Entries by Martin Bingisser

Against all odds

August 18, 2020 in /by

Take a look back at the history of track and field and there are some legendary performances that we can all admire no matter the era. 60 years ago Abebe Bikila won the Olympic marathon barefoot in a time of 2:15, just more than six minutes off the times from recent Olympics. Jesse Owens had to dig starting blocks into the cinder track when he ran, but his performances in the long jump would still qualify for the Olympic final nearly 90 years later. Harold Connolly won Olympic hammer throw gold despite with one arm partially paralyzed.

GAINcast Episode 195: Role of competition in development

August 17, 2020 in /by

Sport is about competition. Without games or races, training often has little meaning. Sports are being forced to reevaluate their structure due to the global pandemic, so it as good a time as any to rethink what we can get out of competition and how to organize it. Competition is about more than the final score and the more we set up competition to focus on that, the better. We share some thoughts and ideas on this week’s GAINcast. 

RITCA Mini Meet 5 (RI) Results

August 15, 2020 in /by

The latest meet in the RITCA mini meet series took place on Tuesday with Logan Coles (Woonsocket, RI) and Cheyenne Figueroa (Classical, Providence, RI) again taking home the wins. On the boy’s side John Fay (Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI) had a big breakthrough in the competition. He added nearly 10 feet to his best to break 200 feet for the first time and place third.

RITCA Outdoor Championship (RI) Results

August 12, 2020 in /by

Taking place under unusual circumstances, seniors Cheyenne Figueroa (Classical, Providence, RI) and William Cauley (Barrington, RI) both won their first state hammer titles last week at the RITCA outdoor championships in Rhode Island. Runner up Phillip Coppolono (Cumberland, RI) also broke 200 feet for the first time ever in the competition and led entering the final round. Interviews with the winners and more details about the competition are available here.

HMMR Podcast Episode 229: The 8-week plan

August 10, 2020 in /by

We often talk on the podcast about different components of training: lifting, jumping, sprinting, throwing, and more. We spend less time talking about putting it all together. The best way to learn about that is to take a look at an example. Last week Nick posted an 8-week throws program on HMMR Media. We walk thought it to understand the thought process behind it and how coaches can look at fitting all the components of athletic development into a plan.

Start with why, but don’t forget what

August 7, 2020 in /by

My long-time coach Anatoliy Bondarchuk was an open book. You could ask him about anything in training and he’d sit down with you for hours and explain the why and the how. He would explain his experiences with all types of training, good and bad. There was only one topic that was off limits: a sample program. Bondarchuk repeatedly refused to share sample programs.

GAINcast Episode 194: The trailblazer (with Betty Atwater)

August 3, 2020 in /by

Sports biomechanics came to age in the 1960s and 1970s with scientists like Betty Atwater at the forefront of this new field. A lot has changed in sports science over the last 50 years, but many of the foundational findings still hold and there is a lot we can learn from the analytical and technical processes used by the trailblazers of biomechanics. On this week’s GAINcast Atwater joins to discussion some of her landmark research on pitching and sprinting, as well as the work that led to it.

July 2020 in review: physical education

July 31, 2020 in /by

Our focus in July has been physical education. Physical education has long defined society’s foundation of movement, and there is a lot that coaches in all areas can learn from it. Below is a summary of all the new resources we’ve put together on the topic, including 2 new videos, 2 new podcasts, and 7 new articles.

RITCA Mini Meet 4 (RI) Results

July 31, 2020 in /by

Despite torrential downpour, three boys again broke 200 feet at the latest RITCA mini meet on Tuesday. This time state leader Logan Coles (Woonsocket, RI) captured the win. On the girl’s side Cheyenne Figueroa (Classical, Providence, RI) continued her win streak with yet another victory.

HMMR Podcast Episode 228: Rants and BBQ

July 27, 2020 in /by

Summer is in full swing and we’ve got a lot of different ideas on our mind: why social media turns us into absolutists, how every tool has a place, what we are doing to continue adapting training to COVID-19, and how to make the best brisket. We cover them all on this week’s episode, with a few rants mixed in as well.