Blog - Adam Ringler

Adam Ringler

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Essays and field notes on strength and conditioning, sport science, and coaching leadership from 20 years in high-performance sport.

Closing a Chapter at Colorado

Closing a Chapter at Colorado

Nearly a decade at Colorado shaped a journey built on relationships, resilience, and unseen work. From early mornings to hard seasons, the impact of athletes and staff made it more than a job

Right View in the Weight Room: Lessons from Buddhism for Strength & Conditioning Coaches

Right View in the Weight Room: Lessons from Buddhism for Strength & Conditioning Coaches

As strength coaches, we often see only part of the “elephant.” Buddhism’s teaching on Right View reminds us to balance objective, subjective, and intersubjective "truths"; helping us lead with humility, curiosity, and wisdom.

Aerobic conditioning for women’s basketball

Aerobic conditioning for women’s basketball

Watch Adam Ringler explain his approach to aerobic conditioning for women’s basketball, from off-season planning to integration with strength training.

The Coach’s Playbook for Focus: Defending Attention in the High-Performance Arena

The Coach’s Playbook for Focus: Defending Attention in the High-Performance Arena

Drawing on nearly two decades in collegiate Strength & Conditioning, this playbook explores how focus became the cornerstone of my performance model. From Women’s Basketball and Volleyball to Sport Science integration, it’s a roadmap for coaches to hone attention & build winning cultures.

Hiring the Right Leader for Sport Performance? Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees.

Hiring the Right Leader for Sport Performance? Don’t Miss the Forest for the Trees.

This article challenges NCAA programs to rethink hiring for sport performance leadership. Drawing on years at Colorado building a sport science model, it argues true leaders aren’t found in résumés or social media—they’re seasoned practitioners who inspire, align, and elevate entire departments.

So You Want to Be a Collegiate Strength Coach? Some Hard Truths From the Trenches

So You Want to Be a Collegiate Strength Coach? Some Hard Truths From the Trenches

This no-fluff guide breaks down many hard-earned lessons from coaching D1 athletes in collegiate strength & conditioning. Based on years at Colorado with WBB and Volleyball, it covers trust, results, integrity, and the human side of coaching that actually builds lasting impact.

Optimize Athlete Sleep & Recovery: Screen Time, Blue Light & Nighttime Supplements for Performance

Optimize Athlete Sleep & Recovery: Screen Time, Blue Light & Nighttime Supplements for Performance

In this deep post, we explore why evening screen use isn’t just a habit—it’s a silent disruptor of athlete recovery. From dorm-room scrolls to tablet film sessions on the road, screens trigger biological responses that erode sleep depth, hormonal balance, and readiness.

Tendon Rehab Isn’t Just Eccentrics: What Every Coach Needs to Know About Load, Timing, and Hormones

Tendon Rehab Isn’t Just Eccentrics: What Every Coach Needs to Know About Load, Timing, and Hormones

Discover why eccentric loading isn’t the full story for tendon rehab. This in-depth video unpacks isometrics, collagen timing, hormone influences, and real-world protocols to help coaches and clinicians load tendons smarter—for performance, durability, and recovery.

The Weight Room Mirror

The Weight Room Mirror

In coaching, self-awareness is a hidden advantage. This post explores how knowing yourself—and how others see you—can build trust, improve team culture, and elevate performance. This is a critical skill for strength coaches who want to lead with impact and clarity.

Top Travel Wellness Tips: Boost Health & Comfort During Flights with BFR, Hydration, and More

Top Travel Wellness Tips: Boost Health & Comfort During Flights with BFR, Hydration, and More

Travel can wear you down—but it doesn’t have to. In this video, I break down practical, research-backed strategies to stay healthy and sharp while flying: from BFR and hydration to light hacks and immune support. A must-watch for athletes, coaches, and frequent flyers alike.

Data Architectures in Athlete Management Systems (AMS)

Data Architectures in Athlete Management Systems (AMS)

Explore data lakes, warehouses, and lakehouses in athlete management systems, plus the tradeoffs involved in buying a platform or building your own.

RSI-Modified Explained: What It Tells Us About Fatigue in Women’s Basketball | Using ForceDecks

RSI-Modified Explained: What It Tells Us About Fatigue in Women’s Basketball | Using ForceDecks

Explore RSI-modified in women’s basketball, with a video on jump height, contraction time, and interpreting ForceDecks results in a coaching setting.

The Coaching Curve in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning

The Coaching Curve in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning

What happens when you stop chasing the perfect S&C program and instead start chasing better execution, cleaner effort, and more honest communication? Find out.

Why I Built This Guide: Performance Isn’t Just Training

Why I Built This Guide: Performance Isn’t Just Training

Elite performance isn’t just built under the bar. It’s shaped by what athletes do in the 22 hours they’re not training. This blog post is a synthesis of MANY episodes, reframed for strength coaches and athletes.

Coaching Beyond the Playbook

Coaching Beyond the Playbook

Explore college strength and conditioning coaching that inspires athletic excellence, fuses innovative training with tradition, and mentors athletes to unlock their full potential.

Understanding Force Plate Testing in Basketball

Understanding Force Plate Testing in Basketball

An introduction to force plate testing in basketball, including common measurements, coaching applications, and considerations for interpreting results.

Building Stronger Athletes Through Collaboration: The Power of Teamwork in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning

Building Stronger Athletes Through Collaboration: The Power of Teamwork in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning

Athletes need more than just numbers on a screen; they need facilities, programs, and teams that respond to their specific needs, pushing them towards greatness while maintaining their health and wellness.

Harnessing the Power of Sport Analytics in Collegiate Coaching

Harnessing the Power of Sport Analytics in Collegiate Coaching

Modern day analysts, who aid coaches in planning for peak performance, often stress the importance of integrating analytics with coaching strategies rather than producing reports that are full of high-level concepts and not connected to actionable plans.

Treating your Strength & Conditioning Program like a Tech Startup

Treating your Strength & Conditioning Program like a Tech Startup

"By treating your strength and conditioning program like a startup incubator, you create a dynamic environment where innovation thrives"

Blue Light & Performance Outcomes

Blue Light & Performance Outcomes

There are safe ways to use technology and still achieve quality sleep; and student-athletes need to understand the broader influences on recovery.

12 Essential Realities for Coaches and Athletes to Embrace for Success

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12 Essential Realities for Coaches and Athletes to Embrace for Success

This article delves into 12 essential realities that, while often uncomfortable to acknowledge, are crucial for achieving sustained success and fulfillment in sports.

Coach's Schedule, Administrator's Schedule

Coach's Schedule, Administrator's Schedule

Time blocking can be a useful tool for estimating the time needed to complete a task and can help you to stay on track and avoid overcommitting yourself.

A Performance Coach's Guide to Reducing Dopamine Dependency; Starting with Your iPhone

A Performance Coach's Guide to Reducing Dopamine Dependency; Starting with Your iPhone

If you're aiming to reduce your screen time and embrace digital minimalism without relinquishing your smartphone entirely, this guide offers promising solutions.

The Secret Weapon for Explosive Strength and Power

The Secret Weapon for Explosive Strength and Power

Post-activation potentiation training techniques offers a scientifically-backed method to enhance explosive strength and power.

Applying Bayesian Methodologies to Strength & Conditioning Coaching

Applying Bayesian Methodologies to Strength & Conditioning Coaching

Bayesian modeling, often overlooked in the realm of Athletics, Coaching, and Strength & Conditioning, holds great promise for optimizing training strategies. It diverges from traditional approaches, offering unique advantages.