#66 - Sam Portland: Speed Sportland

In the 66th episode of The Strength Connection Podcast, Mike and our special guest, the Creator of Coach Sportland Sam Portland, will talk about Sam’s speed training breakdown, how they are conducted, how Sam mentors and trains other coaches, and more.

Join us in this insightful and captivating talk! 

In this chapter you will discover: 

(1:05) Introducing our special guest the Creator of Coach Sportland, Sam Portland @coach_sportland

(2:10) Sam’s mission statement

(3:00) Shout out to Antonio Squillante @antonio_squillantecscs

(3:40) Sam’s origin story

(5:30) Shout out to James Smith @thethinkersmith

(5:40) Sportland: a dream

(6:50) Losing a brother

(7:15) Player welfare issues

(8:05) Shout out to Alex Gray @alexander_thegrayt

(8:10) Being the first coach in the UK to work with an active NFL player

(9:25) Sam’s experience with rugby

(9:50) Sam’s problem with rugby

(10:15) About Sam’s father

(10:35) Learning how to train with weights

(10:55) First experience with a deadlift bar

(11:55) Starting speed training

(13:15) How Sam got into speed training

(14:15) What Sam learned from speed training

(15:30) Reorientation

(15:50) The most common mistake coaches made

(16:40) Shout out to Dan John @coachdanjohn

(17:50) “Ultimately being fast makes you strong.” - Sam Portland @coach_sportland

(19:55) “You can do it one time, that’s great. But if you can go cold, warm up a little and be able to do it again, then you own that movement.” - Michael Kurkowski @mike_strength_connection

(20:45) Why strength coaches don’t understand speed training

(22:00) “All you need to do is be able to take a fundamental training principle of progressive overload and apply.” Sam Portland @coach_sportland

(22:25) Learn, load, and execute

(24:35) Track and field

(25:35) Sam’s speed training method

(27:10) The results

(28:50) The conjugate method

(29:05) The reason for conjugate method’s popularity

(31:00) Working with Alex @alexander_thegrayt

(33:55) The goals while doing speed training

(34:55) Finding a client’s top speed

(37:20) Shout out to Odell Beckham @obj

(37:45) The contextual side

(39:25) Shout out to Denis Vasilev @denisvasilevkbsport

(41:20) Why Sam started mentoring

(42:30) “It's understanding the scale of which you qualify people through their cut you are coaching.” - Sam Portland @coach_sportland

(44:10) Same system for everyone

(47:30) “Natural ability sometimes blocks over-compensations.” - Michael Kurkowski @mike_strength_connection

(48:15) Speed training analogy

(49:55) Slow to smooth, smooth to fast

(51:00) Shout out to Nick Winkleman @nickwinkelman

(51:20) The progression manual

(52:20) Sam’s speed group

(54:00) Most coaches’ common struggle

(55:40) The unhealthy standards of the fitness industry

(56:25) Clarity

(58:15) Emotional support and counseling

(59:50) Shout out to Brian Grasso and Carrie Campbell @eliminateyourlimits

(1:01:10) Empowering coaches

(1:03:05) Not being friends until graduation

(1:03:35) “The most noble pursuit of mastery is mastery of self.” - Sam Portland @coach_sportland

(1:04:25) Sam’s first testimonial

(1:06:35) Where to find Sam Portland? @coach_sportland https://coachsportland.co.uk/