Decoding Excellence

In this “Cardio Chats” edition of the Decoding Excellence Show, I’m pulling back the curtain on our Summer Basketball Training Program here in Boulder, Colorado—sharing the real behind-the-scenes details of how we prepare our athletes for the demands of a long, grueling season.This is raw, unfiltered, and recorded mid-Zone 2 ruck walk—no studio, no edits—just me sharing what’s really happening in our summer block: the successes, the challenges, and the lessons learned.I break down:The death of Long-Term Athletic Development in the NIL eraManaging NIL contracts, constant roster turnover, and short prep windowsUsing VALD Performance testing to fast-track development and identify individual needsBenchmark data for return-to-sport baselinesTriaging immediate needs vs. “nice-to-have” improvementsSafe altitude acclimatization & training volume progression (CSCCa/NSCA joint guidance)Building a standardized summer plan that branches into tailored individual programmingExposure to sport-specific stressors—loading