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In this episode of The Adaptable Athlete Podcast, Coach Jav breaks down three mistakes he made while applying ecological dynamics and the constraints-led approach in his coaching.

From prioritizing drills over principles, to progressing athletes from decontextualized work instead of designing representative learning environments, to failing to give athletes ownership in the skill acquisition process, Coach Jav reflects on what changed — and why it matters for modern coaching.

If you’re a coach exploring ecological dynamics, skill acquisition, or looking to move beyond traditional drill-based training, this episode offers a practical and honest look at what applying these concepts actually requires in real-world settings.

This conversation touches on principles vs drills, contextual training design, scaling complexity, athlete feedback, and how to build adaptable performers.

Resources & Links:

• The Modern Coach Planner
• Sport Movement Skill Conference 2026
• More Pod Episodes
• Watch the show on Youtube

Support & Contact
If you enjoyed today’s episode, leave a review and share it with another coach or athlete who’d appreciate it.

You can reach Coach Jav on social media at @thecoachjav
or by email at javier@emergentmvmt.com

Credits: Song- "Starstruck" by Freebeats.io

Let's Chat!
Twitter: @thecoachjav
IG: @thecoachjav

Send us a text

In this episode, coach Jav breaks down the most common mistakes coaches make in agility training—and why many popular drills fail to transfer to sport.

Inspired by a recent Six of the Best contribution with Sportsmith (Emergence Co-founder Shawn, Myszka was also featured), the the episode centers on a core problem: coaches often give athletes the answers instead of setting real problems to solve.

Jav explains why repetition without context limits adaptability, why randomness alone isn’t enough, and how poor information sources—like verbal cues, lights, or inanimate objects—can disconnect training from competition. He closes with three practical shifts coaches can make immediately to design more effective, sport-relevant agility environments.

This episode is for coaches who want to move beyond scripted drills and develop truly adaptable athletes.

Don’t forget: The Modern Coach's Planner is now back in stock!! https://thecoachjav.com/products/modern-coach-planner

Support & Contact

If you enjoyed today’s episode, leave a review and share it with another coach or athlete who’d appreciate it.

You can reach Coach Jav on social media at @thecoachjav
or by email at javier@emergentmvmt.com

Resources & Links

• The podcast on YouTube
• Sportsmith
• The Adaptable Athlete Podcast:
• Emergence

Credits: Song- "Starstruck" by Freebeats.io

Let's Chat!
Twitter: @thecoachjav
IG: @thecoachjav

Send us a text

The Modern Coach's Planner — built for coaches who think differently — Back!

Order yours today at: https://thecoachjav.com/products/modern-coach-planner

In this episode, coach Jav sits down with Rob Gray to explore what comes after the basics of ecological dynamics and the constraints-led approach.

They discuss why “fundamentals first” thinking continues to persist in sport, how constraints can lose their effectiveness over time, and the difference between developing skill and maintaining it at higher levels of performance. Rob also shares practical insights from his work across multiple sports, including how to scale difficulty, design more representative practice environments, and avoid turning data into rigid technique prescriptions.

This conversation is for coaches who are already experimenting with modern approaches and want to go deeper into how athletes actually adapt, learn, and perform.

Don’t forget: The Modern Coach's Planner is now available for pre-order at https://thecoachjav.com/products/modern-coach-planner

Support & Contact

If you enjoyed today’s episode, leave a review and share it with another coach or athlete who’d appreciate it.

You can reach Coach Jav on social media at @thecoachjav
or by email at javier@emergentmvmt.com

Resources & Links

• Rob Gray – The Advanced Ecological Approach
• Rob Gray’s website
• The Adaptable Athlete Podcast:
• Emergence
  
  

Credits: Song- "Starstruck" by Freebeats.io

Let's Chat!
Twitter: @thecoachjav
IG: @thecoachjav