Cheeky Mid Weeky

Former college strength coach Ian Samuels shares his journey from NCAA football to corporate performance coaching at a major tech company. Discover why strength and conditioning professionals are making the transition to corporate wellness and how to break into this growing field. In this episode, Ian discusses the dysfunction in college strength and conditioning culture, from desk-guarding to uns...

Discover how the nervous system controls athletic performance with Brendan Smith from Wired to Move. Learn practical nervous system training techniques using Square One System and Signal Six protocols that strength coaches can implement immediately. In this episode, we explore: How the nervous system acts as CEO of movement and performance Primitive reflexes and their impact on athletic movement p...

Coach Jess Burke joins the show for the 3rd time and it was a blast to catch up. Now Jess has her in person location to train clients in Chicago. She is doing this in addition to her online clients. We talk about how wild private sector life is now compared to college S&C - we both left college around the same time. ___ $1 Trial Membership to SCN 🏫CEUs: https://strengthcoachnetwork.com/Trial...

Discover how to become a strength coach for firefighters with Alex Redshaw from O2X Human Performance! This tactical strength and conditioning deep dive covers firefighter training programs, working with first responders, and breaking into the tactical fitness space. Learn about recruit academy programming, managing 24-hour shift schedules, movement quality screening, and injury prevention for tac...

In this episode I sit down with 2 Tactical S&C Coaches. Maria has just got into TSAC while Katie has been in for 5 years. You will learn what life in TSAC is like, how to prove success for these athletes, future of the field, and more. Connect with Maria: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-howard-ms-cscs-9b9627225/ Connect with Katie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-taulbee-cscs-rscc-a0780810...

Discover why tactical strength and conditioning requires a completely different approach than college athletics. Coach Matt Matua shares his 3.5 years of experience at Fort Bragg, revealing the critical mistakes college strength coaches make when transitioning to tactical settings. Learn why "we don't need more strength coaches in tactical we need more tactical strength and conditioning coaches."...

Yo, this episode is FIRE if you're thinking about going private or just starting out as a strength coach. Jeremy Lizama went from the Marine Corps to working with the Arizona Cardinals in the Dominican Republic, then said "screw it" and started his own thing in LA. He breaks down the real stuff nobody talks about - like how to actually negotiate your salary (spoiler: he got them to offer MORE than...

Meet Dr. John Beerbower — a former farm kid now building strength and character at McHenry High School. 💪 As Director of McHenry Strength, he’s all about helping students grow — physically, mentally, and socially. His passion for connection and improvement earned him the Staff Member of the Month Award . Recognized nationally for his program and leadership, Coach Beerbower keeps proving that true...

Strength coach Amit Vora discusses why conditioning work matters in team sports like basketball and lacrosse. Learn why the "high-low" training model doesn't always work for sports that live in the anaerobic middle zone. Topics include: anaerobic capacity training, GPS load management for basketball, practice periodization, fascial training applications, and preparing athletes for game demands. Di...

Coach Cory Gilday shares his near-fatal heart attack experience in Iraq and how conditioning work saved his life. This essential conversation covers why strength coaches must prioritize cardiovascular health, proper zone 2 training protocols, and the critical importance of cool-down periods often neglected in training programs. Learn about tactical strength and conditioning career opportunities, a...

In this conversation I speak with Joe Zawack who used to work in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns about how to make coach's lives simpler. S&C coaches have so much technology to filter through now a days - learn how the new Vitruve Hub can help coaches do this better! It does not matter if you work in college, high school, private, or professional strength and conditioning. The Vitruve is for...

In this convo I was able to talk with the founder and CEO of PlayerData Roy Hotrabhvanon. Roy and I connected from my friendship with Ben Slingerland who also works for PlayerData. Roy shares why PlayerData with the validity and reliability of their tech is taking over the S&C world. FIFA Study: https://www.playerdata.com/en-gb/blog/playerdata-edge-awarded-fifa-quality-certification#:~:text=Qu...

This is the 2nd time Erica has come on the show to talk all things training female athletes. Many of you work with women in your day to day role. Do you agree with what Erica says here? We dive DEEP on the topic of ACL injuries for female athletes as it has got TON of attention lately. Erica's podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRSY26aaZ9F5ZxORVA0ZMYA Blog on female ACL injuries: https://st...

NFL strength coach Cesar Castillo shares insights on building trust with professional athletes, becoming a licensed massage therapist to enhance athlete care, and transitioning from baseball to football. Learn practical strategies for ego-free coaching, sport coach collaboration, and leveraging soft skills for career success in professional sports performance. $1 Trial Membership to SCN 🏫CEUs: ht...

Discover how proper foot and ankle mechanics can transform athletic performance with podiatrist Dr. Emily Splichal. In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked foundation of strength training—your feet. Learn why barefoot movement prep, toe activation, and understanding the foot tripod are essential for optimizing the kinetic chain. Dr. Emily shares practical strategies for integrating foot s...

Emily Kramer Throckmorton the Owner and Head Coach of Kaizen Athletics and the Founder of Kaizen Adaptive Training, where she specializes in empowering both adaptive and able-bodied athletes through inclusive, high-performance coaching. In this convo she shares some new client success, as well as the Kaizen Adaptive training course. -- Learn more and connect with Emily: https://www.kaizenathletics...

Football coach Thad Wells shares game-changing insights on efficiency, work-life integration, and building winning programs without grinding 16-hour days. Learn how Coach Bronco Mendenhall's philosophy transformed his approach to coaching, why deadlines force creativity, and how proper nutrition impacts focus and performance. Wells discusses practice design, strength training principles (stress-re...

Learn what the 4 co-active model (from Dr. Issurin's Block Periodization and later popularized by Dr. Fergus Connolly and Cam Josse) is and how it applies to sport. Before we cover that topic, understand how relationships built with sport coaches will allow the 4 co-actives to be used. ___ Fundamentals of Sprinting | A Complete Biomechanics Course 🏃‍♂️Learn More:: https://strengthcoachnetwork.com...

In this episode, we sit down with Dominick Walker, Strength & Conditioning Coach for Mississippi State Men’s Basketball, now entering his fourth season with the Bulldogs. I got connected with Dom because of our relationship with Yosef Johnson. We dive into his career journey, lessons learned from working with elite athletes, and how he continues to elevate performance in one of the toughest co...

Learn about the critical transition phase from acceleration to max velocity - the most overlooked aspect of sprint training. Discover how to develop kinesthetic awareness in athletes, the importance of technical models with bandwidth allowances, and why understanding landmark positions and joint angles is crucial for injury prevention and performance. Fundamentals of Sprinting | A Complete Biomech...

Today I was joined by LEGENDARY strength and conditioning coach Joe "Big House" Kenn. Coach and I talked about current trends in S&C, a new way to use VBT on strength movements, strongman training, and things he would change from his days in the weight room. His son Peter has been on the CMW before and it is a pleasure to have both Peter and Joe on the show. Peter Kenn CMW : https://www.youtub...

What exactly is fascia training and is it different from traditional strength training? In this episode of The Cheeky Midweek , we sit down with Michel Delcourt (Institute of Motion, creator of the ViPR Pro) and Andrew Mitchell (Tampa Bay Rays) to explore fascia, connective tissue, and practical programming for athletes. We cover how fascia remodels under long-duration load, why odd-position train...

Coach Bob Alejo joins us on the Cheeky Mid Weeky again to talk about the current state of our profession. We also dive into travel difficulties in pro sport, how to get along with ATC, what makes a S&C "good", and many other hot takes. For the links to CMW episodes mentioned click below: Sean Swetnam CMW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrk8LCnq21E Bob Prior CMW : https://www.youtube.com/watch...

In this episode, we sit down with Coach Blaine Donahoe , a strength and conditioning coach who works with both high school athletes and MLB players. Blaine’s journey started in a small Tennessee town, where he went from an average high school athlete to earning advanced degrees in exercise science and building a career in strength training . We dive into the realities of high school strength and c...

Want your athletes to sprint faster, stay healthy, and dominate on the field? In this episode, Coach Jeff Moyer joins us to break down sprint biomechanics, strength and conditioning, and speed development like you’ve never heard before. We cover: The real role of hamstrings in sprinting Why the ankles and feet drive sprint speed more than the knees Sprint drills, strength training, and exercises f...