32. Top Tips for Coaches with Dr. Ken Clark - a podcast by Mike Quintans, PT, DPT, OCS, TPI

Enjoy this replay of one of our favorite episodes from Season 1. Mike sits down with Dr. Ken Clark, Associate Professor of kinesiology at West Chester University with a focus on biomechanics, motor learning and doing research on running mechanics. He has been a consultant for USA Track and Field, Altus, and Parisi Speed School.

Dr. Ken Clark’s Background 2:30-5:10

4:00 - In 2008, Ken went back for his Masters after he got an undergraduate degree in psychology. He got his masters in Kinesiology at West Chester University. Went down to Dallas to get his PhD in Sprint Biomechanics with Dr. Peter Weyand and Dr. Larry Ryan at the Locomotive Lab at Southern Methodist University (SMU).

4:41 - Ken came back to the Philadelphia area to become an associate professor at West Chester University and got involved in multiple teams for their strength and conditioning and sprinting.

Passion for Biomechanics 5:10 - 7:00

5:10 - The most enjoyable part of Ken’s job is teaching motor learning and biomechanics in the classroom then transferring that science to the track.

6:30 - It’s important for an athlete to understand the mechanics of what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and why you’re doing it.

Ken’s Tips for Coaches 7:00 - 10:30 

7:00 - Coaches have to engage their athletes and understand how they learn best. Sometimes they love the technical cues, and sometimes they just want to be told what to do. You have to give them enough information to make the correction.

9:00 - Coaching about the context of drills - why we’re doing them - instead of going in depth with the technical side. So when you’re cueing them in the act, athletes understand your reference.

9:30 - why a background in psychology is very important for coaching.

USA Track and Field Experience 10:30 - 15:30

10:30 - Dr. Peter Weyand had a connection with USA Track and Field and they were looking for a new biomechanist and apprentice for Dr. Ralph Mann. Since 2016, Ken was able to travel with the Elite Performance Program (Olympic level sprinters and hurdlers) to do on-track analysis.

11:30 - Ken travels to the most elite sprint and hurdle groups around the country, utilizes video cameras and computer systems to develop an athlete’s biomechanical model to help them translate coaching cues. 

Variation in Athletes’ Cue Correction

15:30 - For some, even elite, athletes, making a small change is very challenging. But for others, they can make huge strides in a short amount of time just from technical or physical cues. 

A Case Study: Doctor Collaboration 16:30 - 27:30

20:40 - The number 1 complaint for PTs coming out of school is that they weren’t taught enough programming and therapeutic exercise. PTs need strength and conditioning coaches for programming and equipment. That’s why Mike hired a strength and conditioning coach for his PT clinic - PTW Newtown Square.

Barriers into the Field of Physical Therapy and Coaching 27:30 - 32:00

Case Study Continued 32:40- 40:00 

36:20 - Ignoring logistics and in an ideal world, every athlete should get a movement screen. Cory Walts, Director of Strength and Conditioning at University of Pennsylvania, would screen every sports athlete at the beginning of the year when he worked at Haverford College. He’d work with the Strength and Conditioning staff. You want your sports medicine and strength and conditioning teams doing the screenings at the same times.

What We Can Be Doing Better in the Fitness and Medical Field

CONTACT

@kenclarkspeed on Twitter and Instagram

www.kenclarkspeed.com

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