​Summary Of Article:

After struggling to progress with self-made workouts, military professional Anthony Rambow turned to Volt for a smarter, more structured approach. With AI-driven programming and performance-focused design, Volt helped Anthony train harder, recover faster, and bounce back stronger than ever after cervical disc replacement surgery.

The Challenge: Hitting a Plateau and Struggling with Durability

As a military professional and former football player, Anthony Rambow already had the discipline and drive to train consistently. He was logging 5 workouts per week, relying on self-made programming to stay in shape. But despite his commitment, he reached a frustrating plateau. His workouts lacked the structure and progression needed to move beyond initial strength gains.

Without outside guidance, Anthony found it challenging to properly build volume and load—key factors for long-term success and growth. Additionally, mobility and durability were persistent issues, with insufficient warm-ups leading to nagging injuries. These limitations took a toll: he was experiencing consistent setbacks and while his training consistency and dedication were solid, his confidence in achieving his goals was lacking.

Why Anthony Chose Volt

Anthony’s introduction to Volt came through his fiancée, who was already training on the app and encouraged him to give it a try. At the time, Anthony knew he needed more than motivation—he needed a smarter system to help him break through his plateau and avoid repeated injuries.

Volt offered exactly that: science-backed programming, powered by Cortex AI, that adjusted based on performance and recovery needs. He had the promise of structured progress without overloading his body, which was essential for someone in such a physically demanding career.

What ultimately convinced him? Volt’s ability to deliver tailorable, tough, and intelligently designed programs that would push him forward without breaking him down.

Favorite Volt Feature

Anthony’s favorite feature is Cortex AI. With Cortex, each workout adapts to his readiness and goals, helping him train with intensity without risking burnout or injury. It’s like having a coach in his pocket, keeping him accountable and constantly moving forward.

The Results

Three years later, Anthony’s training looks dramatically different! He’s upped his frequency to 6 workouts per week, feels incredibly confident in his training trajectory, and, most importantly, he’s experienced fewer injuries and stronger recoveries.

His biggest milestone? Recovering from cervical disc replacement surgery while maintaining a high level of fitness. With Volt’s progressive and protective design, he was able to bounce back without losing momentum, a major feat after such an intense procedure!

In this article Jace will be discussing

Coaches and athletes are redefining “mental toughness” as resilience—not just grit, but also adaptability, recovery, and self-compassion. Resilience is a trainable skill, not just an innate trait. According to Tyler Christiansen (NSCA, Army), resilience develops when athletes proactively practice psychological skills—not just through hard workouts.

Core Resilience Skills:

• Nervous system control (adjusting energy levels)

• Focus and concentration

• Performance imagery

• Self-talk

• Goal setting

Takeaway:
Resilience training prepares athletes not just for sport but for life, helping them manage stress, stay positive, and adapt effectively. It’s a foundation for both better performance and stronger people.

Coaches and athletes have long prized mental toughness—but in today’s world, it’s worth looking at this concept through a slightly different lens: resilience. Where mental toughness can feel rigid and out-dated, resilience captures the flexibility, adaptability, and bounce-back ability required in both sport and life.

Resilience still includes grit and determination. But it also includes recovery, awareness, and self-compassion. It’s not about never breaking—it’s about knowing how to reset.

So while we may be evolving the term, the building blocks remain the same. Mental toughness—or resilience—is a quality that coaches and athletes hold in high regard, even though it’s hard to define. Strength and technical skill are obviously important for athletic development, but an unshakable ability to stay driven and focused under pressure can be the elusive “X” factor that so many coaches want in their athletes.

Before we go further, take a moment to determine your personal definition of mental resilience. How does it relate to sport? Is this a trainable skill?

Some coaches hold the belief that mental resilience is not trainable, and that athletes are either born with it or never had it to begin with. At Volt, I'm lucky to be around a lot of great minds, innovators, and high-level practitioners in the strength and conditioning community. I reached out to Tyler Christiansen, the Tactical Strength and Conditioning  (TSAC) Program Manager at the NSCA and exercise physiologist at the Army Physical Fitness Research Institute, to leverage his experience and knowledge from working with Special Forces populations. I asked him the same question, and he was nice enough to spend some time diving into the topic with me to discuss how coaches could better develop mental resilience in their athletes.

Tyler Christiansen, CSCS,*D, RSCC, FMS, USAW, is a veteran soldier that has worked with tactical athletes in the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community. He also has worked as an Exercise Physiologist at the Army Physical Fitness Research Institute, and with sport athletes at Iowa State University, Illinois State University, and the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball (MLB) organization.

Defining Mental RESILIENCE

In repositioning mental toughness to mental resilience, we’ll still lean on the definition of mental toughness (MT). Coach Christiansen draws on Dr. Mike Asken’s definition in the book “Warrior Mindset”:  

Mental Toughness (MT) is possessing, understanding, and being able to utilize a set of psychological skills that allow the effective and even maximal execution, or adaptation, and persistence of decision-making and physical skills learned in training and by experience. Mental toughness expresses itself every day, as well as in high stress, critical situations.

“The key takeaway from this message is that MT is comprised of SKILLS that can be learned and trained, with some genetic and physical predisposition," says Coach Christiansen. "Some coaches believe MT is a side effect of grueling workouts, or that you are born with it, or that MT evolves over the course of a life because of hard work, and others find it hard to pinpoint what is actually meant when using the term mental toughness.”

Let’s go back to your personal definition of mental resilience and how it relates to sport. Did you define it as an innate quality athletes are born with, or a skill to be developed and practiced? The distinction here should not be overlooked. Challenging workouts or physical tests may not be the best option for helping athletes improve their mental fortitude—because this doesn’t present athletes with an opportunity to practice resilience before being tested. A baseball athlete isn’t likely to improve his swing speed by working only in the weight room, and never practicing in the cage. Why would we expect athletes to develop better mental resilience if we only test it during grueling workouts? In my experience, coaches too often rely on what’s been deemed “puke training” as a method of building resiliency. This is where coaches tend to miss the mark. Remember, mental resilience is a SKILL. It needs to be practiced, honed, and progressed—just like any other athletic skill.

For clarification, I turn again to Coach Christiansen:

“Individuals who think ‘puke training’ is mental toughness training are like those who misunderstand the warrior as an aggressive killing machine rather than a skilled and dedicated servant of his/her country, community, and family. As Richard Machowicz, a retired Navy Seal, writes, ‘Being a warrior is not about the act of fighting. It is about being so prepared to face a challenge and believing so strongly in the cause you are for that you refuse to quit.’ Likewise, retired Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman states, ‘We don’t rise to the occasion; we sink to the level of our training.’ It all starts with practicing and rehearsing the skills needed for mental toughness, so when the athlete is in the crosshairs, relying on these skills will be second-nature.”

While defining mental resilience can be difficult—especially when it comes to our objectives as a coach, athlete or teammate—we can still identify the skills that come into play when developing it in ourselves and athletes. Such skills include:

1. Nervous System Control

The ability to independently control central nervous system excitability and relaxation. Some athletes operate well in an excited state, while others perform better in a more relaxed and loose state of mind. Each athlete has what is called an “O-ZONE” (Optimal Zone of Natural Excellence).  There is a general O-ZONE where you can perform your best, but specific skills/sports/activities may demand a different optimal level and the athlete needs the ability to modulate levels depending on these requirements.

2. Focus and Concentration

Maintaining an ability to give full attention to the task at hand is critical in high-stress situations, like competition. Focus can be developed and improved using a variety of tactics that help to draw an athlete's concentration to intrinsic cues either in technique, motor control, or behavior pattern.

3. Performance Imagery

Giving an athlete the tools to visualize success specific to their task/drill,  position, or sport. Promoting a mental “presence” in the weight room or on the practice field can elevate an athlete’s commitment to the goal at hand. Whether it’s a hard set of 5s in the back squat or a 2-minute drill on the football field, coaches should arm their athletes with the right mental tools for success.

4. Self-Talk

Giving athletes guidance in how to control their inner-voice is a valuable performance tool. Promoting positive internal messages about themselves, their teammates, and their ability to handle problems is critical for mental resilience.  

5. Goal Setting

Teaching athletes how to set goals may sound simple, but the impact on mental resilience cannot be understated. Learning how to develop a system of checkpoints, set short- and long-term objectives, and structure performance as a path to an accomplishable endpoint will help athletes practice resiliency skills.

“These skills need to be developed proactively and not reactively,” says Coach Christiansen. “Currently we see the MT skills typically administered post-crisis, or a few days before the big game/fight. That is not the answer—we need to make the MT skills available throughout the year so they are instinctive and reactive.”

Coach Christiansen, who works with special forces populations to maintain combat-ready fitness, also helps the elite few who are ready for selection to be at their most physically and mentally healthy and resilient. While the populations are vastly different in preparation needs, athletes at the high-school and college level can benefit from utilizing the same mental resilience development. Whether it be in a game-time environment or the pressure of a real world situation, having a developed set of skills that translates to increased mental resilience is a magnificent tool for the young athlete.   

Christiansen: “From a military standpoint, when the soldier goes through a selection program (hard and demanding workouts included) they are not building mental toughness—they are assessing who already possesses the skills. I think people make the assumption that they are training mental toughness, and use the same techniques of a physically demanding workout to implicitly train MT.”

Mental Resilience Beyond Sports

Are these skills present in strength and conditioning? Absolutely! But as coaches, we need to identify those skills and show how they are useful outside of the weight room. This correlation to life outside the weight room is critical as our student-athletes may not make it to the NFL, NBA, or even a college team; however, they will be able to utilize these skills of mental resilience as they go through the ebb and flow of life. The amazing effect of this training at an early age is that we develop resilient people for their families, friends, and workforce.

Mental reseilience is an unquestionable tool for maximizing performance—yet its benefits range beyond just the field of play. Building an athlete’s foundation for thinking positively and responding to stress with effective, goal-minded resilience will not only create a better athlete, but a better functioning human being overall. Mental resiliency skills can be practiced by people of all ages, in all walks of life, and will help to produce stronger and more adaptable  young men and women.

Read more from Dr. Mike Asken at his website, MindSighting.com.

With dozens of strength and conditioning platforms on the market, picking the right one can feel like a workout in itself. Some offer flashy features. Others promise simplicity and ease. But at the end of the day, the best software is the one that fits your goals, your workflow, and your people.

Whether you’re running a facility, training athletes remotely, or coaching a team, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you cut through the noise and choose a solution that actually works—for you and the people you train.

1. Start With Your Objective

Before you even look at a feature list, ask yourself:

• What are you trying to solve?
  Is it about saving time on programming? Creating structure for remote athletes or clients? Elevating your brand? Increasing program compliance?

• Who are you training?
  Youth athletes? General population fitness clients? High-performers? Hybrid clients you see sometimes, but also support virtually?

• What kind of experience do you want to deliver?
  Empowering? Guided? Flexible? Personalized? Professional? Premium? Simple?

👉 When you’re clear on your goals, you can evaluate software based on what matters to you—not just what the company is marketing.

2. Think About the End-User Experience

It’s easy to focus on what makes your life easier as a coach or trainer—but don’t forget: your clients or athletes are the ones logging in every day.

Ask yourself:

• Is the app or delivery method intuitive for them?

• Will they feel guided, or overwhelmed?

• Can they access it on their phone, tablet, or even offline?

• Does it feel like “just another app”—or like part of your coaching?

• Can my clients or athletes communicate with me through the app?

📣 Pro tip: Talk to your athletes or clients during the trial. Ask what they like. Watch how they use it. Their feedback is gold.

3. Customization & Flexibility

No two clients or athletes are the same. Your software should reflect that.

Look for tools that let you:

• Adjust workouts on the fly for injuries, travel, or schedule changes

• Swap movements for different equipment or skill levels

• Build your own programs—or personalize a starting template

The best software won’t box you in. It will help you coach more effectively.

4. Save Time, Don’t Spend It

Here’s the real question: does this software actually save you time?

• Can it automate progressions, rep/weight adjustments, and equipment selection?

• Do you still have to manually calculate things, or copy/paste templates?

• Is it easy to reassign programs or manage multiple athletes or clients at once?

If it’s taking you longer to use than your current setup (even if that setup is a spreadsheet), it’s probably not the right fit.

5. Look at the Data

Great training software should help you become a smarter coach or trainer—not just a busier one.

Check for:

• Clear insights into client or athlete consistency

• Progress tracking that’s easy to interpret

• Red flags you can spot early (like skipped sessions or reports of pain/exhaustion)

Not just lots of data but clear and actionable data

6. Evaluate Support and Company Culture

Even the best software can be frustrating if it comes with poor support.

Ask:

• Will someone walk you through the setup?

• Can you actually talk to a qualified human when you need help?

• Is the platform improving over time, based on coach feedback?

You’re not just choosing a tool. You’re entering a partnership. Choose a team that feels like they’re in it with you.

7. Trial It—With Intention

Most platforms offer a trial. But instead of poking around aimlessly, do this:

• Onboard 2-3 real clients or athletes and 1 additional coach or trainer

• Use it how you’d use it in real life

• Try a workout for yourself to understand the user experience

• Track how your people respond to the interface, guidance, and accountability

After a week or two, you’ll feel whether it fits—or frustrates.

8. Think Long-Term

Finally, consider scalability:

• Will this grow with you as you take on more clients or athletes?

• Can it flex for new training goals/needs?

• Does it align with where you want your coaching or training to go?

Sometimes the right solution isn’t the cheapest or flashiest—it’s the one that helps you show up better, consistently, for your people.

TL;DR

The best training software won’t replace your coaching—it’ll amplify it.

Choose a solution that aligns with your goals, centers your athletes and clients, and saves you time so you can do more of what you love.

Whether you're a strength coach, sport coach, or performance specialist, these takeaways offer powerful guidance for crafting effective, athlete-centered programs.

Meet the Panel

• Mark Fitzgerald, former NHL performance director and owner of Kelowna High Performance, brings years of experience with elite hockey and lacrosse athletes, including overseeing Olympic development programs.

• Zach Dechant, Director of Human Performance at TCU, now exclusively oversees baseball and has authored several respected resources on athletic development.

• Brittany Vandergroff, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Fordham University, works across a range of teams—from baseball to football to water polo—and brings a passionate and practical approach to her athletes.

🎥 WATCH THE FULL RECORDING

Designing Off-Season Programming: Coordination of Speed and Strength

Each coach highlighted how strength and speed training should work together—not against each other—to get the best results.

• Mark Fitzgerald shared how controlling both on- and off-ice programming allows for better management of stress and recovery. For example, Mondays are "Medium Days" to accommodate weekend fatigue, while Tuesdays are higher intensity sprint test days. This strategic undulation boosts performance metrics across the board.

• Brittany Vandergroff prioritizes sprinting year-round, regardless of sport. Her off-season programs always include acceleration and max velocity days outside of the weight room. In the gym, Brittany uses foundational tissue prep phases involving eccentric and isometric loading early in the off-season to bolster resilience against sport-specific demands.

• Zach Dechant stressed the need for adaptable plans. “Write everything in pencil,” he said. No matter how solid your initial plan is, constant re-evaluation is key. He monitors force plate data, jump metrics, and fatigue cues, adjusting programming in real time. He also emphasized the immense cognitive fatigue that skill development can cause—often surpassing strength work—and urged coaches to factor this into weekly planning.

Individualization vs. Simplicity: What's the Balance?

All three coaches agreed that “individualization” gets thrown around a lot—and is often misunderstood or misused.

• Brittany explained that while every athlete wants to feel like a priority, much of what appears individualized can be achieved through clear communication and expectation setting. Explaining how and why exercises support sport-specific goals often resolves confusion or resistance.

• Zach breaks individualization down to three core filters: movement screens, injury history, and structural assessments (e.g., hip/shoulder anatomy). Adjustments are made to big lifts based on these factors, but overall programming principles remain consistent across athletes. Many athletes want an “individualized” program, when they really just need to “stick to a program” consistently for several months to get the results they’re looking for.

• Mark emphasized that elite performance often comes from mastering boring, foundational work—like split squats. The "unicorn" athlete asking for a fancy exercise might benefit more from doing the basics really well.

Speed Development Across Sports and Positions

Speed work isn’t just for skill players.

• Mark applies sprint mechanics training even for ice hockey athletes, who benefit from learning ground force application despite spending most of their time on blades. He views sprinting as an essential ability that enhances athleticism regardless of sport.

• Zach uses GPS data to guide sprint programming for baseball players. Submaximal accelerations and decelerations are more frequent than high-speed runs in games, so he mirrors these in training using tempo runs and ACL-focused decel drills. Pitchers also sprint—not for specificity, but for the neural and structural benefits.

• Brittany emphasized yardage-specific sprint design for football positions. Linemen still hit max velocity through fly sprints with long build-ups, while wide receivers may focus on higher volume sprint work. Communication with sport coaches is crucial to balance yardage during preseason camp and avoid hamstring issues, which Fordham experienced firsthand.

What's Overrated and What’s Undervalued?

To wrap up, I asked each coach to name one overrated and one underrated element of athlete development.

• Mark Fitzgerald: Overrated? Hyper-specialized “unicorn” programming. Undervalued? Boring consistency. “Just show up, sleep well, eat right, and do the work.”

• Brittany Vandergroff: Overrated? Over-customization. Undervalued? Lifestyle habits and mental health. Time management, meal prep, and emotional wellbeing matter more than perfect rep schemes.

• Zach Dechant: Overrated? Jamming high-intensity work on Mondays. Undervalued? Less is more. Reducing one high-intensity day in the week post-COVID improved athlete outcomes and reduced fatigue.

Final Thoughts: The Role of the Coach

Ultimately, effective off-season programming is just as much about knowing when to deviate from the plan as it is about having “the right plan” in the first place.

Great coaches know when to push and when to pull back, with those decisions being informed by a combination of objective data (gps, force plates, readiness surveys, etc) and collaboration with sport coaches, particularly when it comes to the cognitive demands of high-intensity skill work. 

If you want your athletes to really “buy-in” to your program, learn how to communicate your program design to the different types of athletes that you work with. This helps keep athletes engaged, healthy, and progressing over time.

Whether you're operating in a team setting, private facility, or school, the principles of collaboration, adaptability, and consistency are your most powerful tools.

🎥 WATCH THE FULL RECORDING

Since Title IX passed in 1972, female participation in high school sports in America has absolutely skyrocketed. The number of girls playing high schools sports in the U.S. rose from approximately 300k in 1972 to 3.42 million in 2024—that’s over 11 times more girls playing sports today! When you compare data for boys’ participation in sports (a relatively moderate increase from 3.7 to 4.6 million over the same timeline), it’s clear that women’s sports have made some momentous strides.

While boys outnumbered girls in sports 12-to-1 in 1972, today that ratio is only a little over 1-to-1. This is a truly a new era for female sports participation in America.

Based on our experience talking to thousands of coaches across the country, it’s a new era for female participation in strength training as well. Coaches of women’s teams tend to be very enthusiastic about the opportunity to provide their female athletes quality training, because historically their athletes haven’t participated in any kind of structured strength and conditioning program. More girls than ever before are excited to buy into a strength training program—as long as it feels like it’s been designed specifically for them.

Since we were founded in 2011, Volt has provided quality sport-specific training for thousands of teams who have seen success building a good team culture around the weight room, developing strength and power, and preventing avoidable injuries. But besides providing access to training resources previously unavailable for some athletes, what excites me most about Volt is that nearly half of all Volt teams are female.

Today’s athletic directors, coaches, and school administrators have been tasked with the mission of ensuring equality among their athletes, making sure one sport doesn’t get all the budget and guaranteeing that resources are spread evenly across men’s and women’s sports. But if your school isn’t catering to the needs of your female athletes, here are 3 reasons why you might want to rethink how you’re approaching strength and conditioning for this growing demographic.

1. Female Athletes and Injuries

👉 Want to reduce injuries across your team? Start your FREE trial today and see how Volt’s programs are built to prioritize injury prevention from day one.

From a physiological standpoint, men and women respond the same to strength training protocols (we are, after all, the same species!). A back squat will affect a male athlete the same as it will a female athlete—and in that sense, strength training programs for men and women should look very similar.

But there are certain biomechanical differences between the sexes that can necessitate differentiation in training protocols for some sports, the biggest discrepancy being the angle from the hip to the knee.

Women have a greater hip-to-knee angle (Q-angle) than men do, which may contribute to a  higher risk of knee injury. Female athletes in sports that require pivoting and jumping, for example, are 4-6 times more likely to suffer an ACL tear than male athletes. Most of these tears occur in non-contact situations (like decelerating or landing), which makes them relatively preventable with the proper strength and conditioning interventions.

Volt takes these biomechanical differences into account when designing female-specific training programs for sports like basketball, field hockey, and volleyball. We include more targeted ACL injury prevention exercises aimed at improving the strength of the glutes and hips and the stability of the knee in these female-specific plans, in an effort to address injury risks unique to women. 

👉 Curious what this looks like for your women’s team? Start your FREE trial today and explore Volt’s training programs—purposefully built to help female athletes stay strong, healthy, and injury-free.

We believe there is physiological justification for this gender-specific training intervention—but most importantly, we believe that consistent participation in a properly designed strength training program is the best form of injury prevention for female athletes (as it is for all athletes). If you have your women’s sports doing subpar training or bodyweight-only programs, then you might not be equipping your female athletes to effectively get stronger and prevent injuries.

If you currently aren’t offering female-specific training programs to your women’s teams, consider the impact it can have on encouraging athletes to buy into training—and how that in turn can change the entire culture of your weight room. Having specific training can signify to athletes that she (or he!) is valued, and that all athletes are equal.

2. Greater Buy-in to Strength Training

👉 Want to see your female athletes fired up to train? Start your FREE trial today and show your team what’s possible with a program designed just for them.

Despite the increase in number of girls playing sports, the weight room can still carry a negative stigma of being a “boys-only” place to female athletes. When you consider how collegiate strength and conditioning became a paid profession in America, this apprehension of the weight room makes some sense. The first paid S&C coach in the U.S. was a football coach (coincidentally, he is also the Chairman of Volt’s Advisory Board, Hall of Fame Strength Coach Boyd Epley). Football adopted S&C more readily than other sports for this reason, so it’s easy to see why some female teams may view strength training as a predominantly male activity—especially at schools where priority in budget and weight room scheduling may be given to the all-male football team.

Here at @voltathletics, we believe that the weight room is a place for everybody! But when #female athletes buy in and trust the process of training on #Volt, we get even more excited!! 💪🏋️‍♀️🏐🙌

A post shared by Volt Athletics (@voltathletics) on Jun 27, 2017 at 1:02pm PDT

We’ve heard from so many coaches of women’s teams that it can be tough to get their girls to buy into the idea of strength training. While every situation is unique, there are several potential cultural factors that play into this avoidance: a misplaced fear of becoming “bulky,” long-held beliefs about strength training being a “masculine” activity,  and a lack of knowledge/comfort in the weight room can all contribute to women’s reluctance to adopt a strength training program.

But what we’ve heard from those same coaches, who work with their women’s teams to adopt Volt, the athletes quickly realize the value in training—especially when athletes can train on a program designed specifically for females.

If you currently aren’t offering female-specific training programs to your women’s teams, consider the impact it can have on encouraging athletes to buy into training—and how that in turn can change the entire culture of your weight room. Having specific training can signify to athletes that she (or he!) is valued, and that all athletes are equal. 👉 Want to see how this could look for your athletes? Book a quick demo to explore how we can support your female athletes—and male athletes too.

3. A Huge Competitive Advantage

Huge congratulations to @ncaasports Champion @middlax!! This team had a championship mentality on campus, in the weight room, and in the community—and it showed up on the field! Proud to call them #VoltFamily!! #Repost @middathletics ・・・ The Middlebury women's lacrosse team celebrates after winning the 2016 NCAA Division III Championship! The title is the sixth in the program's history! @middwlacrosse @nescacathletics @iwlca @middleburycollege @ncaasports #GoMidd

A post shared by Volt Athletics (@voltathletics) on May 30, 2016 at 1:47pm PDT

Since so many female teams still don’t have access to quality training, it gives teams that DO strength train a huge competitive advantage. Whereas all footballs teams are in the weight room, all women’s lacrosse teams—or cross country, or soccer, and so on—might not be, giving the teams that do utilize the weight room a significant immediate advantage over opponents who may not be training properly. In other words, a strength training program can create even more opportunities for success on the field, court, or pitch for women’s teams.

This is what makes Volt so exciting for female athletes: we are equipping girls across the country to see real and meaningful change in their lives. If you’re ready to bring that same impact to your team, we’d love to help. Start your free trial or book a quick demo.

While a properly implemented strength and conditioning program helps all athletes, male and female, improve the physical qualities that translate to better and safer competition, there seems to be potential for significant culture and performance changes for women’s teams—perhaps more so than men’s teams. And we have a lot of feedback from Volt coaches about how strength training has impacted their female athletes.

The Takeaway

If Volt is the right system for helping you provide quality training to all your athletes (and it’s my hope that it is), great! But regardless of whether you choose Volt, your female athletes need a strength training program that provides more than just bodyweight exercises. Female athletes need training that is proven, creates buy-in, keeps them healthy, and helps them perform at a high level. Give them access to quality training, and there’s no limit to what they can achieve.  
 

First Summer Camp and this girl has killed it! I am so proud of her mental shift this summer. #scarletstrong #scarletladieslift #voltathletics

A post shared by Coach B (@coachbeccaehs) on Jul 24, 2017 at 9:45am PDT

Summary of Article:

Coaches play a critical role in shaping athlete mindsets—and understanding the difference between excellence and perfectionism is key to fostering long-term growth and well-being.

Volt's latest coaching insight piece explores how a focus on excellence—driven by growth, reflection, and intrinsic motivation—can help athletes thrive without compromising their mental health.

In contrast, perfectionism creates pressure, fear of failure, and a cycle of dissatisfaction, often leading to anxiety and burnout despite short-term performance. The article provides actionable strategies for coaches to shift athletes from perfectionist tendencies to a mindset rooted in progress and resilience.

Key Takeaways for Coaches:

• Set process-oriented goals that reward effort over outcome.

• Coach reflection instead of criticism, building a growth-focused training environment.

• Celebrate small wins and prioritize recovery to reinforce sustainable success.

• Help athletes reconnect with their "why" to boost intrinsic motivation and joy in sport.

By embracing excellence over perfectionism, coaches can create a culture that builds confident, adaptable athletes—both on and off the field.

In today’s social media-driven world of curated images and polished messages, it’s easy to fall into the trap of valuing perfectionism over true excellence. On the surface, perfectionism and excellence may look the same. Both require hard work, discipline, and motivation but when you peel back the layers, they couldn’t be more different. 

So how do you ensure you encourage your athletes to pursue excellence over perfection? First, you need to deeply understand the difference.

Coaching Excellence: What it Really Means

Excellence isn’t about being perfect. It’s about helping athletes become better than they were yesterday. It’s a commitment to growth, learning, and consistent effort without sacrificing their mental and emotional well-being. As a coach focused on excellence, you know mistakes are part of the process. This message seeps down to your athletes allowing them to embrace mistakes—not see them as a reflection of their worth.

Excellence is fueled by intrinsic motivation—the drive to improve because it matters to them, not just to meet external expectations.

The Perfectionism Trap in Coaching

Perfectionism, on the other hand, is a trap that creates unrealistic expectations and pressure, ultimately undermining an athlete’s confidence. It’s not about doing their best—it becomes about trying to be flawless. At its core, perfectionism is driven by fear: fear of failure, fear of judgment, and fear of not being good enough. It whispers that an athlete’s worth depends on achieving impossible standards. And here’s what many don’t realize: even when athletes meet those standards, perfectionism moves the goalpost, trapping them in a never-ending cycle of feeling inadequate.

Coaching Excellence vs. Coaching Perfectionism

As a coach, the way you set expectations can shape how athletes view success, failure, and their own growth. Encouraging excellence builds confident, resilient athletes, while pushing perfectionism can lead to fear, hesitation, and burnout.

Excellence > Perfectionism

Progress  > Perfection
Excellence is about continuous improvement. Perfectionism demands flawlessness.

Effort & Learning > Fear of Mistakes
Great coaches celebrate effort and learning. Perfectionism makes athletes afraid to fail.

Intrinsic Motivation > External Validation
Excellence is fueled by personal growth. Perfectionism is driven by fear of judgment.

Confidence & Adaptability > Anxiety & Hesitation
When athletes pursue excellence, they trust the process. Perfectionism creates self-doubt.

Resilience & Long-Term Success > Burnout & Frustration
Excellence builds mental toughness. Perfectionism leads to stress and exhaustion.

By coaching for excellence, you help athletes focus on growth, embrace challenges, and develop a mindset that fuels success both in and out of sports.

Why Does It All Matter?!

Picture this: Two athletes are preparing for the same competition. The first athlete—focused on excellence—trains hard, learns from their mistakes, and prioritizes recovery. They’re in it for the love of the sport, and every practice feels like a step forward.

The second athlete is caught in perfectionism. They fixate on every minor detail, beat themselves up for small errors, and push through exhaustion because anything less than perfect feels like failure. They might win today, but at what cost? Their joy, their mental health, their love for the game?

This isn’t just about sports. Whether it’s in careers, relationships, or personal growth, teaching your athletes to pursue excellence will fuel every aspect of their life.  

Taking Action as a Coach

Transitioning from perfectionism to the pursuit of excellence isn’t just about mindset, it takes action. Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate daily actions of the pursuit of excellence into your coaching:

1. Set Process-Oriented Goals: Instead of focusing solely on outcomes, focus on the steps that your athletes will take to get there. For example, celebrate training session attendance rather than just game-day results.

2. Coach Reflection, Not Criticism: At the end of practice, as your athletes, “What did you learn today?” instead of only sharing areas for improvement. Inviting them to reflect on progress keeps them grounded in growth.

3. Create a Supportive Environment: Surround your athletes with peers and mentors who encourage progress over perfection. Encourage them to share their goals with those who will celebrate their wins and help them navigate challenges.

4. Prioritize Athlete Rest and Recovery: Excellence doesn’t mean grinding 24/7. Schedule breaks, encourage them to get enough sleep, and reframe rest as part of their training for peak performance.

5. Celebrate Small Wins: Progress often comes in tiny steps. Recognize and celebrate every milestone, no matter how small, to keep athletes motivated.

6. Reconnect Athletes to Their Passion: When the journey feels tough, remind athletes why they started. Keeping their purpose front and center can reignite their drive and help them focus on what truly matters.

The Final Shift: Coaching Beyond Perfectionism

If perfectionism has crept into your coaching or into the approach of your athletes, here’s how to shift toward excellence:

1. Redefine Success: Success isn’t about being flawless. It’s about learning, growing, and showing up.

2. Celebrate Progress: Focus the athlete on how far they’ve come, not just how far they have to go.

3. Welcome Mistakes: They’re not failures; they’re feedback.

4. Teach Athletes to Be Kind to Themselves: Encourage athletes to talk to themselves like they’d talk to a friend who’s struggling.

5. Reconnect Them to Their Why: What really matters to the athlete? Let that guide them instead of fear.

The pursuit of excellence is about progress, not perfection. It’s about showing up, making your best effort, and knowing that your self-worth isn’t tied to the end result or any outcomes. Perfectionism might promise greatness, but it delivers exhaustion and self-doubt. Excellence, on the other hand, helps athletes become the best version of themselves without getting lost in the process.

​Summary Of Article:

Kyler Blades, owner of Blades Athletic Performance Academy (BladesAPA), utilized Volt Athletics to streamline his programming process, enabling him to save over an hour per week on workout creation. This efficiency allowed him to focus more on client engagement and business expansion. As a result, athlete training frequency increased from once to three times per week, enhancing consistency and performance. Volt's built-in periodization and customizable programs were instrumental in scaling BladesAPA, now the only youth-focused strength program in Northwest Montana.

The Challenge of Growing a Training Business While Maximizing Time

Before launching Blades Athletic Performance Academy, Kyler Blades worked as a personal trainer within a large medical system. He wanted to branch out on his own, but time was a major constraint—writing custom workouts on paper for every client left little room to grow. Volt became a crucial tool in helping him scale, generate additional revenue, and ultimately fund his first training facility. It provided a solution that allowed him to serve more clients efficiently while maintaining a high level of personalization in his programming.

Why BladesAPA Chose Volt

Volt’s automatic programming and built-in periodization immediately stood out as a game-changer for Kyler. Instead of spending hours designing workouts from scratch, he could start with a structured baseline program and quickly customize it for individual athletes or teams. This freed up time to focus on coaching and expanding his business, making it possible to impact more athletes without sacrificing quality.

Favorite Volt Features

Kyler highlights Volt’s base programs and periodization as the key to scaling his training efficiently. Having a structured system allows him to spend less time thinking through the minuet details of creating a training program from scratch, while still allowing him the flexibility to customize and adjust for each athlete’s needs.

The Results

Since adopting Volt, Kyler has expanded his reach, improved athlete performance, and grown BladesAPA into a thriving facility:

• Time Savings: Saving over an hour per week on programming has allowed Kyler to focus on his clients and growing the business.

• More Consistent Training: Athletes train 3 times per week, up from just 1 session previously, significantly improving consistency.

• Business Growth: Kyler has been able to work with more athletes and focus on expanding BladesAPA, the only youth-focused strength program in Northwest Montana.

Mastering the hang clean is essential for athletes aiming to enhance power and performance. Here are five key tips to improve your technique.

• Load the Hamstrings: Engage your hamstrings and glutes by hinging at the hips, not bending the knees, to maximize posterior chain activation.

• Stay Over the Bar: Maintain your chest over the bar during the lift to ensure a higher pull and better timing for extension.

• Drive Through the Heels: Push through your heels until the bar reaches hip height before transitioning onto your toes, preserving power and bar path efficiency.​

• Use the Lats: Activate your lat muscles to keep the bar close to your body, minimizing excessive elbow bending and maintaining control.​

• Hook Grip: Employ a hook grip—wrapping your index and middle fingers over the thumb—to enhance grip strength and reduce finger fatigue during the lift.​

Implementing these strategies can lead to more effective and safer hang cleans, contributing to overall athletic development.

Hang cleans* can be tricky business for athletes who are just starting a legitimate strength training program. Without a good strength coach on hand, getting the clean technique down can be a daunting task. But the good news is that the learning curve is relatively steep and once you start getting the proper feel for the basics, it won't be long until you're ready for more complex variations and heavier weights. This article is intended to call out five important elements of a good hang clean. Take them to heart and you will be on your way to cleaning up your technique (see what I did there?).  

*At Volt, we emphasize the hang power clean in programming for our athletes, but the same tips can apply for regular hang cleans as well.

1. LOAD THE HAMSTRINGS

To achieve the power output you are looking for out of the clean, you have to make sure you're utilizing the most powerful extensors in the body. How do you do that? Get in a good hang position with the hamstrings and glutes engaged. This results in an efficiently recruited posterior chain and sets you up to produce maximal force.

To get into the hang position, hinge at your hips, pushing your butt back until the hamstrings are good and taut. A common mistake is to bend the knees as if you are sitting down, which just ends up pushing the knees forward. Don't sit down; push your butt back instead. Sitting down pulls recruitment away from the hamstrings and puts the majority of the work load on the quadriceps. That's not what you want.

Need an easy way to tell if your hang position needs work? Check the path of the bar as it descends. As you hinge into the hang position, the bar should drop straight down - unimpeded by your thighs. If you hinge into your hang and your quads push the bar forward, you're not getting enough displacement in the hips traveling backwards. Imagine that you have string tied to the back of your waistband. As that string is pulled, it shifts your hips straight back and the bar descends towards the ground. A good hang position helps ensure the successful execution of the hang clean and enables maximal development of the fast-twitch muscle fibers in the hamstrings and glutes. 

Are you looking for sport-specific training for your team? Learn more here →

2. STAY OVER THE BAR

Many athletes, knowing that the hang clean is supposed to be an explosive movement, rush through the lift in a misguided effort to achieve more power. Not good. Rushing the clean often results in the bar hitting off the thighs at extension rather than staying close to the hips, causing a medley of frustrating problems. If you are coaching an athlete through the clean, remind them to be patient when getting into the hang position. Tell them to focus on keeping their chest over the bar. And for goodness' sake, remind them to breathe. Focusing on keeping the chest over the bar longer allows the bar to travel higher up the thigh and helps the athlete develop better timing for the extension. And while being fast and explosive is core to a good hang clean, staying patient and finding the right timing will make the movement easier to perform, resulting in more power generated in the long run. 

3. DRIVE THROUGH THE HEELS

Again, this issue boils down to patience and timing. Yes, we do want to hit full extension in the hips, knees, and ankles. But we don't want to push onto our toes until the very end of the pull. Just like the concept of keeping the chest over the bar, being patient enough to wait to drive onto the toes will save you from a sloppy bar path and a bad receiving position. While pulling the bar, focus on pushing through the floor directly through the heels until the bar reaches hip-height. Extending onto your toes too early will take decrease the power generated by the hip extension, pushing the bar away from the body, and causing your pull to be weaker and less efficient overall. If you're having a hard time developing a feel for pushing through the heels, I recommend trying out a pair of Olympic lifting shoes or flat, minimal shoe styles. Standard running shoes can be too soft in the sole and impede your ability to feel feedback from the platform, interfering with proper timing and overall stability in the catch. Stiffer soles with less cushion allow you to get every ounce of force out of the pull and help limit the amount of lateral roll in the ankle.

4. USE THE LATS

Properly getting the bar to hip-height can be a big challenge when it comes to perfecting the hang clean. Often times, novice lifters will lose tension in the upper body before, during, or after the final extension. Correcting this can be tricky, but one easy way to feel and build tension is to actively use your lats when pulling the bar. We spend a lot of time in our lives working on releasing tension, but in this particular case, tension is a good thing. Engaging your lats stabilizes the shoulders and upper back, allowing your torso to stay over the bar and the weight to stay closer to your center of gravity. Maintaining tension allows more force to be imparted INTO the bar. If the arms and shoulders get lax, by the time your hips extend you've lost a decent amount of the force needed to pull the bar upward. Engaging the lats also helps to keep the bar tight to your body, avoiding the pitfall of an ugly bar path. You don't want to swing the bar out in front of your body, but instead pull the bar straight up. Engaging the lats and keeping tension in the upper body will help keep the bar path nice and linear. I know it's a relatively advanced cue, but once you figure out the feel you'll find that your hang cleans are going to be crisper and easier to perform. 

Want to optimize your team's training? Learn more here →

5. CATCH WITH AUTHORITY

Yes, the shirt looks great - the hang cleans look better! Awesome job getting your elbows nice and high on the catch. Props for great shoulder mobility! #Repost @ycpstrength ・・・ @voltathletics #representation from #ycpws during today's workout!! #earneverything

A video posted by Volt Athletics (@voltathletics) on Mar 9, 2016 at 4:31pm PST

If all the above tips are in play, the only thing left is to do is receive the bar in the front-rack position. But this is easier said than done. An efficient catch makes it easier to perform subsequent reps (thereby increasing your overall workload) and allows for an easier transition into overhead movements. The key to a better catch (assuming you already have good shoulder/wrist mobility) is to "actively meet the bar" with your shoulders and torso. Hello, bar. I'm Jace. Pleasure to meet you.

Similar to the concept of using your lats to maintain tension during the pull, "actively meeting the bar" simply refers to maintaining strong muscle tension as the bar is traveling upward after extension. Novice athletes can get the tendency to "float" the bar, releasing tension in the upper back and shoulders as the bar travels upwards. What happens next? Well, the bar comes down hard, forcing the wrists and torso to absorb a tremendous amount of force. Meeting the bar with the torso involves pulling the body under the bar and simultaneously driving the elbows forward. The forward elbow position creates a strong shelf and stabilizes the upper back. The more stable the upper back, the less the torso will be pulled forward from the force of the bar, creating more stability on the catch and making the subsequent drive to standing easier. The bar should meet the torso right as the legs are ready to push upwards to return to a standing position. The timing can feel weird at first, but with practice you'll be much more comfortable with the bar in the front-rack position. 

Hopefully these tips will lead you down a better hang clean path than the one you were on before. And this stuff is worth working on! The more efficient you become at weightlifting, the better you'll be at producing force quickly and the more adept you'll be at getting into stable and safe positions. The end result: more power generated.

Feel free to post any questions or comments in the comments section! 

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Summary of Article:

Macy Tarlton, Para Coach for USA Bobsled, leverages Volt Athletics to deliver adaptive, data-driven strength programs tailored to her athletes' unique needs. This approach has enabled athletes to train independently, effectively rehab injuries, and achieve top-tier performances, including top 10 World Cup finishes and a silver medal at the Empire State Winter Games.

Key Outcomes:

• Enhanced Training Consistency: Athletes increased their weekly training sessions from one to three, leading to improved performance and resilience.​

• Injury Prevention: The team experienced over four months without injury, highlighting the effectiveness of personalized programming.​

• Competitive Success: Achieved top 10 placements in World Cups and secured a silver medal at the Empire State Winter Games.​

Volt's features, such as high-quality exercise demo videos, the Exercise Replace function, and Smart Sets™ guided by Cortex® AI, have been instrumental in customizing workouts and ensuring safe, effective strength gains for each athlete.

The Challenge of Individualizing Training for Elite Para Athletes

Para bobsled presents unique physical demands, requiring athletes to develop power and resilience while adapting to varying physical challenges. Therefore, training precision is everything—the wrong weight, rep scheme, or movement can lead to setbacks instead of progress. Before Volt, Macy Tarlton relied on Excel sheets and handwritten workouts, making it difficult to track individual progress, ensure proper technique, and provide real-time guidance. Athletes also had to search YouTube for exercise demos, slowing training and creating inconsistencies in form.

Why USA Bobsled Chose Volt

Volt’s adaptability and structured approach made it the perfect fit for the para bobsled team. With Volt, coaches can swap exercises instantly, adjust programming based on facility limitations, and personalize strength training for each athlete—ensuring they are always progressing, no matter where they train.

Favorite Volt Features

Macy highlights Volt’s adaptive programming and tracking as game-changing for her team. The ability to monitor consistency and provide precise weight recommendations ensures that her athletes aren’t just training—they’re training intelligently.

• Demo Videos: High-quality instructional videos for every exercise, provide the athletes with clear, step-by-step guidance to achieve proper technique without a coach present.
  

• Exercise Replace Feature: Allows coaches to swap exercises daily, ensuring every athlete has a plan that works for their specific abilities and environment.
  

• Smart Sets™: Volt’s Cortex® AI provides athletes with guidance on weight selection, ensuring safe yet effective strength gains.

The Results

With Volt, Macy’s athletes have been able to maximize their strength, improve training consistency, and perform at an elite level:

• Stronger, More Resilient Athletes: The whole team has gone over 4 months without injury.

• Increased Training Frequency: Athletes now train 3 times per week, up from just 1 workout/week!

• Competitive Success: The team has placed top 10 in World Cups and top 2 in the Empire State Winter Games, earning a silver medal.

Summary of Article:

Dr. Joe Eisenmann explores the evolution of athletic testing, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of athleticism. He highlights that athleticism encompasses various physical qualities—such as strength, agility, and endurance—that cannot be captured by a single test. The piece delves into historical and modern methodologies of athlete evaluation, advocating for comprehensive assessment approaches that provide actionable insights for performance optimization.

With the Super Bowl behind us, the focus shifts from game-day performance to evaluating and developing athleticism. The NFL Combine isn’t just a showcase of talent—it sparks discussions on athlete testing, performance metrics, and training methods that can extend beyond sports, influencing general fitness, tactical performance, and other high-demand physical fields.

In this article, Dr. Joe Eisenmann, a veteran sport scientist and strength coach, explored the evolution of athletic testing—its history, methodologies, and the ongoing debate over composite scoring—before diving into how today’s technology can help make testing more insightful and actionable than ever.

While originally centered on athletic performance, the principles of physical assessment, strength development, and performance optimization apply to anyone striving to improve—whether it's athletes, clients pursuing fitness goals, or tactical professionals who rely on strength, agility, and endurance in high-stakes environments. Adaptations may be necessary to align with specific operational or personal goals, but the foundational concepts remain universal across all fields of human performance.

Let’s dive in…

Commonly overheard from coaches and trainers:

“My Kids Need to be More Fit and Athletic”

Response from Dr. Joe Eisenmann:

What does this statement really mean? What is the definition of athletic or fitness or athleticism? Are there similarities between fitness and athleticism? And, how do we measure it beyond the coaches’ eyeball test? And, finally, how do we report it to the athlete so it makes sense to them?

Snippets from Dr. Joe Eisenmann’s original article “What is Athleticism and How is it Tested? Are We Re-inventing the Wheel?”:

A Definition and History of Athleticism

In the field of Kinesiology (including strength & conditioning and coaching) the evaluation of human movement capacity has a long-standing tradition. In fact, over one hundred years ago, Dr. Dudley Sargent of Harvard University published The Physical Test of a Man highlighting the vertical jump. Chances are, you've encountered the Sargent Jump Test.

But, can a single test really represent an individual’s physical capacity? Many will argue no, a single test can not give a complete picture of athleticism! Note: This was even recognized at the time Dr. Sargent’s article was published.

No matter your approach to fitness and athleticism, you’ll likely agree—athleticism isn’t a one-dimensional concept. It can't be captured by a single test, a fact even reflected in the dictionary’s definition—

*Note: The definition says physical qualities — plural: strength, fitness and agility.
**Note: “Fitness” is listed as a quality but fitness also has many factors. We could deduce that they are equating fitness with aerobic fitness or cardio-respiratory endurance.

Since athleticism (or fitness) can’t be measured by a single test, scholars and practitioners have developed test batteries, often combining results into a composite score—much like an IQ score, which quantifies multiple cognitive abilities.

Current Definition of Athleticism

The dimensions of fitness, physical capacity, general motor ability and athleticism considered throughout the past century are in line with the current definition of athleticism within the NSCA Position Statement on Long-Term Athletic Development.

From Husker Power to Nike SPARQ: How Athleticism is Scored Today

We could spend endless time debating the definition and dimensions of athleticism—or is it fitness?—but let’s stay on track. Instead, let’s look at two widely recognized examples that may resonate with modern sport coaches, strength & conditioning professionals, and trainers alike.

Renowned strength and conditioning coach, Boyd Epley, founder of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and Volt strength advisory board chairperson, pioneered efforts not only in strength and conditioning but also athlete testing within the Nebraska Husker Power program. Epley and his colleagues developed the Performance Index, a composite score incorporating the bench press, hang clean, squat, vertical jump, and 40-yard dash to assess athletic performance.

Similarly, the Nike SPARQ rating— standing for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness — has often been referred to as the “SAT” for athletes. This system includes a general performance assessment such as the 40-yard dash, kneeling med ball throw, pro-agility, and vertical jump, along with some sport-specific assessments.

When it comes to the composite score, Fleishman, who also developed the “Fitness Index,” noted “many instructors and students feel the need for a single index to summarize overall performance.” However, “the most useful information is that provided by the separate tests, since this allows the pinpointing of strengths and weaknesses.”

Which brings us to the next key piece—how to visually represent and communicate athlete testing data effectively.

Bringing Athlete Testing to Life with Data Visualization

In today’s world, where eye-catching content dominates, presenting athlete data in plain spreadsheets just doesn’t cut it. A list of bench, squat, and vertical jump numbers may hold value, but it lacks impact. That’s where data visualization (or data viz) comes in—transforming raw numbers into clear, engaging insights through charts and graphics.

Visual representation enhances understanding and retention, making it easier for athletes and coaches to interpret progress and performance trends. While advanced software exists, even simple tools like Excel can bring numbers to life. Many coaches are turning to radar plots (or spider graphs) to display strengths and weaknesses at a glance—an easy and effective way to improve athlete engagement with their data.

Measuring Strength: Volt’s Approach

In Volt, foundational lifts like the bench press, squat, and clean — what we refer to as “Strength Numbers” — can be measured once it is safe to do so. Tracking an athlete's upper, lower, and total body strength enables Volt to safely recommend personalized weight targets for future movements.

But we’re committed to advancing sports performance training even further. Our sports science and data teams sought to expand beyond traditional Strength Numbers, leveraging Smart Sets™, a feature powered by our Cortex® AI. This innovation allows for a dynamic visual representation of an athlete’s progress across multiple strength movement categories, delivering deeper insights into performance.

Athleticism is rarely defined by a single measure—each dimension consists of multiple components. Strength, for example, is movement-specific, so exercises are categorized into Explosive, Upper Body, Lower Body, Core, and Auxiliary. Upper body movements are further divided into pushes and pulls across vertical and horizontal planes, while lower body strength falls into two-leg push, single-leg push, and hip extension movements.

Again, based on our Smart Sets™ feature and the ability to estimate 1-rep maxes for a number of movements, it is possible to produce a progress report within each movement. From this information, coaches and athletes (and Cortex® AI) can evaluate and make adjustments to training.

Beyond the Physical: The Full Scope of Athletic Performance

It is important to look at athletic performance as the sum of four domains: the physical, technical (sport-specific skills), tactical (sport IQ, X’s and O’s), and mental domains.

Although a GPA (similar to a composite athleticism score) might be 3.12, it doesn’t tell the full story—we need to assess performance across all subjects, from math and science to literature, social studies, and physical education.

Ultimately, athlete performance and athleticism are made up of many interconnected factors, each playing a role within its respective domain. To get a true picture, every piece of the puzzle must be considered.

Critical Takeaways for Athletic Testing and Training

When assessing and analyzing athlete performance through physical testing, keep these key considerations in mind:

1. Why are you testing? What is the purpose of testing?

2. What tests are you selecting? Are they reliable and valid? Do they match your objectives?

3. Have you organized the testing protocol?

4. How will you evaluate the test data?

5. How will you present the data to the athlete?

6. Are you also considering the other domains of performance when evaluating the overall athletic performance?

Summary of Article:

Oakland Military Institute used Volt to replace manual Excel-based training with adaptive, science-backed programming. This led to more consistent training (3x/week), fewer injuries, and stronger athlete engagement across all skill levels. Volt’s features like the Training Editor and demo videos helped build a scalable, inclusive fitness community—even during remote learning.

The Challenge of Supporting a Diverse Team and Tracking Individual Progress with Limited Resources

Before Volt, Marc Mares managed athlete training manually using an Excel-based system. While it provided a framework for general workouts, it lacked the ability to track individual progress or adapt to diverse athlete needs. Additionally, Marc faced the challenge of creating numerous scientifically grounded and engaging workouts that could scale across different levels of experience.

Why OMI Chose Volt

Volt’s adaptability and easy-to-follow, science-based programming stood out to Marc, and the Volt Cares program, which aligns with Volt’s mission of making world-class training accessible to all, made it possible for his team. During the pandemic, Volt became essential for maintaining the team’s positive fitness community, enabling athletes to continue training via virtual workouts and Zoom sessions. The exercise videos provided clear demonstrations, ensuring athletes could perform movements correctly and safely, even when training at home.

Favorite Volt Features

Marc highlights the flexibility of Volt’s platform as a critical tool for his program. The ability to quickly modify workouts based on the demands of running workouts, school schedules, or varying athletic levels ensures that every athlete has a tailored and effective plan. The exercise videos have also been invaluable for large group settings and at-home training, reinforcing proper technique.

• Training Editor: The training editor allows Marc and coaches to easily customize and modify workouts to fit the unique needs of their students, ensuring programs remain adaptable and relevant based on changes to schedules or band-width.
  
  

• Demo Videos: High-quality instructional videos for every exercise, provide the OMI students with clear, step-by-step guidance to perform movements correctly, whether in the gym or at home.
  
  

• Coaching Cues: Built-in tips and form reminders embedded within workouts reinforce proper technique and maximize the effectiveness of each session, giving Marc the reassurance that every student is cared for.
  

The Results

Since adopting Volt, the OMI Charter Running Grizzlies have seen measurable improvements in performance, consistency, and community building:

• Extended Injury-Free Periods: Athletes now remain injury-free for an average of 3-4 months, almost doubled from what they experienced prior to Volt.

• Increased Training Frequency: Athletes now average 3 workouts per week, up from 2, leading to greater consistency.

• Improved Athleticism: Marc notes that Volt has helped his athletes develop body awareness and coordination, breaking stereotypes about endurance athletes and fostering lifelong fitness skills.

• Inclusive Community: The team’s winter workout club unites athletes across grades and experience levels, supported by scalable and adaptable Volt programming.

Volt’s “Top 10 Injury Prevention Strategies” outlines essential habits to help athletes train safely and perform at their best.

1. Warm Up Properly – Use dynamic movement to prepare muscles and joints before training.

2. Prioritize Strength Training – Build balanced muscle strength to support joints and prevent injury.

3. Improve Flexibility & Mobility – Maintain range of motion to move efficiently and avoid strain.

4. Use Science-Based Programming – Apply principles like progressive overload to train safely and effectively.

5. Focus on Technique & Equipment – Use proper form and gear to reduce mechanical stress.

6. Incorporate Smart Cross-Training – Mix activities to prevent overuse and maintain well-rounded fitness.

7. Make Time for Recovery – Include rest days and recovery sessions to avoid burnout and allow for repair.

8. Stay Hydrated & Eat Well – Support training and recovery with adequate hydration and nutrition.

9. Listen to Your Body – Recognize early signs of pain or fatigue and adjust training as needed.

10. Be Consistent – Stick to a structured, long-term plan to build resilience and reduce injury risk.

Injury prevention is a cornerstone of physical and athletic success, enabling individuals to perform at their best while minimizing downtime. Whether you’re coaching or training a seasoned athlete, dedicated first responder, or simply someone striving to achieve their fitness goals, incorporating these top 10 strategies into training can help them stay healthy and competitive in their pursuits.

1. Incorporate a Proper Warm-Up
   A thorough dynamic warm-up prepares the muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system for the demands of training or competition. Dynamic stretches, light cardio, and performance-specific movements increase blood flow and reduce the risk of strains and sprains. Avoid any static stretching at the start of exercise or sport play.
   
   

2. Prioritize Strength Training
   Building strength not only enhances performance but also fortifies muscles, tendons, and ligaments, reducing the likelihood of injuries. Focus on balanced development by targeting both major muscle groups and stabilizing muscles. Even if the sport or goal is predominantly upper or lower body, strength training for the entire body is still critical. Everything is connected and works together to maximize performance.

   ➡️Want to maximize your athletes’ or clients’ strength training? Volt’s AI-powered programming ensures balanced development to enhance performance and prevent injuries. Start your FREE trial of the Volt HERE!
   
   

3. Focus on Enhanced Flexibility & Mobility
   What’s the difference? Flexibility focuses on the lengthening of our muscles while mobility emphasizes the functional range of motion of our joints. Both are imperative to maximal strength and power, peak performance and injury prevention.
   
   

4. Adopt Scientific Approaches
   The literature on resistance training has been around for years. Time and time again, progressive overload has been shown to increase strength, power, and performance. Stick to these basics and don’t get caught up in the fitness industry fads and trends; with little to no research supporting their effectiveness. Do your own research but try not to get influenced by professional athletes, trainers or gimmicky, quick fixes. There is no one exercise that works like magic.
   
   

5. Ensure Proper Technique & Gear
   Poor form or technique increases stress on the body and heightens injury risk. Regular coaching and video analysis can help refine movements, ensuring efficiency and safety. Your clients or athletes wearing the right equipment, such as supportive footwear, helmets, or braces, can provide essential protection and prevent common injuries specific to their sport, job, or activity.
   
   

6. Encourage Wise Cross-Training
   Less is sometimes more! Changing up routines can be extremely beneficial. Adding in other sports, activities, or workouts into an individual’s regimen can increase coordination, motor functions and overall athleticism. It can also reduce repetitive strain on specific muscles and joints, helping to prevent overuse injuries. For instance, swimmers might benefit from strength training or cycling while tennis players could benefit from soccer.
   
   

7. Enforce Rest and Recovery
   Rest days should truly be designated as OFF days. That means, no passive cardio or active recovery or cross training. Rest days are essential for tissue repair and overall recovery. Overtraining without adequate rest can lead to chronic injuries, fatigue, and burnout.
   
   

8. Guide Proper Hydration and Nutrition
   Dehydration and poor nutrition can impair muscle function, coordination, and recovery. Guide clients and athletes to consume a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and micronutrients, and stay hydrated before, during, and after exercise.
   
   

9. Teach Individuals to Listen to Their Body
   Pain and discomfort are warning signs. Ignoring these signals can exacerbate minor issues into serious injuries. Individuals should consult a medical professional or physiotherapist at the first sign of persistent pain. The bottom line is reminding your clients and athletes that even with all of your expertise, you don’t know their body like they do. If something feels “off”, it probably is, so it should be addressed immediately.

   ➡️ Volt’s feedback features enable users to log how they feel before and after workouts, creating a feedback loop that helps coaches and trainers adjust programs proactively! Test it out with your FREE trial…
   
   

10. Regular Health Screenings
    Routine assessments by sports medicine professionals can identify potential risk factors, such as muscle imbalances or joint instability, allowing you and your clients or athletes to address issues proactively.

By integrating these strategies into the routines of your clients, athletes, and team, you can build resilience, enhance performance, and extend their careers while achieving their goals. Remember, prevention is always better than cure—stay proactive and protect individuals for the long haul!

About the Author:
Victoria Druehl, MS, CSCS | Victoria is a Strength and Conditioning Consultant at Volt Athletics. A fervent coach and educator, Victoria has devoted her career to youth development and health promotion. Her previous roles include Sport Performance Coach, Head of S&C, and PE Department Chair, at several schools such as Harvard-Westlake School, IMG Academy, and Ransom-Everglades School. Victoria was a member of the Rowing team at UConn, and earned her Masters Degree in Exercise Science at the University of Miami. Follow Victoria on LinkedIn.

The holiday season presents both a challenge and an opportunity for coaches and trainers: how to keep athletes and clients engaged when routines shift and motivation dips.

Victoria Druehl, MS, CSCS, shares five creative, coach-tested strategies to help maintain momentum, foster consistency, and turn the holidays into a powerful springboard for the new year.

Key Engagement Strategies:

• Meet Them Where They Are – Customize plans based on holiday travel, gym access, and individual goals using surveys or informal check-ins.

• Stay Connected – Use regular texts, virtual workouts, or performance challenges to keep accountability high and reinforce progress.

• Collaborate on Goal-Setting – Build buy-in by co-creating realistic, flexible goals that athletes and clients feel ownership over.

• Celebrate Small Wins – Boost morale by recognizing every milestone—whether it’s a PR or simply showing up.

• Foster Community – Create group chats or email threads to encourage connection, share tips, and build camaraderie during a solo-feeling season.

By implementing these strategies, coaches can strengthen relationships, keep consistency high, and set the tone for a strong start to the new year.

The holiday season is here…

Whether you’re looking to bounce back after a challenging year or riding high on recent successes, the holidays are a perfect opportunity to reflect and then focus on what’s next. This season reminds us that a fresh start is just around the corner, making it an ideal time to reset and prepare for the year ahead.

For athletes and clients, the holidays often bring a rare chance to take a break from normal routines and set goals for the new year. With lighter school and work schedules and more opportunities for recovery, it’s a great time to focus on building strength, resilience, and healthy habits that will set the tone for success in the year to come.

Despite these advantages, many coaches and trainers find the holiday season tricky when it comes to keeping their athletes or clients on track. Staying motivated and consistent can be tough when routines are disrupted and temptations abound.

Here are some creative strategies to keep engagement high and make the most of holiday training:

1. Meet Them Where They Are

Take the time to understand your athletes’ or clients’ holiday plans and resources. Will they have access to a gym, or will they be training at home? Are there specific goals they’d like to work on during this time? Use surveys or casual check-ins to learn more and ensure their input shapes their plan.

2. Frequent Check-Ins Foster Accountability

Regular communication can make a big difference. Whether it’s a quick text, a virtual group workout, or a challenge to complete a specific metric, consistent touchpoints remind them you’re invested in their progress. These moments help keep the momentum going even when you’re not physically present.

3. Collaborate to Build Buy-In

When athletes or clients feel like they have a say in their plan, they’re more likely to stick to it. Work together to set realistic goals and design a routine that feels achievable. Flexibility and shared decision-making create a stronger sense of ownership and commitment.

4. Celebrate the Little Things

Take time to recognize progress, no matter how small. Whether it’s hitting a personal best, completing a workout streak, or simply showing up consistently, celebrating these wins can boost morale and keep them motivated. A personal message or shoutout goes a long way.

➡️ Need help building engagement strategies that work all year? Download the FREE Volt Athlete Engagement Guide & Tracker HERE for actionable tips, a year-long plan, and a simple tool to track progress for every individual.

5. Create a Sense of Community

Consider creating a private group or email or text thread where your athletes or clients can share their successes, challenges, and tips. Building a sense of camaraderie can make training feel more fun and less isolating.

By embracing these strategies, you can turn the holiday season into a time of growth and preparation for next year’s successes. Use this unique time to strengthen relationships, inspire consistency, and set the stage for a successful new year. With your guidance, your athletes and clients can hit the ground running when January arrives!

About the Author:
Victoria Druehl, MS, CSCS | Victoria is a Strength and Conditioning Consultant at Volt Athletics. A fervent coach and educator, Victoria has devoted her career to youth development and health promotion. Her previous roles include Sport Performance Coach, Head of S&C, and PE Department Chair, at several schools such as Harvard-Westlake School, IMG Academy, and Ransom-Everglades School. Victoria was a member of the Rowing team at UConn, and earned her Masters Degree in Exercise Science at the University of Miami. Follow Victoria on LinkedIn.

Tactical professionals require adaptable training due to unpredictable schedules, limited equipment, and diverse fitness levels. This article explores how principles from sport performance—like periodization, RPE scaling, and hybrid conditioning—can be applied to support readiness in military, law enforcement, and fire service roles.

Athletes in traditional sports rely on strength and conditioning to boost performance and reduce injury risk. Tactical athletes, like those in the Military, Police, and Fire and Rescue, also need physical fitness—but tailored to unpredictable, high-stakes environments.

Below are key challenges and needs unique to tactical athletes—and actionable ways coaches and leaders can empower them to stay prepared and resilient in the face of these demands.

Overall Recommendation: Identify and prioritize the specific training needs for each of your individual tactical athletes (try using THIS needs analysis as a jumping off point).

Accounting for Unpredictable Environments

Sport athletes have seasonal training schedules, allowing coaches to plan cycles of fitness, peak performance, and recovery. Tactical athletes, however, must be ready at all times and often lack recovery periods.

Recommendations for Coaches:

1. Emphasize Adaptive Training: Create flexible programs that can shift from high-intensity to recovery-focused depending on daily demands.

2. Quick-Impact Workouts: Develop short, effective workouts that don’t impair readiness. For instance, emphasize movement quality over load during high-stress weeks.

3. Use RPE Scaling: Introduce Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) as a way for athletes to self-regulate workout intensity based on their day-to-day condition.

Minimal Equipment and Limited Access to Coaching

Tactical athletes often have limited access to training equipment, especially when deployed, and lack the guidance sport athletes regularly receive from strength coaches.

Recommendations:

1. Portable, Bodyweight Options: Incorporate bodyweight and minimal-equipment workouts that are easy to do in limited spaces (e.g., sandbags, water jugs).

2. Self-Coaching Tools: Provide instructional videos and breakdowns for movements that help athletes self-assess and adjust on the fly.

3. Cultural Buy-In: Design programming with contingency plans, like Plan B workouts, and build awareness on how fitness translates to job effectiveness.

Balancing Multiple Training Needs

Tactical athletes need strength, power, and endurance simultaneously, which requires balancing these often conflicting training qualities to avoid undermining any one area.

Recommendations:

1. Periodized Hybrid Programs: Cycle emphasis on endurance, power, and strength across weeks or months, depending on work demands. For instance, mix shorter endurance sessions with strength-focused circuits.

2. Concurrent Conditioning: Develop cross-functional sessions that incorporate endurance with low-to-moderate strength training to build resilience without risking fatigue.

3. Performance Benchmarks: Set realistic, balanced benchmarks for each fitness quality, recognizing the need for versatility over specialization.

Leveraging Auto-Regulation for Varied Abilities

With tactical teams comprising a range of experience levels, training must be scalable. A captain with years of experience and a new recruit can’t train identically yet must both achieve readiness.

Recommendations:

1. Individualized RPE Monitoring: Integrate RPE and subjective wellness assessments so each athlete can adjust intensity to their recovery needs.

2. Program Scaling: Offer scalable versions of workouts, where athletes choose a level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) or adapt the number of sets/reps to meet personal capabilities.

3. Regular Check-Ins and Adjustments: Schedule brief wellness and performance reviews to reassess and reframe each athlete’s approach based on current readiness and injury prevention needs.

These actionable steps can ensure tactical athletes receive training as targeted and adaptable as the demands of their roles.

Summary of Article:

In a recent panel discussion with Coach360, Dan Giuliani, Volt Co-Founder and CEO, shared insights on leveraging technology to provide personalized training at scale. He emphasized that while physical engagement remains essential, technology can enhance training by adapting to individual needs through AI-driven adjustments. Giuliani highlighted the importance of focusing on meaningful data to avoid overwhelming users, advocating for AI that supports trainers and athletes without creating unnecessary distractions. Volt's approach aims to balance technological innovation with the human elements of coaching, ensuring effective and personalized training experiences.

Founding Volt to Scale Quality Training

To set the stage, Dan shared a bit about Volt's inception. With a background in strength and conditioning across high school, college, and private sectors, he wanted to make high-quality training more accessible. Along with Co-Founder and COO, Trevor Watkins, they envisioned a platform that would enable coaches to reach more athletes and deliver effective, dynamic training experiences. Today, Volt supports various organizations, sports teams, and gyms worldwide, with AI-driven features to adjust training based on each user’s needs and context.

Integrating Technology for Scale and Personalization

Dan reminds us that training will always have an analog element—the individual must actively engage to see results. Unlike digital entertainment, where you can sit back and watch Netflix to get value, training requires real effort. However, we can still use technology to enhance and personalize guidance, making the training experience even more effective. That’s why Volt’s AI optimizes training based on user-specific factors (like equipment access, training history, and personal goals), it doesn’t replace the physical effort that’s inherent to fitness but it maximizes and personalizes the individual’s experience. The technology’s role is to support, not overwhelm, by adjusting workouts in real-time based on feedback, so the user is met with the right intensity and guidance. The ultimate aim is to personalize training while preserving and maximizing the essential physicality of the workout experience.

Striking the Balance: Using Data for Effective Personalization

Dan discussed the risk of “mistaking signal for noise and noise for signal" in using data for personalized training. With the abundance of trackable information, the challenge is deciding which data points truly enhance the user experience without creating unnecessary distraction or stress. For instance, while some users thrive on detailed tracking tools like MyFitnessPal, others—such as college athletes managing multiple pressures—may find intensive tracking overwhelming or counterproductive. That’s why Volt seeks to deliver only the insights that align with a user’s realistic goals and lifestyle.

Dan emphasized the importance of meeting users where they are by designing technology that respects their individual needs and circumstances. Rather than encouraging meticulous or obsessive tracking, Volt focuses on essential metrics and feedback that promote positive, sustainable habits. This human-centered approach allows technologies like Volt to deliver supportive, adaptive guidance, enhancing users' training experiences without overwhelming them with excessive detail.

The Power of Purpose-Built AI

Volt’s AI isn’t built like general AI solutions and chatbots but as a specific tool that enhances the trainer-client experience. When users provide feedback mid-workout, Volt’s AI adapts on the spot, adjusting intensity based on how the user feels that day. This real-time responsiveness reflects the human intuition a coach brings to a session, a crucial quality in ensuring training is both challenging and supportive, regardless of where the user is.

Considering DNA Testing in Training Programs

Though exciting, Dan approached the topic of DNA testing through a practical lens. DNA data may yield benefits in elite-level sports or longevity-focused programs, but it’s not a practical solution at scale. Volt’s mission is to make quality training accessible worldwide, which means focusing on widely impactful, scalable solutions rather than niche, high-cost options like DNA personalization. Dan sees promise in DNA for nutrition, but remains cautiously optimistic about its broader application in fitness.

Advice for Coaches and Trainers: Solving Real Problems and Combating Burnout with Technology

In advising trainers on incorporating technology, Dan emphasized that the tech should solve real, tangible problems that trainers or their employers or clients face. Volt’s technology was designed to alleviate some of the well-known challenges in the industry, including the high burnout rate among coaches, trainers, and fitness professionals. Many who work in this industry, especially contractors, only get paid when they're actively working on the floor, creating a reliance on in-person sessions that limits their earning potential and adds to industry-wide burnout. Tech solutions, like Volt, aim to empower these professionals to scale their impact, helping them reach more clients without necessarily being physically present, therefore helping to avoid burnout.

Dan pointed out that by expanding trainers’ reach, tech can not only enhance the client experience but also enable trainers to increase their income streams beyond traditional one-on-one sessions. This approach, blending in-person, remote, and hybrid models, addresses the demand from members who want guidance but may not be able to afford regular sessions and maximizes potential earnings for trainers and gyms. By offering tools that enable coaches and trainers to provide value even when not physically present, Volt helps create a sustainable career path for fitness professionals. This focus on career longevity and quality of life aligns with Volt’s core mission: to support fitness professionals in providing high-quality, personalized guidance to a broader audience, ultimately benefiting both the trainer and their clients.

Dive Deeper

Dan’s insights paint a comprehensive picture of Volt’s approach to scalable, human-centered technology in fitness. To hear more perspectives from other panelists and explore additional topics, check out the full recording.

Summary of Article:

​In "Supporting Type 1 Diabetics: Insights, Education, and Empathy," Jessica LaChance shares her personal journey with late-onset Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and offers guidance on supporting individuals managing the condition. She emphasizes the importance of distinguishing T1D from Type 2 Diabetes and provides practical advice for recognizing and addressing hypoglycemia, including keeping fast-acting carbohydrates accessible during training sessions

November marks the beginning of Diabetes Awareness Month—a time dedicated to raising awareness, understanding, and support for individuals affected by diabetes. While there are countless visible and invisible illnesses that deserve attention, I’d like to offer insights into Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), a condition that I’ve come to know deeply as someone 2 years into diagnosis. Whether you’re navigating life as a T1D, supporting someone who is, or working with athletes and clients who manage the condition, I hope this post provides valuable understanding and actionable guidance.

My Journey as a Type 1 Diabetic, Retired Dancer, and Lifelong Fitness Enthusiast

I’ve danced my entire life, pursuing a college degree in dance and later working as a professional modern dancer in New York City. Eventually, I transitioned into the fitness industry, working in studios and gyms and always passionate about movement and wellness. Yet, even with my commitment to health, an autoimmune disease was lying just under the surface.

I share this because one of the biggest challenges Type 1 Diabetics face is the frequent confusion with Type 2 Diabetes and the widespread lack of understanding about how different these two conditions really are, despite sharing a name.

On August 22, 2022, routine blood work revealed that my glucose levels were in the 300s, with an A1C over 12. My initial disbelief was palpable: I was fit, active, 34 years old, and supposedly “too old” for what was once known as juvenile diabetes. After advocating for more comprehensive tests, it was confirmed—I had late-onset Type 1 Diabetes. This diagnosis brought both a strange relief (this was inevitable, there was nothing I could have done to stop it) and a profound realization: T1D would be a permanent part of my life, influencing every day, every choice.

Two years, over 2,000 injections, 12,000+ units of insulin, and 78+ continuous glucose monitors later, I’ve gathered insights and experiences that I hope will resonate with others.

⚠️ Important Notes & Disclaimers: ⚠️

• I am still within the "honeymoon phase," meaning my body hasn’t completely stopped producing insulin. This has made my management somewhat less intense and easier than other Type 1 Diabetics.

• Every T1D has unique responses, patterns and challenges. My experience may differ from others, but I hope it offers a perspective worth sharing.

• I am neither a doctor nor a health coach. The information shared here is based on my personal experiences and is intended to offer insight and support. It should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional for any medical concerns or guidance.

How to Support Type 1 Diabetics in Your Community

Supporting and understanding individuals with T1D requires both practical knowledge and emotional sensitivity. Below is some essential information and guidance on how to offer support in various situations. Use this list as a starting point and engage in conversations with the T1Ds in your community to learn how you can best support them and their unique needs proactively.

Low Blood Sugars (Hypoglycemia): What they are and how you can support

What it is: Blood sugars below 70 mg/dL are considered low for Type 1 Diabetics and will often trigger an alarm on their Continuous Glucose Monitor. Unlike others, Type 1 Diabetics don’t just lack the ability to produce insulin but also the hormone that stops glucose levels from dropping too far. That is why it is important to intervene when levels begin to drop below 70. Low glucose levels can be dangerous, leading to confusion, seizures, or even unconsciousness if untreated. Immediate action is often necessary.

What it may feel like: Disorientation, dizziness, shakiness, sweating, confusion, and an alarming sense of loss of control.

How you can help:

• Keep fast-acting carbohydrates (candy, fruit bars, juice) available in your gym, on the field, or during training.

• Stay calm and offer help. The person likely knows what they need but may struggle to articulate it in the moment. 

High Blood Sugars (Hyperglycemia): What they are and how you can support

What it is: Blood sugars above 180 mg/dL are often considered high for Type 1 Diabetics and may trigger alarms on their Continuous Glucose Monitor. High blood sugars can have serious long-term effects and dangerously high levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

What it may feel like: Sluggishness, irritability, brain fog, and extreme thirst. Severe levels may cause nausea, fruity-smelling breath, or abdominal pain.

How you can help:

• Always have plenty of water on the field or in the gym. 

• Gentle movement and the moving of muscles can help lower blood sugars although exercise is often suggested to be avoided if levels are over 250 mg/dL when ketones may be present.

Monitoring and Devices: Giving grace

Recognize that when someone with T1D checks their device—whether a phone or smartwatch—it’s not a distraction but a critical part of their diabetes management. Glucose monitors and insulin pumps are essential lifelines. Extend understanding and patience when they monitor their levels, as this reflects their commitment to being proactive and responsible in managing their condition.

Fun Facts about T1D and Exercise:

• Strength training can raise blood sugar temporarily but improves insulin sensitivity long-term.

• Cardio generally lowers blood sugar.

• Heat often increases blood sugar, which makes hot yoga or outdoor workouts in the summer challenging for some.

The Emotional Toll of T1D: Empathy and Understanding

While the physical challenges of T1D are significant, the emotional and mental impacts are just as profound. Managing T1D requires constant vigilance—decisions made throughout the day aren't just routine but potentially life-altering (and always exhausting).

A Day in the Life: Extra Decisions and the Mental Load

• Every meal requires meticulous calculations and constant awareness for insulin dosing. T1Ds mentally sift through various factors, including the carbohydrate content of their meal, the glycemic index of those carbs, recent workouts, upcoming exercise plans, sleep quality from the previous night, and for women, their current phase in the menstrual cycle—among countless other considerations—all just to decide how to manage a single meal.

• Staying in range while exercising requires the same amount of consideration, planning, and monitoring. 

• Managing unexpected drops or spikes in blood sugar can be stressful and sometimes frightening.

• Continuous alarms from glucose monitors when levels go out of range are persistent reminders of imperfection, leading to frustration and anxiety.

This relentless stream of decisions creates an exhaustion that goes beyond physical fatigue. It’s the mental strain of balancing countless variables, knowing that, despite best efforts, outcomes can still be unpredictable and perfection is out of reach. For many, this is difficult to accept—especially for those who are competitive by nature and driven to excel, like athletes and fitness lovers. Yet, living with T1D teaches resilience, patience, and the art of self-forgiveness, reminding even the most dedicated athletes and weekend warriors that some things simply can’t be controlled.

Support through Empathy

When supporting someone with T1D, remember that they’re managing not just the visible physical aspects but also the invisible emotional weight. Your understanding, patience, and awareness of their experience can make an immense difference.

A Note for All Suffering with Invisible Illnesses and Injuries

While we call extra attention and awareness to Diabetes in November, it’s a good reminder for us all of the understanding and empathy that all invisible conditions deserve—whether they’re chronic illnesses, mental health struggles, or unseen physical injuries. These conditions often require their own set of extra decisions, adjustments, and personal challenges. Those who live with them might seem fine on the surface, but they carry an ongoing mental and emotional load that can be overwhelming.

Your empathy, patience, and support can be a powerful reminder to those managing invisible conditions that they are seen, understood, and valued. Whether someone is managing the fluctuating demands of diabetes, coping with chronic pain, or navigating mental health challenges, the gift of grace and kindness goes a long way in lightening their load!

Additional Resources:

• American Diabetes Association

• Risely Health

Summary of Article:

Volt Senior Account Manager Chelsea Badger is training for her first marathon—and her story is a powerful example of how dedication, adaptability, and community support can fuel progress toward ambitious goals.

Chelsea’s journey began with a simple desire to push her limits, but it quickly evolved into a structured, purpose-driven training regimen that balances strength work, recovery, and running—powered by Volt’s marathon program.

Key Insights from Chelsea’s Training Experience:

• Structured, Flexible Training – Volt’s platform allowed Chelsea to balance a demanding running schedule with 2–3 strength sessions per week, keeping her strong and injury-resistant.

• Recovery as a Priority – Tools like foam rolling, Epsom salt baths, and Firefly recovery devices helped her stay consistent despite injury setbacks and illness.

• Work-Life Balance – Volt’s supportive work culture enabled Chelsea to train effectively while navigating her professional responsibilities.

• Resilience Through Setbacks – From knee pain to mid-training illness, Chelsea adapted her plan, stayed committed, and found motivation in small wins and improving metrics.

What inspired you to run your first marathon? Was this always a goal for you, or did something specific spark your desire to do it?

Chelsea: Learning that only 0.01% of people run marathons fueled my competitive nature—I wanted to be part of that number….

Running was never a priority for me—in fact, I dreaded it as part of my strength program. I didn’t take fitness seriously until my early 20s when I discovered CrossFit, which changed everything. (CrossFit can get a bad rep but the right gym and coaching makes all the difference!) It sparked my love for the sport, community, and, eventually, the competitions. I coached for years until I took a demanding corporate job.  Then balancing work and fitness got tough, so needing something flexible, I turned to running. It started as a way to sweat but soon turned into a passion that I maintained even after coming to work with Volt. After a few 5k races, I craved faster times and longer distances, eventually setting my sights on a marathon. 

How have you structured your training? Can you walk us through a typical training week?

CHELSEA: Volt has been a game changer for my strength training; I can log in, follow my pre-programmed workout, and track everything in one place…

My training schedule prioritizes running, so I typically run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Wednesdays are reserved for speed or progression work, and Saturdays are for long runs. The weekly distance and number of running days vary based on my program—if Wednesday’s session is particularly intense, I’ll rest from running on Thursday.

Strength training is also essential for runners, so I usually strength train 2-3 times a week, typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an occasional session on Monday. For anyone interested, I highly recommend the Marathon training plan in Volt!

Recovery sounds crucial in marathon training. How do you ensure effective recovery?

CHELSEA: Consistent recovery is non-negotiable...foam rolling, stretching, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night are key.

Recovery is essential for any training plan, especially for long-distance running. Logging miles means little if you don’t recover properly, as it limits the benefits of your hard work. Marathon training can feel like a full-time job, but consistent recovery is non-negotiable. For me, foam rolling and stretching (at least 60 seconds per stretch after a run) are musts. I also ice my knees and take Epsom salt baths. Elevating my legs, meditating for mental strength, and getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night are key. If your budget allows, I highly recommend Firefly recovery—it’s been a game changer, helping my legs warm up and recover faster.

Training for a marathon is time-consuming. How do you balance it with work and personal life?

CHELSEA: Training for a marathon is like having a full-time job—it demands dedication because motivation alone won’t always get you through…

Training for a marathon is incredibly time-consuming, but in the best way possible. There have been many days when I wanted to skip a run or struggled through it, but I’ve never regretted completing a workout. No matter how the rest of my day goes, I always feel my best after a run.

One thing I’m especially grateful for is working at Volt. It offers the best work-life balance I’ve ever experienced, allowing me to schedule my training seamlessly. The flexibility of my day-to-day means I can fit in runs when needed, and the support from my teammates makes it even better. They regularly ask about my training and genuinely care about my personal life, not just my work. Being surrounded by people who are also passionate about fitness creates an environment that is both encouraging and motivating. They truly make all the difference.

Learn more about Volt’s Culture and Team!

Have you faced any setbacks or challenges during your training? How did you overcome them?

CHELSEA: Setbacks are inevitable, but learning from them and adapting is key to pushing forward.

OH the setbacks! They have definitely been part of my journey. I’ve dealt with an ongoing injury to my left infrapatellar fat pad, which has been painful throughout training. It’s a result of not dedicating enough time to recovery—lesson learned. Thankfully, while it’s sometimes painful, my orthopedic surgeon confirmed there’s nothing seriously wrong, and I’m cleared to run. We’ll create a recovery plan post-marathon.

There were also bouts of food poisoning and illness. Early in training, I could afford a week off without much impact, but as race day approaches, the pressure is higher. Currently, I’m a week out and not feeling 100%, but with extra sleep and hot baths, I’m managing to push through.

What do you listen to during your training runs?

CHELSEA: Everything from podcasts, to different genres of music, and maybe even a phone call with a family member or friend, it really depends on the programmed run ahead.

• For speed work: It has to be music - pop, hard rock, or some EDM (mostly EDM if I’m being honest).

• For progression runs: I’ve really been liking some more upbeat tunes, lately it’s been a lot of Billy Joel (give me Uptown Girl and some sunshine and it’s a great run!).

• For slower-paced long runs: I enjoy good podcasts, from Crime Junkie or Something Was Wrong, to Andrew Huberman or Joe Rogan.

What has surprised you the most during your training?

CHELSEA: the importance of Caring for your feet!

There have been quite a few surprises, but the biggest one for me is the amount of foot care needed during marathon training. No matter how good your shoes are, the constant pounding takes its toll. My key advice? Keep your toenails trimmed (but not too short), invest in band-aids, and make rolling out your feet a habit. And yes, I’m definitely looking forward to a pedicure when it’s all over!

Q: Have you found any valuable training tips or hacks?

CHELSEA: Simple but effective: breathe in and out through the nose to maintain a steady heart rate, instead of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.

This great piece of advice came from a teammate at Volt and made a big difference in my training. My program includes a lot of 'Easy Runs' or Zone 2 runs, where the goal is to keep my heart rate steady at a lower pace. Initially, I struggled to maintain a jog without needing to switch to a speed walk. 

Applying this technique during my easy runs made a significant impact. After just two runs, I was able to hold a jog for 20 minutes out of a 25-minute run. It’s amazing how the body adapts, and this method has stuck with me ever since!

What accomplishments or breakthroughs have you experienced during this training?

CHELSEA: Progress isn’t always linear, but breakthroughs come when you push through the tough moments.

In the last few weeks of training, I hit a wall—feeling unmotivated, sore, and tired. However, as my long runs extended and speed work intensified, I started to see progress. Pushing faster paces over longer distances challenged me, and my stats began to improve. My Garmin watch, which tracks metrics like endurance and VO2 max, showed a steady climb, reigniting my excitement for the marathon. This breakthrough helped me appreciate the work I’ve put in and reminded me why it’s all worth it.

How are you feeling leading up to race day, both physically and mentally?

CHELSEA: Excitement and nerves are natural before race day, but embracing the journey is what counts…

Physically and mentally, I feel great! I’m certainly nervous, as this is uncharted territory for me, but with the nerves also comes excitement. I’m incredibly excited and honored to be able to run with other runners who have been training hard for this, be a part of that community, and get to share it with family and friends who are selflessly coming out to support. I’m sure I’ll have some mental struggles along the course, but I’m very excited to use all I have to cross that finish line!

What is your main focus for your training over the final stretch?

CHELSEA: Now that I’m on a taper (Hallelujah!), I'm focusing primarily on recovery and practicing what it will feel like on race day.

Planning the outfit is key, as you don’t want to introduce any new clothing on race day - use what you’ve been using and what you know works. Same goes for any fuel, so I’ll be purchasing what’s available on the course to make sure it works for me on race day. Other than that, making sure I don’t skip any training days, and driving out to the course to get a better feel for it.

What are your post-marathon recovery or celebration plans?

CHELSEA: A BIG meal!

Some of my family and friends are coming out to support, so it’ll be great spending time with them at a lunch where I can have all the carbs! And then it’s more recovery and downtime, and a follow-up visit to my ortho doc to see just how long I need to take a break from running to heal my knee. Fingers are tightly crossed that it won’t be too long before I can sign up for another.

What advice would you give to someone considering running their first marathon?

CHELSEA: JUST DO IT!

Your body will adapt as long as you’re committed and put in the work. You’ll need to prioritize training, say no to some social plans, and focus on nutrition and recovery, but it’s worth it. Find a training plan that suits you and a running club for accountability on those tough days.

Chelsea’s journey to her first marathon is a testament to the power of dedication, resilience, and community. At Volt, we’re proud to support her and look forward to cheering her on as she crosses that finish line. Stay tuned to find out what else Chelsea learns along the way and when she’ll be going for Marathon #2…

Summary of Article:

Elite Training Systems (ETS), a premier performance facility in Durham, turned to Volt to solve challenges around client compliance, manual tracking, and scalable programming—especially for remote athletes across multiple sports.

Before Volt, ETS struggled with limited visibility and inefficient tools, which made it hard to hold clients accountable or make timely program adjustments. After adopting Volt, the coaching team saw immediate improvements in training consistency, retention, and workflow.

Key Results and Favorite Features:

• Improved Accountability – With Volt’s tracking and reporting tools, remote clients became more consistent, boosting average workouts from 2 to 3 per week.

• Smart Sets™ and Program Editor – These features empowered ETS coaches to easily customize workouts for different clients and equipment setups—without reprogramming from scratch.

• User-Friendly App Experience – Athletes enjoy Volt’s intuitive design and demo videos, leading to better exercise execution and engagement.

• Increased Efficiency – The team now saves over an hour per week on programming, freeing up time for direct coaching and business growth.

Thanks to Volt, ETS has scaled its operations, retained more clients, and solidified its leadership in high-performance training for hockey, soccer, lacrosse, and beyond.

The Challenge of Streamlined Program Tracking and Compliance

Before using Volt, Elite Training Systems (ETS) managed its training programs with Kinduct, but challenges with client compliance and manual tracking limited efficiency and accountability. With a diverse client base across multiple sports, ETS needed a streamlined, accessible solution that could maintain high standards of accountability and adjust to remote clients’ needs.

Why ETS Chose Volt

ETS turned to Volt for its user-friendly interface and powerful tracking features. Jeff Watson and Sean Harrison, Co-Owners and Directors of Performance, appreciated how Volt made program management seamless. Volt's accessibility and Smart Sets™ feature enabled ETS to quickly adjust workouts, particularly when equipment was limited, and enhanced accountability—especially for remote clients who now consistently followed their training.

Favorite Volt Features

• Smart Sets: Sean values Smart Sets for the ability to create flexible, adaptable programs without extensive reprogramming.
  

• Program Editor: Jeff finds the quick adjustments that his coaches can make with the Program Editor particularly beneficial when equipment varies, ensuring every workout remains effective.
  

• Training App Interface: Athletes find the app easy to navigate, and the high-quality videos ensure they perform exercises safely and effectively keeping them engaged.
  

• Reporting Features: Clients, especially those working out remotely, now have higher accountability with Volt’s tracking, allowing coaches to monitor adherence and adapt as needed.
  
  

The Results

Since implementing Volt, ETS has seen tangible improvements in both client retention and growth:

• Increased Client Retention: The ability to track compliance and adapt programming has led to stronger client commitment and retention.

• Continued Growth: ETS has attracted more clientele and now leads high-performance training across multiple sports in the Durham area.

• Increased Workout Frequency: Athletes now average 3 workouts per week, up from 2, leading to better overall consistency.

• Enhanced Training Consistency: With Volt’s easy-to-navigate platform and high-quality videos, client training adherence has improved, helping ETS maintain its reputation as a high-performance training leader.

• Time Savings for Coaches: Volt’s intuitive programming features save the ETS team over an hour each week, freeing up more time for hands-on coaching and client engagement.

Summary of Article:

At Charlotte Country Day School, supporting multi-sport student-athletes required a training solution that could seamlessly adapt to changing schedules, recovery needs, and sport-specific demands—without compromising quality or safety.

Director of Sports Performance Stefan Montanez turned to Volt for its AI-powered adaptability, enabling smooth transitions between sports while maintaining training consistency and accountability. Volt’s Cortex® engine and video-based coaching tools provided the flexibility and structure needed to support athletes throughout the school year.

Key Results and Favorite Features:

• Adaptive Programming with Cortex® – Real-time, in-session adjustments help tailor training intensity and exercise selection based on athlete readiness and feedback, especially useful during sport transitions or injury recovery.

• High-Quality Exercise Videos – HD demos reinforce proper technique, ensuring safe execution even without direct supervision.

• Boosted Engagement & Accountability – Utilization of Volt’s pre- and post-session surveys increased athlete buy-in and deepened coach-athlete communication.

• Improved Injury Prevention – Injury-free training periods have extended to an average of 2–3 months, up from 1–2 months.

• Increased Workout Frequency – Athletes now train an average of 2x/week, doubling prior engagement levels.

The Challenge of Supporting Multi-Sport Athletes with Consistent, Adaptable Training

At Charlotte Country Day School, where many student-athletes participate in multiple sports, Stefan Montanez faced the challenge of efficiently transitioning athletes between different sport-specific training programs without compromising training quality or safety. Previously using TeamBuildr, he needed a solution that would offer adaptive programming, consistent support, high-quality exercise videos and streamline program management across various sports.

Why Charlotte Day School Chose Volt

Stefan turned to Volt for its robust AI-powered features which provide real-time, in-session adjustments to workout intensity based on athlete feedback. The adaptability of Cortex®, combined with Volt’s extensive exercise video library for athletes and coach tools for visualizing annual training plans, made Volt an ideal choice. Volt's AI also allows athletes to safely adjust exercises within their capabilities, while ensuring consistency in form and technique through the high-quality instructional videos.

Favorite Volt Features

Cortex®: Stefan values Cortex® for its ability to personalize training on the spot, making Volt’s platform especially useful for athletes who may be recovering from injury or transitioning to a new sport. This AI capability helps maintain training integrity while adapting to each athlete's unique progress.

High-Def Videos: The high-definition exercise videos are also indispensable for teaching correct form, further enhancing safety and accountability.

The Results

Since implementing Volt, Charlotte Country Day School has seen significant improvements in consistency, injury prevention, and engagement:

• Extended Injury-Free Periods: Thanks to Volt’s adaptability and support, athletes now have injury-free periods averaging 2-3 months, up from 1-2 months.

• Increased Workout Frequency: With the intuitive guidance of Cortex® athletes have increased their workout frequency from once a week to twice, leading to greater consistency and progress.

• Higher Engagement and Accountability: The pre-session questionnaires and feedback systems encouraged through Volt have increased accountability across teams, enhancing coach-athlete connection.