In this episode of the Coaches Compass, Coach Coop and Jay interview Lukas Strong, a former strength and conditioning coach for the Prague Lions and the founder of the Prague Speed Academy. Lukas shares his journey into the world of speed training and the differences he observed between training in Europe and the United States. He emphasizes the importance of caring for athletes and continuously learning and evolving as a coach. Lukas also discusses the benefits of Olympic weightlifting and the challenges of implementing it with athletes. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire segment of one-word answers.

In this episode of The Coaches Compass, the guest, Jay, a certified sports nutritionist, discusses the importance of nutrition in athletic performance. He shares his journey into the field of nutrition and highlights the impact of nutrition on energy levels, recovery, and overall performance. Jay also addresses common areas where athletes lack in their nutrition, such as not eating enough to meet the demands of their training. He provides tips for athletes to hit their daily calorie intake, including using liquid meals and finding personalized solutions. Jay also discusses the topics of weight gain and weight loss in athletes, emphasizing the importance of proper guidance and monitoring. He concludes by mentioning some supplements that can benefit athletes, such as protein gels, sport drinks, creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, beetroot, and vitamin D.

In this conversation, Coop and Jay interview Dion from SWAT Performance. They discuss the importance of technique in speed training and how to improve athletes' mechanics. Dion shares his experience working at House of Athletes and the challenges of creating a similar facility in Europe. They also talk about their sponsorships with G-Tech and the use of equipment like power plates and VBT devices to measure speed. Dion's vision for the future includes opening a big facility in Amsterdam and working with teams to improve their performance.

In this episode of The Coaches Compass, mental health coach Dorthe Hummel discusses the importance of addressing mental health in athletes. She emphasizes the proactive approach of considering the brain as part of the body and looking at the root causes of mental health issues. Dorthe highlights the connection between physical and mental health, particularly the impact of lifestyle factors on serotonin production. She also discusses the role of coaches in supporting athletes' mental well-being and suggests individualized approaches to address focus, motivation, and setbacks. Hummel encourages coaches to understand their own motivations and emotions in order to effectively support their athletes. The conversation covers various topics related to mental health and performance in athletes. Dorthe Hummel emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing emotions, setting specific goals, and focusing on strengths. She suggests a daily practice of setting goals, identifying strengths, and determining desired emotions. She also discusses the relationship between athletes and food, highlighting the need to focus on the quality of food and the impact of weight gain or loss on performance. The conversation also touches on the challenges athletes face when dealing with injuries and the transition out of sports. Dorthe provides strategies for athletes to maintain focus and purpose during injury recovery and suggests finding new ways to use their skills and strengths. The conversation concludes with a discussion on mental health in society, the impact of stress and lifestyle choices, and the importance of proactive mental health practices such as journaling, meditation, and breathwork.

In this episode, Coach Coop and Jay interview John Falk, a strength and conditioning coach and former football player. John shares his journey from playing soccer and ice hockey to discovering American football and strength and conditioning. He emphasizes the importance of structure and understanding the different phases of training. John also discusses the need for athletes to commit to their training and prioritize their goals. He highlights the difference between European and American players in terms of speed and athleticism, and the need for European players to invest in strength and conditioning. Overall, John emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and growth in the field of strength and conditioning. In this conversation, John discusses the importance of commitment and buy-in from athletes in order to see real improvement. He emphasizes the need for athletes to be as invested in their goals as the strength and conditioning coach is. John also talks about the challenges of being a player and a coach at the same time, and how to navigate the blurred lines between the two roles. He shares his approach to testing athletes and the benchmarks he looks for in terms of strength, power, and speed. Finally, John discusses the process of opening his own gym and the importance of building a culture and a home for his athletes.

Coach Rory Lynn, a former professional rugby player and current strength and conditioning coach, shares his journey into coaching and his approach to training combat sport athletes. He emphasizes the importance of experience over textbook knowledge and highlights the value of rehab and understanding the body's mechanics. Rory focuses on performance over everything, with a goal of preparing athletes for their key sparring and technical sessions. He measures key performance indicators (KPIs) such as strength, speed, and power, and emphasizes the importance of the kinetic chain in generating power. Rory also discusses the periodization of training for combat athletes, including the different phases leading up to a fight and the challenges of programming during camp. In the second part of the conversation, Rory Lynn discusses the importance of collaboration between coaches in combat sports and the role of sports science in training. He emphasizes the need for coaches to be receptive to new ideas and to work together with strength and conditioning coaches and physios to optimize athlete performance. Rory also shares his approach to coaching, which involves learning from top coaches in various sports and focusing on developing general qualities such as strength, speed, and power. He mentions coaches like Chris Barnard and Chris Speed as sources of inspiration. Rory also talks about the mental and physical differences between athletes and the challenges of working with combat sport athletes. He highlights the importance of mental toughness and the unique mindset of combat sport athletes. Finally, Rory shares his advice for coaches, encouraging them to gain experience and constantly refine their coaching style, and provides tips for those looking to break into the combat sport world.

In this episode, Coach Coop and Jay interview Sam Portland, a speed specialist and founder of Speed by Portland. Sam shares his journey into the industry and his passion for speed. He discusses the importance of experience and results over certifications and formal education. Sam breaks down his four-step model for developing speed: general speed, specific speed, special speed, and tactical speed. He emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between the weight room and the field and focuses on improving technique and minimizing errors to enhance speed performance. In this part of the conversation, Sam discusses how he helped an athlete named David improve his acceleration. He explains the importance of hip projection and maximizing the center of mass to generate speed. Sam also shares his approach to training and how he uses drills and games like Speedgate Golf to teach athletes to control different percentages of their speed. He emphasizes the need for coaches to let go of the barbell and focus on movement. His advice to coaches is to learn how to move by playing sports and to coach in a way that feels right to them.

In this episode, Coach Coop and Jay discuss programming for elite level athletes, specifically focusing on preparing for the upcoming season and mitigating soft tissue injuries. They emphasize the importance of building capacity to handle high output and the need for athletes to be willing to learn and implement new training methods. They also touch on the challenges of programming for imports and the importance of assessing an athlete's capacity before designing a program. The conversation concludes with a discussion on preparing for camps and combines, with Coach Coop sharing his experience and the importance of falling in love with the process. In this conversation, Coop and VicDamone discuss the importance of testing and training for combine drills. They emphasize the need for athletes to understand their strengths and weaknesses and to focus on improving specific skills. They also highlight the value of video analysis and visual learning in the training process. Coop shares his experience with combine drills and the importance of proper preparation. They discuss the use of specialized equipment, such as the shred mill and woodways, to enhance speed and power. They also touch on the significance of combine testing in evaluating an athlete's potential and opportunities for advancement.