Just Fly Performance Podcast

Eamonn Flanagan, Lead Strength & Conditioning Consultant at the Sport Ireland Institute and expert in plyometrics, dives into the nuances of jump training. He discusses how different surfaces affect performance, the role of the Reactive Strength Index in assessments, and the importance of tailored training regimens. Flanagan also highlights the significance of foundational movement patterns, innovative warm-up techniques, and the balance between intensity and technique in optimizing athletic development. A treasure trove of insights for coaches and athletes alike!

Cal Dietz, co-author of Triphasic Training and strength coach at the University of Minnesota, teams up with Mike T Nelson, an expert in exercise physiology and neurological training. They delve into optimizing athletic performance through revolutionary training concepts, including the origins of the GOAT drill and the importance of oscillatory reps. The duo discusses integrating sensory input in training, engaging cognitive challenges, and the relationship between fearlessness and performance. Their insights on coordination, heart rate variability, and creating a holistic training system offer invaluable strategies for athletes.

Today’s podcast is a Q&A episode with Joel Smith. Topics include the role of roughhousing games for individual sport athletes, sandbag training, and rhythm-cadence in movement. Joel explores youth sports trends, breaking jump plateaus, and the benefits of flywheel loading. He also covers infrasternal angle training, rotating speed and plyometric days, and integrating team play with weekly speed work. This, plus, a discussion on the value of band resistance in sports training rounds out this comprehensive conversation on optimizing athletic performance. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio. 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. Main Points 00:14- Roughhousing games for non-team sport athletes 08:42- Training Changes Over the Year 33:23- Observations on Youth Sports 36:44- The Role of Fun in Training 40:37- Jump Imbalances and Breaking Jump Plateaus 44:53- Flywheel Loading 46:37- Infrasternal Angle Concepts and Training over Time 53:36- Sprint and Jump Training Programming 59:14- Utilizing Exergeny in Training 1:00:43- Games as Speed Training 1:05:37- Basketball vs. Plyometrics 1:08:24- Band Resistance in Sport Training 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.

Bill Hartman, a forward-thinking physical therapist and educator, teams up with Chris Wicus, a seasoned health and performance coach with martial arts expertise. Together, they delve into intriguing topics like the biomechanics of athletic propulsion, focusing on cutting mechanics that impact speed and agility. They explore the energy dynamics involved in sprinting and jumping, highlighting how these principles enhance performance and prevent injuries. Their insights on training cycles and movement mechanics offer valuable strategies for athletes at all levels.

David Grey, founder of David Grey Rehab, specializes in gait cycle assessment and rehabilitation. He discusses effective foot training, emphasizing practical exercises that aid rehabilitation without extreme movements. David also shares insights on overcoming isometric adaptations and the significance of loading intensity. He highlights the vital link between training intensity and recovery, particularly for injuries like tendinopathy, while emphasizing personalized strategies that boost athletic performance. His expansive thinking blends rehabilitation with athletic development seamlessly.

Katie St. Clair, a seasoned strength coach and founder of Empowered Performance, dives into the intricate connections between feet and hips in movement. She discusses the role of connective tissue in optimizing performance and highlights the importance of integrating dynamic training and playful exploration. With insights on athletic movements like pickleball, Katie emphasizes creative, individualized approaches to fitness. Additionally, she explores foot mechanics and their influence on glute activation, advocating for a balance between muscle training and movement efficiency.

Today’s podcast features Eric Guthrie, Director of Strength and Conditioning at George Washington University. Eric has over a decade of experience in sports performance, working with a wide range of sports. He currently works directly with lacrosse and gymnastics. A graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in Health & Human Physiology, Eric was a standout punter for the Hawkeyes, where he served as a permanent team captain and even earned an opportunity with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Play-based training is on the rise in athletic development, and for good reason. It is a primal and effective way to deliver, not only a high level of stimulation and salience (attention) to the session but also to create memorable and joyful experiences for the individual. The key with any tool is to understand how to use it in context, achieving a balanced and effective use. On today’s episode, Eric digs into his keys in building movement challenges for athletes, using play for conditioning and movement qualities, and facilitating a program that continually scales into an athlete’s growing needs. He goes in-depth on how he chooses the degree of play and variability in a program, and how to build training with all parties in mind, sport coach, strength coach, and athlete. We also dig into some awesome mind, body, and environmental factors in training, conditioning, and performance. This was a practical and insightful podcast on one of the most powerful existing tools in athletic performance, the power of play. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games. 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 TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com   View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Main Points 5:26- Athlete-led Movement Challenges for Engaging Training 13:16- Enhancing Athlete Engagement Through Play-Based Training 17:39- Novelty-Driven Movement Engagement for Athletes 23:07- Enhancing Athletes' Performance Through Movement Competency 30:33- Athlete-Led Movement Challenges Enhance Training Experience 34:24- Enhancing Athlete Development Through Playful Training 37:39- Enhancing Team Cohesion with Contact Integration 40:55- Agile Conditioning through Game-Based Fitness 49:13- Fun Fitness Games Enhancing Athletic Performance 1:04:13- Motivation Through Competitive Status Systems in Training 1:09:29- Confidence Building through Weight Room Progression Quotes (14:40) “That's the sneaky part of it. How can you fit that in without them really realizing it? They're probably expecting a certain thing when they come in. We're gonna lift weights, we're gonna run. Toes on the line, this certain level of discipline. Quote, unquote discipline, which I think is sometimes overdone, but sometimes you need to have that starting out. And then can you build towards the more open and free” (17:32) "If you love it, then you'll want to come. You'll become obsessed with it and you'll come back and you'll give great effort and then the results will follow." (36:33) "We've had those discussions as a staff too. It's like what? What is our role? Is it this one to five years of performance drive that as high as you can or is it like lifelong lessons or skills." (39:20) “Wheelbarrow walk. You're getting way better than just holding a plank for two minutes. Getting the engagement and dynamic, you know, repetition without repetition” (44:00) “(For a more play-based conditioning approach) We had a more veteran team so I think they had a bigger base of play, sport practice, and sport play under them. So a younger team might need more of that base building for lack of a better term...

Today’s podcast features Derek Hansen. Derek is a renowned International Sport Performance Consultant with over 35 years of experience working with athletes across all levels and disciplines in speed, strength, and power sports. Derek started in Track and Field and continued in sports performance to work with numerous athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLS, and NHL, along with Olympic medalists. As the former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Simon Fraser University—NCAA's first non-U.S. member—Derek now specializes in speed development, performance planning, and return-to-competition protocols. If we zoom out and scan decades of fitness and human performance, we see methods go in, and out of style. In our current realm of athletics, we have put speed and power outputs heavily under the microscope, while energy system development and aerobic training have been played down (along with general physical education and physical competencies in young athletes). In looking at injury rates and longevity of athletes, it’s important to take a look at where we may be pushing too far, and where gaps need to be filled. On today’s episode, Derek covers the pendulum swing, and the importance of aerobic development, even in speed and power-seeking athletes. He also gets into the modern direction of acceleration training, as team sport training has moved into heavier resisted training protocols, relative to the past. Derek also touches on the artful side of training and coaching, mindfulness, overspeed sprint training, simplicity of programming application, and much more. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games. 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 TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Main Points 7:56- Value of Basic Circulatory Warm-up Routines 10:24- Benefits of Incorporating Aerobic Running in Training 22:24- Jerry Rice's Holistic Endurance Training Approach 26:42- Enhancing Performance Through Mindful Nature Training 34:38- Traditional vs Digital Learning: Note-taking Strategies 44:06- Optimizing Acceleration Training with Sled Work 50:30- Sprint Mechanics for Injury Prevention and Performance 55:00- Optimizing Training Loads for Enhanced Performance 58:38- Enhancing Acceleration: Sleds and Hill Sprints 1:01:37- Optimal Hill Gradient for Athletic Conditioning 1:09:46- Optimal Resistance Levels in Sprint Training 1:15:06- Optimizing Running Speed with Relaxation Techniques 1:23:36- Achilles Injury Rates and Considerations in Modern Sport 1:28:20- Muscle Oxygenation Training for Enhanced Recovery Quotes (4:40) “I always try to simplify things. So one of the simplest things when I was working with Charlie Francis was he would have very complicated, complex explanations for things, but sometimes he would say, like, you know, oh, what's this person's problem? Well, they're just tight. You just need to loosen them up. That would be the end of the conversation” (9:51) "It's kind of like the bro science has kind of taken over basic physiology and I think it's, it's kind of hurt us." (16:00) “We're pushing speed and specificity but, but at the same time, you know, having a well-rounded, balanced program is really important, particularly for the injury prevention side” (21:00) “I think of people like Jerry Rice and, you know, was he the fastest guy? No, but he did do a lot of longer runs and runs in the hills and stuff like that” (32:00) “I have vinyl records because listening to a vinyl record takes more time and patience. To put the needle on the groove and all that.

Vern Gambetta, a renowned sports performance coach with over 50 years in the field, shares his insights on innovative training methods. He dives into spectrum training and the often-overlooked benefits of isometrics and PNF techniques. Vern discusses the evolution of athletic coaching strategies, emphasizing tailored approaches for young athletes. He also highlights the significance of rhythm in training and the balance between structured methods and intuitive practices. With a wealth of experience, his thoughts promise to reshape how coaches and athletes approach performance.

Today’s podcast features speed coach, Cody Bidlow. Cody is a track sprints coach, athlete, and founder of Athlete X and SprintingWorkouts.com. He has been a head track & field coach at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, AZ, and a coach at EliteU working with NFL combine prep athletes. An all-conference sprinter for Grand Canyon University, Cody has been a personal coach for professional MLB athletes, track athletes, and consults for coaches around the world. To sprint fast takes an immense amount of effort and focus. To sprint one’s fastest in their early 30s takes a deep understanding of the training process and individual factors that account for top performance. On today’s episode, Cody speaks on speed training in regards to his current sprinting personal bests at age 32, and how he has dialed his training in this recent year. We speak on many aspects of training on the level of intensity, essentialism, workout regulation, resisted sprinting, complex training, and much more. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games. 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 TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Main Points 2:37- Cody’s Recent Training Gains, Along with His New Role as a Father 10:00- Using Strategic Breaks for Enhanced Performance 12:33- High-Intensity Athlete Training for Performance Improvement 19:05- Natural Approach to Sprinting Techniques 23:13- Optimizing Training Intensity on a Busy Schedule 29:53- Maximizing Intensity for Effective Workouts 32:41- Performance Optimization through Autoregulation in Training 41:18- Enhancing Performance Through Auto-Regulation Communication 55:11- Enhancing Sprint Performance Through Resisted Load Variation 1:00:29- Concurrent and Complex Training Paradigms for Sprinting Success 1:05:14- Optimal Training Methods for Narrow vs. Wide ISA Types Quotes (26:34) I'd rather walk away from the session knowing that I ended on my best note. I can, you know, ride the dopamine high of seeing that, you know, nice time and having a fun time out at the track and let that be the stimulus for the day rather than, oh, well, the book over here says that I need to do, you know, 350 meters and I only did 240. - Cody Bidlow (34:10) I would say that my training is very autoregulated, but it's not to the point where I'm looking at, oh, velocity dropped by 2.5%, so that's why I'm going to shut it down, It's more, I can tell within myself that I'm getting to a point where I'm starting to get fatigued from this workout – Cody Bidlow (38:24) Are you really going to run faster on this next one? Yes. Okay, do it. Are you going to be safe? Are you or are you going to get hurt? No, I'm not going to get hurt. Okay. Yeah, do it. - Cody Bidlow (44:43) If you just simply ask them, like, how do you feel? They're gonna say good. Bad. You know, they're just gonna say some kind of basic thing because they may not really grasp what I mean by that question. - Cody Bidlow (45:03) So I would try to ask questions in a way where we're getting a little bit deeper. Like, I'd maybe be specific about how do your hamstrings feel? Do you feel like you're going to be able to run as well on the next one? Or what did you feel on that rep? - Cody Bidlow (46:32) The athletes who really want to be good, they're always going to say, yes, I'll always take another rep. The athletes who are lazier, they don't care as much, or, you know, whatever their mental mechanism is, they always. It's almost like, yeah, I'm good. Yeah, I'm done. It's not even necessarily that I want to get better.