Companions of the Compendium

More relationship-building in practice & less in competition. Don't be a distraction to the athlete or the team.  Relationships matter more than technical expertise to your pupils. Perception is the reality to parents, guardians, and athletes. Parents are crucial to healthy coach-to-athlete connections. Please visit our sponsor Simplifaster: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/ To pick...

It was my pleasure to have program builder, inspirational leader, and hurdle expert JT Ayers. JT starts our conversation about the importance of finding the right mentors and humbling yourself to create connections with coaches who are doing things right. These networks are critical for our growth into better servants to our community. Next JT and I discussed the five key things to build a program...

Today I discuss sprint training for master's athletes. We start out discussing acceleration and its value for older sprinters. Then we move to how to implement upright running by specifically targeting stride length by maintaining it for the long haul and how to improve it. Next, I lay out a way for master's sprinters to handle their off-season conditioning and planning before the competitive seas...

It was my great pleasure to have one of the most prolific Olympic coaches in history on my podcast, Stuart McMillan. Coach and I started our discussion on the importance of the rare centrist. We talked about his early mentors and even his own athletes as teachers. Coach McMillan explained the importance of developing a relationship where the athletes become more a part of the process in their trai...

In today's chat, I discuss that technical training does work. We then dive into Derek Hansen's idea about the simple model and cue of #bethehashtag. Technical work must be seen daily in training to build the movement patterns you want to see. Just like all other training to maximize an individual's potential, we must steer our interventions to our athlete's unique technique. When this is all done...

It is my great pleasure to present to you today Coach Robert Assise, nationally renowned jumps coach, writer, and clinician. Founding father of Fieldfocus.   Coach of scores of all-state athletes in the jumps and frequent contributor to Simplifaster . Rob and I covered a lot of ground in our 1.5-hour talk. Coach Assise discussed the development of jumpers at the high school level through test...

1. Be consistent 2. Social Equity 3. No Outrageous promises 4. Honest even when hard 5. Be prepared in advance For elite performance technology please visit: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/ To get your copy of the Sprinter's Compendium visit: https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html

Buddy Morris is a force of nature this is an unvarnished conversation with colorful language abound. Buddy holds nothing back in his honest approach to four decades of sports development.  In this particular conversation, I allowed coach to dive into his stream of consciousness and take me along for the ride. We discussed athletic development at the professional level and the importance of va...

Thoughts Why We Should Try to Coach from the Emotional Middle Ground  To pick up the Sprinter's Compendium:   https://tinyurl.com/y6eydy6w ​ To follow me at Twitter: @SprintersCompen   To follow me at Instagram: ryan.banta  1. Influence of Wooden  2. Magic and Kareem Story  3. My own story  4. Long-lasting benefits  5. It's getting harder 

It was my distinct pleasure to have a great conversation with Olympic champion and World Record holding sprinter Bianca Knight. We discussed the rapid rise to track and field stardom. She took us through her transition from amateur to professional ranks. Bianca talks about the importance of being true to yourself and how sometimes the solitary pursuit of world-class athletics. She and I discussed...

Today I discuss the defense of old school methods. I ask the questions where you there, are/were they successful for a long period of time, and does the "new school" training pass the smell test? Further, I talk about having an open mind goes both ways. Plenty of absolutes out in the world but those standards are hard to defend. I then circle back to talk about the questions I asked about the old...

Coach Kebba Tolbert is a record-breaking coach at the Division I and Ivy League level. It was an honor to speak to Kebba about his development as a coach. We discussed the unique opportunities and challenges of coaching young adults at such a prestigious academic institution like Harvard. We discussed how he has been influenced by great coaches like Tony Wells, Tony Veney, Dan Pfaff, Gary Winckler...

I discuss methods and means to improve cross-training options for sprinters through injury or plan B, C, D, etc. I move on to talk about how to improve the holy grail of speed, Maximum Velocity. I talk about how to manage when athletes are sore and what must be done to not interrupt the growth of speed in the process. I talk about if endurance training has any place in a sprinter's plan. The answe...

It was a pleasure to dive deep into the science of high speed. We did deep dives into research mistakes and strategies coaches to best make use of their time studying research. We discussed how it's possible to marry science and high-performance coaching. Dr. Clark educates us on commonalities and motor realities in research on limb velocity. He talks about what we want to see at maximum velocity...

In this week's bonus drop on the pod, we turn to Reddit for questions from their sprint community! We discuss building speed in many different forms and events. I give my unfiltered opinion on the Toe Drag technique during a sprint block start. Then we break down the mysticism behind drills and teach their real purpose in daily training planning for all athletes. We continue by taking on the quest...

Today we talk with recording-breaking coach and author Sean O'Connor. Sean has singlehandedly rewrote the Missouri distance records both in XC and track & field. Coach O'Connor and I discuss his influences that led to his path into coaching. He lays out his unique system of training that he developed from some of the biggest names in distance coaching like Dr. Daniels, Renato Canova, Arthur Ly...

1. Have you read the book Born to run and if so thoughts?   2. If you have read it, how do you think running sandals or minimalist shoes would translate on the track for shorter distance sprints as opposed to the long runs in the book?  Feel free to tag anyone that might have input.   A. Purpose B. Injury prevention C. Implementation D. Caution E. Other things to consider as well &n...

From across the ocean, we get to have a pleasant chat with Mike Hurst the godfather of the Concurrent System for sprint training. Which lines up nicely with the critical mass system discussed recently. His modular methods have produced World Class competitors for 40 years! He discusses the microcycles that are used in his unique program. We highlight the importance of plyometrics, running mechanic...

I discuss the differences in three or e elite high school sprinters I have had the privilege to coach. I reflect on training methods, the difference in implementing that training, and what I have learned from coaching the trio of athletes. We look at their strengths and weakness along with the opportunities for other coaches to reflect on what I have learned to help the special sprinters they will...

In episode 4 we talk with Latif Thomas. Coach Thomas is an elite speed and sprint coach! As the owner of Complete Track & Field, he has provided content and value to coaches around the world. We discuss his evolution from a young coach searching for knowledge to becoming one of the best educators for the sport on the planet. Coach discuss who or should I say what he would "fire." We discuss th...

End the War on TEMPO. It's NOT a four-letter word! As a tune-up for the upcoming VSPC coach Tyler Germain & Coach Banta sat down to answer questions about tempo training for sprinters. They discuss implementation, differences for events, and evolution of the training modality throughout the track and field season. When finish by answering numerous questions from the audience on sprint training...

High School and Club Coach Sean Burris is one of the principal founders of the #criticalmasssystem and Coach of World Youth Record Holder Justin Robinson.  Coach Burris's athletes have accumulated numerous state team and individual titles. His athletes have set national records through the USATF and AAU track & field. One of the best-kept secrets in high school coaching everywhere coach B...

Next week we are going to have the privilege to have the first-ever long-form interview with record-breaking High School and Club coach Sean Burris. The critical mass system is the essence of his programming for his sprint, hurdle, and jumps athletes. Today I deliver a primer on the training philosophy to provide context to the system that has produced decades of national class speed & power a...

It's my pleasure to introduce the very funny and talented coach Derek M Hansen. Developed numerous programs, podcasts, weekly ZoomPoP seminars, and books on sport's performance. Derek discusses his development of love and how fate brought him to coaching. Starting as an unpaid assistant at McGill University and eventually brushing shoulders with the famous Canadian sprint coach Charlie Francis. De...

Please Visit Our Sponsor Simplifaster: https://store.simplifaster.com/sku/83/ Find the Sprinter's Compendium here:  https://store.vervante.com/c/v/V4081803315.html 1. What tests  2. What if tests get worse 3. What are valuable  4. Test throughout the year  5. Importance of database building