NSCA’s Coaching Podcast

<p class="paragraph">Take a deep dive into force plate research and trends with “Force Plate Coach”,  Dr. John McMahon from the University of Salford in England. In this episode, John discusses his path from Royal Marine Commando into strength and conditioning and biomechanics teaching and research. Listen in as John connects with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on the past, present, and future of force plates in sport and the ways we can improve our testing and evaluation of athletes.  </p> <p>This episode mentions the following paper from NSCA’s Strength and Conditioning Journal: <br /> <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Fulltext/2018/08000/Understanding_the_Key_Phases_of_the.10.aspx" target="_blank">McMahon, JJ, Suchomel, TJ; Lake, JP, and Comfort, P. Understanding the Key Phases of the Countermovement Jump Force-Time Curve, Strength and Conditioning Journal 40(4):  96-106, 2018</a>  <br />  <br /> Find John on Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/forceplatecoach/" target="_blank">@forceplatecoach</a>, on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ForcePlateCoach" target="_blank">@ForcePlateCoach</a>, and on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/ForcePlateCoach" target="_blank">@ForcePlateCoach</a>| Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/" target="_blank">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en" target="_blank">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“Some more of your fast stretch shortening cycle tests, like the drop jump and the multi-rebound jumps, as well as the countermovement jump test, just to try and map the way in which practitioners would like to use their force plates with their athletes to get more of a holistic overview of what their neuromuscular status is at any given time.” 13:55</p> <p>“So those two mechanisms were raised as red flag flags and in the effect sizes they were considered moderate to large changes in countermovement depth and body weight that we saw immediately post-match. Now, if we didn't have a force plate, we wouldn't know that those changes had occurred, or we would say is that the jump height was the same post-match.” 22:21</p> <p>“And because we tend to use jump height as the key outcome variable that was displayed on the screen in the scoreboards. Those athletes will see that there's no improvement to their previous period. But if they're 5 kilos heavier that means that they've applied a greater impulse in total to their body center of mass.” 24:50</p> <p>“I assessed the PhD student earlier this year that's effectively been involved in the British Army, saw a different regimen that they now use the isometric mid-thigh pull to inform the job roles that they can apply for when they commence their training, believe it or not. So they've got certain key performance indicators like, in terms of peak force relative to body mass, that people must be able to pull, or push I should say.” 49:41</p>

<p>This episode recaps one of the sessions from the 2022 NSCA Coaches Conference in San Antonio, TX. Head Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Performance at the University of Texas, Donnie Maib, discusses “the Golden Connection” as it relates to working with rotational athletes. Tune in as Coach Maib shares stories with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on lessons learned from a 27-year collegiate strength and conditioning career, including paths for aspiring coaching, being a good father and husband, and areas of the field he sees on the near horizon.  <br />  <br /> Find Donnie on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/donniemaib/" target="_blank">@donniemaib</a> and on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/coachdonnie" target="_blank">@coachdonnie</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/" target="_blank">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en" target="_blank">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“For the Coaches Conference, the title of my talk is The Golden Connection, and over the years of just working with overhead athletes there. I have just found there's this connection between the shoulder and the hip.” 8:12</p> <p>“I think that takes a lot of listening, really listening. Then being able to ask the right questions with that coach. Then if you are put on the spot, how do you how do you respond in a way that's not knee jerk or defensive? Where you can actually walk out of that room and actually have won their trust over versus erode that trust.” 14:59</p> <p>“You need to find somebody who's got the core value that values you have, because if you're a better dad or better mom, you're a better coach. You are more compassionate. You are more understanding. You are more patient. If you can lead home really well, you can lead at work really well.” 19:24</p> <p>“We need more strength coaches in administrative leadership roles in big organizations.” 27:35</p> <p>“It's been more evolutionary, not revolutionary. So small changes over time, educating, being patient, understanding, giving a little bit more at the first, and then just being patient with the process, the frustration of that. So it does pay off. It does make a difference. And you're just, ultimately, you just want that 1% advantage over your competition. So that's what you've got to do to get there, but that's how it's changed us big time, just quantifying practice loads. It's been huge.” 31:44</p>

<p>This episode unites strength and conditioning perspectives across three continents. David Joyce and Dan Lewindon, the co-editors of <a href="https://us.humankinetics.com/products/high-performance-training-for-sports-2nd-edition"><i>High-Performance Training for Sports</i></a>, discuss their new book, including the high-caliber list of expert contributors from around the world. Discussion centers on the expansion of performance environments to include new perspectives, and the increased need for professional collaboration to deliver maximally effective training programs. Learn about “Zombie Killers,” as Joyce and Lewindon share with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, in an episode that provides insight into everyday coaching practices.  <br /> <br /> Find David on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidGJoyce">@DavidGJoyce</a> | Find Dan on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/DanLewindon">@DanLewindon</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“A lot of textbooks were, and still are, written very academically, which is great and we need that. But what we wanted was like a user's guide and operating manual.” 7:38</p> <p>“It's more about how do you set the right conditions, the right environment to influence change, have the right behaviors and language to really make a difference to your athlete, have the right ability to engage and work with stakeholders, either your own type of practitioners, S and C coaches, nutritionists, or across different disciplines.” 13:02</p> <p>“But I think inevitably, for example, when I'm hiring people to work for me, technical skills are a given, aren't they? It is your ability to have the right behaviors, empathy, and feel for the environments you're in, and the ability to make a difference, often in my sport with limited contact time.” 20:38</p> <p>“I think the value, as you describe, is gaining a generalist knowledge across all areas. I think it's really important because it enables you to have better conversations, as you've described, across different domains, disciplines, technical experts, which I think is really important. And inevitably, there will be wisdoms, hopefully, throughout the piece that add value to what you do day to day in whatever context you work in.” 25:31</p>

<p>Learn about pursuing strength and conditioning roles from father and son, Joe Kenn and Peter Kenn. Joe “Big House” Kenn brings perspectives on program leadership from over 35 years in the strength and conditioning profession. Joe’s son Peter, a recent graduate in the field and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at United States Military Academy West Point, shares his story of learning the profession from a young age with his dad coaching in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Football League (NFL). Tune in to hear dinner table conversation, as Joe and Peter connect with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, in an episode that bridges coaching generations.   <br /> <br /> Find Joe on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bighousepower/">@bighousepower</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/bighousepower">@bighousepower</a> | Find Peter on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peterkenn1/">@peterkenn1</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterKenn1">@peterkenn1</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“If you don't start that process until you've already graduated from undergrad, well, yeah, you're probably going to be working for free until you're 24, 25, 26. If this is what you want to do, you have to get in early. And you have to get in often.” 16:50</p> <p>“But I always said, want to do it your way? Go run your own program. You think you got what it takes? Go get a job. Run your own program. And then you can dictate the demands of what you think are right and wrong.” 33:08</p> <p>“If we're going to run internship programs as coaches, well, if we have a job open up, we better at least be considering one of the guys that was just in our program. Because, if you're not considering one of your own interns, you probably don't have a very good program.” 36:55</p> <p>“I think the communication style that you choose as a strength coach is probably going to be a culmination of all the different coaches you've heard speak. And you've pick and chose which dynamic is the best and which best matches your personality and what you're comfortable with moving forward.” 53:56</p> <p>“But I would urge any new coach coming up to be around as many different coaches as you can possibly be, both in their office time and coaching time, to understand how they deal with certain situations and figure out where their voice needs to be. And if you don't have a voice, I'm not saying you can't be in this profession. But you better find one quick. Because it's going to be tough.” 55:13</p> <p>“Go to practice. Meet the athlete where they're at. A lot of times, they're, oh, you just worry about us doing weights. You don't come-- the showing up at practice will do more for your weight program than how good a coach you are and how well you write a program.” 56:33</p>

<p>Mike Snowden,<b> </b>University of Alabama Men’s Basketball Strength Coach, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about having a genuine relationship with head sport coaches. Topics under discussion include building players into the program, creating buy-in, and embracing new and unique career opportunities.</p> <p>Find Mike on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mike__snowden/">@mike__snowden</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mike__snowden">@Mike__Snowden</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I think a lot of single leg work is huge for those guys. And we spend a lot of time-- iso holds, different split squat variations. I think they look better, perform a little bit better, doing those, and gain a little more confidence doing those.” 14:45</p> <p>“One of those things that I constantly harp on young coaches is be yourself. Don't feel like you need to be your favorite strength coach on Twitter, or Instagram. You know saying be yourself, coach within that, and do what's best for the student athletes that you get to work with.” 21:02</p> <p>“Don't say no to an opportunity. Because you never know what that may turn into down the road, or how you meet somebody there that may help you out down the road or whatever.” 23:01</p> <p>“I think the sports science route is also going to open a lot of opportunities, both in college and in the private setting, as far as having kind of like you look at it now, where you have those AT's with CSCS as almost like dual purpose roles.” 26:43</p>

<p>Matt Frakes, Director of Sports Nutrition at Notre Dame Athletics, and Bryan Doo, former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Boston Celtics National Basketball Association (NBA) team and owner of Optimal Fitness, join as guests with the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. Also returning is guest co-host Jon Jost, a 27-year veteran college strength and conditioning coach and the Team Sports Manager for Gatorade. This Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode highlights the value of being an inclusive leader; the current level of support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the performance community; and how to foster inclusivity within your programs.</p> <p>Find Matt on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperiorFrakes">@SuperiorFrakes</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/superiorfrakes/">@superiorfrakes</a> | Find Bryan on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/bdoo22">@bdoo22</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bdoostrength/">@bdoostrength</a> | Find Jon via email: [email protected] | Find Jon on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<h2> </h2> <p>“People say you have to meet them where they are but then bring them to where you want to go. As a leader, I think my vision is what needs to be seen, the responsibility of making the decisions and so forth. But also making sure that I see where they're coming from to help them, guide them, and see if they actually can get to that vision.” 2:53</p> <p>“I have to get buy-in from the players. I have to get their trust. If they don't trust me, if they don't do it, we can't get anything done.” 11:19</p> <p>“You've got to throw in sometimes in respect to their culture and their background those type of foods.” 19:50</p> <p>“Life is really about relationships, and it doesn't matter what background someone else has. You can learn an awful lot from them. And they can enrich your life, and you can enrich their life.” 33:05</p> <p>“Because it can't be seen as the elephant in the room. It has to be something that has to be seen as a standard that we address, and that we ensure that we are fitting. And it's just a normal thing that we are looking towards as far as that we have a part because we have a diverse team. So we need to have a diverse unit and diverse staff as well.” 1:06:02</p>

<p>Stephanie Mock, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance at the University of Pittsburgh, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about growing a comprehensive sports performance program. Topics under discussion include tips for interviews, graduate assistantships, staff development, and the ongoing collaboration with academics to advance sport science initiatives at University of Pittsburgh.</p> <p>Find Stephanie on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/__mockstephanie__/">@_mockstephanie_</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pitt_sportsperformance/">@pitt_sportsperformance</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I always try to tell the interns now, when you interview for a position, you never know who knows who. You may not be the right fit for that role in particular, but Susie Q could know Joe over here that needs this role, and you're the right fit for that. So never, ever go through an interview and end on bad terms.” 8:58</p> <p>“I told my staff, one of our goals is, whatever sports or teams that you have, making it to one practice a week to showcase in their space and that you respect what they do.” 19:48</p> <p>“And my job is to look at myself in the mirror as a head person and be like, "What are my strengths and weaknesses and how can I make my staff well-rounded based off of what I bring to the table?"” 39:12</p>

<p>Joe Siara, Manager of Peak Performance Programs for the New York Yankees Major League Baseball (MLB) team, joins NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, to discuss the path from Minor League Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coach to sport scientist. The discussion includes a recap of the 2021 Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS) Baseball Sport Science Virtual Clinic, an explanation of the Certified Performance and Sport Scientist<sup>™</sup> (CPSS<sup>™</sup>) exam development process, and practical applications of technology across a variety of performance settings.</p> <p>Find Joe via Email: [email protected] | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I think that the two big things are just the scalability of whatever you're wanting to do. So we work with the Major League team down to our Dominican League teams. And I think staff education, so making sure everyone is educated on the technology, how to use it, how we're going to give this information to the players. So we really try to put a big emphasis on building a sports science culture.” 4:36</p> <p>“I think my number one thing that I've kind of realized is always stay curious. You know, you can be skeptical about stuff but always try to be learning.” 9:41</p> <p>“So I think the less invasive we are with people in the future, the less invasive you can be, the simpler you can be with the athlete, the better. And I think that's kind of like where I said the biomechanics is kind of that next step. You've had all this statcast data, you see what the ball does, now as a pitcher or a hitter, what are your actual mechanics in game that's producing that result?” 14:19</p> <p>“I think as schools and teams and people start to add performance science, I think getting that key leader in place first, having a true director of sports science, is going to kind of build the culture up.” 23:25</p>

<p>Christina Rasnake, Director of Sport Science and Analytics at the University of Delaware, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the budding future of sport science in college athletics. Topics under discussion include the staffing of sport science initiatives, effective communication across departments, and how technology and wellness surveys can support actionable change in the coaching process. </p> <p>Find Christina on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/coach_raz26">@Coach_Raz26</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I think having an understanding of different ways to measure power, power output through just jump mat, for instance, or a Vertec utilizing the metrics that you're collecting to use equations to give you power in watts is really easy to do. Most universities, D1 to D3 to NAIA to JUCO, they're going to have something there that you can measure jump height, even if it's a wall and a tape measure. You can make that work.” 8:30</p> <p>“If I get a red flag from a student athlete and let's say their sleep is poor and their muscle soreness is really high, we can ask our athletic trainers to provide self-care information for the athlete on what they should be doing to help with their nicks and bruises.” 13:21</p> <p>“I'm going to have about nine sport management majors that are going to assist me with the administration of our performance technology, assisting the strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers with providing self-care, as well, to our students, and to help me with dashboards. And yet again, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to help educate and build the field, grow the field, because it is young.” 15:00</p> <p>“So a lot of what I took from it was understanding how to communicate to different people and different personalities. If I spoke to everybody on staff the same way, not everybody is going to hear me correctly or understand or take it the same way. So it really taught me to get to know the people around me.” 18:20</p>

<p>Joe Denk, Applied Sport Scientist and Strength and Conditioning Coach for Naval Special Warfare, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about immediate and actionable sports science data for tactical athletes. Topics under discussion include the dynamic of working with tactical athletes, how resiliency and recovery are connected, and how technology has enabled coaches the ability to implement training programs effectively from a distance.</p> <p>Find Joe via Email: [email protected]| Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And I wanted to find a way to manage our measures, so to speak, to make data actionable in real-time. So the guys I'm coaching, how can I use the information and the analytics we're collecting to immediately help them and help me make better decisions as a coach.” 3:39</p> <p>“So I came up with a system that allows us to combine some wellness data with some physiological readiness data to merge it together and to come up with the thresholds that we could deliver through an athlete management system so that they could actually get the recommendation in real-time on their application on their phone.” 4:07</p> <p>“You don't have to generally tell these guys to work harder. You're often acting as a governor trying to help them preserve as much of that resiliency. Because our goal in tactical strength and conditioning is long term sustainment.” 8:38</p> <p>“For us, we might be trying to get somebody to sustain high performance for 10, 15, 20, 25 years. And that's way different than what I think a lot of traditional team sport coaches are dealing with.” 8:59</p> <p>“Still do something, still train, still have a meaningful training session where we can accomplish something and get the right stimulus we're looking for, but train appropriately.” 16:55</p> <p>“. The end user themselves, the military member, needs to be able to have some ownership of his data so that he can make better behavioral changes. If we can show guys their own information, show guys their own data, I'm a firm believer guys will make better decisions. They'll drink less, they'll sleep more, they'll prioritize recovery to your point, or because they want to see better data trends. They're very excited about looking at their own information and their own analytics so we can create awareness around that.” 20:49</p>

<p>Dr. Allison Randall, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Vanderbilt University Women’s Basketball Program, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about how her path to the 2012 London Olympic Games as an athlete led her to pursue the strength and conditioning profession. Topics include the use of appropriate cueing strategies to optimize work with young athletes, differences with team versus individual sports, and the importance of education for coaches.</p> <p>Find Dr. Randall on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/allisonvrandall">@AllisonVRandall</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/allisonvrandall/">@allisonvrandall</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“When it comes to my research in instructional design, it basically went over the teaching pedagogy or teaching practices and methods surrounding coaching. So what can I do as an instructor to facilitate the learning process for my learners or my students or my athletes in a more efficient way?” 9:00</p> <p>“So for me, I felt like it was important because, not only did I want to be a better coach, but I wanted to learn how to teach better.” 9:41</p> <p>“I think coaching cues are important. What you say is important, how you say it, how often you say it, what's the timing of it. Am I going to say it on every single rep or I'm going to say it every other rep or every three reps?” 14:08</p> <p>“So I think in the next five, 10, we're not just looking at strength conditioning coaches. We're looking at performance coaches that have degrees, that have strength conditioning, that have nutrition, that have sports science background, that have some level of-- could be counseling or some sport, like mental counseling or performance counseling, in my opinion, because I think we're trying to make sure we stay relevant to the times. And all those things are relevant and they're going to continue to be relevant moving forward.” 26:08</p>

<p>Mike Minnis, Director of Performance Nutrition and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, and guest co-host Jon Jost, a 27-year veteran collegiate strength and conditioning coach and Gatorade’s Team Sports Manager. This Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode, highlights “The Power of Mentorship” and the importance of building quality relationships as the foundation of meaningful mentor and mentee experiences. </p> <p>Find Mike on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-minnis-ms-rd-cscs-a846a81a">Mike Minnis</a>, Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mminnis89">@MMinnis89</a>, or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mminnis89/">@MMinnis89</a> |Find Jon via email: [email protected] | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“What is a mentor? What does that mean? And what does it mean to be a mentor? And I really think it's somebody that you can trust. I think that's important. I think it's somebody where there's mutual respect. And then I think someone that can provide you a vision.” 6:46</p> <p>“And so when I look back at that, I think that’s such a beautiful thing because I think there’s got to be a level of comfort within yourself and within your role and your position before you can start mentoring people. Being a mentor isn’t just telling people what to do and having people work on XYZ projects and things like that. There’s a lot more to it.” 13:41</p> <p>“But I would say probably to me, one of the biggest things is just to enter into the relationship or to approach the individual with the attitude of, what can I do for you? How can I help you? How can I assist? And that goes a long way, to approach a mentor or a coach with, hey, is there anything I can do for you? What ends up happening is you get an awful lot in return.” 24:12</p> <p>“And I think it’s our job to give feed back. And it has to be honest feedback. And it has to be transparent. And just transparent communication all the time.” 29:17</p> <p>“They’re a sponge. And they are learning all the time. And they’re looking at you as a professional and how you conduct yourself, whether that is showing up on time and being punctual or showing poise under pressure, being able to adapt to change. And I think also how you treat others. Treating others fairly. Treating others with respect, with compassion.” 31:20</p>

<p>Carmen Colomer, Director of Sport Science for the Philadelphia 76ers National Basketball Association (NBA) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about translating numbers into actions. Topics under discussion include periodizing athlete’s recovery in the NBA and how learning to code can help with data analysis and application.</p> <p>Find Carmen on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/carmencolomer1">@CarmenColomer1</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“So I collect a lot of the data. I analyze it and then interpret it. So there's always the terms of inferences, like am I appropriately analyzing the data instead of understanding if there has been a meaningful change there as well? So I think that's where sports science comes in. Rather than just looking at, say, a percentage change, we can actually look at a few more high level statistics and understand when a change has occurred.” 5:20</p> <p>“I think broadly speaking, with my role, it's translating the numbers into the actions. So it's sort of asking yourself, OK, well, what can this coach do with this information? So I think how you can get certain messages across probably becomes one of the most important parts of the job.” 7:27</p> <p>“I think the last point is that in most sports or most of the literature you'd hear them talking about having 72 hours to recover post games, but unfortunately, we don't have that luxury. So I think we just sort of capitalize on, I guess, finely tuning things. If there's any low-hanging fruit, that's where we migrate towards first.” 12:00</p> <p>“And there's no point of doing that and just collecting data for the sake of collecting data. And I think, in any organization, when you first come in, you need to be careful that you're not just trying 100 things at once. It's typically an iterative process. Implement one thing and maybe fine tune that for a little while before implementing more.” 20:27</p> <p>“I don't think anyone in sports science is ever right. I think you just become less wrong.” 22:42</p>

<p>Thadeus Jackson, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Green Bay Packers National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of a support system in your career. Topics under discussion include the dynamics of working with professional athletes and how strategic data collection can make your organization better.</p> <p>Find Thadeus on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thadeus-jackson-64a39bb">Thadeus Jackson</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“If you're going through things, call us. Ask him what do you recommend if you got a situation or problem going on. If you were trying to do some things different, what is your philosophy and your beliefs on that. So I think that, overall, everybody can help everybody in this business. And it can just only make things better. Like I said, develop those relationships, make things better, and just keep expanding.” 9:28</p> <p>“So have some good foundational principles from a training perspective and from just more administrative perspective That you hold your hat on. And keep in mind those things may change. You may get a different job. You may go down a different avenue. Those things may change some time.” 11:44</p> <p>“You got to have balance in life. You can't be all work, work, work, work, work, work, work. And you got to get yourself time, some rest time, recovery. We tell the players that. We all know that. You gotta get some adequate rest, recharge, and recovery. So I think that goes with the profession as well.” 15:43</p>

<p>Dr. Lorena Torres Ronda, co-editor of the new <i>NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science</i> textbook, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about creating the textbook and how the Certified Performance and Sport Scientist<sup>®</sup> (CPSS<sup>®</sup>) certification will benefit the field. Topics under discussion include the use of technology in sport and the specific role that strength coaches play in supporting better performance and recovery decisions.</p> <p>Find Dr. Lorena Torres Ronda on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lorenatorres07">@lorenatorres07</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And I always explain innovation like technology are very related and linked. But technology is only a form of innovation. So the fact that you are using technology doesn't mean that you are doing innovating. Because it's more about how you use information and how you want to analyze information.” 11:56</p> <p>“…learning is what matters, and knowledge, getting knowledge is what matters. Technology is the accelerator to that knowledge, or helping in that journey.” 12:35</p> <p>“So I don't think we should drive programs, putting the emphasis, or the focus point in technology. But how we use technology in our favor to get knowledge and keep learning. That is what I try to explain when I talk about technology innovation and sport science.” 12:44</p> <p>“I still amazes me how some devices are big, heavy, I wouldn't like to use it. So why we're pushing the players to do things? We should be pushing the companies to listen to us and do things more user friendly. So a lot of transparency, a lot of empathy with the athlete, a lot of education with the athlete, this can help you in this, this, and this way.” 17:40</p>

<p>Dr. Josh Secomb, lecturer in exercise and sport science (strength and conditioning) at the University of Newcastle, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about being a self-aware and authentic coach. Topics under discussion include finding new areas to employ different skillsets as practitioners, the value of training progressions and understanding your athletes, and his unique opportunity to research and coach surfers.</p> <p>Find Dr. Secomb on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/37seco">@37Seco</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“We want them to be doing it in 12, 15 years time. And still doing what they need to do, making those gains along the way. And still finding it enjoyable. Then I can't hammer them too early.” 00:05</p> <p>“So because essentially in surfing, the more water you displace-- the harder you push on the bottom of the board, the more water that is displaced. The judges determine that is how much power there is behind the maneuvers.” 18:03</p> <p>“We know from all of our GPS, time-motion research that pretty much no matter what type of wave it is where you are in the world, so whether it's Europe, Hawaii, Australia, pretty much 50% of the time that you're in the water surfing, it's paddling. So, again, we know from that 20 to 30 hours. So it's 10 to 15 hours a week just of paddling. Again, there's a lot of issues around-- also just wear and tear and sort of fatigue around the rotator cuff.” 22:59</p> <p>“I can be too talkative. So I said, I need to be aware that particularly when giving feedback, giving cues. Because whilst I try to practice and make sure that I keep my cues as minimal as possible not to confuse them.” 42:37</p>

<p>Ali Kershner, Director of Creative Strategy for Art of Coaching, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about overcoming adversity on the road to win the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women’s Basketball Championship at Stanford University. Topics under discussion include the inequalities found at the NCAA tournament, being true to yourself as a coach, and working outside of the weight room to help strengthen coach-athlete relationships.</p> <p>Find Ali on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kershner.ali/">@kershner.ali</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/alikershner">@alikershner</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“But our head coach Tara VanDerveer, she has a good saying, which I now completely buy into, which is to be at the elite level and to win a national championship, what she's now done quite a few times, so I feel like she has some ability to say this, you need to be good, you need to be healthy, and you need to be really lucky.” 5:07</p> <p>“I'm definitely more of a observer, I am more of a like, let's talk to the athlete at an individual level, try to figure out what they need, where they want to go, and then try to problem solve from there.” 19:12</p> <p>“It was just like, had I not given them choice, had I not empowered them on the front end to have some autonomy and have some leeway, I personally would have really had a hard time dealing with this year and all of the nuance and gray area and change that occurred.” 24:53</p> <p>“…it's truly all of the periphery, it's the interpersonal, it's the communication, it's knowing how to negotiate, it's knowing how to build your resume. And all of these things we don't learn until we need them. We learn them in almost like it's not a proactive approach, it's a reactive approach.” 35:52</p> <p>“Coaching is storytelling. It's relating to somebody else and putting a message in terms they'll understand.” 33:45</p>

<p>Drew Hammond, Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) Program Director at Fort Bragg, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about differences between tactical and collegiate strength and conditioning. Topics include the Army H2F Program, tactical athlete programming, and how to pursue military strength and conditioning positions.</p> <p>Find Drew on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-hammond-ms-cscs-09420318">Drew Hammond</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“But I think the most unique part about it in hindsight, and this is what I tell people getting into the field, is that I was born and raised in a non-American strength and conditioning system. So some of the decisions that I make now, some of the conversations we will probably get into here, I think are based off of not having grown up professionally in the traditional route, collegiate professional sports stateside.” 2:41</p> <p>“And so the attempt of H2F is to again, replicate that model, but on a much broader scale. So instead of dealing with a group of maybe 100 athletes that at a very specialized unit, you're now dealing with hundreds, if not thousands of athletes.” 5:34</p> <p>“And those are things that I think a lot of guys in this industry struggle with because we're still thinking of this problem in a traditional paradigm, where macro cycles, mesocycles, micro cycles, undulating-- all these buzzwords that we all know. But I think one thing that we haven't really thought through or been equipped to think through, is this critical thinking piece of-- if none of these things hold true that I think should fit into this model, how do I react to that? What does my training look like?” 11:14</p> <p>“But what I found was that there are ways to influence the development of an athlete beyond reps and sets.” 18:20</p> <p>“I mean, I was fortunate in my previous position, to have an excellent relationship with my injury prevention folks. And there were days where we would be working side by side on the floor with an athlete and you couldn't really differentiate between who is the strength coach, who is the athletic trainer. And I think that's ideal.” 22:33</p>

<p>Dr. Patrick Ivey, Associate Athletics Director for Student Athlete Health and Performance at the University of Louisville, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the transition from strength coach to a director role in administration. Topics under discussion include perceptions of strength coaches, emotional intelligence, and continuing to grow where you are.</p> <p>Find Dr. Ivey on his website: <a href="https://pativey.com/">pativey.com</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“There's almost this WWE sort of aura attached to being a strength and conditioning coach. And if you're a good strength and conditioning coach, you know how to manage that. You know how to manage those perceptions and expectations, and what's reality. And it can be really fun to be the person that is a super hero to a lot of athletes.” 9:50</p> <p>“Filling that void to be able to be an advocate for our sports medicine and nutrition staff, our strength and conditioning coaches. And it's something that I'm having to learn as well. Like how do I communicate with marketing, and all of the different areas that work in the athletics department.” 12:45</p> <p>“So you might have an idea of what you want to get accomplished, and you've got to work towards that, but you got to be ready to adapt and adjust every day.” 26:05</p> <p>“You have to take what's right in front of you, and deal with that situation as a leader in this position. So first and foremost, we got to be a leader in this position. Someone that is willing to learn how to communicate, and improve the communication. Written, verbal, body language. You have to be willing to learn in this position.” 26:37</p> <p>“Research and science should be the basis of what we're all doing in health and performance, whether it's nutrition, research and science, sports medicine, sports performance, mental health, mental performance, the medical doctors. Research and science is the foundation of everything that we're doing.” 36:09</p> <p>“How is it going to become habit forming, so that when we're developing leaders, how do we become better leaders ourselves? And hold ourselves accountable to that.” 40:12</p>

<p>Molly Binetti, Women’s Basketball Performance Coach for the University of South Carolina, and return co-host for the 100th episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast, Scott Caulfield, Director of Strength and Conditioning for Colorado College, talk to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about coaching philosophy. Topics under discussion include navigating strength and conditioning careers, creating value, and building a better weight room environment for athletes.</p> <p>Find Molly on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/coachbinetti">@CoachBinetti</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mbinetti22/">@mbinetti22</a> | Find Scott on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coachcaulfield/">@coachcaulfield</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And then each year my career as I progressed, I knew that I was going to take a chance, not really knowing if that was exactly the route that I wanted to take. But I knew if I didn't go after it, I wouldn't know either way.” 10:32</p> <p>“Because I think one of the challenges for all of us is that we don't really learn, and we're not taught how to navigate our careers, as strength and conditioning coaches.” 11:55</p> <p>“And probably the first three or four, you're so laser focused on writing the best program, making sure your athletes are as physically prepared as possible. But then you really come to the realization that that's really the 5% of what we do.” 19:28</p> <p>“But we've got to do a better job of just understanding that we have a shared humanity. And we are all more alike than we are different. And we can help each other out a lot more by continuing to share our stories, and connect with each other, and help each other grow in ways that traditional resources just can't.” 42:17</p> <p>“And I think the hard part is realizing that you've got to be able to adapt and shift gears. And you've got to be able to show multiple sides of your personality and know when and where to have conversations.” 47:02</p> <p>“I think the approach that I've taken, and maybe it's as simple to sum up my philosophy, in general, is just human first and athlete second.” 49:33</p> <p>“And the most success that you're going to have and find is when you are true to who you are, and you're not afraid to follow that, and being authentic. And that's a hard thing to do, when you're young, and you're still figuring out yourself.” 57:52</p>

<p>Matthew Ibrahim, Co-Owner of TD Athletes Edge, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about using setbacks as a learning opportunity. Topics under discussion include creating a holistic approach to a client’s training by collaborating with other professionals, and the importance of deceleration technique and eccentrics in his programs for skill acquisition.</p> <p>Find Matthew on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/matthewibrahim_/">@matthewibrahim_</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“But we can do a really good job at properly, physically preparing our athletes through the right demands and tasks and skill acquisition in the weight room, if we load them appropriately, to be able to withstand those rigors and demands of sport and those stressors.” 20:39</p> <p>“But I do believe we cannot forget about the deceleration or forced absorption drills, which I believe go in the plyometric department, right before the actual force production.” 21:27</p> <p>“I think people-- when they think plyos, Eric, they're thinking oh, wow, let me do a box jump. What about just jump and land? Like pogos. Let's do a pogo jump. But that's plyos. You have to crawl before you sprint, right? So people forget about the crawling, the walking, before we actually sprint.” 27:40</p> <p>“…but eccentric is the one that I think has the most credence in terms of forcing someone to develop skill acquisition from a motor control standpoint, but also movement quality standpoint.” 34:40</p>

<p><span>Dr. Sara Erdner, author of “Dear Coach: What I Wish I Could Have Told You, Letters from Your Athletes,” talks to the NSCA <span>Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager</span>, Eric McMahon, about the coach-athlete relationship. Topics under discussion include coaching education, giving athletes a platform to be heard, and what truly builds mental toughness and resiliency.</span></p> <p><span>Find Dr. Erdner on Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/doc_serdner"><span>@doc_serdner</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“So really, what I was hoping with my book, Dear Coach, is to bring all this stuff that I've learned through my seven years of education and then plus some years of just doing our own research, and actually bridge that gap between what some might call the ivory towers-- us in academia-- and the people with boots on the ground.” 2:20</p> <p>“And so my thing that I advocate for is, before you can even start creating your coaching philosophy, which is very values-based-- identify the values that you have-- we need to understand who we are, culturally, and how the cultural narratives surround these labels that we're made up of.” 14:07</p> <p>“But if the coach them self is not emotionally healthy, then they're going to have a really hard time not only interacting with athletes' emotional health, emotional maturity, but within that relationship, helping to build it within the athlete.” 23:06</p> <p>“…the four different C's that go into making a quality coach-athlete relationship-- so, closeness, the commitment of the relationship, the complementarity of the relationship, the co-orientation of it.” 37:05</p>

<p><span>NSCA Tactical Program Managers, Jason Soileau (Military) and Mandy Nice (Public Safety), talk to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about supporting those in the tactical professions over the course of their careers. Topics under discussion include the U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program and developing a new tactical strength and conditioning program tool kit for public safety agencies.</span></p> <p><span>Find Jason and Mandy on Facebook: </span><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSCA.TSAC.SIG/"><span>NSCA Tactical Strength and Conditioning SIG</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“And H2F is an acronym for Holistic Health and Fitness. So it's a five-prong approach to wellness for the Army soldier, and that includes mental, physical, spiritual, financial, and just overall health. So really, it's an admirable program. And they're really investing a lot of dollars into their personnel, not only for effectiveness currently and in the short-term, but in the long-term over the lifespan of that member, whether they leave the Army, retire, or become a lifer in the Army.” 14:58</p> <p>“So as far as strength and conditioning is concerned, they plan to contract-- or the government contracting agencies will hire-- roughly 840 strength coaches over the course of four to five years, to basically lead brigades in their physical fitness training. So it's a huge undertaking. But I feel like it's an important one, because the goal is to increase readiness and resilience of the personnel, but also decrease injury likelihood and injury occurrence.” 15:43</p> <p>“The Army loses a lot of money, to the tune of millions, on reconditioning and rehab of musculoskeletal injuries every year. So this is an effort to invest in the prevention of that and save money on the back end, which inherently, I think, it's going to work.” 16:15</p> <p>“And I heard one individual describe it as offering autonomy in an austere environment. And I think that's a great explanation of the overall goal of the strength and conditioning professional. You're giving that personnel and the command staff the tools to be successful in terms of physical fitness, no matter where they are on the globe. And if they're still in the Army or not, wherever they go in their life span, they'll still have those foundations that you taught them to carry them through their health and wellness journey for the lifespan.” 19:11</p> <p>“And public safety specifically, sometimes we see the challenge being not so much strength and conditioning itself, but more so how to implement an agency-wide program that is, again, evidence-proven and results focused and practical and user-friendly for everyone.” 25:24</p>

<p><span>Emily Zaler, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the National Football League (NFL) Denver Broncos, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the benefits of being persistent and proactively seeking out opportunities in the field. Topics under discussion include working with professional athletes, facing adversity head on, and how no task is too small to show how you can add value to a program.</span></p> <p><span>Find Emily on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ezaler/"><span>@ezaler</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ezaler"><span>@EZaler</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“I think that my experience as a college athlete has definitely helped shape me into the coach that I am today. Having two very different experiences at University of Oregon, and at University of Missouri, allowed me to see and develop what type of coach I wanted to become.” 4:57</p> <p>“And I think that a lot of my skill set that came from working with general population, and came from managing training departments, and being able to work with different personalities, and build relationships, and build buy and with different types of people.” 22:45</p> <p>“And so I think going with the mindset of no task is too small, whatever I can do to help and benefit our organization and benefit our athletes, I'm 100% willing to do.” 24:54</p> <p>“I think the push towards technology is only going to continue to grow. And I feel like as far as the role of the coach in the future, I feel like if you're not well versed and you're not educated within that realm, that it's going to be a struggle.” 30:46</p>

<p>Alex Calder, Head of Sports Science for the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer (MLS) team, talks to the <span>NSCA <span>Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager</span>, Eric McMahon</span>, about sports science data driving better decisions on and off the field. Topics under discussion include the importance of traditional strength training for soccer players, as well as, the variety of strength and conditioning opportunities there are to gain experience from at the high school, college, private, and professional level of sports.</p> <p>Find Alex on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/calder_05">@calder_05</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/calder_05/">@calder_05</a> | <span>Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></p>Show Notes<p>“…being good with the numbers and the sports science and the monitoring side, it does help drive better decisions in the gym and vice versa.” 7:55</p> <p>“Now that we've gone through that, sort of, adverse situation in 2020, us, as a performance staff, probably have a better idea of how to utilize different recovery modalities or different protocols when it comes to some of those travel restrictions.” 16:38</p> <p>“I think, at this level, you kind of rely on this a lot and you got to be humble enough to alter your program on the fly and be diligent about certain things and flexible about others.” 30:14</p>

<p><span>Andy Stocks, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Augustana University and recently named NSCA Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, talks to the NSCA <span>Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager</span>, Eric McMahon, about persevering as a young coach in a tough career field. Topics under discussion include how his weightlifting and powerlifting background help him program for student-athletes and what he envisions his future as a head coach might look like someday.</span></p> <p><span>Find Andy on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/stocksthestrengthcoach/"><span>@stocksthestrengthcoach</span></a></span><span> or </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/augiestrength/"><span>@augiestrength</span></a></span><span> and Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/augiestrength"><span>@augiestrength</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“I think it's great to know all those advanced methods and advanced principles. And it's just another tool in the toolbox. And you can use that somewhere down the road, or you can use pieces of it here and there in your training a collegiate athlete. But the-- but traditional training and simple programming, it works, and it's widely used because it works.” 14:32</p> <p>“Our volleyball team, in particular, is always saying, I want to see another team's weightlifting cards. I want to see their programs and see if they're stronger than us. And I'm sure there's other teams out there that are really strong. But the fact that they think they're the strongest is really cool to see.” 25:24</p> <p>“…being a young coach is hard. And so being able to stick through it, and you'll eventually land something. Something's going to pop up, and keeping in touch with people is powerful in that aspect.” 33:06</p>

<p><span>Andrea Hayden, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball (MLB) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about being great at your craft. Topics of discussion include how to train athletes in a sport you have never played and creating great career opportunities through education and networking.</span></p> <p><span>Find Andrea through Email: <a>[email protected]</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“I would even say the guys that I work with, they got there without me. And so, what can I do to really help enhance more? What else is in that tank that we can actually drain out and find? So that's really kind of a puzzle piece that excites me and makes me want to keep doing it.” 8:15</p> <p>“So what are those lions that you're chasing after, and what are those things that seem risky and seem uncomfortable and unknown? And what are the things you're going to chase after that really will set you up for success later in life?” 11:51</p> <p>“There's just such a broad spectrum of abilities and levels within the weight room. So I think that's a big part of trying to learn and grasp and try to get alongside of these guys.” 19:11</p> <p>“And I don't want to just be secluded to the weight room. I want to be a part of everything that they will allow me to be a part of. Whether that's on the field or in the cage or in meetings, or anywhere they will have me.” 27:22</p>

<p>Dan Jahn, the owner of Maximum Sports Conditioning, talks to NSCA’s Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about cultural awareness for strength and conditioning coaches. Jahn discusses recent racial incidences related to coaches and athletes, and suggests ways that coaches and administrators can do better in promoting positive conversations around these difficult topics. Jahn also shares his experience as a private strength and conditioning business owner in the greater Seattle area and perspectives on being a well-rounded coach and mentor.</p> <p>Find Dan on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/daniel_jahn/">@daniel_jahn</a> and follow the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/461788430520875" target="_blank">NSCA Diversity and Inclusion Committee</a> on Facebook | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And the first thing is, you've got to think about why you're doing this. And that can determine, and dictate, and sway the direction you go. If you're trying to choose your path, whether it be collegiate, professional, private, each element brings a bit of a different experience, different lifestyle. And so you've got to have different expectations for each.” 5:53</p> <p>“So finding that balance between what we know as strength coaches and what your customer and client is actually asking for can be a little bit tough.” 10:06</p> <p>“Culture awareness starts with self awareness. It's being honest, and being open, and being OK with not knowing everything, and being OK with truly internalizing that our experience is only true for us.” 26:45</p> <p>“It's on us to really try to seek them out. And let them know that this is a field that they could thrive in, and this is something that they could do.” 39:44</p> <p>“I've probably hired 50, maybe 55 people in the 14, 15 years I've been in business. And all of them needed to be empowered, needed to be brought up, needed to be uplifted.” 44:37</p>

<p>Dr. Tim Suchomel, Assistant Professor at Carroll University and Wisconsin State Director for the NSCA, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the emerging role of sport science in strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include Suchomel’s growing involvement with the NSCA, as well as weightlifting derivatives and their benefits for more individualized performance adaptations.</p> <p>Find Dr. Suchomel on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/drtsuchomel">@DrTSuchomel</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drtsuchomel/">@drtsuchomel</a>  or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/659129841329999/">NSCA Sport Science and Performance Technology Special Interest Group</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I think everyone's starting to realize how important it is to be well read within the literature, to be able to implement the strategies that you're researching at the same time.” 8:55</p> <p>“That's fine, but the fact of the matter is that we need to realize that strength and conditioning as a whole is grey. There's not one way to do things, and there's a time and a place, essentially, for everything.” 19:47</p> <p>“The hex bar jump squat's a great exercise, but I remember, it was at NSCA clinic. Someone asked me, have you compared that with jump shrug? We have now.” 40:06</p> <p>“…if you're really interested in someone's work, buy them a coffee. They'll sit down and talk to you for 20, 30 minutes. But it's making those connections, and then expanding on those connections.” 51:27</p> <p>“…you're going to learn a lot just having conversations with these individuals who are doing the research, who are coaching these athletes and have good ideas. Just don't turn down those opportunities.” 55:04</p>

<p><span>Sam Melendrez, full-time strength and conditioning coach for Discovery Canyon Campus High School, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the value of strength and conditioning coaches at the high school level. Topics include advice for those who are interested in strength training youth and high school athletes, programming fundamentals, and the value of applying classroom management skills in the weight room.</span></p> <p><span>Find Sam on Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/sammelendrez2"><span>@sammelendrez2</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“…we're dealing with kiddos who I think, are dealing with some of the ramifications of lack of regular PE, lack of outside play, specializing in a sport too early.” 14:33</p> <p>“Keep your system simple and then also remember that in this role, or I try to always remind myself to stay grounded in the fact that I'm not really trying to develop necessarily the best program with my kids, I'm trying to develop the best kids with my program.” 16:42</p> <p>“That may never happen and we may never run into the situation where I'm dealing with high level athletes or even winning state titles, the national titles, but we are developing again, better kids, healthier kids, more robust against illness and disease.” 29:14</p> <p>“…to be honest with you, one of my most proud things, one of the things I'm most inspired about doing this job is we'll watching kids go study exercise science and specifically pursue careers in health and athletic performance.” 33:18</p>

<p>Josiah Igono, Director of Peak Performance for the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball (MLB) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about what defines performance. Topics under discussion include the importance of coaching mental skills, diversifying your skillsets as a coach, and leaving a legacy.</p> <p>Find Dr. Igono on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/josiahigono/">@josiahigono</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/josiahigono">@JosiahIgono</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And it's a very beautiful thing to see what an athlete is going to do at that turning point. Are they going to rise, or are they going to fall? Are they going to press forward, or are they going to fold up?” 6:41</p> <p>“You have to have something that no one else quite has. You have to have an insight that no one else quite has. And whatever that is for you, you have to figure that out to diversify.” 7:22</p> <p>“I don't believe in giving people fish dinners if you catch my drift. I want to teach you how to fish.” 9:40</p> <p>“If you can't reach an athlete's heart, you're not going to be able to read their mind. And if you can't read your mind, you're not going to be able to reach their body.” 24:15</p> <p>“But those who are afraid of failing, they will not move forward, and they will not do great things. You cannot do great things without facing failure because failure is coming for you, and it's going to be a part of your story. It's going to be a part of your legacy.” 39:45</p>

<p><span>Ryan Metzger, Senior Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Clemson University, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about their internship program going virtual amidst the pandemic to provide young strength coaches the education they need to grow despite the lack of in-person training. Topics of discussion also include early sport specialization and burnout, as well as being a role model for female athletes.</span></p> <p><span>Find Ryan on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/clemsonolystrength/"><span>@clemsonolystrength</span></a><span> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coach_metz/">@coach_metz</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></p>Show Notes<p>“An intern at Clemson, our program is going to be very demanding. We expect a lot out of our interns, not only time commitment on the floor, working with athletes, but what we're asking them to do outside of the weight room and outside of time with us.” 19:02</p> <p>“So as a strength coach, you're not just someone barking at somebody or counting reps or whatever it is. It goes beyond that. You're often a teacher and a leader to your athletes…” 28:05</p> <p>“Athletes are people, and they have real challenges, concerns, problems, good days, bad days. So are the coaches. So there's always that overlap. There's always that conversation, and you know, it's sort of that triage.” 35:20</p> <p>“There's so many times that your conversations with your athletes are going to go beyond “All right, you've got another set coming up”. So like you said, just thinking holistically of the person first before the athlete.” 36:10</p>

<p><span>Kelly Dormandy, Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance at Loyola Marymount University and Head Strength Coach for the Los Angeles Sparks Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about championship culture. Topics under discussion include constantly seeking new challenges, training WNBA athletes, and being proactive about networking in the field.</span></p> <p><span>Find Kelly on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kdormandy/"><span>@kdormandy</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“And you have to be somebody that wants to bring the best out in other people. And I think that's when you truly realize how gratifying this field is.” 6:49</p> <p>“And at the end of the day, you've got to have an unwavering determination and drive and resiliency to make it in this field.” 19:03</p> <p>“I believe it's my responsibility to put them in a position to believe in themselves and believe that they're fully capable of accomplishing whatever it is that they want in life, whether it's winning national championships, conference championships as a collegiate athlete.” 20:19</p> <p>“I think the biggest key is being a lifelong learner in this field, being hungry and being willing to learn from people that are in places that you haven't been, but that you aspire to be in.” 33:06</p>

<p><span>Brice Long, Director of Human Performance Experience at O2X, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about O2X’s holistic approach for fire, police, military, and federal agencies. Topics under discussion include the value of training as a firefighter, physical tests and assessments in the National Guard, and being diverse in your skill sets as a coach.</span></p> <p><span>Find Brice on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/o2xhumanperformance"><span>@o2xhumanperformance</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/o2xhp"><span>@o2xhp</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“Athletes, even athletes that have long careers don't even come close to the continued operational demands of someone in the public safety profession. Most fire departments, 25, 30 years before someone retires, so that's a lot of abuse, and a lot of changes happen to the human body through that time, and there's a lot of time to make mistakes.” 4:46</p> <p>“You've got to pick up a 210-pound firefighter that's covered in soaking wet gear up to your chest to get him or her out of a window. That's a big lift that needs to happen really fast.” 8:28</p> <p>“If you're going to be working with firefighters, you need to take the time to understand what the mechanics are for throwing a 24-foot extension ladder, for stretching an inch and 3/4 hose line from a fire engine, forcing a door. You need to know the lingo. You need to know how much bunker gear weighs. You need to understand the nuance of breathing with a respirator on, SCBA, which is a whole different ball game for a lot of these folks and really dive into the background of the area in which you want to focus.” 26:59</p> <p>“I think you can learn a ton of the fundamentals working in a sports-specific weight room, and a lot of the concepts that make you successful there will translate to the tactical space, but the communication is going to be very different.” 29:48</p> <p>“…learn your audience, be an effective communicator and an expert in the field where you're working, and two is diversify your resume and have some experience and education and at least, at a minimum, interest in being more than a coach because the tactical space requires it.” 33:06</p>

<p>Richard Howell, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Indianapolis Colts National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about his impressive 21 years with the organization. Topics under discussion include going from pre-medical to strength coach, building relationships with athletes and staff members, and how technology provides hard numbers for sport coaches to understand stress management.</p> <p>Connect with Richard through email: [email protected] | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“…that's the biggest thing in our business. You got to have a relationship with the players. And you may know everything in the world. But if the players don't believe you, if they don't trust you, you know, it's not going to do any good.” 8:33</p> <p>“I think what's also important as far as getting to the NFL or a job in general, what I've always told from older coaches, whether they were football coaches, strength coaches, whatever may be, was always be the best at the job you have right now.” 21:22</p> <p>“That's probably the most important relationship with players where they can see the trainers and the strength coaches on the same page. Then you got total buy-in from a player for a system-- not rooms but for a system.” 29:18</p> <p>“And each year, you're fighting to see that happen again and again to try to do that kind of camaraderie, you know, that team aspect, to see guys laying it on the line for the guy beside him, to see that, and to hopefully, eventually, get that ring, you know, when it's all said and done.” 35:50</p>

<p><span>Chris Morris, Director or Performance Science at the University of Kentucky, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of capturing athlete readiness through data and technology. Topics under discussion include Dr. Morris’s time as a University of Kentucky football player turned PhD student, how sports science is critical to understanding athlete’s capacities on a much deeper view, and developing interpersonal relationships with athletes to create trust and buy-in.</span></p> <p><span>Find Dr. Morris on Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/cmorrisphd"><span>@CMorrisPhD</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“It's a very nice pretty picture of we have a stimulus, we have fatigue, we have compensation, and then supercomp, and it all occurs within 72 hours. It's a beautiful concept. But in reality, very far from it.” 6:22</p> <p>“We profile the game through our GPS technology to really understand what the demands of the game are, which aligns with NSCA's profile your sport or needs analysis of sport.” 12:14</p> <p>“To be a good sport scientist, you have to understand both sides of the equation. You have to understand how your inputs and strength and conditioning are going to affect your outputs, so you can have an idea of what we're really measuring.” 16:07</p> <p>“So I feel like a lot of people are going to be most valuable when they are good strength coach, and also have the ability to be a good sport scientist.” 17:07</p> <p>“…if I can lower the stress outside of the training facility, identify areas in the athlete's life where we can reduce stress, then I can have a higher adaptive response in the weight room.” 25:41</p>

<p>Dr. Trent Lawton, Senior Strength and Conditioning Specialist with High Performance Sport New Zealand, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about coaching the athletes of the New Zealand National Rowing Team. Topics under discussion include the balance of coaching the individual versus the team, constantly chasing knowledge in the field, and efforts to push forward through the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>Find Trent on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Chad_Bling">@Chad_Bling</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“It's not important to have the ability to run 9.7 for 100, but to actually do that 28 times in some sports.” 7:33</p> <p>“My job is to create competitive training environments where the people want to excel. So they want to compete off each other. And they need to have the desire to win.” 10:52</p> <p>“And one trick I tried is, rather than me say "go deeper," they get the force or they get the distance deeper. So we change it to the length or the dip. And I say to them, make that the biggest number you can. And that's the sport of rowing. Row long. So squat deep.” 12:38</p> <p>“So it's about creating learning to empower that athlete to adapt their training to the situation which they find themselves in. And my role is to help them think about that.” 22:00</p> <p>“…sometimes the things that we do have to be so simple and obvious that the person connects to it, that the overload is progressed in such a predictable way that it seems too basic. So we need to go the opposite way of making the problem complex, making it so understandable that people can take action.” 32:52</p>

<p><span>Brett Bartholomew, keynote speaker, performance coach and consultant, best-selling author, and Founder of Art of Coaching™, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of communication as a foundation of coaching, understanding the messy realities of leadership, and how reflection can help the profession grow.</span></p> <p><span>Find Brett on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/coach_brettb/"><span>@coach_brettb</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/Coach_BrettB"><span>@Coach_BrettB</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“So that's what we focus on-- the messy realities of coaching, leadership, and the fact that it's much deeper than we've been led to believe.” 3:36</p> <p>“A coach that says they can't apply communication strategies with large groups is somebody that shouldn't be a coach, because communications are the foundation of coaching.” 10:56</p> <p>“Why would you periodize your athletes programs, but not periodize your career and not periodize your learning?” 21:39</p> <p>“But I hope in the next five, if not less, we really embrace more on the communication science and human dynamics and sociology of coaching.” 46:35</p> <p>“…the art of coaching is the science of connecting, and we very much have a lot of literature on how we build relational dynamics and influence and persuade people.” 47:12</p>

<p><span>The NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development (LTAD) Special Interest Group (SIG) Executive Council Members, Joe Eisenmann, Rick Howard, and Tony Moreno, sit down with the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, to discuss LTAD as a framework for the field of strength and conditioning, and the importance of establishing physical literacy in athletes. </span></p> <p><span>Find the Long-Term Athletic Development Special Interest Group on Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSCA.YouthSIG/"><span>NSCA Long-Term Athletic Development SIG</span></a><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></p>Show Notes<p><span>From NSCA's Coaching Podcast Production Team: The NSCA Coaching Podcast strives for the utmost quality in producing each podcast episode. Due to technical difficulties, we apologize for the noticeable interference on the host audio feed in this episode. We hope you will enjoy the insight and information on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) from our knowledgeable panel of experts.</span></p> <p>“We just want to make sure that things are not only done right, but into the right hands of the right people that are dealing with kids, whether it be in a community recreation setting, a school setting, or a club sports setting. We just want to make sure that it's good material, and it gets in the right hands.” 10:55</p> <p>“But I think we really, really need to emphasize how critical physical education and community recreation are in really defining the participation pathway. Because you look at this crisis now that we're in, and I'm just looking out my window right now. And I haven't seen any kids outside doing anything. Maybe once or twice in the past week riding a scooter for 10 or 15 minutes, and they run back in the house.” 28:39</p> <p>“…we have a lot of parents and youth coaches trying to microwave young athletes. And we're really skipping those early stages of fundamental movement skill acquisition…” 32:05</p> <p>“And along those lines is also this tendency that we see of over competing and undertraining. Where you sign up for AAU basketball, and you're playing six to eight games in a weekend or youth baseball, and you're playing five, six, eight games in a weekend. And all you do is compete, compete, compete. But physically, you're not really ready for the demands that are going to be placed upon your body and to proficiently execute some of those sports skills.” 32:53</p> <p><span> </span></p>

<p><span>Mary Kate Feit, Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, and Adam Feit, Coordinator of Physical and Mental Performance at Springfield College and </span><span>Assistant Director of Performance Nutrition at Precision Nutrition</span><span>, talk to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about being a married couple in the world of strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include the unique positions they hold at Springfield College, how becoming parents has changed their perspective on coaching, and why diversity is so important for the future of the field. </span></p> <p><span>Connect with Mary Kate via email: </span><span><a><span>[email protected]</span></a></span><span> | Find Adam on Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/Adam_Feit"><span>@Adam_Feit</span></a></span><span> or Instagram </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aefeit/"><span>@aefeit</span></a></span><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span><span> or Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“I was the youngest head strength and conditioning coach in Division I at the time. I took over a team that was the worst in the nation. So you talked about growth mindset and an opportunity to learn and get better.” 11:11</p> <p>“Just being someone who's able to step up. If we send out a message, hey, we need someone to do this, we're looking for that person who's going to respond right away. I'm on it. Can I help?” 13:45</p> <p>“However, what are they doing with that knowledge and how are they translating that into real life situations? So can you be adaptable? Can you be reliable? Can I count on you to treat everything as it should?” 14:29</p> <p>“And even when I see professional athletes, I still think. I mean, they're younger than us now, most of them. And I still think of them as someone's child. And I think that changes everything. It's not about winning. It's about this individual. And I think I always kind of saw it that way.” 20:15</p> <p>“Be the coach that people want to hire. Now we have technology. We need a sports science expert. We need a nutrition coach. We need a FMS corrective coach. We need a VBT coach. And I would say a coach, but a skill set. And now I look at it as be the coach that can do a lot of many things.” 38:48</p>

<p>Paul Comfort, program leader for the Master’s degree in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Salford, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about his desire to continuously learn through practical application and research in the field. Topics under discussion include creating the post graduate program for the University of Salford, being a founding member of the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA), and the complexities of technology in the weight room.</p> <p>Find Paul on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/paulcomfort1975">@PaulComfort1975</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/paulcomfort1975/">@PaulComfort1975</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“Find out why certain training interventions, methods, dietary interventions, et cetera are working, and then almost build that back up to the whole body. And then keep refining that process.” 10:10</p> <p>“But certainly when you're in a situation with a group of other coaches, don't just jump in and offer your opinion all the time. Listen to what people have got to say. There's a huge amount that you can learn from other people.” 22:04</p> <p>“You've got to look at that in those different scenarios and the different sort of context of what they're actually discussing and why. But I think that's the biggest thing is to listen, learn, and be critical of everything you read and everything you hear.” 23:56</p> <p>“Whereas if you stare at the device while they're performing the exercise and they either got a higher or lower velocity, you have no idea why they got higher or lower velocity. They might have had awful technique or they might have had really good technique. So you've still got to coach the individuals that these devices aren't a substitute for coaching.” 29:58</p>

<p>Adam Fletcher, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men’s basketball at the University of Illinois, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the impact of the Coaches vs. COVID-19 webinars to support the service community and build the strength and conditioning community. Topics under discussion include his journey from an accounting major to strength coach, how vital it is to get to know the sport coaches, and how he seeks to be a positive role model as he works alongside his wife.</p> <p>Find Adam on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Adam_Fletcher41">@Adam_Fletcher41</a> or Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coach__fletch/">@coach_fletch</a> | Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“And in that, the aerobic capacity is really important and the movement capacity is really important. We don't just want to lose all the movement that we've went through and the pattern that we've created because we know that that's instrumental in our injury prevention.” 10:52</p> <p>“And empowering those guys it creates more of an excitement around the program. I think right now, more than ever, you have to be empowering of your kids. They have to feel very positive about what they're doing.” 19:36</p> <p>“I think a lot of times in strength and conditioning we push for relationships within our industry and that's important. But I think if you're not looking on the other side of the sport coaches, you're missing a huge, huge piece of what drives our jobs.” 26:50</p> <p>“…it's important that, as you're on this path, that you try to positively impact everyone that you reach out to and everyone that you work with in a way that they can't forget who you are because you're true to yourself.” 28:20</p>

<p><span>Adam Ross, Chair of and an Assistant Professor within the Kinesiology Department at Dallas Baptist University, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about his unique dual role of strength coach and professor at the university. Topics under discussion include the NSCA Special Interest Groups (SIGs), building trust with athletes and students, and how his mentors and children have shaped his perspective of the field.</span></p> <p><span>Find Adam on Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/313915769046625/"><span>NSCA Baseball SIG</span></a><span> or via Email: [email protected]| Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></p>Show Notes<p>“But in order to create a desire within that person, I think you just have to give them a little bit of the opportunity to just be themselves and to figure things out a little bit on their own, while being kind of a supporting structure around them. So giving them that autonomy to do it, not just being a suffocating autocrat and someone that just kind of strangles the passion out of them.” 13:43</p> <p>“…the movement capacities of athletes kind of predict the performance a lot more than the strength. And I'd say the resiliency and the ability to resist injury is along those lines too.” 17:37</p> <p>“And I think there is a blend between leadership, coaching, and emotional intelligence that has, at the center of it, just transformation of an athlete.” 29:00</p> <p>“You show them your leadership skills, not by what you say, but by what you do, right, and how you engage with them, and how you develop them. And intertwined with that is the coaching aspect, to where you're bringing about awareness and then what they need to do to be a better human, to be a better athlete.” 29:12</p>

<p>Casey Kramer, Assistant Strength Coach for the Chicago Bears National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about working with tactical, Olympic sport, and professional football athletes. Topics under discussion include advice for young coaches, scheduling strength and conditioning sessions in the NFL calendar, and different qualities coaches should seek to have outside of the weight room.</p> <p>Find Casey on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/caseykramer12/">@caseykramer12</a>| Find Eric on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/">@ericmcmahoncscs</a> or Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en">@ericmcmahoncscs</a></p>Show Notes<p>“We have, you know, total access. So the guys are eating in our complex. We have the data that we collect for practice and everything, so we're able to really see a kind of a 360-degree view of our players during that time, so we take advantage of it.” 29:04</p> <p>“They have to be better next year than they were the previous year. That's an expectation from our players and from our organization. Our guys are very competitive-- very, very competitive. They want to get better. They want to improve. They want to feel, like, as a strength coach, that you're helping them to develop and change their game in some way.” 31:25</p> <p>“I think just be prepared to persevere. Start at the bottom and keep working your way up.” 32:48</p> <p>“You can't just walk into strength coaching and expect that you're going to be running like a Power Five program or you're not going to be the head guy of a baseball team making it to the College World Series or being in the major leagues or anything like that. So you really have to take time to grow yourself, grow your knowledge, make sure you're staying up on what's new, and educating yourself and also trying to find ways that you can better yourself as a coach.” 34:51</p>

<p><span>Brian Buck, Director of Sports at Sparta Science, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the new roles that data and technology are playing in the weight room. Topics under discussion include what young coaches should know getting into the field of strength and conditioning and the importance of building relationships and developing people.</span></p> <p><span>Find Brian on Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/brianbuck6"><span>@brianbuck6</span></a><span> | Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a></p>Show Notes<p>“So what makes a good strength coach, and people touch on it a lot, is being able to have conversations with these guys. Do they care that you care? Are you a good person, and why should they listen to you?” 12:40</p> <p>“So you've got to understand-- there's got to be an education piece, there's got to be a relationship piece. And at the end of the day, it's got to work. So it's a fun skill, it's a fun job, and I've really enjoyed my time in it.” 13:49</p> <p>“I think where people really separate themselves from others is the resources they get their hands on to. How much they're willing to read daily, because that's not easy for everyone. How interested are you in research and books? And I think on top of that, the last piece that really sets people apart is your networking capability. And are you willing to go do a site visit?” 14:42</p> <p>“Wherever your situation is, make it the best, learn from it, create the best where you are. And really, those other opportunities are going to pop up and you're not going to wear yourself out thinking about them.” 29:32</p>

<p><span>In this special Season 4 podcast kick-off, NSCA’s Tactical Program Manager, Nate Palin, introduces the new NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon. McMahon discusses how he got into strength and conditioning, transitioning into new roles and the challenges it brings, and the direction that he wants to bring the NSCA with this new position as a bridge between strength coaches and the organization.</span></p> <p><span>Find Eric on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ericmcmahoncscs/"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> or Twitter: </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericmcmahoncscs?lang=en"><span>@ericmcmahoncscs</span></a><span> | Find Nate on Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/natepalin/?hl=en"><span>@natepalin</span></a></p>Show Notes<p>“…the relationships and networking is a huge part of our profession, and I think the NSCA that's our role in terms of creating those communication structures and creating those conversations…” 1:43</p> <p>“I wanted to pursue the field. I just wanted to make sure it was the right choice for me… it's a huge commitment in terms of, you might have to pack up and go.” 3:32</p> <p>“We are people that are sought after as communicators, as presenters, as influential important people in their organizations with potential to move up the ladder in terms of athletic directors or CEOs or presidents of their organization. We're educated professionals.” 5:13</p> <p>“I would have never touched the field in college if it wasn't for strength and conditioning, so I credit any success I had as an athlete to my training during those years and changing my body, getting strong, and winning that starting job. That meant a lot to me at the time and inspired me to pass it forward here.” 15:44</p> <p>“I'm new to this job, but I've been with the NSCA for a long time, and I want every coach to feel like they are just as much a part of this organization as you and I are.” 24:17</p>

<p>Jeff Connors, who retired after a staggering 31-year collegiate coaching career, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about being a servant to athletes and contributing to their lives. Topics under discussion include “surviving” head coaching changes, learning from others in the field, and using his coaching experiences to write books.</p>Show Notes<p>“I've been always trying to learn, and I've always tried to attach myself, or fly across country and find people smarter than me, which is not real hard to do. So that's how I endeavored to become smarter, is by associating myself with the best.” 16:44</p> <p>“So I try to learn year to year. I try to develop a good reputation to where I would be retained. I try to outwork people. I think there's something to be said for a work ethic.” 17:17</p> <p>“I've never been real concerned with trying to please the football coach over what I believed. I was always flexible and I always listened, but I always considered myself to be the professional. And so I would try to educate football coaches.” 18:08</p> <p>“I believe that you are serving people as a strength and conditioning coach, trying to improve their lives, trying to contribute to their lives, where they're successful throughout the course of their lives because of the experience they have with you and their collegiate experience.” 22:50</p>

<p>Antonio Squillante, a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California (USC) and the Weightlifting Special Interest Group (SIG) chair, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about using weightlifting, not just the sport, as a means to build strength and power in athletes from the platform to the field. Topics under discussion include being involved with the NSCA through leading the Weightlifting SIG and teaching Exam Prep classes, moving from Italy to pursue his dream of coaching, and going back to school for his PhD.</p> <p>Find Antonio on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/273091563080307/">NSCA CSCS Exam Prep</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSCAWeightlifting/">NSCA Weightlifting SIG</a></p>Show Notes<p>“I've always felt supported by the NSCA, itself, and I think, since that point on, all I wanted to do was growing within the community and give back to the community because they gave me a lot.” 8:28</p> <p>“It’s a lot about taking the first step, once you get involved, and all you want is just, generally, giving back, opportunities will come your way. And you just have to be available and be-- I think, an open mind and embrace the challenge.” 10:20</p> <p> “A certain component of absolute strength work is always important for injury prevention reasons, but also to just improve your ability to express power.” 18:53</p> <p>“That kind of impact is so much more rewarding than winning anything, championship doesn't matter, if you can impact someone's life, that's the most you can do, I think.” 25:52</p> <p>“Either the CSCS Prep Group on Facebook, or if you're already in the community, working, maybe the NSCA Weightlifting SIG.” 27:59</p>

<p>Kayleigh Fournier, now Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at Dartmouth College, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about her journey from unpaid intern to head strength coach. Topics under discussion include work ethic as a young professional getting into the field, programming for unconventional sports, and diversifying your network of support.</p> <p>Connect with Kayleigh through email: [email protected]</p>Show Notes<p>“So I think you have to be willing to travel and put yourself out in someplace different and diversify yourself.” 6:36</p> <p>“You have to be willing to really get in there, get dirty, and put it all out the line. And if you're not really putting yourself out there, are you going to get that job? Are you going to impress your supervisors enough?” 7:48</p> <p>“You need to be able to reach out and be friends with all the sports coaches, because they're going to help you.” 13:13</p> <p>“Keep the door open. Don't ever turn people away, continually talk to people, see what they're doing. Reaching out has been the best thing for me.” 26:50</p> <p>“Ask other people what they're doing with their programs. If you have a weird sport that you're not sure about, go and find someone who does. Find the expert in it.” 27:44</p>

<p><span>Stuart Hart, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for women’s basketball at the University of Nebraska, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about his journey from high school athlete to personal trainer to volunteer coach to full-time college strength and conditioning coach. Topics under discussion include a day in the life at the University of Nebraska, building relationships throughout the entire athletic staff, and the value of going to conferences for both educational and networking reasons.</span></p> <p><span>Find Stuart on Twitter: </span><span><a href="https://twitter.com/No_DaysOff06"><span>@No_DaysOff06</span></a></span><span> or Instagram: </span><span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/strength_byhart/"><span>@strength_byhart</span></a></span></p>Show Notes<p>“I would much rather work with that population college athletes because there's a motivation behind them. They want to get better, they want to compete, they want to be successful on their field or the court or whatever.” 6:18</p> <p>“So he was impressed with the fact that I was going across campus trying to figure out some creative ways to not only benefit the student population, but benefit the athletes as well.” 11:52</p> <p>“So again, you're building a relationship early on in your career and that's someone that you can call back a few years later.” 14:04</p> <p>“I'm very much a proponent of figuring out what the needs are, figuring out what the personality is you've got to deal with, and then manipulating what it is you need to get done to work with it in that environment.” 17:55</p> <p>“So showing up and just being willing to go up and just build-- have a conversation with someone regardless of the logo on their shirt. For me, the relationships that I've built over the last 12 years of being in this business, like you never know when that relationship is going to foster something.” 25:33</p> <p>“For Instagram, you find me at strength_byhart, and then on Twitter it's no_daysoff06.” 29:32</p>