Special Episode | The Godfather of Strength and Conditioning Boyd Epley

You can’t talk about strength and conditioning without Coach Boyd Epley. Regarded as the “Godfather of Strength and Conditioning,” Epley laid the groundwork for the profession and later founded the NSCA in 1978. His 10 Husker Power Principles, developed at the University of Nebraska, remain a cornerstone in programming and formed the basis of sport-specific training. Emphasizing strength and power, Epley implemented testing and debunked the prevailing belief that weightlifting hindered speed. He recounts his journey with co-hosts Eric McMahon and Jon Jost, chronicling how a pole vault injury and exposure to bodybuilding led him to become the first collegiate strength and conditioning coach. What began with cement bars and paint cans evolved into a fully equipped weight room and impressive lifelong career. Additionally, Epley’s open-door policy — even with his fiercest competitors — helped drive the profession forward. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in strength and conditioning history.

Explore the University of Nebraska’s Husker Power Principles discussed in this episode.

Reach out to Coach Epley by email at boydepley@mac.com. Get in touch with Jon Jost at jonathan.jost@pepsico.com. Find Eric on Instagram @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn @ericmcmahoncscs.

This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com.

Want to get involved as an NSCA Volunteer? Discover opportunities to lead and share your expertise at NSCA.com/Volunteer. Applications for many positions open in September and October!

Show Notes

“We always wanted to explain to the athletes what we were trying to do and make sense out of it so that they would buy in and participate at their best effort… Our 10 principles really provided a path for not only our athletes but others across the country.” 4:10

“Over the years, I really focused on strength and power, the squat and the clean. If that's all someone did, I think they'd have a pretty successful chance to gain and improve their performance. But as a result, I got stronger than Nebraska's football players.” 11:10

“I found out real quick, depending on if the coach recruited the kid, how fast they were going to run. The coach would look at it and say 4.6. So, we had to put up with that for a while. That's why I went to the electrical department at the university and asked them to help. And we created electronic timing at the University of Nebraska.” 19:35

“My biggest problem wasn't the program working or the facility, it was raising money to pay my volunteers… But we even had them sell t-shirts on game day to raise money and created a booster club called the Husker Power Club. When I left the program, we left $300,000 in the bank that was supposed to never be used except to support the strength program.” 27:50