You have to win workouts before you can ever think about winning a competition. Winning the workout isn’t about intensity or duration or how much you vomit. Just doing work is not good enough at a certain level. It’s about how much thought you put into it and how you execute every single detail. On this week’s GAINcast, Vern discusses which details count and tips for how you can win your workouts. Read more
The effectiveness of your training doesn’t just come down to what you do, but how you do it. Doing things in a different sequence can result in a completely different effect. On this episode of the podcast we discuss the role of sequencing in training, tips on setting up your own training, as well as some of the benefits and disadvantages of different approaches. Read more
This year’s GAIN event is in the books. After a long drive home, Vern discusses some of the highlights and take aways from this year’s event on this episode of the GAINcast. Read more
Bryan Mann is well known for his research on velocity based training, but his interests are much more varied than that. On this week’s podcast we invite Dr. Mann back on to discuss his work on the relationship between stress and injuries, and his introduction to Bondarchuk’s methods over the past half year. Read more
Every athlete and coach dreams of setting up their own home gym. Both Nick and I have experience setting up home gyms and on this episode we share our tips in putting together an effective and inexpensive solution to train whenever you want. Read more
Understanding the demands of your sport is the first step in effective program design. On this episode Vern walks through his four-step process of defining sport demands and provides some practical examples from world-class coaches.
This Episode’s Question: How can coaches define and address the demands of their sport?
As opposed to many ground based sports, the search for transfer from strength training for swimmers can be difficult. But that makes the process more interested. On this episode we talk with preeminent swimming strength coach and Bridge Athletic co-founder Nick Folker about the search for transfer as well as the role of technology in training. Read more
No matter the sport, speed is one of the most important factors in performance. But in order to train speed you have to understand what speed is and the many forms it comes in. On this episode Vern discusses speed, tips on developing speed, the role of speed drills, and more.
This Episode’s Question: What is speed and how do we train it?
The most effective coaches development tool is finding a good mentor. Both Nick and I have had their careers shaped by some of the world’s best mentors. On this episode we share our experiences finding and working with mentors, discuss what makes a good mentor, and provide advice on how to seek out and work with mentors on your own. Read more
You look around social media and you will instantly see athletes and coaches sharing their latest greatest exercises. These exercises become the focus and whole programs are developed around them. But training is not just about the exercises; they are the means, not the end. On this episode of the GAINcast Vern discusses why training is about more than the exercise.
This Episode’s Question: Exercises are the building blocks of training, so why is it that athletic development is about more than the exercises? And what is it about then?
