#082 - Legacy, Load, and Lean Gains: Lessons on Coaching, Grit, and Growth
In this Cardio Talk, I reflect on Coach Kurt Hester’s legacy of grit, explore Tim Gabbett’s training load concepts for October basketball, and share my reverse dieting journey using Macrofactor—blending heart, science, and performance into one raw, unedited conversation.
Every now and then, an episode becomes more than just another “Cardio Talk.” It becomes a reflection—a chance to pause, breathe, and take stock of what really matters in this field. In this Decoding Excellence Show, I share a few things that have been weighing on my mind: the legacy of one of the toughest coaches our industry has ever known, the science behind training stress and resilience, and the personal pursuit of rebuilding strength through intentional nutrition and training.
From honoring Coach Kurt Hester’s relentless fight and impact, to unpacking Tim Gabbett’s workload principles and their role in building stress tolerance for college basketball, to detailing my own reverse dieting journey with Macrofactor—this episode blends heart, science, and personal reflection.
It’s raw, unedited, and real. Lace up, tune in, and take this walk with me.
1️⃣ The Legacy of Kurt Hester — Grit, Fight, and Unrelenting Purpose
The passing of Coach Kurt Hester, Head Football Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Houston, hit the entire coaching community hard. For the past year, Kurt battled stage four cancer with the same fire and intensity he brought to the weight room every day. Even as his health declined, he continued to coach, mentor, and inspire; embodying what it truly means to live with resilience and purpose. His refusal to give in, his relentless energy, and his unwavering love for his athletes stand as a testament to what coaching looks like at its highest calling.
Kurt’s legacy isn’t defined by wins or weight-room records; it’s written in the countless athletes and coaches he impacted through authenticity, toughness, and heart. He showed us that real strength isn’t about lifting heavy; it’s about standing tall when life hits hardest. His passing reminds us that our work isn’t about sets and reps; it’s about shaping people, developing courage, and leaving something behind that lasts long after we’re gone.
2️⃣ Tim Gabbett’s ACWR, EWMA, and the Power of Overreaching in October
As basketball season ramps up, October represents a critical period for stress inoculation and physical preparedness. Here’s where Tim Gabbett’s concepts of Acute-to-Chronic Workload Ratio (ACWR) and Exponentially Weighted Moving Averages (EWMA) become more than theory—they’re tools for real-world coaching. While many see “over-reaching” as a red flag, the truth is that calculated, intentional overreaching can be one of the most effective ways to build resilience. By strategically pushing athletes into higher-load ranges now, we equip them to handle the condensed, chaotic demands of non-conference tournaments and multi-team events later.
The goal isn’t reckless fatigue; it’s building tolerance. We want to expose athletes to controlled stressors that strengthen their physiological and psychological readiness for the unpredictable grind of the season. Monitoring daily metrics; RPE, readiness scores, jump outputs; helps guide these phases without crossing into dangerous overload. Done right, this phase becomes a launchpad for in-season performance, not a trapdoor for burnout.
3️⃣ Reverse Dieting and Performance: My Journey with Macrofactor
On a personal note, I’ve been diving deeper into reverse dieting and long-term body composition managementthrough the Macrofactor app. After an aggressive summer and fall cut, I’m now in the process of slowly increasing calories; aiming for roughly a pound of bodyweight gain per week as I work back toward 200 pounds. The focus isn’t on chasing the scale but on rebuilding strength, restoring energy availability, and supporting recovery while keeping daily energy expenditure high through movement and training.
Using data-driven nutrition tracking has allowed me to better understand how my body responds to gradual changes in carbohydrate and calorie intake. The goal is to add 7–10 pounds of lean tissue by spring while maintaining health and performance markers along the way. Just like with athletes, this process is about consistency, patience, and precision. Whether it’s reverse dieting or load management, it all comes back to the same principle; adaptation takes time, and progress is built through intention, not intensity.
If you want to hear the full, unfiltered conversation, check out this episode of the Decoding Excellence Show; part of my Cardio Talk series where I take you behind the scenes of my thoughts during long ruck walks here in Boulder, Colorado.
Thanks again for listening to the Decoding Excellence Show! I appreciate all the support growing this Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning, and High-Performance Coaching resource. If you have taken anything away from the show, please login to iTunes and navigate to Decoding Excellence page and leave us a FIVE STAR ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review.
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Adam Ringler
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