S&C Chit Chat

James Burk
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Fitness

Welcome to the Strength & Conditioning Chit Chat Podcast — your go-to resource for real, unfiltered talk on the reality of strength and conditioning. Hosted by Coach James Burk, this podcast reboots for Season 3 with a brand-new direction. Moving past the intern days, we are shifting the focus to high-level program building, career transitions, and the actual execution of elite physical preparation. Kickstarting this season, our summer series dives deep into Summer Training & Starting at a New School. Whether you are stepping onto a brand-new campus, resetting your weight room culture, or optimization-mapping your summer blocks, each episode delivers practical strategies to help you hit the ground running from day one. Featuring heavy-hitting interviews with industry leaders and raw solo insights, this show offers the actionable advice you won't find in a textbook. Tune in for the growth, stay for the perspective. If you are interested in receiving the Human Performance Newsletter, here is the link: https://forms.gle/69VtRK69f7rjLEmr8

  1. Monte Sparkman - Haltom HS

    4d ago

    Monte Sparkman - Haltom HS

    Join James Burk as he sits down with Coach Monte Sparkman to discuss the evolution of high school strength and conditioning programs. In this episode, they dive into shifting coaching philosophies that prioritize speed and movement quality over raw weight room numbers.They also explore practical strategies for managing successful athletic programs, including: Effective use of velocity-based training and diverse equipment, such as multi-grip bars.Logistics for grouping athletes of varying skill levels.Innovative motivational techniques, like performance-based shirt badges.The importance of staff collaboration and professional development in the strength coaching community.Tune in for insights on building a program that balances long-term performance gains with athlete engagement.

    1h 5m
  2. Connor Myers - Birdville HS

    Jul 1

    Connor Myers - Birdville HS

    In this episode of the S&C Chit Chat Podcast, James Burk sits down with Connor Myers to discuss the realities of installing a comprehensive strength and conditioning program at a new school. They share practical insights on navigating the professional transition, building culture, and managing logistical challenges with limited staff and resources.The conversation dives deep into technical methodologies, including the implementation of the Badger Protocol and Triphasic elements, alongside the practical use of APRE for autoregulation. They also explore effective coaching strategies like using command weights to manage groups and integrating contact prep and short-sided games to maximize athlete development and decision-making on the field.

    1h 14m
  3. Stephen Antley - Mansfield Timberview

    Jun 24

    Stephen Antley - Mansfield Timberview

    Join us on this episode of the S&C Chit Chat Podcast as James Burk sits down with Strength and Conditioning Coach Brandon Antley for a candid conversation about the realities of high school athletic development. This episode explores both the technical and cultural aspects of running a successful weight room program. In this episode, we cover: Program Culture: Strategies for building a program culture from scratch versus inheriting and evolving an existing one.Technical Proficiency: Why Olympic lifts remain non-negotiable and how to coach them effectively using manual observation and visual demonstration, even without advanced tracking tech.Programming Adaptability: Managing training sessions when faced with varying student experience levels, facility constraints, and complex schedules.Career Growth: Insights on networking, mentorship, and why every day on the floor functions as a professional job interview.Whether you're looking to refine your technical coaching cues or develop your professional path in the strength and conditioning industry, this episode offers actionable takeaways straight from the field.

    1h 2m
  4. Zach Fowler - Performance Course

    Mar 25

    Zach Fowler - Performance Course

    Join us for an insightful conversation with Zach Fowler of The Performance Course. We dive into non-traditional career paths in strength and conditioning, moving beyond college and high school coaching. Zach shares his journey from an 8-year-old athlete at PC to a Site Coordinator, the critical importance of initiative for young strength coaches, and how PC utilizes technology and specialized programming (including tiered systems and VBT) to train high school athletes. Plus, hear his recommendations for essential coaching qualities, a must-read book, and a top-tier podcast. SOCIAL: https://x.com/Z_Fowl37 https://www.instagram.com/zachfowler37/

    58 min
  5. Ross Garner - Effingham County HS

    Mar 18

    Ross Garner - Effingham County HS

    The "S&C Chit Chat with Ross Garner" includes conversation about facility conflicts, staff introductions, and an in-depth look at Ross Garner's career path and high school strength and conditioning philosophies. Career Advice: Master's in Education + CSCS provides best job security for high school S&C coaches. Training Philosophy: Conjugate training approach, primarily using deadlifts and the snatch (preferred over the clean for high school athletes).Deadlift Focus: Strong belief in deadlift's carry-over to speed; emphasizes correcting upper back posture.Speed Training: Speed and jump work is done after strength training to "prime" athletes and teach them to "be fast tired."Technology & Grants: Used business background to secure two $5,000 grants for iPads and data collection (Rock Daisy).Job Stability: Highlighted the value of standalone, 12-month strength coach positions (like the one at Cleburne) for program consistency.Recommendations: Book: Chosen Suffering. Podcast: Voodoo Power with Steve Thompson.COACH GARNERS LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/coachrgarner https://www.instagram.com/coachrgarner/ SOCIAL FOR COACH GARNER: https://x.com/CoachRGarner OTHER PODCASTS COACH GARNER HAS BEEN ON: https://rss.com/podcasts/victoryoverselfradio/ https://youtu.be/WSvH6RUejB8?si=z0dDIu1UP3y9ScEK https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chosen-suffering-friday-night-speed-w-coach-ross-garner/id1659846420?i=1000749257750 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nhssca/episodes/Work-Capacity-with-Ross-Garner--Effingham-County-High-School-e3e4opf https://www.youtube.com/live/YSU3CKG4_jI?si=OOrZgjiwM3ULCvQU

    1h 4m
  6. Michael Gragg- Harding University

    Mar 12

    Michael Gragg- Harding University

    Michael Gragg does a phenomenal job at Harding University and in this podcast. I on the other hand did less than desirable in pressing record for the first 10 minutes. Tune in for a "S&C Chit Chat" with Coach Michael Gragg from Harding University. We break down the technical and philosophical pillars of their national championship-winning strength and conditioning program. Topics include: the use of Catapult GPS, VBT systems (Vitru), and a Just Jump mat for athlete readiness; the high-low, four-day offseason training split; and the core importance of ground-based movement, team culture, and earned player autonomy. SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/mdgragg50/?hl=en https://x.com/MichaelGragg OTHER PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/culture-warrior-michael-gragg-head-strength-conditioning/id1806921751?i=1000719474083 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4HuTrzh36Z4ZB4Jd2khe9D https://castro.fm/share/episode/2X4rs3 https://youtu.be/aTID4ANcpFg?si=oCfHzMIgOlr8zQdU https://youtu.be/oH9mrOoRAdI?si=OMySWkVSnb_BVorf

    55 min
  7. Cameron Prater- SMU Football

    Mar 4

    Cameron Prater- SMU Football

    In this episode, James Burk, Brock Calvo, Jaxson Money, and Colin Elliot chat with HSU alumni Cameron Prater, an alum who is now the Internship Coordinator and Sports Science Coordinator for SMU Football. They dive into Prader's career journey, from his time at Hardin-Simmons University to his professional blueprint. The discussion covers his philosophy for training interns—prioritizing hard work and on-time arrival—and the core principles of SMU's football strength and conditioning program, including their four-day upper/lower split, daily posterior chain work, and the use of the Catapult system with "Player Load" as a key metric. SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/primetimeprater/?hl=en

    56 min
  8. John Bloom- Elevated Athlete Development

    Feb 25

    John Bloom- Elevated Athlete Development

    In this must-listen episode of S&C Chit Chat, we sit down with John Bloom—Strength and Conditioning Coach at Parish Episcopal School, founder of Elevated Athlete Development, and host/author of the Strength and Numbers podcast and book. John provides incredible insight into his transition from collegiate D1 men's basketball to running his own private business, Elevated Athlete Development, discussing the motivations for seeking greater autonomy. We dive deep into: The Power of Mentorship: John shares how Tim Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors inspired him to write his book, creating an essential resource for new S&C professionals.Coaching Certifications & Business Savvy: Hear his take on the practical value of certifications like Precision Nutrition versus the CSCS, and the importance of hiring smart people and developing marketing and sales systems in a private coaching business.Training Philosophy: We cover his application of FRC and RPR components at the high school level, how he defines training "blocks" as a superset of exercises, and his approach to training young athletes for skill acquisition.John also shares a vital piece of advice for new coaches—focus on coaching competence first—and recommends Range by David Epstein. Don't miss this one! SOCIAL: https://www.instagram.com/johnbloom30/?hl=en https://x.com/johnbloom30?lang=en OTHER PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-strength-in-numbers-podcast/id1811118851 https://basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball-podcast-ep359-with-john-bloom-on-insights-from-expert-coaches/ https://www.samsonequipment.com/strength-coach-podcast/e133-john-bloom/?srsltid=AfmBOoo2u0G0E4oIM7BXYeG0Udecld5Yx06ueboZqqo42_bnHjNoYHpA https://coachobrien.com/episode-133/ https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/strengthcoachcollective/episodes/John-Bloom--Episode-133-e2buatb/a-aak21i2

    56 min
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About

Welcome to the Strength & Conditioning Chit Chat Podcast — your go-to resource for real, unfiltered talk on the reality of strength and conditioning. Hosted by Coach James Burk, this podcast reboots for Season 3 with a brand-new direction. Moving past the intern days, we are shifting the focus to high-level program building, career transitions, and the actual execution of elite physical preparation. Kickstarting this season, our summer series dives deep into Summer Training & Starting at a New School. Whether you are stepping onto a brand-new campus, resetting your weight room culture, or optimization-mapping your summer blocks, each episode delivers practical strategies to help you hit the ground running from day one. Featuring heavy-hitting interviews with industry leaders and raw solo insights, this show offers the actionable advice you won't find in a textbook. Tune in for the growth, stay for the perspective. If you are interested in receiving the Human Performance Newsletter, here is the link: https://forms.gle/69VtRK69f7rjLEmr8

Information

  • Creator
    James Burk
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    S&C Chit Chat

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