We’re trying something new on this week’s podcast. We don’t have a theme or key topic, we just have some friends on to share some ideas and see where the conversation goes. Adam Kuehl, Carrie Lane, and Brek Christensen join us to talk about rethinking peaking, the benefits of hiking for power athletes, the skillset of mid major coaches, and much more.
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Circuits are often seen as a tool for beating an athlete down, but when used properly they can be an effective tool for developing specific qualities. As many athletes are now confined to their homes, understanding and utilizing proper circuit construction is more important now than ever. On this week’s GAINcast, Vern dives into circuit training, best practices, and examples of different types of circuit construction. Read more
On this week’s GAINcast we discussed constructing circuits. Below is an example of how we would plan three circuit training days a week for swimmers during a strength endurance phase. Read more
I still remember the first circuit I ever completed. It was at Baltimore Friends School in what was basically a converted storage closet off the gym that barely fit a universal machine in it. My coach, Gerald Russell, had us either do circuits of 3 sets of 8-12 reps around the universal or a body weight circuit of 3 sets of 8-12 reps. The days we did the body weight circuit were so much tougher. But I still remember the pride I felt when I finally could belt out 3 sets of 12 dips. Read more
There is probably no one who has had a bigger impact on me as a coach than Vern Gambetta. In 1999 North Shore Country Day had a Master in Residence Program and then Head of School Julie Hall said I could pick the Master in Residence for PE and Athletics. On a recommendation from another coaching friend, I picked Vern Gambetta. Read more
Every year I become more and more convinced of the effectiveness of the Gambetta Leg Circuits. A simple combination of four exercises ticks so many boxes for me in training: it is efficient, improves coordination, and develops strength all at the same time. For those familiar or unfamiliar with leg circuits, I hope this article explain a bit about how they work and some new variations that can make them an even better tool for training. Read more
When it comes down to it, the athletic development coach’s job is to prepare the athlete train more effectively. We want to increase the athlete’s trainability. Too often we equate trainability with simply increasing work capacity or power output. Trainability is broader, it is about all the components that go into making up the game and training. On this week’s GAINcast we explore the concept of trainability in detail. Read more
Circuit training can be a vital tool in developing athletes. Many years ago I put together a DVD on circuit training, which is now available for streaming by HMMR Plus members. My approach to circuit training has certainly changed over my career, but some of the basic goals, principles, and construction guidelines remain unchanged. Below are the key points I highlight in the video before demonstrating some of my favorite circuits. Read more
Athletes are reporting to training camp in many sports right now and that often means one thing: grueling fitness tests to check an athlete’s shape. But the testing is getting out of hand. On this episode of the GAINcast we take a close look at fitness and performance testing, with examples of how to do it right and wrong. Read more
Metabolic conditioning was a concept few coaches talked about before Crossfit, but the concept is decades old and worth revisiting. On this episode of the podcast we talk about how we understand and utilize the concept to work on conditioning for power sports. In addition, we open the mailbag and answer listener questions on a variety of topics. Read more
