Just Fly Performance Podcast

In this discussion, Tony Holler, a veteran high school track coach known for his innovative 'Feed the Cats' philosophy, shares insights from over 40 years in coaching. He highlights his dynamic X-Factor training workouts designed to enhance speed and explosiveness while incorporating varied plyometric and isometric exercises. Holler discusses gamifying training to boost athlete engagement, the effectiveness of wicket variations for sprinting, and how his coaching approach combines discipline with creativity for optimal performance.

Mike Robertson, co-owner of IFAST and host of the Physical Preparation Podcast, dives into the balance of braking and propulsion vital for athletic performance. With over 20 years of coaching experience, he shares insights on optimizing movement patterns, particularly for off-season athletes. The discussion covers the evolution of training philosophies, blending strength with functional mobility, and practical strategies for enhancing recovery. Mike also reflects on the joy of coaching youth sports and the lessons learned from nurturing young talent.

Today's podcast features Matt Aldred. Matt is the head strength and conditioning coach for basketball at the University of Michigan. He has international expertise and a diverse background in sports he has worked with through his previous stops in NCAA strength and conditioning. In addition to his strength and conditioning experience, he is certified in fascial abrasion technique and Frederick stretch therapy, in addition to a sports massage background. Matt has also co-authored the Fascial Mechanics for Sport course alongside Danny Foley. In building a performance program, it must ultimately be centered around the needs of the athlete. Athletes need to be as ready as possible on game day. Some athletes need more mass and physical strength. Others need more conditioning and body composition management. Others need more fluid and adaptive movement capabilities. Many athletes enjoy and benefit from providing their input into the program. These facets of performance make athletic development more dynamic than just “get them strong and I did my job”. On today’s podcast, Matt talks about many aspects of building an athlete-centered program, highlighting training the spectrum of muscular strength and tissue quality, over to dynamic, high-velocity training with a priority on athletic qualities. He also speaks on training variability (such as “every rep different”), multi-planar training, basketball game demands, athlete autonomy, wearable resistance training, and much more. This show puts many pieces into place of a comprehensive approach to athletic development, encompassing so many facets of improvement in the field. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s GymStudio. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Main Points 3:41- Functional Training for Athletic Performance Enhancement 7:34- Peak Performance Training for Athletes 12:49- Position-Based Athletic Programming for Optimal Performance 18:14- Enhancing Athletic Performance Through Varied Training 22:39- Position-Specific Basketball Training Programs 25:04- Game-Specific Training for Peak Performance 27:25- Dynamic Training Approaches for Athletic Performance 37:11- Strategic Micro-Dosing for Athlete Performance Optimization 46:00- Sticking to Basic Exercises for Effective Training 47:46- Enhancing Athletes' Adaptability Through Varied Workouts 49:33- Tailored Training Zones for Athletes in Weight Room 51:13- Optimizing Player Performance Through Varied Training 55:28- Amorpho Gear Enhancing Basketball Performance Sessions 1:08:25- Functional Movement Training with Light Weights 1:14:54- Functional Movement Training for Athletic Performance Quotes (00:07:34) "The game is so intense and it's so movement-based. We have to replicate that in the weight room. We can't just be weight and warriors because we've all had that athlete that's super strong and looks amazing. And I'm looking at the opposition team in a warm up going, who is that!? And then they don't play." - Matt Aldred (00:13:50) "The longer I've done this, the more I really lean into an athlete's intuition." - Matt Aldred (00:20:40) "There are certain exercises like a chin-up we're probably going to want to go full range of motion. I want you to hold at the top with Tempo down. But if we're doing a horizontal row, man, I can be elbow wide. I can be really quick reps. I can hold at the top. I can do a split stance with an anchor on a Kaiser pull-down. We can make that horizontal roll whatever we want to do." - Matt Aldred (00:24:29) "I don't think that we put the athlete in the box like no man, like whatever you are, I'll program towards that." - Matt Aldred

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.

Austin Einhorn, a renowned movement specialist and founder of APIros Performance, dives into innovative athlete training and injury prevention techniques. He discusses crucial topics such as hip extension and its muscle complexities, optimizing shoulder mechanics for performance, and the importance of variability in strength training. Austin highlights the significance of clear mental focus in athletic training and challenges conventional approaches, advocating for unique movement patterns and coordination strategies that build resilient athletes capable of high performance.

Laurent Meuwly, the Head Coach for sprints in the Netherlands, discusses his innovative training approaches developed from his experiences with world-class athletes. He dives into the importance of individual muscle assessments and tailored strength exercises for sprinters. Unique concepts like 'Flyers vs. Diesels' provide insight into athletic archetypes, while advanced techniques like overspeed training and cluster methodologies enhance speed and performance. Laurent emphasizes creating a relay-based culture and a supportive training environment to build elite sprinters.

In this engaging discussion, Anthony Cockrill, Director of Volleyball Sports Performance at SMU, dives into the intricacies of explosive strength development. He unpacks the importance of eccentric training and discusses various squat techniques like the Zurcher squat. Anthony highlights how individualized programs can maximize athletic performance, touching on the role of shoulder mobility and the integration of plyometrics. His insights are rooted in real-world application, making it a treasure trove for coaches and athletes alike.

Bren Veziroglu, a movement educator known for blending science with personal exploration, discusses transformative training methodologies. He emphasizes the importance of dynamic, movement-rich environments for skill acquisition versus rigid drills. Bren shares insights on integrating traditional strength with innovative mobility approaches and partner-based exercises. He also highlights the value of adapting training to include playful elements, enhancing engagement and fostering more effective athletic performance.

Mike Bruno, Assistant Director of Olympic Sports Performance at Clemson University, dives into the interplay of skeletal dynamics and athletic performance. He explains how athletes' unique structural archetypes influence their speed and power training. With insights from biomechanics, he emphasizes pressure management and personalized training strategies. Innovative techniques like trampolines and water bags are explored, showcasing their effects on jumping and sprinting. Listeners learn the vital connections between strength training, movement strategy, and optimizing athletic capabilities.

In today’s solo episode, I break down 10 essential keys to building a well-rounded athletic performance program. These programming elements are often overlooked or omitted in favor of a more "machine-based" training approach. I’ll cover both the specifics of sets, reps, and training structures, as well as key principles that enhance stimulation, learning, engagement, and focus—crucial components for an athlete's overall experience. By refining both stimulation and the athlete’s attentional "spotlight," we can create training that feels more dynamic, engaging, and effective. The keys to a more complete program, are as follows: Embrace Constraints and Limitations Study Physical Education (Instead of only “Sport Science”) Integrate Rhythm and Music Work Polarities and Waves Use Complexes Embrace Uncertainty Understand the Performer Environment Relationship Test and Use Leaderboards Use Risk Train Yourself Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and the LILA Exogen Wearable Resistance Training Sleeves. Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage at https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/ Timestamps 2:00- Embrace Constraints and Limitations 7:45- Study PE (Movement and learning-driven vs. output and data-driven) 13:30- Incorporate Rhythm and Music into Training 18:00- Work Polarities/Waves (Jay S) 28:00- Use Complexes 39:30- Embrace Uncertainty 44:30- Performer environment relationship 50:00- Test and Use Leaderboards 56:30- Use Risk 1:02:30- Train Yourself About Joel Smith Joel Smith is the founder of Just Fly Sports and is a sports performance and track coach in Cincinnati, Ohio. Joel hosts the Just Fly Performance Podcast and has authored several books and coaches in both the high school and private sectors. Joel was a strength coach for 8 years at UC Berkeley, working with the Swim teams and post-graduate professional swimmers, as well as tennis, water polo, and track and field. A track coach of 17 years, Joel coached for the Diablo Valley Track and Field Club for 7 years and also has 6 years of experience coaching on the collegiate level, working at Wilmington College, and the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. He is currently coaching high jump at Milford High School. Joel has coached 4 national champions, multiple All-Americans, and NCAA record holders in track and field. In the realm of strength and conditioning, his programs have assisted 5 athletes to Olympic berths that produced 9 medals and a world record performance at Rio in 2016.