One of the things we have been doing is using overcoming isometrics as seen here These keep neural activation high with little to no cost at the level of the muscle. The muscle produces maximal tension but does so without changing length, sparing the tissue of any potential delayed onset muscle soreness. We also use CAT (compensatory acceleration training), which is the lifting of external loads with maximal intent and speed throughout the entirety of the range of motion. Several studies have shown the shifting of type IIx fibers towards type IIa fibers after straining under heavy loads for extended periods. We use near maximal loads very sparingly, and 90 or more of our training is performed with moderate/submaximal loads. Since using this strategy, our peak propulsive power, propulsive impulse, jump height, and acceleration times have all noticeably improved.

What is one metric or data point you originally valued heavily in athlete monitoring that you now rely on less? What metric(s) would you recommend highlighting today? For me, I've been thinking a lot about how context changes everything especially in basketball. Two athletes can show just about the same outputs, but game demands, player role, movement solutions, and stress levels can cause these numbers to mean completely different things. Curious to see/hear what other Coaches have evolved on over time.

Scott Sehnert, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD serves as the Director of Sports Performance for the Dallas Cowboys where he works closely with strength and conditioning coaches to develop player-specific nutrition and recovery plans. Before joining the organization, he spent a decade as a collegiate sports dietitian, bringing extensive experience in sports nutrition and performance. He also served seven years on the board of the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association, contributing to the advancement of the field. Have a question for Scott? Drop it below—he’ll be live on May 18 and May 26 to share his insights.

Hey everyone! My name is Joe Pedulla, strength & conditioning coach at the University of Oklahoma for softball and women's golf. This is my third year at OU, and I also own Pedulla Performance LLC (you can find me @pedullaperformance on instagram) where I mentor over 180 other strength & conditioning coaches in a community of my own. I also train professional athletes 1-1, mainly within baseball and softball. My areas of expertise are within speed development for team sports, periodization and training strategies (especially within sports involving almost constant practice and/or competition like softball), and technologies such as Hawkin and VALD force plates, Catapult GPS, motorized resisted sprint training devices, and velocity based training devices. Over the years I have built several frameworks and holistic approaches to athlete profiling, archetyping, individualization and progression. I invite you to ask questions pertaining to the aforementioned topics, and anything else that may be on your mind relating to team sport athlete development. Some of the issues I see within high performance are inappropriate training volumes, misguided belief systems relating to power development, and a surface level understanding of how to integrate technology in a way that both seamlessly integrates with our workflows, and also results in actionable decisions that yield high impact; we want to make good use of our data. I look forward to having some great conversations here!

Yes! I live and work in the Chicago Area.

The Sports Recovery Toolkit has A TON of great information! I've played around with a Recovery Score Card for the athletes that I work with - especially during championship and tournament times. Has anyone else used a tool like this to educate and motivate athletes? If so, how did you go about selecting and assigning points to recovery strategies and modalities?

When access is limited, hydration needs to last longer. Explore fueling and hydration approaches designed to support sustained performance across longer efforts. Foods Fluids For Endurance Sports.pdf Nutrition for Football Players.pdf

When every minute counts, hydration matters more. Find tools and guidance to help athletes rehydrate efficiently and get back out there. Optimizing Performance and Safety Through Proper Hydration.pdf Understanding Electrolytes and Hydration.pdf

Gatorade can help address your hydration needs. Understand what’s lost in sweat and how proper fluid intake helps athletes perform at their best. Science of Hydration.pdf Whats Lost in Sweat.pdf

Join us in Salt Lake City to network with Gatorade Sports Science Institute experts and learn about the latest advancements in the field. MAY 26 The Physiology of Hydration: More Than Water Alone 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM MDT Location: Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City |  Salt Lake Ballroom ABC Session 1: Sweating the detail: New insights on hydration considerations for athlete performance Speaker: Lewis James, PhD, Associate Professor in Human Nutrition in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University Session 2: Functional ingredients in fluid replacement beverages for athletes Speaker: Lindsay Baker, PhD, FACSM, Director of GSSI at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute Session 3: The hydration toolkit: Practical approaches to athlete support Speaker: Floris Wardenaar, PhD, Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University Earn up to 3 CECs RSVP Here MAY 27 12:00 - 7:00 PM MDT Location: Salt Palace Convention Center MAY 28 9:30 AM- 5:00 PM MDT Location: Salt Palace Convention Center MAY 29 9:30 AM- 1:00 PM MDT Location: Salt Palace Convention Center