In this episode, Les Spellman sits down with Scott Salwasser, Head NFL Combine Coach at EXOS, to break down what goes into preparing elite athletes for the NFL Combine. From managing 50+ athletes at once, to profiling speed safely, to using force plates, and the 1080 Sprint to drive real performance. Scott walks through EXOS's intake process, how data impacts programming and how low-volume, high-intensity speed work wins in the long run.  The Universal Speed Rating is seeking to partner with more elite training businesses nationwide through our Speed Lab initiative. If you are interested in systemizing your speed training and growing your business, click the link below to schedule a call with our team.  https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast Episode Timestamps 00:00 – 02:30: Reconnecting, Sparta roots, and why the old-school stuff still matters 02:30 – 05:30: Scott's path to EXOS and stepping into a leadership role 05:30 – 08:30: How EXOS manages 50+ combine athletes without chaos 08:30 – 12:15: Weekly speed structure: acceleration, max velocity, resisted sprinting 12:15 – 16:45: Intake process: PT evals, force plates, LVP testing, and profiling safely 16:45 – 20:30: How data actually changes training (and when it should) 20:30 – 24:30: Force plate insights, asymmetries, RSI, and individualizing plyos 24:30 – 28:30: Strength profiling, OPR, and why some athletes need to train fast — and others heavy 28:30 – 31:00: Kaiser squats, barbell work, and combine-specific realities 31:00 – End: 225 bench pacing, combine lessons learned, and coaching takeaways

In this different type of episode, Les shares the messy, unpolished origin story: from building the first "Speed Lab" in a school closet, to testing elite athletes before the system even existed, to struggling financially while trying to scale something no one had ever built before. He breaks down how analytics, education, business systems, and community became the pillars that carried the company past 200 Speed Labs worldwide. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a Speed Lab, schedule a time with our team at the link below.  https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast Episode Timestamps 00:00 – 01:02: Why this episode is personal + hitting 200 Speed Labs 01:02 – 03:40: How COVID, fatherhood, and a school basement led to the first Speed Lab 03:40 – 07:15: The first athletes tested & discovering what a "Speed Lab" really was 07:15 – 12:10: Standardizing speed, early testing chaos, and building the MPH database 12:10 – 17:17: Building software, courses, systems — and why community became the backbone 17:17 – 20:35: Burnout, overexposure, money struggles, and NFL players stepping up to invest 20:35 – 24:57: Finding his role, rediscovering the excitement, and blending family + business life 24:57 – 27:28: Lessons learned: Start before you're ready & simplify everything you build

In this episode, Les Spellman sits down with Kyle Bolton, Oregon Football Director of Speed & Performance, to break down how a top program actually builds, measures, and keeps speed all year long. They get into Oregon's offseason blueprint, GPS and testing, how they balance Big Ten size with real game speed, and what NIL + the transfer portal mean for today's strength/speed coaches. Kyle also shares what separates college speed work from combine prep and what athletes should be doing now if they want a shot at the league later. The Universal Speed Rating is looking to partner with more elite training businesses around the country with their Speed Lab partnership. If you are interested in systemizing your speed training and growing your business, click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a call with our team.  Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro & Kyle's path to Oregon * 02:30 – Building Oregon's offseason speed plan * 07:15 – Testing, GPS, and making data actually useful * 12:00 – Getting bigger for the Big Ten without losing speed * 21:30 – In-season speed, "go" drills, and game-speed standards * 35:15 – Fastest dudes on the team & what they're hitting * 42:25 – NIL, coaching future, and where the job is headed * 55:25 – Combine prep vs college speed & advice to athletes

In this episode, Les Spellman sits down with legendary quarterback developer Jordan Palmer for a deep dive into what it really takes to build elite quarterbacks. Jordan has trained some of the NFL's biggest names - Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Joe Burrow - and in this episode, he pulls back the curtain on his evaluation process, the mental and physical traits that separate good from great, and why quarterback development is about movement first, mechanics second. Jordan shares never-before-told stories about Josh Allen's breakthrough during the COVID offseason, what Sam Darnold learned from watching Brock Purdy in San Francisco, and why the quarterback coaching industry is 20 years behind golf.  Episode Timestamps 0:00 – Intro: How Jordan would develop Les into a quarterback 3:21 – The mental and emotional filter: What Jordan looks for before anything physical 7:41 – How Jordan assesses learning ability and football IQ 9:39 – Breaking down film evaluation: Anticipation, accuracy, and spatial awareness 13:43 – The Josh Allen question: What changed year over year? 19:41 – Sam Darnold's secret weapon: Resilience and routine 20:00 – Quarterbacks who've been "counted out" and came back (Baker, Geno, Sam) 22:24 – Why Sam's year in San Francisco was more valuable than anyone realizes 26:24 – The LPGA swing coach revelation: "Is everyone doing this wrong?" 29:22 – The philosophy: Quarterback is about movement, not just mechanics 39:57 – Physical development before technique: The missing piece in youth QB training 43:11 – The nutrition gap: Parents invest in training but miss the fundamentals 53:28 – How youth sports schedules have changed—and why delivery systems must adapt 57:38 – Changing the conversation at the kitchen table 58:55 – The lowest hanging fruit for elite performance: Nutrition and sleep 1:02:12 – Where to find Jordan Palmer and QB Summit services

In this episode, Les and Danny sit down with Brian Buck to dive deep into force plate profiling, injury risk patterns, amortization mechanics, and how elite athletes can monitor and improve movement efficiency across the stretch-shortening cycle. Brian breaks down practical training application, in-season vs off-season decision-making, and how technology, bloodwork, movement data, and performance therapy all fit together to support long-term athlete durability. The Universal Speed Rating is looking to partner with more elite training businesses around the country. If you are interested in systemizing your speed training and growing your business, click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a call with our team. 

In this episode, Les and Danny are joined by Ken Vick, owner of Velocity Sports Performance, to break down the balance between precision and health in athlete development. They explore how overload, youth specialization, and modern training models impact injury trends across sports. From youth stress fractures to the NBA's rising injury rates, they dive into how coaches can build capacity without breaking athletes down. The Universal Speed Rating is looking for more sports performance businesses to partner with to systemize your speed training and help grow your business. If you are interested in learning more, click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule an introduction call with our team.  Episode Timestamps * 00:00–02:00 – Intro and overview * 09:00 – Balance vs. Precision in performance and health * 14:00 – Chronic injuries in youth athletes * 18:00 – Can we "out-train" bad workload strategies? * 20:00 – Injury spikes in NBA, MLB, and youth sports * 22:00 – Early specialization and long-term effects * 26:00 – Training frameworks and proactive approaches * 56:00 – Data-driven decision making for coaches * 1:11:30 – Correcting the NBA injury stat & closing thoughts

Hunter Eisenhower, Associate Head Coach, Sports Performance, for Arizona State men's basketball, breaks down his "Force System" training methodology and introduces his Archetype Quadrants.  See how Hunter challenges traditional strength training by focusing on four pillars: High Force (deceleration), Fast Force (speed/elasticity), Slow Force (tendon health), and Human Force (fundamental movement). Learn practical strategies for profiling athletes and designing programs that optimize performance—with or without force plates. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast]to schedule a short call with our team. Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction & Hunter's background 01:06 - Creating the Four System 02:15 - Fast Force: Speed & elasticity 02:42 - Slow Force: Tissue health & injury prevention 03:14 - Human Force: Fundamental movement patterns 03:38 - Archetype Quadrants explained 05:24 - Four System exercise examples 1:10:20 - Case study: Patellar tendinopathy 1:12:33 - Building normative data 1:13:21 - Simplifying force plate metrics 1:13:59 - The simplicity principle in coaching 1:15:14 - Practitioners adopting the system 1:16:40 - Closing thoughts & future episodes

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les and Cici dive deep into what it really takes to make an NFL 53-man roster — from the grind of training camp to the politics behind roster cuts. They discuss how performance, personality, and availability often outweigh raw talent, and share firsthand stories from elite athletes like T-Mac and others who've fought their way through the system. The conversation expands into profiling athletes, tendon efficiency, data tracking, and how different physical and mental traits shape player development from high school to the pros.  Episode Timestamps 00:00 – 05:30 • Opening banter & introduction 05:30 – 10:30 • The brutal reality of making a 53-man NFL roster 10:30 – 15:30 • What rookies face between college and the draft 15:30 – 20:30 • Balancing health, opportunity, and the grind 20:30 – 25:00 • Inside T-Mac's training structure and workload 25:00 – 30:00 • Force profiling, tendon efficiency, and athletic resilience 30:00 – 35:00 • Speed mechanics, reactive strength, and acceleration profiles 35:00 – 40:00 • Eccentric strength, propulsion, and elite-receiver analysis 40:00 – 45:00 • Collaboration between coaches, data, and athlete management 45:00 – 50:00 • Leadership, confidence, and women in sports performance 50:00 – 55:00 • GPS tech, game-speed tracking, and practice data 55:00 – 01:00:00 • Coaching creativity from NFL pros to high school athletes 01:00:00 – 01:04:30 • Work-life balance, family priorities, and future goals

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les and Danny dive into the rising problem of youth sports injuries, the balance between health and performance, and why early specialization is hurting athletes more than helping them. They break down how the NFL Combine creates short-term athletes instead of long-term pros, the responsibility shared by coaches, parents, and agents, and why true longevity comes from smarter planning, recovery, and communication.  Timestamps * 00:00 – 02:22 – Opening banter and setting the stage * 02:22 – 06:12 – Rise in youth injuries since 2000; early specialization issues * 06:12 – 10:10 – Balancing performance vs. health; smarter stress management * 12:01 – 13:32 – S&C's growth and risks of over-relying on data * 15:31 – 17:18 – NFL Combine critique; Dr. Marcus Elliott insights * 23:03 – 25:56 – Longevity and dynamic athlete profiles * 35:37 – 41:27 – ACLs, UCLs, and stress fractures in youth sports * 46:52 – 49:52 – Advice for parents: breaks, oversight, and avoiding early specialization * 53:26 – 57:44 – NFL rookies' transition struggles and workload spikes * 60:15 – 63:16 – Coaching accountability and communication * 67:02 – 70:42 – NFL as a starting point, not the end; athlete ownership * 73:28 – 76:03 – Evolution of strength coaches and embracing variability * 76:21 – End – "Strong enough is strong enough"; closing thoughts

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les Spellman and Kyle Bolton dive into how athletes can unlock new levels of performance by rethinking training loads, recovery, and the role of velocity-based profiling. From balancing intent with execution to how coaches can make training data meaningful for both athletes and parents, this episode is packed with insights that bridge science, coaching, and real-world application. Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro Setting the stage for today's focus on athlete development and training insights. * 02:15 – Training Loads & Velocity-Based Profiling Why profiling athletes by velocity matters and how it can impact speed and strength outcomes. * 08:40 – Recovery & Adaptation Discussion on balancing intensity with proper recovery so athletes can actually progress instead of burn out. * 15:05 – Communicating Data to Parents & Athletes Breaking down "coach speak" into simple, practical terms so parents and athletes buy in. * 22:30 – Event & Camp Preparation How AI tools and structured planning can reduce guesswork for coaches organizing camps and clinics. * 29:45 – Closing Thoughts Final takeaways on bridging the gap between science, coaching, and athlete results. Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a short call with our team. 

In this episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les and Danny dive deep into the lessons from the NFL Combine, athlete rehab, and the balance between art and science in coaching. They share behind-the-scenes insights on calf strain rehab, the role of connective tissue, the challenges of interdisciplinary work, and how to create individualized plans inside a team environment.  Episode Timestamps * 0:00 – 4:30 | Crash course beginnings, chaos, and lessons learned * 4:30 – 11:00 | Solving problems in human performance & staying curious * 15:30 – 17:15 | Quadrants as a blueprint for sprint mechanics * 26:30 – 33:00 | Inside calf strain rehab: long-duration isometrics, recovery, and daily oversight * 35:00 – 37:15 | Connective tissue vs. muscle dominance — why strains happen * 41:00 – 43:30 | Why rest and separation of health/performance fails athletes * 53:30 – 55:30 | The paradox of concentric vs. eccentric force * 58:30 – 1:04:00 | Foot mechanics, posterior tibialis, and performance impact * 1:10:30 – 1:13:30 | Leadership lessons: range of motion, reliability, and profiling * 1:16:40 – 1:19:45 | Individualization within team programming * 1:26:15 – 1:29:45 | NFL complexity and building continuity of care * 1:33:00 – End | The future of performance, human connection, and relationships Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a short call with our team.

In this solo episode of The Speed Lab Podcast, Les Spellman breaks down one of the most misunderstood aspects of sprinting: the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) and the critical role of pre-tension. Drawing from research, coaching experience, and case studies, Les explains why faster sprinters actually produce higher braking forces, how tendons act as both shocks and springs, and why athlete development often overlooks eccentric qualities.  Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro & why this topic matters * 01:15 – Braking forces & the stretch shortening cycle explained * 05:00 – Early coaching mistakes & concentric-only bias * 08:00 – Why concentric strength doesn't separate elite sprinters * 10:15 – Hypothesis: performance = pretension + braking + transition + propulsion * 11:00 – Tendons as shock absorbers & springs * 13:30 – Force plates as a window into SSC * 17:00 – Case study: Jacob Robinson's eccentric RFD breakthrough * 21:00 – Case study: River Cracraft tendon remodeling * 23:30 – Case study: Brandon Jetter improving pretension & ground contact * 28:45 – Pretension mechanics & dribble drills * 31:00 – Practical takeaways from force plate metrics * 35:15 – Training interventions: yielding/overcoming isometrics, reflexive eccentrics, plyos * 38:45 – Programming ideas (slow, high, and fast force days) * 42:00 – Redefining "stiffness" & SSC strategy * 43:20 – Wrap-up, resources, and closing thoughts Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. 

In this episode, Les and Danny sit down with Ken Clark. Ken is a leading expert in speed and sprint biomechanics, serving as a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physiology and Biomechanics from Southern Methodist University and is recognized for his scientific research on the mechanical factors that influence athletic performance and injury mechanisms, with a special focus on speed development and sprint technique. Episode Timestamps * 00:00 – Intro | Hero, hardship, highlight — Dr. Clark's background * 01:30 – Sprint Mechanics | Vertical vs. horizontal forces * 04:00 – Acceleration & Top Speed | How forces change over distance * 09:00 – Research Insights | What separates elite sprinters * 13:25 – Two-Mass Model | How sprinters strike the ground * 18:00 – Foot vs. Ground Speed | Surprising biomechanics * 23:07 – Braking Forces | Why faster sprinters brake harder * 29:30 – Tendon & Stiffness | Pre-activation and connective tissue * 44:30 – Injury vs. Performance | Foot mechanics and stiffness balance * 52:30 – Training Takeaways | Plyos, strength, and sprint programming * 01:01:55 – Closing Thoughts Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team. 

Universal Speed Rating is excited to announce the launch of The Speed Lab Podcast with hosts Les Spellman, Danny Foley, and Cici Murray.  In this episode, Les and Danny sit down with Stuart McMillan, Co-Founder and CEO of ALTIS, a globally recognized leading authority in sports education, specializing in coaching excellence for speed, power, and strength training, across Track and Field, and Team Sports.  00:00:00 Introduction to Guests and Themes  00:01:08 Training Seasons and Athlete Management  00:02:00 Evolving Beliefs in Coaching  00:05:56 Complexity in Coaching Systems  00:13:12 Leadership and Complexity in Systems  00:21:00 Consulting Challenges in Sports  00:34:53 Career Evolutions and Personal Insights  00:51:18 Innovative Training Approaches  01:07:32 Understanding Complexity in Coaching  01:26:03 Book Discussion and Personal Reflections  01:28:05 Upcoming Event Highlights  01:37:21 Conclusion and Future Anticipations Interested in learning more about the Universal Speed Rating? Click here [https://universalspeedrating.com/learn-more-partner-with-universal-speed-rating-speed-lab-podcast] to schedule a quick call with our team.