Podcasts by GAINcast with Vern Gambetta

277: Books, travels, and Olympic preparations from 2023-12-04T15:46:05

On this week's GAINcast Vern shares his top 6 books of 2023, key insights after recent travels to Europe and Australia, plus thoughts as we look ahead at preparing for th...

276: Thoughts on strength from 2023-11-06T09:04:04

A recent interview on HMMR Media shared some of the weight room numbers of the hammer throw world champion. After hearing them, everyone asked: how can a champion be so w...

275: Championship behaviors (with Hugh McCutcheon) from 2023-10-01T10:44:33

Championship results require championship behaviors from both athletes and coaches. Having guided multiple men's and women's teams at the highest levels, volleyball coach...

274: Lessons learned from 2023-08-14T16:00

We take a look at some current events and current happenings in our own training to reflect on some lessons learned on this week's GAINcast. To start with we debrief the ...

273: The ACL from 2023-07-31T16:00

The start of the recent women's World Cup in soccer has turned focus to the rash of ACL injuries in the sport, and the particular impact it has had on female players. On ...

272: Beyond dichotomies (with Kevin Becker) from 2023-07-10T09:04:18

We live in the age of polarization. We get into long debates about whether things are black or white, but when it comes to topics like training and motor learning, the re...

271: Lessons from GAIN from 2023-06-26T07:21:49

This year's GAIN has come and gone and what an experience it was. On this week's GAINcast Vern and Martin share the biggest learnings at this year's GAIN. Plus they ...

270: Competition skills from 2023-06-12T11:38:05

Just like other parts of sport, competing is a skill that can be trained. On this week's GAINcast we explore what makes up the skill of competing and how to best train it. In addition we discuss...

269: Force and sprinting (with Dan Cleather and Jon Goodwin) from 2023-05-29T12:04:38

Why are some athletes faster than others? And how do we make athletes faster? In their new book Dan Cleather and Jon Goodwin argue that the answer begins and ends with a consideration of force p...

268: Implements and injuries from 2023-05-15T13:10:28

Another baseball season is underway and, once again, the injuries are piling up. On this week’s GAINcast we speculate about what might be causing the injuries, how training is related to injurie...

267: From east to west (with Bogdan Poprawski) from 2023-05-01T17:45:34

The 1980s were a time of global awakening in track and field. As coaches experimented with new training methods, ideas started spreading all over the blog. Coach Bogdan Poprawski was at the cent...

240: The sports sciences from 2022-04-11T07:04:07

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 short...

239: On learning from 2022-03-25T09:52

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 method...

238: Athletic development paradigm from 2022-03-14T10:33:58

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...

237: Coach the person (with Debbie Strange) from 2022-02-28T08:30:11

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 philos...

236: Learning to move (with Rob Gray) from 2022-02-14T09:12:47

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...

235: It's GAIN time! from 2022-01-24T09:42:54

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 GA...

234: New Year’s special from 2022-01-17T08:35:14

We’re kicking off the year with our annual combined episode of the GAINcast and HMMR Podcast to discu...

233: Top books of 2021 from 2021-12-25T11:46:23

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...

232: Science at the track (with Esa Peltola) from 2021-12-20T15:06:03

The best sports scientists bridge the gap between theory and practice. They bring coaching experience to the table and help help solve the real problems athletes are facing. This describes Esa P...

231: Training talk from 2021-12-06T10:41:05

As we enter the final month in the year, it's a good time to look back and share some of our recent thoughts about training and coaching. On this week's GAINcast we cover a wide variety of topic...

230: The dawgfather (with Ken Shannon) from 2021-11-22T14:33:41

Over three decades of coaching at the University of Washington, coach Ken Shannon quietly developed one of the most successful and diverse stable of field event athletes in the country and was a...

229: The coach's coach (with Kevin McGill) from 2021-11-15T09:35:38

Behind every coach are their influences. When it comes to the throwing events, one quiet coach behind the scenes has been one of the most influential voices in closing the gap between America an...

228: Fitting the event (with Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows) from 2021-11-01T08:12:13

Too often we have a concept of how to train for a sport or event and use that as the starting point for the plan. We fit the athlete to the event. That works in some cases, but other times you n...

227: Game speed (with Dean Benton) from 2021-10-18T17:26:53

Developing faster athletes for team sports doesn't just mean training them like sprinters. Both sports require fast athletes, but in completely different contexts. Like anything, developing spee...

226: Paralympic prep (with Adam Bleakney) from 2021-10-04T12:44:52

The Olympics were not only action in Tokyo this summer. Last month the Paralympics took place there several GAIN community members made the trip. On this week's GAINcast we look back at the most...

225: Training audit from 2021-09-27T13:49:43

The best programs have a process to keep getting better. This starts with quality debriefing, but it continues with more in-depth training audits. The audit aims to use an outside perspective to...

224: Injury explosion from 2021-09-13T18:41:23

Coaches now devote more time to recovery and injury prevention than ever before. At the same time, injury rates have climbed to historic levels in many sports. How can it be that we're working h...

223: Limitations on speed from 2021-08-30T08:33

What is keeping us from going faster? Ironically, a lot of times it is what we are doing rather than what we aren't doing. What we other think is helping our speed can be counterproductive. On t...

222: Olympic insights from 2021-08-16T15:04:08

The Olympic Games just wrapped up last week. Along with some amazing performances comes some great lessons on performance, coaching, sport, and life. On this week's GAINcast we sit down to share...

221: The principles of performance (with Dr. Michael Joyner) from 2021-08-09T16:55:42

High performance comes in many forms: winning a gold medal, fighting a pandemic, or simply managing people. Dr. Michael Joyner has experience across all of these areas as a research on the limit...

220: Love and coaching (with Jerry Lynch) from 2021-07-19T04:52:04

Great coaches have one thing in common that we don't talk about much: they demonstrate love in their coaching. You hear about passion, you hear about drive, and you hear about communication, but...

219: Performance teams (with David Martin) from 2021-07-05T16:27:55

Sports science has changed a lot in the last few decades. In some regards it has grown, but it has also become watered down in many ways. On this week's GAINcast David Martin joins us to discuss...

218: The fundamentals (with Ron Adams) from 2021-06-21T07:16:31

The NBA game has changed drastically over the last few decades. At age 73, Ron Adams is the old guard in the new world trying to adapt classic fundamentals to the evolving game. On this week's G...

217: At the apex (with Sasha Rearick) from 2021-05-31T09:11:51

Sasha Rearick is turning a corner in his career. After a decade as head U.S. men's alpine coach and two decades with the federation, he's starting a new job guiding on of the world's top ski aca...

216: Coaching errors from 2021-05-24T07:56:34

Every coach make mistakes, and some mistakes we all make over and over again. On this week's GAINcast, we talk about eight common traps coaches fall into and how coaches can avoid them.

F...

215: Peanut (with Kristen Gambetta Anderson) from 2021-05-10T12:26:03

We're changing things up on this week's episode. Rather than sharing a coaching perspective, we're looking at sport through the eyes of a former athlete, sports businesswoman, and daughter . . ....

214: The good coach from 2021-04-26T08:13:05

We all talk about good coaching and see to know it when we see it, but often we are lost for words when asked to describe it. On this week's GAINcast we dive into coaching excellence by defining...

213: The all-rounder (with Ellyse Perry) from 2021-03-30T15:50:08

Americans might not recognize the name Ellyse Perry, but she is perhaps the most successful and versatile athlete in the world currently. She has made the World Cup in two different sports, and ...

212: Speed to the max from 2021-03-29T12:45:15

We've been exploring speed training this month on both the GAIN Master Class and HMMR Media site. On this week's GAINcast we share our own thoughts on sprinting, including some recurring themes ...

211: Speed for kids (with James Marshall) from 2021-03-15T13:34:05

If running is a natural movement, then how come so many adults have poor running mechanics? Children can only develop skills in activities that they do, and therefore coaches and parents have to...

210: Sleep science (with Pat Byrne) from 2021-03-01T11:55:23

Recently, it seems everyone has discovered the value of sleep. While we all know intuitively how important sleep can be, the science of sleep in sport has been slow to follow. Pat Byrne was a pi...

209: Genesis of a program (with Nick Garcia) from 2021-02-14T20:23:42

Following a strength training template is easy. Taking it, making it your own, and adapting it to your program is the hard part. It's an art, and one that Nick Garcia has mastered. On this week'...

208: The cumulative training effect from 2021-01-29T12:25:04

We often think about the stimulus of key sessions or training phases. But more often than not adaptations come from the accumulation of training over the long-term. On this week's episode we loo...

207: Good reads from 2021-01-18T10:47:45

Vern is known as one of the most well read people in sport. In 2020 he ready 137 books. On this week's GAINcast he shares his favorite books of the year, as well as some insights on the process ...

206: The state of sport from 2021-01-11T08:08:03

We're bringing back our annual tradition to start off the year with a combined episode of the GAINcast and Listen

205: Nutrition science (with Stuart Phillips) from 2020-12-28T17:00

4The fields of nutrition and anti-aging are rife with misinformation and hucksters. Professor Stuart Phillips, on other hand, is the one in the background finding the real answers and doing the ...

204: Prepare for the game (with Eddie Jones) from 2020-12-14T10:40:48

Training is about preparing for the game. It's a simple concept, but we often lose sight of that when we dive too deep into tactics, strength training, or other facets of training. English Rugby...

203: Speed reserve (with Gareth Sandford) from 2020-11-30T09:33:51

Middle-distance running requires a unique interplay of aerobic and anaerobic energetics. Historically, however, research on the events has centered on the aerobic side. Physiologist Gareth Sandf...

202: Technology in sport from 2020-11-16T12:17:18

Technology has changed the world and sport over the last few decades. It has helped sport make substantial progress in some areas, but also failed to live up to the hype in others. On this week'...

201: The master class from 2020-11-01T21:23:03

The GAIN Master Class Series has been going strong the last six months and we want to give you a taste of what it's about. Our latest ev...

200: The first hurdle (with Steve Ingham) from 2020-10-19T12:50:23

What are the hurdles we face in sports performance? What hurdles do we face in getting a job, in supporting athletes, and in moving profession forward? Steve Ingham has looked closely at all of ...

199: Systems thinking from 2020-10-05T18:56:53

The best teams in the world aren't just teams, they are systems. A system lends order and structure to enable the coach and athlete to focus on the process. It provides a framework to build on. ...

198: Perspectives on periodization from 2020-09-21T09:12:54

Every few years the periodization debate heats up. Periodization is an essential component to success in any sport, but traditional approaches need to be adapted to keep up with modern science a...

197: Repetition without repetition (with Grace Golden) from 2020-09-07T08:02:28

Traditionally the rehabilitation process chases pristine movements. Grace Golden has a different approach: explore permutations of each movement and force the athlete to respond to their environ...

196: Performance teams (with Dave Reddin) from 2020-08-31T09:17:55

Dave Reddin has helped assemble performance teams and structures at England Rugby, the Football Association, and British Olympic Association. Together, they achieved historic results. On this we...

195: Role of competition in development from 2020-08-17T09:46:43

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 a...

194: The trailblazer (with Betty Atwater) from 2020-08-03T09:51:45

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...

193: Chasing perfection from 2020-07-20T07:10:23

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. But what is perfect? Is there such a thing as perfect technique? On this week's GAINcast we look at technique, movement, and perfection. By better und...

192: Monitoring (with Aaron Coutts and Franco Impellizzeri) from 2020-07-06T08:56:54

Despite recent investments into monitoring at all levels of sports, the injury reductions and performance improvements promised have failed to materialize. Why is that? On this episode of the GA...

191: Teaching better (with Doug Lemov) from 2020-06-22T09:09:58

When it comes down to it, coaching really is just teaching in a different setting. Educational consultant Doug Lemov has helped the teaching profession rethink how it can best educate students. ...

190: The Master Class from 2020-06-08T08:29:26

Are you coaching your athletes to be adaptable or adapted? Resilient or fragile? The adaptable athlete is like the jungle tiger that is put in an environment that requires learning in order to g...

189: Finding true talent (with Paula Jardine) from 2020-05-25T08:38:42

Many talent identifications programs are based primarily on testing, but when we look at what has worked best historically, one-off testing has consistently shown itself to be insufficient. On t...

188: The green zone (with Stephen Seiler) from 2020-04-29T18:18:03

Elite athletes use all zones of intensity, but what makes them elite is knowing what each zone can be used for and what doses to use it in. Stephen Seiler has been at the forefront of analyzing ...

187: Legs, legs, legs from 2020-04-27T13:58:32

No matter the sport or the movement, it’s all in the legs. And how you get results is all in how you train the legs. A lot of people understand the importance of legs, but not everyone understan...

186: Training transfer (with Dean Benton) from 2020-04-13T16:00

An athletic performance coach hasn't done their job until you see the transfer of qualities onto the field. Rugby Australia's Dean Benton has been a forerunner in bringing new training strategie...

185: Constructing circuits from 2020-03-30T11:13:47

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 ...

184: Training teams (with Lachlan Penfold) from 2020-03-16T09:43:26

When Melbourne Storm director of performance Lachlan Penfold came on the show in 2018, we focused solely on his coaching journey that has led him through the NBA, NRL, AFL, Super Rugby, Rugby 7s...

183: From data to speed (with Matt Rhea) from 2020-03-02T14:09:22

American football is a bastion of tradition. In some areas, such as strength and conditioning, that can hold the sport back. Many coaches, however, are working to change the traditions and they ...

182: Skill acquisition from 2020-02-17T13:22:35

Skill acquisition is the science that underpins movement learning and execution. In other words, skill acquisition is what underpins sport. There is not performance without skill acquisition. On...

181: Reading, learning, and living from 2020-02-03T11:04:27

Coaches often aim to get better at various facets of training. One thing we forget: we can also get better at learning. On this week's GAINcast we share lessons learned on learning, how to impro...

180: Sub 2 (with Dr. Michael Joyner) from 2020-01-20T19:56:35

Dr. Michael Joyner has been writing about the limits of human performance for decades and back in 1991 was one of the first to analyze the possibility of a sub 2-hour marathon. On this episode o...

179: Bonus Episode – GAIN 2020 sneak peek from 2020-01-14T10:32:35

GAIN 2020 is coming up in June and today we're announcing all the details about this year's event. Once again GAIN is bringing together some of the top minds from a variety of fields and sports....

178: Looking back to move forward from 2020-01-06T10:57:29

Looking back to move forward may at first seem counterintuitive, but by looking back you can gain perspective. On this week's GAINcast we look ahead towards a new year and a new century. But to ...

177: Training tendons (with Keith Baar) from 2019-12-23T12:41:12

Tendons and other connective tissue are often thought of as non-trainable, but more and more research is showing that they are more responsive to load than we thought. Professor Keith Baar is a ...

176: Togetherness (with Calvin Morriss) from 2019-12-09T12:02:45

Togetherness is not a term you hear about often in training, but all good programs have it. They connect together teammates. They connect together the assets of various staff members. They conne...

175: Outside perspective (with Mike Barber) from 2019-11-25T20:07:24

Building the athlete from the ground up requires a strong foundation. But what materials go into that foundation? When is it built? How do we maintain it? On this week's GAIN cast we bring toget...

174: Foundational strength roundtable from 2019-11-11T14:18:39

Building the athlete from the ground up requires a strong foundation. But what materials go into that foundation? When is it built? How do we maintain it? On this week's GAIN cast we bring toget...

173: Trainability from 2019-10-28T13:54:07

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 ...

172: Core training roundtable from 2019-10-14T13:05:56

Core training is one of the most misunderstood concepts out there. Not only does the term core lack a consistent definition, but training is often inspired by myths. On this week's GAINcast we a...

171: ID and development (with Johnny Parkes) from 2019-09-30T16:00

You can't talk about talent identification without talent development. And you can't talk about technical development without physical development. Johnny Parkes is the senior manager of player ...

170: Physical competence (with Darren Ritchie) from 2019-09-16T12:42:38

Many coaches lament the decline of physical education and physical literacy. Rather than just complain about it, Darren Ritchie has been at the forefront of doing something about it. As head of ...

169: The Baseball Ranch (with Ron Wolforth) from 2019-09-02T13:18:58

Baseball has become a faster and more athletic game recently, in large part due to advances in training. Ron Wolforth set up the Texas Baseball Ranch 16 years ago and has been pumping out elite ...

168: Thoughts on getting better from 2019-08-19T08:53

Everybody trains and everybody trains hard. So what separates the good from the great? How they use their time and energy in training. The best coaches and athletes have a relentless focus on le...

167: Testing use and abuse from 2019-08-12T09:08:57

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 th...

166: Team sport issues (with Nick Lumley) from 2019-07-29T13:56:52

There are several hot topics and challenges facing team sports at the moment such as hamstring injuries, how to best measure and use training load, and developing sport specific speed. These are...

165: Minimalist training (with Tony Holler) from 2019-07-13T19:30:09

We all know less can be more, but doing less is hard. We all hate to be out worked. Coach Tony Holler came to track and field coaching as an outsider and stumbled upon the benefits of minimalist...

164: Team speed from 2019-07-01T09:56:50

Speed is speed, right? Well, not exactly. The speed demands in team sports have some critical differences compared to track and field sprinting. Those had big ramifications in how speed should b...

163: GAIN roundtable on progressions from 2019-06-17T13:39:01

The annual GAIN conference brings together some of the best minds working in different fields, different sports, and different countries. This year's theme wa...

162: Notorious NGBs (with Phil Andrews) from 2019-06-02T14:43:44

In the world of sport, I doubt there is anything more loathed than national governing bodies. On the one hand, they have a difficult job since no matter how hard they try, it is impossible for t...

161: Range (with David Epstein) from 2019-05-20T13:02:46

Look at the top athletes in the world and you'll notice they come from a variety of backgrounds. Tiger Woods began specializing at a young age, while Roger Federer only specialized as he started...

160: Beyond pathways (with James Marshall) from 2019-05-06T09:58:07

There are dozens of long-term athlete development models out there that try to explain the best way to turn youth athletes into champions. The problem is that they incorporate much more theory t...

159: Sports psychology from 2019-04-22T10:20:30

Creating mentally strong athletes that can bring the right focus to training and perform under pressure is no easy task. While specialists can help in this area, every coach needs to understand ...

158: Characteristics of coaching excellence from 2019-04-08T09:29:16

When you look at teams that overachieve and out perform, the common denominator is often coaching. Coaching makes a difference. We have seen great coaches, good coaches and indifferent coaches t...

157: Find the right fit (with John Baumann) from 2019-03-25T10:35:54

Supporting a track and field team might sound like a simple enough, but when you look a bit closer you see it can often mean helping 100 athletes competing in vastly different sports. John Bauma...

156: Chucking spears (with Steve Backley) from 2019-03-11T07:57

Watch the javelin in full speed and it is a thing of beauty. Watch it in slow motion and it'll often make you cringe. In order to throw a spear the length of a football field requires athletes t...

155: Jump around from 2019-02-25T17:00

Somewhere in the past few decades jumping and hopping became complicated. Simple movements were renamed as plyometrics and hidden behind a veil of science. The effect has been that many coaches ...

154: GAIN 2019 sneak peak from 2019-02-18T06:06:50

GAIN 2019 is coming up in June and this week we announced our lineup for this year's event. With 18 faculty members from a variety of fields and sports, GAIN will be bigger and better than ever....

153: Making Shapes (with Tom Barton) from 2019-02-11T10:36:26

Range of motion is a critical element of movement. If you can't get into a position, it will be difficult or impossible to incorporate that into a movement. Tom Barton has worked as a physiother...

152: The evolution of a coach from 2019-01-27T15:45:49

Vern is entering his 50th year as a coach. On this episode he looks back at how his coaching has evolved. More specifically, he looks at when he started asking different questions during differe...

151: Bigger and better goals from 2019-01-14T14:24:41

The start of the year means new goals and resolutions for athletes and coaches. Unfortunately, many goals are set at the start of the year and quickly forgotten thereafter. On this episode of th...

150: The state of sport (with Nick Garcia) from 2019-01-03T17:00

Our annual tradition is to start off the year with a combined episode of the HMMR Podcast and GAINcast Listen

149: Integrated training (with Joe Przytula) from 2018-12-27T16:12:14

In 35 years of working with one of the largest high schools in the nation, Joe Przytula has had the chance to look at training from different viewpoints: as an athletic trainer, strength coach, ...

148: Change the game from 2018-12-20T16:30:16

How do we change how we prepare for the game? Vern has spent his career working on answering this question across a variety of sports. On this week's GAINcast he shares some thoughts and reflect...

147: Warming up from 2018-12-13T15:59:28

The first part of training is often the most misunderstood. Warming up isn't just about getting the body warm, it is about preparing the body and mind for the training session ahead. On this wee...

146: Microdosing training from 2018-12-06T13:52:46

Microdosing has become a buzz word over the last year in training circles, but it isn't a new concept. Small but frequent units of training can add up to provide significant value to athletic de...

145: From training to competition from 2018-11-29T17:00

How many times have you seen athletes killing it in training only to fall flat on their face in competition? Translating training results to competition results is not as easy as it seems, and a...

144: Pillars of coaching (with Frank Dick) from 2018-11-22T10:58:15

After a career of coaching Olympic champions, Frank Dick has turned his attention to coaching coaches. Coaching is the foundation of sport. Athletes make excellence happen, but it is the coaches...

143: Coach Developer (with Troy Engle) from 2018-11-15T19:08:09

Coaching has evolved, and so has how we develop coaches. As director of coach development at Sport Singapore, Troy Engle has tried to set up a new approach to developing both coaches and the coa...

142: Book club from 2018-11-08T17:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes there are things words can express uniquely. A good book can teach you in a way that other methods simply can't. On this episode of th...

141: Athletic medicine (with Ed Ryan) from 2018-11-01T13:56:42

Ed Ryan has supported athletes at the highest level as Medical Director for the USOC, head athletic trainer for USA Basketball, and most recently with the US Tennis Association's National Academ...

140: Beyond the exercise from 2018-10-25T18:12:21

Exercises are the basic element of training, but the value in an exercise lies in more than first meets the eye. On this episode of the GAINcast we look beyond the exercise to discuss finding co...

139: Training speed (with Brian FitzGerald) from 2018-10-18T18:19:45

When it comes to high school sprinting, few can match the credentials of Brian FitzGerald. The 2016 USA Today national track coach of the year has led athletes to California state titles in each...

138: In-season training from 2018-10-11T11:08:03

The season used to be thought of as a time to back off of training, but as seasons have gotten longer and longer coaches have needed to rethink their approach to in-season training. On this epis...

137: The microcycle from 2018-10-04T05:17:53

If coaches sit around and talk about training, the discussion quickly focuses on either exercise selection and session design or periodization. In other words, we tend to focus on the small pict...

136: The anatomy of agility part 2 (with Frans Bosch and John Pryor) from 2018-09-27T16:00

On last week's GAINcast we started a discussion on agility with Frans Bosch and John Pryor, looking at transfer, traditional strength training, and common misconceptions of their work.Bosch and ...

135: The anatomy of agility - part 1 (with Frans Bosch and John Pryor) from 2018-09-20T16:00

The work of Frans Bosch and John Pryor has created a new discussion around strength training, coordination, and motor learning over the past few years. Bosch has been a thought leader, while Pry...

134: Sports science has lost its way (with Tony Strudwick) from 2018-09-13T17:33:29

Over the last decade the field of sports science has grown exponentially. At the same time it has started to lose its way. Rather than telling players what they can do, it often tells players wh...

133: Getting better feedback from 2018-09-06T16:52:19

Having a process to collect feedback is critical, but even more important is the type of feedback you get. If the process is not producing actionable steps to improve or reinforce what you did, ...

132: Learning to control (with John Kiely) from 2018-08-30T16:00

John Kiely has done some groundbreaking work on periodization, but that isn't the only topic he is interested in. When it comes to his work with rugby, track and field, and soccer he focuses on ...

131: The journey (with Lachlan Penfold) from 2018-08-23T17:53:54

Lachlan Penfold is one of those coaches that has been at the top in multiple sports. In the past few decades he has worked with professional clubs and athletes in the NBA, NRL, AFL, Super Rugby,...

130: The playmaker's advantage (with Len Zaichkowsky and Daniel Peterson) from 2018-08-16T19:08:06

The definition of a playmaker is a bit elusive: it combines having the right mindset, anticipation, perception, and decision-making skills. In their new book Listen

129: Lessons for young coaches from 2018-08-09T10:42:16

All young coaches make mistakes. That is part of the learning process and we sure made our fair share of them. But there is no need to make the same mistakes we made. On this episode of the GAIN...

128: Talking heads from 2018-08-02T11:18:43

A lot has been going on in the world of sport over the last month. On this week's GAINcast, we take a break from normal business to discuss our thoughts on current events, recent trends in sport...

127: Individualization Q&A from 2018-07-26T09:23:22

In his nearly 50 years of coaching, Vern quickly learned the need to adapt the training plan to the athlete and has run into all types of different individuals along the way. On this episode of ...

126: The basics checklist from 2018-07-19T13:49:26

The basics are crucial in training. If you don’t get the basics right then everything that follows will be compromised. But with all the talk of basics, what exactly are they? On this week's GAI...

125: Gold medal roundtable from 2018-07-12T14:40:37

Every June, GAIN brings together world-class practitioners from a variety of sports. In addition to the presentations and practical sessions, this year we had a roundtable discussion on coaching...

124: Making the champion's choice from 2018-07-05T05:12:16

Talent is a requirements to be a champion, but all talent gets you is a ticket to practice. Champions are made through their decisions. On this week's podcast, we look at making the champion's c...

123: Coaching to gold (with Toni Minichiello) from 2018-06-28T08:46:46

When Jessica Ennis stepped on the starting line at the 2012 Olympics, anything but a gold would have been considered a failure. Four years later, after giving birth to her first child, and medal...

122: Competition management from 2018-06-21T08:57:50

Coaches wear many hats, one of which is manager. In April we discussed training session management. On this week's GAINcast we look at another management function: competition management. When y...

121: Coaching better (with Wade Gilbert) from 2018-06-14T11:05:38

All coaches want to get better, but how many have a structured plan to do that? Getting better doesn't happen on its own. Professor Wade Gilbert's job is to study the best coaches in the busines...

120: Fifty years on from 2018-06-07T16:08:56

Fifty years ago this week, Vern finished his last college exam and the world was changing all around him. It was the summer of 1968. On this episode we take a look back at the country in 1968, l...

119: Resisted and assisted sprinting from 2018-05-31T08:52:40

As with anything, variation can help with the development of speed. Sprinted with varied amounts of resistance and assistance can help develop specific strength, power, and technique. On this we...

118: It's all about effort (with Alex Hutchinson) from 2018-05-24T14:51:17

In his new book, Listen

117: Moving, fast and slow from 2018-05-17T12:04:44

Movement is the foundational feature of sport. If you can't move, you can't play. Heck, it's the foundational feature of life. Looking back at history, if you couldn't move, you wouldn't eat. On...

116: Learning to learn from 2018-05-10T11:01:22

Learning is a journey akin to a mystery; you must follow your curiosity and see what it uncovers. Therefore it is impossible to tell you how to learn, but it is possible to share some best pract...

115: Train speed in from 2018-05-03T09:19:16

Much of what is called speed training has the opposite effect of what we want. Rather than training speed in, things like wind sprints simply train speed out. You have to express speed in a clim...

114: Building an academy (with Finn Gundersen) from 2018-04-26T11:42:36

The Burke Mountain Academy was America's first ski academy. What is unique about it is not how progressive it was, but how that progressive mindset has stood the test of time. After nearly 50 ye...

113: Training session management from 2018-04-19T04:45:21

Coaches wear many hats, one of which is manager. They manage players, staff, and the training session. Training session management is the cornerstone of the coaching management functions because...

112: Breaking barriers from 2018-04-12T08:10:05

The history of sport is a history of overcoming barriers. Once one barrier is taken down, another is set up. How athletes handle those barriers plays a big part in how they will progress in the ...

111: No weight room, no problem from 2018-04-05T12:10:12

There's no doubt that you can get athletes strong in the weight room. But that's not the only path to strength. On this episode we talk about what can be accomplished outside the weight room, wi...

110: The Singapore job (with Stephan Widmer) from 2018-03-29T13:26

After two decades of coaching Olympic champions and world record holders in Australia, Stephan Widmer took a new job in Singapore as the national head coach and performance director at Singapore...

109: Drills from 2018-03-22T10:38:48

Drills have been the go-to technical tool for coaches for decades, but more and more research is showing that drills are not always the most effective tool for coaches. On this episode of the GA...

108: Counterculture (with Steve Myrland) from 2018-03-15T11:21:41

Sometimes changing culture is about taking baby steps; other times it is about creating a counterculture. Throughout his career in elite sport Steve Myrand started to realize his approach just d...

107: Culture in practice from 2018-03-08T12:39:13

Culture is a buzzword now in the sporting world, but the increased attention rarely leads to an in-depth discussion of what culture actually means, what it looks like in practice, and how you go...

106: Lessons learned (with Goldie Sayers) from 2018-03-01T09:44:30

After more than a decade as the best British javelin thrower, Olympic bronze medalist Goldie Sayers hung up her spikes after the Rio Olympics. After she retired she sat down and penned 36 lesson...

105: Developing coaches (with Kelvin Giles) from 2018-02-22T12:20:50

It's easy to complain about the state of sport, coaching, and physical education, but what are you doing about it? Kelvin Giles has dedicated his life to it after a career working at the upper e...

104: Polarized training (with Stephen Seiler) from 2018-02-15T11:35:32

Since the turn of the century perhaps no researcher has been more influential in the endurance world than Stephen Seiler. His study of polarized training methods has framed a new discussion on t...

103: All about GAIN XI from 2018-02-08T15:04:15

With just four months until the next GAIN event, the lineup and schedule are starting to fall in place. On this week's episode of the GAINcast we announce the new faculty, presentation topics, c...

102: Reinvent Yourself (with Danny Kerry) from 2018-02-01T15:14:23

When Great Britain's field hockey team won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics, coach Danny Kerry had a lot to be happy about. Over the course of the prior eight years his team had finished five...

101: Test practices from 2018-01-25T09:04:44

Testing is a crucial part of training, even more so in the era of big data. On this episode of the GAINcast Vern walks through his approach to testing and shares his best practices. In the end t...

100: The First Hundred from 2018-01-18T10:33:44

In January 2016 we launched the GAINcast and now, two years later, we're 100 episodes deep and still going strong. On this episode of the GAINcast we look back at our goals, our process, favorit...

99: Fitness & Endurance Training for Team Sports from 2018-01-11T15:20:07

Our recent series of GAINcasts looked at different aspects of training for endurance athletes. But what about training for fitness and endurance as a competent of other sports like for team spor...

98: The State of Sport from 2018-01-04T09:43:48

As we did to kick off 2017, the HMMR Podcast and the GAINcast join forces to co-host the first episode of 2018. As the new year gets underway we chat about the state of training for sports toget...

97: Recovery from 2017-12-28T10:30:32

The theme this month on HMMR Media is recovery. Recovery is a tricky area to navigate, with decisions often influenced as much by traditions, new technology, or pseudoscience as by research and ...

96: The Arsenal Arrow (with Des Ryan) from 2017-12-21T10:01:06

If you want pressure to perform, try working in professional soccer in England. To make matters more complicated, try working with young players and balancing the need for short-term results and...

95: Endurance Planning (with John Larralde) from 2017-12-14T20:05:28

Over the past month we've run a series on endurance training, first discussing concepts and methods and then outlining the basics of athletic development for endurance athletes. On this week's p...

94: Conference Highlights from 2017-12-07T10:45:55

Both Vern and Martin have been on the road a lot over the past two months, attending conferences across Europe and the US. On this week's episode we discuss the new connections we've made, some ...

93: Adaptation from 2017-11-30T08:19:19

Adaptation is the basis of training; we want to adapt to a high level. But the body is not a simple organism and adaptation is not a simple formula. On this episode of the podcast we talk about ...

92: Athletic Development for Endurance Athletes from 2017-11-23T12:32:22

The central component of training for endurance athletes will be building specific endurance, but research has continued to show that athletic development and strength training play a vital role...

91: Endurance Methods and Concepts from 2017-11-16T15:46:44

If you break down athleticism into its key components, there is one component we have not covered much on the GAINcast: endurance. It is not due to lack of experience or knowledge; we just simpl...

90: Relationships > Rules (with Clay Erro) from 2017-11-09T13:00:54

For decades, Clay Erro led one of California's most successful high school football teams. Behind the success and the strong culture was not a set of rules, but strong relationships. Cooperative...

89: How Speed Happens (with Peter Weyand) from 2017-11-02T14:20:06

There are some basic questions out there that are difficult to answer, such as what limits human running speed. As technology advances, scientists can better study and start to answer this and o...

88: After the Test (with Ola Eriksrud) from 2017-10-26T10:08:31

Norwegian coach and researcher Ola Eriksrud is a master at creating innovative testing portfolios. What sets his testing apart is not just what he tests, but how the tests fit into the broader t...

87: What We're Reading from 2017-10-19T08:02:18

Listeners often ask what books are on our shelf, so on this week's episode we discuss what books we have read recently and what coaches can take away from them. We cover more than 20 titles that...

86: Forget Technique (with Jerry Clayton) from 2017-10-12T16:00

Few track and field coaches have put together as diverse a resume as Jerry Clayton. The University of Michigan head coach has coached 16 NCAA champions across nearly every field event, including...

85: Implementing the Basics from 2017-10-05T11:22:24

We often talk about the importance of the basics on the GAINcast, but what exactly are "the basics"? And how do we implement them and keep them an integral part of training? On this episode we s...

84: Icarus from 2017-09-28T13:36:06

The recent documentary Icarus took an in-depth look at the recent Russian doping scandal through the lens of a relationship with the mastermind of the doping plan Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov. As cont...

83: Power Physiology (with Angus Ross) from 2017-09-21T09:10:57

When we talk about physiology we often focus on endurance sports. But physiology is just as important in power sports. Angus Ross has both the academic background and practical experience that g...

82: Training Structure from 2017-09-14T10:26:47

The old saying goes "mixed training yields mixed results." But is that really the case? On this episode of the GAINcast we take a critical look at the linear sequential approach to training and ...

81: Changing Practice from 2017-09-07T14:23:23

Daily practice is where the action happens in sport, but rarely do we look at how we can make it better. By changing how we practice, we have the best opportunity to change how we play the game....

80: Performance Team (with Peter Vint) from 2017-08-31T07:30:09

Peter Vint has worked around the world to bridge the gap between sports science and on field performance. The former Senior Director of Competitive Analysis, Research & Innovation at the Uni...

79: Talent Development from 2017-08-24T15:12:05

On last week's GAINcast we looked at best practices in talent identification. But as we said, talent identification means nothing without talent development. On this week's episode we dive deepe...

78: Talent Identification from 2017-08-17T16:00

Talent is a divisive topic, but it is hard to argue that you can create a champion without any talent. Properly identifying and nurturing that talent is therefore a key element of high performan...

77: More Odds and Ends from 2017-08-10T16:00

Every few months we take a look back at all the short topics we've wanted to cover but haven't had the time. Well, now’s the time. On this episode we take a quick look a several diverse topics. ...

76: Foundation Training from 2017-08-03T09:12:46

As the saying goes, you cannot build a strong house without a solid foundation. With pre-season training on the horizon for many sports, we take a look at what that foundation should look like, ...

75: Ask More, Tell Less (with Jim Richardson) from 2017-07-27T07:47:17

In nearly 30 years as head swim coach at the University of Michigan, Jim Richardson develop a powerhouse. Much of that success came from one thing: asking questions. On this week GAINcast we sit...

74: What's Your Filter? from 2017-07-20T14:52:51

The information age has brought access to loads of information, but more information can sometimes just make it harder to find something of value. Coaches need a filter to sift through the infor...

73: Being Present from 2017-07-13T16:00

Everyone talks about staying in the moment, but few people say how easy it is to fall out of it. Recently the HMMR Podcast discussed how athletes can avoid distractions in training. Coaches can ...

72: Voices of GAIN from 2017-07-06T09:17:41

Some of the world's leading coaches make up the faculty at GAIN each year, but there are even more world-class coaches are in attendance. On this week's episode of the GAINcast we wanted to take...

71: Peak Performance Part 2 (with Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness) from 2017-06-29T16:00

On part one of our interview with Listen

70: Peak Performance Part 1 (with Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness) from 2017-06-22T13:36:54

What does it take to reach peak performance in sport or in life? The new book Listen

69: Long-Term Development (with Patrick McHugh) from 2017-06-15T09:42:58

At North Shore Country Day School students range from age 4 to 18. As athletic director, Patrick McHugh has had a chance to put in place a truly long-term athletic development process. The key w...

68: The Medicalization of Sport from 2017-06-08T14:14:31

Over the past decade the influence of medicine in sport has grown tremendously. Now more than ever problems are being defined and treated as medical conditions and viewed through the eyes of doc...

67: Periodization Trends (with Dave Tenney) from 2017-06-01T10:39:04

All eyes look towards Europe in the soccer world and if you look close enough you will see there are some interesting team sports planning trends gaining momentum. As the High Performance Direct...

66: The Champion's Choice (with Chris Webb) from 2017-05-25T10:12:46

To get athletes to be champions, we have to get them to think like champions. This requires a team culture where athletes are given space to independently choose to do what it takes to win. This...

65: Conditioning Pitchers from 2017-05-18T08:44:45

Springtime means baseball and on this episode we look specifically at the conditioning needs of pitchers. Pitching is an extremely fast and explosive movement that has unique conditioning demand...

64: Odds and Ends from 2017-05-11T11:18:07

Over the past few months we've accumulated several small topics to discuss and haven't had the time to jump into them. Well, now's the time. On this week's episode we discuss various odds and en...

63: Supporting Champions (with Steve Ingham) from 2017-05-04T10:15:45

Modern sports have a team of coaches behind each athlete. The support staff can add value to a team, but they can also detract from the team if not properly integrated. Physiologist Steve Ingham...

62: Player Evaluations from 2017-04-27T08:16:52

With drafts for many professional sports taking place in the coming months for professional sports leagues in North America, it is a good time to take a look at how we evaluate players. Effectiv...

61: The Future of Periodization (with John Kiely) from 2017-04-20T14:04:48

John Kiely is one of the leading minds in periodization. By taking a critical look at current approaches to periodization, he is asking how we can move the field forward to keep up with what sci...

60: It's Not That Complicated from 2017-04-13T10:58:27

At the end of day, training comes down to a few core principles. Yet the complexity of the human body often cause us to lose focus of this and make training more complex than it needs to be in m...

59: Take It to the Limit (with Dr. Michael Joyner) from 2017-04-06T16:00

How far can we take the human body? Can we break two hours in the marathon? Or will Usain Bolt's records ever fall? Dr. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic has spent his career asking that very qu...

58: Q&A from 2017-03-30T09:28:08

Most episodes are dedicated to the questions we are currently confronting, but this episode we've asked listeners what is on their mind and address several listener questions on topics like crea...

57: The Strength Coach & The Way of the Dinosaur from 2017-03-23T16:00

After a string of more hospitalized athletes, CBS took a look recently at the problems across collegiate strength and conditioning. Their findings point to certification as the problem. Certific...

56: Peaking and Getting Ready from 2017-03-16T12:17:53

As coaches, the competition season is our test. Did we get our athletes ready for the big competition? On this episode Vern talks about strategies and best practices for helping your athletes pe...

55: Technical Models from 2017-03-09T11:22:17

Technical models are often what we turn to when we develop an athlete's technique. How do we develop models? And how do we adapt them to the athlete? On this week's episode Vern looks at how tec...

54: On Target from 2017-03-02T09:57:18

Recently Martin published an article on HMMR Media discussing the role of specific strength exercises in team sports. Contrary to what many people thing, finding the solution to this topic is no...

53: American Football Then and Now from 2017-02-23T13:50:25

American football has undergone drastic change in the 50 years since Vern strapped on a helmet as a college lineman. New practice guidelines are finally trying to keep up with the changes to hel...

52: Winning Culture (with the Carmel Swim Club) from 2017-02-16T12:27:12

Suburban Carmel, Indiana might seem like an unlikely spot to find one of the nation's top swimming clubs, but year in and year out it continues to produce champions. The Carmel Swim Club and Car...

51: The Debrief from 2017-02-09T10:35:15

Making your training more effective starts with learning from your past experiences, both good and bad. Understanding the value of debriefing and having a process in place is therefore essential...

50: Serial Winning Coaches (with Sergio Lara-Bercial) from 2017-02-02T11:12

Sergio Lara-Bercial had a simple question he wanted answered: what makes serial winning coaches so successful. As a senior research fellow at the International Council for Coaching Excellence he...

49: Reconditioning (with Bill Knowles) from 2017-01-26T08:45:31

Bill Knowles is a world-renowned expert in reconditioning, having worked with athletes and teams from across the globe at the Olympic and professional levels. He joins us on this weeks podcast t...

48: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants from 2017-01-19T13:42:07

Knowing who came before us and what they did is a key factor in becoming a better coach. After all, everything old is new again. On this week's episode Vern runs down a list of some of the giant...

47: The Art of Coaching (with Harry Marra) from 2017-01-12T17:00

Recently Ashton Eaton announced his retirement. During his career he took the decathlon to new levels and it was coach Harry Marra who helped guide him there. In order to break down 10 complex e...

46: State of the Sport (with Nick Garcia) from 2017-01-05T17:00

For the first time ever the GAINcast and the HMMR Podcast join forces to co-host the first episode of 2017. As the new year gets underway we chat about the state of training for sports. Topics s...

45: Perform (with Randy Ballard) from 2016-12-29T15:43:54

Helping athletes perform their best is about more than strength and conditioning, sports medicine, physiotherapy, or any individual component. It is about brining all the fields together. Randy ...

44: High Performance (with Troy Taylor) from 2016-12-22T14:54:54

For the final episode in our series of interviews from the US Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence we sit down with the boss: high performance director Troy Taylor. Taylor discus...

43: Focus on Function from 2016-12-15T12:46:45

Coaches have a near limitless inventory of exercises to select from and navigating this topic can be difficult since even two exercises that look nearly identical can cause vastly different adap...

42: Use the Data (with Bill Sands) from 2016-12-08T15:31:40

On this week's episode we continue to put together highlights from Vern's recent trip to the US Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence. Combining sport and science can be a difficu...

41: GAIN Time from 2016-12-01T14:01:22

Next year will mark the 10th edition of GAIN. On this week's episode we reveal next year's faculty, give an overview of what GAIN is about, and walk you through a day at GAIN. For links and more...

40: Visiting the USSA Center of Excellence from 2016-11-24T14:14:26

Last month Vern visited the US Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. While there he had a chance to sit down with their performance staff to share experiences,...

39: Teaching Speed from 2016-11-17T11:20:56

Knowing about speed is one thing, but teaching it is something else. This is where the art of coaching comes into play. On this week's episode Vern walks us through what he would do on the first...

38: The 24-Hour Athlete from 2016-11-10T10:15:44

Focusing on the two hours a day an athlete trains misses out on the vast majority of what is going on in an athletes life. The other 22 hours a day in many cases are more important. Lifestyle ca...

37: Physical Education (with Greg Thompson) from 2016-11-03T11:45:40

Everyone laments about the current state of physical education, but what are we to do about it? GAIN faculty member Greg Thompson has put it upon himself to find a solution. As a USSF A-License ...

36: Physical Literacy from 2016-10-27T14:24:56

Learning to move is a lot like learning to read and write: you cannot write a novel without first learning the ABCs and how to string them together into words, sentences, and paragraphs. On this...

35: Art and Science of Coaching Baseball (with Paul Davis) from 2016-10-20T13:42:39

Baseball is a sport that oscillates between tradition and modern analytics. Coaches like Paul Davis of the St. Louis Cardinals try to find a balance in the middle. As a developmental pitching co...

34: Live from Glasgow from 2016-10-13T16:00

Two weeks ago Vern and Martin got the opportunity to present at the Scottish Athletics annual coaching conference. At the end of the seminar we got that chance to pose some questions to all the ...

33: Connections from 2016-10-06T13:43:14

Connections are all around us in sport, but we often overlook them. Muscles connect, movements connect, athletes connect, coaches connect, disciplines connect, sports connect, and so on. On this...

32: Reflections from 2016-09-29T12:41:45

This past weekend both Vern and Martin presented at Scottish Athletics National Coaching Conference in Glasgow. During the seminar they took a few minutes away to share some instant impressions ...

31: Optimizing Your Workout from 2016-09-22T11:34:54

Earlier this summer we looked at winning the workout, and on this week's episode we dive deeper into the topic by providing specific ideas and tips on how to optimize your workout to get the mos...

30: Coaching Shortcuts from 2016-09-15T12:27:31

In his nearly 50 years of coaching, Vern has learned many lessons the hard way. On this week’s GAINcast he shares some of his lessons learned that can hopefully serve as shortcuts for younger co...

29: Dryland Training (with Matt Kredich) from 2016-09-08T11:02:42

For the past year Vern has been working with University of Tennessee swim team to create integrated dryland training program. On this week's episode Tennessee head coach Matt Kredich joins us to...

28: The Volume Trap from 2016-09-01T11:17:32

Volume is a core element of athletic development. When we start out with athletes, the first test is often how much they can handle. When we talk with other coaches, we first look at how much th...

27: Sports Science from 2016-08-25T16:00

Sports science is nothing new, but over the past decade it has moved more from the academic setting to the team setting. More and more teams are employing sports scientists and these teams need ...

26: Olympic Lifting in Training from 2016-08-18T08:26:36

The Olympic lifts serve the foundation of many training programs, but is quite a divisive topic. Many coaches are either for or against Olympic lifting. On this episode Vern tries to find a midd...

25: Train to Play (with Steve Myrland) from 2016-08-11T11:21:19

Steve Myrland is one of those hard working coaches focuses his energy on getting things done rather than talking about them. You may not have heard of the former University of Wisconsin and San ...

24: Strength Training Influences from 2016-08-04T16:00

Modern straight training has come about through the influence of many other sports like gymnastics, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and more. In order to design the best program you can, it is neces...

23: Being the Best from 2016-07-28T11:52:01

What does it take to be the best? Well for starters it takes talent, but at the highest level talent is not the deciding factor. It comes down to the decisions athletes make along the way. In th...

22: Simplicity from 2016-07-21T14:02:26

We often think that the more complex something is, the better it is. Fancy sports cars, new computers, and Swiss watches all revel in their complexity. But in coaching simple is often better. Un...

21: Linear Speed (with Ken Clark) from 2016-07-14T14:08:59

No matter the sport, speed is the name of the game. Professor Ken Clark is an expert in speed, having researched the topic in detail. In this episode he explains how linear speed is generated an...

20: Getting Better at Getting Better from 2016-07-07T10:24:09

The goal of every coach is to improve. But that's easier said than done. In this episode Vern discusses the continuous quest for improvement and his tips for how coaches can get better and getti...

19: Winning the Workout from 2016-06-30T11:31:14

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...

18: GAIN IX Recap from 2016-06-23T09:57:40

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. For more information about this topic, read the comp...

17: Sport Demands from 2016-06-09T11:03

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 practi...

16: Speed from 2016-06-02T09:30:39

No matter the sport, speed 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...

15: More Than the Exercise from 2016-05-26T16:00

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 the...

14: Difference Makers from 2016-05-19T08:33:29

Every coach searches for the difference makers; the things that mean the difference between wins and losses, between championships and relegation. On this week's episode Vern talks about the mos...

13: Athletic Development from 2016-05-12T12:01:32

We need a revolution. We are involved with developing athletes, yet so many people are focused the qualities in our job titles: strength and conditioning. No single component of conditioning can...

12: Innovation from 2016-05-05T16:00

In taking a page from the Silicon Valley playbook, sports
performances teams worldwide are in search of the next way to
innovate and disrupt their field. But when you look at the results...

11: Coaching Art and Science from 2016-04-28T09:18:33

One of the biggest change in sports over the past half century
has been the increased involvement of science. The role of science
has been central in moving training forward, but it is t...

10: What is strong? from 2016-04-21T10:55:55

Ever since athletes began strength training, coaches have been debating the role of strength in training. The questions come back over and over: What is strong? How much should we train strength...

9: Performance Influences (with Gary Winckler) from 2016-04-14T14:17:53

Gary Winckler is one of the top sprint and hurdles coaches in the world and also one of the most thoughtful and intelligent coaches out there. In 2008 Winckler retired after 23 years as a coach ...

8: Culture from 2016-03-31T14:30

Culture is a buzzword in athletics. But it is more than just some slogan you put on the wall in your gym. It is about creating the heart of your team. On this episode of the GAINcast we dig a bi...

7: The Coach Doc (with Wade Gilbert) from 2016-03-24T14:27:44

We choose a little different format for this week's episode of the GAINcast. Rather than have Vern tackle a question, we invited on a guest: Dr. Wade Gilbert. Gilbert is a professor in the Depar...

6: Injury Prevention from 2016-03-17T13:03:12

A recent trend in programming is the implementation of "injury prevention" sessions into training. But as Vern wrot...

5: Context and Progression from 2016-03-10T17:00

Two essential elements of training are context and progression. Context establishes the nature of the relationship of the various components of training within the system. And progression, in it...

4: Periodization and Planning from 2016-02-25T14:05:25

Periodization is just a fancy word for planning and creating a good plan should be central to any coach's approach. On this week's episode Vern discussed current trends in periodization, as well...

3: What is GAIN? from 2016-02-18T17:00

GAIN is more than just a coaches conference, it is a learning experience. But what makes it different? And how did Vern come up with this formula? On this week's episode Vern talks about the his...

2: Train Movements Not Muscles from 2016-02-04T11:19:17

Coach Vern has a few quotes he is famous for, and perhaps none more so than telling coaches to "train movements, not muscles." This is one of the foundations of his philosophy and it helps to ta...

1: The Journey Continues from 2016-01-21T08:42:32

On the first episode of the GAINcast, Vern Gambetta looks back at 46 years of coaching and shares what changes he has seen and, more importantly, how some of the basics are still the same. This ...