Strength in the Details

Spencer Arnold, head coach of Power and Grace, shares his journey into strength and conditioning and how his faith shapes his coaching philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of community and humility in coaching and highlights the need for coaches to continually learn and adapt. The athlete-coach relationship is pivotal and Spencer talks about the learning that you do as a coach alongside athlet...

Cheryl Hayworth, a three-time Olympian and world record holder in Olympic weightlifting. They discuss Cheryl's experiences as an athlete, the mental preparation for the Olympics, coaching philosophy, inclusivity in weightlifting, and the transition from weightlifting to life. Cheryl emphasizes the importance of resilience, managing stress, and finding balance in training. She also highlights t...

Coach Mark Roberts returns to the podcast for our Coaching and Leadership series. Mark is the owner and head coach of Rise Weightlifting. In this episode, your host chats with Mark about his leadership and coaching style. They discuss Mark's journey into weightlifting, the transition from athlete to coach, and the importance of building a strong team culture. Mark emphasizes the value of educa...

The COVID-19 pandemic may have a longing impact on youth kids who may have missed out on sport and recreation opportunities for nearly a year. However, Elite Weightlifting Coach Kevin Doherty used the barbell during this time to help his community flourish through connection and sport. Owner of Hassle Free Barbell Club, Coach Kevin Doherty safely coached first generation kids through the pandemic...

USAW Senior International Coach returns to the Strength in the Details podcast. Weightlifting programming is typically done following some form of periodization - but what does that mean for coaching? In this episode, Danny discusses how his cueing and coaching priorities change from phase to phase of any given macrocycle. The mindset of an athlete must shift based on the goal of the cycle and a g...

The Coaching and Leadership series continues with a Team USA Senior International Coach, Cara Heads Slaughter. In this episode, we have a candid and fun conversation on the impact of sports on personal growth, the importance of coaching and mentorship, and the challenges of trusting the coaching process. Cara explains why athletes must buy into the coaching process entirely and shares her tools fo...

We start with the basics in the Coaching and Leadership in strength sports. Quality coaching and athletic development start with a well-designed plan of attack. Zack Lebo, Owner of Category 5 Athletics, is known for just that. Lebo provides insight into the importance of general physical preparedness (GPP) for strength athletes as a foundational component of long-term success. In this episode we d...

Mary Theisen-Lappen is an athlete and coach and is pursuing a spot on the Team USA Olympic Weightlifting team competing in Paris 2024. Mary is a standout example of transferable skills from Track and Field contributing to her success in a new discipline as an elite Weightlifter. If you are newer to the sport, Mary breaks down the similarities of the two sports to help athletes think about how to a...

Joelle Cavagnaro, the founder of Level Ten Coaching, discusses her health and fitness coaching background. She shares her experiences working with underrepresented populations and the challenges of promoting physical activity. Joelle also explains the concept of evidence-based coaching and how it applies to strength sports and athletes. She emphasizes the importance of individualizing coaching str...

Jourdan Delacruz is a 2020 Olympian and has been a dedicated athlete in the sport of Weightlifting. If you follow Jourdan, you might notice that she is focused, gritty, and mature as an athlete in training and in competition. In this episode, Jourdan gives us the inside scoop on her journey of weightlifting. We talk about finding the right coach and developing a team as the foundation for her succ...

Steph Gaudreau is a sports nutritionist and lifting coach who helps athletic women build strength and confidence in the gym and beyond. She is no stranger to the Strength in the Details podcast and shares some really powerful information on the benefits of an effective strength training program. In this episode, we discuss the need to shift the narrative around women and muscle and the promotion o...

Dr. Susie Reiner discusses stress, resilience, and recovery in the context of athletic performance and training. She defines stress as a stimulus that can be positive or negative and activates the sympathetic nervous system. We cannot avoid stress, so we must learn to cope and recognize how it influences our daily lives and our training plans. Resilience is the psychological layer of how individua...

Dr. Stephanie Compton is a scientist, registered dietitian, and science communicator striving to bridge the gap between science and real life. In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Compton discusses various topics related to nutrition and metabolism for strength athletes. She emphasizes the importance of balancing strength training and aerobic conditioning, embracing being a beginner and debunking miscon...

The Growth and Evolution of Olympic Weightlifting David Tao, co-founder of Barbend, shares his journey into strength sports and the creation of Barbend. In this episode, we discuss the appeal of strength sports and the industry's growth. David also emphasizes the importance of coaching philosophies and the need for adaptability in exercise programming. He highlights the evolution of Barbend an...

Claire Zai is a strength coach and competitive athlete with Barbell Medicine. She is a scientist and activist for creating a safe space for women in strength sports like Powerlifting. Claire Zai is also behind the #LOADWOMEN to raise money and awareness for the barriers women face in sports and science. In this episode, we talk about the seasons of training and competing. Athletes cannot realistic...

Community building is an important aspect (and benefit) to sport participation. Suzy Sanchez is well-known in the sport of Weightlifting for her achievements as an athlete, coach, USAW HQ employee, and advocate for DEI in sports. In this episode, we tackle the importance of sport in youth development. The experience of competing as an international athlete helps you gain a unique perspective, and...

Coach Doc is back with a solo episode where we delve into the basics of exercise prescription and the importance of the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise) in program design. We also introduce the 3Ps (Preference, Personal Goals, and Past Experience) as crucial factors in exercise programming and evidence-driven decision-making. These fundamentals set the foundation f...

Dr. Greg is the owner of Premier Performance and Physical Therapy . He relies on his education and experience in sports performance and exercise science to help athletes navigate injuries and return to their sport better. His model of physical therapy values individual care plans to create long-term relief. Most of his athletes have a goal of being better on the field, and you will notice that str...

How do we progress and evaluate performance in sports? Dr. Guy Hornsby discusses the concept of athlete monitoring. While it may seem like a sophisticated idea, it may not be too dissimilar from measuring outcomes on the job or in the classroom. Coach Guy is a faculty researcher and Head Coach of the West Virginia University Weightlifting Club team. He is passionate about coaching athletes and men...

Participating in sports teaches us so much about who we are as humans. The band is back together for a roundtable on athletic identity. People often define who they are by what they do. This is especially true in sports and fitness. Individuals with a strong athletic identity align their daily lives, relationships, and even education with sports. Athletic identity has its positives (e.g., social c...

Alexia Gonzalez has competed in sports from the time she was 4 years old. Alexia is the epitome of a lifelong athlete and knows what it means to compete with a team and as an individual. She has taken the Olympic Weightlifting world by storm with recent performances at the state and national levels. But Alexia attributes her success on the platform to the habits and mindset she is developing outsi...

The mind and the body are not separate systems. The pursuit of optimal health is an interconnected journey that blends physical, mental, and emotional factors. The science of mindset is critical to enhancing sports performance by creating sustainable behaviors to help athletes thrive in the long term. What lens do you use when thinking about your health, your athletic performance, and your growth?...

Dr. Eric Helms is a coach, athlete, author, and educator. He competes in bodybuilding, coaches physique and strength athletes, conducts research in sport science, and is a well-known science communicator. He is a partner with 3D muscle journey, which provides evidence-based education for the drug-free lifter. In this episode, we break down science communication for sport and fitness professionals....

Coaches and fitness professionals have a major responsibility for preventative healthcare but often work in an unregulated environment. Jasmine Braxton is the owner of Jasmine Braxton Co and the creator of tools and education for fitness professionals looking to grow in their profession. Jasmine shares the importance of continuing education, mentorship, and rapport-building for coaches. For listen...

Randy Hadley owner of RH Fit Pro Performance in Orlando, Florida is back for another episode. If you missed his first episode, you definitely want to go back and listen to Episode 3 . Randy is more than just a coach - he is a leader in the sport performance and development field. In this episode, we talk about independent thinking and owning your process as an athlete. Independent thinking is a ke...