Recent Posts
June Q&A: VBT, Personalizing Group Sessions, and Professional Development
It’s June, and we’re back with another KILLER Q&A Episode! This month was fun because I had a nice mix of questions to answer. On one hand, I had some X’s and O’s questions about how to get more out of your programs and coaching. And on the flip side, I also got some higher-level […]
Continue ReadingUsing the Ground Prep Series to Unlock Your Back, Knees and Hips
Are you looking for a mobility series you can do in 5 minutes to improve how virtually EVERY JOINT in your body moves and feels? If so, you need the Ground Prep Series in your life! This is a mini-circuit I created years ago because, unfortunately, I keep getting older… …and my body keeps reminding […]
Continue ReadingMatthew Ibrahim on Building the Brakes and Training Deceleration
Matthew Ibrahim currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Quincy College, Adjunct Professor of Exercise Science at Maryville University, founder of Athletic Performance University (AthleticPerformanceU.com) and Ph.D. Candidate in Human & Sport Performance. As a public speaker, Matthew has presented nationally in over 25 U.S. states, and he’s also in the midst […]
Continue ReadingWhy I Hate the “Hips Down” Cue in Sports
As someone who has coached athletes of every shape, size and ability, it annoys me to no end when a coach randomly tells an athlete to “get their hips down.” And keep in mind, I know it’s well-intentioned – they want to help this athlete be more athletic and/or explosive in their respective sport. But […]
Continue ReadingLee Taft on Building Elite Multi-Directional Speed
If you want to help your athletes get faster, then THIS is the podcast for you. In my not so humble opinion, Lee Taft is THE BEST practitioner of multi-directional speed training in the world, and in this episode I really feel like we capture lightning in a bottle. While Lee primarily works as a […]
Continue ReadingUsing the “Microscope Approach” to Write Better Training Programs
One of the most feared days in every IFAST Interns existence was the dreaded “Program Defense Day.” On this day, our interns would have to stand up in front of Bill, myself, and the current IFAST coaches and explain – in excruciating detail – every aspect of a workout they’ve written for a hypothetical client. […]
Continue ReadingHow to Manage Your Energy and Avoid Burnout as a Coach
Let’s start this episode off with an honest statement: Being a coach is an energy-intensive endeavor. Every day you want to give your best – your all – to your clients and athletes. But here’s one thing we don’t talk about enough: How do we manage and maintain our own energy? When you’re working hard […]
Continue ReadingBetter Set-ups for Better Single-Leg RDL’s
For almost 15 years now, I’ve talked about the benefits of including bilateral, split-stance, AND unilateral activities in your programming. All of them have a place depending on the client/athlete you’re working with, their level of development, their needs and goals, etc. So with that being said, just know that I love the single-leg RDL. […]
Continue ReadingAnthony Iannarino on Meta Principles and Silver Linings in the Return to Play Process
Anthony Iannarino is a Physical Therapist and Strength and Conditioning coach currently serving as a Performance Therapist with the Washington Wizards. Prior to transitioning to professional sports, Anthony served as a clinic director for Rehab 2 Perform as well as the performance therapist for the Bullis School Track and Field where he worked elite high […]
Continue ReadingIn-Season Program Design
Okay my friends, it’s time for a little Wipe Board Wednesday! Today we’re going to talk about in-season lifting. For many years, lifting in-season was vilified…but should that have been the case? Too often, as the competitive season goes on we see lean body mass and force production go down, while overall fatigue and the […]
Continue ReadingMay Q&A: Movement Models, Con Ed and Augmented Eccentrics
And we’re back! It’s been over a month since we did a Q&A episode, so I knew I needed to get one in sooner than later. This week, we’ve got a ton of fun topics to discuss. For starers, how do you determine your own weaknesses and plan your continuing education? How do you help […]
Continue ReadingThe Reload Week
When it comes to program design people like to talk about de-loading, or deloads. A deload is a period of time – generally one week – where you strategically drop volume and/or intensity to reduce fatigue and improve overall fitness. But something I’ve used with great success over the years is what I call a […]
Continue ReadingJulia Glanz on Using Your Hormones to Super Charge Your Results In the Gym
Julia Glanz is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters Degree In Nutritional Science, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, a former College Strength & Conditioning Coach and a former Division 1 soccer player. Julia’s education in nutritional science, exercise science and physiology combined with years of her own personal struggle with hormone imbalances fueled her […]
Continue Reading1 Set-up and 1 Performance Cue
As trainers and coaches, we REALLY want to help our clients and athletes. We want those squats to be deep. We want those deads to be strong. And we want those split-squats and lunges to be stable and balanced! But sometimes those good intentions get the best of us. Instead of letting our clients and […]
Continue ReadingAlwyn Cosgrove on Fat Loss Training, Mentorship and Paying it Forward
When you reflect on life, it’s interesting to see how some people step in at exactly the right point in time. As a young coach growing up, I didn’t have a lot of great mentors. I knew I wanted to create content, I wanted to use speaking as an avenue to educate other trainers and […]
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