. If there was ever an issue—be it financial, with their perception of my service or training programs, or otherwise—I could talk with the client directly and hash it out.

Business was fairly simple. Again, I won’t say easy, but simple. Meet the client, sell the client, train the client, retain the client.

Then I transitioned into training youth athletes.

I realized an interesting conundrum a few months in. These kids weren’t paying for training themselves (most of them)—their parents were. But unless the parent was particularly involved and either came to the sessions or took the time to call or email, I often wouldn’t see or hear from them for weeks.

It was particularly awkward when I reached out to those who opted out of automatic payments about their monthly bill.

“Hey, I know we haven’t talked in a few weeks and we’ve only met once, but can you pay me now? Great, we’ll chat again about this again next month…”

Of course, it didn’t go down exactly like that, but that’s kind of how it felt.

Further, I can only imagine what the kids themselves said when asked about training.

“Hey little Johnny, how was training today?”

“Good.”

“Oh, good. What did you do?”

“We ran and stuff.”

“You ran and stuff…ok, cool…do you like it?”

“Yea, it’s cool.”

“Oh, it’s cool…well, alright then…what should we do for lunch?”

That doesn’t exactly leave a great impression. And it’s not the kid’s job to inform their parents about training anyway—it’s mine (and yours). It wouldn’t be long before I wouldn’t want to pay for my own children’s training if that’s all I knew about it.

A relationship with the parent is a safeguard against losing clients. It’s a lifeline of the youth development business, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

This dynamic forced me to think outside the box and figure out how to build a genuine relationship with parents I knew I would rarely see. I believe it’s much easier for parents who don’t know me to remove their children from training. Thus, a relationship with the parent is a safeguard against losing clients. It’s a lifeline of the youth development business.

I’m pleased to say I think I do a pretty good job of connecting with parents now. Below are three strategies I’ve instituted to help myself out.

Always Do the Initial Consultation with the Athlete AND the Parent

You should want to get to know the parents just as much as you want to get to know the athlete. Remember, the parents are the ones paying the bill.

It isn’t necessarily wrong to do a consult without the parent present, but it is a huge missed opportunity. Having dedicated time set aside for nothing more than talking is rare. Without the consultation, you’re left with small talk before and after training sessions, phone calls, and emails to build a relationship. Capitalizing on the consultation is key for starting the relationship off on the right foot and setting the stage for it to remain strong down the road.

How exactly do you make the most of the consult? Turn on the charm you learned from How to Win Friends and Influence People?

Sure, put your social skills to work. Find common ground, build rapport, blah blah blah. Beyond that basic sales stuff, there are two sections of the consult that present significant potential in building a relationship with the parent.

History Taking

Most of you will do some sort of history taking with the athlete, asking questions like “Have you ever had any injuries?” and “What type of training have you done before?” After asking these standard questions, turn to the parent and try these three:

1. What sports did you play?
2. What have you noticed about [insert their child’s name]’s performance in the past?
3. What do you think it is that he/she enjoys about sports?

These three questions are targeted. In my opinion, it’s important you ask them in order.

Assuming the parent did indeed play a sport, the first question builds credibility and subtly sets them up as an authority on the child’s sports performance. Everyone likes feeling like an authority, perhaps even more so when it comes to their own kids.

Everyone likes feeling like an authority, perhaps even more so when it comes to their own kids, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

The second question lends itself to that newfound authority, putting the parent in a position to offer critiques and recommendations about how the child can improve. The kid might not like this part very much, but the parent will. Besides, it’s not like kids aren’t used to parents pointing out where they can improve.

The final question tugs on the heartstrings and lets the parent expound on how well they know their own child. It’s an emotional question, and relationships are emotional. You’re opening the emotional door and encouraging the parent to walk through it with this one.

Regardless of the answers you get, the fact that you asked the questions in the first place shows you’re just as interested in the parent’s thoughts and feelings as you are in the athlete’s. This is a small investment in time and effort that yields a big return: The parent knows you care and likes you more for it.

Goal Taking

What is every athlete’s goal? To be the stud. Athletes say they want to run faster, be stronger, hit harder, or whatever else they think will help them become the star. You know as well as I do that you get the same superficial answers every time you ask an athlete what their goals are.

Beneath these, however, is always a deeper motivation. The infamous “why.” Asking an athlete why they want to accomplish whatever goals they’ve stated will always lead to a deeper truth. Getting an honest answer is an art that deserves an article (or a book) to itself. For now, I’ll simply say always ask why, ask in different ways, keep asking until you get an emotional answer, and ask in front of the parent.

You’d be surprised how many parents haven’t asked their own child this question or know their child’s answer. That you ask catches their attention, and if the child feels comfortable enough to tell you the truth, the parent will have learned something deep and important about who their kid is, thanks to you.

What impression do you think this leaves? Let’s just say it’s good.

Equally as important as asking the athlete’s goals is to ask the parent what their goals are for their child, both in athletics and overall in life. Try asking these two questions:

1. What are your priorities for your child?
2. What are your goals for your child’s athletic career?

Just as the parent may be surprised by the child’s answers, the child may be surprised by the parent’s answers, and they may grow closer to each other as a result. Speaking as a parent who already feels close to his children, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to grow even closer, and I would certainly feel indebted to and appreciative of anybody who helps me do so.

Further, from a practical perspective, understanding what the parent values puts you in a better position to recommend a training program and earn the sale by speaking to the parent’s interests. If injury prevention—i.e., their child’s safety—is the parent’s number one goal, as is often the case, focus your rhetoric there before asking for the sale, for example.

Create a Viewing Space

This seems like a no-brainer as I type it. Make sure there is a space in your facility where parents can sit comfortably and watch their children train. It doesn’t need to be a five-star lounge, but it should have seating and a clear view of the training space. Bonus points if it’s close enough to the training area for the parent to hear you coach. It’s like having a sideline ticket to every training session.

There are several advantages to this. I’m convinced that parents who show up to training sessions are less likely to withdraw their children from training. If a parent has been to the facility and seen their child work hard, succeed, and (hopefully) laugh and have fun, the benefits of your program are more numerous, apparent, and top of mind than they are to absentee parents.

Make sure there’s a space in your facility where parents can sit comfortably and watch their children train. Bonus points if it’s close enough to the training area to hear you coach. Share on X

I can anticipate some of you saying, “Well the parents who show up to sessions are the committed ones, and they aren’t pulling their kid out of training anyway.” Yes, that may be true. But it isn’t an excuse for your facility’s physical setup to be aversive for less zealous parents. For many adults, an inviting space is the difference between staying for the session and leaving. Don’t miss these opportunities.

Set up a countertop or table space for them to work, make sure they have access to the Wi-Fi, and openly invite them to attend training sessions. With so many parents working from home these days, you’d be surprised how many will come and set up shop in your facility to get an hour or more of work done while their kids do the same.

While they’re there, you’ve got a golden opportunity to talk to them and build a relationship. I often do this while the kids complete the warm-up. It’s easy enough to keep an eye on the group while lending an ear to the parent, and it grants the athletes a little bit of what every young person craves: autonomy.

Here’s another great benefit of having parents stick around: If you’re really good at what you do, you’ll attract parents who know a thing or two about performance training. I’ve been surprised more than once by how knowledgeable a few of my athlete’s parents are. A few high-level football coaches have brought their kids in to work with me. A couple weeks into training, and as they began asking more questions about what we’re doing and why, I realized these guys really knew what they were talking about, and they’d been evaluating my training program and skill set from the start.

That they could see and hear everything I did with their kids bought me a ton of credibility, because they found out I knew what I was doing, too. But without that viewing space to watch and listen what went on during training, I’d be a question mark in their mind instead of an exclamation mark.

As a result, I earned from them the ultimate sign of trust: client referrals. When the head coach of a collegiate football program refers the local high school kids that he’s recruiting to your training program—well, need I say more about how good of a thing that is for business?

Last point on this topic: Get a TV that supports Apple’s AirPlay function and put it near the viewing space, especially if you evaluate sprint kinematics.

Readers of this site likely are familiar with the concept of teaching kids how to run, but the general public still isn’t. When you review film with the athletes, make sure the parents can see the screen too. First of all, it’s just cool. Many adults are curious about the X’s and O’s of how to sprint faster, so they’ll enjoy hearing you talk and watching their own kid in slo-mo.

Second, when you point out that heel striking sends more shock (layman’s terms) through the ankle, knee, and hip joints than a ball of foot strike does, and thus increases the chances of developing aches and pains, or when you talk about why anterior pelvic tilting increases the likelihood of pulling a hammy, you’ll catch the parent’s attention, because they don’t want their kid to get hurt.

If you can keep their baby safe—which, you can, as strength training and sprint technique work do decrease injury incidence—they’ll love you all the more for it. Again, spoken as a parent, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to protect my babies from injury.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Showing a before and after photo of sprint technique can be a huge selling point, especially if it’s on day one of training, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

And to wrap this section up: A picture is worth a thousand words. Showing a before and after photo of sprint technique can be a huge selling point, especially if it’s on day one of training. In my experience, cleaning up starting technique is fairly easy to do, is an important sprint KPI, and can create one hell of a before and after picture for parents and athletes alike to see.

Start a Parent Newsletter

I admit, even if you set up a killer viewing space, you’ll still train kids whose parents you never see. Maybe the kids drive themselves, carpool with buddies, or are dropped off and picked up without their folks coming inside.

How can you bridge this gap?

I answered this question by starting a parent newsletter. Every parent gets an email from me once per week called “This Week in Training” in which I share highlights of the week, give shout-outs to athletes who have set a PR or earned athletic or scholastic honors, share a tip about injury prevention, or whatever else I see fit.

This way, if I never see the parent after the consult, at the very least they hear from me once per week with good news about how awesome our athletes (including their child) are doing.

These emails demonstrate the value of training in a subtle way. The newsletter communicates “Hey, I still exist (I know you have a busy life—you didn’t forget about me, did you?). I do good work, and it shows because our athletes are doing awesome. Thanks for letting your kid train here, they are becoming more awesome with every session!”

Of course, I don’t write that, but that’s the message that gets delivered.

And while I don’t think of this newsletter as marketing so much as I think of it as simple communication, it does indeed turn into marketing, because I never remove parents from the list, even when their children stop training. They have the opportunity to unsubscribe, but I don’t do it for them.

This works out great, because whether the athlete cancelled training because their season started, for financial reasons, or whatever, the parent gets the same message in their inbox every week: “Hey, I still exist (you didn’t forget about me just because your kid stopped training, did you?), and I’m still doing great work! If your kid comes back to training, they will get a lot better, just like these kids are!”

There’s been a few times when parents of ex-clients have replied to the newsletter asking to sign their child back up. The weekly newsletter made it easy for them to do that—much easier than remembering and finding time to call or email me on their own, and much easier for me than going through my list and calling my previous clients seeking their business. In fact, in these cases I didn’t ask for their business at all, I simply wrote my weekly newsletter.

For the more scientifically minded than business-minded coach: The email provided an affordance.

To set up a newsletter for yourself, you’ll want to use a service. Don’t just copy-paste email addresses into the “to:” bar each week. It’s tacky, and I think it might be illegal (but don’t quote me on that: I’m a trainer, not a lawyer).

I use the free version of MailerLite. It’s simple, allows you to build an email template to use weekly, and (my favorite part) it gives you metrics for every email you send. These include the absolute number of opens, who opened it and how many times, the amount of times links were clicked, and who clicked them.

I can tell you from experience: When you highlight an athlete individually in the newsletter, their parent reads it, re-reads it, then re-reads it again. I’d say that’s a pretty good way to make a parent proud, provide positive associations with your business, and secure future business.

In case you did like many readers do and skimmed this article instead of reading it closely, here’s the central theme: The parents are the bill payers, and you must make targeted efforts to build quality relationships with them in order to secure their business for the long run. Aside from delivering results to their children, making it easy for parents to trust and like you is critical to your success as a youth development trainer.

Aside from delivering results to their children, making it easy for parents to trust and like you is critical to your success as a youth development trainer, says @KD_KyleDavey. Share on X

Interviewing the parent along with the child during the initial consult, allowing the parent to sit and watch training in a comfortable space close to the training floor, and communicating once per week via a newsletter are three easy steps you can take to ensure a positive relationship with the parents of your athletes, and a brighter future for your business.

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

Ah, the ’80s and ’90s—a time when muscle suits weren’t used by action heroes, the fullback was an integral part of the offense, and Nebraska dominated the college football landscape. Due to the Nebraska football program’s success, many people started to look at what separated them from the rest of the pack. How did they create these monsters on the field? The answer: good recruiting paired with proper strength and conditioning.

One key aspect of Nebraska’s program was the metabolic circuit, a man-maker of a workout designed to maximize hypertrophy while challenging the athlete’s conditioning. The circuit was used for many years with great success, and it quickly spread to programs across the country. However, at the turn of the 21st century, the circuit began to fall out of favor. Whether due to a lack of understanding, a conflict of vision, or poor execution, the circuit has been misused, abused, and cast aside in recent years.

While I do not believe that the metabolic circuit is the ‘king of all lifting programs,’ I do believe that it is a valid training protocol for athletes, says @Tate_Tobiason. Share on X

It pains me today to see how the metabolic circuit has fallen out of favor in some circles, as one of my integral mentors, Mike Arthur, was among the coaches who helped form and optimize it. While I do not believe that the metabolic circuit is the “king of all lifting programs,” I do believe that it is a valid training protocol for athletes and should be treated with consideration. On its surface, the circuit may look simple—and maybe even unscientific—but once you dive in, you’ll find there’s more to it than meets the eye.

What Is the Metabolic Circuit?

Dr. Bill Kraemer developed the metabolic circuit (or “Husker Power Circuit”) in conjunction with Nebraska Strength Coach Boyd Epley. The original circuit concept resembled a Tabata workout, with workouts crushing the athlete with 20 seconds of work and only 10 seconds of rest. However, with the help of Kraemer’s research and Epley’s firsthand experience, the circuit was tweaked over the years to maximize its effectiveness. The goal of the circuit is to induce a neuroendocrine and metabolic response from training, maximizing muscle-building.

The circuit consists of 8-10 exercises covering all major muscle groups, performed for 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions before moving on to the next exercise. Sounds easy enough, right? Now include an 80- to 90-second running clock, and the workout becomes a whole new monster.

The circuit begins with the squat or a comparable compound lower-body movement such as a leg press, belt squat, or trap bar deadlift. Note that growth hormone and testosterone levels increase more with free weight exercises than with machine exercises when performed at the same intensity.¹ Following the squat is a series of non-repeating muscle groups, focusing on the larger muscle groups first and finishing with single-joint movements at the end.

Example metabolic circuit:

1. Squat
2. Glute-ham-raise
3. Bench press
4. Cable row
5. Lunges
6. Pulldown
7. Shoulder press
8. Bicep curl
9. Tricep pushdown

or

1. Leg press
2. Bench press
3. Leg curl
4. T-bar row
5. Shoulder press
6. Leg extension
7. Chin up
8. Dips
9. Hammer curl
10. Calf raise

As you can see, you can perform the metabolic circuit many ways. But the primary principle is to start the workout with a compound lower-body movement and alternate muscle groups while covering every key movement pattern and muscle group in the body.

Within the Husker Power training plan (power-strength split), athletes perform the circuit twice a week, with a “heavy” strength session and a “light” strength session. Loading parameters should be challenging but manageable for the lifter, allowing them full range of motion with the ability to complete every set. Remember it is better to undershoot (T1 error) and raise the weight later than overshoot (T2 error) and visit the trainer. Sets across loading is recommended for its ease in group settings; however, you can utilize step loading if organized properly. Light days are a 10% reduction in total load from heavy days. The circuit is used in the off-season for 3-6 weeks for mid- to upper-level lifters.

Example week setup:

• Monday – Heavy power (clean and weighted jumps)
• Tuesday – Light circuit (3×10 @50%)
• Wednesday – Off
• Thursday – Light power (snatch and med ball throws)
• Friday – Heavy circuit (3×10 @60%)

Critiques

When discussing the metabolic circuit with fellow coaches, one critique I commonly hear is that the rest periods are too short—thus, they don’t allow the weights used to create a high enough tension. This is a valid argument and gets into the mechanical versus metabolic hypertrophy argument. However, I counter this argument with: Why do we chase the numbers on the bar to maximize hypertrophy, especially for athletes? Could there be a better way that raises other qualities while maximizing hypertrophy?

We should not reduce programming for athletes to a single-factor analysis argument. We can and must attempt to raise multiple qualities together. Of course, I will concede that there may be better ways to induce hypertrophy, and if that was all we were chasing, we could just implement Dorian Yates’ single set of 6-8 heavy reps to failure and see success. However, the case for the metabolic circuit, or any athletic training program, must go beyond a single factor such as hypertrophy.

Another critique of the circuit I occasionally hear is that its volume, intensity, and rest periods put athletes at a greater risk of rhabdomyolysis. I counter this argument with: Why, yes, they do. Athletics is all about pushing the limits of what the athlete can physically do. If we push too hard, bad things can happen. But on the flip side, if we push too little and fail to prepare them, I’d argue that even worse things can happen.

If you choose to implement the metabolic circuit, you must ramp up within the circuit’s parameters. Start with two sets and lower the weight initially, but don’t stay there too long. The body is amazing in its ability to adapt.

Hypertrophy Benefits

The primary benefit of the metabolic circuit is metabolic hypertrophy. The circuit works by elevating growth hormone, following high-volume programming (2-3 x10), and training with short rest periods (60 seconds).² By utilizing heavy resistance, high repetitions, and low rest, and involving many muscle groups, the circuit starts a cascade of anabolic hormones priming the body for maximal muscle growth.

By utilizing heavy resistance, high repetitions, and low rest, and involving many muscle groups, the metabolic circuit starts a cascade of anabolic hormones priming the body for maximal muscle growth. Share on X

The circuit is extremely effective at building muscle while simultaneously lowering body fat. It is not uncommon for an athlete to gain 5-10 pounds of muscle while in this phase. This isn’t “bodybuilding” muscle, but rather “armor-building” muscle: muscle mass that protects the body, not muscle mass that is all show and no go. The metabolic circuit can help an athlete not only look more like Tarzan, but also play more like Tarzan.

Conditioning Benefits (Peripheral Heart Action Training)

The metabolic circuit goes beyond being a meathead muscle-building circuit. By utilizing short rest periods and peripheral heart action training, the metabolic circuit provides a unique conditioning aspect.

Peripheral heart action (PHA) training was developed by Dr. Arthur Steinhaus and made popular by bodybuilder Bob Gajda in the 1960s. The idea is to shunt blood up and down the body, taxing the cardiovascular system to a high degree. This is believed to lead to improved metabolic rates, cardiac performance, hormonal release, and fat reduction. No two body parts are performed consecutively within the series. PHA training is intense and should only be used by experienced lifters with no risk factors.

Time Efficiency Benefits

Time is a precious commodity when it comes to training athletes. Many hypertrophy programs rely on maximal mechanical tension and can take a long time to complete. By contrast, the metabolic circuit takes an athlete under 45 minutes to complete. At its highest volume—3 sets of 10 reps for 10 exercises—the circuit takes about 40 minutes to complete (excluding the warm-up).

In addition, when used within a power-strength training split, coaches are able to program clear-cut training days with non-competing training goals. The circuit can be a very useful tool for coaches with limited time and resources.

Who Should Use the Circuit

Coaches should not use the metabolic circuit for novice or advanced athletes. In the context of the collegiate setting, freshmen should spend 6-12 months learning the basic barbell movements along with adequate conditioning before ever attempting the circuit. Furthermore, by the time an athlete reaches their senior year and beyond, the circuit may have exhausted its training effectiveness, and at this point the athlete needs to focus on maximizing the usefulness of their muscle mass as opposed to building it. The circuit is ideal for the intermediate athlete looking to build quality muscle mass. With a solid training background, they will have a fighting shot at completing the circuit.

The metabolic circuit is ideal for the intermediate athlete looking to build quality muscle mass. With a solid training background, they will have a fighting shot at completing the circuit. Share on X

The metabolic circuit was originally developed for football players looking to build what Dan John termed “armor-building” muscle. Other sports can benefit from the circuit, but the coach must use discretion. A hammer thrower looking to gain weight in the hope of increasing his distance may benefit from the circuit, but a senior hurdler looking to shave time off of their event probably will not. The coach must discern whether or not muscle mass will assist in the training goal.

Variations on the Circuit

I have never been one to be dogmatic about training programs, but rather prefer to use programs as starting points in training that I can mold and adapt to various training needs. One of the worst things a coach can do is treat every athletic program like a Russian 29-24-31-14% specific load split.

Variation #1 – Survivor Circuit

The Survivor Circuit takes the principles of the metabolic circuit but changes the exercises to become a general physical preparation circuit. Instead of muscle groups, it uses various GPP exercises such as battle ropes, prowler pushes, and lunges. The circuit can be performed set style, where athletes complete all three exercises before moving on, or in a rolling set fashion, where athletes move from station to station, completing the circuit 2-3 times. This variation is great for athletes who do not require much muscle mass but can benefit from GPP training. A coach can choose to either use prescribed repetitions or reps for time in this variation.

Example Survivor Circuit:

1. Prowler push
2. Farmers walk
3. Barbell row
4. Walking lunge
5. Battle ropes
6. Jump rope
7. Tire flips
8. Suitcase carry
9. Med ball toss
10. Push-up 

Variation #2 – Core Lift 5s

Back when I interned under Coach Epley and Coach Arthur, I learned about a circuit variation they used with upper classmen. They began the workout with 3×5 on squat, bench, and RDL, followed by 3×10 on the accessory exercises. This allows for heavier loads while still taking advantage of the growth hormone spike from 3×10 training. This method is also a great way to transition from the comparatively lighter weights of the circuit to the heavier weights of a strength training phase.

Variation #3 – Fluid Squat

This variation allows for fluidity in squat sets/reps/methods followed by a 3×10 circuit. I have used this variation by taking clusters on my squat or pause reps on my squat, or by performing Westside-style speed squats before the remainder of the circuit. It’s a fun way to mix up training and avoid monotony as you or your athletes progress.

Variation #4 – Squats off the Clock

Another way to maximize the hormonal cascade is to perform squats off the clock or without a running clock and work up to a max set of 10 around 75% 1RM. Once completed, the athlete enters the circuit as normal, with a running clock of 80-90 seconds.

Tips and Tricks

If you want to execute the metabolic circuit, here are a few tips and tricks to help the circuit go smoothly.

1. 1. Organize the circuit so that you travel from one end of the weight room to the other. Do not have players zigzag all over the weight room, leading to mass confusion. Have a coach at each major lift station with interns filling in at the single-joint stations.
   2. Perform the circuit with a rolling start, where athletes of similar strength pair up in groups of 2-3 and go through the circuit together. Organize the groups similarly to a lifting meet, with on-deck and in the hole. This will help the circuit roll through smoothly and provide clarity on who is spotting.
   3. Do not bench press unless you have sufficient spotters. Do not allow athletes to spot each other, as they will be too tired at this point in the session to safely spot. Instead, perform push-ups, pin presses, or machine/cable presses. If you do desire a barbell bench variation, raise the bench to its lowest possible incline and raise the catches to right below the chest. If the athlete must bail on the lift, they can do so safely with the bar rolling from the chest onto the catch bars.

Try It, Then Decide

The metabolic circuit is a powerful tool for any athlete looking to add quality muscle mass in the off-season while also providing a conditioning aspect utilizing PHAT principles. It is more than a single-factor workout, but rather a maximizer of multiple factors.

The metabolic circuit is a powerful tool for any athlete looking to add quality muscle mass in the off-season while also providing a conditioning aspect utilizing PHAT principles. Share on X

I personally love the metabolic circuit and use it and its variation not only with my athletes, but also in my own training. It is a gut check of a workout that will make you better on the other side. So, give it a try. See how you like it. Try some variations. If you don’t like it, great—move on to the next program. If you like it, I hope your athletes forgive you after the first week of implementation.

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. Shaner, A. A., Vingren, J. L., Hatfield, D. L., Budnar, R. G., Jr, Duplanty, A. A., and Hill, D. W. “The acute hormonal response to free weight and machine weight resistance exercise.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2014;28(4):1032–1040.

2. Kraemer, W. J., Marchitelli, L., Gordon, S. E., et al. “Hormonal and growth factor responses to heavy resistance exercise protocols.” Journal of Applied Physiology. 1990;69(4):1442–1450. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1990.69.4.1442

Clubhead speed and its close relation, ball speed, are the objective standards for singular outputs in golf. These, combined with availability, are the aims of any strength and conditioning intervention in golf. Of all the objective measures we use at the European Tour Performance Institute, club head speed (CHS) is part of our quartet of isometric mid-thigh pull, countermovement jump impulse, and ball speed.

For the uninitiated, club head speed is how fast you move the head of the golf club just before impact. Roughly, for every extra 1 mph faster you swing the club, you can increase your driver distance by 3 yards. On the PGA Tour, the highest recorded club head speed is current 138 mph (Bryson Dechambeau, 2021 season) and the best 10 years ago was 127 mph (Bubba Watson, 2010 season—note Bubba’s 2021 best is 123 mph). While this is an 11-mph improvement, the tour average has only improved around 1 mph, from 112 to 113 mph. The PGA Tour itself has stated, “It can be seen that average club head speed has increased by 1.7 mph from 2007 to 2019 and ball speed by 4.9 mph.”

This isn’t representative of what the players who occupy the top 15 of the PGA Tour are doing, as all have average club head speeds higher than 120 mph. Sure, comparing players is not a one-to-one endeavor as it relates to golf performance—no one is winning club head speed tournaments—but it illustrates that motivated players can exploit output variables to give themselves more options.

Club head speed is the real-world impact measure that correlates with our other physical measures (for golf athletes), says @WSWayland. Share on X

Club head speed is the real-world impact measure that correlates with our other physical measures as shown by research performed by Wells et al. (2020) on our Challenge Tour players. Players with high club head speed are generally stronger and more explosive and have more body mass. However, club head speed alone is still a single measure and does not give us a full picture, as it should sit upon a base of health and general physical preparedness. This is something my colleagues at the European Tour Performance Institute sought to establish with our probability of impact pyramid.

“Inherently, as CHS increases so does injury risk, as the player has to sustain the increased forces associated with swinging faster. To counter this when we plan to upgrade the engine size, we also need to build a well-balanced chassis. This means increasing the ability of the relevant tissues (i.e., muscles and tendons) and structures (i.e., bones) to tolerate load. The force magnitude at the lumbar spine alone is worthy justification for the inclusion of strength training.” – Simon Brearley

While strength and conditioning has a minor probability of impact on technical outputs, it can influence tactical ones. Hitting long can be a tactical option in golf, since taking longer shots is a bounded risk that leads to more prize money. We can look at recent PGA Tour data and see that driving distance and prize money earned are very much related.

In the modern golf performance arena, nothing can be left on the table. When I started working in golf, the biggest obvious gap was a lack of conventional physical training. Once athletes started employing even the most basic of strength training routines, club head speed improved.

Why do high-force exercises like squats, deadlifts, and loaded jumps seem to transfer so well to club head and ball speeds? Well, a key part of the relationship lies in the correspondence of execution time frames. The average pro golf swing is, in a sports context, a slow movement. The often-cited number we see is most sporting action taking around 0.2-0.3 seconds. The golf swing, however, has a longer time to completion, with 0.8-1.2 seconds often reported. That is a long time in a sporting context: nearly three to four times longer. People will quibble and talk only about the downswing, which obviously is very fast, but this is trying to use reductionism to protect a notion. The whole golf swing is a slow action in respect to other sports.

High-force exercises like squats, deadlifts, and loaded jumps seem to transfer so well to club head and ball speeds…because the whole golf swing is a slow action in respect to other sports. Share on X

Now, time is absolutely crucial for producing a lot of force, and most squats and deadlifts travel at under 1 m/s versus most sporting actions being at 12 m/s. Most strength training at lower velocities and higher force production has a similar time frame—it’s generally considered slow. The ability to apply force vertically is crucial to swinging fast, and another common component of most conventional bilateral barbell training is improvements in vertical force. This helps what we call the anchoring effect (to be discussed later).

Why this; why now? Golfers are now starting to manifest the second order physicality that will produce more regular 130-mph club speeds, wanting to exploit any advantage this will be more normal than exceptional. Depending on what the R&A decide to do to slow play, as they recently argued that distance was hurting the game, I believe the ability to swing fast will be more important, not less, even with equipment changes.

So, all I need to do is train like a powerlifter? Wishful thinking, but no. There will of course be a point of diminishing returns where lateral, separation, and ballistic-based movements become important. Golf S&C has often emphasized these “specific” swing optimization approaches over a base of general preparation. I would argue possessing robustness and highly developed force-producing capacities allows specific approaches to be more effective. You cannot optimize a system that is not robust. Club head speed is a multifaceted thing, so many different factors go into it. But we can control some of those variables.

I mentioned in a previous article that roughly “80% of golf injuries are overuse-related. With this in mind, many golfers’ first port of call in supplementary training is a well-meaning physiotherapist who will often deal with the issue at hand, but not steel the athlete against its reoccurrence. Physiotherapy’s dominance in the sport can be witnessed when a golfer’s go-to piece of equipment after their clubs is their foam roller.”

I also mentioned before that this has come from what I see as a twofold issue: a culture of golfers leaning on a physiotherapist to inform their performance-related training and golfers’ flawed perceptions of strength and conditioning orthodoxy. Before I receive angry letters from physios, I respect the work of physiotherapists and call many friends and colleagues. They have a wheelhouse of responsibility that I cannot even imagine contending with.

So why has this situation come about? Well, my opinion is that many golf athletes only take supplementary strength work on board once they have been injured, and not before. Thankfully, many forward-thinking therapists now explore strength and conditioning as an avenue for injury reduction, especially when evidence dictates that these overuse injuries can be reduced by half with strength training.

When it comes to training for golfers, I usually suggest 1-3 reps, and probably no more than five, with varying loads depending on whether you want to achieve maximum velocity, power, or strength. Why? The golf swing is a very short duration, high-power, explosive activity clocking in at around 7,500 N in a full swing. (Keep in mind this force measurement is from a 1990 study, so it may be higher still.) To most strength coaches, this is considered pretty ordinary, but in the golf world it’s positively unorthodox.

As mentioned earlier, in the gym, training occurs at much lower velocities than it does during an actual sport. For comparison, the average punch is around 10 m/s, whereas the average dynamic effort bench press may only reach 0.8-1.0 m/s. A golf swing of a club travelling at 100 mph will be 44 m/s (very fast). The theory of dynamic correspondence suggests that as we approach a competition, velocity must increase to make the nervous system more specific in the way it produces force. Golf fitness has often put the figurative cart before the horse, focusing on specific velocity-focused or special strength methods ahead of general ones.

Golf fitness has often put the figurative cart before the horse, focusing on specific velocity-focused or special strength methods ahead of general ones, says @WSWayland. Share on X

As strength coaches, we know the attainment of general physical qualities can enhance sport performance in some individuals—particularly beginners. This is why novel modalities that force better bracing and ground interaction can yield positive outcomes at least initially. Once time goes on, training modalities focused on more specific exercises may, in fact, be needed for the continuing improvement of optimal transfer to more advanced athletes. This is where high-velocity peaking, contrast complex work, intent, etc. can be particularly useful, turning gym time into real-world performance statements. Real strength is the responsibility that many golfers and their coaches abdicate, so there is an opportunity for improvement that they are now starting to discover.

I am not a golf coach. My athletes do not come into the gym to practice golf—they come to build physical capacities that transfer well to golf. Getting stronger and gaining mass are the two most impactful things, from a general physical standpoint, a rotational power athlete can do, and that is what we are here to help with.

I’ve outlined the importance of strength. However, mere strength alone is only one facet of what we can affect to improve club head speed; club head speed being a key metric in the chase for distance. Most golfers need to raise the floor (get strong and robust) before they can lift the ceiling (optimize their speed).

There are other ways golfers can achieve this, and in a sport where 1 mph more in speed can equal a few yards, they are certainly not trivial. These approaches are:

• Gaining mass
• Complex or contrast methods
• Intent-based methods
• Swing optimization using GRF

Gaining Mass

One the most common concerns I hear in golf is the fear that an athlete gaining size will hurt their swing (baseball athletes worry about this as well). Both experience and research indicate the opposite. When golfers gain mass, we generally see a CHS improvement. It is important, however, that the mass gained is muscle; as they say, you can’t flex fat.

Becoming “bigger and stronger” helps with this in two ways:

1. The increased muscle mass increases the player’s ability to produce ground reaction force—the basis of the force a golfer can utilize during their swing.
2. The overall increase in body mass creates a greater anchoring effect, which helps the golfer remain stable throughout the swing.

The next point I usually get is an anecdote about how “so and so” got bigger, and it hurt their swing. There is a grain of truth to this if you take up bodybuilding to the exclusion of everything else. Then yes, your golf will probably suck.

We are currently seeing in golf what can only be described as the “Bryson Effect,” named after Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open winner, whose weight gain, strength training, and club head speed improvements were well publicized. As golf is very peer-oriented, you will now see a pivot toward mass gain and athleticism by practitioners who in the past largely ignored their importance.

As a result, there has been an effort to try to explain the mass relationship in golf performance, and the equation used constantly is force = mass x acceleration. But this explanation is often misapplied scientism, with heavy focus on just the mass part. Even some of my favorite strength and conditioning experts have fallen into the trap of making this gross simplification.

F=ma is more of a linear concept, while most of the golf swing involves rotation. F=ma is part of the complex movement of the golf swing; it doesn’t explain what we see with Bryson’s swing. F=ma is a linear equation; the golf swing is rotational and requires an angular equation:

Angular impulse τAΔt &

Angular momentum L=Iω

Why? Well, during the golf swing:

• The club accelerates through angular impulse, increasing angular momentum of the body-club system without a sequential motion from the proximal (trunk) to distal (arm) segments; and
• Gaining large trunk angular momentum after the middle downswing is essential for achieving fast CHS. This key point is added mass anchors the athlete, allowing them to manipulate angular momentum further. Combine that with greater GRF manipulation, and that’s why mass matters so much.

This is not a full explanation of the complicated physics of the golf swing, as that sits well outside the scope of this article. And most golfers probably do not think about the detailed physics. Why? Because they apply and manipulate the variables implicitly.

One such way is by gaining mass, for instance. The others are how that mass is distributed and how angular velocity is generated. Part of the issue is that f=ma is such a neat equation it is very easy to dish out. Consider that one of my athletes swings very fast for a professional. He has recorded club head speeds of 135 mph, and he only weighs 205 pounds versus Bryson’s 240 pounds. If mass were so influential, he would just need to gain more weight to hit it even faster. Athletic muscular golfers yes; sumo-sized golfers, however, no.

I am breaking a rule I like: “Never engage in detailed overexplanations of why something is important: one debases a principle by endlessly justifying it.” – Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Biomechanics nerds will still find this explanation inadequate, but this isn’t written for solely biomechanists.

The nutrition of gaining mass goes well beyond the scope of this article, and there is years’ worth of information available all over the internet. The point is that, while a simplistic answer to the mass issue in golf is to just gain more weight to honor the mass element of the f=ma equation, nothing is ever that simple. How you use your mass and how you accelerate are equally important.

Complex or Contrast Methods

Earlier this year, I started toying with second-generation contrast training for golf. For the longest time, I’ve advocated that getting fast swingers faster has almost always been a result of getting them stronger. Often this is the lowest-hanging fruit. What do we do, however, with golfers who are “strong enough”? This is the time to apply swing-specific strength strategies. Most golf fitness approaches prize this first over robustness-oriented general strength training.

Getting fast swingers faster has almost always been a result of getting them stronger. So with golfers who are ‘strong enough,’ it is the time to apply swing-specific strength strategies. Share on X

I’ve been a long-time advocate of French contrast training, making use of potentiation phenomena. To quote Joel Smith, “Barbell training delivers the coordinative mechanisms expressed in powerful movements,” when we marry it with an unloaded plyometric, a high-speed lift, and finally a very high speed plyo or accelerated movement, each potentiating the next. The idea of ascending correspondence means we can tailor our drills to better match our sport. So, we shift from general correspondence (least specific) to dynamic correspondence (most specific) throughout the course of a contrast sequence.

Video 1. Ascending correspondence affords us overlapping potentiation and a smart way to concurrently train multiple qualities, which is crucial for time-poor golf athletes.

French contrast works acutely and chronically. A French contrast session looks something like this:

• Heavy partial-range lift or isometric for 1-3 reps.
• Rest 20 seconds.

• Force-oriented plyometric exercise, such as a depth jump.
• Rest 20 seconds.

• Speed-strength-oriented lift for low to medium reps, 2-5 typically.
• Rest 20 seconds.

• Speed-oriented plyometric exercise of higher repetition range.
• Rest 2-5 minutes and repeat.

This method has proved pivotal in helping my athletes be more explosive, jump higher, and see this transfer in a broad sense. But golf is a sport that can benefit from that acute potentiation to improve swing speed.

Thus, by taking this mix of coordinative improvements and nervous system potentiation, we can acutely and chronically improve club head speed. I use two approaches:

Version 1 – Simply modified French contrast

• Heavy partial-range lift or isometric for 1-3 reps.
• Rest 20 seconds.
• Force-oriented plyometric exercise, such as a depth jump.
• Rest 20 seconds.
• Speed-strength-oriented lift for low to medium reps, 2-5 typically.
• Rest 20 seconds.
• Speed-based swing using lighter speed stick 5 reps. Maximum intent!
• Rest 2-5 minutes and repeat.

Version 2 – Joel Smith second-generation

• Heavy partial-range lift or isometric for 1-3 reps.
• Rest 20 seconds.
• Force-oriented plyometric exercise, such as a depth jump.
• Rest 20 seconds.
• Speed-based swing using lighter speed stick 5 reps. Maximum intent!
• Repeat sequence once more, then rest.

I usually organize these into either vertical contrast or lateral contrast depending on the needs of the individual. Generally, as the athlete gets strong, their mastery of vertical force production means we can dig into more nuanced horizontal force production.

Video 2. Vertical force expression is crucial in golf since it has a strong correlation to clubhead speed, and you should train it accordingly.

This way, we move from lowest to highest velocity in sequence. A swing radar or any speed tracker can keep intent high and also be used for a quality drop-off approach to maximum speed swing practice.

Video 3. Once athletes have improved their vertical force expression, they can explore lateral and horizontal expression in either specific or nonspecific contexts.

I am careful to emphasize that this approach is a constrained and limited one. Something I stressed on Twitter recently was: “Swing specific speed strategies work but peak out very fast, as it’s a small bucket that fills quickly.” This is obviously in context of the broader approach of foundational physicality. I’ve found its usefulness diminishes after 4-6 weeks, usually with a flattening of improvement or staleness in terms of subjective feedback from the athlete.

Once a knife is sharp, it’s sharp—we don’t want to wear it down to the hilt. This means you will see shorter acute improvements from this type of approach. Keep monitoring club head speed and ball speed, and if the needle isn’t moving, then it’s probably time to shift your approach.

Intent-Based Methods

How many speed swings, coach? I get this question a lot, and I am becoming less fond of prescribing strict numbers for speed swings. Increasingly, autoregulatory approaches give us the best results. We have been having a lot of success with speed-based drop-off strategies to get our faster swingers’ speed ceilings even higher. Speed reserve is an important concept and utilizing the concept is one way to raise the ceiling.

“The Speed Reserve effect is real. We can condition our athletes through other means. If we help an athlete raise their maximal velocity, sub-maximal efforts become less metabolic costly. Similar to the idea of raising 1RM in a lift.” – Zach Higginbotham

The aim is, in short, to make those average swings better. When you are averaging what your opponents can max out on, it is a huge advantage that you should exploit.

As I stated earlier, we used a number of contrast and complex protocols to implement this. Cueing intent is crucial—think of it less as a golf swing and more like a numbers game. There is no ball strike here to worry about. Basically, we stop once we drop past a set threshold of speed.

This is not dissimilar to velocity-based drop-off work we might do with velocity-based training, but the set termination threshold is much tighter. I have found around 5% works well. The protocol is to perform a swing every 5-15 seconds. Normally I encourage athletes to perform this on the range. Verbal cueing, intent, and freshness are all important to making this work. Below is an example table.

We stop the set after 5% drop-off and use the highest value of all sets to act as a benchmark. If the 5% drop-off is exceeded on the first swing versus the previous best, we terminate the activity. Usually we can get 3-4 sets of anywhere from 20-30 total swings.

Video 4. Speed drop-off swinging is effectively a form of high-quality cluster training and benefits from micro rests between attempts to keep movement quality high.

I have found the club type/weight is probably not important, but what seems to be a sweet spot is around 10-15% higher speeds than with a conventional driver to get the most out of overspeed approaches. As mentioned in the past, acute and chronic gains from this level off fast.

Using GRF to Guide Swing Technical Intent

While the strength coach guides the improvement of an athlete’s force production and rate of force production, in the most general sense, there is occasion when specific exercises directed by the appropriate use of GRF data can influence the use of special exercises. Three-dimensional force platforms allow insight into GRF patterns in the swing and having the ability to produce a lot of force is not the same as using it well. While I do not have 3-D platforms myself, my athletes (like a lot of golfers) have a cadre of professionals who they can see for objective input. It’s then my job to decide if it’s something for their technical coach to address or an issue that I can deal with from a constraint-led approach.

Video 5. By using 3-D GRF data, we can create drills specifically suited to the individual athlete and their specific strengths and weaknesses in the swing.

For instance, here is an athlete who needs to work on more lead leg drive and extension based on GRF swing data. He needs to push through the toes and almost hop back to add more force on the downswing. We devised two intensive contrast exercises, one with a 2-kilogram med ball and the other with a slightly heavier club. The idea here isn’t pure swing replication but smart overload of the desired element of their technical execution—something that Stefan Jones has mastered with cricket athletes.

You cannot optimize a system that is not robust, says @WSWayland. Share on X

The caveat here is that, in this example, our golfer is very robust, and as I’ve said before, you cannot optimize a system that is not robust. While similar to the fault-finding approach of the past in “golf fitness,” I am of the opinion most golfers cannot make the most of that approach because they lack the physical resources to do so.

First General, Then Specific Approaches

If you have a golfer who is particularly strong, and you feel they can get the most out these sorts of approaches, give them a try for some acute CHS gains. These approaches can also be appropriated by athletes in any rotational sport, and I use a similar approach with my combat athletes to improve striking power.

Golf professionals are now starting to grasp the fact that golf fitness has often sought overspecialized approaches to solving performance problems, or the aforementioned cart before the horse situation. Once a golfer has spent a few years getting under the bar, these specialized approaches can be inserted into the training rotation for best effect.

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

Tilley, N. and Brearley, S. “How the best golfers in the world are using Strength & Conditioning to elevate their performance.” British Journal of Sports Medicine. August 12, 2020.

Wells, J.E., Charalambous. L.H., Mitchell. A.C., et al. “Relationships between Challenge Tour golfers’ clubhead velocity and force producing capabilities during a countermovement jump and isometric mid-thigh pull.” Journal of Sports Sciences. 2019;37(12):1381-1386.

R&A Distance Insights Report

Brearley, S., Coughlan, D., and Wells, J. “Strength and Conditioning in Golf: Probability of Performance Impact.” 2019.

Brearley, S. and Tilley, N. “What Should Golfers Do in the Gym?” Golf & Health.

There is a war currently happening in track and field: a conflict centered on tempo training for sport. I tend to position myself as a radical centrist on topics until I have had the chance to formulate a clear opinion that I am ready to defend. As a rule, I try not to rock the boat unless I am clear enough, in my opinion, and I think it can provide context for others to consider.

Today, I plant my flag firmly on the mountain of tempo training. For most of my coaching career, I have used some aspect of tempo training within my program. Tempo is often described as submaximal activities with incomplete rest. Typically, it is used to develop work capacity for a specific aspect of sport.

Recently, several popular coaches have crucified the use of tempo training as a legitimate training modality. These coaches believe in nothing but acceleration and maximal velocity work at all times. Any training outside these limited training options is, at best, a waste of time and, at worst, detrimental to the health of the athlete. Thus, tempo work is training non grata.

Interestingly enough, many elite high school, college, and pro training groups do some tempo work throughout their training plan. Colleagues like Australian 400m sprinter guru Mike Hurst, Hall of Fame and Baylor Coach Clyde Hart, and World Youth Record Holder Coach Sean Burris regularly use/used tempo. Now, I know what you are thinking— “Those are 400-meter specialist coaches.” I frequently hear that argument from people, but when making the point, they’re already beginning to admit tempo seems to work the longer you take the event. However, even if I concede to you the more extended sprint argument, how do you explain the Jamaican athletes doing submaximal work right now?

If you follow sub-10-second sprinter Julian Forte on his YouTube page, you’ll see him and training partner Asafa Powell (former 100m world record holder) doing submaximal work. You don’t have to look too far to find a rival Jamaican sprint camp that featured Usain Bolt doing similar work a few years back. Indeed, the arms race on the talented tiny island certainly would discredit tempo training if it meant a distinct advantage in outperforming other training groups. Instead, the opposite is true, and submaximal work is a part of their annual plan.

You may now be whispering about genetic freaks or special supplements covering up for inadequate training. To counteract the freak theory, I would point to our coaching tree locally. Numerous coaches have adopted our methods, with tempo being a key component with high school athletes in many different environments having similar success. Implementing the system has resulted in many state championships, individual state records, and All State medalists.

Many coaches may ask the question, “Can’t I get the benefits from tempo by doing other training to circumvent the need for it?” In a practical sense, the answer is “It all depends.” Different aspects of speed/special endurance, biomechanical drills, plyometrics, general endurance work, and strength training can do what tempo does. However, the adaptations would be spread over numerous sessions and units of training. The time needed to get that done could lead to sessions that are impractical.

Tempo allows you to target a session that better prepares the athlete for the other key workouts the rest of the weeks. Additionally, mixed stimuli can lead to mixed results or suppressed adaptations to goals of the other key workouts throughout the week. Most of the enemies of tempo are not just a one-item interest group. Instead, they have a very thorough set of ideals that lead to limits in many other methods.

Examples of these limitations include mandated days away from practice, short or no warm-ups, no suppleness training, extremely short practice times, intervals shorter than 250 meters regardless of event, and no weight room. So, in reality, if the coaches don’t do tempo, they likely don’t do many other training modalities either. This philosophy has been highlighted often here at SimpliFaster and many webinars during quarantine.

It is time to bring tempo back as a proper and useful option in every coach’s toolbox, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

Obviously, a minimalist philosophy is an attractive option for new coaches or those who need to limit workload to attract athletes who might not be all in on the sport of track and field. As we mature in our coaching, many of us get better at understanding that context is key to deciphering the methods used by others and their legitimacy to a coach’s unique set of circumstances. Somehow, a few professionals in the world of athletics have taken tempo training out of context. It is time to bring tempo back as a proper and useful option in every coach’s toolbox.

The Importance of Developing Work Capacity

Properly designed tempo training can reduce the risks for a sprinter across their entire career. I know it can seem counterintuitive to think increasing loads of less than maximal work can protect an athlete’s health, but let’s ponder this for a moment in other sports besides track and field.

First, let’s look at football. Since the collective bargaining agreement that reduced training camp practice time on the field, both minor and serious injuries have been on the rise. How many of you have had a fantasy team remain physically intact throughout an entire year? It was a well-intentioned idea to reduce training camp sessions and their length by reducing workload, but clearly, it has trended in the opposite direction.

The same can be said for replacing the value of general fitness with that of “load management” in the NBA and MLB. Many strength and conditioning coaches are spending less and less time on the second part of their job description. What happened to the days of Michael Jordan, John Stockton, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who started nearly every game and never got hurt? We now have many athletes playing basketball all year long in AAU leagues who never practice developing skills or work capacity to make it through an entire professional season. Now it’s becoming commonplace to sit out stars in games against the Knicks to rest for the postseason. Could you imagine Reggie Miller asking for that time off and missing the chance to make Spike Lee look foolish? Of course not.

As for the MLB, what about Bob Gibson? Would Gibby’s style and relentless mound persistence have been possible if the St. Louis Cardinals managed his pitch count? I believe they would have over-managed his pitches into an earlier career decline. He needed that time on the mound to feel strong, deliver sweet chin music, and be the most feared pitcher in the history of the game. Now they often pull pitchers artificially with less-talented middle relievers. Could you imagine asking Bob Gibson to step off the mound for a middle reliever? Yeah, me neither.

Now, what about track and field? Have you ever heard of Carl Lewis and Allison Felix? Know what they have in common? Lots of submaximal velocity training. Oh, yeah, and medals in four different Olympic Games in speed power events! Regardless of the sport, battle-tested resilience developed through training combined with an elite performer is where you find greatness.

Lactic Tolerance and Buffering

Tempo’s most commonly associated benefit is it can improve an athlete’s lactic tolerance and clearance. Tolerance certainly is essential in longer sprints like the 200, 400, 300/400H, 800, 4×200, 4×400, and 4×800. Research shows that once an athlete crosses the 40-second barrier under a maximal effort, they are no longer able to efficiently buffer the flood of waste that burns the legs. Improving an athlete’s ability to buffer this poison enables them to run faster for longer in a race. All other things being equal, this is the difference between medaling or making the final—or not.

As for lactic clearance in a high school or college championship setting, a sprinter must perform at a high level multiple times within a few hours. In some state championship settings, this can even be two events in a row. For example, in Missouri, the 100-meter dash is directly followed by the 4×200, so clearing waste becomes vital for high performance and injury prevention. Properly planned tempo training will follow an event-specific training session from the day before.

When pairing two days, you create an athlete who can handle two high-effort days. Planning your sessions with this in mind enables your athlete to perform at a high level multiple days in a row, which is necessary for nearly all championships that are more than one day of competition. We all have seen athletes look like gods on day one of a championship, only to come up short or injured in the finals because they have never seen sessions or meets where they must compete for multiple days in a row.

Having the fastest maximum velocity is essential, but if you get injured before the championship, it doesn’t matter. Think about the careers of Xavier Carter or Usain Bolt. One has a fast, individual personal best, and the other is the greatest legend in track and field—repeatable high performance and injury prevention matter.

The Advantages of Using Tempo

Doing some submaximal work helps get you to the finish line and perform your best when it matters most because it supports all the other work and restoration needed to complement your critical workouts. In a week with a race on Friday or Saturday, we only have one tempo session. Having at least one tempo day a week allows for an extra session every week for the season versus a strict high/low system that many minimal systems have within a microcycle. Throughout a typical 13-week high school season, this gives you nearly two more weeks of training sessions compared to a high/low program. When properly planned, this can go a long way to separating your athletes from the competition.

Additionally, weather can play a role where a maximal training session is impossible, especially in programs that nerf warm-ups that don’t “slow cook the meat.” Tempo allows for a safer option on inclement weather days when the surface or temperature makes training maximally very risky, thus giving your program more flexibility to pick the choice weather day of the week without just sending the athletes home. This will pay dividends mentally when athletes feel they can race in any weather because they have seen it in practice, albeit at a moderate intensity level.

Tempo allows for a safer option on inclement weather days when the surface or temperature makes training maximally very risky, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

Belief is the most powerful performance-enhancing drug. Coaches can use training back to back or in bad weather to help their athletes believe they are ready for the real challenges ahead that are typical in a spring sport. Additionally, slowing things down and adding some specific load gives a coach a chance to help the sprinter improve their mechanics in a less-intense environment so the sprinter learns the proper way to move. Eventually, they’ll be able to take those technical cues and spin them into a high velocity.

Tempo training also gives the body additional stimulus to improve slower adaptive connective tissues like tendons and ligaments and the skeletal system, which is not much different than the benefit of phasing in hypertrophic weight training in an annual strength training plan. Additionally, when it comes to ancillary activity, sprint coaches often love to use plyometrics due to their specificity being similar to running. However, tempo achieves a similar training effect and similar contact times. Still, it can repeat the loading at larger volumes and similar contact times while often being the safer option for athletes who might not be able to land or execute plyometrics correctly.

Tempo can also be used as a go-between to improve movement efficiency and impulse while an athlete acquires the skills to implement bounding or advanced plyometric menu items safely. The frequency of biomechanical action should improve the efficiency of the technique and robustness of an athlete. Moreover, one of the hidden ways tempo training can help a sprinter is through an improved circulatory system. Before he passed away, Charlie Francis discussed this with speed coach Derek Hansen as one of the hidden secrets to tempo training.

Charlie Francis said that one of the hidden secrets of tempo training was that it could help a sprinter by improving their circulatory system, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

Obviously, lengthy general aerobic work based on distance training is a non-starter for most sprinters. However, tempo is often a bridge between anaerobic and aerobic. How does an improved circulatory system keep you from getting hurt? An athlete with a warmer body that can move in blood and move out waste has enormous advantages over someone with a system that’s not as efficient. Furthermore, think about how much an improved circulatory system can help an athlete who regularly competes in colder climates or rainy conditions like in the Northern United States, Canada, and Europe.

Implementing Tempo for Sprinters in Practice

Tempo work has become a large part of many top-quality sprinter programs around the world. A sprint coach can use either intensive or extensive tempo training. Extensive tempo is part of programs like Charlie Francis’s bipolar system and Clyde Hart’s long-to-short periodization models. Extensive tempo elicits different adaptations depending on the intensity of the intervals. Charlie Francis liked to train tempo workouts at 70% intensity to stimulate aerobic adaptations that he believed would add to the value of active recoveries.

Sean Burris, Nick Buckvar, and I used our tempos with 80-85% intensities. Our tempo work, in conjunction with short recoveries, creates waste and fatigue. However, we use these tempos to teach pacing for the second 200 meters in a 400-meter dash or 300/400H race. In addition to pacing, we choose to use these intensities because they allow the body to improve its buffering capacity. The buffering capacity comes from elevated sodium bicarbonate levels, enabling your athlete to push harder and longer.

Inexperienced coaches might look at these potential adaptations and try to extend the intervals. As a word of caution, sometimes more is not better. Long or lactic threshold runs are not ideal for short or mid sprinters. After a certain distance and with low intensities, there is an increased potential for poor posture and long ground contact times. Shorter distance tempo sprints allow for the athlete to still think about their running mechanics while at the same time maintaining a consistent pace. A sprinter who trains too slowly for too long adapts to the training, making them better at running slow for a long time. Not ideal for sprinting.

The other issue that comes from longer runs is psychological: A sprinter tends not to handle that type of training very well. A negative self-voice can be very destructive, and the longer a sprinter is out on a long run, the louder the voice becomes. Intervals on the track allow you to communicate with the sprinter to keep them appropriately motivated to finish the training.

Logistics and Communication

When performing tempo 200s, it is best to do your 200-meter work in the middle of the straightaways on the track, rather than a traditional full turn and the full straight. Since tempo workouts usually have short rest periods, this method gives the coach closer proximity to athletes by merely walking across the field. Crossing at mid-field helps the coach record accurate times without the need of an assistant to catch their finish, plus it gives them the advantage of frequent, clear communication with the sprinters as they run.

It also allows for emphasizing a critical area of every event—the finish. In finishing intervals, athletes come off the turn with only 50 meters left, and they only need to stay focused for a short period while they are fatigued. Therefore, with a shorter straightaway, they can concentrate on proper mechanics to help maintain their tempo and running form as they exit the turn for “home.” Simple cues such as “stay tall,” “hammer the arms,” and “short quick stride” will become ingrained in the sprinters every time they finish a race.

We typically choose to do our tempo work both clockwise and counterclockwise. I opted to reverse course to limit injuries from continually loading one side of our athlete’s bodies at high speed. If you are on an indoor track, it’s more important to go both ways, since the tight turns create significant centripetal force straining the body. It’s also best to train tempo in outside lanes in an indoor track environment to reduce the stress as much as possible. If you are doing 100 tempo repeats, you should still stand in the middle of the straightaways or athletic field. This way, you can cue your athletes to maintain proper posture.

Always remember, the rest periods are just as critical to the workout as the actual running intervals, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

Ensure your athletes do not fall on the ground or walk far away from their “go” mark. Sprinters falling down or wandering away from the go mark can disrupt the entire construction of the workout. If they don’t pay attention to their location, they can miss the proper recoveries that must be short to maintain the correct adaptations. Always remember, the rest periods are just as critical to the workout as the actual running intervals.

Used as a Cooldown

We frequently use decrescendo tempo 100-meter striders to cool down. We usually do 6-8 on the turf, starting fast at 90% and working our way down to 50%. We cut the intensity for each pair.

We have found that this format of a cooldown reduces our number of catastrophic calf muscle cramps at the end of the session. These cramps usually appear when you have your kids run two ugly laps around the track. Cramping often happens because you ask the athlete to load up extremely fatigued muscles that are being overloaded, and you don’t balance out the force demands from all the leg muscles in the posterior or anterior chain. When running these the athletes go barefoot on the turf, weather permitting.

Seasonal Progression of Tempo for Sprinters

Tempo must change as you move through the season as well. When we start the season, we use the previously mentioned percentages to guide our paces. As the season progresses, we use our tempos to simulate our comeback 200 on a 400-meter run. We run this after we establish a competition 400 or relay split.

The loads we start with are at the low end of the suggested volume. The volume moves higher as the athlete tolerates it for three weeks, with an unloading microcycle on the fourth. Rookies, untrained veterans, and trained veterans have different load progressions.

Once we get to six weeks away from the state championship, we begin the unloading phase. As we unload the tempo sessions, they transform in their purpose. They go from being tempo training to becoming a speed endurance session that backs up the previous Key Workout #1 on Monday. Besides unloading the volume, the recovery between reps enlarges, and the intensity slides up as well.

As we unload the tempo sessions, they transform in their purpose, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

The implementation of changes coincides with our race schedule of single-day meets until we reach the state championship, typically a two-day competition unless storms play a factor. Back-to-back days of training while unloading volume to the overall plan provides a two-day experience that simulates a state meet schedule for our sprinters. It also takes the pressure off our athlete’s need to do anything later in the week before the season’s championship phase, when competing with fresh legs is of the utmost importance. I discuss these concepts in further detail here.

Interval Distance: The distances should be 80 meters or less (short sprinters). For extensive tempo distances, intervals should be between 100 and 200 meters (mid and long sprinters).

Recoveries: Intensive tempo recoveries between sets can be much larger because the shorter distances allow intensive intervals. These sets of intensive tempos are not just fatiguing aerobically and building waste, but they can trash a sprinter’s central nervous system (CNS). Understand the reality that multilayered fatigue recovery between sets can be much longer than extensive tempo training.

Recovery between intervals can be anywhere from 30 seconds up to five minutes if the athlete needs more time. However, to indeed be tempo, the rest should be concise and avoid longer recoveries. If they require more rest, I allow the sprinter’s recovery between interval sets to be more substantial and keep the athlete’s rest shorter between repetitions. Recovery between sets can be 3-10 minutes. Extensive tempo with 200-meter intervals recoveries can be from 45 seconds to two minutes.

I typically stay with two minutes until we reach the peak phase. During the peak phase, the theme of the repeat 200s changes by increasing the intensity, lengthening recovery, and changing volume. For the 100-meter intervals, your recoveries can be as short as 30 seconds up to 1.5 minutes. Recovery between sets with 100-meter tempo work can be up to two minutes.

Some coaches will choose to make the rest between these intervals active by adding a push-up, bodyweight squats, or other bodyweight activities to add stress between intervals. Another option for a long sprinter’s tempo recovery is to make it an active restoration with a 200-meter recovery run. Active recovery runs tend to be more commonly used by distance runners. Making the recoveries active will increase the difficulty of the work.

When using active recoveries, the sprinter should not run anywhere near the speeds they cover during the actual training interval. However, do not let the sprinter shuffle jog. The recovery run should never take longer than double the time it takes to complete the tempo interval.

Here is an example of a 400-meter hurdle tempo session I ran with NCAA D2 multi-event recorder holder Brent Vogel.

Load: Intensive tempo loads can be 800-2,800 meters. Extensive tempo loads can be quite large. Baylor Long to Short Sprint Coach Clyde Hart usually starts with the largest number of tempo repeats at the beginning of the season. In most club and high school programs, my suggestion is to begin with lower volumes. As the season progresses, a coach should add volume and then reduce the amount again when athletes reach their peak phase. Extensive volume for short sprinters is anywhere from 1,000-3,000 meters. For mid sprinters, the volume can be 1,800 to 3,000 meters. For long sprinters, the load can go from 1,800 to 4,000 meters.

Percentages and Placement of Tempo Training

You can justify all training. depending on the athlete’s sport, event group, environment, and genetic makeup. I know there have been many discussions (some heated) in some different forums about the percentage of effort for tempo work. Charlie Francis’s influence is evident on people who support the concept of keeping tempo percentage down to 70-75%. Coach Francis used these considerably lower intensities on tempo training to develop capillary beds to enhance the circulatory system for enhanced recovery and improved body temperature regulation. However, if you train at 85%, you teach the body to adapt by creating buffers to hold the performance-crushing waste product back for an increased amount of time.

As stated earlier, your tempo training should hinge upon what event you are trying to train for as a competitor. I never put tempo training at the beginning of the week on Monday. The type of sprinter you are training will dictate what days and types of tempo will be the focus:

One of the most significant aspects of tempo workouts is that you will get something out of running at 70-75% or even 85%. Additionally, your sprinter can still maintain better mechanics in training tempo than pounding out aerobic work. Protecting the biomechanical model from the mid-range intensity is good, so they don’t learn lousy motor skills. Trudging through horrible workouts with no value is just a waste of time. Everything you do should have a purpose.

One of the most significant aspects of tempo workouts is that you will get something out of running at 70-75% or even 85%, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

If the 400 is your event, you probably want to run faster during tempo training. If you have a 100-meter sprinter specialist who can bring their “A” game on “key workout” high-intensity days, lower-intensity tempo days are required. Lower-intensity tempo days for 100-meter specialists make sense due to the nervous system needing 48 hours to recover before it can provide you with the 95% effort necessary to achieve positive training effects for the highest-velocity sprints.

As previously stated, the themes I provided try to build in recovery for our sprinters depending on their strengths. If the weekly structure is too much for an athlete you are working with, I would move the weekly design to a 2/1/1/1/1 system. For example, a sprinter would be on a relatively heavy load for two days (Monday/Tuesday), off for one (Wednesday), on for one (Thursday), off for one (Friday), and on for one (Saturday).

Break Down the Walls

Remember, context is everything when developing a training plan. Those who live in absolutes lose themselves when defending something rigid like a brick—with enough force, it crumbles under the weight of reality. As it is difficult to know what the world will put in front of you, you must be flexible, or you will be unable to apply the best solution to common and uncommon problems alike.

Tempo training is a solution to some of the common challenges of athletic development. I have intended to provide insight as to why I still fly the flag of tempo training. When properly applied, it can improve biomechanics, race strategy, buffering capacity, and injury prevention; simulate championship conditions; and allow schedule flexibility in a training plan. Don’t automatically reject a common practice that has led to good results and progress because it doesn’t fit someone’s narrative.

Don’t let social media algorithms put you in a silo, unaware that the answers you seek for the athlete(s) you coach could be right on the other side of the wall, says @SprintersCompen. Share on X

As coaches, it’s important to challenge less-nuanced ideas respectfully. Constructive criticism is particularly vital if it is your friend, as you’re often one of the only ones they will listen too. Don’t let the social media algorithms put you in a silo, unaware that the answers you may seek for the athlete(s) you coach could be right on the other side of the wall.

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 term “Indy” has commonly been used amongst creatives as a reference to “independent” filmmaking. Directors and filmmakers would find efficient and effective ways to get out from underneath large studio executives in an effort to create their own vision without interference or creative differences. In NFL circles, “going to Indy” in the new year has meant traveling to Indianapolis for the annual NFL Combine event to assess potential draft picks for the upcoming season.

With the news that the 2021 version of the NFL Combine will be exceptionally different due to COVID-19 precautions—with Indianapolis being ruled out as a central gathering site for evaluations—an excursion to “Indy” this year will inevitably mean that “individual” assessments will be much harder to accomplish, and prospective players (and their agents) will have to work harder “independently” to cultivate interest from general managers and scouts. While the NFL works this week to come up with alternative plans to the traditional scouting event, combine preparation groups, agents, and players are trying to get a better idea of how to navigate the next few months.

For the 2021 NFL Combine, as with everything related to the global pandemic, adaptability, flexibility, patience, determination, and precise execution will win the day, says @DerekMHansen. Share on X

A recent article published by Sports Illustrated outlines some general thoughts discussed by the NFL and teams on alternative arrangements to date, but nothing has been officially laid out by the League at the time of the writing of this article. I thought that I would outline some general issues and concepts for a revised approach to the 2021 NFL Combine, as well as identify some pivoting points for players, agents, and combine preparation professionals. As with everything related to the global pandemic, adaptability, flexibility, patience, determination, and precise execution will win the day when it comes to putting your best foot forward.

Medical Evaluations

One of the more difficult processes to duplicate in a non-centralized environment will be the medical evaluations. I have had the privilege of sitting in on the orthopedic evaluations for a number of teams at the NFL Combine and was impressed at the thoroughness and efficiency of these sessions. When I attended, eight meeting rooms in the convention center were dedicated to player evaluations, with medical staff from four teams assigned to each room to collectively assess individual athletes. They had access to recent imaging visuals and reports and supplemented this information with hands-on physical examinations. Large semi-trailers containing MRI machines and other imaging technology were also on-site if team physicians require additional information.

It’s quite a sight to see, resembling something along the lines of a high-tech livestock evaluation prior to auction. Team physicians also conduct internal medical examinations to collect information on cardiovascular, kidney, liver, and pulmonary health. Needless to say, there is a lot of close-proximity, hands-on involvement throughout the day, with more than 300 athletes being examined by 32 teams and associated doctors and medical staff. Everyone is exhausted at the end of these examinations.

As you can understand, seeing the individual players in-person is a significant requirement of this process. Since the traditional centralized Indy version of this process cannot be carried out under the current COVID-19 circumstances, it has been suggested that regional versions of this setup be established in close proximity to players to minimize travel. Because many prospects currently conduct their training in warm-weather parts of the country, there has been talk of having the majority of regional medical exams in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. Such an arrangement could limit the air travel required for athletes, NFL officials, and team staff, with only a minority of prospects required to fly to their in-person medical examination.

Since this would be one of the only official close-proximity in-person requirements for the prospects, it may have to be accompanied by COVID-19 testing protocols to help minimize the possibility of viral transmission and infection. Medical staff could conceivably have received their vaccinations for COVID-19 by the time of the regional examinations, but it is doubtful that young prospects would have received theirs.

I anticipate that teams would view this element of the traditional Combine evaluations to be of the highest priority and, therefore, would invest the most time and resources to ensure that it could be carried out in person in the most efficient, most effective, and safest manner. A bubble scenario might be possible during the duration of these examinations, but it would depend on the number of athletes attending each site and the length of time required to complete the assessments. Teams will be happy to get these sessions in the books, as they certainly help to determine the health and potential longevity of their draft picks.

Zoom and Video-Conferencing Interviews

I know this may come as a surprise to many physical preparation and strength professionals, but many NFL teams view the prospect interviews to be the next most important element of the NFL Combine event after the medical exams. These give teams a practical opportunity to see how individual prospects handle themselves in an interview scenario, responding to questions about their football knowledge and their personal life, as well as evaluate the players in a stressful situation that demands effective communication and thinking on their feet. It also helps them determine whether a given player will fit into the culture of the organization and has the right chemistry to gel with other key existing players in the locker room. Regardless of an athlete’s physical performance and medical status, if a player is not the right fit, it must be determined sooner rather than later so as not to create disruptions and future headaches.

While an in-person interview conveys all sorts of valuable information around body language and physical communication, we have now all become more accustomed to and accepting of video-conferencing scenarios. This may be one of the easier NFL Combine elements to replace with technology.

Video calls do not require the same distancing and shielding requirements, with high-definition video providing as much facial detail as you need to assess anxiety or calm, says @DerekMHansen. Share on X

Teams could easily schedule the necessary interviews with players at their convenience, recording the sessions for review by all pertinent staff. And, as I have discovered with any in-person exchanges as of late, face masks can impair the speech audibility and the luxury of seeing a person’s facial expressions and mouth movements when interacting with team staff. Video calls do not require the same distancing and shielding requirements, with high-definition video providing as much facial detail as you need to assess anxiety or calm. I would even encourage teams to conduct video interviews where you can see the prospect’s whole body to assess their level of comfort or anxiety in their body language.

Regional Combine Events for Performance and Skill Evaluations

While it might seem like combining the in-person medical evaluations with the performance and football-specific skill evaluations at a number of key regional sites is a commonsense solution, we have to remember that these additional contacts will not only extend the duration of the event, but also introduce a greater number of close-proximity exchanges among prospects, evaluators, and other staff. Longer contact exposures and a longer-duration event will only increase the probability of infection unless strict bubbles are established for these regional centers with quarantine periods leading up to such events.

I cannot see the NFL agreeing to combine the activities, particularly when medical tests are deemed significantly higher priority for their decision-making. Increasing the risk of infection with a longer event will only jeopardize the integrity of the main reason for meeting in person in the first place. Every positive test further delays the process and creates a risk of closing down the entire effort.

This does not mean that satellite performance and skill-testing sessions could not be carried out at a separate date—well after the medical evaluations have been concluded—with smaller groups meeting at select locations. Teams would be given the option to send a limited number of scouts to keep the numbers manageable, and a video feed of the evaluations would be made available to all pertinent scouts, coaching staff, and medical staff. As with any in-person evaluation, it simply gives teams an additional look at the prospects in controlled scenarios.

Prospects would still be required to prove their fitness and perform under pressure, albeit at a smaller scale and with less fanfare. And, if any positive COVID-19 cases are detected, the event has not jeopardized the other key elements of the Combine evaluation (medicals and interviews), with other opportunities available to showcase their physical talents (pro days).

Pro Day Events

Depending on the local lockdown and event restriction guidelines established in each state, county, and university around COVID-19, college pro day events may still be a viable means of evaluating prospects. However, if infection cases continue at the current pace, it will significantly impact the desire of scouts to travel to as many events as they may have done pre-COVID-19. Local university staff may still be able to run an event with all of the physical tests and football skill drills, but it may be necessary to provide comprehensive video streaming or, at the very least, a detailed video recording of the event to distribute to NFL teams.

If a specific state, county, or institution does not permit gathering for a pro day event, it will be up to individual prospects to inquire about gaining access to another pro day event at another school or within a different state. The name of the game at this time of year is getting your performances in front of NFL teams by any means necessary. The job of the prospects and their agents is to make it easy for scouts and teams to see the athletes at their best. If that means hiring a camera crew to take the video for themselves, then do whatever it takes to get it done. This may be their only chance to be seen.

It will be interesting to see how programs innovate and hustle to get their players recognized during this time while also holding a safe event on their campuses says @DerekMHansen. Share on X

College programs also have a vested interest to get their players drafted and on an NFL roster. Hence, it will be interesting to see how programs innovate and hustle to get their players recognized during this time while also holding a safe event on their campuses.

Private Sector Facility Showcases

There is no shortage of private sector coaches and professionals preparing athletes for pro day and football combine events, even during a global pandemic. In fact, I would assume that private sector operations have experienced more business over the last year due to the pandemic closing down pro and collegiate facilities during the various surges of the pandemic. The role of these private facilities will continue to loom large as both pro organizations and college campuses may not be able to assemble large groups of athletes for formal training for the foreseeable future.

In the last few weeks, private combine preparation operations have been waiting anxiously to determine when they can showcase the results of their hard work over the past six to eight weeks. If there is no formal centralized NFL Combine event, private coaches have to figure out when and where the key alternative events may happen and then adjust their training schedules as required. These events may be scaled down and dispensed in greater numbers in an effort to piece together a semblance of a combine experience.

In some cases, combine preparation coaches may be afforded more time than in previous years, as organizations take more time to organize safe and efficient events for prospects and staff. The onus is on the combine prep specialists to give their clients the best possible opportunity to be ready at a moment’s notice and produce their best performances, sometimes on several occasions.

“Given the information we currently have about the NFL Combine, we will still be preparing our athletes to be ready for any scaled-down version of the Combine such as regional combines. This includes not only the physical prep, but the mental prep, interview prep, and getting guys healthy. This really isn’t much different from our normal process. Typically, the dates of pro days are not announced until after the start of our NFL Draft Prep Program. For us, being fluid has always been a vital component to the success of our program.” – Augustine Agyei, Landow Performance, Centennial, Colorado

Another benefit of having additional time to prepare for combine events is that prospects with any injuries from the previous season are afforded more time to undertake the necessary rehabilitation work. In some cases, having an additional two to four weeks can make a significant difference for athletes hoping to showcase their talents. Feeling rushed during a return to play effort is never a confidence-building process. Simply knowing you have a few more weeks to prepare can make all the difference for a prospect’s confidence and ultimate performance.

I also believe the individual combine prep facilities could run their own showcase events with their own cohort of prospects. Although some people may think that these could be biased evaluations that do not represent the true stresses of a Combine-like scenario, I truly believe that providing more exposures and information about your prospects can only benefit their chances. As I suggested previously, make it as easy as possible for NFL scouts to view your clients in a positive light. We live in a world where prolific repetition of sensational images and video clips carry tremendous influence, and they can be the difference between getting a second look or finding a new line of work.

Standardization of Performance Assessment Methods

If remote testing and evaluation of prospects becomes a more common method of implementing the combine experience, standardization of testing methods and technology has to be an integral part of the process. I remember watching American Idol 10 months ago, in the early stages of the global pandemic (just the beginning of my unscrupulous COVID-19-influenced television binge-watching habits), and the show was very good at pivoting to finish out the competition. Because contestants had to be sent home in early March 2020, American Idol staff had to come up with a reasonable method of displaying the performances of singers on a level playing field. As such, each contestant was sent a remote performance kit including a brand-new iPhone 11 Pro, tripod, ring light, and microphone to ensure that all performances were captured and presented using the same equipment. Zoom sessions were conducted with contestants by American Idol technical staff to ensure that the equipment was set up optimally for all 40 participants across the country.

If remote testing/evaluation of prospects becomes a more common method of implementing the combine experience, standardization of testing methods & technology must be integral to the process. Share on X

Any NFL-affiliated physical testing events should be evaluated using the same equipment and technology, as well as the same protocols for implementation of the tests. Standardization will only add credibility to any remote or satellite event used to evaluate prospect performance. In addition, this equipment, technology, and protocol standard should be shared with each and every college and private sector event evaluating and showcasing talent. If the performance tests used in the NFL Combine are deemed valuable, more effort should be made to solidify the integrity of the results.

Relying on colleges and private sector facilities to use different timing technologies and protocols only introduces more doubt into the results. Even providing these groups with protocols around filming at higher frame rates (e.g., 100-120 frames per second) and identifying key vantage points for filming and extracting accurate times from the footage would be useful. High-quality digital video footage at no less than 100 frames per second can be more than accurate for identifying first movement by a prospect and finishing a run. The company Dartfish already works with the NFL; standardizing it with the inclusion of GoPro or similar hardware would make the process easier to scale.

This is also a great opportunity for equipment and technology companies to get involved to help with standardization of technology and associated settings, as well as distribution of this equipment to various regions of the country to make sure everyone is evaluated on the same level playing field. Although we cannot control weather and other environmental factors, scouts can still see the athlete performing via high-quality video using standardized equipment, and determine relative abilities based on temperature and testing conditions. If all of the necessary steps are taken to ensure the integrity of the evaluations are preserved, viewing a performance “in-person” may not carry the same value as it once did.

Staff Professional Development Sessions

My own personal experience with the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in recent years has been through my presentations to Athletic Training (PFATS) and Strength & Conditioning (PFSCCA) staff at their professional development events held as part of Combine festivities. It was an opportunity for staff from all teams to confer and participate in continuing education activities outside of a normally hectic season. Experts were brought in to speak to both groups, and everyone was able to collect continuing education credits for the sessions too. These events were accompanied by trade show exhibits that gave vendors an opportunity to connect with staff from all teams in one central venue.

I hope that both of these organizations continue to offer virtual continuing education sessions during this off-season period for all members, as it has been a valuable time for all professionals to connect and further their knowledge. I do know that a number of teams are taking the initiative and holding their own internal virtual continuing education sessions in February and March in anticipation of a modified Combine strategy. This approach provides greater flexibility with the experts that a team chooses to put in front of their staff who may fit better with their overall philosophy and culture, as opposed to watching the same presentation in the same room as 31 other teams.

The Possibility of COVID-19 Obsolescence

Like any convention held regularly prior to COVID-19, there will be the chance to accelerate change and move on to new ways of doing business. If you were a provider of office space for technology companies prior to the pandemic, you are obviously facing a new landscape of market demand and have had to pivot quickly or find a new line of work. We have all heard about the plight of Blockbuster Video and the rise of Netflix, but how can that scenario help us prepare differently for post-COVID-19 realities? The next few months of athlete evaluations will have a big impact on how all sports view their talent evaluation methods moving forward. If we can derive useful information from a less-is-more approach using technology and remote evaluations, who is to say that this will not continue for the foreseeable future?

If we can derive useful information from a less-is-more approach using technology & remote evaluations, who’s to say that this won’t continue for the foreseeable future?, asks @DerekMHansen. Share on X

The city of Indianapolis might take the biggest hit after all is said and done. The NFL Combine was an annual event that ensured that hotels, restaurants, and the convention center were all fully booked for over a week. Television coverage of the event also helped to put the city in the spotlight every February. If the NFL decides to scrap a centralized event and replace it with smaller regional events, it would mean the end of the traditional NFL Combine in Indianapolis. I know that there would be some relief on the part of team staff, as it would mean one less trip on their typically busy schedules. It also makes me wonder if a re-evaluation of testing methods would be warranted moving forward as part of the 2021 experience, providing a more streamlined approach to physical testing.

Embracing a New Paradigm

While it is very easy to throw your hands in the air and wish for a return to the good old days of off-season preparation and evaluation for professional sports, the brutal reality is that we are further reminded of the need to continue to adapt our methods to fit the circumstances. We could argue as to the efficacy of one method versus another, but those who are determined to succeed will continue to find the best ways to conduct their daily routines.

Most teams likely have a good idea of who they want to put on their wish list for the draft based on game film and statistics. A good medical evaluation will allay any fears of fragility and risk, and the remote interviews will give a better indication of knowledge, communication skills, and character. But most teams’ efforts in 2021 may go into re-evaluating the tests and drills that they use to assess the talent that could change their fortunes in the future. Coaches and staff come and go, but games are decided by players in the final analysis.

Those who are determined to succeed will continue to find the best ways to conduct their daily routines, says @DerekMHansen. Share on X

I do believe that 2021 will represent a move toward greater independence and individuality on many levels. Professional teams will be pushed to become more proprietary and independent with their own evaluations of talent. Prospects, agents, and private facilities will be pressed to develop methods and approaches to differentiate their abilities from the competition in more innovative ways using all sorts of technology and marketing methods. Moving out of high-density and close-proximity scenarios and into more home-based, dispersed methods of developing, evaluating, and promoting talent will be the norm moving forward. It is a brave and exciting time for individuals who are switched-on and comfortable with embracing change and making opportunities out of perceived setbacks. On which side of history will you place yourself?

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