Train608

05/19/2025

Over the years working with people in the gym, in the kitchen, and now through writing, one thing has become crystal clear: long term, consistent, sustainable success in the kitchen starts with knowledge and skill, not willpower.

We have drifted far from our inextricable connection to food—and it’s showing; We’ve lost not just the practice of cooking and preparing food, but the meaning behind it—and that loss is affecting our health, habits, and quality of life. Most people don’t know what utensils to use, how to stock a kitchen, or how to cook with real ingredients. We rely on convenience above all else, we seek out hyper-palatable options, and “food hacks” to help us control, or change our poor relationship with food, diet, and eating.

Creating healthy habits around food is harder than ever nowadays and that’s exactly why I’ve been writing about it for in their Everyday Athlete section. You can read all the articles there.

These articles are about more than recipes (although you’ll get some of those too) they’re about reclaiming control, building confidence, and changing your relationship with food and showing some love to your kitchen and yourself.

Additionally you can get hands on experience and coaching in the kitchen during our Summer Market Cooking Class series at the

Read more at SI.com (link in bio) or come see me at the Mermaid Kitchen and Join a class (link in bio). Relearn what the kitchen can be.

04/15/2025

Most people don’t need more motivation—they need a system.

Our approach to Remote coaching gives you the structure, accountability, and expert programming to train with purpose and stay consistent—without second-guessing the process.

This is a strategic framework built around your goals, your schedule, and your life.

If you’re ready to train smarter, meet your goals and stay on track—reach out today.

DM me or use the link in bio to get started.

04/11/2025

Train608 x TOCA Soccer: Performance Testing
We’re excited to announce a series of FREE performance testing events designed to give athletes insight into where they are at, and what they can do to improve their on field performance.
Whether you’re looking to track your progress, earn a competitive edge, or just see how you measure up against your other, this is a huge opportunity for athletes to level up their game—on and off the pitch. Open to middle school, and high school-aged soccer athletes.
Performance Testing Days
In partnership with TOCA Soccer, Athletes will be put through a performance combine that includes the Vertical Jump, Broad Jump, 505 Agility Shuttle, 30-Yard Shuttle, 15m Curved Sprint, and a Max Effort Reverse Med Ball Throw for distance. These metrics are used to evaluate strength, power, explosiveness, change of direction, and top-end speed.
First Testing Day: April 26th
Athletes will receive a score card and feedback from our coaches.
A great chance to meet the team and learn about upcoming training options With Toca Soccer and Train608.

Completely FREE to attend – spots are limited, so sign up now

03/19/2025

Summer Training Enrollment Now Open

Athletes in Madison—this is your opportunity to train with purpose. Our small-group training sessions are designed to improve strength, speed, and athletic performance with focused, detailed programming and coaching.

Details:
• Two convenient locations
• Sessions run two-three times per week
Choose from:
• Monday/Wednesday/Friday: 9 AM or 10 AM
• Tuesday/Thursday 10am
• Limited to 10 athletes per session
• Six-week cycles start June 9 and run through August 29

11/13/2024

**New Blog post is up**

“The puzzle of athletic development”

As we examine the current landscape of youth athletic development, specifically in the realm of performance, often taking place in the weight room, several critical issues demand attention. Chief among them is a massive disconnect between the expectations of parents—the consumers—and the approach taken by private sector strength and conditioning providers. Many parents assume that the programs their athletes participate in are not just thoughtfully crafted, but that they are rooted in established principles of athletic development, and aimed at long-term growth. However, the reality is that much of what’s offered today leans on appearances: a polished image (Social media), an overemphasis on testing metrics vs development, exhausting use of inappropriate methods; “what the Pro’s do”, and a short-sighted focus on immediate small gains in one area rather than sustainable long term development that leads to greater athleticism down the road. This facade may look like a serious athletic program, but it lacks the efficacy and structured approach needed to build true athleticism over time.

Link in the bio

11/06/2024

Our Athlete Development Pathway consists of 9 structured training phases, each designed to maximize transfer from the weight room to sport performance. Starting with essential foundations—mobility, flexibility, stability, and strength—our program progresses through subsequent phases targeting power, speed, and finally, the replication of sport-specific speed.

Each phase is carefully timed to provide athletes with the appropriate training stimulus for the appropriate adaptation relevant to where they are on their athletic journey, ensuring that development progresses in a systematic, and effective manner. Whether dealing with an athlete that is brand new to the weight room, or a seasoned veteran of the iron, athletes are placed on the appropriate program to drive the greatest transfer of training from the arena of Strength, conditioning and athletic performance to the field or court.

Our comprehensive pathway builds a solid foundation, empowering athletes to advance confidently with the stability, strength, power, speed, and movement capabilities necessary to reach their full athletic abilities.

This is athlete development with purpose, structure, and proven results.

10/16/2024

New blog post on the website!

Link is in the bio.

“The long term development of athleticism is a “this, than that” process where you should be addressing specific limiting factors at specific stages of the athletes life cycle before addressing others. Its like building a house, first you dig the foundation and pour the concrete, then you can start putting up the studs and the framing, and you wouldn’t put up the drywall before running the electrical and plumbing. Same thing goes for the development of athletes in the early stages of their life cycle. If you want to ensure long term success, they need to develop certain performance traits before others and adhere to a few guiding principles.”

10/09/2024

Training Programs are live

Link in bio

Our S.T.A.R.T. program lays the groundwork by focusing on fundamental strength, power, and speed, building movement literacy, and creating a solid base for future growth.

Once the foundation is set, athletes transition into our Advanced Athlete program. This phase challenges them with strategic cycles of Triphasic training, tensile strength development and Post Activation Potentiation (PAP) to push their limits, driving continuous adaptation and performance gains.

For those competing during the season, our In-Season Athlete program ensures athletes stay “ready ready” and resilient. We provide a balanced approach that keeps athletes at their best while respecting the demands of practices and games.

Each program is designed to complement the next, creating a seamless journey that supports athletes at every stage of their development. Train608 has the blueprint to empower you and give you the tools to be successful in your athletic journey.

09/11/2024

03/20/2024

Diet, nutrition, fueling, etc, whatever you want to call it, is not that complicated. Simple, but of course does require some work. Here is a super easy breakdown from a larger article we wrote on our website. “Fueling for athletic excellence “

“Consume Liberally:
Meats & Poultry: Your main protein sources should be Beef, elk, pork, chicken, and fish.

Seafood & Fish: Packed with Omega-3s and essential nutrients.

Eggs: A egg-cellent protein source.

Tubers/Roots/Bulbs: Such as white potatoes and sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and other root vegetables - a vital energy source.

Healthy Fats: Animal fats, olives, coconut, and avocados are your best friends.

Mastering Nutrition Basics:

Protein: Think of it this way: if it once ran, swam, or flew, it’s your protein. Consume meats not just for their taste but for the fundamental principle that flesh builds flesh. While whey protein serves as a useful supplement, remember that muscles thrive best on whole animal sources.

Carbohydrates: Your body’s powerhouse. Prioritize roots, tubers, and bulbs like potatoes, carrots, and other starchy root vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables, rich in nutrients and fiber, should dominate your plate. Adopt the ROYGBIV approach, ensuring a colorful array of veggies each meal.

Fats: Essential for cognitive function and hormone balance. Embrace fats like animal fats, coconut products, olive oil, and avocados. They provide sustained energy, and contrary to popular belief, dietary fat doesn’t equate to fat on the waist.

Eating Strategies for Success:
Respond to hunger cues and eat to satisfaction; eat when you’re hungry and stop when you are full.

Time carbohydrate intake strategically around training sessions or game day.

Minimize heavy meals close to bedtime.

Aim for 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Hydration is non-negotiable. Aim for an ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight.

Caloric Playbook:
Growth phase? Target 20 calories per pound.
Maintenance mode? sit at 17 calories per pound.
Leaning out? Aim for 15 calories per pound.

Simple, but not easy. your relationship to food and you change your life.

03/19/2024

The goal when working with young athletes (12-24) is the development of athleticism leading to an increased ability of the athlete to display strength, power, and speed in all its variations within their sport. This is directly tied to the functionality and efficiency of the athletes energy systems.

No, as a football player you do not need to have the same aerobic capacity as a 5k runner. A soccer player has a different profile than a hockey player, hockey players have different profiles than an athlete competing in a 10k; But just like all athletes need to develop strength, and all athletes need to develop power…all athletes do in fact, need to develop the efficiency of their aerobic system.

An athlete does NOT get all the conditioning they need from their sport.
This line of thinking is as outdated as the “old school”, bald strength coach with a goatee telling everyone that speed is king.

The body operates like a well oiled machine. Converting nutrients/food into energy. Energy that leads to ALL movement, whether it’s a sprint, a big hit, or a long run, the efficiency of an athlete to express ANY strength, power, or speed is dependent on the functionality of the energy systems. Doing something once is great, being able to express performance traits, repeatedly, at a high level is the result of a well developed system, and not just the athletes ability to express one trait in a specific formate one time - sprinting in a straight line for max velocity- testing your jump- etc.

In training, Nothing exists in a vacuum and there are no absolutes.

Athletes that primarily express performance traits in short, explosive bursts need to have a highly functional aerobic system, which leads to high levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

Do not miss the forest for the trees. Short sighted approaches yield short sided results.

“Never wonder if you could have done more” - The Goat.

03/18/2024

Athletic development is a process, not a program.

Lots of talk around LTAD these days, but very few actually practicing it.

Asking under-developed athletes to express higher level performance outputs in training without first allowing for proper development is like handing a scalpel to a 15yr old to perform surgery because they passed high school Biology.

The allure of advanced techniques is undeniably tantalizing. A potential shortcut to success. Coaches and trainers, sometimes under pressure from stakeholders- parents, sport coaches, institutions- or influenced by the latest trends, might be tempted to employ “advanced methods” with young athletes. The hope? By introducing these complex drills early on, the athlete will reach elite levels at a quicker pace simply through exposure.

However, such an approach is misguided, and a misunderstanding of the principles around athletic development.

First and foremost, without a proper foundation, athletes will not be able to properly engage in higher level drills - as they lack the ability to call upon the necessary performance traits - strength, power, speed, at the necessary outputs to complete the more advanced methods and techniques. Their output is subpar because they have not developed their ability to express this output at the higher levels.

This is where our approach to development and its inherent superiority becomes evident.

It’s not just a training program, it’s a process and a method for development.