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On this episode of Plates and Pancakes, Steven Thompson sits down with Ross Garner for a wide-ranging conversation on high school strength and conditioning, coaching realities, and athlete development.

They break down the challenges of modern coaching—from college football turnover and program inconsistency to building buy-in at the high school level. Coach Garner shares practical insights on programming for large groups, why deadlifts often outperform Olympic lifts for high school athletes, and how sprint improvements can quickly change a coach’s mindset.

The discussion dives deep into:
• Strength vs speed profiling for young athletes
• Rep-max and percentage-based programming over rigid systems
• Why strain matters in bench and lower body training
• Conjugate principles for developing twitchy vs strength-based athletes
• Jump training, sprint transfer, and realistic PR tracking

This episode delivers practical, field-tested coaching insight for high school coaches, private trainers, and anyone focused on long-term athlete development.

🎧 Plates and Pancakes
📅 Recorded on 12/31/25

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Recorded 12/30/25

In Part 2, the conversation dives deeper into elastic speed, force production, and long-term athlete development. Steven and Brandon break down how true speed is built through the integration of acceleration mechanics, plyometrics, and strength training — not just weight room numbers.

They discuss how to identify whether an athlete is elastic-dominant or strength-dominant, how to program accordingly, and why broad jumps, resisted sprints, and intent-driven lifting matter more than traditional metrics.

The episode also explores the evolution of sport performance, the dangers of over-coaching, and how developing adaptable, resilient athletes is the future of training.

https://youtube.com/@platesandpancakes4593
https://instagram.com/voodoo4power?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
https://voodoo4ranch.com/

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Voodoo4ranch@gmail.com
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In Part 1 of this in-depth conversation, Steven sits down with Brandon to break down the true foundations of sprint speed. The discussion centers on acceleration mechanics, horizontal force production, and why the broad jump may be one of the most underrated indicators of sprint performance.

Brandon shares his philosophy on training sprinters based on their natural tendencies—whether they’re twitchy, elastic athletes or strength-dominant performers—and explains how resistance training, box squats, sumo deadlifts, and bounding can be used to build explosive power without sacrificing efficiency. Real coaching case studies highlight dramatic improvements in 200-meter times, state championship performances, and how mastering the first three steps can unlock an athlete’s speed ceiling.

This episode is a deep dive into individualized sprint training, balancing technical execution with physical preparation, and understanding how force application and elasticity drive performance.

https://youtube.com/@platesandpancakes4593
https://instagram.com/voodoo4power?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
https://voodoo4ranch.com/

To possibly be a guest or support the show email
Voodoo4ranch@gmail.com
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/voodoo4ranch