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

In this Cardio Talk episode of the Decoding Excellence Show , I unpack three powerful conversations shaping coaching, performance, and personal growth. First, I reflect on the passing of Coach Kurt Hester , a true icon in Strength and Conditioning. His career embodied grit, resilience, and authenticity—and his legacy challenges all of us to coach with more heart, purpose, and conviction. Next, I dive into Tim Gabbett’s ACWR and EWMA principles , breaking down why temporary overreaching during October training isn’t reckless—it’s strategic. I explore how calculated load management builds the stress tolerance and robustness athletes need heading into non-conference tournaments and early-season play. Lastly, I share a personal update on my nutrition journey using the Macrofactor app—how I’m reverse dieting out of a long summer cut, slowly increasing calories and carbohydrates to rebuild strength and muscle. I talk about the process, mindset, and science behind adding quality weight while maintaining performance. Raw, unfiltered, and straight from the ruck—this episode blends science, coaching, and personal insight for anyone chasing excellence on and off the floor. Tune in, share with a fellow coach, and let’s keep pushing the field forward. 🎯 Additionally, I share details about the Former Athlete Society —my private community built exclusively for former college athletes who want to level up their fitness, training, and recovery. Inside, you'll get: ✅ A community discussion board to connect & share wins ✅ A full classroom with education modules on training & performance ✅ A leaderboard to reward engagement & consistency ✅ A calendar for live coaching calls & Q&A sessions 🔥 Join the Former Athlete Society here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📬 If you haven't already, head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AdamRingler.com/Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and sign up for my weekly newsletter. It’s a weekly drop for the curious—packed with the best articles I’ve read, the things I’m exploring, and ideas I’m chewing on. Think of it as your curated dose of performance, mindset, and experimentation. 💬 Let’s connect! If anything in this episode resonated with you, reach out and engage with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AdamRingler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on social. 🔒 Learn More About Memberships Lastly, what you just listened to was only a fraction of what I share with The Blueprint and The Masterplan tiers. If you want the FULL conversation, it's is waiting at my website. If you’re not inside, you’re already behind the ones who are. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out the Membership Tiers Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Thanks again for listening to the Decoding Excellence Show ! If you’ve taken anything away from today’s episode, please take a minute to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review on iTunes or wherever you tune in. It helps more than you know and supports this growing Sport Science and High-Performance Coaching resource.

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Legacy, Load, and Lean Gains: Lessons on Coaching, Grit, and Growth is an episode from Decoding Excellence by Adam Ringler.

This episode is 00:39:30 long.

This episode was published on Oct 26, 2025.

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