Every month I try to put out a post with 10 or so random thoughts in regards to strength and conditioning. Here is the November edition.

1. “If you are bigger and stronger but gave up movement integrity to get there, you’ll end up hurt.” Gray Cook

2. When you are a young coach, don’t worry about what teams you work with, just do a great job with those teams. Worry more about proving your worth and making yourself valuable. Good things will eventually come.

3. There is a strong correlation between the quality of the demo you perform as a coach and how well an athlete performs an exercise. The better you demo, the better they’ll perform the lift. Additionally, it is fair to think that most everyone could demo more.

4. Don’t always fall into sagittal plane exercises. Athletes need more to truly be successful. Get them into the frontal and transverse planes in some way.

5. “Three people that scare me. One, the old fashion guy. Two, the lack of science knowledge guy. Three, the guy who does it the way he did as a player.” Buddy Morris

6. Culture is everything and should be the number one thing you are trying to develop as a leader.

7. Overtraining = injured. Sometimes less is more, especially in-season.

8. Over the course of 12-16 weeks most athletes would benefit from an eccentric or isometric phase in their strength work. Its extremely important for an athlete to be strong more then just concentrically to be successful at their sport and in order for them to stay healthy.

9. A well progressed plyometric program and a well progressed med ball program are huge for athletes. They are both a great way to develop bodyweight/lighter implement power. They are both great for developing power outside of the sagittal plane. Most importantly, they are both huge for injury prevention when progressed well and intelligently.

10. “No one will admit it, but we are hurting more people then every before in the weight room.” Dr. John Rusin. Amen.