We know it is beneficial to rest between sets, but should you rest between reps? Cluster sets have been used since the 1940s, but there is still research being conducted to learn more about this unique training style. Dr. Greg Haff is a leader in this area both in researching and teaching the benefits of cluster sets. His experience with cluster sets began with Mike Stone while doing his own training as an athlete. After completing his PhD., he and his wife began doing research on cluster sets, ...
Feb 21, 2025•37 min•Ep. 36
The game of lacrosse requires athletes to be quick, agile, and powerful, and resistance training contributes significantly to the development of speed, agility, endurance, and strength, ultimately making a lacrosse athlete more formidable on the field. In this episode, Colorado Mammoth head of performance Joel Raether and Salisbury University Coordinator of Sport Performance Matt Nein take us inside the world of lacrosse and what it takes to play the sport at a high level. Joel and Matt, co-edit...
Feb 14, 2025•56 min•Ep. 35
Functional strength training is one of the most beneficial forms of fitness training, but it is often not included in secondary physical education curriculum. Certified Functional Strength Coach and physical education teacher Nate VanKouwenberg has used his knowledge to help educate other teachers in his district in New York and beyond. That is among the reasons he wrote, Functional Strength Training for Physical Education. He is doing his part to share his knowledge and express the importance o...
Feb 07, 2025•29 min•Ep. 34
If you have recognized areas in your life, career, or sport that need to change, congratulations. You have made a crucial step toward behavior change. The next step is creating a strategy to set a path toward success. That is where goal setting enters the conversation. In this episode, NSCA certified trainer and Sport Psychology Consultant Aaron Patterson discusses goal-setting strategies and types of goals to consider in the planning process. Aaron Patterson Aaron Patterson works with Human Kin...
Jan 31, 2025•18 min•Ep. 33
Foundational Yoga Flow was written by Collette Ouseley-Moynan as a collection of 90 poses segmented into three parts: Awaken, Deepen, and Soften. But this resource goes a step further as Texas-based photographer Weston Carls documented the journey across west Texas, capturing the beauty and energy of each pose. In this episode, Collette and Weston shared their experiences in the making of Foundational Yoga Flow. Foundational Yoga Flow https://ecs.page.link/Kri2Y Collette Ouseley-Moynan Collette ...
Jan 24, 2025•29 min•Ep. 32
Strength Training used to be simple. People simply focused on lifting the heaviest weights possible to build strength. Trainers and co-authors of The Overload System for Strength, Christian Thibaudeau and Tom Sheppard, are getting back to the old-school training methods that have provided results for decades. In this episode, the duo discusses why those old-school methods still make sense today and how to incorporate them into your training. The Overload System for Strength https://ecs.page.link...
Jan 17, 2025•50 min•Ep. 31
Regardless the form of yoga you prefer, using props can supply you with a limitless variety of ways to customize your practice. In this episode, certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) Jenny Clise discusses yoga, yoga therapy, and the benefits of using yoga props. She explains that incorporating props can mean using a wall, chair, blocks, and anything within your imagination. The possibilities to expand your practice are limitless. She used her expertise of over 1,000 hours of training and 12 years as...
Jan 10, 2025•26 min•Ep. 30
Strength training can be intimidating. Walking into a gym and being unsure of what to do, how much to lift, and filtering through the constant barrage of fitness trends to determine fact from fiction can be daunting. Nike Global Trainer Betina Gozo has over a decade of experience training thousands of women, and has gone a step further in educating women on strength training with her book, Women's Muscle and Strength: Get Lean, Strong, and Confident. In this episode, Betina discusses how she got...
Jan 03, 2025•27 min•Ep. 29
Ice hockey is said to be the fastest sport played on your feet. It is highly dependent on a number of physical qualities such as strength, speed, agility, endurance, and mobility. There are many nuances to playing the sport, and that makes training for hockey unique. In this episode, Boston Bruins head performance coach Kevin Neeld and Quinnipiac University director of athletic performance Brijesh Patel discuss their background as performance coaches and the nuances of training hockey players. T...
Dec 27, 2024•40 min•Ep. 28
The concept of periodization is not new. Precursors of periodized training date back more than 2,000 years ago. G. Gregory Haff is a world-leading expert on periodization, and has spent his career studying, researching, writing about, and teaching the importance of periodization. He compiled much of his life's work into the first resource of its kind, Scientific Foundations and Practical Applications of Periodization. In this episode, he discusses the history of periodization, why it is importan...
Dec 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 27
As Dr. Colleen Hacker explains, "The head and the heart are differentiators" when it comes to finding success in competition. Dr. Hacker, author of Achieving Excellence: Mastering Mindset for Peak Performance , has built an accomplished career working with some of the top athletes in the world in the areas of sport psychology and mental performance. In this episode, she explains what it means to be a high achiever, and what it takes to tap into the mental side of competition to reach a higher le...
Dec 13, 2024•42 min•Ep. 26
"Without energy, we are nothing and our ability to manipulate our breathing to control our mental and physical energy separates us from other life forms." Those are the words of Harvey Martin who has used his experience as a former pro baseball player to help others. Martin's pro baseball career ended early as a result of anxiety and the yips. He has since dedicated his career to teaching others how to manipulate their own breathing and take back control of their mental and physical energy to im...
Dec 06, 2024•26 min•Ep. 25
As coaches, we are leaders of the athletes who have entrusted us with maximizing their potential. Whether you are a strength coach or a sport coach, you have great influence on the athletes you lead. It is important to do so in ways that will support their efforts, build their confidence, and encourage them to be their best. In this episode, NSCA certified trainer Aaron Patterson discusses the importance of effective coaching. He introduces various coaching styles and leadership strategies that ...
Nov 29, 2024•18 min•Ep. 24
Cortisol has likely come up in consultations with physicians, you've probably read or heard about it in the news, and content about it has filled your social media feeds. But what is the truth behind this hormone naturally produced in your body? Is it good? Is it bad? How can it impact your diet and body composition? All of these questions and more are discussed in this episode exploring cortisol. YouTube version https://ecs.page.link/rYk9r Aaron Patterson, NSCA-CPT, CWPC, CSAC, CTPS Aaron Patte...
Nov 22, 2024•16 min•Ep. 23
Nutrition is a key component to the performance equation that can unlock the path to high-level success. Athletes are bombarded with advice from coaches, trainers, teammates, and social media. It can get confusing and seem overwhelming. As a former Division I athlete and current assistant athletics director and director of sports nutrition for Purdue University Athletics, Lauren Link knows the importance of helping individuals filter through the barrage of information. In this episode, Lauren di...
Nov 15, 2024•29 min•Ep. 22
Much of training in sport and performance is focused on physical preparation, but mental performance can be just as important, and in some cases has a larger impact on overall performance success. In this episode, Mental Performance Consultant and professor Dr. Robert Schinke joined sport performance coach Aaron Patterson to discuss the importance and benefits of mental skills training. In the conversation, Dr. Schinke shares his experiences in practice and research demonstrating the improvement...
Nov 08, 2024•34 min•Ep. 21
What does it take to run a successful fitness business? It can seem overwhelming for some to jump into a management position in the fitness industry. Steven Trotter and Chris Stevenson are experts in the industry, and have built careers on successful fitness facility management, and consulting to help others do the same. In this episode, Steven and Chris discuss important areas to consider when running a fitness business like defining your mission and values, recruiting and retaining top talent,...
Nov 01, 2024•37 min•Ep. 20
In this solo episode, NSCA certified trainer and sport performance coach Aaron Patterson discusses anaerobic training. What is anaerobic training? What is the difference between anaerobic and aerobic training, and what population of individual or athlete should be utilizing anaerobic training? Aaron answers these questions and more in this episode. See links to additional resources on anaerobic training and power development below. Aaron Patterson, NSCA-CPT, CWPC, CSAC, CTPS Aaron Patterson work...
Oct 25, 2024•12 min•Ep. 19
Staying fit and healthy (mentally and physically) is important to avoid illness and disease, and for longevity. It can seem overwhelming at times. In this episode, John Graham, trainer and co-author of Metabolic Training, joined NSCA certified trainer and sport performance coach, Aaron Patterson, for a discussion on the Five Pillars of Health and Wellness. John Graham, MS, ACSM, EP-C, CSCS*D, FNSCA John has enjoyed an accomplished 40-year career in the health, fitness, and strength and condition...
Oct 18, 2024•32 min•Ep. 18
Dr. Jim Stoppani is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the science of training. He has written thousands of articles on exercise, nutrition, and health, was a co-author for the New York Times best seller, LL Cool J's Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle, as well as author of Stronger Arms & Upper Body, PrayFit, and Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements. This was all after earning degrees and from University of Connecticut doing postdoctoral work at Yale University School of Medicine....
Oct 11, 2024•44 min•Ep. 17
Power is crucial for all competitive sports. It is usually the primary goal of all athletes whether training to increase a vertical jump, increasing speed, or protecting the line of scrimmage in American football. Paul Comfort, PhD, has trained athletes with this goal in mind, researched ways to help them improve, and was the editor for NSCA's Developing Power, Second Edition. In this interview, Paul discusses the importance of training for power, differences and similarities of power developmen...
Oct 04, 2024•22 min•Ep. 16
A strong core is vital and a necessity for elite-level athletes. Research has established a direct correlation between core strength, performance, and injury risk reduction. Dr. Jeff Willardson began focusing on various areas of strength and conditioning while a professor at Eastern Illinois University but became particularly interested in the benefits of training the core. In this interview, Dr. Willardson details some of those benefits and talks about the recently released NSCA Developing the ...
Sep 27, 2024•28 min•Ep. 15
Leslee Bender is a 40-year veteran in the fitness industry, and the 2020 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and author of Vital Core Training. She is also the creator of the Bender Ball which she created after realizing the importance of core training. In this interview, Leslee explains the importance of implementing core movement training into your program, taking her first fitness class with Jane Fonda, and how fitness has evolved. Learn more in her book, Vital Core Training. Leslee Bender, AC...
Sep 20, 2024•31 min•Ep. 14
Based on personal experiences and those of her students, yoga teacher Niamh Daly let her passion for helping others guide her to research and explore the true benefits of yoga for menopause. What she found allowed her to step outside the box of the traditional yoga teachings and into the new world of teaching based on the needs of women experiencing perimenopause and menopause. In this interview, she explains how yoga can support symptom relief, health, and self-esteem to those going through per...
Sep 13, 2024•27 min•Ep. 13
The science behind training will always play a large role in the success of both the athlete and coach, but soft skills are a big factor that aren't always given the attention they deserve. In this episode, certified trainers Aaron Patterson and Lee Boyce (also a co-author of Strength Training for All Body Types along with Melody Schoenfeld) discuss the importance of soft skills in training and coaching. Lee Boyce Lee Boyce is a strength coach and educator based in Toronto, Canada. He has been h...
Sep 06, 2024•28 min•Ep. 12
Ben Reuter realized early in his college athletic career that in order to keep pace with his teammates and competition, he needed to find ways to improve his endurance. After earning his master's degree from Old Dominion University and doctorate from Auburn University, he used his knowledge along with CSCS and ATC certifications to help others improve their performance. His most recent venture has been as editor and contributor of NSCA Developing Endurance, Second Edition. He joined this episode...
Aug 30, 2024•38 min•Ep. 11
Friday, August 23, 2024 What is "functional training?" Is it a trendy buzzword that we can ignore, or is there more to it? Trainer, licensed massage therapist, and author Kevin Carr discusses what functional training means and how it has been misinterpreted in the fitness industry. In this conversation, Kevin talks about his career progression, how to put together a complete workout, training gen pop clients vs. athletes, and new challenges trainers face in training the year-round athlete. Funct...
Aug 23, 2024•36 min•Ep. 10
Friday, August 16, 2024 Aches, pains, and sometimes the unfortunate injury are all associated with running, whether competitively or recreationally. Dr. Emmi Aguillard and Coach Jonathan Cane joined this episode to discuss their book, Run Healthy: The Runner's Guide to Injury Prevention and Treatment. They detail tips and strategies to get healthy and stay healthy in order to get the most out of your running and race journey. Emmi Aguillard, PT, DPT, FAFS is a fulltime physical therapist managin...
Aug 16, 2024•34 min•Ep. 9
David Kyle, founder of Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga School, has over 20 years of yoga experience and over 30 years in body movement and healing arts. In this episode, David discusses his book, Rocket Yoga: Your Guide to Progressive Ashtanga Vinyasa, as well as the history and purpose behind Rocket yoga and his experiences in the practice. From the Grateful Dead to EDM, Rocket Yoga has something for everyone. Learn more in Rocket® Yoga https://ecs.page.link/R1iuY
Aug 02, 2024•32 min•Ep. 8
Dr. William Kraemer has had an accomplished career, being involved with the NSCA since its inception, as founding editor of the NSCA's Journal of Strength and Conditioning research, and as a strength coach, professor, and researcher at numerous universities including The Ohio State University, University of Connecticut, Penn State University, Ball State University, and Edith Cowan University. He has published 12 books and over 500 peer-reviewed papers. He also received the NSCA 2024 Alvin Roy Aw...
Jul 26, 2024•31 min•Ep. 7
