504: Vern Gambetta on Plyometrics, Movement, and Art of Skilled Athletic Development

Today’s guest is Vern Gambetta. Vern is a world-renowned sports performance coach with over 50 years of experience across Olympic, professional, and collegiate sport. A pioneer in modern athletic development, he’s known for blending movement skill, strength, and long-term athlete development into a practical, coach-driven system. The more coaching and training leans into data points, KPI’s, rigid standards and an overly specialized model, the more true athleticism, movement and skill development gets choked out. By understanding all aspects of the athletic movement equation, we can give athletes a better total experience in their sport and movement practices. In this episode, Vern leans into his wisdom for a wide-ranging conversation on movement, skill, and the art of coaching. With over 50 years of experience across Olympic and professional sport, Vern shares insights on functional training, sport specificity, plyometrics, rhythm, and why skill expression, not rigid technical models, drives true performance. From jump rope to the dot drill to developing movement “signatures,” this episode is a masterclass in coaching the athlete in front of you. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and the Just Fly Sports Online Courses Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer Use code “justfly20” for 20% off of LILA Exogen Wearable resistance gear at www.lilateam.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 3:00 – The Birth of Functional Training 10:39 – The Nature of Fascia 15:33 – Training Spectrum 28:16 – General vs. Specific Movements 38:00 – The Art of Movement 49:31 – Rhythm and Movement 55:15 – Plyometric Training Perspectives 59:50 – The Role of Technology 1:13:16 – Sketching Athletic Sequences About Vern Gambetta Vern Gambetta is a pioneering sports performance coach, educator, and author widely recognized as one of the foundational voices in modern athletic development. With more than five decades of coaching experience, Gambetta has worked across track & field, baseball, swimming, cricket, soccer, basketball, and rugby at youth, collegiate, professional, and Olympic levels. A former track and field coach and longtime advocate for holistic athlete development, Gambetta helped popularize the concept of “functional training” in the 1980s, while consistently emphasizing that training must serve the demands of sport, not marketing trends. His work integrates biomechanics, skill acquisition, rhythm and movement literacy, strength training, and long-term athletic development into a unified system. Gambetta has coached at the Olympic level, worked in Major League Baseball, and served as a consultant to professional teams worldwide. He is the author of multiple books, including Athletic Development and Building the Complete Athlete, and is a sought-after international speaker known for blending science, experience, and practical coaching wisdom. Above all, Gambetta advocates coaching the athlete in front of you, prioritizing movement quality, adaptability, and lifelong development over rigid systems or trends.

Today’s guest is Dan Cleather. Dan Cleather is a sport scientist, author, and lecturer specializing in biomechanics and strength training. He has worked across elite sport and higher education, helping coaches apply research to real-world performance. Dan is the author of The Little Black Book of Training Wisdom and The Little Blue Book of Training Wisdom, known for challenging conventional ideas and promoting evidence-informed coaching. If you search the internet for training methods and advice, you’ll invariably get a “do this, not that” mentality woven in your brain. The mark of true progress over time, and reaching athletic potential, is more about principles and management than it is picking all the “S-Tier” exercises. Being able to balance paradoxes, hone belief, refine movement and hone the dance of capacity and output defines the training of elite athletes and Olympians. In this episode, Dan discusses everything from developing exercise devices for astronauts in microgravity to the deeper philosophy of how performance truly evolves. We discuss Easy Strength, capacity versus skill development, fatigue as a motor learning constraint, and why adaptation is something we cultivate rather than force. The conversation weaves biomechanics, Tai Chi, Olympic lifting, and the yin-yang rhythm of training into a broader theme: great coaching isn’t about imposing perfection, but creating environments where flow, resilience, and high performance can naturally emerge. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:00 – Researching Exercise Countermeasures for Microgravity 2:51 – Recent Publications and the Learning Process of Writing 8:01 – The Science of Change and the Hierarchy of Coaching Skills 12:39 – Lessons Learned from Applying the Easy Strength Method 22:06 – Balancing Skill Building and Capacity Building in Strength Training 32:28 – The Benefits of Traditional Tai Chi Conditioning and Static Holds 45:22 – Historical Wisdom and Experiential Learning in Performance 1:02:15 – Leveraging Fatigue and Constraints for Relaxation and Flow 1:13:59 – The Yin and Yang of Accumulation and Intensification in Training 1:21:06 – Viewing Training as a Sustained Conversation with the Body About Dan Cleather Dan Cleather is a sport scientist, author, and lecturer specializing in biomechanics, strength and conditioning, and performance analysis. With a background in both applied coaching and academic research, Dan has worked extensively in elite sport and higher education, bridging the gap between theory and practice. He is the author of The Little Black Book of Training Wisdom and The Little Blue Book of Training Wisdom, where he challenges conventional thinking and promotes evidence-informed coaching. Dan is known for his clear, analytical approach to training science and his ability to translate complex biomechanics into practical strategies for coaches and athletes. Zac currently treats clients and consults internationally, while continuing to produce educational resources aimed at elevating the standard of movement practice in both clinical and performance settings.

Today’s guest is Zac Cupples, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, a physical therapist and strength coach known for bridging rehabilitation and performance. He’s the founder of ZacCupples.com and is respected for translating complex concepts around respiration and movement mechanics into practical tools coaches and clinicians can immediately apply to improve efficiency, reduce pain, and enhance performance. The bridge between sports performance rehab is an important one. In the midst of movement mechanics that drive good rehab, and high intensity lifting, lies the knowledge that can help athletes make continual gains while staying robust and healthy for their sport. On today’s show, Zac explores how an athlete’s structure influences movement, strength training, and even injury risk. He shares his track background and how it shaped his coaching, then unpacks concepts like narrow vs. wide “ISA” builds, why some athletes struggle to feel their hamstrings in traditional lifts, and how tools like front loading, box squats, machines, and sprinting can solve it. He also digs into long-duration isometrics, mobility vs. flexibility, and finishes with a fun lightning round. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 1:23 – Early Athletic Experiences 5:36 – Muscle Activation Challenges 11:22 – Structural Constraints and Movement 25:17 – Rethinking Traditional Strength Training 29:17 – The Role of Machines in Training 36:54 – Weight Shifts and Mechanics 40:45 – Long Hold Activities in Rehab 53:21 – Internal vs. External Rotation 59:27 – Flexibility vs. Mobility 1:07:06 – Lightning Round Questions 1:14:04 – Future Plans and Coaching Focus Zac Cupples Quotes "You got to preserve moving fast because that's how you catch yourself from falling." "It assumes everyone has the same body but no two people are going to perform both of those movements the same way, and it's not going to load the same way." "I start the majority of people with a box squat, because the way I think about a hinge is it's different from a squat because the hips are going to be moving more along that horizontal path." "It's way more useful to think, am I moving up and down? Am I moving side to side? And then just pick exercises within what a person has available." "If someone can't produce certain rotations, and I know that you need those rotations to do this movement, you probably got to find something else to train that pattern within their constraints." "You just have to find the hinge variation that they can execute. And if they don't have much to do that, you have to create constraints." About Zac Cupples Zac Cupples, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS is a physical therapist, strength coach, and educator specializing in human movement, respiration, and performance optimization. He is the founder of ZacCupples.com and has become widely known for translating complex biomechanical and neurophysiological concepts into practical strategies that clinicians and coaches can immediately apply. Zac earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Marquette University and is board certified as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. He has completed extensive post-graduate education through the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) and integrates principles of respiration, pelvic mechanics, thoracic positioning, and neuromuscular control into both rehabilitation and performance training. Through his online courses, seminars, and educational content, Zac has influenced thousands of clinicians and coaches worldwide. His work bridges the gap between rehab and high performance, helping athletes move more efficiently, reduce pain, and unlock higher levels of strength and speed through better positional awareness and strategic breathing. Zac currently treats clients and consults internationally, while continuing to produce educational resources aimed at elevating the standard of movement practice in both clinical and performance settings.

Today’s guest is Tanner Care. Tanner Care is a high-performance specialist, currently serving as the Director of Player Performance for the BC Lions (CFL) and the Director of Athletic Performance for the Vancouver Bandits (CEBL). Since 2023, he has also held the role of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Simon Fraser University, where he oversees the physical development of athletes across 13 collegiate sports. On the surface, strength and conditioning is about increasing an athlete’s physical strength and capacities. To dig deeper and help athletes reach their highest potential, an understanding of sprint-specific forces, athlete archetypes, and dosage of inputs is essential. On today’s show, Tanner talks about his practical framework for elite athlete development. He shares how he integrates max-speed work into sport-specific drills, such as full-court basketball overthrows, and explains his “layered” coaching model, which progresses from foundational health and general capacity to more specific archetyping. The conversation also dives into the technical side of his toolkit, including the use of run-specific isometrics for sprint transfer, plyometric training, and how he balances force-velocity profiles across different athlete types. Ultimately, Tanner advocates for a “health-first” approach in the pro setting, favoring consistent, high-quality inputs over unnecessarily complex training schemes. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and Lila Exogen. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:03 – Introduction to Athlete Classification 2:19 – Innovative Training Drills 6:26 – Understanding Movement Signatures 11:32 – Exploring Strength Qualities 19:53 – Classifying Athlete Strength 32:02 – Benefits of Single Leg Strength 45:17 – Adjusting Training Based on Athlete Type 49:30 – Implementing Quasi-Isometrics 56:25 – The Complexity of Training Modalities 1:04:17 – Foot Positioning and Athletic Outcomes 1:07:47 – Closing Thoughts and Future Plans Tanner Care Quotes On Speed in Practice: "So the problem I was trying to solve was how can we check these speed residual boxes within the constraints of practice." On the Priority of Training: "That's layer one health has to come before performance. So removing any potential inhibition." On Dynamic vs. Passive Screening: "I've seen so many people get on a table, assess passive hip internal rotation and say there's some kind of limitation. But when we see it dynamically at sports speed, it's like, oh, there it is." On General Movement Competency: "I can't tell you the amount of professional guys I have come in that like can't do like rudimentary plyometrics like they can't hop or bound stationary let alone locomotively" On Local vs. Global Issues: "Do we have a Ferrari? Do we have a Honda Civic? Do we have a Ferrari with a flat tire? Like, sometimes we just have to deal with local issues, not necessarily broad systems of improving the overall organism." On the Limits of Strength: "We know that the strongest individuals aren't necessarily the most forceful individuals. At some point, there's a clear cutoff." On Stiffness and Propulsion: "Rate of force development and stiffness isn't always a good thing if they don't have the propulsive qualities necessary to actually displace their hips horizontally" On Force and Sprint Performance“If you’re able to generate adequate force at adequate time and attenuate high braking force, that’s always going to correlate positively with sprint performance.” On Weight Room Philosophy: "I try to remove skill or as much skill as I can within the context of the weight room." About Tanner Care Tanner Care is a credentialed strength and conditioning professional specializing in elite athlete development across pro and collegiate levels. He currently serves as Director of Performance for the Vancouver Bandits (CEBL) and the BC Lions (CFL), overseeing strength & conditioning, load management, sport science, and performance nutrition to enhance athlete readiness and longevity. Previously, he was Head Coach of Strength & Conditioning at Simon Fraser University (NCAA), leading programs across multiple sports including men's basketball and track & field, where he built evidence-based training systems. Tanner holds RSCC and CSCS certifications (NSCA), is an EXOS Performance Specialist, and earned his Master's (MS(c)) from the University of Florida. His background includes roles like Head S&C Coach for University of Ottawa rugby. He contributes to the field as a SimpliFaster author, podcast guest on performance systems, and CSCA advisory team member. Passionate about sprint training, speed, and mechanics, he's a dedicated husband, family man, and 49ers fan.

Today’s guest is Paul Cater. Paul is a veteran strength and conditioning coach with over 25 years of experience spanning professional baseball, collegiate athletics, and high-performance team environments. Paul is known for blending traditional strength training with rhythm, timing, gravity, and a deeply relational, art-driven approach to coaching. His work challenges purely formulaic or data-driven models and puts the live training session back at the center of athlete development. In an era where training is increasingly automated, optimized, and reduced to dashboards and numbers, it’s easy to lose the human element that actually drives performance. This conversation explores how rhythm, feel, load, and coaching presence shape not just outputs, but adaptability, resilience, and long-term athletic growth. If you’ve ever felt that “something is missing” in modern training environments, this episode speaks directly to that gap. In this episode, Paul and I explore training as a live performance rather than a static program. We discuss using early isometric and axial loading as a readiness anchor, how downbeat rhythm and eccentric timing drive better outputs, and why chasing numbers too aggressively can undermine real performance. We dive into music, movement, art, and coaching intuition, and how creating alive, rhythmic sessions builds stronger athletes, and better coaches, without relying solely on rigid protocols or excessive monitoring. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and Lila Exogen. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:00 – Mountain Training Inspirations 6:00 – The Role of Community in Training 12:15 – Performance and the Observer Effect 23:27 – Shifting Training Protocols 32:32 – Balancing Data and Intuition 42:14 – Efficacy of Isometric Training 47:23 – Five-Minute Wonders 53:28 – The Art of Adaptation 57:44 – Embracing the Subconscious 1:28:06 – A Playlist for Performance Quotes from Paul Cater "We're really just trying to create meaning with our training, to justify it to other people, or wives, or coaches, or whatever, but also to really harness what the weight's doing or the external stimulus is doing for us" "I do approach it like it's a performance. A coaching session. And if you pawn so much off to the to the robotics or the formula, it becomes almost like it's a prison." "20 minutes of rolling around on the ground and trying to do the stretching warm-ups- I've just almost eliminated those. Full stop. I can't remember the last time I did an active dynamic or same static stretching things like that." "Can you match time, and beat? ...And that's really everything, because what else is there in the transfer of training if it's not related to that timing tempo and rhythm" "I use the tech throughout the session quite heavily actually, but I don't use it as the primary validator or guider." "The world's greatest warm-up for me is always, we've called it bartending. Where the progression is how much can you hold on your back for five minutes... I just do whatever. Walk around. Rules, you just can't touch the bar to the ground." "Get to that at that perfect point where you feel the adaptation happen then you walk away, and you don't need to do anymore. Like what's the minimal dose you need to do?" About Paul Cater Paul Cater is a veteran strength and conditioning coach with over 25 years of experience working across professional baseball, collegiate athletics, tactical populations, and high-performance team sport environments. He has served in leadership and performance roles with organizations including Major League Baseball, NCAA programs, and private high-performance facilities, and is known for his ability to blend high-intensity strength training with rhythm, coordination, and ecological skill development. Paul’s coaching philosophy emphasizes gravity, timing, and rhythm as foundational drivers of athletic performance. Rather than relying solely on rigid programming or isolated testing, his sessions are built around early exposure to meaningful load, isometric and inertial work, and rhythmic constraints that reveal readiness, alignment, and intent in real time. His work integrates elements of sprint mechanics, change of direction, elastic strength, and movement artistry to create training environments that are both physically effective and psychologically engaging. Currently working in a collegiate performance setting, Paul is deeply interested in coaching as a live, relational craft; treating each session as a performance that develops not just outputs, but awareness, adaptability, and ownership in athletes. His approach bridges traditional strength training with concepts from sport, art, music, and survival movement, offering a perspective that challenges purely automated or data-driven models of performance.

Today’s guest is Martin Bingisser. Martin is the founder of HMMR Media, one of the most trusted independent voices in throws and track & field education. A former competitive hammer thrower, Martin blends firsthand experience with deep historical and technical insight to analyze training methods, athlete development, and coaching culture. Through articles, videos, and interviews, his work bridges elite practice and practical coaching, earning him respect from coaches and performance professionals around the world. In a world of rapid-information delivery and short attention spans, the wisdom of master coaches is becoming increasingly rare. Martin has spent substantial time with two legends in the coaching world, Anatoliy Bondarchuk and Vern Gambetta. Spending time discussing the work of the past, and wisdom through the present is a critical practice in forming an effective coaching viewpoint. On today’s episode I chat with Martin in a wide-ranging conversation in coaching lessons on efficiency, adaptability, and performing under pressure (two throws, no warmups, huge crowds). We transition into Bondarchuk’s training philosophy: exercise classification, consistency, “strength” as sport-specific force production, and why weight-room PRs can distract from performance. The episode closes with motor-learning insights on rhythm, holistic cues, and how Vern Gambetta’s “general” work complements specificity. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and the Just Fly Sports Online Courses Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer Use code “justfly20” for 20% off of LILA Exogen Wearable resistance gear at www.lilateam.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:00 – Martin’s background and training lens 7:05 – Why eccentric strength matters 15:40 – Isometric intent and force expression 24:30 – Tendons, stiffness, and elastic qualities 33:50 – Managing fatigue in strength training 42:15 – Applying eccentric and isometric work 51:20 – Athlete readiness and daily adjustment 1:00:10 – Long term development and durability Quotes from Martin Bingisser "You think, okay, big heavy rock, like it's all about strength. And instead it's about efficiency." "Even the most simple sport that looks like it's all about strength, it's not really just about strength." "It's measurable strength versus this kind of adaptable strength that can fit into different situations." "Is strength how much I can move on a barbell, or is strength how much force I can create in the ring?" "No one is saying you don't have to be strong. Everyone agrees you have to be strong. It's just how do we define strength? and how do we define that? Because all these guys are strong. They're just strong in different ways." "We're doing all the categories the whole year and you need to have that general stuff in there too. So you look at our program throughout the year, we put a lot of work into those general categories, but they're not the highest priority. And we're not doing stuff in the specific preparatory or the general preparatory stuff that's going to hinder our first priority stuff." "Probably 80% of the benefit of Bondarchuk's program comes down to two or three key things. And you can apply those to any type of program. It doesn't have to be Bondarchuk's methods, but one of the big ones is just consistency." "If I see something I like, I try not to say very much except do that again. Like, I don't care what you had to think about to do that, but just do that again. Like that's just reinforcing, those good habits." "Am I just trying to copy a good thrower or am I trying to find a solution that'll fit my athlete? ... But if you don't understand what they're trying to get out of it, you're just trying to copy what you see the video of, it's useless." About Martin Bingisser Martin Bingisser is the founder of HMMR Media, one of the most respected independent platforms covering throws, strength training, and track & field performance. A former competitive hammer thrower, Martin combines firsthand athletic experience with a sharp analytical eye to break down training theory, competition trends, and athlete development across all levels of the sport. Through HMMR Media, he produces in-depth articles, interviews, videos, and educational resources that bridge the gap between elite coaching practice and accessible learning. His work is known for its clarity, historical context, and willingness to challenge oversimplified narratives in modern training. Martin has collaborated with coaches, athletes, and federations worldwide, and his content is widely used by throws coaches, sport scientists, and performance professionals seeking thoughtful, evidence-informed perspectives. His approach emphasizes long-term athlete development, technical mastery, and the craft of coaching; making him a trusted voice in the global track and field community.

Today’s guest is Aaron Uthoff. Aaron Uthoff, PhD, is a sport scientist and coach whose work sits right at the intersection of biomechanics, motor learning, and sprint performance. His research digs into acceleration, force application, and some less conventional forms of locomotion, including backward sprinting, with the goal of connecting solid science to what actually works on the field, track, or in rehab. Backward running shows up all the time in warm-ups and general prep. Most of the time, though, it’s thrown in casually, without much thought about what it might actually be doing for speed, coordination, or tissue loading. In this episode, Aaron walks through his path into performance science, which is anything but linear. From skiing in Montana and playing desert sports, to football and track, to a stretch training horses in Australia, his journey eventually led him to research mentors in Arizona, Scotland, and New Zealand. That broad background shows up clearly in how he thinks about movement. One of the big takeaways from our conversation is Aaron’s overview of research showing that structured backward running programs can improve forward acceleration and even jumping ability. We also get into how backward running can be used as a screening and coordination tool, and where it fits into rehabilitation, including what’s happening at the joints, how muscles are working, and how to progress it without forcing things. We finish by digging into wearable resistance, including asymmetrical loading, and why this emerging tool may have more upside for speed and movement development than most people realize. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength and Lila Exogen. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Topics 0:00 – Aaron’s background and coaching lens 6:40 – Seeing movement through posture and orientation 13:25 – Why breathing changes how athletes move 20:45 – Tempo, rhythm, and shaping better movement 30:10 – Constraints based coaching and problem-solving 40:55 – Sprint mechanics without over cueing 51:20 – Using environment to guide adaptation 1:01:30 – Blending strength work with movement quality 1:12:15 – Coaching intuition, feedback, and learning to see Quotes from Aaron Uthoff "Backwards running is about 70 % of the speed of forward. 60 to 70 % of the speed of forwards running. So whatever your maximum speed forward is about 70 % of that backwards for somebody who's been doing it for a little while. So just there tells you that there's not going to be the same magnitude of force as there is with a forward sprint." "If you've got anterior knee pain, which happens with lot of plyometrics, jumping, you think a lot of court-based sports, jumping track-based sports, things like that, you can simply reduce their patellofemoral joint loading by having them go backwards." "What we see that I love preferentially is that we actually get really high hamstring activation concentrically, which is not the case with forwards running." "I've got an injured athlete who had a hamstring injury and just wasn't able to decelerate his shank when he was sprinting forwards. So I had him run backwards. And what that's done is that's trained his hamstring concentrically to basically contract really, really quickly without putting that undue eccentric stress onto the joint on the muscles." "I think it's a good screening tool to see, well, where are they at from a coordination proprioceptive perspective? And you might have somebody that's super duper fast going forwards, but you know, if they actually can apply that skill, then you know, their proprioception is likely off a little bit." "By removing that vision... you're just having to tap into a different system a little bit more. And I find that that's one of the things that allows athletes to really expand their skillset majorly. "Backside mechanics plays a large role in the elasticity that's going to happen and the power that you're to be able to deliver on the front side of the body. And if you shorten that up or you're inefficient or uncomfortable in that space, then you know, backwards running is a really cool way to learn how to do that in a way that is a little bit safer at a slightly lower speed where it's a new drill." "I want you to be racing your belly, basically your belly button and your chest are going to be racing to the finish line. But unlike forward running, I want your belly button just to slightly win. And that just puts them into a posture that allows them to have that, that slightly lean, but still be upright." "Another thing I really like is I want them to stack their hips, basically their ribcages on top of their hips. They've got nice intra-abdominal pressure to allow that elastic recoil to happen through the core." "I think there's a lot more spinal engine utilized intensively with a backwards run than we might realize. And that's one of the major things I'm seeing. So we integrate a lot of spinal engine work into our drills just to help with the ability to carry that in. "If you actively, concentrically contract the hamstring and try to kick that heel out back behind you, and use that as a leading mechanism, then that allows your hip flexor to act concentrically more powerfully as well as it comes down. So you're able to train the anterior side of the thigh much more exclusively." About Aaron Uthoff Aaron Uthoff, PhD, is a sport scientist, researcher, and coach focused on human movement, sprint mechanics, and motor learning. He holds a doctorate in kinesiology, with research centered on how neuromuscular factors influence speed, coordination, and efficiency. He is especially known for his work on acceleration, sprinting, and unconventional locomotor strategies such as backward running, and how these methods affect force application, tissue stress, and motor control. His work blends strong scientific foundations with practical coaching insight, making it highly relevant for track and field, team sports, and rehabilitation environments. Alongside his research, Aaron works closely with coaches and athletes to translate complex biomechanical and neurological ideas into simple, usable training concepts. His approach values curiosity, experimentation, and respecting how the body naturally adapts when it’s exposed to new movement challenges.

Today’s guest is Hayden Mitchell, Ph.D.  Hayden is a sports performance coach, educator, and researcher specializing in movement ecology and pedagogy, helping coaches design environments that support learning, resilience, self-actualization, and sustainable athletic performance through play and exploration. There is a great deal of conversation in sports performance around methods, including exercises, drills, systems, and models, but far less attention is given to coaching itself. Coaching methodology quietly shapes how athletes experience training, how they relate to challenge and failure, and ultimately how fully they are able to express themselves in performance. On the show today, Hayden speaks about exploring how coaching and physical education shape not just performance, but the whole human being. Hayden shares his path through sport, teaching, and doctoral work, including how life experiences changed his approach to leadership, control, and play. Together they discuss movement ecology, value orientations in coaching, such as mastery, learning process, self-actualization, social responsibility, and ecological integration, and why environment often matters as much as programming. The conversation highlights rhythm, joy, and exploration, along with practical ways coaches can use restraint, better questions, and playful constraints to help athletes own their development. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:00 – Hayden’s coaching background 6:42 – Learning through experimentation 13:55 – Movement quality versus output 21:18 – Constraints based coaching 30:07 – Strength that transfers 39:50 – Variability and resilience 48:26 – Developing youth athletes 57:41 – Decision-making under fatigue 1:06:10 – Simplifying training programs 1:14:22 – Long term coaching philosophy Quotes from Hayden "You start to develop more like moderate to really big like teaching orientations where you take away the command, you stop begging for repetition to be perfect and you allow things to become messier in due time." "For me, it's like discovering what somebody is afraid to do." "Whenever I get an adult who's in their like 50s or 60s, we're going to crawl. You have to have a certain charisma about this and you have to laugh and you have to do it with them. You got to be a willing participant in your own way. But once they do that, man, it lights them up." "If I'd just released them to dance, because they love to groove, they love to feel themselves, it would have gotten them into a position of real readiness and their nervous system would have been lit up instead of me exhausting them because we needed that perfect small-sided rondo warmup that everybody else is doing." "An athlete dancing is a joyful athlete and a joyful athlete is tuned in. I don't think there's too many things that offer more value than getting into rhythm throughout a session, before a session, after a session, you gotta feel into your body like that." About Hayden Mitchell Hayden Mitchell, PhD is a sports performance coach, educator, and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of movement ecology, pedagogy, and human development. He has coached and taught across a wide range of settings, from youth and collegiate sport to military, adaptive populations, and general fitness, working with ages 4 to 90. Hayden holds a doctorate in Human Performance and Sport Pedagogy and focuses on how environment, values, and teaching behaviors shape learning, resilience, and performance. His work emphasizes play, rhythm, and self-actualization, helping coaches and athletes move beyond rigid systems toward practices that develop both performance capacity and the whole human being.

Today’s guest is Dustin Oranchuk, Ph.D. Dustin is a sport scientist focused on sprinting biomechanics, speed development, and force production. Known for blending research with practical coaching insight, his work explores how isometrics, elasticity, and coordination shape high-performance sprinting and athletic movement. Isometric training is one of the “original” forms of strength training, and in the modern day has become one of the most popular areas of discussion and training methodology. Although the practice has exploded, it often lacks an understanding of physiology of adaptation with various methods. In this episode, Dustin explores the evolving world of isometric training, including the origins of isometrics. We discuss differences between pushing and holding contractions, tendon and neural adaptations, and modern applications in performance, rehab, and longevity. The conversation also dives into eccentric quasi-isometrics (EQIs), motivation and measurement challenges, and how coaches can intelligently integrate isometrics alongside plyometrics and traditional strength work. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:11 – Strength Training Beginnings 5:38 – Evolution of Isometric Training 8:38 – Modern Applications of Isometrics 9:52 – Neural vs. Morphological Adaptations 15:45 – The Importance of Long Holds 19:42 – Combining Isometrics and Plyometrics 39:22 – Exploring Eccentric Quasi-Isometrics 47:10 – Periodization and Isometric Training 1:05:48 – Future Research Directions 1:13:00 – Closing Thoughts and Reflections Quotes from Dustin Oranchuk "We can predict performance fairly well from a test where we're actually not moving at all." "I think the main evolution is getting a little bit less towards building peak strength for barbell purposes and a little bit more universal utility for rehabilitation and longevity." "Using isometrics at a variety of different muscle lengths and different contraction durations to try and rehab after a pectare or a quadriceps strain or something like that." "The general or the more popular goal with the longer muscle length movements, or lack thereof, would be morphological adaptations." "Instead of matching a position, you're just trying to get the most sort of bang for your buck out of the isometrics as far as causing hypertrophy, or being able to target tendon rehabilitation, or build work capacity, or some other sort of little bit more morphological adaptation." "Tendons tend to need a certain threshold of intensity to get noticeable or meaningful adaptations. I think it's probably somewhere around 70 % of MBIC or max isometric contraction of a pushing ISO." "It's okay for our SNC work to not look obviously like anything we do on the field." "You can create a really good weight room environment where there's camaraderie and there's competitiveness without any objective measurements." "Pushing into a rack is almost always going to be able to be done at a higher intensity than holding something." About Dustin Oranchuk Dustin Oranchuk, PhD, is a sport scientist specializing in speed development, biomechanics, and force production in sprinting and jumping. He holds a doctorate in sport science and has worked extensively with elite athletes across track and field, team sports, and high-performance environments. Dustin is widely known for his research-informed yet practical approach to sprint mechanics, isometric training, and elastic performance, bridging laboratory insights with real-world coaching application. Through consulting, research, and education, he helps coaches and athletes better understand how force, stiffness, and coordination influence maximal speed and performance.

Today’s guest is Kevin Secours. Kevin is a veteran martial arts coach, author, and former security professional with decades of experience across Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, and Russian Systema. Holding five black belts (including an 8th-dan), Kevin has worked extensively in real-world contexts while also teaching meditation, solo training, and strength rituals. He is the author of Rituals of Strength and Unconstrained, and is known for blending martial tradition, modern training theory, psychology, and philosophical inquiry into human development and resilience The conditioning and tempering of the body in striking sports can draw interesting parallels to collisions needed in jumping, sprinting and landing activities. We can also draw many lessons and ideas from the exercise tradition that goes back centuries with martial arts practice. By understanding combat training disciplines, we can draw out universal application for general movement and performance. In this episode, we explore the deeper purpose of physical training through martial arts and sport performance. Kevin reflects on early experiences with body hardening, cold exposure, and Zen-influenced practice, examining where such methods build resilience and where they become self-destructive. Drawing parallels to sprinting, jumping, and strength training, we discuss collisions, long isometric holds, ritualized discomfort, and fatigue as tools for cultivating awareness, reducing excess tension, and supporting longevity. Today’s episode is brought to you by Hammer Strength. Use the code “justfly20” for 20% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to Lilateam.com Use code “justfly10” for 10% off the Vert Trainer View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. (https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:00 – Martial arts origins and body hardening 17:48 – Body tension, trauma, and reading the athlete 28:23 – Isometrics, Soviet methods, and slow strength 33:58 – Journaling, drawing, and learning through reflection 45:02 – Mindset, adaptability, and mental speed 56:46 – Representativeness, ritual, and resilience 1:04:26 – Simplify versus deconstruct in training 1:12:25 – Microdosing discomfort and daily resilience 1:17:24 – Comfort seeking and modern training challenges Quotes from Kevin Secours "We refer to it as a calculus of violence. What are you willing to risk for the payoff?" "It's a meditative practice. You're learning the surfacing, and the alignment, and the variability. And you're learning the modulate, how much power you put in, that we all have enough to destroy ourselves." "It's what's called Wolff's Law. You put the bone under stress and the bone is going to thicken." "Some shortcuts are great. Efficiency is amazing, but some things just take time." "You can't just mimic the weights and mimic the reps and hope to get the same result." "The first thing you need to know is you're not buying this rank. It will be given if it's earned." "It was largely psychophysical. Long marathon sparring, long marathon holds and positions, cold water exposure, long meditation right back into fighting. So it was a roller coaster of physical and emotional." "Training should not be trauma." "Don't for a second think they wouldn't have wanted warm showers if they could have had them. Yeah. We are comfort seekers." "You have to educate to understand why you're doing what you're doing. You have to rehearse. So you practice under incrementally growing resistance and then you culminate in a pressure test." About Kevin Secours Kevin Secours is a martial arts coach and author focused on practical skill development, resilience, and real-world application of movement and combat principles. Drawing from decades of training and coaching experience, his work bridges traditional martial arts, modern performance thinking, and personal development. Kevin is known for clear teaching, depth of insight, and an emphasis on adaptability, awareness, and lifelong practice.