Miscellaneous
Speed training for Dan O'Brien took several twists and turns along the way. But one coach and one athlete changed his life. After watching FloJo break the hundred meters world record coach OB had to rethink the way he ran. As a result, he became the most dominant decathlete in the world and went on to win three world championships and an Olympic gold medal while setting three world records in the process. So many times when we view elite athletes we see the results and don’t think about the process. For Coach OB, the process wasn’t easy. In this episode we talk about all of the hurdles that coach OB had to overcome on the path to Olympic greatness. From academics to changing events, O’Brien had to work his way to the top of the podium. We discuss his first world championship and the feeling he had about reaching the world stage. Then in 1992 at the Olympic trials one bad event cost him Olympic gold. At that point he had to make a choice. Either pack up and go home or finish what he started. That choice and incredible amount of perseverance helped form his character and develop the heart of a champion. Today he trains amateur athletes in Scottsdale Arizona. They say you really get to learn a skill once you teach it. Dan is one of the best speed trainers in America. We'll discuss how his athletes learn to run fast and become explosive. We talk about tips, techniques and tricks that help increase an athlete's speed. Finally we'll discuss his program on www.EliteAthletesTV.com that’s guaranteed to help the young athlete run faster. Coach OB has earned three world championships, three world records, and Olympic gold medal in the decathlon. He knows that speed training is about more than just getting your body right. Being able to focus mentally is essential. Athletes need to understand and diagnose the things that they are doing right as well as the things that they’re doing wrong. In order to continually improve your speed you need to continually improve your form and function. Being able to self-coach is the quickest way to that goal. Coach O’Brien makes a great point when he talks about how we train young athletes; “We teach our kids how to throw a baseball, how to throw a football, how to shoot a basketball. No matter the sport we train the skills for that sport. But we never teach them how to run properly. Speed is the most basic and essential skill that you can possess and everybody can get faster with proper speed training.” Proper technique is vitally important. As the track & field and speed coach for www.EliteAthletesTV.com, coach OB has a full series on faster sprinting. It’s called the faster 40 in 40 days. In this speed training program coach OB teaches you proper technique, form, starts and body positions. All are critical if you want to run fast. He also teaches you the proper mindset and gives you a full training routine on how to improve your speed. It’s one thing to understand the tools. It’s an entirely different story to know how and when to use them. If you feel the need for speed than this podcast is for you. Speed Training With The World’s Greatest Athlete!