The bench press may be the king of upper body exercises and the ultimate pissing contest, but it's not the best choice for your athletes, and in today's episode of Strength Coach Rants, we'll talk about that!

Fall sports are in full swing and that means coaches all over the US are planning on destroying everything their athletes have built throughout the offseason. In today's episode, I'll cover why our conditioning tests are beyond useless, and what you should be doing instead!

I recently purchased an OVR Velocity in order to measure velocities in the gym and thought I'd share my thoughts on the product. I wasn't paid or given free product to do this review, I just genuinely liked the product!

If you've stumbled upon this video, chances are you're a little bit disappointed. I needed a hook to get you to watch, and I apologize for being facetious. Now that you're here, learn how this year round hockey play is detrimental to your development! All the data we have shows that participation in year round hockey leaves you LESS likely to make it to the highest levels, not more.

They say it's not a matter of "if" you'll get fired in this field, it's a matter of "when." This week, after shutting down The Lyons Den Sports Performance, Coach Connor talks about his time in the field. Dealing with success is easy, what do you do when your world get's turned upside down and you have to deal with failure? We'll talk about that today!

In this episode, we dive into one of the hottest topics in youth sports: how to guide young athletes towards success without falling into the traps of year-round play and early specialization. We break down the risks of burnout, overuse injuries, and stunted development that come with these common mistakes.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the American youth sports industry and expose the business side of what many see as just "kids playing games." From skyrocketing costs of team dues, travel expenses, and private training to the rise of pay-to-play programs, we discuss how this system is designed to benefit businesses more than athletes. We’ll break down the financial burden on families, the pressures on young athletes, and the long-term effects of this model on youth sports participation. Join host Connor Lyons as he rants about the commodification of youth sports and offers insight into how we can prioritize the love of the game over profits.

In this episode of Strength Coach Rants we go over conditioning for in-season training. We’ll discuss the adaptations you’ll need, how long they take to obtain, how long they stick around for, and why you shouldn’t waste your time doing it during your season.

In this episode of Strength Coach Rants, we explore the dark history of Unit 731, the notorious Japanese military unit that conducted inhumane experiments during World War II, including those on children. These horrifying events left an indelible mark on scientific and cultural perceptions of physical development in youth.

In this episode of Strength Coach Rants, we dive into the hotly debated topic of Strength-Speed vs. Speed-Strength. What’s the difference, and why should you care? Whether you’re coaching athletes, programming workouts, or just looking to optimize your own training, understanding these two key concepts can make or break your approach to athletic development.

Join me as I critique the approach taken in Dr. Rena Malik's video on steroid facts and side effects. While it's crucial to understand the risks, I argue that the portrayal of steroid users can sometimes lean towards fear-mongering, potentially skewing public perception and overshadowing responsible usage in medical contexts or sports under proper supervision.

In today's episode of Strength Coach Rants Coach Connor talks about different trends that have worked their way into the sports performance world. From CrossFit to HIT, and Functional Fitness to Westside Guys we'll cover it all. We'll close off with some information about how athletes should really be training.

In this week's episode of Strength Coach Rants we talk about the story of Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis, and a really sketchy drug test that resulted in your mediocre gym gains.

In this follow up episode Coach Connor talks about the situation at San Jose State with the women's volleyball program. 12 women have filed suit against the Mountain West Conference alleging Title IX protections, and infringement of their 1st amendment rights.

On Thursday November 7th, 2024 the NCAA DI Council voted to extend eligibility to hockey players in the CHL. This is a landmark vote that will completely change the landscape of hockey development in North America. Who will benefit, who get's hurt, and what are the outcomes here? We'll go over all of that today on Strength Coach Rants!

When it comes to children specializing in and playing the same sport year-round, who's actually to blame? Today we're going to go over a few studies that give us that very answer!

Kids leave, families break up, and all to continue persuing their dreams of playing hockey at the next level. It doesn't have to be this way. How much AAA/Tier I hockey opportunity is there in Florida? We're constantly told by governing bodies that there just aren't enough players in the state to field more than one organization at the Tier I level. That's total nonsense! Today we go over the numbers, and look towards possible solutions!

This week Coach Connor goes over a presentation that he delivered at the USA Hockey 17U National Development Camp back in June. There's a ton of good information in this one! From workout structure, to why and when we do certain things in the gym, and there's even some information on warming up, cooling down, and recovery strategies for hockey players!

Youth sports generate almost 20 billion dollars a year in the United States, and everyone is trying to get their piece of the action. Youth sports organizations, skills coaches, and sport coaches telling you that you'll get left behind if you don't play all year are looking out for their bottom lines, not your child's success. Will your kid be left behind if you take time off? Absolutely not! We're going to talk about the why today.

In about 2 months the world of athletics is going to change. Joe Biden's new rules and regulations concerning Title IX go into effect on August 1st which afford trans athletes the same protections as women. So this begs the question, should biological men be allowed to compete against biological women? We'll talk about that today on Strength Coach Rants!