In a captivating discussion, Bob Thurnhoffer, the Assistant Track & Field Coach at the University of Louisville, shares his wealth of knowledge accumulated over nearly two decades of coaching. He reveals innovative training methods for speed and power, including plyometric concepts and the significance of general strength. Bob recounts his creative adaptations during resource limitations and emphasizes individualized approaches for young athletes. This insightful conversation sheds light on the evolution of strength training while exploring the balance between intensity and recovery.
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Training in a Hallway
Bob Thurnhoffer creatively trained athletes in a 35-meter hallway using rolled out track mats.
He focused intensely on what was possible like acceleration, plyometrics, and strength training despite tough limitations.
insights INSIGHT
Limitations Foster Creativity
Limitations breed greater creativity and specialization in training.
Bob focused on mastering acceleration and reactivity since other types of speed work were not possible indoors.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Individualizing Acceleration Training
Tailor resisted acceleration volumes to athletes' technical skill; novices use more resistance, experienced less.
Adjust bounding intensity based on athlete experience and injury status.
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Today's podcast features Bob Thurnhoffer, Assistant Track & Field Coach at the University of Louisville. Bob brings nearly two decades of NCAA Division I coaching experience, with past stops at New Mexico, Loyola Chicago, and UIC. His athletes have earned multiple All-American honors, NCAA qualifications, and school records. Bob is also known for his deep knowledge in training for jumps and is a respected voice in the track and field coaching community.
On today’s episode, Bob speaks on the formative experience of his past work training speed and power at an NCAA DI school in the confines of a hallway. He also goes into plyometric training concepts, and acceleration development, as well as some of his key complex training methods in the weightroom. Bob also digs into the importance of general strength in his program, along with the nuts and bolts of his weekly training setups for sprint and jump athletes in this fantastic resource on speed and power development.
Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and the Just Fly Sports Online Courses.
To learn more about the Sprint Acceleration Essentials, Elastic Essentials, or Speed ID courses, go to justflysports.thinkific.com
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View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/)
Timestamps
6:02- Bob’s Early Experiences as an Athlete and His Early Mentors
18:55- Innovative Training Solutions for Limited Spaces
29:38- Enhancing Athletic Performance Through General Strength Training
34:55- Individualized Workouts for Optimal Athletic Development
39:14- Foundational Elements in Athletic Performance Training
41:41- Peak Velocity Training for Jumpers
56:44- Intensive Cycle Variation for Optimal Performance
58:51- Force Plate Metrics for Athlete Performance Tracking
1:05:43- Mentorship Impact on Athlete Training Mindset
Quotes
(17:21) "I do think it's like limitations breed creativity more than freedom of possibilities. Unlimited situations don't create creativity as much as limitations do." - Bob Thurnhoffer
(18:05) “(Training in a Hallway) I can do acceleration, I could do plyometrics. I can get very strong in the weight room. And try to learn how to be truly great at these things that I can do. Because I knew that the things I could do I had to be better than everyone else at” - Bob Thurnhoffer
(29:38) “I still work general training a very, very large degree. Probably more than most coaches even. Yeah, I remember Brooke, the pole vault coach at Louisville. She said to me at the start of the year how she really liked how much general strength I do. She's like, yeah, I don't know. Coaches never do that anymore” - Bob Thurnhoffer
(41:00) “Interestingly enough, I actually, at New Mexico I almost entirely went to Monday, Tuesday neural, Wednesday, Thursday general, Friday neural. The whole two years I was there for everyone. And it worked great” - Bob Thurnhoffer
(47:30) “I almost always finish a neural lift with med ball throws; to restore proprioception after heavy lifting” - Bob Thurnhoffer
(49:13) "I think like long jump you gotta, it's all about displacement, smoothness, being a passenger, letting the natural inherent reactivity that you've developed in training and it's inherent in the human body do the jumping for you." - Bob Thurnhoffer
(1:02:01) "It's the quick ground contact time with the vertical displacement. That's what I'm looking for." - Bob Thurnhoffer
About Bob Thurnhoffer
Bob Thurnhoffer is an accomplished track and field coach specializing in jumps, currently serving as the Assistant Coach for Jumps at the University of Louisville. He joined the Cardinals' coaching staff on July 31, 2023, bringing with him over 18 years of Division I coaching experience across multiple institu...
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