Mark Watts is The Director of Education at elitefts™ and the NSCA Ohio State Director. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Professional and Applied Studies at Urbana University. He has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science & Health Promotion from California University of PA and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from Clarion University of PA. Watts has worked with athletes in over 20 different sports at the Division I, II & III levels for over 15 years as a strength & conditioning coach at places such as Denison University, The United States Military Academy at West Point, Allegheny College and Clarion University. Watts competes in both powerlifting and strongman competitions. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and is a USMC veteran.

Bob Alejo

• Assistant AD/ Director of Strength & Conditioning
• North Carolina State University

Topics Covered in the Podcast

1. How Coach Alejo got started in the industry
2. How the game of baseball has progressed
3. Communication with Athletic Trainers and Physical Therapists
   1. Abdominal Injuries in Baseball
   2. Baseball Players vs Throwers
4. Tommy John's Epidemic... A different take
   1. Total body strength is the best way to increase bat speed
   2. More resiliency in younger arms
   3. Innings thrown vs pitches thrown
   4. Monitoring the Bullpen
   5. Baseball is performed from your toes to the ends of your fingers
5. Assessments
   1. Approach athletes like they're damaged goods
   2. Its not a one day deal
6. Go to Exercises
   1. There is no exercise you should avoid
   2. Pressing overhead for overhead athletes
   3. Finding the Research
   4. About balance more than movement
   5. Variances between the
7. In-Season Training
   1. High Intensity during the season
   2. Decrease the slope of the decline by lifting heavy
   3. If you can't gain strength at the rep range how can you maintain it?
   4. Low Volume reduces fatigue and soreness
8. Conditioning and Speed
   1. Rest,sets, and intervals
   2. Quantify everything
   3. Low intensity tempo work
   4. Tempo to Speed Endurance to Speed
   5. Everything comes down to 1st step speed
9. Strategies to build rapport with Sport Coaches
   1. Everything data driven!
   2. Start correlating your data
   3. If you are going to be fast, you need to be strong, If you are strong, you can change direction
10. Best advice for young coaches
    1. Technology has enabled coaches to contact anyone
    2. You don't need to guess anymore
    3. Call your peers
    4. Your group is your group. Get them better first

The Bob Alejo File

Assistant AD/Director of Strength and Conditioning Bob Alejo oversees all of the strength and conditioning efforts of the department, and coordinates the day-to-day efforts of the men's basketball team.

Prior to joining the Wolfpack staff in April, Alejo served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the Oakland A's, a position he also held from 1993-2001. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of the organization's year-round physical preparation at both the major league and minor league levels.

Prior to rejoining the A's, Alejo was the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UC Santa Barbara from 2005-2008. During that time he was also a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team as strength and conditioning coach for the Gold medal-winning men's beach volleyball team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser.

From 1984-1993, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach at UCLA where he worked with 23 men's and women's teams, including the men's basketball team while current Wolfpack head coach Mark Gottfried was an assistant coach. During his tenure in Westwood, the Bruins racked up 25 national championships and produced more than 100 All-Americans.

Prior to joining the Bruins' staff, Alejo served as strength and conditioning coach for football at his alma mater, Chico State. He earned his B.A. in physical education from Chico State in 1982 and is a member of the Wildcats' Athletic Hall of Fame after a successful baseball career.

An accomplished lecturer and author, Alejo is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (through the National Strength and Conditioning Association's Certification Commission) and holds the advanced NSCA Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach distinction. He has also been elected to three halls of fame: Chico State Athletics, Chico State Baseball (inaugural inductee) and the Chico Professional Baseball "Legends of the Diamond."

www.elitefts.com

Joe Hashey

Synergy Athletics

Fitness Business Empire

Topics Covered in the Podcast

How Joe got started

1. 4 Knee Surgeries.... and a lot of questions
2. The Start of Synergy Athletics
3. Transitioning from only athletes to the adult population
4. Psychology of completion

What do need to know to start the training process

1. What the athlete wants and what the parents think they need
2. The responsibility of college preparation
3. Using communication with coaches as a learning experience

A general look at the training philosophy

1. Concurrent Periodization with High School and College Athletes
2. Repetition method to prepare for Max effort and dynamic effort
3. Training Athletes vs training lifters
4. Athletes need to know, like, and trust you
5. Understanding bar speed

Relationship Building

1. Three phases: Individual, family, community
2. Referrals vs giving back

What athletes really need

1. Appropriate recovery
2. Sleep cycle
3. Travel Teams
4. Nutrition
5. Not a work-ethic issue.... at all

Teaching skills related to the business word

1. Understanding learning styles
2. Match the mental to the physical goals
3. Uncomfortable equals opportunity for growth

How professional development has evolved

1. Mature as a business person as much as a training
2. Trainers approach to business vs business owners approach to business
3. The point of diminishing returns
4. Social Media Impact
5. Find people to network with

Training Football Players

1. Linear periodization for conditioning
2. One good lift in per session, then address weaknesses
3. Training In-season during the off-season
4. Make better at the sport not the work-out

The Best advice for Trainers and Gym Owners

1. You must be a life-long learner
2. There are people that have done what you want to do

The Joe Hashey File

Certified Strength And Conditioning Specialist, NSCA (2007 – present)
CPR and AED Certified (2006 – present)
Masters in the Arts Of Teaching – Colgate University (2006)

Achievements:
Youtube Partner – 8.2 Million Views on Fitness Videos.
Men’s Fitness, Contributing Author (2012)
Men’s Health, Contributing Author (2012)
Speaker NSCA National Conference, Las Vegas (2011 and 2012)
Speaker Central Ohio Strength Clinic (2011)
Author “Powerful Muscle Recovery Manual” (2011)
Speaker NSCA Vermont (2011)
Author “Bull Strength Conditioning Manual” (2010)
Speaker at Strength Coach 101 (2009)
Contributing Author – EliteFts, Straight to the bar, Critical Bench(2008- present)
Author “Bull Strength Training Manual” (2008)
Secrets of Strength Development Seminar Attendee (2009)
Head Modified Baseball Coach (2008 – 2009)
High School Assistant Football Coach (2006 – 2009)
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Hamilton High School (2005-2006)
Semi Professional Football All-Star (2004-2005)
Colgate University Football Player (2000-2002)

www.elitefts.com