The Olympic Games wrapped up earlier this month in Paris. We had both personal connections at the Games, as well as a fan interest. On this week's GAINcast we break down our insights from watching the Games. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2024/08/gaincast-episode-284-olympic-debrief/ T…

The throwing events at this month's Olympic Games brought plenty of excitement. Paris had it all, from dominating performances in the hammer to drama in the shot put and Olympic records in the discus and javelin and drama. On this week's podcast our friend Don Babbitt joins us again to break down the Olympic action, trends, and storylines that stoo…

Strength is one of the most important qualities in athletic performance. Athletes need to be able to express force in the context of their sport. But much of what goes on in strength training starts to substantially deviate from this maxim. On this week's GAINcast our friend Chris Webb joins Vern for a discussion on what strength is, moving beyond …

It's been a hell of a year so far in the world of throwing: a world recrod, historic marks, and much more just in the spring. Coach Don Babbitt joins us on this week's podcast as we look ahead to the US Olympic Trials and then the Paris Olympics. We take a look at insights that can be gained from the biomechanics of Mykolos Alekna, the development …

A lot has been going on in the sporting world this spring, and in our worlds as well. On this week's GAINcast we discuss a variety of topics including finding and measuring training quality, variability in skill execution, the right role for biomechanics analysis in coaching, and unstructured training. For more information on this topic, read the c…

On this week's episode we dig back into to the listener mailbag. Some of the topics we cover: overcoming competition anxiety, the truth behind range throwing, fixing technique, maintaining physical qualities, our favorite presenters, and even a special story about coaching Jeremy Allen White. For more information on this topic, read the complete sh…

A lot of coaches like to talk about building individualized training plans, but more often that not their athlete's programs start looking all the same. Paul Solberg is a bit different. He's coaching some of the world's top throwers, and they take very different approaches to reach the same goal. He joins us on this week's podcast to share his proc…

Communication is the cornerstone of coaching. Garr Reynold's best-selling book Presentation Zen explains how to reach the audience through simplicity and storytelling. He joins us on this weeks' GAINcast to discuss how these lessons can be helpful for coaches as well, including insights on editing, simplicity, material, and methods. For more inform…

We often talk on the show about how coaches train their athletes. On this week's podcast we turn the tables and look at how coaches train themselves. Finding time to squeeze a workout in is not always easy, and neither is balancing age, family, and many other factors. Our friends Carissa Sain, David Maris, and Donie Fox join us to share their tips.…

On this week's episode we discuss some recent training trends and current events, including the World Indoor Championships, competition scheduling in an Olympic year, zone 2 training, the NFL combine, and much more. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2024/03/gaincast-episode-280-training-t…

At first glance, throwers and jumpers might seem like they live on opposite ends of the athletic spectrum, but they have more in common than you might think. Both even groups require athletes to produce immense amount of power in short bursts, focus on highly technical and specific training, and be patient over years of development. On this week's …

What sport you play is different than how you play that sport. In the game of tennis, for example, vastly different styles of play emerge, which require a different approach to preapre for. On this week's GAINcast Jason Hettler of IMG Academy Tennis explains their process of profiling athletes, matching to game style, and individualizing training. …

Success in the throws often comes down to being smarter. Smart enough to master the fundamentals of technique. Smart enough to understand and communicate with athletes. And smart enough to put everything together. On this week's podcast Colorado State coach Brian Bedard shares his approach to coaching smarter, including his lessons on leadership, c…

To kick of 2024 we're putting together a spectacular roundtable featuring guests Dr. Michael Joyner, Grace Golden, and Randy Ballard. We take a look back at trends from 2023, as well as what we see ahead in 2024. In addition we dive into the value of tribes, rethinking monitoring, soft skills, and much more to kick off the year. For more informatio…

Cory Martin is best known as one of the best combo throwers of all time: 22 meters in the shot put and 75 meters in the hammer throw. He's also put together one of the best combo training programs around: combining the influences of his two coaches and mentors Jerry Clayton and John Smith. On this week's episode we take a look at both of those topi…

On our last episode coach Rett Larson explained his approach to warming up, both the theory and practice. This week, we're sharing a bonus episode where we discuss our own approach to the warm up. As with the rest of our training program, the warmup is constantly evolving. We go in detail into the what and why we do now and how that has evolved ove…

On this week's GAINcast Vern shares his top 6 books of 2023, key insights after recent travels to Europe and Australia, plus thoughts as we look ahead at preparing for the 2024 Olympics. For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/12/gaincast-episode-277-books-travels-and-olympic-preparations/…

For many strength coaches, the warmup is the best weapon they have. It's a dedicated time each day to work with athletes, whether they make it in the weight room or not. But to really get the most out of it, you have to have a plan to allow you to use the time effectively, build athlete buy in, and gain the confidence of the coaching staff. On this…

A recent interview on HMMR Media shared some of the weight room numbers of the hammer throw world champion. After hearing them, everyone asked: how can a champion be so weak? Strength is complex. Strength is contextual. On this week’s podcast we share some ideas about the role of strength in athletic performance, transfer of strength, training stre…

Championship results require championship behaviors from both athletes and coaches. Having guided multiple men's and women's teams at the highest levels, volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon knows a thing or two about what championships behaviors are. On this week's GAINcast he joins us to share his input on finding intention, putting skill acquisition…