Assessing & Cultivating Athleticism Through Body-Weight Training Methods
Bodyweight training is paid its importance in athletic performance, but much less attention is generally spent on it versus its barbell training counterpart, perhaps because progressions here are not as easily manifested, observed and standardized as more weight loaded on a barbell. Nonetheless, an understanding of multiple forms of bodyweight training create an important baseline for observing how an athlete will move in their natural state (without a bar on their back and with multiple degrees of movement freedom). Additionally, knowing how to implement and observe bodyweight training in all of its primary forms helps coaches to make greater in-roads to an athlete’s movement tendencies in sport, as well as complimenting the total effect of the performance enhancing regiment (bodyweight and barbell training working together for improved strength, movement ability, and robustness).
Joel Smith has been an assistant athletic performance coach at the University of California, Berkeley since 2012, where he has worked with swimming, tennis, track and field and water polo. Prior to Cal, Joel was as assistant track and field coach, lecturer and strength coach at Wilmington College of Ohio from 2008-2012. He spent the the two years prior (2007-2008) on the men’s track and field coaching staff at Wisconsin LaCrosse and was a part of two national championship winning teams. Joel competed in the NAIA as a track and field athlete, qualifying for the national championships in high jump, triple jump and javelin. He was a three-time NAIA All-American in high jump with a personal best of 2.14m (7’0.25”).
Joel has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise science and human performance from Cedarville University (2006) and the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse (2008) respectively, and published his thesis in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, “Kinematic and kinetic variations among three depth jump conditions in male NCAA division III athletes”.
In the realm of strength and conditioning, Joel has worked with 3 national championship winning teams while at UC Berkeley (men's swimming and water polo) and has assisted 5 athletes to Olympic berths that produced 9 medals and a world record performance at Rio in 2016. As a track coach, Joel has coached 2 track and field national champions, multiple All-Americans and school record holders.
Joel is the author of the books, Vertical Foundations, Vertical Ignition, and most recently, Speed Strength. He is the host of the Just Fly Performance Podcast, and contributes articles in the sports performance field to numerous outlets. Joel’s certifications include NSCA CSCS, MAT Jumpstart, Christian Thibaudeau’s Neurological and Physical Typing, NeuroKinetic Therapy, level 1, as well as a USA Track and Field Level 1 certification. Additionally, Joel has been to multiple Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) continuing education courses.
Joel lives in Berkeley, California with his wife Emma, and his children Nora (3) and Iain (1).
