The High Performance Hoops Podcast: Recent Episodes

Julian Lo Casto

The High Performance Hoops Podcast gives you a one-stop- shop on all things training, sports performance, and nutrition for athletes and aspiring coaches. Julian Lo Casto is a graduate of Caldwell University, former player, and basketball enthusiast. Julian is the Head of Performance and Nutrition at Challenger Strength, located in Northern New Jersey, working with a wide variety of athletes of all sports. This podcast will take on any and all topics in training, sports performance, nutrition, and improving your on-court skill and physical abilities. Julian will take the time to welcome the perspective of some of the best training, nutrition, and basketball minds in the industry. Whether you are an aspiring basketball coach, player, or strength and conditioning professional, you will enjoy all aspects of this podcast as Julian dives into all topics relating to the game of basketball and how to become an elite level athlete.

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In today's episode, Julian pools together your audience questions for an action packed second EVER "Q&A." Julian takes some time to answer a few questions related to varying topics in strength and conditioning and sports performance.

Specifically, we discuss:

  • Strength movements for youth athletes?
  • How many days per week for lifting and plyos?
  • Advice on VBT for those that don't have bar speed tech.
  • How do you program depth landings?
  • Structuring/progressing jumps/plyometrics.
  • Opinions on foam rolling pre/post lift? Are you a believer that they can reset a muscle’s length?
  • As someone in high school who wants to be a skill/strength trainer, how should you learn?

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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In this episode, Julian was a featured guest on the Coaches Table Podcast, hosted by Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Jackson State Men's Basketball, Kendrick Pratt.

We get into a discussion about social media for coaches, creating content that stands out in a crowd in our industry and why coaches need to be on social RIGHT NOW, the private sector vs the college sector and what drew me to the private sector, creating an infectious culture where athletes want to come back, building relationships and buy-in, and program design in the private sector for various levels of athletics.

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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Today is going to be an unconventional episode for you guys. I was recently a guest on The Project 365 podcast hosted by Coach O, Olivier Jean-Charles. Coach O is the Associate Head Basketball Coach of the Orangeville Prep basketball program out of Ontario, Canada.

In this episode, I get into my background, how I got into coaching and my journey to get to where I am now, we talk about strength coaches vs the idea of sports performance coaches and the shift in the S&C culture that I’ve been seeing in the space, the gap in the S&C knowledge in the basketball space, the importance of having a strength and conditioning program as a basketball player, Coach O posed the question, “ can anyone get faster?” and my take on that, and lastly, I provide SIMPLE key components to developing speed.

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on basketball skill development coach, Danny Metser.

Danny is an INSANELY smart guy, originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, and currently finishing up his degree at Quinnipiac University. Danny is a basketball skill development coach that specializes in motor learning and overall movement strategy.

We dive deep into a bunch of danny’s tweets, dissecting some of his thoughts on topics like: cueing, specificity for skills training, the optimal zone of improvement in your skills training, pattern recognition, and much much more!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmhoops/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dannymetser

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@dmhoops

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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On today's episode, Julian welcomes on Danny Foley, Owner/operator of Rude Rock Strength and Conditioning.

Danny Foley is entering his 10th year as a high-performance coach and injury management specialist. Throughout his career, Danny has predominantly worked with high-level athletes who are battling chronic pain or injury. He is currently working as an independent performance coach across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, where he works primarily with athletes and individuals dealing with pain and injury. Previously, Danny spent six years as the Head Strength Coach at Virginia High Performance, where he specialized in working with Navy SEAL and Special Operations Command personnel. Through his work at Virginia High Performance, Danny has become very proficient at working with complex injuries, brain injuries, and high-performing athletes.

Danny is also the Co-Founder of Rude Rock Strength and Conditioning (2018), which is an online platform providing remote-based training along with a variety of educational and informational content. Danny received both his bachelor's and master’s degrees in exercise science from Old Dominion University. He currently holds certification through the NSCA (CSCSD, TSAC-FD), BeActiveated, Square1, and USAW (Level 1). Over the years he has become notably recognized for fascial-based training concepts and anatomy. In addition to numerous presentations, he has published hundreds of articles and webinars on fascia and other performance-related topics. Danny has been a prominent contributor to organizations like SimpliFaster, the NSCA, and others.

We discuss Danny's career up until this point, his ventures working with our Navy Seals and Special Operations Command personnel, the triad of basketball injuries, acute-to-chronic work load/ work load management, building the lower legs to build resilient athletes, and much more!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmode_ruderock/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danny_ruderock?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Article (The Triad of Basketball Injuries): https://simplifaster.com/articles/knees-ankles-feet-basketball-injuries/

Danny's Resources: https://www.ruderockstrength.com/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on former college strength and conditioning coach turned life long researcher/learner.

Jake Tuura needs no introduction. If you're from the jump/ basketball world, you know who he is.

This episode is essentially a masterclass on all things tendons!

For more information check out Jake on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaketuura/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jake_tuura?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Jumper's Knee Protocol: https://jackedathlete.com/jumperskneeprotocol-2/

Jake's Resources: https://jackedathlete.com/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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Today, Julian welcomes on the LEGEND, Lee Taft.

Lee is highly respected as one of the top athletic movement specialists in the world. In the last 35 years, he has devoted most of his time to training all ages and abilities. He has spent most of his time teaching his multi-directional speed methods to top performance coaches and fitness professionals worldwide. Lee has also dedicated countless hours to mentoring up-and-coming sports performance trainers, many of who have gone into the profession and made a significant impact themselves.

Specifically, Lee is also known as the Speed Guy in the performance world, bringing to light the importance and fine points of the “Plyo Step,” “Hip Turn,” “Lateral Run,” and athletic stance.

Lee has been asked to speak at numerous global strength and conditioning and sports performance events and has produced multiple instructional videos and courses in multi-directional speed and movement training. In addition, Lee has written several manuals on movement techniques and speed development.

Today we will be discussing his story, background, AAU and the state of youth basketball, and all things developing speed for basketball players.

For more information check out Lee on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leetaft/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leetaft?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Lee's Resources: https://leetaft.com/shop/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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Today, Julian welcomes on Kerri Kuzbyt, owner and founder of Unbounded Athletes.

Kerri is one of the most promising, up and coming player development coaches in the industry, especially on the female side. She's a phenomenal role model for the girls and women she works with, and anyone for that matter.

Kerri has several years of professional basketball experience, playing in 3 different countries during her playing career. Aside from her own professional experience, Kerri has worked under and been guided by long-time trainer and skills development coach, Matt Dyck during her transition from player to coach. She has also done a tremendous job at seeking out, and learning under industry legends, Drew Hanlen, Joerick Michels, Coleman Ayers, and Tyler Leclerc.

We dive into her story, life as a pro athlete in 3 different countries, advice she has for young female athletes aspiring to play professionally, the evolution of the female game, all aspects of player development, and much more!

For more information check out Kerri on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach.kuzz/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Victoria Saucedo who is currently the Director of Sports Performance for Women’s Basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University and held the same position at Wake Forest University from 2021–2022. She was the assistant sports performance coach at Saint Louis University from 2020–2021, overseeing the training for volleyball, softball, swimming and diving, track and field, and field hockey. She also assisted with men’s and women’s basketball there.

She worked beside and learned from industry legends: Dave Scholz , Alan Bishop , Chase Sanders , Joe Powell, Bri Brown , and Joey Bergles to name a few.

We talk about her climb up the ladder in the industry, mentors and people shes learned from, how shes gone about her business as a female in a male dominant field, and then we get into some topics related to sports performance for female hoopers: handle the demands vs achieving the demands and her take on that, warm-ups and much more!

For more information check out Victoria on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vic__sauce/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/saucyy_vic

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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Today we are welcoming on head player development coach and owner /founder of atlas basketball training, Matt Dyck.

Matt is a player development coach who works with athletes of all ages. He has run grassroots programs, coached youth teams and worked with Professional Players during their off-season. Over the last number of years Matt has studied various approaches to skill development, studying under industry legend Drew Hanlen.

He primarily uses a Constraints Lead Approach which focuses on creating an environment where athletes are able to solve problems that arise in the game of basketball. This leads to better transfer to games and more confidence for the athlete.

Today isn’t going to another X’s and O’s type of show, we get into a deeper level, talking about becoming a better coach, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the ideas of mentorship.

For more information check out Matt on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlas_basketball/?hl=en

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

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Today’s guest is obviously no stranger. Chances are if you follow me, you also follow our guest for today. He is the owner and operator of Challenger Strength, the sponsor of this show, and it just so happens he gets to be one of my best friends that is Gerry DeFilippo.

In part 1 of our conversation in season 1 of the show, we spoke about building speed, specifically for acceleration and utilizing loaded sleds, and practical ways to do so.

Today we are going to be discussing using social media to build a brand as both a coach and athlete. As well as going on a rant about the pitfalls of social media and how you should conduct yourself from our lens and what we deal with on a day to day basis. We also dive into the idea of the private sector versus the collegiate/pro setting, why we obviously gravitated towards the private sector and the lessons we learned from being in the private sector of the industry.

For more information check out Gerry on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/challengerstrength/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Challenger_ST

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianlocasto

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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Today’s guest is Hunter Eisenhower, he is OFFICIALLY the new Associate Head Coach/Sports Performance Coach at Arizona State University, working with Men’s Basketball. Hunter is a former collegiate basketball player himself, playing at Seattle Pacific University. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, previously as an Assistant Sports Performance Coach at UC Davis, Southeastern Louisiana, and Minnesota State Mankato. While also recently spending time as a Sports Performance Coach/Sports Scientist w/ the Sacramento Kings and their G-League affiliate the Stockton Kings.

We’ll be discussing a range of topics from life as both a collegiate and pro strength coach and the differences in both those environments, 1-rep maxes and the age old debate of “is there such thing as being strong enough,” we dive into the science of depth landings/drop catches: how they are useful, what the research says, and how we can best apply them into training basketball players for both sports performance and injury prevention, and so much more.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Hunter's new venture with Arizona State Men's Basketball
  • Background on how Hunter got into strength and conditioning
  • How he got the opportunity in the NBA
  • Creating genuine relationships and developing a network
  • Difference between the NBA and the college sector
  • Lessons learned from working in the NBA that will transfer to the college sector
  • Making better athletes, not better powerlifters: the idea of not hanging your hat on 1-rep max lifting
  • Potential drawbacks and limitations of 1-rep max lifting
  • "Is there such thing as strong enough in the context of sports?"
  • What are depth drops/altitude landings and how does this best apply to basketball players?
  • Yuri Verkhoshansky and his influence on depth drops and building physical qualities in the vertical jump
  • Drop Catches and how we can manipulate the FORCE equation to get similar adaptations as our depth drops
  • How can depth jumps and drop catches aid in performance and injury prevention
  • Overcoming isometrics

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Hunter on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntereis_sp/

Simplifaster Article: https://simplifaster.com/articles/redefining-strength-high-force-does-not-equal-high-load/

Move the Needle Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/mtn_podcast/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on owner and head trainer of TC Performance, Tyler Clark.

Tyler is a young and up and coming skill and sports performance coach in the basketball space, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience at such a young age (only 23 years old). He has interned under guys like Coleman Ayers and Tyler Leclerc, alumni of the show, two guys that are impacting the skill development world of basketball right now and delivering world class knowledge and information for hoopers everywhere. Tyler has also been working with his alma mater SMCC for the past few seasons now, working as the head of sports performance as well as being apart of their skill development and coaching staff, working with a ton of their players throughout the long season and in the offseason as well. Helping develop their programs players both physically and skillfully as well.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Tyler's Story
  • Lessons learned from community college basketball.
  • Falling into the trap of "having to play at a high level in order to coach athletes to get there."
  • Being given the keys to a program and how it shaped Tyler's training philosophies.
  • What is motor learning?
  • Games-based versus Contraint-led approach
  • Striking the balance between creating game-like scenarios and building upon fundamental skills.
  • Guiding principles used in designing games-based activities in training.
  • The importance of film study and understanding the tactical side of the game as a trainer.
  • Designing constraints and the factors that influence the constraints used.
  • Can restricting the athlete help improve skill?
  • Progressing constraints over time to see progress.
  • Limitations and challenges that might occur with both the approaches.
  • Blocked versus Randomized practice
  • Is blocked practice optimal for younger athletes?
  • Does blocked practice have a place in training?
  • Summarizing todays topics into actionable steps to create your best skills session.

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Tyler on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tc.performance_/?hl=en

The TCP Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1911095

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on the Director of Basketball Performance Jackson State, Kendrick Pratt.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Kendrick's story
  • How he got into the sports performance world
  • How his time in the Army influenced his perspective on training
  • Kendrick's time with Army Men's Basketball and the unique challenges he faced
  • Balancing the needs of the athletes with the overall team objectives
  • Challenges of being a college strength coach
  • How he incorporates a data-driven approach to enhance the training experience and athlete outcomes
  • What is GPS tracking and how might it be used to determine player workload and influence coaching decisions
  • Key metrics derived from GPS tracking
  • How might GPS data be used to consider athlete needs, position, and performance goals
  • How might GPS data be used to optimize recovery protocols and manage fatigue levels

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Kendrick on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach_kendrick44/?hl=en

The Coaches Table Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MlVqWyaWg2VSUAkod0M8V?go=1&sp_cid=b5b24dc3df0d3e3b11f0058600503357&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Tom Broback, a physical therapist and strength coach that specializes in knee rehab and getting athletes and everyday Joes back into doing the activity they love, pain free!

What you should expect to hear:

  • Tom's story
  • Resting through injuries: Good or Bad Advice?
  • Is the RICE Method dead?
  • Training the non-injured limb and how that might be effective during the recovery process.
  • Jumpers Knee vs Patellofemoral Pain
  • Does stretching and foam rolling have a place?
  • Isometrics: What are they and how can we implement them?

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Tom on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombroback/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomBroback?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Head Skills Trainer and Owner of IWH Performance, Ian Hietala.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Going from college basketball player to business owner.
  • How Ian got interested in both skill development and S&C.
  • Cap or Facts: Tackling the Biggest Myths and Misconceptions in Skills Training
    • Is skills training exclusively for the ELITE?
    • Can you improve without natural talent?
    • Is individual skill more valuable than team play?
    • Size and height are the most crucial factors for a successful hooper.
    • Is it just about the flashy moves and tricks on cones?
    • Does defense ever get focused?
    • Skills training is just about repetition.
  • How he developed his training ideology.
  • Is there a place for training with cones?

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Ian on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianhietala/?ref=app.socxo.com

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on Basketball Skill Development and Sports Performance Coach for PBC MBA, Basi Prokofyev.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Basi's story
  • How sports performance and skill development are mutually exclusive.
  • Collaboration in the industry and who made the greatest impact on his career.
  • European versus the American game and how they may help one another.
  • Adapting training methods to meet the demands of the pro game in Europe.
  • Exciting trends in the European game.
  • Developing an athletes cognitive abilities along with their physical.
  • Using film to assess an athletes game.
  • Transferring on court skill work to in-game action.
  • How Basi goes about layering a training session from scratch.
  • Biggest misconception in skill development.
  • Biggest mistakes made in skills training.

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Basi on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/basi.pro/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on CEO of the Durable Athlete and Co-Owner of the Texas Pro Academy, Cristian Plascencia.

What you should expect to hear:

  • How his mother's influence lead him to becoming the man he is today.
  • How a physical therapy internship landed him in the sports performance industry.
  • Overcoming the obstacle of not getting into DPT school and how he was able to pivot from that.
  • Advice for young coaches that may not take the conventional route through formal education.
  • The difference between flexibility and mobility.
  • Is there a place for "static stretching"?
  • Stiffness vs. Compliance
  • Is there a point of diminishing returns for mobility work?
  • The importance of foot and ankle function in basketball.
  • Return to play in ankle-based injuries.
  • Footwear and the role they play in foot function.
  • Barefoot training, the benefits and practical ways to implement it in training.

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Cristian on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristiangplascencia/

Durable Athlete: https://durableathlete.com/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on Xavier Brown, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA.

What you should expect to hear:

  • How a guy who did not even want to become a strength coach, became a strength coach
  • Advice for young coaches who did not go the conventional route and receive formal education that want to break into the industry
  • "Paying your dues" and the lessons learned from the early days of coaching
  • Communicating a message to large groups as an introvert
  • Strategies and techniques for building rapport and trust
  • The biggest mistakes made in educating athletes in the weight room
  • Overcoming and coping with his mental battles and the lessons learned from them
  • Addressing the mental hurdles that athletes face every day (performance anxiety, pressure to perform, and injury recovery)

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Xavier on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesportzgeek/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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SEASON 3 IS HERE!

In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Doctor of Physical Therapy and Head Strength Coach for 4ever Athlete, Kyle Iguchi.

Kyle brings a wealth of knowledge and years of experience in both rehabilitation as a physical therapist, and as a strength coach, working primarily with basketball players in the private sector.

What you should expect to hear:

  • How a political science major ended up becoming a physical therapist, and ultimately creating "Doctordunks"
  • How Kyle balances the need for injury prevention as a therapist, while also maximizing athletic potential in the weight room
  • The benefits of balance and stability training in the context of athletic performance
  • Kyle and Julian rant about unstable surface training, and give you their hot takes
  • Kyle provides tangible and actionable steps for including balance training into your programming
  • Discuss common misconceptions regarding injury prevention and return to play protocols
  • How Kyle manages residual training effects, such as muscle imbalances, detraining from injury, in athletes who are returning to competition after an injury or layoff
  • Overuse injuries and how we may effectively combat them

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Kyle on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctordunks/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kyleiguchidpt

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this first "Q&A," episode of the High Performance Hoops Podcast, Julian takes some time to answer a few questions related to varying topics in strength and conditioning, nutrition, and sports performance.

Up first is a question regarding early off-season training for team-sport athletes. The listener will get an in-depth look at how they can go about training, specifically, how they can structure (sprints, plyometrics/jump training, strength work, etc.).

From there, the episode dives into the specifics of organizing strength work. From the warm-ups, to top sets, and even the back-off "lighter sets," Julian breaks down how to progress your main lifts in a given cycle, how to calculate your weights, and how to adjust from a week by week basis.

From there, Julian gives a deep dive into how an athlete should effectively put on muscle mass while improving athletic performance. Specifically, how to maximize gains while creating a calculated system of regression and progression that the athlete can take. Lastly, giving practical examples that athletes can use to track progress and make adjustments if need be.

Lastly, Julian finished up with his "8 Keys to In-Season Training." Providing recommendations/tips for in-season training for athletes, giving guidelines on how to maximize/maintain results while managing fatigue and staying flexible with your approach. To finish up the episode, you will also get a look at what goes into a full athlete assessment and how you can set up and execute each test to track improvement, and ultimately steer our program decisions.

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today’s episode, Julian welcomes on Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the Delaware Blue Coats, the Philadelphia 76ers G-League Affiliate team, that just won the 2022-2023 G-League Championship.

Along with his duties in the G-League, Alex also acts as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Alex's story & background in the field.
  • Alex's coaching philosophy and how he applies this to some of the best athletes in the world.
  • How he stays up to date with the latest research in the field and how coaches can best apply research to the weight room.
  • What is Velocity-Based Training, and what are some key benefits to using it in training?
  • Determining load for training and velocity zone ranges.
  • Utilizing metrics to gauge success in programming.
  • Individualization and how you do so at the highest level.
  • Best ways to implement VBT in your training? What about if you don't have the tech?

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Alex on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/translational_training/?hl=en

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

COACHING/TRAINING RESOURCES:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian outlines the exact methods he uses to calculate the caloric needs for each athlete he works with, as well as how he adjusts caloric needs based on the athlete goals (muscle building, fat loss, and caloric maintenance).

Below, I will provide a document that gives you the EXACT details in today's episode that were discussed, as well as an ENTIRE Ebook that I developed YEARS ago on our challenger website.

Nutrition 101 (Episode Notes):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12YaOvBIcUjyOyDdYGVfoYDYn2NaK9hOPK4zanWRN4FE/edit?usp=sharing

How to Construct Your Macros (EBook):
https://www.challengerstrength.com/how-to-construct-your-macros-e-book.html

SOCIAL LINKS:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

RESOURCES/COACHING:

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on the opinion of former NBL basketball player turned strength coach, and owner/founder of Breakthrough Strength and Conditioning, Ben Anderson.

Ben has a tremendous story, ultimately leading him down the path of becoming a basketball strength and skills coach to hundreds, upon thousands of youth athletes in Utah. Ben truly embodies the mission statement of Breakthrough S&C to educate and empower each individual, but most importantly impact the lives of SO MANY young athletes in his community.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Ben's journey from the NBL to becoming "The Basketball-Strength Guy"
  • What attracted him to the weight room and his opinion on why so many basketball players seem to shy away from the weight room in their own development.
  • The biggest glaring issue in basketball at the youth level from a sports performance standpoint.
  • Ben's big rocks and overarching philosophy for training young athletes.
  • What "development" looks like at the youth level.
  • Ben's training non-negotiable for young athletes.
  • Biggest challenge for creating buy-in with younger athletes and tips for coaches dealing with any challenges early on in their career.
  • Biggest mistakes seen when working with young athletes.

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Ben on:

Instagram:breakthroughsc instagram

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on world renowned shooting coach, Mike Dunn.

No stranger to the show, Mike is an OG of the old Attention to Detail podcast. In that time, Mike has become one of the most sought after coaches in the WORLD! Traveling the globe and creating one of the most immersive and incredible online platforms, "Keep Shooting Subscription", servicing and literally transforming jump shots of hoopers worldwide.

What you should expect to hear:

  • We discuss Mike's journey to getting to where he is now, mentors that have impacted him the most, struggles he faced, lessons he learned, and most importantly, WHY he does what he does.
  • We tackle some of the most infamous shooting myths in his industry through our "Cap or Facts" segment.
  • Key components of what makes a perfect shot
  • Common mistakes seen in young hoopers
  • How to increase your range

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Mike on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/seemikedunn/

Keep Shooting Subscription: https://seemikedunn.com/product/seemikedunn-keep-shooting-subscription/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Justin Ochoa, the Director of Strength & Conditioning and Co-Owner of PACE Fitness Academy in Indianapolis, IN & Westfield, IN.

Aside from his role at PACE, Justin is also a writer, consultant, and a proud board member of The Pro X Foundation—a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to serving youth athletes with crucial resources needed to excel in academics, athletics, and life after athletics.

What you should expect to hear:

  • Justin's unconventional journey to becoming a strength coach
  • Justin's opinion on being a hybrid coach, what it is to him, and what it took to becoming one in this industry
  • Justin's outlook on the idea of "staying in your own lane" in the fitness industry
  • Operating in the grey area of sports performance
  • What a typical assessment process looks like for an athlete
  • Off-season vs In-season schedules
  • How to manage stressors over the course of a training experience
  • Response to critiques that "push-back" on the idea of being more of a hybrid trainer
  • Where he sees the industry going in the future

MUCH MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Justin on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/justinochoa317/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/JustinOchoa317?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Gem Sessions Podcast: https://www.gemsessionspodcast.com/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on owner and head coach of Perform 4 Life, Tommy Hansen.

Tommy’s training philosophy revolves around improving strength, athleticism, and body composition with the goal of increasing performance while also reducing the risk of injury.

Tommy has experience training a wide variety of populations, including athletes at the NCAA Division 1, junior college, high school, and middle school levels. In addition to training a wide spectrum of athletes, Tommy has trained everyday adults ranging from 20-65 years of age that want to feel better, improve their bodies, and increase their overall quality of life. Aside from that, Tommy has interned and learned under industry legend Zach Decant (Head S&C coach for TCU Baseball).

What you should expect to hear:

  • Tommy's journey into coaching, going from a former athlete to now business owner.
  • The importance of building lower body stiffness.
  • How we can best organize our plyometrics to meet the demands of sport.
  • Four keys to improving your approach jump.
  • Jump strategies for both a two-foot and one-foot jumper.
  • How to complement our jumps/plyometric training in the weight room.
  • Julian and Tommy rant about sport specialization

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Tommy on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tommy.hansen88/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tommy_hansen88?lang=en

Perform 4 Life: https://www.perform4lifetrainingsystems.com/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on NBA player development and shooting coach, Joey Burton.

What you should expect to hear:

  • How he got into the industry and his journey so far.
  • How he's been able to build his brand from scratch.
  • The 4 stages we go through in pursuit of "Following Your Dream"
  • Developing his shooting philosophy and working with some of the NBA's best.
  • 3 things that can help you get out of your shooing slump.
  • Why form shooting doesn't always have to be static.
  • Discussing what a "specialist" is and how/when to develop into one.
  • The idea of teaching principles, but allowing for flexibility in your approach.

For more information check out Joey on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/coachjoeyburton/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeyBurton?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on player development coach Josh Fan, most notably known for training former NBA basketball player Jeremy Lin for over 10+ off-seasons.

Things you should expect to hear:

  • Josh's journey, how he got into strength and conditioning, and how he ultimately linked up with Jeremy Lin.
  • Early challenges of working with Jeremy.
  • Navigating the NBA landscape and how he was able to collaborate with different coaches and organizations over the years.
  • Taking on the label of a "hybrid trainer"
  • Developing his on-court philosophy, his take on skill acquisition, and variability in training.
  • Developing a more resilient athlete in the weight room.
  • Josh's big rocks for training.
  • His take on unilateral training.

  • Where he sees the future of the industry heading.

  • MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Josh on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/coachjoshfan/?hl=en

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AwakenTraining

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on the private S&C coach for NBA Superstar John Wall, Jared Wilson.

Jared has a wealth of knowledge, as well as, years of experience in both the private sector setting as a business owner for several years building a successful business, and on the professional side working alongside John Wall and his performance staff.

Here's what you should expect to hear:

  • Building a private sector business from the ground up.
  • Business advice for young coaches in the industry.
  • John Wall, overcoming injuries, and how to program for one of the most dynamic guards in the NBA.
  • What goes into his off-season training.
  • Speed training, and how he implemented speed work into his programming.
  • Off-season vs. In-season training considerations.
  • Big rocks for young hoopers when it comes to training.
  • Biggest piece of advice to young hoopers in-season.
  • Managing recovery and mitigating injury risk.
  • Jared's opinion on plyometrics/jump training in-season, and the myth of how to manage training volume in-season.

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Jared on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaredwilson.performance/?hl=en

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/_JaredWilson

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In today's episode, Julian welcomes on Owner/Founder and Head Coach of the NYC Hoop School, Evan Sirakis.

Evan has an interesting story, in that he is currently still a student-athlete for St. Joseph's University in New York as well as the owner/founder and head coach of the NYC Hoop School in New York City.

Hear are some things you should expect to hear:

  • Evan's story/background.
  • Starting the NYC Hoop School and some effective ways to build different revenue streams to take your business to the next level.
  • Developing a social media growth strategy and how to build your brand.
  • The biggest issue in the game of basketball today.
  • How to develop a player from scratch.
  • In-Season vs. Off-Season Training
  • How to deal with "helicopter" parents.
  • Keys for developing a more confident hooper.

MUCH MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Evan on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/evansirakis/

NYC Hoop School: https://www.instagram.com/nychoopschool/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nychoopschool

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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Welcome to Season 2 of the High Performance Hoops Podcast!

In this episode, Julian welcomes on the Director of Sports Performance at ROKKE Performance Therapy, Nate Graham.

Graham brings a ton of experience in the field working as a former performance coach at EXOS and basketball performance coach for Warner Pacific University (his alma mater).

Here's what you should expect to hear:

  • Embracing the "boring" stuff in training
  • Social media's impact on youth athletes and training
  • Programming hopping and chasing the next shiny toy
  • Getting 3D in our training approach
  • Relative & Reactive Strength, What are they, and why should they be something you think about in your training..

You won't want to miss out on this action packed conversation!

For more information check out Nate on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/instagraham0/

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on Lead Sports Performance Specialist at P3 Applied Sports Science, Jon Flake.

These guys are at the forefront of sports science, utilizing a data-driven approach to understanding athlete movement and development for performance optimization. P3 is the first performance facility to utilize advanced sports science technologies to assess and train professional athletes, working with some of the best in the NBA, MLB, MLS, and Olympic World Sports.

Jon has been with P3 since 2015. As the lead performance specialist at P3 Santa Barbara, Jon oversees all aspects of athlete development and directs the performance team. Jon has been working in the strength and conditioning field since 2010. He has experience at both the NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I levels working with athletes across a variety of sports including basketball, soccer, swimming, volleyball, rugby, lacrosse and track and field.

In this episode you'll hear more on:

  • Jon's background and story on how a film studies major ended up in strength and conditioning
  • Why we assess jumps and what it can tell us about our programming decisions
  • NBA combine draft prep, what goes into that process, and what has changed for the better in the combine testing process
  • The most important metric gathered for the sport of basketball
  • How movement strategies impact testing
  • Working with guys like Luka Doncic and how they measure deceleration
  • The difference between Anthony Edwards and Zion Williamson
  • Our thoughts on Victor Wembenyama and what we'd do in his training
  • Youth sports and the injury epidemic
  • Lateral countermovement jump, what the research is saying, and how reliable is it in making better basketball players
  • What the future of jump testing might look like

MUCH MUCH MORE!

You won't want to miss out on this action packed conversation!

For more information check out Josh on:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p3sportscience/?hl=en

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/jonflake88

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on strength and conditioning coach and owner/founder of Performance Hoops, Josh Washington.

Josh has several years of experience in the field interning for a few years at both the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University. He also interned under industry legend Corey Schlesinger (current Head S&C coach for the Phoenix Suns) at the University of Stanford, which allowed him the opportunity to work with fellow industry legend Dr. Ramsey Nijem (former NBA S&C coach-Sacramento Kings) now an NCAA champion S&C strength coach at the University of Kansas. Lastly, before ultimately switching over to the private sector, he was a GA at the University of Auburn and the Men's Basketball S&C coach at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Here's what you should expect to hear:

  • His story as a former college basketball player and sports management major and how he became a strength coach.
  • How he went from working part time at Golds Gym to interning at UW-Milwaukee.
  • Moving to Cali with barely any money and how working with industry legend Corey Schlesinger changed the trajectory of his career.
  • The difference between working in a college setting versus the NBA.
  • Stories of working with NBA veteran Vince Carter and young stars like De'Aaron Fox.
  • The importance of networking and tips for young coaches to build genuinely strong relationships within the field.
  • Toeing the line between being a "drill sergeant" and "best friend" in the weight room.

MUCH MORE!!

For more information check out Josh on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performance.hoops/?hl=en

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on player development coach and owner/founder of TJL Training, Tyler Leclerc.

Tyler has a unique story in that he got an early jump start to his career, training his fellow team mates and himself during his senior year to help improve their overall development. It was apparent going into this freshman year of college that playing was no longer a desire of his. Training and helping others hone in on their own development became his sole focus, so much so that he dropped out of school, started his business, and eventually opened up his first facility all at the age of 21 in the height of the pandemic.

Things you'll hear about in this episode:

  • Tyler's story
  • How he was able to open up a training facility at the age of 21.
  • What the total cost of opening up a facility REALLY is.
  • Social media and specifically, how to go about building your own brand.
  • Gamifying your skill work, and how a games-based/constraints-based approach can really lead to a better long term approach to player development.
  • How practicing moves "on air" isn't the best way to become a better decision maker in-game.
  • The importance of film breakdown in the training process.
  • The idea of perception + action and the role that plays in player development.
  • What athletes can do to improve their training if they don't have a partner.

For more information check out Tyler on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tjltraining/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tjltraining?lang=en

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tjltraining

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on current college basketball player and owner/founder of The Village Performance, Marc Rodriguez.

Specifically, we dive into detail on Marc's current playing career, where his slogan "1% Better Daily" really comes from, how the COVID year presented an opportunity to start his own training business, and best of all, how he creates buy-in at all levels as a player/coach.

For more information check out Marc on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillage__performance/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thevillage____

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on former Division 1 basketball player for Robert Morris University, player development coach, and owner/operator of Clockwork Athletics, Anthony Pugh.

Specifically, we go in to detail on Anthony's journey, how he made Robert Morris' roster as a 5'6" guard, going from player to business owner, playing the "long game" with your development, our opinion on letting kids "screw up" in training, and the importance of film study for your game.

For more information check out Anthony on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anthony_Pugh2?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian welcomes on owner/operator and head coach of Challenger Strength, Gerry DeFilippo.

Gerry DeFilippo serves as head trainer and owns and operates Challenger Strength while also leading Challenger's training of various organizations such as the Jersey Hitmen, Gamers Baseball Academy and colleges like NJCU and Caldwell University. He orchestrates the programming and training for eight different Hitmen teams, which range all the way up to the Elite and Premier Junior's Level Programs. Since 2016, Gerry has been a part of four Hitmen Founders Cup Regular Season Championship teams in the USPHL NCDC (Tier 2 Junior Hockey) and two Dineen Cup Championships.

Since founding Challenger Strength in 2016, Gerry has worked with over 100 college, college bound and professional athletes across multiple sports. He has served as a special advisor to New York Yankee's player development and consulted for multiple college and professional coaches and organizations. In addition, he has had numerous articles published on EliteFTS, Muscles and Strength and Elite Baseball Performance and has spoken at various conference such as "Catcher-con," the Baseball Performance Summit and the NSCA New Jersey Strength and Conditioning Conference. He specializes in getting athletes bigger, stronger and faster with a blend of strength and speed training.

This episode gets into the details of building speed, specifically the utilization of sleds in speed development, and details key areas of how to determine appropriate loads for sled sprints, how to effectively implement them for speed development with younger athletes, common mistakes seen when using them, and some alternatives for those that may not have one at their disposal.

For more information check out Gerry on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/challengerstrength/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Challenger_ST

OnlyStrength Membership: https://onlystrength.uscreen.io/?_ga=2.253855304.176956583.1666737675-793222946.1666737675

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this weeks episode, Julian rants about his beef with "speed ladders" and why they are not getting you any faster.

Here are some things you will here:

  • The REAL reason why Julian doesn't use "speed ladders" to improve speed with his athletes.
  • Do "speed ladders" actually have a place in training?
  • My opinion on Paul Fabritz's idea of "Positional Delay."
  • What I would do to replace "speed ladders" and actual ways to improve speed and in-game agility.

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian discusses the importance and purpose of the intake process, specifically, the process that helps us design a program geared towards helping the athlete improve in his/her given sport. 

Further, Julian will provide you with a detailed look at how he goes about determining what an athlete may need most in his/her training.

Here are some things you will hear about:

  • The Intake Process: What is it? Why is it so important?
  • What are some key questions you should be asking your athletes during your first interactions?
  • The importance of actually watching the game/sport your athlete plays.
  • How training age and weight room experience can impact immediate training considerations.
  • Key performance indicators and how they can be used appropriately to steer programming decisions.

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian talks about the 5 BIGGEST mistakes he made early on in his coaching career. Mistakes are a part of life. It is often what we learn from them that leads to long term success.

If you are a young or new coach in the performance industry, you won't want to miss this!

For more information check out Julian on:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian breaks down the basic concepts coaches, athletes, and parents can use in order to successfully build out an effective, goal-oriented and results driven program.

Julian provides you with a simple and digestible step-by-step process of how he goes about programming for his athletes and clients over at Challenger Strength. 

Here are some things you will hear about:

  • Rant about Mistakes Seen in Most Athlete's Programming.
  • Starting with the GOAL in mind.
  • What important questions you should ask before creating a program.
  • How to implement testing protocols in order to steer program decisions.
  • Choosing main movement patterns.
  • Why you should not program every little detail of your programs ahead of time.
  • Length of time needed to train and training frequency.
  • Basic Training Template.
  • MUCH MORE!

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian dives into the discussion of what is "Basketball Strong", and is there such thing as being "strong enough" in the context of your sport.

Julian also discusses: 

  • What is Strength?
  • The Load-Velocity- Force Relationship that exists in developing strength.
  • The 5 Principles of Developing Strength.

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian talks all things training for youth athletes. He outlines 5 key guidelines that all athletes, coaches, and parents working with younger athletes SHOULD know.

Julian also takes the time to break down a typical weeks program for a young athlete.

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian talks about the 5 MUST read books that he believes will jump start your coaching career. These 5 books really proved to be beneficial to Julian during his early years of coaching, helping him navigate some of the key aspects of training (plyometrics, sprinting/speed, hypertrophy, strength, etc.).

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian breaks down the premise of The High Performance Hoops Podcast. He gives insight into his story, background in training, how he got to where he is now, and the inspiration for the podcast.

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/

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In this episode, Julian reviews the FIVE biggest pieces of advice that he has for new coaches. Stick around to the end for a BONUS piece of advice and MORE.

For more information check out Julian on
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianlocasto/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@julianlocasto?lang=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julianlocasto

For coaching inquiries, programs, guides, and more, check out our website: https://www.challengerstrength.com/