In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I talk with strength and speed coach Zac Goodman about how to properly combine strength training and speed development for maximum performance.

Too many athletes fall into the trap of doing too much—too much volume, too much conditioning, and not enough intent. Zac shares how the most effective programs focus on high intensity, maximum output, and full recovery.

We break down why strength training should mirror speed training principles, and how simplifying your program can actually lead to better results, healthier athletes, and higher performance.

In this episode:

• How to combine strength and speed training effectively
• Why high intensity beats high volume
• The role of rest and recovery in performance
• Common mistakes in the weight room
• How to train athletes to be faster, stronger, and healthier

If you’re a coach or athlete looking to get more out of your training without burning out, this episode will give you a clear framework to follow.

In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, I sit down with my son Alec Holler to talk about his journey through sports and coaching.

Alec shares his experiences as a high school athlete, his college years, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the coach he is today. Along the way, we discuss how his athletic career influenced the development of the Feed the Cats speed training philosophy.

Coach Tony Holler originally began searching for a better training experience for Alec when he was an athlete. That pursuit eventually led to the creation of Feed the Cats — a high-performance approach that prioritizes speed, health, recovery, and joy in training.

Today, Alec has become a successful coach in his own right. He has coached the Illinois state record holder in the 110m hurdles and has been part of an incredible run at Edwardsville High School as an assistant track coach, helping the program earn:

• 3 Illinois State Championships
• 4 State Runner-Up Finishes
• 7 Total State Trophies

We talk about lessons learned from athletics, the evolution of Feed the Cats, and how the philosophy is applied today to build a championship program year after year.

If you're a coach, athlete, or sports parent interested in speed development, high performance training, and building a positive sports culture, this episode is for you.

What happens when an entire athletic department decides to prioritize speed, eliminate mindless conditioning, and pursue the disciplined pursuit of less?

In this Feed The Cats Podcast episode, Bill Brindley, Tyler Thielges, and Brent Strickland share why Augusta Christian (Georgia) is becoming the first premier K–12 school to implement Feed The Cats principles across all sports and P.E. classes.

This isn’t just a football change.

This is a complete athletic culture shift.

We discuss:
- Why they’re eliminating traditional conditioning
- The disciplined pursuit of less
- Prioritizing speed in all things
- High performance practice design
- Recording, ranking, and publishing results
- Building buy-in across coaches and staff
- What it takes to implement Feed The Cats school-wide
- The risks, pushback, and long-term vision

This could be the first full-scale K–12 implementation of Feed The Cats principles in the country.

This episode is for athletic directors, head coaches, PE teachers, and school leaders who believe speed is trainable and culture is intentional.

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In this episode, legendary speed coach Tony Villani joins the podcast to break down what truly matters regarding game speed.

Tony has trained some of the world’s top athletes, including Travis Kelce, Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin, Jamal Lewis, and many more. His philosophy centers on making speed the priority, training with intent, and ensuring athletes are fresh when sprinting — principles that closely align with Feed the Cats–style training.

We dive deep into:
- What game speed really means (and why it’s misunderstood)
- Acceleration vs. max velocity development
- How agility training fits into true speed work
- Why being fresh matters more than volume
- Common mistakes coaches make when training speed
- Where traditional programs go wrong

This conversation is packed with practical insight for coaches, athletes, and trainers who want speed that actually transfers to competition.

🎧 Whether you’re training youth athletes or professionals, this episode will challenge how you think about speed development.

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What does it really take to build a championship distance program — and are miles enough?

In this episode, I sit down with Andy Dirks, head cross country coach at Plainfield North, fresh off a state championship, to break down how he develops complete athletes, not just distance runners.

We explore the parallels between distance training and speed development, including:

• Why sprinting still matters for distance athletes
• How strength training fits into a championship XC program
• Moving beyond “just logging miles”
• Developing athleticism that carries over to track, sprinting, and long-term performance
• Building resilient, adaptable athletes at the high school level

This conversation challenges traditional distance training models and shows how speed, strength, and smart programming can coexist with high-level endurance performance.

Whether you coach cross country, track & field, sprint athletes, or care about long-term athletic development, this episode is about going beyond miles.

🎧 Topics Covered:

• Cross country training philosophy
• Speed training for distance runners
• Strength training for runners
• Athlete-first vs mileage-first programs
• High school coaching and development

In this episode of the Feed the Cats Podcast, Coach Tony Holler sits down with Coach Brian Weiss — a standout 400m/800m runner from the 1999 Harrisburg championship team and now the head coach at Triad High School.

Brian was part of the very first team to experience the Feed the Cats philosophy in action — when Coach Holler shifted from traditional high-mileage training to a focus on speed, recovery, and max velocity. That season ended with a state title and marked a turning point in sprint-based coaching.

Join us as we reflect on:
- How “Feed the Cats” began and changed everything
- The difference between running more and running faster
- Brian’s journey from athlete to successful coach
- Lessons from the 1999 championship season that still hold true today

🎙️ Feed the Cats Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Patrick, a.k.a. Knees Over Toes Guy, whose training methods have taken the internet by storm. His mission is simple: less knee pain and more knee ability — with or without equipment.

We dive into how Ben’s approach aligns with Feed the Cats Speed Training principles:
- Avoiding overtraining to stay fresh and explosive
- Building athletic skills that make you faster, stronger, and healthier
- Training smart to extend your career and performance

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or just someone who wants to move without pain, this conversation will change how you think about training and longevity.

📌 Follow Ben Patrick:
- https://www.youtube.com/c/thekneesovertoesguy
- https://www.instagram.com/kneesovertoesguy/?hl=en

#KneesOverToes #SpeedTraining #AthletePerformance #BenPatrick #StrengthTraining #KneeHealth #AthleteLongevity

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What if football practice was shorter, faster, and more fun — and your team won more games because of it?

In this solo episode, I break down Sprint-Based Football (SBF) — a speed-first, low-dosage approach to coaching that prioritizes performance over grinding and winning over outworking your opponents.

We’ll cover:
✅ Why traditional “conditioning-first” football is outdated
✅ How speed training boosts performance, health, and durability
✅ The role of max velocity in making athletes faster and less prone to injury
✅ Why short, high-quality practices create better game-day results
✅ Real-world results from programs winning over 90% of their games with SBF

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your players fresh, healthy, and fast all season long — this episode will change the way you think about football forever.

📢 Learn more the USR Masterclass: https://universalspeedrating.com/ftcmasterclass