The Les Spellman Podcast
91 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 18 ratingsThe Les Spellman Podcast discusses all things speed to help you produce faster, healthier, and more explosive athletes. Les Spellman is a renowned speed performance coach who has worked with or consulted for some of the top athletes & institutions in the NFL, NCAA, USA Olympics, MLB, and most recently the USMNT.
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Episodes
Ep #37 - Load Monitoring With Google Sheets
May 13, 2021 14:02 - 5 minutes - 4.8 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through our process of inputting data to monitor each of our athletes. This audio was taken from an internal meeting that happened in January. If you'd like to see more of my content, make sure to check out the latest YouTube video on the "A Series" below. Sprinting Techniques: 6 Essential Drills - https://youtu.be/_5FdCoTg9ag Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter or Instagram! Interested in other Spellman P...
Ep #36 - Programming: Full Week Walkthrough
May 12, 2021 19:51 - 4 minutes - 3.22 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through one of the early weeks in combine training and what each day focussed on. This audio was taken from an internal meeting we had as a Spellman Performance staff early January. I thought it would be beneficial to share how our meetings work and how our programming is structured. If you'd like to watch some of the drills, we recently uploaded our "A Series" on YouTube. Click the link below, watch the video, and drop a comment w...
Ep #35 - 2 Goals For Early Acceleration
May 11, 2021 14:31 - 1 minute - 1.31 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk through my goals for early acceleration. This audio is evaluating a session I did with Elizabeth Eddy a few months ago. If you'd like to watch the video, check out the link below (there are 3 separate videos on YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq7EV7YkMVQ Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SE...
Ep #34 - Switching Technique, Individual vs Team Training, Progressing To Overspeed
May 10, 2021 18:01 - 15 minutes - 11.9 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions around a session I conducted with Elizabeth Eddy a few months ago. During the session, we implemented basic sprinting mechanics, prompting questions around switching, coaching in an individual vs team setting, progressing to overspeed, and more. To watch the full session (it's cool to see her growth in just a 45 minute session), tap the link below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq7EV7YkMVQ Have questions you'd like ...
Ep #33 - Physical Volume Phases
May 07, 2021 14:02 - 4 minutes - 3.2 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk to our NFL offseason guys about the phases of physical volume throughout the spring. Each week has a set number of workouts and a planned outline to what we will work on each day. If you'd like to see them in action, click on the YouTube video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6xb5vBjGcY Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! (apologies for the delay if I haven't responded to yours yet...I will get to all...
Ep #32 - Physical vs Psychological Load
May 06, 2021 14:10 - 4 minutes - 3.52 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk through the physical and psychological loads while an athlete progresses through each speed phase. This audio is taken from a meeting I had with one of our youth athletes. #1 lesson = don't quit. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellman.podia.com/video-s... EDUCATION OFFERING: ...
Ep #31 - Inside Look: NFL Training Zoom Call
May 05, 2021 23:50 - 9 minutes - 8.63 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk with several of our NFL guys about training this offseason. This audio is from around late January, so I focus on what they should expect leading up to OTAs. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellman.podia.com/video-s... EDUCATION OFFERING: Speed Pillars: https://lesspellman.pod...
Ep #30 - We Need To Speak Out As Coaches
May 05, 2021 01:42 - 7 minutes - 7.09 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk about the importance of speaking out as coaches. Coaches are multipliers and may impact more people than the professional athletes they're training. It's important to discuss, even if you disagree with my opinion. I'd love to get your feedback on this episode. This audio was taken from a recent appearance on The Tom Broback Podcast. Make sure to check his podcast out - great interviews. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a...
Ep #29 - Finding Your Niche, Peak Acceleration, and More l Q&A
May 04, 2021 02:17 - 16 minutes - 13 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions from how Spellman Performance got to where it is today to evaluating peak acceleration. If you'd like to watch a lot of this content, I recommend checking out my YouTube channel. Have a question you'd like answer? Send me a dm on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellman.podia.com/video-s... EDUCATION OFFERING: Speed ...
Ep #28 - Daily Monitoring: How To Use Reveal BI
April 30, 2021 21:36 - 19 minutes - 15 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I discuss how I utilize Reveal BI to monitor my athletes on a daily basis. Thanks for listening! While you're here, make sure to checkout my latest YouTube video where I break down the last 3 months of combine training. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWJq3vYRgzQ Have questions you'd like answered? Send them to me on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIE...
Ep #27 - Acceleration Based Programming
April 29, 2021 20:10 - 1 minute - 1.55 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I discuss how our team structures our programming. Specifically, I dive into what an acceleration day looks like for our athletes. Thanks for listening! Also, make sure to watch our latest YouTube video talking about the 2021 NFL Draft tonight. I break down each of the athletes I had the opportunity to train over the last 3 months. Great group to work with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWJq3vYRgzQ Have questions you'd like answered? S...
Ep #26 - RANT: 40 Yard Dash Times
April 28, 2021 18:23 - 3 minutes - 2.46 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through the various inconsistencies with 40 times. This became extremely relevant when the combine was cancelled and runs were completed on athlete pro days. We need a way to consistently measure athlete speed, and I do not believe the 40 yard dash accomplishes this, especially with inconsistent methods of timing. More to come... Check out my latest YouTube video talking about each of our athletes leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. Tun...
Ep #26 - RANT: 40 Time Inconsistencies
April 28, 2021 18:23 - 3 minutes - 2.46 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through the various inconsistencies with 40 times. This became extremely relevant when the combine was cancelled and runs were completed on athlete pro days. We need a way to consistently measure athlete speed, and I do not believe the 40 yard dash accomplishes this, especially with inconsistent methods of timing. More to come... Check out my latest YouTube video talking about each of our athletes leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. Tun...
Ep #25 - Changes In Top End Speed, Shallow Knee Drive, and Growing Clients
April 27, 2021 19:18 - 11 minutes - 8.71 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions regarding changes in top end speed, shallow knee drive, how to grow clients, and more. This audio is taken from a recent webinar where we opened up 15-20min of time for coaches and athletes to ask questions. Below is a link to part of the document I used when talking through Changes In Top End Speed. Free for you to implement with your athletes. https://train.lesspellman.com/coachphilosophy Have questions you'd like an...
Ep #24 - Drill Patterns, Terminology, and Sprinting Technique
April 26, 2021 19:35 - 14 minutes - 12.1 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions from Dylan Carrion. Dylan and I have been business partners for close to 5 years now, and he asks questions about how we do drill patterns, terminology, sprinting technique and more. This audio was taken from a recent webinar we did talking about my latest course, Speed Pillars: Proven Speed Results. Take a look at the link below. https://lesspellman.podia.com/speed-pillars-proven-speed-development Have questions you'd...
Ep #23 - Early Acceleration: Kinematics & Technical Correction
April 23, 2021 15:33 - 20 minutes - 16.8 MBWe're excited to start delivering Speed Talks episodes every day in an effort to make speed education more available to coaches who are coming up in the industry. Please share with those who you believe will benefit from these episodes. Thank you!! In this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk through my philosophy behind early acceleration: the kinematics and technical correction that is needed. Additionally, I provide a brief overview of my story and what drives me to coach sp...
Ep #22 - Problems With Over-Communicating
April 22, 2021 19:36 - 3 minutes - 2.59 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I discuss how over communicating with your athletes can hurt their development at times. Enjoy the episode? Check out my recent blog post on over communicating! https://www.lesspellman.com/post/over-communicating-don-t-overthink-it Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellman.podia.com/vid...
Ep #21 - Interpreting Data, Force Velocity Profiling, and Individualize Training
April 21, 2021 18:37 - 11 minutes - 9.36 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk through my process of interpreting data, profiling athletes, and individualizing their training. The audio is taken from Spellman Performance's Women Internship Initiative. - What data points are collected? - What creates an effective acceleration? - Vertical vs Horizontal force? Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACC...
Ep #20 - Technical and Physical Changes in Sprinting
April 16, 2021 04:15 - 17 minutes - 13.4 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I talk through the technical and physical changes in sprinting. I break down how this has been implemented with our NFL athletes in order to add a new skill to their arsenal: the skill of speed. - How much of sprinting is technical? - How much of sprinting is physical? Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SER...
Ep #19 - Brett Bartholomew l Communicating Effectively With Athletes
March 25, 2021 01:03 - 55 minutes - 46.6 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I am joined by Brett Bartholomew to discus the following topics: Brett's story to how he got to where he is today Communicating effectively with youth athletes vs college / pro State of the sports coaching industry: sharing content vs keeping it private How to hire "good humans" for your business Plus, several other topics! Brett Bartholomew is a performance coach, author, keynote speaker, and founder of Art of Coaching™. Art of Coach...
Ep #18 - Deceleration, Common Speed Mistakes and Life of a Speed Coach
February 17, 2021 03:25 - 58 minutes - 80.1 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I join the Mi-Fit Podcast to discuss the following topics: - Mentality for trainers - Common mistakes when training speed - Acceleration vs Deceleration - Sled work - Posture and Activation - Advice for training youth athletes Mi-Fit Podcast Background: My name is DJ Hillier and I’m the head CrossFit coach at Mi5 Fitness and CrossFit Lakeville, personal trainer, host on The MiFit Podcast, and competitive CrossFit athlete. My driving...
Ep #17 - Mark Fitzgerald l How To Adapt Your Programming
January 25, 2021 21:14 - 51 minutes - 40.8 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with Mark Fitzgerald to discuss how he's adapted his programming over time in two key situations: hockey vs football and s&c vs speed. What are the similarities? What changes need to be made? Mark Fitzgerald is the owner of Elite Training Systems and the Head of Performance for Under Armor. Mark previously held the position of Head Strength Coach for the Anaheim Ducks. Twitter: @FitzgeraldETS Have questions you'd like answered?...
Ep #16 - Speed Code l The PJF Podcast
January 21, 2021 06:00 - 51 minutes - 70.1 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I join Paul Fabritz on The PJF Podcast to discuss our brand new Speed Code. The speed code is a 12 week program that incorporates everything: speed, agility, quickness, and bounce! We also talk through my story and philosophy behind developing speed with youth, college, and professional athletes. If you are an athlete or training athletes, make sure to check out the speed code program below! https://online.pjfperformance.net/users/sign_up....
Ep #15 - Force Velocity Curve & Speed Development Post Injury l Precision Performance Podcast
January 15, 2021 22:55 - 1 hour - 47 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with the Precision Performance team to discuss my force velocity curve, the experience of interning for the Olympic team, returning to training post injury, and much more. This audio is from December, 2020 and provides a lot of valuable information into the relationship between speed development and physical therapy. Listen to more from Precision Performance - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-precision-performance-podc...
Ep#15 - Force Velocity Curve & Speed Development Post Injury l Precision Performance Podcast
January 15, 2021 22:55 - 1 hour - 47 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, Les sits down with the Precision Performance team to discuss his force velocity curve, the experience of interning for the Olympic team, returning to training post injury, and much more. This audio is from December, 2020 and provides a lot of valuable information into the relationship between speed development and physical therapy. Listen to more from Precision Performance - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-precision-perfor...
Ep #14 - Kris Robertson
January 07, 2021 06:34 - 32 minutes - 26.8 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with Kris Robertson to discuss how he's adapted to Covid-19 training, resisted running, max velocity and several other topics. Kris Robertson is a Rugby coach for the Canadian national team and also provides private training for collegiate and professional athletes. Take a listen and let me know your thoughts! Twitter: @CoachKStrength Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Pe...
Ep #13 - Dan Pfaff
December 23, 2020 20:20 - 55 minutes - 42.5 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with Dan Pfaff to discuss his philosophy on resistance training, early acceleration, physical & technical attributes, proximal cueing with max velocity, and more. Dan Pfaff is one of the top coach in speed development, training Olympic/Professional athletes including Donovan Bailey, Christian McCaffrey, Greg Rutherford and hundreds more. Twitter: @PfaffSC Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested...
Ep #12 - Michael Boyle
December 21, 2020 12:36 - 46 minutes - 38.1 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with Michael Boyle to discuss his methodology when it comes to testing. With combine season coming up soon, I thought it'd be a good time to bring on an expert with over 30+ years of training athletes for the combine. Mike Boyle Strength & Conditioning was founded in 1996 by Mike Boyle and Bob Hanson. Prior to co-founding MBSC, Mike served as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Boston University for 15 years. He also served...
Ep #11 - Middle School & Professional Programming: What are the differences?
December 18, 2020 13:56 - 1 hour - 49.7 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I dive into the way I program for one of the Middle School Schools our team helped create and how it differs from training my NFL athletes. Leading up to combine season this spring, I plan to have more Speed Talks about the combine. Plus, I'll have guests you all know & love join the discussion. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! F...
Ep #10 - Daily Monitoring, Programming, and Drill Instructions
December 13, 2020 22:24 - 49 minutes - 36.1 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I provide insight into how I monitor my athletes. I believe it is important to understand an athletes limitations, provide a program for the athlete, and listen to how the athlete feels while they complete the program each week. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellman.podia.com/video-s....
Ep #9 - Force Velocity Profiling, Early Acceleration, & Split Times
December 11, 2020 21:32 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I dive deep into an athlete I've been training for several years, but made a large leap over the last training block. Additionally, I walk through an article I posted on LinkedIn regarding Early Acceleration. Check it out below! https://www.lesspellman.com/post/earlyacceleration Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION ...
Ep #8 - Case Studies l Change Over Time & FVP/Split Time Relationship
December 08, 2020 13:03 - 31 minutes - 23.2 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through two athlete examples. First, I look at the change an athlete made in a 3 week time period pertaining to velocity, force, power, and time to 20yds. Second, I look at the FVP/Split Time Relationship with different runs for an athlete. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspellma...
Ep #7 - My Story
December 01, 2020 05:10 - 11 minutes - 11.7 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I share my story about how a near death experience shaped who I am today. After a terrible car accident, I was informed that I wouldn't be able to walk again... The audio is from December 2019 on a podcast with Andy McDonald from Inform Performance. Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https://lesspell...
Ep #5 - Athlete Speed Development l The Show LA
November 30, 2020 13:52 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, Les sits down with The Show LA team to discuss his process with developing athletes. The Show LA covers high school sports in Southern California, focusing on increasing the exposure of athletes looking to play at the next level. The audio is from February 2020, but still provides a lot of valuable information behind how Spellman Performance develops athletes/ specifically with combine training. Listen to more from The Show LA - htt...
Ep #6 - Athlete Speed Development l The Show LA
November 30, 2020 13:52 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with The Show LA team to discuss my process with developing athletes. The Show LA covers high school sports in Southern California, focusing on increasing the exposure of athletes looking to play at the next level. The audio is from February 2020, but still provides a lot of valuable information behind how Spellman Performance develops athletes/ specifically with combine training. Listen to more from The Show LA - https://www.y...
Ep #5 - Philosophy on Speed Training l Inform Performance w/ Andy McDonald
November 29, 2020 23:36 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I sit down with Andy McDonald from Inform Performance. Andy is a dual qualified Physiotherapist and Strength & Conditioning Coach who has worked professionally in both Physiotherapy and Strength & Conditioning domains. The audio is from December 2019, but still provides a lot of valuable information behind how Spellman Performance trains athletes. Listen to more from Inform Performance - https://informperformance.com/ Have questions you'd...
Ep #4 - Horizontal Force, Sleds, High / Low Methodology & More l Q&A
November 29, 2020 17:52 - 3 minutes - 3.33 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions about different concepts pertaining to 3 Acceleration Case Studies. - What would you do differently for an athlete who already has a high max horizontal force? - What is the optimal sled weight range? - What is your high / low methodology? Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIES: https...
Ep #3 - Programming, Horizontal Projection, Monitoring Power and More l Q&A
November 17, 2020 06:22 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions about different concepts pertaining to Programming. - How do you improve horizontal projection? - How much resistance should I include on bounds? - What do you adjust for athletes coming off of injury? - How do you determine the weight on sled pulls? Have questions you'd like answered? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDE...
Ep #2 - Early Acceleration Technique, Switching, and More l Q&A
November 10, 2020 05:06 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I answer questions about different concepts pertaining to Early Acceleration. - Do you use the force velocity slop to make coaching decisions? - Do you tell your athletes to think or "just run" when pushing off the start? - When does leg switch cueing come into play? - What level of athletes are you training? Have questions? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ...
Ep #1 - 40 Yard Dash l Early Acceleration
October 24, 2020 17:40 - 31 minutes - 21 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, I walk through the importance of early acceleration with the 40 yard dash. More specifically, the first 5 yards, or your first 4 steps. Listen in to hear how early acceleration is critical to having a successful attempt and how much your ratio of force should be horizontal vs vertical. Have questions? Send me a DM on Twitter! Interested in other Spellman Performance offerings? Check out the links below! FREE ACCELERATION VIDEO SERIE...
40 Yard Dash l Early Acceleration
October 24, 2020 17:40 - 31 minutes - 21 MBIn this episode of Speed Talks with Les Spellman, Les walks through the importance of early acceleration with the 40 yard dash. More specifically, the first 5 yards, or your first 4 steps. Listen in to hear how early acceleration is critical to having a successful attempt and how much your ratio of force should be horizontal vs vertical.