The Speed Lab Podcast

Episode 21 – Eccentric Loading, Sprint Mechanics & Building Athletes That Last | ft. Colby Wortman Guest host Darren Hansen sits down with Colby Wartman, Speed Lab Director and owner of Origin Performance in Dickinson, ND. Colby shares his personal journey through addiction and sobriety, the mentorship that shaped his coaching philosophy, and how eccentric loading has become the foundation of his athlete development system. From the TreadMetrics leg press to resisted runs and depth jumps, Colby breaks down the tools and methods behind his results — plus a candid conversation on youth athlete burnout and what college coaches are really looking for today. Timestamps * 0:00 – Intro & Hero/Hardship/Highlight * 3:07 – Colby's background & new facility build * 5:40 – Eccentric loading philosophy & Coach Pete Leno * 11:55 – TreadMetrics eccentric leg press deep dive * 19:47 – Recovery, programming frequency & in-season management * 22:05 – Youth athlete overload & burnout * 29:23 – Sprint mechanics: negative foot speed & ground attack cues * 36:35 – Colby's core training toolkit * 38:27 – Simplifying speed development for coaches * 41:13 – Shifting to a speed-first program * 43:40 – What college coaches actually want from athletes * 44:53 – Where to find Colby & wrap up If you are interested in getting connected with Colby, Darren, and 200+ private facilities in the country - see if your facility is a fit for the Speed Lab Partnership: https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, guest host Darren Hansen sits down with coach and mentor Matt Erdman for a powerful conversation on the art of coaching. Matt Erdman Owns Veritas Athletic Performance and is a Universal Speed Rating Speed Lab Director. They dive deep into building trust with athletes, the power of positive communication, adapting coaching style to the individual, and why relationships—not just programming—drive long-term results. This episode is packed with practical insights for coaches, gym owners, and anyone looking to create a stronger training culture that actually lasts. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & why Matt Erdman stands out as a coach 03:30 – Opening a facility: lessons learned & early mistakes 06:20 – Systems, organization, and why clarity matters 07:20 – Transition into The Power of Positive Selection 11:10 – Coaching delivery, trust, and athlete relationships 14:15 – Universal Speed Rating milestone & impact 15:25 – Individualizing coaching styles (men vs women, personalities) 18:05 – Building culture & uniting rival athletes 21:10 – Being approachable without lowering standards 24:10 – Consistency, clarity, and losing athlete trust 27:20 – Coaching less, saying more with fewer words 29:15 – Meeting athletes where they are mentally & physically 33:10 – Creating "wins" even on bad training days 35:05 – Communicating progress to parents 37:20 – Building resilient athletes beyond speed & strength 39:15 – Final thoughts & closing remarks If you'd like to learn more about how to working with Universal Speed Rating in your facility, schedule a call: https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast

The Speed Lab Podcast - Episode 17 Substitute host Darren Hansen of HansenAthletics sits down with Ryan Paul, owner of New Athlete and veteran performance coach with over two decades of experience training athletes. With more than 12,000 athletes trained since 2001, Ryan shares his evolution from conjugate periodization to an eccentric-focused training philosophy centered on force reduction and deceleration. The conversation dives deep into why athletes often return from college slower despite being stronger, the critical importance of teaching athletes to absorb force before producing it, and how long-duration isometrics (up to 300 seconds) are transforming athlete durability and performance. Ryan also breaks down his unique assessment methods using lunge positions to identify sprinting tendencies and explains why training volume in the weight room should better reflect the demands athletes face on the field. Timestamps * 0:00 - Introduction with Darren Hansen * 0:44 - Ryan Paul's background and 23+ years of athlete development * 2:41 - Evolution from conjugate training and its limitations * 3:54 - Why athletes get hurt decelerating, not accelerating * 5:08 - Common deficiencies: athletes can produce force but can't absorb it * 7:29 - Why college athletes return slower but stronger * 9:39 - Programming ratios: ~80% eccentric/deceleration work * 11:08 - Long-duration isometrics explained (5–300 seconds) * 16:01 - Cueing isometric lunges and assessing sprint type * 20:49 - Using USR technology to validate training observations * 22:29 - Redefining "recovery" and reducing systemic inflammation * 26:21 - Personal results from eccentric training * 27:01 - Favorite movements: Bulgarian split squats and toddler patterns * 29:34 - Crawling, coordination, and cortex development * 31:00 - Daily integration of eccentric training * 31:45 - Results: healthier athletes, better repeatability, reduced injury severity * 33:26 - Advice for coaches: match training volume to game demands * 36:21 - Closing remarks

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, host Les Spellman sits down with Matt Hank to challenge conventional speed training. They dive deep into acceleration and max velocity mechanics, why most coaching cues get lost in translation, and how elite speed is actually developed. The Universal Speed Rating is looking to work with more elite training businesses through our Speed Lab partnership. If you are interested in systemizing your speed training and growing your business, click the link below to schedule a intro call with our team. https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Matt's background & entry into speed training 03:50 – Why respectful disagreement moves the industry forward 05:00 – Building athletes from the ground up 08:50 – USR milestone & why testing matters 09:32 – Horizontal force vs coaching language 14:00 – Organizing acceleration in a weekly plan 19:00 – Key components of an acceleration model 21:00 – Assessing athletes & teaching coaches what to see 25:15 – Principles of max velocity 27:00 – Do sprint drills actually matter? 32:40 – Strength, coordination, and late swing mechanics 36:50 – Forward foot speed explained 38:09 – Why flexion-based drills fall short 42:17 – Why getting better at drills ≠ getting faster 44:18 – What "works" vs what actually improves speed 48:00 – Extension, reflexive movement, and elite sprint models 52:20 – Reactive vs non-reactive athletes 55:00 – Physical qualities vs coaching cues 58:00 – Advice for athletes right now 59:00 – Individual differences in sprinting 01:01:00 – Closing thoughts on open dialogue & growth

In this different type of episode, Les shares the messy, unpolished origin story: from building the first "Speed Lab" in a school closet, to testing elite athletes before the system even existed, to struggling financially while trying to scale something no one had ever built before. He breaks down how analytics, education, business systems, and community became the pillars that carried the company past 200 Speed Labs worldwide. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Speed Lab, schedule a time with our team at the link below. https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast Episode Timestamps 00:00 – 01:02: Why this episode is personal + hitting 200 Speed Labs 01:02 – 03:40: How COVID, fatherhood, and a school basement led to the first Speed Lab 03:40 – 07:15: The first athletes tested & discovering what a "Speed Lab" really was 07:15 – 12:10: Standardizing speed, early testing chaos, and building the MPH database 12:10 – 17:17: Building software, courses, systems — and why community became the backbone 17:17 – 20:35: Burnout, overexposure, money struggles, and NFL players stepping up to invest 20:35 – 24:57: Finding his role, rediscovering the excitement, and blending family + business life 24:57 – 27:28: Lessons learned: Start before you're ready & simplify everything you build

In this episode, Les Spellman sits down with legendary quarterback developer Jordan Palmer for a deep dive into what it really takes to build elite quarterbacks. Jordan has trained some of the NFL's biggest names - Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow - and in this episode, he pulls back the curtain on his evaluation process, the mental and physical traits that separate good from great, and why quarterback development is about movement first, mechanics second. Jordan shares never-before-told stories about Josh Allen's breakthrough during the COVID offseason, what Sam Darnold learned from watching Brock Purdy in San Francisco, and why the quarterback coaching industry is 20 years behind golf. Episode Timestamps 0:00 – Intro: How Jordan would develop Les into a quarterback 3:21 – The mental and emotional filter: What Jordan looks for before anything physical 7:41 – How Jordan assesses learning ability and football IQ 9:39 – Breaking down film evaluation: Anticipation, accuracy, and spatial awareness 13:43 – The Josh Allen question: What changed year over year? 19:41 – Sam Darnold's secret weapon: Resilience and routine 20:00 – Quarterbacks who've been "counted out" and came back (Baker, Geno, Sam) 22:24 – Why Sam's year in San Francisco was more valuable than anyone realizes 26:24 – The LPGA swing coach revelation: "Is everyone doing this wrong?" 29:22 – The philosophy: Quarterback is about movement, not just mechanics 39:57 – Physical development before technique: The missing piece in youth QB training 43:11 – The nutrition gap: Parents invest in training but miss the fundamentals 53:28 – How youth sports schedules have changed—and why delivery systems must adapt 57:38 – Changing the conversation at the kitchen table 58:55 – The lowest hanging fruit for elite performance: Nutrition and sleep 1:02:12 – Where to find Jordan Palmer and QB Summit services

In this episode, Les and Danny are joined by Ken Vick, owner of Velocity Sports Performance, to break down the balance between precision and health in athlete development. They explore how overload, youth specialization, and modern training models impact injury trends across sports. From youth stress fractures to the NBA's rising injury rates, they dive into how coaches can build capacity without breaking athletes down. The Universal Speed Rating is looking for more sports performance businesses to partner with to systemize your speed training and help grow your business. If you are interested in learning more, click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule an introduction call with our team. Episode Timestamps * 00:00–02:00 – Intro and overview * 09:00 – Balance vs. Precision in performance and health * 14:00 – Chronic injuries in youth athletes * 18:00 – Can we "out-train" bad workload strategies? * 20:00 – Injury spikes in NBA, MLB, and youth sports * 22:00 – Early specialization and long-term effects * 26:00 – Training frameworks and proactive approaches * 56:00 – Data-driven decision making for coaches * 1:11:30 – Correcting the NBA injury stat & closing thoughts

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les and Cici dive deep into what it really takes to make an NFL 53-man roster — from the grind of training camp to the politics behind roster cuts. They discuss how performance, personality, and availability often outweigh raw talent, and share firsthand stories from elite athletes like T-Mac and others who've fought their way through the system. The conversation expands into profiling athletes, tendon efficiency, data tracking, and how different physical and mental traits shape player development from high school to the pros. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. Episode Timestamps 00:00 – 05:30 • Opening banter & introduction 05:30 – 10:30 • The brutal reality of making a 53-man NFL roster 10:30 – 15:30 • What rookies face between college and the draft 15:30 – 20:30 • Balancing health, opportunity, and the grind 20:30 – 25:00 • Inside T-Mac's training structure and workload 25:00 – 30:00 • Force profiling, tendon efficiency, and athletic resilience 30:00 – 35:00 • Speed mechanics, reactive strength, and acceleration profiles 35:00 – 40:00 • Eccentric strength, propulsion, and elite-receiver analysis 40:00 – 45:00 • Collaboration between coaches, data, and athlete management 45:00 – 50:00 • Leadership, confidence, and women in sports performance 50:00 – 55:00 • GPS tech, game-speed tracking, and practice data 55:00 – 01:00:00 • Coaching creativity from NFL pros to high school athletes 01:00:00 – 01:04:30 • Work-life balance, family priorities, and future goals

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les Spellman and Kyle Bolton dive into how athletes can unlock new levels of performance by rethinking training loads, recovery, and the role of velocity-based profiling. From balancing intent with execution to how coaches can make training data meaningful for both athletes and parents, this episode is packed with insights that bridge science, coaching, and real-world application. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro Setting the stage for today's focus on athlete development and training insights. * 02:15 – Training Loads & Velocity-Based Profiling Why profiling athletes by velocity matters and how it can impact speed and strength outcomes. * 08:40 – Recovery & Adaptation Discussion on balancing intensity with proper recovery so athletes can actually progress instead of burn out. * 15:05 – Communicating Data to Parents & Athletes Breaking down "coach speak" into simple, practical terms so parents and athletes buy in. * 22:30 – Event & Camp Preparation How AI tools and structured planning can reduce guesswork for coaches organizing camps and clinics. * 29:45 – Closing Thoughts Final takeaways on bridging the gap between science, coaching, and athlete results.

In this solo episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les Spellman breaks down one of the most misunderstood aspects of sprinting: the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) and the critical role of pre-tension. Drawing from research, coaching experience, and case studies, Les explains why faster sprinters actually produce higher braking forces, how tendons act as both shocks and springs, and why athlete development often overlooks eccentric qualities. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro & why this topic matters * 01:15 – Braking forces & the stretch shortening cycle explained * 05:00 – Early coaching mistakes & concentric-only bias * 08:00 – Why concentric strength doesn't separate elite sprinters * 10:15 – Hypothesis: performance = pretension + braking + transition + propulsion * 11:00 – Tendons as shock absorbers & springs * 13:30 – Force plates as a window into SSC * 17:00 – Case study: Jacob Robinson's eccentric RFD breakthrough * 21:00 – Case study: River Cracraft tendon remodeling * 23:30 – Case study: Brandon Jetter improving pretension & ground contact * 28:45 – Pretension mechanics & dribble drills * 31:00 – Practical takeaways from force plate metrics * 35:15 – Training interventions: yielding/overcoming isometrics, reflexive eccentrics, plyos * 38:45 – Programming ideas (slow, high, and fast force days) * 42:00 – Redefining "stiffness" & SSC strategy * 43:20 – Wrap-up, resources, and closing thoughts

Universal Speed Rating is excited to announce the launch of The Speed Lab Podcast with hosts Les Spellman, Danny Foley, and Cici Murray. In this episode, Les and Danny sit down with Stuart McMillan, Co-Founder and CEO of ALTIS, a globally recognized leading authority in sports education, specializing in coaching excellence for speed, power, and strength training, across Track and Field, and Team Sports. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. 00:00:00 Introduction to Guests and Themes 00:01:08 Training Seasons and Athlete Management 00:02:00 Evolving Beliefs in Coaching 00:05:56 Complexity in Coaching Systems 00:13:12 Leadership and Complexity in Systems 00:21:00 Consulting Challenges in Sports 00:34:53 Career Evolutions and Personal Insights 00:51:18 Innovative Training Approaches 01:07:32 Understanding Complexity in Coaching 01:26:03 Book Discussion and Personal Reflections 01:28:05 Upcoming Event Highlights 01:37:21 Conclusion and Future Anticipations