Coach ,

In no time coaches all around the country will be gearing up for the start of winter training and eagerly waiting for that first day of track practice. There are so many questions that run through your head before this day comes. 

For many who first attempt organized training, there is a tendency to try to do too much at once. Some coaches try to make sure they are not missing something that will give them an advantage or not let their opponents outwork them. 

Some of these common fears often lead to overtraining, which in turn can lead to decreased performance or even an injury. 

Then you have coaches that only have one assistant. So, how do you create an effective practice schedule to maximize every kid’s talents across 18 events? These are thoughts that enter the minds of coaches before the season kicks off. 

Tony Hollers has faced both sides of these challenges.

Coach Hollers’ Feed the Cats is a revolutionary way of training, coaching, and teaching with an appreciation for specificity, essentialism, performance, and love. It's designed to "avoid burning the steak."

Here’s Coach Hollers explaining the pre-season portion of Feed the Cats.

(click on image for video)

Winter Training

“PROGRAMMING” is a Feed the Cats approach to setting up practices. To keep it simple, Coach Hollers believes in three types of practices that work into the practice plan. 

The first is the “Speed” workout. Coach Hollars approaches this as a microdose in which there will be only 5-6 seconds of work intensely and then rest so another intense rep can follow. He explains it here (click on image for video): 

Preview of the Speed Workout

The second is “X-Factor” workout. This is another workout that Coach approaches with caution. He wants to avoid next-day soreness. He explains the philosophy here (click on image for video): 

Preview of the X-Factor Workout

The third is “Lactate” workout. They are not used in the pre-season. Lactate workouts are workouts that are at the goal pace. These workouts will “mess up” the next day as Coach explains here (click on image for video):

Preview of the Lactate workout

You will notice that Coach Hollers doesn’t include the lactate workouts into the pre-season. As he says, he doesn’t want to “burn the steak.”

Having a well-thought-out and planned approach is what will help you create a successful program that puts the performance and health of the athlete at its core.

The Feed the Cats program does exactly that. Practice planning (for long and short seasons) is taught in simple terms with scientific reasoning. The offseason plan and previews of the type of workouts give you a glimpse into the detail and organization behind the program.

Keep perfecting your craft, 

The CoachesClinic Community of Coaches Helping Coaches

P.S. If you'd like a deep dive into Feed the Cats you can check out Coach Holler's complete bundle Here -->