“How can we kind of be a little cutting edge? How can we find something new and innovative to help push us forward, help push the program forward?” Coach JT Klopcic, the associate head coach of cross country and track and field at Goucher College, lives by these questions as he integrates new technology into his training toolkit. In this episode, he joins Brad Miles to share how the Lever system, once just a recovery aid, evolved into a core part of his athletes’ performance routines. What’s the real value of body weight support in training? Coach JT explains how it helps his athletes build endurance and strength while easing physical strain, setting them up for high-quality workouts and consistent progress.

As Coach JT breaks down his approach, he offers insights into the careful balance of innovation and tradition—when to stick with tried-and-true methods and when to embrace tools that move the needle. For any coach looking to push their program forward, this episode is a reminder: sometimes, it’s the progressive steps that make the difference between a good season and a breakthrough.

Quotes

• “I started to realize, we’ve gotten some really good, high-quality workouts in on this. Why don’t we try sprinkling it (Lever) in a little bit more throughout some of our cycles as true workouts?” (06:44 | JT Klopcic)

• “What I might do is, in those first three weeks, set it ( Lever) at 40% of body weight, doing three sets of 15 seconds at their spin tempo pace. Then, over the next three weeks, I might either increase the duration to 20 seconds or reduce the percentage of body weight being taken off by the lever. It’s a progressive approach that gradually leads to the goal.” (10:59 | JT Klopcic)

• “Being able to take a little bit of that load off and do some of our more or true endurance workouts on the Lever has really, really kind of helped us.” (12:56 | JT Klopcic)

• “The Lever has certainly been really, really huge for us and certainly pushing us forward, especially with that middle distance group.” (22:45 | JT Klopcic)

Links

Connect with JT Goucher:
https://www.instagram.com/gouchertfxc/

https://www.instagram.com/levermovement/

https://www.instagram.com/bradmiles/

https://levermovement.com/

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