Articles
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...
Breaking Down Silos … An Overview of the First ALTIS All-Women ACP
We all had an amazing time last week with the Thorne Apprentice Coach Program - women’s edition. This was our 46th ACP in our 7th year of operation, and most certainly ranks up there as one of the best thus far! “It was an opportunity to honor the uniqueness of training a female athlete as well as the complexities that...
ACP Podcast with Nate Shaw of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Hosted by Jason Hettler, the Second Thorne ACP Podcast of the 19-20 season is now available. This episode features Nate Shaw - the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks - who will be presenting at the December edition of the Thorne ACP. Coach Shaw is currently entering his 11th season as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the...
Statistical Analysis and Historical Context of the new 400H World Record
When Kendra Harrison broke the 100 hurdle world record in 2016 PJ Vazel wrote a great analysis of this race. So when Dalilah Muhammad recently broke the 400 hurdle world record at USAs there was a clamoring for PJ to write another analysis. Congratulations to both Dalilah and her Coach Boogie Johnson on a fantastic performance. This article provides a...