The debate about the transfer of change of direction and agility training is a bit like the debate about general and specific training. Specificity is a critical factor, but not all general training is the same. And specific training can also be counterproductive if you don’t understand what you’re training for. On this weeks GAINcast, Bill Knowles joins us to discuss how he sees the spectrum of agility training and how a purposeful approach can improve performance all along the spectrum. ...

On Vern's recent visit to Switzerland we did a live Q&A, answering questions and exchanging ideas on a variety of topics including: measuring strength, building connections, enhancing training transfer, best practices for combining different training methods, rethinking overload, strength training for endurance athletes, and more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/11/gaincast-episode-256-live-qa/ Further reading The...

Testing is a crucial part of the training and coaching process. On this episode of the GAINcast Vern walks through his approach to testing and shares his best practices, including a walk through of how he set up and implemented the testing program at the Chicago White Sox in the 1990s. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/11/gaincast-episode-255-on-testing/ Further reading The following links were referenced in the podcast...

We often talk about training methods and culture with coaches, but the athlete's perspective is just as important. World class swimmers Kira Toussaint and Drew Kibler join this week's GAINcast to share their point of view. Both athletes utilize the GAIN dryland program and share their input on what they need to reach the podium and what drives the training environment in their own training group. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: ...

The lost art of journaling is a great practice for any sportsperson, of any age. Coach and consultant Paul Kilgannon draws on his teaching background to help athletes develop good journaling habits to improve their performance. On this week's podcast he shares some tips to journal better, as well as his CARVER coaching framework. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/10/gaincast-episode-253-journaling-with-paul-kilgannon/ ...

On this week's episode we jump into the trenches and look at some recent training trends, misconceptions, and ideas on planning. We also share some examples of good training we've seen first hand this summer. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/09/gaincast-episode-252-on-training/ Further reading The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: The GAINcast is...

Earlier this month the annual GAIN Swimming event took place. Over the past decade, GAIN has become the leading name when it comes to dry land training. On this week's podcast Chris Webb and Vern discuss what GAIN Swimming is all about and how they are trying to reinvent dry land training for swimmers of all levels. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/09/gaincast-episode-251-swim-time-with-chris-webb/ Further reading The...

LTAD has almost become a cliché. Everyone has an LTAD program and they all look the same. How can that be? Because the models assume a linear march to the top of the athletic achievement pyramid. In reality it is a very chaotic process at best, full of detours, false starts and redirection. On this week's episode we look at rethinking long-term athlete development with some practical examples from yesteryear and the present. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes...

The individual session is the core element of training. It is how coaches deliver their programs, build athletes, and connect with people. On this week's GAINcast we look in detail about how we can rethink and improve upon training session and microcycle design. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/08/gaincast-episode-249-the-training-session/ Further reading The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide...

The World Championships in track and field recently finished, with some amazing performances and storylines. On this week's GAINcast Vern and Martin break down some of the action, including the planning challenges of multiple championships in one season, hurdling technique, the role of speed in the jumping events, and much more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/08/gaincast-episode-248-the-championships/ The following links...

Coaches love to talk about the value of process, but what exactly is that? Process is often shrouded in vague explanations and misleading concepts. On this week's GAINcast we dive into process, what it is, what it isn't, and why it is so crucial to coaching success. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/07/gaincast-episode-247-the-process/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading...

Load management is a hot topic with evolving viewpoints in many sports, especially basketball. A few years ago coaches seemed to think of loads as a poison to be avoided, but many coaches are advocating a new paradigm instead: loads are best managed when you are prepared for them. Chris Chase of the Memphis Grizzlies joins this week's GAINcast to discus how he prepares athletes for the demands of the long NBA season, including his use of some non-traditional methods such as flywheel training...

Perhaps the two most important words in programming are: it depends. We often focus on the exercise or structure, forgetting about the context. But the context is what makes or breaks training. On this week's GAINcast we look at finding context in training. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/06/gaincast-episode-245-it-depends/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on...

GAIN 2022 starts tomorrow and our theme this year is coloring outside the lines. On this week's GAINcast we share some ideas on coaching, what the lines are, and when to know when to color outside the lines. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/06/gaincast-episode-244-coloring-outside-the-lines/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: Further reading The...

Looking back on successful people, coaches, training programs, and processes, one thing keeps showing up over and over: simplicity. Dr. Michael Joyner has wide-ranging experience at the forefront of medicine, research, public health, elite performance, and coaching. Across these domains he keeps seeing the reductionists move ahead. On this week's GAINcast he shares examples of how simple approaches can be effective when it comes to planning, data collection, performance models, load...

When it comes to the jumps in track and field, it is hard to beat the track record of coach Jeremy Fischer. Over the last two decades, Fischer has guided numerous world champions and Olympic medalists across the long jump, triple jump, and high jump. On this week's podcast he breaks down how he puts together a training week, his strength training philosophy for jumping, and much more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: ...

Over the last several decades Professor Warren Young has been at the forefront of redefining how coaches test jumping ability, reactive strength, and agility. The tools he developed, such as the reactive strength index, have helped coaches better measure and train the physical abilities needed in their sport. He joins us on this week's podcast to discuss his career, best practices for assessment, and how to bridge the gap from testing to training design. For more information on this topic,...

When we used to think about sports science we would think about the sports sciences: fields like biomechanics and exercise physiology. Now, more often than note, the term sports science is shorthand for data collection and analysis. On this week's GAINcast we look at how coaches can go back to the roots and get the most from science in sport. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/04/gaincast-episode-240-the-sports-sciences/ The...

Becoming the best is about getting the most out of yourself as a coach and as a person. It's about learning. On this week's GAINcast we explore the nuances of learning and some overlooked methods to learn and improve. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/03/gaincast-episode-239-on-learning/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: GAIN 2022 will take place...

Where do you start when training athletic development for a new sport or athlete? Vern Gambetta's athletic development paradigm gives coaches a 4-pronged analytic tool to make sure you develop a plan that fits the sport, position, and athlete. On this week's GAINcast he breaks down all four elements with examples from his experience working in a variety of sports at the highest level. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: ...

All throwing events are different. But more importantly all athletes are different. When we devise training we have to remember we're coaching people, not machines. This is central to the philosophy of throws coach Debbie Strange. On this week's GAINcast she joins us to discuss her coaching philosophy, the unique demands of the javelin throw, training plan design, and more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: ...

The world of motor learning is often populated by complex jargon and impenetrable concepts. But at its root it is about something simple: learning to move. Professor Rob Gray is one of the world's best in translating these concepts into terms we all can use. On this week's podcast he joins us to help coaches understand non-linear pedagogy, constraints-led approach, repetition in training, feedback, and more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: ...

It's been almost 3 years since GAIN last took place in person. But in 2022 that will change. GAIN is back! On this episode of the GAINcast we're happy to formally announce the full details of GAIN 2022 and open up applications for participants. We hope to see you there. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/01/gaincast-episode-235-its-gain-time/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading...

We’re kicking off the year with our annual combined episode of the GAINcast and HMMR Podcast to discuss the state of training for sports. A lot has changed over the past year, so we sit down to discuss some of the biggest issues facing sports, the hot topics on our mind, and what we’re looking forward to in 2022. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/01/gaincast-episode-234-new-years-special/ The following links were referenced...

Vern is a notorious reader and he's only gaining steam with age. This year he had 151 books on this week's podcast he shares some key takeaways from his 17 favorite books of the year. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2022/01/gaincast-episode-233-top-books-of-2021-gain/ The following links were referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: Our monthly GAIN Master Class Series features...