10 episodes

Athletic development pioneer Vern Gambetta dives into one training question each episode.

GAINcast with Vern Gambetta HMMR Media

    • Health & Fitness
    • 5.0 • 1 Rating

Athletic development pioneer Vern Gambetta dives into one training question each episode.

    Training trends and current events

    Training trends and current events

    On this week's episode we discuss some recent training trends and current events, including the World Indoor Championships, competition scheduling in an Olympic year, zone 2 training, the NFL combine, and much more.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2024/03/gaincast-episode-280-training-trends-and-current-events/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: 

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. Our 2024 schedule for GAIN is online, including several weekend workshops. Sign up and we'll see you there.

    • 24 min
    Athlete profiling (with Jason Hettler)

    Athlete profiling (with Jason Hettler)

    What sport you play is different than how you play that sport. In the game of tennis, for example, vastly different styles of play emerge, which require a different approach to preapre for. On this week's GAINcast Jason Hettler of IMG Academy Tennis explains their process of profiling athletes, matching to game style, and individualizing training.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2024/02/gaincast-episode-279-athlete-profiling-with-jason-hettler/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: 

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. You can learn more about Hettler on his webpage or follow him on Instagram (@jhettler24). Gareth Sandford has also shared some great examples of the athlete profiling for tennis on Instagram here and here. To develop the athlete profiling system, Hettler worked together with Johnny Parkes, Joe Eisenmann, and Gareth Sandford. All have been previous guests. Parkes was on GAINcast 171 and HMMR Podcast 227 and also is a contributing writer on this site. Eisenmann was on GAINcast 264. Sandford was on GAINcast 203. Hettler's former colleagues at Altis have also been on the HMMR Podcast previously. Stuart McMillan was on HMMR Podcast 202 and Dan Pfaff was on on HMMR Podcast 59 as well as two written interviews here and here.

    • 46 min
    The New Year's roundtable

    The New Year's roundtable

    To kick of 2024 we're putting together a spectacular roundtable featuring guests Dr. Michael Joyner, Grace Golden, and Randy Ballard. We take a look back at trends from 2023, as well as what we see ahead in 2024. In addition we dive into the value of tribes, rethinking monitoring, soft skills, and much more to kick off the year.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2024/01/gaincast-episode-278-the-new-years-roundtable/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: 

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. We recorded similar episodes to kick off 2023 (GAINcast 258), 2022 (GAINcast 234), 2021 (GAINcast 206), 2019 (GAINcast 150), 2018 (GAINcast 98), and 2017 (GAINcast 46). Montioring was also a topic that came up several times. This was also covered on GAINcast 192 with Aaron Coutts and Franco Impellizzeri.

    • 54 min
    Books, travels, and Olympic preparations

    Books, travels, and Olympic preparations

    On this week's GAINcast Vern shares his top 6 books of 2023, key insights after recent travels to Europe and Australia, plus thoughts as we look ahead at preparing for the 2024 Olympics.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/12/gaincast-episode-277-books-travels-and-olympic-preparations/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: 

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. Book recommendations mentioned in this episode: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin The Core. Better Life, Better Performance by Aki Hintsa and Oskari Saari Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results by Shane Parrish 7 Rules of Power: Surprising--but True--Advice on How to Get Things Done and Advance Your Career by Jeffrey Pfeffer Awaken Your Genius: Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity, and Become Extraordinary by Ozan Varol Vern discussed his top books of 2022 and 2021 on GAINcast 259 and on GAINcast 231. You can also read his book lists from 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019. There's more from Adam Gran recently: a good interview with David Epstein and recent opinion piece in the New York Times on teaching. Other individuals discussed on this podcast have perviously been guests, including Ellyse Perry on GAINcast 213, Nick Lumley on GAINcast 166 (more from Nick here), and John Pryor on GAINcast 135 and 136. Also discussed was the talent identification research of Arne Gullich.

    • 33 min
    Thoughts on strength

    Thoughts on strength

    A recent interview on HMMR Media shared some of the weight room numbers of the hammer throw world champion. After hearing them, everyone asked: how can a champion be so weak? Strength is complex. Strength is contextual. On this week’s podcast we share some ideas about the role of strength in athletic performance, transfer of strength, training strength, and much more.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/11/gaincast-episode-276-thoughts-on-strength/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic: 

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. We kicked off the episode by talking about Ethan Katzberg. We recently wrote about his strength levels and interviewed his coach on HMMR Podcast 308. Our world championships recap also summarized the magnitude of his success this summer. Vern has also written a lot about strength including a definition, some global considerations on strength, and a multi-part series on the evolution of his thoughts on the topic: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Conclusions.

    • 31 min
    Championship behaviors (with Hugh McCutcheon)

    Championship behaviors (with Hugh McCutcheon)

    Championship results require championship behaviors from both athletes and coaches. Having guided multiple men's and women's teams at the highest levels, volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon knows a thing or two about what championships behaviors are. On this week's GAINcast he joins us to share his input on finding intention, putting skill acquisition into practice, coaching, and more.


    For more information on this topic, read the complete show notes at: https://www.hmmrmedia.com/2023/10/gaincast-episode-275-championship-behaviors-with-hugh-mccutcheon/
    The following links were also referenced in the podcast or provide some additional reading material on the topic:

    The GAINcast is sponsored by GAIN and by HMMR Media. Join HMMR Media to get access to a vast library of online training resources, video, articles, podcasts, and more. You can learn more about McCutcheon's background in his University of Minnesota biography. If you like this podcast, we highly recommend his recent book Championship Behaviors: A Model for Competitive Excellence in Sports. Coach Clay Erro has talked more in detail about the role of rules in coaching. Our HMMR Classroom GAIN Video 3 has a detailed presentation from him on the topic. Erro was also a guest on GAINcast 90, where he discussed similar topics. Wade Gilbert was mentioned as another top expert on championship behaviors. He presented in HMMR Classroom GAIN Video 15 (highlights here), as well as discussions on GAINcast 7 and GAINcast 121. We mentioned a couple of New York Times essays over the years on flow and focus. Most recently climber and philosopher Francis Sanzaro wrote about "When I Stopped Trying to Self-Optimize, I Got Better" and philosopher and former dancer Barabara Montero's "The Myth of Just Do It." We also wrote some comments on Montero's work here

    • 43 min

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