Coaching and Leadership - Adam Ringler

Adam Ringler

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Coaching and Leadership

Trust, communication, hiring, and leading performance departments.

#082 - Legacy, Load, and Lean Gains: Lessons on Coaching, Grit, and Growth

Decoding Excellence

#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.

#080 - Building Trust, Rethinking Recovery, and the Future of Tech in S&C

Decoding Excellence

#080 - Building Trust, Rethinking Recovery, and the Future of Tech in S&C

In this Decoding Excellence ‘Cardio Talk,’ I explore building trust with sport coaches, rethinking athlete recovery beyond ice baths, and the future of strength & conditioning tech. Raw, practical insights for coaches and performance pros.

#079 - The Blueprint, Preseason Training & Lessons from the Weight Room | Cardio Series

Decoding Excellence

#079 - The Blueprint, Preseason Training & Lessons from the Weight Room | Cardio Series

In this Cardio Series episode, I unveil The Blueprint—my free S&C and performance community—while sharing insights from a 75-min ruck walk on preseason basketball training, microdosing lifts, simplifying data, balancing team vs. individual needs, and leadership lessons.

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.

#075 - Hiring the Right Leader in Collegiate Sport Performance: Lessons Learned

Decoding Excellence

#075 - Hiring the Right Leader in Collegiate Sport Performance: Lessons Learned

Whether you’re an athletic director, coach, or practitioner, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you evaluate talent for these critical roles—and why social media clout isn’t a substitute for real-world experience.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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"

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.

Igniting the Inner Flame: Beyond Motivation, Unlocking Student-Athlete Potential

Igniting the Inner Flame: Beyond Motivation, Unlocking Student-Athlete Potential

What if the the concept of "motivating" student-athletes is the first barrier we need to break through - in order to successfully "guide" them?

From Past to Future: Predicting and Preventing Challenges in Strength and Conditioning Coaching

From Past to Future: Predicting and Preventing Challenges in Strength and Conditioning Coaching

"This shift from reactive to proactive coaching requires a willingness to step back and engage in a process of predictive analysis. This involves gathering data and insights from various perspectives to form informed hypotheses about potential future challenges."

#067 - 10 Hard Truths About Coaching in the World of Athletics

#067 - 10 Hard Truths About Coaching in the World of Athletics

In this episode of the Decoding Excellence Show, I'm discussing the recent article I wrote titled 10 Hard Truths for Coaching in the World of Athletics

10 Hard Truths About Coaching in the World of Athletics

Career Development

10 Hard Truths About Coaching in the World of Athletics

As I recently had the opportunity to interact with several aspiring intern strength and conditioning coaches, it became evident that many of them harbored idealistic perceptions of the collegiate coaching profession. They envisioned a world filled with victory celebrations, accolades, and an undying passion for the coaching industry. However, the

Climbing the World of Strength & Conditioning

Climbing the World of Strength & Conditioning

As I've delved deeper into the world of climbing, I've started to notice some interesting parallels between my work as a strength and conditioning coach and the skills and techniques needed to be a successful climber.

Samson Strength Coach Collective - Episode 086

Samson Strength Coach Collective - Episode 086

In this episode of The Samson Strength Coach Collective, Adam Ringler, who is the Director of Sport Performance/Head of Sport Science at The University of Colorado.

#063 - Science of Sport Vs. Artistry of Coaching

Decoding Excellence

#063 - Science of Sport Vs. Artistry of Coaching

‌‌In this episode of the Decoding Excellence Show, I'm discussing the all too common debate between sport science and performance coaching. To be fair, it is a common debate I hear often between the pure academic sport scientists and strength and conditioning coaches "in the field".

#060 - Dan Howells: High Performance Coaching

#060 - Dan Howells: High Performance Coaching

In this episode of the Decoding Excellence Show, I'm speaking with Industry Veteran and High Performance Practitioner, Dan Howells.

Coaching for Trust

Coaching for Trust

Four fundamental lessons I've learned from world-class coaches. These strategies can help you transform your coaching strategies from where you're at, to the levels of performance your seeking.

#058 - Leadership Lessons: Business Hallways to the Weight Room Floor

Decoding Excellence

#058 - Leadership Lessons: Business Hallways to the Weight Room Floor

I'm discussing many of the leadership lessons I've learned, through the successes and failures of operating in elite sport. I discuss tactics to help empower leadership and decisions among your athletes and co-workers.