Articles
Hurdle Spacing Considerations – A Primer
In the article following, world renowned hurdles Coach - Andreas Behm shares an excerpt from the ALTIS Track & Field Series Course - Coaching the Sprint Hurdles. Learn more here. A couple of questions I often get asked by coaches are: 'what hurdle spacings should I use during short hurdle training?' and 'how do you determine what to use?' I'll...
Coordination, Categorization, & Self-Reflection
The ALTIS Apprentice Coach Program (ACP) was designed as a reaction to traditional coach education. A landscape that Russell Ackoff summarized when he stated, "The educational system is not dedicated to produce learning by students, but teaching by teachers - and teaching is a major obstruction to learning." Furthering on this, former ALTIS ACP guest-presenter Dr. John Berardi of Precision...
Book Review: Think and Grow Rich
I was late to the party. I’ve just read the oft-recommended, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Unpopular opinion….I would not recommend. Maybe my expectations were too high due to the publicity this book receives. Maybe I’m too big a fan of Mastery by Robert Greene and not ready to allow another book of similar content to surpass it. Either way, I didn’t find the...
The Role of Nutrition in Peak Performance
“There are still too many opportunities being missed between areas of expertise. Whoever can bridge these gaps will trigger the next wave of innovation and solutions.” To maximize the preparation of the elite athlete, a multitude of service providers have to be in place. At the center is always the athlete. Extending out from there, is the coach, the medical team, the...
2019-2020 Reflections Pt. I Chinese National Sprint Team
As part of our continued partnership with the Chinese Athletics Association our Strength & Power Coach Jason Hettler has joined their National Sprint Team to aid in the preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Continue reading to hear about Jason’s experiences thus far. ... There’s something vastly different about an Olympic year in Track and Field. But who am I...
I’m an idiot
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” Francis Bacon I’ve got a confession to make. In my best of 2019 Book List, I included my good friend Dr. John Berardi’s book Change Maker. And I probably should not have. Here’s why. If you have read a few of my ‘best-of’...
Medium-term Planning For Reaction-based Programming
Derek Evely is one of the world’s foremost experts on the theory and methodology of training, with a special interest in the work of Dr. Anatoliy Bondarchuk (Derek was the person responsible for bringing Dr. B to North America, and Dr. B lived in Derek’s basement for 5 years!) Derek - along with our great friend, journalist, coach, and super-historian...
The Delicate Balance: Skepticism vs. Cynicism in Sports Medicine
The Delicate Balance: Skepticism vs. Cynicism in Sports Medicine In sports medicine, the debate over therapeutic methodologies stretches between rigorously evidence-based practices and those rooted in tradition yet lacking empirical support. This ongoing discussion not only highlights the diversity of treatment approaches but also underscores the critical need to navigate thoughtfully between evidence, experience, and innovation. Understanding the Debate At...
Polarization Of Intensity
Taken from the ALTIS Foundation Course, this excerpt - written by Derek Evely and PJ Vazel - explores the increasingly popular topic of polarized training. In the next two minutes, you'll get a clear introduction to the concept, then delve into real-world application with comprehensive case studies showcasing how polarized training has benefited three different athletes. DETERMINING LOAD When...
Coach Stuart McMillan’s Best Books of 2019
I’m not a book critic, so I’m not going to give a critique, as I have occasionally done in the past. Rather, I will simply share a list of what were important books for me in 2019. Many of them have appeared on many other lists, and will no doubt be familiar to you. If this is the case - if many...