438: Vern Gambetta on Isometrics, “Spectrum-Training” and Rhythm, in Athletic Development

Today’s podcast features sports performance coach, Vern Gambetta, owner of Gambetta Training Systems. Vern is a globally respected leader in sports performance training, with over five decades of experience in coaching and consulting across multiple sports. Gambetta has profoundly influenced the field of athletic development, and his innovative approaches to functional movement, strength training, and sport-specific conditioning have shaped the practices of coaches, trainers, and athletes worldwide. It's interesting to think of the idea of “nothing new under the sun”, in physical training. Vern has been through half a century of training means and methods, using methods both popular and forgotten. So often in our own training and coaching journies, we look back and think “That was a great training series, I should do that again”! In this episode, Vern speaks on complex training (although as he mentions, he just calls it training), getting into spectrum training, and the evolution of his leg circuits. He talks about his history with isometric training, along with PNF concepts that are highly effective, but forgotten by many performance coaches. He also gets into priming and potentiation, rhythmic aspects in training, looking at training transfer through the lens of track and field, and much more in today’s episode. Today’s episode is brought to you by TeamBuildr’s Gym Studio and Athletic Development Games. Use the code “justfly25” for 25% off any Lila Exogen wearable resistance training, including the popular Exogen Calf Sleeves. For this offer, head to: Lilateam.com TeamBuildr is an online software for coaches and trainers. Use the code “JUSTFLY” for a free 30-day trial of the TeamBuildr software. For a Gym Studio 14-day free trial, head to gymstudio.com View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage. Main Points 11:19- Tailored Training for Optimal Athletic Performance 16:04- Track and Field Coaching and Sports Performance Concepts 25:33- Optimal Movement Patterns for Youth Athletes 37:41- Female Athlete Success Through Multilateral Training 39:16- “Spectrum Training” for Optimal Athletic Performance 42:33- Triphasic Muscle Nature of PNF Rehabilitation and PNF Techniques 49:04- Athletic Priming with Varied Lift Combinations 53:53- Enhancing Training Circuits with Added Resistance 58:09- Rhythm-Based Velocity Training for Athletic Performance 1:00:18- Progressive Coaching: From Slow to Explosive Quotes "I don't call it complex training, I call it training." - Vern Gambetta" “I just so thankful for the background in track and field, and also having competed in the decathlon at a very low level to understand how things fit together because as a coach, if I did too much in the weight room, strength training wise, I was going to compromise something else” – Vern Gambetta "The rule of never sacrificing range of motion for resistance." - Vern Gambetta “What I want them to be able to do is be able to make optimum shapes relative to what they have to do in their sport and strengthen the connections and that they're able to make better shapes. And that what that does is that develops a more robust athlete. And a healthy athlete” - Vern Gambetta “I've been doing isometric using isometrics and training since I first started strength training in 1963, and it's never not been part of my programs” - Vern Gambetta “And then there was a guy, Dr. Pat O'Shea at Oregon State, who wrote a lot about it, where basically you'd set your pins in a rack and you say if your max squat was 400 pounds, you'd put 500 pounds. And you drive it up for maybe four or five inches against the top pin, and then you'd hold it for six counts. And I did that. And, man, the lifts went sky high” - Vern Gambetta “I do these, I call them spectrum workouts where you go from isometric to fast eccentric to eccentric, fast eccentric. There's concentric work to regular tempo to total ballistic” - Vern Gambetta "I want to make them dance. Like, I want to make them feel. Feel the connection." - Vern Gambetta "Simplicity yields complexity. I mean, there's a plethora of information available at your fingertips now that wasn't there." - Vern Gambetta About Vern Gambetta Vern Gambetta is a globally respected leader in sports performance training, often referred to as the “Godfather of Functional Training.” With over five decades of experience in coaching and consulting across multiple sports, Gambetta has profoundly influenced the field of athletic development. His innovative approaches to functional movement, strength training, and sport-specific conditioning have shaped the practices of coaches, trainers, and athletes worldwide.