VertiMax Vive

Mike Weaving is the Head Coach for the Sickles High School Men’s Basketball Program in Tampa, Florida. Mike has over 13 years of coaching basketball at the Middle and High School Levels and is currently in his Fourth season with the Men’s high school team. Mike received a BS in exercise science and an MS in coaching.

In this episode, Mike talks about some of the pros and cons of AAU Basketball and why a youth athlete might join a league that has had a bad reputation over the last few years. Is AAU worth it for an aspiring athlete? Mike answers these questions and more.

Key Takeaways:

[1:55] Unfortunately, AAU has a lot of controversy.

[3:35] Why does AAU have such a bad reputation?

[6:05] Athletes and parents need to be really mindful of why they’re playing at AAU and what some of their goals are.

[7:05] What are some of the benefits of joining a league like this?

[9:30] What kinds of questions do scouts ask the coaches before bringing on a kid?

[11:10] What age should your kid ideally be before they join the AAU?

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Tweetables:

“Kids have to be mindful of who they’re playing for and why that person is trying to coach them, and what they’re trying to get out of it. Is it in the best interest of the coach or the kid?"

"There are a lot of super talented kids out there that unfortunately don’t make it because they throw all their eggs in the wrong basket."

Mike Weaving is the Head Coach for the Sickles High School Men’s Basketball Program in Tampa, Florida. Mike has over 13 years of coaching basketball at the Middle and High School Levels and is currently in his Fourth season with the Men’s high school team. Mike received a BS in exercise science and an MS in coaching.

In this episode, Mike gives his yearly plan to help condition highschool athletes for game time and offers his strategy to prevent injuries to the best of his ability during these intense games. He shares how he measures progress and how he educates new students coming into the basketball team for the very first time. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:55] Mike got hit with a lot of injuries last year. It’s part of the game, but here’s how you can prevent it as much as you can.

[4:15] How does Mike measure progress?  

[5:25] What is MIke’s overall yearly plan and schedule? 

[6:25] What is Mike’s postseason plan and training schedule? 

[8:55] What other considerations does Mike think about when he’s training his athletes? 

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Tweetables:

“In September, we do an assessment week where we do a shuttle run, agility test, vertical tax, max squat, and max bench press."

"After October, we do the same physical tests to see where those same elements are."

Mike Weaving is the Head Coach for the Sickles High School Men’s Basketball Program in Tampa, Florida. Mike has over 13 years of coaching basketball at the Middle and High School Level and is currently on his Fourth season with the Men’s high school team. Mike received a BS in exercise science and an MS in coaching.

In this episode, Mike shares his tips as a highschool coach on how he helps his students get the most out of their talent during game time. You should never underestimate the importance of balance and lower body strength when coaching basketball. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:15] A little bit about Mike and his experience with coaching basketball. 

[2:20] What makes someone a good shooter? 

[2:40] In order to do a good jumpshot, you need good balance and lower body strength. 

[5:10] What are some of Mike’s favorite drills?

[6:15] Everything Mike trains for is for competitive purposes. 

[7:25] You get more out of your athletes if there is a competitive element involved. 

[8:05] Competition drives success!

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Tweetables:

“I think one of the most overlooked things about being a good shooter is being able to shoot in game-like situations. You have to be able to shoot on the move."

"I try to emulate our offense as best as I can and emulate our transition game as best as I can so the shots they’re getting in our drills are the same shots they’re going to get in the game."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. and Al understand that summer is coming, which also means your athletes’ sports season is winding down and coming to an end. How can young athletes still be ‘game-ready’ over the summer? I.T. shares some helpful exercises you can do for your specific sport at home without a lot of gym equipment in this week’s episode. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:20] As seasons are ending, what can parents do to help keep their young athletes’ in prime condition while they’re at home during the summer? 

[2:00] Don’t have a full gym at home? Don’t worry. We’ve got alternatives.

[2:55] It’s important to first determine what your end-goal is. Is it to gain weight? Gain speed? 

[3:35] Training is important, but you also shouldn’t slack on your nutrition and sleep. 

[5:10] What are some good basic moves to focus on over the summer? 

[6:10] What basic equipment should you pick up from the store? 

[7:20] If you’re a basketball player, what exercises and movements should you focus on? 

[8:30] If you play football, the types of exercises you do would be based on your position. 

[9:50] What should athletes do if they play baseball? 

[12:00] What are some of the recommended exercises volleyball players should do at home?

[13:10] Sumner is a busy time for everybody, but if you have big dreams and big goals, you need to make time to hone in on your skills.  

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Tweetables:

“We are talking about training, but it also influences your nutrition. You need your sleep. All that stuff matters."

"If you’re looking to get faster, you have to train fast to be fast. Sprints with resistance, sprints without, and sprints while starting from the ground, etc."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. and Al share how the VertiMax can elevate an athlete’s volleyball game to the next level. Not only can it be used to train multiple players at a time, but it can show players in real-time how they’re body is improving with each exercise. 

Key Takeaways:

[2:00] Did you know you can train more than one athlete on the VertiMax at a time? 

[3:25] You can also train different volleyball positions on the VertiMax. 

[6:00] How do you develop maximum vertical explosiveness on the VertiMax? 

[7:00] Why is creativity so important for a coach to have? 

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Tweetables:

“If I do a demo with a kid, in a brief 20-30 minute workout, they know they’re getting better when they’re on the equipment."

"Creativity is a very necessary piece to develop because not everything can be pre-packaged to you and it’ll work."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. and Al share some tips they’ve received from basketball coaches around the country on what makes a good athletic coach. They share their top ten favorite tips on this week’s podcast. If you’re a new coach or even a seasoned pro, listen in for more to some great reminders on how to get the most out of your players. 

Key Takeaways:

[2:10] Organization is key for any athletic coach!  

[3:35] Players need to know you care about them in order for you to build trust.

[5:05] Don’t try to out coach the other coach. Practice will generate the results you want.

[6:10] Get to know your players to the best of your ability and then focus on getting everyone on the same page.

[7:45] Keep it simple and make sure your team is well-conditioned.

[9:00] You’re only as strong as your weakest link.

[10:45] Remember, you’re developing young men and women for success outside of the sport. 

[13:35] Teach your athletes how to win in life. 

[14:35] Refine the basics and always remind your athletes about the foundationals. 

[15:40] Keep game plans simple. 

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Tweetables:

“Building a trusting relationship opens the door to being able to coach kids to reach their full potential."

"The success of a team doesn’t fully rely on the talent, but the trust and commitment of the group to give up themselves for the betterment of everyone else."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. breaks down some of the common communication mistakes or pitfalls good coaches end up making. He also shares what coaches can do to receive feedback, incorporate it in a way an athlete feels heard, and five best ways a coach can build a better communication style with their athletes in this week’s podcast. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:40] The biggest way to improve your communication as a coach is by improving your listening skills. 

[3:15] A good coach can read inbetween the lines between what their athlete is saying and what their body is also saying. 

[5:15] It’s important to discern what type of athlete you’re coaching. What is their preferred communication style? 

[7:45] It’s important to focus on getting better vs. getting good. I.T. explains what he means by that. 

[8:55] Aim to be 1% better everyday. 

[9:10] Why is it important to communicate some of your core values to your athletes? 

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Tweetables:

“A lot of coaches are great speakers, but they may not be great listeners."

"There are days where your athlete won’t be feeling 100%. How you listen to them, and adjust accordingly, will build a better relationship with them."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. shares some important exercises athletes should focus on to get ready for race day. If you’re a track and field athlete then this is the episode for you! I.T. explains the most optimal drills to focus on for power, injury prevention, and strength.

Key Takeaways:

[2:00] What track and field exercises should you do to get ready for race day?

[2:35] What is the 3-point star?

[5:45] Why is the box jump so effective?

[6:45] I.T. explains the hamstring pull drill.

[10:15] The VertiMax app has more drills and exercises for you!

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Tweetables:

“The box jump is going to be one of those elements that helps you produce power, which is important as a sprinter."

"The hamstring drill is a bit more advanced and for a stronger athlete. It’s not a drill I’d do with any youth athlete."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. comes on the show to describe in depth what the VertiMax V-Series Platform is and how it can help an athlete with their performance. Are you wondering what the differences are in each platform and which one you should pick? This is the episode for you! 

Key Takeaways:

[1:50] What are the VertiMax V Series platforms? 

[3:15] What’s the difference between VertiMax V8 and V8 EX? 

[4:15] Why are the band lengths different and what benefits does it provide? 

[6:00] What kind of athlete should use the V Series platforms? 

[10:00] How do you change the resistance level on the V Series platforms? 

[11:15] Are there training programs and educational resources available to better understand the platforms? 

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Tweetables:

“The Vertimax V Series means you can train without increasing exponentially in resistance and useful load from the onset of your movement."

"You have to train fast to become fast. If you’re able to train further out with a useful load, you’ll be able to reach top-end speeds."

Itam (I.T.) Antigha, more commonly referred to as "I.T.", is one of the members of the VertiMax Team as part of the Inside Sales and Client Support team. He is responsible for supporting and serving the VertiMax community by organizing personalized visits to educate, engage and develop relationships with coaches, trainers, and athletes.

I.T. and Al share some famous strength and conditioning coaches they’re fond of and like to follow on this week’s podcast. They talk about some of their favs like Cal Dietz, Eric Cressey, Michael Boyle, and Brett Bartholomew, and how they can up your coaching game.

Key Takeaways:

[2:35] Here’s some influential coaches you should be following and learning from on social media.

[3:35] Why should you follow Eric Cressey?

[4:10] Al shares why Michael Boyle is a top coach in the industry.

[4:55] I.T. explains why Brett Bartholomew is a great resource for coaches who want to communicate better.

[6:55] Who are some of your favorite coaches?

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@cal.dietz

@ericcressey

@michael_boyle1959

@coach_brettb

Tweetables:

“Cal’s program that he’s developed is one of the most influential programs out there to develop exclusive power and strength."

"Brett dives deep into communication because it’s often something we overlook."